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 with four bogeys on a sun-drenched but chilly day at Sherwood Country Club in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains.

"I hit a few squiffy ones, but there's room for improvement. Get back out there tomorrow and there are lots of birdie opportunities on this course.

"I think that's why I've always enjoyed it, why I've always felt comfortable on it. It offers you a lot of chances if you play decent."

The Northern Irishman clinched the World Challenge for the first time with a playoff victory over Woods in 2010, six months after landing his maiden major title in the U.S. Open held at Pebble Beach.

Last year, McDowell once again triumphed at Sherwood, holding off American playing partner Keegan Bradley to win by three shots.

"My last eight rounds around here have been in the 60s," smiled the ever-popular McDowell. "But this is a tough golf course this week. The course hasn't been this tough in a couple years. The scoring reflects that.

"The greens are much firmer and the speed of them caught me by surprise a little bit today. My (putting) speed was a little clumsy, and it showed today on the greens."

The World Challenge will be shifting to Orlando in Florida next year, ending a run of 14 successive editions held at Sherwood, and California fan McDowell expressed bitter-sweet emotions about the move.

"Obviously I like Sherwood a lot," the 34-year-old Northern Irishman said. "Every time I've been here I've been very fortunate to play well. Orlando is my backyard these days, my hometown, and I guess I have mixed emotions.

"But I think this is a great event and any change sometimes can be a good thing - from an energy point of view, for the event's popularity.

"The people here in California have enjoyed this event but I think the people in Orlando will certainly enjoy it next year."

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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.)	7
-1	Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain)	7
-1	Henrik Stenson (Sweden)	7
Par	Francesco Molinari (Italy)	12
Par	Matteo Manassero (Italy)	12
Par	Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)	10
Par	Richard Sterne (South Africa)	9
Par	Victor Dubuisson (France)	8
1	Joost Luiten (Netherlands)	11
1	Ryan Moore (U.S.)	8
1	Kevin Streelman (U.S.)	6
2	D.A. Points (U.S.)	9
2	Gary Woodland (U.S.)	8
2	Branden Grace (South Africa)	7
2	Morten Madsen (Denmark)	7
3	David Lynn (Britain)	12
3	Thaworn Wiratchant (Thailand)	12
3	Ernie Els (South Africa)	7
4	Dawie Van der Walt (South Africa)	12
4	Justin Rose (Britain)	8
8	Peter Senior (Australia)	10
TOP10 AFTER COMPLETE ROUND

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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, Dufner was handed it by his caddie to toss out of the trap, but instead of doing it, he just put the rock in Bradley's golf bag.

While this event has big names in the field, it is still a fun golf tournament and stuff like this shows just that.

If I was Bradley, I would definitely focus my prank revenge on the television Dufner is watching when the SEC Championship comes down to the end.

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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 too worried about it. I'm excited to come see Bangkok," he told journalists on a conference call.

"I've heard a lot of good things, and I trust that everyone with the tournament and everyone organising the event will look after us quite well and we'll be just fine."

Asked whether he had considered pulling out, Fowler said: "No, there's nothing yet. I'm sure, you know, if anything crazy were to happen, I may have a couple questions. But I know all the guys from the US are excited to come."

Anti-government protesters have been fighting street battles with police as political violence returns to Bangkok, three years after dozens died in a crackdown on mass rallies.

Barbed wire and barricades have sprung up around the city after protesters clashed with police, who fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

However, the $1 million Thailand Golf Championship will be played at the Amata Spring Country Club, outside Bangkok and well away from the protests.

Fowler said he was confident that visiting players, who also include Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson, would not face any problems.

"I haven't heard about any of the (security) arrangements, anything that's changed," said the 24-year-old.

"But I know the tournament will be there to look after us and make sure we're good to go when we land and get us into Bangkok and settled into the hotel and get ready for the week."

He added: "Bubba is one of my best friends on tour. I know he's excited about coming back. He was there last year and had a great time."

No comment was available from tournament organisers following requests from AFP.

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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 Challenge, his first tournament in a month.

The South African, who turned professional in 1989, said that with his daughter Samantha now 14 and son Ben now 11 ''there are other things that come into play.''

''It's always been difficult leaving the house, but now you really see your kids growing up and it gets more difficult,'' Els said.

He almost skipped the Nedbank to stay on vacation with his family, and had to send Samantha back home to Florida on her own for school while he set off in search of a fourth title at Sun City.

