Tiger Quells Haney Split Speculation

Tiger Woods has moved to dismiss rumours that he may be ready to split from his association with golf coach, Hank Haney.

Rumours of a rift between Woods and Haney emerged following the World number one’s comments in the aftermath of his closing 68, where he described his swing as having a ‘Band-Aid’ around it. Haney, who has been Woods’ coach since 2002, had been dogged by rumours since 2007 about a potential split away from Woods, but the verbal volley he received at the Masters seemed to have had considerable fuel to the fire.

However, on the eve of the Quail Hollow Championship, where Tiger heads a field which includes US Masters champion, Angel Cabrera, Woods has downplayed talk of any split and that he had simply been letting off steam following the tongue-lashing he gave Haney in the wake of Woods’ third round at Augusta, where the pair clashed on the practice ground moments after Woods had birdied the eighteenth.

When asked about the rumour, Woods responded: “That’s complete speculation … It has nothing to do with Henry. I didn’t hit the ball the way I wanted to, and I didn’t make any putts.

“I felt like that every day. It was 17 and 18 that hurt. I didn’t finish off my rounds the last couple of days, and it cost me a chance to win the golf tournament.”

“Usually, you just leave me alone, let me vent for a while and then I’ll be ready to focus on what I need to do to get ready for the next day. It’s happened before. He (Haney) has seen it before. Stevie has seen it. You’ve got to vent.”

Its believed Haney will not be in attendance at the Quail Hollow Championship, which starts Thursday, but was at Woods’ side last weekend in Florida working on Woods’ game.

Also among the field at Charlotte, North Carolina are world number two, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia of Spain and Australian Geoff Ogilvy. Irishman Padraig Harrington is also entered for the tournament while American Anthony Kim seeks to retain his crown; his winning total last year set a tournament record 16-under-par 272.

Swine Flu Causes a Spate of Withdrawals at Mexican Golf Tournament

Due to mounting concerns surrounding the outbreak of swine flu across Mexico, the country’s San Luis Potosi Open will be at least ten golfers short when it tees off due to the withdrawal of a number of players according to the Canadian Golf Tour.

The tour, which forms part of the feeder system for the main US PGA Tour said in a statement that while players are still arriving from Latin America, the United States and Canada, a number of players had decided to withdraw from the event.

Spokesman for the tour, Commissioner Richard Janes said on the Canadian Tour website that players would be monitored and that every precaution would be taken to protect the players taking part from the virus which has hit headlines across the globe.

Precautions taken by the tour include the provision and use of only bottled water for drinking, the use of hand sanitisers and the availability of medical staff. There is also a recommendation that players eat only at the resort and refrain from travelling into the local town of San Luis Potosi.

Meanwhile, the venue for the event - the Jack Nicklaus designed La Loma Golf Club – has been closed to the public for the duration of the tournament. To make the atmosphere even more spooky for the players, there will also be no fans or local caddies in attendance at the course.

Its Ryder Cup Rivalry as Monty and Pavin lock horns at The Celtic Manor Wales Open

Ryder Cup rivalry will begin early with the news that both the captain of the European team, Colin Montgomerie and the captain of the United States team, Corey Pavin will be amongst the field competing for the Wales Open when it returns to The Celtic Manor Resort in June.

The tournament, which will be played on the Twenty Ten Course – the first ever built specifically for The Ryder Cup - sees Mongomerie make his seventh appearance at the tournament and will be his second competitive appearance over the Twenty Ten Cours. Pavin, meanwhile, has yet to tread the fairways of the Welsh venue but is relishing the prospect of getting to grips with the course which will stage the 2010 renewal of The Ryder Cup next October.

“The Ryder Cup is the most dynamic and intense experience a competitive golfer will ever have and for me personally the dream will begin to become reality with my trip to Wales in June,” said Pavin in a news release.

“I have heard a lot of great things about the Twenty Ten course and I cannot wait to see how it is set up for the Wales Open as well as imagining how it may be set up for the Ryder Cup.”

Pavin has won twice on the European Tour; winning the German Open in 1983 and defeating Nick Faldo in the 1993 World Match Play Championship at Wentworth and his appearance at The Celtic Manor Resort will be his first in an European Tour event, excluding The British Open, since finishing in a tie for place at the Scandinavian Masters in August 2007. In all, Pavin has tasted victory on 27 occasions and, like Montgomerie, holds an impressive Ryder Cup record having won 8 out of 13 matches he has featured in. He was also assistant captain to Tom Lehman at the K Club in the 2006 Ryder Cup and will be bidding to become the first US Captain since Tom Watson in 1993 to win the Ryder Cup on European turf.

Montgomerie has locked horns three times with Pavin during their Ryder Cup appearances and the big Scot admits to looking forward to playing alongside him again.

“It is tremendous news that Corey is playing and myself and Gaynor look forward very much to welcoming him and Lisa to Wales,” Montgomerie said.

“Throughout his career, Corey has shown himself as a great competitor and I am sure, like me, he will be striving to win The Celtic Manor Wales Open as well as looking ahead to his own plans for next year’s Ryder Cup.

“I always enjoy playing in The Celtic Manor Wales Open. It has additional significance as we are playing on the course where next year’s Ryder Cup will unfold. It is set up to challenge the best and, being a course with a whole host of tempting options and punishing hazards, there will be much for Corey and I to examine.”

The Celtic Manor Wales Open will take place from June 4th to June 7th over the Twenty Ten course. Previous tournaments have been played over the Roman Road course and the Wentwood Hills course.

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