MMO: Stricker, Woods will be tough

Monday Morning Observer:

*** With a fine performance at the Aussie Open, will Tiger Woods become a factor at the Presidents Cup this week? Quite possibly. Woods' game appears to be rounding into shape quite nicely if the Australian Open is any indication. And, with the format played in the team event, it will be easier for Tiger's mistakes to cost him. At least as long as he has a good partner. It appears his favourite playing companion, Steve Stricker, is saying he's healthy and ready to go which might mean a tough team for the Internationals to overcome.

*** Woods, by the way, jumps up to 50th in the Official World Golf Ranking this week after his third-place finish at the Australian Open. However he won't have a chance to earn any more points until next year, so that's where he'll finish the 2011 campaign.

*** This week, 25 Canadians and one Canadian resident, will tee it up in the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School. Chris Baryla and Jon Mills will join the battle here after disappointing seasons on the PGA and Nationwide tours respectively. You can follow the round-by-round progress of all the Canucks here.

*** Three Canadians will also be fighting against extremely long odds to try and make the Champions Tour through its Q-School. Ian Doig, Jim Rutledge and Rick Gibson will try to grab one of the five spots available to the field of 78. Seven more get conditional spots. Here's a good story on the two longtime Victoria pals, Rutledge and Gibson. By the way, why aren't Rut and Gibber in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame?

*** If you think John Daly has worn out his welcome, think again. While he's certainly at the end of his rope after his peformance Down Under (which he kind of defends here), I'd be surprised if he doesn't garner at least a handful of sponsor exemptions in North America and Europe this coming season. Why would a tournament want to have John in the field if there's a chance he might pull a stunt as he did in Australia? Because he is still a huge draw as evidenced by the crowds that followed him at the RBC Canadian Open. It's a bit like going to the stock car races and hoping for a bang up, but folks will still turn out to see the player who used to be great.

*** I've only heard of the "growing world of fitness pole dancing" in passing but according to a release, it's responsible for a new product being offered to golfers. Grip enhancer iTac2 is used by fitness pole dancers to maintain their grip on the pole. Yup, pole dancers. According to a release: "iTac2 really allows you to stick to the pole without feeling like you have a death grip on it," said Natasha Wang, current US Pole Dance Champion, who uses iTac2 to get a solid grip on the pole without sacrificing mobility." Now it's being offered up to golfers as a way to keep contact with the club in wet or humid or cold conditions. Apparently it doesn't leave any residue, won't harm your grips and washes right off. More details are here.

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Tiger Woods ended in the top 20 for the first time in 14 years

 is expected to announce later this week, that he is returning from Thursday this week at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational 2009 is the action of the world's top 20 for the first time since January of 1997. "The man who is considered one of the more than 11 years and 10 different linked to number one spot has not operated since 12 may in the knee and Achilles tendon injury. He is dropped from the rankings for the eighth time that the 21, and last Wednesday announced on his website that he is not a New Zealand caddie Steve Williams on his back in the Side.

"I think that it is a time of change," he said without mentioning names a replacement.

In an interview with the television in his home country, the Williams, which was his biggest 14 13 Woods showed him an electric shock, decision

"You could say wasted my life in the last two years," he said. "I've stuck with the Tiger and is incredibly loyal to. I'm not disappointed I've been raised-is-the work, but has an additional '. "

Referring to the Woods with a sport rocked at the end of the year 2009, the sex scandal, Williams also said: "I am involved with a lot of people lost a lot of respect for, and the Tiger.

"I have pointed out before his return at Masters Augusta, Georgia is in 2010, that he had to earn the respect of my back."

In the meantime, Sergio Garcia has earned a place in next week to hold the Championships in his game in the top 50. Back in the form of two consecutive top-10 finishes, majors, and the play-off device to defeat Germany in between, Garcia is the 48th with a view to go to Greenbrier classic this week, West Virginia.

Alex Noren runaway WINS in Sweden to transfer him to the 92nd 70th, but he was already in place, thanks to his Wales opens in Akron, Ohio in profit last month.

Best-ranked and Top-100 for the Scot, only one is the Baswaren of Martin Laird is 27.

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