''I feel a little bit guilty about that,'' he said.

Els is recognizing the trend with a couple of other players on tour.

''Family life is important and you don't want to miss out on their best years before they leave the house,'' he said. ''A lot of us are in that boat now. Phil (Mickelson) has kids the same age as mine, so does (Steve) Stricker. Guys get to my age and your kids get to teenage years and it becomes a bit of a difficult scenario. It's getting tougher and tougher. The younger guys don't have too many hassles travelling ... but things change.

''I haven't really got a game plan for next year yet, but I definitely have to play a slightly different schedule. I've got to look at my schedule and see where I'm going to.''

One thing that will remain is his commitment to trying to win another major - maybe two. His British Open title in 2012, a decade after his first Claret Jug, bolstered Els' hopes of another big win before he eases off completely.

''I'm 44 and with the equipment I can really stay with the longer hitters,'' Els said. ''I feel I have a chance. I just need to sharpen up some things, get the right venue and get the right mojo. Then I think we can pull something off again. It's not going to be easy, but I believe there are one or two left, so I'll keep searching.''

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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 in South Africa.

"There are a couple of traps and I think expectation is one of them. Another is handling my time - the demand for my time is probably five times as much now as it was six months ago.

"When you're flavour of the month everyone wants a piece of you. It becomes quite hectic outside of golf and if you don't get rest and practice it will show up in your game," said the 37-year-old Stenson.

"It will be key to look after those areas."

A win at the 2009 Players Championship in Florida took the Swede up to fourth in the world before he suffered the second big form slump of his career to crash out of the top 200.

Now that he has his mojo back, Stenson is looking to reach the twin peaks of winning a first major and taking over from Tiger Woods as world number one.

"I've pretty much achieved everything in the game that I want to except for winning a major," said the former Ryder Cup player at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

"I'm looking at a good three, four, five years ahead of me if I can stay healthy to try and win one of the big ones.

"I would love to get to world number one. It's definitely in reach if I continue with the form I've shown since the summer."

The Nedbank Challenge features an elite 30-man field competing for a prize fund of $6.5 million.

Among the other title favourites are South African trio Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, former world number ones Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer, and Sergio Garcia of Spain.

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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 Higgins.

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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 for good. He was two ahead of Jamie Donaldson and Thomas Bjorn.

''I feel good over the ball right now and I am playing with confidence,'' Donald said, coming off a win in Japan two weeks ago.

Wales' Donaldson played 12 holes, while Denmark's Bjorn was 3 under with three birdies in his six holes. Brendon de Jonge was due to join those two on 3 under and two off the lead after spinning a wedge back into the hole from 110 yards for an eagle three on No. 9 right as the weather hooter sounded. His score wasn't yet officially registered as his playing partners hadn't completed the hole.

Playing for the first time since ending last season with the FedEx Cup and European money list title, Henrik Stenson was 1 under after seven and tied for fifth, with six straight pars after a birdie on No 1.

Boosted by his victory at the Dunlop Phoenix, Donald's quick start at Sun City came off sweetly struck iron shots into the greens at his opening two holes. He also picked up back-to-back birdies at the end of his opening nine.

''Lovely start,'' he said. ''It doesn't get much better than three-three around here. Birdie, eagle and all of a sudden you are three under par through two holes. I played solid for those first 11 holes and hit a couple of very nice shots in that time that I was able to take advantage of.''

Defending champion Martin Kaymer is in the mix at 2 under, while Charl Schwartzel led the South African challenge as one of seven players tied at 1 under par. Sergio Garica is also part of that group, as is Peter Uihlein of the United States.

Ernie Els was 3 over after seven in search of his fourth title at Sun City and U.S. Open champion Justin Rose was 4 over after eight. Only Australia's Peter Senior, with three double bogeys in his first six holes to crash to 8 over through 10, was worse than Rose.

Having initially been kept off the course for nearly three hours through an earlier thunderstorm, the players came off for the second time in late afternoon and will all have to come back at 7:30 Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.

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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 safe and that's what happened.

''I was thinking of it really as, ''OK each tournament is three rounds on the Symetra Tour. So I was just thinking that I have a 14-shot headstart. It makes me more calm and want to play more conservative. I was just kind of taking each day as a new day. Just forget about the past two days and just play smart.''

The top 20 players after the final round Sunday will earn Category 12 status, Nos. 21-45 and ties will receive membership in Category 17, and the other players who make the 72-hole cut will get Symetra Tour status.

