Woods struggles again and falls far behind

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Tiger Woods has discovered something about his game that he never imagined could be a problem. He's hitting it too straight. In another pedestrian round Saturday that caused him to lose more ground in the Bridgestone Invitational, Woods didn't hit a fairway until the 11th hole and struggled so much with his putting that one of his associates brought a different putter out to the practice green after a round of 72. Woods was at 1-over 211, which left him 13 shots behind Adam Scott going into Sunday. What he noticed at Firestone, however, was the shape of his tee shots. Instead of playing a fade or a draw off the tee, depending on the shape of the flight he wanted, Woods is hitting it straighter. He said the trouble was still aiming right or left. "Still struggling a little bit with my setup and alignments off of tee shots because I used to curve the ball a lot more," he said. "I don't curve the ball as much anymore, and it's kind of hard to trust when I'm out there in tournament play. And most of my shots are missing right on the edges of fairways, so I've just got to get more committed to that. "I'm hitting the ball straighter," he said. "It's a nice change. But it's still a change." That was the scouting report out of Atlanta Athletic Club when Woods played a practice round Monday ahead of next week's PGA Championship. He was having a hard time picking out the right target, instinctively aiming farther outside the fairway lines because for years he was used to more movement on his shots. He missed every fairway on the front nine, and some of them weren't that close. His shot on No. 6 went into the gallery, plunked a fan in the back and bounced into the rough on the other side of the ropes. Brady Klotz, the college kid he struck, was so excited about being hit that he posed with the glove that Woods signed for him. Woods picked up two birdies to offset some early mistakes, but finished poorly. A sand wedge for his third shot to the par-5 16th went over the green and into a bunker for a bogey, and he three-putted the 18th for a 72. The putter is the biggest concern, as it has been since he first returned from the calamity in his personal life at the 2010 Masters. Woods went back to his Scotty Cameron, the model that he has used in 13 of his major championships. But after his round, the Nike putter was being delivered to him on the practice green. Woods played with Bubba Watson, who believes Woods is closer than the scores indicated. Watson was particularly impressed with the final hole, when Woods carved a shot out of the rough and around the trees to get on the green. "You've got to think he's just rusty," Watson said. "Like if we have a winter break, we've got a three-month winter break, the first tournament you're a little rusty. But 18 just showed how great he is. He hit some kind of a pitching wedge that sliced over that tree. That just proves he's close, and he's coming back and he's ready." About all that Woods can get out of this World Golf Championship now is four rounds, and hopes of a good Sunday to improve on his standing with the FedEx Cup playoffs at the end of the month. Woods is at No. 135, although he has two weeks to get into the top 125 and appears he can at least do that. "I've just got to put together a good round and let it build," Woods said. "That's something I haven't done yet. I've only played three rounds. Unfortunately, I'm not there battling with a chance to win, but I can still post a good round tomorrow."

