Holder McDowell 'quite happy' with Sherwood start

THOUSAND OAKS, California, - California has been a successful hunting ground for Graeme McDowell over the last four years and he was happy enough with his start to the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge on Thursday. Seeking his third victory in the elite event hosted by Tiger Woods, McDowell launched his title defence with a level-par 72 to end the opening round in a tie for sixth, five strokes behind pace-setting American Zach Johnson. "Generally I was quite happy the way I hit the ball," McDowell told reporters after offsetting four birdies...

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European Tour Nedbank Golf Challenge scores

Scores from the European Tour Nedbank Golf Challenge at the par-72 course on Thursday in Sun City Name Hole -5 Luke Donald (Britain) 11 -3 Jamie Donaldson (Britain) 12 -3 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 6 -2 Martin Kaymer (Germany) 6 -1 Darren Fichardt (South Africa) 11 -1 Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 10 -1 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 9 -1 Brendon De Jonge (Zimbabwe)  8 -1 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)  8 -1 Peter Uihlein (U.S.)  ...

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Jason Dufner plays a prank on Keegan Bradley during their opening round

If you've ever spent longer than 90 seconds on Twitter and you're a golf fan, you probably know that Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley like to mess with each other. Both are always sending stuff to one other poking fun like buddies tend to do. During the opening round of the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge, Dufner and Bradley were paired together and it was the Auburn fan that got the best of Bradley. After avoiding a rock in the bunker,...

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US golf star undeterred by Bangkok protests

Bangkok - American golf star Rickie Fowler Thursday said he was ready to play in protest-hit Thailand next week but admitted he might have second thoughts if something "crazy" happens. Fowler, one of the headliners at the December 12-15 Thailand Golf Championship near Bangkok, was speaking after several days of violent demonstrations rocked the Thai capital. "I haven't caught too much on TV. I've heard a little bit of the news. I'm not...

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For Els, golf now losing out to family

SUN CITY, South Africa-- Ernie Els is considering cutting his golf schedule even more to spend time with his family, saying life on the road after 25 seasons as a pro is getting ''tougher and tougher.'' The four-time major winner has already slowed down over the past few years, playing 19 tournaments on the PGA Tour and only seven European Tour events last season. The 44-year-old Els expects to trim that again, he said at the Nedbank Golf...

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I must avoid distractions, says flavour-of-month Stenson

Henrik Stenson's dramatic rise to number three in the world has led to a sudden surge in off-course demands and distractions that could damage his golf unless he is careful, the Swede said on Wednesday. The former Ryder Cup player has rocketed up the rankings after a remarkable year during which he became the first man to win the U.S. Tour's lucrative FedExCup series and finish top of the European money list. "I must keep on working on my game and following up on a great season," Stenson told a news conference on the eve of the Nedbank Challenge...

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David Higgins leads Hong Kong Open by 1 shot

HONG KONG -- David Higgins shot a 6-under 64 Thursday to lead the Hong Kong Open by one shot after the first round. Higgins, who lost his European Tour card at the end of last season, was one stroke ahead of Andrea Pavan. Seven others, including Seve Benson, Andrew Dodt and Sujjan Singh, were at 4 under. Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez (70) three-putted for a bogey at the last hole to finish six shots behind Higgin...

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Donald leads, lightning ends play in Sun City

SUN CITY, South Africa  -- Luke Donald's fast start in the Nedbank Golf Challenge was halted by lightning Thursday, leaving the former top-ranked Englishman ahead by two shots at 5 under through 11 holes. No one was able to play more than 12 holes because of lightning and a thunderstorm. Donald began the 30-man invitational with a birdie and an eagle and was 5 under when the day's second interruption for lightning forced players off...

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Jaye Marie Green leads LPGA Tour Q-school

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tour's qualifying tournament. The 19-year-old Green, from Boca Raton, had a 14-under 130 total at LPGA International. She played the Hills Course on Thursday after shooting a course-record 62 on Wednesday on the Jones Course. ''We were just kind of like, 'Let's just play smart, like, why throw it away?'' said Green, 29th on the Symetra Tour money list this year. ''You can still make birdies and play...

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Stacy Lewis takes lead in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Stacy Lewis shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead during the suspended second round of the Dubai Ladies Masters. The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour, had a 9-under 135 total at Emirates Golf Course in the Ladies European Tour's season-ending tournament. ''The putts went in today,'' Lewis said. ''I made a little adjustment on the practice green and it seemed...