Former Vanderbilt player Megan Grehan was second after a 68 on the Jones Course.

South Korea's Seon Hwa Lee, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, and Tiffany Joh were tied for third at 8 under. They each shot 70 on the Hills Course.

Amy Anderson, the 21-year-old former North Dakota State star who won the second stage of qualifying, was 7 under after a 69 on the Hills Course. She won a record 20 college titles.

Lorie Kane, the 48-year-old Canadian who has four LPGA Tour victories, was tied for 53rd at 1 over after a 73 on the Hills Course. South Korea's Birdie Kim, the 2005 U.S. Women's Open champion, was tied for 66th at 2 over after a 72 on the Hills Course. Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods' niece, had a 73 on the Hills Course to move into a tie for 122nd at 6 over.

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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 to work. I made a couple of long ones that I probably shouldn't have made and it turned out to be a good day.

''On the longer putts the grip handle was stopping instead of keeping going so I changed that. I think I had 10 or 12 fewer putts and that made the difference. I think I had 24 putts today instead of 33.''

Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg was second after a 69. Spain's Carlota Ciganda was 7 under after a 70, and Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum was another stroke back after a 70.

Six players were unable to complete the round because of darkness.

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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 took him to three under after nine holes and just two off the leader Luke Donald but De Jonge's official overnight score was still pegged at one under after eight holes because his playing partners have yet to finish the ninth.

Play was called off before U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and American Ryan Moore completed the hole as a severe thunderstorm threatened lightning and officials swiftly order the players to leave the course.

The scores are not updated until the three-ball completes the hole, said a spokesman for South Africa's Sunshine Tour, which co-sanctions the 30-man elite event with the European Tour.

De Jonge will only be credited with his eagle once the hole is completed when the field returns at 7.30am on Friday morning to finish the first round.

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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 at Sherwood Country Club on Wednesday. "It will be nice to have a few weeks off.

"This last part of the season was all about trying to build momentum going into 2014, and I feel like for the most part I've done that.

"A couple of good finishes in Asia and I got a win in Australia. I'd love to get myself in the mix this week and finish the season off on a really high note."

TITLE DROUGHT

McIlroy was delighted to end his title drought with a one-shot victory over local favourite Adam Scott at the Australian Open on Sunday, but felt he did not need that win for any form of validation.

"Did I need the win? Probably not," McIlroy said. "Was it nice to get the win? Of course. But I felt like I saw enough good golf in there to know that it was very close, and it wasn't going to be long before I did win.

"Regardless of the results, I knew that my game was coming around, and that was the most important thing. What I was happy with the most was the limited amount of times that I have gotten in contention this year, I have played well.

"I have played well down the stretch. I've played well under pressure, and that is something that I really have improved on the last few years."

Probably the biggest test for McIlroy this year has been with his mental approach to the game as he continued to battle poor form after ruling the golfing roost in 2012.

"I'm very hard on myself," said the 24-year-old, who clinched his second major title by a record eight shots at last year's PGA Championship.

"I feel like I'm emotionally connected to my golf game in terms of, if I play bad, I'll be in a bad mood. If I play well, I'll be in a good mood. The way I play golf shouldn't determine who I am as a person.

"That's sort of carried through not just in my golf game, it's just how I am, my demeanour and everything. That's something I feel like I've gotten better at and something I need to continue to get better at."

Asked if he was in a good mood this week as he prepared for Thursday's opening round at Sherwood, McIlroy smiled: "Yeah, I'm in a great mood. I'm happy."

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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 not sure that completely grasps what is happening now considering how great the field is for Tiger's tournament.

All that aside, do you think these events are good for the game or are a little overkill for golf fans considering there is basically a tournament 52 weeks out of the year?

Busbee: The easy thing to say is that the NFL has mastered the art of demand through scarcity, and golf could take a lesson from that. However, the two sports aren't completely comparable--for one thing, the Patriots and Seahawks play all 16 games, not just the ones they want to. For that reason, then, the golf schedule is kind of like a Vegas buffet for viewers ... if you want to load up on every kind of food imaginable, you can, but if you want to focus on just the carving station and the dessert bar, you can do that too.

My feeling is, what's the harm? As long as a few charities get a few bucks, more power to 'em. And you never know when you might get a gem like last week's Rory-Adam Scott showdown. You?