Scott takes a 1-shot lead at Firestone

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ryo Ishikawa amazed even his peers in a charity-driven sport when he pledged in March to donate his entire earnings on the golf course to the tsunami relief fund in his native Japan. He could double the donation Sunday in a World Golf Championship that is surprising even him. Coming off a missed cut in Japan, never better than 20th in stroke play in America, the 19-year-old sensation made six birdies and twice escaped trouble in the trees Saturday for a 6-under 64 that put him in the final group and only one shot behind Adam Scott in the Bridgestone Invitational. Along with a $1.4 million payoff, Ishikawa could become the youngest winner of a PGA Tour event in 100 years. "I think it's a little too early to think about winning this whole thing as of now," Ishikawa said. "But I do feel that I was able to play at a pretty good level, a pretty high level today. Actually, I'm a little surprised of how I performed out there." Scott turned his fortunes around when decided to stick what was working, going to a fade off the tee. He poured in four birdies on the back nine for a 4-under 66, giving the 31-year-old Australian a shot at his first World Golf Championship. Scott was at 12-under 198, the lowest 54-hole score at Firestone in 10 years. He will play in the last group with Ishikawa. In front of them will be Jason Day, whose 66 put him one shot behind. Day and Scott tied for second in the Masters this year. About the only thing Tiger Woods can now get out of this week are four rounds and some points to help him qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs at the end of the month. Woods, a seven-time winner at Firestone who hasn't played in nearly three months, struggled again with his putting and had a 72. He was 13 shots behind in a tie for 38th in the 76-man field. "I've just got to put together a good round and let it build," Woods said. Scott in the lead should be compelling enough, especially with Woods back to golf. It was only two weeks ago when Woods announced he had fired his caddie, Steve Williams, and Scott then hired him on a full-time basis. But that's became old news because of one of the youngest players in the field. Ishikawa might be the only other player in golf to appreciate what it's like to get attention like Woods. He has been a star in Japan since he won his first tournament as a 15-year-old amateur, and his 10 wins on the Japan Golf Tour include shooting a 58 in the final round to win The Crowns. He has earned so much respect from his peers that Scott, even though he was leading, was not the least bit bothered to spend most of his interview talking about the kid once known as the "Shy Prince." "I first saw him in Japan when he was 15, and he had already won an even over there. I mean, this kid is really amazing," Scott said. "I think this week is really big for him. It's great that he's playing well over here probably for the first time, if I'm not mistaken, first time he's really challenging at a world event. "He's only 19. He's got everything in front of him." Ishikawa doesn't get much attention in these parts because he has struggled in America, with only one top 10 in 2010 when Ishikawa reached the third round of the Match Play Championship. This is his 22nd tournament in America, and he started feeling comfortable only when he tied for 20th at the Masters this year. The spotlight? He's been coping with that for a long time. He gets the kind of media coverage in Japan that Woods gets around the world. It's not unusual to see Ishikawa sit in a folding chair after every round to accommodate dozens of Japanese media. Now comes the hard part. A win would make him the youngest winner of a PGA Tour event since John McDermott at the 1911 U.S. Open at 19, who was one week younger than Ishikawa. As for the money? He already has donated about $740,000 this year from his earnings, which include a pair of runner-up finishes in Japan. Along with his money pledges for making birdies and eagles, the total donation is pushing $1 million. "There are people that have no homes right now, and we actually don't know how long it's going to take for Japan to recover," Ishikawa said through a translator. "So I would just like to give my support to Japan." Ishikawa opened with three birdies on the front nine and never eased back, making enough escapes out of the trees and a few more birdies. It was his best round since he opened with a 65 at Doral, right after he learned of the tsunami. His expectations are limited for Sunday. "I think the golf I'm playing now is unstable in a sense," Ishikawa said, noting he went from a runner-up finish to qualify for this event to a missed cut. "And so considering that, I'm not really sure as to how I will perform tomorrow, to be honest with you." Day took an early lead with an eagle on the par-5 second hole, gave it back with consecutive bogeys to start the back nine and finished with a flourish, three birdies over his last five holes for a 66. It wasn't enough to put Day in the final group with Scott. They played together in the final round of the Masters, and both looked as though they might win until Charl Schwartzel birdied the last four holes for a two-shot victory. "He really impressed me at Augusta on Sunday when I think back to how he played," Scott said. The third round was played early to avoid a forecast of thunderstorms. Sunday returns to regular twosomes, and Scott doesn't expect a duel at the top. If conditions stay dry, and the fairways get faster, it puts a premium on just about everything. Nine players were within five shots of the lead. PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley had a 68 and was two shots behind, along with Martin Laird (67). The group another shot behind included world No. 1 Luke Donald, who had a 64 despite a bogey on the last hole, and Rickie Fowler, who holed out from the fairway for eagle for the second straight day. He needed that for a 69, although he is still only three shots behind as he goes for his first win. Woods opened with a bogey that started with shots to the right and left of the fairway, and he didn't hit a single fairway on the front nine. He attributed that to hitting the ball straighter, which is something he's not used to doing. Tweet