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Shot of the day must wait overnight to be recorded

SUN CITY, South Africa - Brendon de Jonge played the shot of the day at a storm-curtailed Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Thursday, but will have to wait until Friday for it to be acknowledged by the scorers. The burly Zimbabwean hit a wedge from just over 100 meters out to record an eagle on the ninth at the Gary Player Country Club, lofting it perfectly past the pin and watching as sharp back spin carried it back into the cup. It...

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Fatigued McIlroy aims to end year on high note

THOUSAND OAKS, California - Just three days after winning his first title of the year in Australia, a jet-lagged Rory McIlroy is looking forward to one last tournament before he puts his clubs away for a well-earned rest. The Northern Irishman has ended a largely frustrating 2013 campaign by producing good form in recent events and would dearly love to sign off on a triumphant note at this week's Northwestern Mutual World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods. "I'm happy this is the last event of the year," world number six McIlroy told reporters...

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Teeing Off: Are December events necessary for golf?

Welcome to Teeing Off, where Devil Ball editor Shane Bacon and national columnist Jay Busbee take a day's topic and smack it all over the course. Suggest a future topic by hitting us on Twitter at @shanebacon and @jaybusbee. Today we talk about the Silly Season, and if these golf tournaments help or hurt the game. Bacon: This week marks the conclusion of these weird "tournaments that matter but don't really matter" events that golf has when the PGA Tour and European Tour's seasons end. We used to call it the Silly Season, but I'm...

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Woods says meeting Mandela "inspiring time"

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Tiger Woods said the death of Nelson Mandela was ''a sad day for many people,'' especially those who had the chance to meet him. That moment was 15 years ago for Woods when he was in South Africa for the Million Dollar Challenge. ''It's sad for everyone who got a chance to not only meet him, but I've been influenced by him,'' Woods said Thursday after the first round of his World Challenge. ''I got a chance to...

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Dyson handed suspended two month ban

* Dyson handed two month ban, suspended for 18 months * Also fined 30,000 pounds * Player's previous unblemished record considered (Adds detail) LONDON - England's Simon Dyson has been given a suspended two month ban from competing on the European Tour after being found guilty of cheating at a tournament in China in October. The Tour's disciplinary panel said in a statement on Thursday that it had suspended the ban for 18 months because the act was not premeditated and the player had a previously unblemished record. The 35-year-old,...

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Fowler excited to play in Thailand despite Bangkok turmoil

American Rickie Fowler is excited to be making his first trip to Thailand next week and is not put off by the political upheaval in Bangkok that has already led to the postponement of a major motorsport event. Tens of thousands of protesters have flooded the streets of the Thai capital in an attempt to bring down the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and five people have been killed in clashes over the past week. The turmoil caused organisers of the Race of Champions motorsport event in Bangkok to call off the event but the...

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Rested Stenson tries to stay hot at Sun City

SUN CITY, South Africa -- Ten days away from golf was just about enough for Henrik Stenson to get his ''funky'' right wrist back to being close to healthy. Stenson knows he needs more time to recover fully, but when he's in this kind of form it's easy to understand why the Swede doesn't want to slow down. The hottest golfer in the world is returning after a brief end-of-season break for this week's Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, hoping...

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Golf Schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday, Dec 5

GOLF World Challenge Woods, McIlroy and McDowell discuss chances THOUSAND OAKS, California - We continue our build-up to the event hosted by five-times winner Tiger Woods at Sherwood Country Club where defending champion Graeme McDowell and double major winner Rory McIlroy are also scheduled to hold news conferences. (GOLF-CHALLENGE/ (PIX), expect by 0200 GMT/9PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 450 words) - - Woods talks golf, majors and Foundation business THOUSAND OAKS, California - Tiger Woods, the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge...

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Poor putting costs Woods two shots at Sherwood

THOUSAND OAKS, California, - Two short missed putts bookended a grinding round for Tiger Woods as the tournament host opened with a one-under-par 71 at the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge on Thursday. In pursuit of his sixth victory this year, the American world number one drove the ball well but was not as sharp with his irons and his putting as he finished up four strokes behind the pace-setting Zach Johnson in an elite field of 18. Woods, who has won his event a record five times, missed a three-footer for par on his opening hole...

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