Bacon: You can call me un-American all you want for this statement, but I actually prefer some of this Silly Season events in other parts of the world because like you said, you can tune in if you want at weird hours and catch some great golf. The Australian Open was great for me because I could turn it on later in the evening and watch live golf between huge names like Rory and Scott.

The problem for me is when December rolls around the golf gets a little too confusing, especially with the new wraparound schedule. Is this tournament for 2013 or 2014? Does this tournament count for FedEx Cup points or not? Is this one of those team events or individual?

I agree with you that it's nice to have the option of watching golf and I am fairly excited for this week's tournament just to watch McIlroy attempt to go back-to-back, but a month of absolutely no golf wouldn't be horrible if for no other reasons than to give the fans a chance to recharge their batteries and get us excited for the new year.

Busbee: There really is nothing like checking out the finals of some Australian tournament in the late-evening Saturday hours, is there? We're in the midst of the 2013-14 mess right now, and I sincerely hope it'll work itself out in future years, because right now, man, most people have no idea where we are in the schedule.

Of course, as golf goes global, we need to recognize that we'll see more and more alternate-schedule tournaments. Expecting Australia to go dark for us is like expecting us to stop golf from June to August for them. Ain't gonna happen.

With that in mind, you think we'll ever get to a point where these international tournaments start getting more than anecdotal interest from American audiences?

Bacon: Ummm, is Tiger playing? Isn't that the question we always have to ask?

I do think the international events will get more exposure, but I would almost like to see these tours becoming a little more independent. I don't get why a WGC event can count for both the PGA and European Tours, and I think it takes away from someone who might be playing strictly European Tour events over the course of a season.

That said, I have a feeling that 2014 could be a considerably epic season, especially if Tiger, Rory or Phil took home the green jacket in April. Could you imagine if Tiger won at Augusta and Mickelson capped off his career Grand Slam at Pinehurst 15 years after losing to Payne Stewart? We seriously might have to just skip the final two majors because they wouldn't have a shot at living up to those results.

Busbee: I'm thinking the entire season is going to revolve around that June week at Pinehurst. Everything is aligned for Phil, which seems to be a bad omen.

Are there any remote-Aussie courses set up like Pinehurst? Because if I were Phil, I'd move the whole family there for six months and grind away.

Bacon: Knowing Phil, I bet he gets in a few dozen rounds at Pinehurst before June 12.

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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 meet him with my father back in '98. He invited us to his home, and it was one of the inspiring times I've ever had in my life.''

Woods did not go into details of stories about Mandela that he has told many times over the years.

At the British Open this summer, when Mandela's health was failing, he told of walking into a living room in Mandela's home and feeling a presence he couldn't describe.

''It still gives me chills to this day, thinking about it,'' Woods said in July at Muirfield. ''A gentleman asked us to go into this side room over here and, 'President Mandela will join you in a little bit. And we walked in the room, and my dad and I were just kind of looking around. And I said, 'Dad, do you feel that? And he says, 'Yeah, it feels different in this room.

''And it was just like a different energy in the room,'' Woods said. ''We just looked at each other and just shrugged our shoulders and whatever. And maybe, I'm guessing probably 30 seconds later, I heard some movement behind me and it was President Mandela folding up the paper. And it was pretty amazing. The energy that he has, that he exudes, is unlike any person I've ever met. And it was an honor to meet him at his home. And that's an experience that I will never, ever forget.''

Woods later paid his respects on Twitter.

''Pop & I felt your aura went we met, I feel it today & I will feel it forever. You have done so much for humanity...'' said one tweet from Woods. It was followed by, ''You will always be in my heart Mr. Mandela.''

Woods, the first player of black heritage to win the Masters in 1997 with a record-breaking performance, was in the middle of overhauling his swing in the fall of 1998. The week after Thanksgiving, he played the Casio World Open in Japan and then made his first trip to South Africa.

''I had read all the information about him,'' Woods told The Associated Press in a 2003 interview. ''If you're a minority, you've read up on what he did. To go through what he did for 27 years and come out and be as humble as he was, and then run the country ... how tough a person do you have to be to do that?''

Woods returned to South Africa five years later for the Presidents Cup, a time when there was uncertainly whether Americans would travel such a long distance in November for the event. Woods never gave it a second thought, telling the AP he surely would have gotten a phone call from Mandela.

''How can you not want to do anything for that man?'' he said.

Mandela met with Woods, Ernie Els and the rest of the players that week at the Presidents Cup, and he attended the opening ceremony.

Woods was informed of Mandela's death after finishing his round at Sherwood Country Club, and before he spoke to reporters.

''He certainly had an impact on my life and certainly my father's,'' Woods said. ''When he came out (of prison), the country could have fallen apart. It could have gone a lot of different ways, and he led it to where it's at now. And the world is going to miss him.''

For Mandela to spend 27 years in prison and emerge without hatred is what Woods found difficult to fathom.

''I don't think any of us probably here could have survived that and come out as humble and as dignified as he did,'' Woods said. ''And to lead an entire nation and to basically love the world when he came out, I think that's a testament to his will and his spirit and who he was.''

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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, who was disqualified from the Oct. 24-27 BMW Masters in Shanghai for fixing a spike mark on the line of a putt, was also fined 30,000 pounds ($49,000) and ordered to pay 7,500 pounds costs.

The panel said that "if during that 18 month period, Mr Dyson commits any breach of the Rules of Golf, his case will be referred back to the Panel to determine whether in the circumstances the suspension should immediately become effective.

"If, however, at the end of that period, he has committed no such breach, then the threat of a suspension will fall away."

Dyson released a statement after the event vehemently denying that he deliberately cheated, saying he made an "accidental mistake".

The panel ruled that Dyson's action was a deliberate one, committed to improve his position on the green, and might warrant an immediate suspension.

However, it took into consideration the fact that Dyson had no history of misconduct in 14 years on the Tour and his action "involved a momentary aberration on his part, not a premeditated act of cheating".

Dyson has won six times on the tour, most recently in 2011 when he lifted the Irish Open and Dutch Open titles.

The Englishman comes from a sporting background. His grandfather was a jockey, his dad John is a bookmaker and his uncle Terry played in the Tottenham Hotspur football team that won the First Division and FA Cup double in 1961. ($1 = 0.6127 British pounds)

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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 Thailand Golf Championship tournament in Chonburi (around 75 km east of the capital) is expected to go ahead as scheduled.

"I haven't caught too much on TV. I've heard a little bit of the news. I'm not too worried about it. I'm excited to come see Bangkok," the 24-year-old told reporters in a conference call on Thursday.

"I've heard a lot of good things, and I trust that everyone with the tournament and everyone organising the event will look after us quite well and we'll be just fine."

Swede Henrik Stenson, winner of the Race To Dubai and U.S. FedExCup in 2013, reigning U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, defending champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, Spain's Sergio Garcia and American Bubba Watson are the other big names playing at Amata Spring Country Club next week.

MORE TOURNAMENTS

The 2013 campaign has been a difficult one for Fowler and the former number one-ranked amateur feels a few tweaks to his game should put him in a better place for the next season.

"This past year was a little slow for me. I would have liked to have been in contention a little bit more," Fowler, who will turn 25 in Thailand next week, said.

"A little bit more just kind of general, working on my swing a little bit, and trying to get things a little more efficient and consistent.

"Outside of that, I'm going to play a few more tournaments next year."

And with 2014 being a Ryder Cup year, the American, currently ranked 41 in the world, has another major incentive to improve his performance to seal a second appearance at the prestigious team matchplay event.

"It's definitely one of my main goals for the year. I'd like a chance to play in my second Ryder Cup," Fowler, who made an accomplished debut in 2010 but failed to make the U.S. team last year, said.

"So, you know, keeping good momentum, getting into a good rhythm going into the year, it's definitely key. A lot can happen in golf.

"You get to get some confidence and a good rhythm going, a lot of good things can happen."

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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 to continue the kind of play that earned him both the FedEx Cup and the European money title this year.

''It's going to take some golfing to keep this up, what I managed to achieve this year,'' Stenson said Wednesday at the casino resort in northern South Africa. ''It's been a dream year and a fantastic season for me. I'm still having little niggles, but it (the wrist) still seems to be fine to play and hit. I hope we can keep my body together.

''This is my 30th event this year and I'm in serious need of rest, but we'll try to mobilize for the last little bit.''

If he needs any kind of reminder for how quickly fortunes can change, the third-ranked Stenson only needs to think back to his last tournament in South Africa at the end of 2012. Back then, his ranking had plummeted and he hadn't won a title in 3 1/2 years, but his victory at the South African Open helped spark his historic run this year.

Whether he can earn another title at Sun City - where he won by nine shots in 2008 - will depend on ''how much energy we can mobilize,'' Stenson said.

Nedbank is a tougher test this year, as well, with the field having been increased from 12 to 30 players this year and the tournament being part of the 2014 European Tour schedule. U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, former No. 1 Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and major winners Charl Schwartzel, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and defending champion Martin Kaymer are among the starters.

The 37-year-old Stenson played through the pain in his wrist during the final swing of the European Tour last month to keep his lead in the Race to Dubai standings - with the help of pain killers, anti-inflammatories and plenty of ice. His last few weeks have been more about recovering than celebrating.

''I have spent more time in the ice bucket than a bottle of Moet & Chandon over the last month,'' he said earlier this week.

Having sprayed his share of champagne this season, though, Stenson is now facing constant questions over when he'll win his first major. And for next year, that's definitely one of the goals.

''The majors are the next step for me. I've won great tournaments on both the PGA and European Tours,'' he said. ''I won both the Order of Merits and played in the Ryder Cup team. ... I've pretty much achieved everything in the game that I want to except for winning a major championship. I must keep on working on my game and following up on a great season.

''(But) There are a couple of traps and I think expectation is one of them. Another is handling my time. The demand for my time is probably five times as much now as it was six months ago. When you're flavour of the month everyone wants a piece of you ... and if you don't get rest and practice in then it will show up in your game. It will be key to look after those areas.''

And after Sun City, Stenson will follow his own advice and finally take an extended break.

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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)

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Woods talks golf, majors and Foundation business

THOUSAND OAKS, California - Tiger Woods, the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge tournament host, talks to Reuters about his various Foundation projects and learning centres plus his 2013 golf campaign which featured a season-high five victories on the PGA Tour although he was unable to add to his career tally of 14 majors. (GOLF-CHALLENGE/WOODS (INTERVIEW, PIX, TV), expect by 0200 GMT/9PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 550 words)

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Westwood targets improvement in bid for first major title

THOUSAND OAKS, California - England's former world number one Lee Westwood, reunited with his longtime former caddie and happy to put in long hours with his swing coach, talks to Reuters about his plan to improve every aspect of his game for next year as he hunts a first major title. (GOLF-CHALLENGE/WESTWOOD (INTERVIEW, PIX), expect by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 500 words)

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European Tour: Nedbank Challenge, Sun City (to Dec. 8)

Stenson and Rose lead title chase

World number three Henrik Stenson, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and former world number ones Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer are among the title favourites at the elite 30-man event that carries a prize fund of $6.5 million. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1715 GMT/12:15 PM ET, 400 words)

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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 and a birdie putt from a similar distance at the par-four last to end the opening round with just four players ahead of him.

"I felt like I hit the ball decent today," the 14-time major champion said after missing only two fairways at Sherwood Country Club with a new driver in his bag. "I missed two short ones (putts) there at one and the kick-in at 18.

"That's a couple of shots right there, and I'm only two back. I had a couple of good ones (shots) on the back nine today that ended up in some very interesting spots. The golf course is kind of set up that way right now.

"There are some tough pins out there. You miss them on the wrong spots, you're going to pay a price and I think that's kind of what's signified in the scoring. No one is running away with it. Nobody went low today."

Only four players in the field dipped under par on Thursday - Johnson (67), Matt Kuchar (68), Hunter Mahan (70) and Bubba Watson (70).

FIRST APPEARANCE

Woods, who triumphed a season-high five times on the 2013 PGA Tour, was making his first tournament appearance since tying for third at the European Tour's Turkish Airlines Open a month ago.

"Probably just my feel," he said of the hardest thing to regain in his game after a lengthy break from competition. "I drove it pretty good today, and I just didn't quite hit my irons well and didn't make a lot of putts.

"You've got to give these greens a little bit of respect. If you miss the ball in the wrong spots, which I did a couple of times above the hole, you have to play pretty defensively. I had a lot of putts where I had to worry about the speed."

Woods, who became the first player of black heritage to win the Masters in 1997, paid tribute to former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died earlier on Thursday at the age of 95 after a prolonged lung infection.

"I got a chance to meet with him back in '98 with my father (Earl) at his home and we had a great lunch together," Woods said, referring to a trip he made to South Africa that year to compete in the Million Dollar Challenge.

"It was one of the most inspiring times I've ever had in my life. He certainly had an impact on my life and certainly my father's. When he came out (of prison), the country (South Africa) could have fallen apart.

"It could have gone a lot of different ways, and he led it to where it's at now. The world is going to miss him."

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