Despite fatigue, Browne to play 3M Championship

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Olin Browne is looking forward to a home-cooked meal next week. He has spent 12 weeks on the road playing on the Champions Tour or serving as a television analyst during the U.S. Open and British Open. "I'm tired, but it's a really good tired," Browne said Wednesday at the TPC Twin Cities, site of this week's 3M Championship. Three days earlier, the 52-year-old Browne won the U.S. Senior Open Championship by three shots. "I'm still foggy about what's been happening, I haven't slept a lot," he said. "I came right up here and I'm just trying to catch up." Browne is likely not alone when it comes to the fatigue factor. With three majors in a five-week span, it wouldn't have been surprising for some of the top Champions Tour players to take this week off. Instead, a full field is expected for the tournament. Besides last week's event, The Senior Open Championship was held two weeks ago in England. The players have next week off before the Senior Players Championship. "That wears on you," Browne said. "I'm really, really looking forward to going home next week." Whether it's the course where players have shot low scores in recent years or some of the biggest galleries on tour, the 3M Championship has become a must-play event for the top golfers of the 50-and-over set. For the third straight year, admission is free. "It's a fantastic field again," said Bernhard Langer, who chipped in on 18 to win the event two years ago. Defending champion David Frost established a tournament scoring record with a 25-under 191 total last year, including a final-round 61. Mark Calcavecchia finished five shots back. The average winning score the last six years is minus-18. Scores could be that low again. The course received more than 1.5 inches of rain overnight Saturday, six-tenths of an inch Monday, and another quarter-inch Tuesday. "If there are soft greens out here, look for guys to make a ton of birdies," said Browne, who tied for eighth last year at 15 under. "Guys do go deep here." Most players refuse to predict a winning number. "It's all relative to how you play," said David Eger, ninth in the season-long points race. Fred Couples - returning to competitive golf after missing two months with a back injury - is scheduled to play the tournament for the first time, as is Minnesota native Tom Lehman, who is the course architect along with Arnold Palmer. Lehman is a three-time tour winner in 2011. "You always want to play the best," Langer said. Brad Faxon, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour who turned 50 on Monday, is scheduled to make his Champions Tour debut this weekend. "There's not many places people look forward to turning 50," said Faxon, who has struggled on the PGA Tour the past few years. "This is a fresh start. ... It's kind of a rebirth." Browne hopes the week is another step in ending his up-and-down season. He finished in the top eight in five straight tournaments early in the season, but was better than 23rd just twice in his next nine starts. His iron play was better last week, and he made a tweak when hitting his driver. "It feels great," he said. "It certainly motivates me to continue doing what I'm doing so that I can do that or be able to do that more frequently. ... You get so few opportunities to do something like that, that, to me, the important thing was to embrace the challenge and do the very best I could." How does he keep it going? "I'll let you know on the weekend," he said with a slight smile. "I'm trying to get some rest, I'm having a hard time doing that. My phone is ringing off the hook and I've gotten a lot of emails. I'm trying to respond to all those people. It's really nice that people take the time, and I want to make sure I get back to them."

McIlroy 'leaning toward' becoming a PGA Tour member again in 2012

AKRON, Ohio — Rory McIlroy, your United States Open champion, may be coming to America. McIlroy, 22, did a surprising about-face Wednesday before the Bridgestone Invitational, saying he is "leaning toward" taking up PGA Tour membership again. He dropped his PGA Tour membership after last season, in part because he was required to play 15 events. Send Gary Van Sickle a question for his weekly mailbag He sounds like he's serious, too. He's going to check out some Florida real estate after he plays in next week's PGA Championship. First, he'll stay at the home of former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, also from Northern Ireland. McDowell lives at Lake Nona, a swank development near the Orlando airport. McIlroy also said he was going to look at West Palm Beach and Jupiter. Andy Pazder, a PGA Tour executive vice president and chief of Tour operations, said there are no restrictions to prevent McIlroy from rejoining the Tour for 2012. McIlroy simply has to inform the Tour of his decision within 30 days of the final tournament, the Children's Miracle Network event at Disney World in late October. "Yeah, I'm definitely looking at coming back and playing a full schedule here," McIlroy said. "I'm leaning towards taking my card up. I feel as if I play my best golf over here, and I'm very comfortable in this country." Asked what made him rethink playing in the U.S., McIlroy joked, "Probably the Open." After finishing seven over and tied for 25th at the windswept British Open at Royal St. George's, a frustrated McIlroy expressed his preference for American playing conditions. He echoed those sentiments on Wednesday. "I thought about it and feel as if my game really suits the courses over here," McIlroy said. "I love Quail Hollow, Memorial, Akron. You have the Match Play, Honda, Doral, the Masters. Most of my favorite events seem to be on this side of the pond. I'd like to give it a go again and obviously last more than one year and really see how it goes." Long-time Memorial Tournament observers will get a chuckle out of McIlroy's looking forward to the Memorial, which has been plagued by rain and storms. McIlroy is not enthusiastic about the FedEx Cup race and schedule, with the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship back to back and the FedEx Cup playoffs starting two weeks later. "That was pretty tough," McIlroy said. "It's hard to keep it going for that length of time. It's something you just have to accept." Last May, McIlroy was notably absent from The Players, the Tour's flagship event. Asked about returning, McIlroy said, "I haven't thought about that but most likely, yeah, I probably will." The return of McIlroy would come at a key time as the PGA Tour prepares to negotiate a new round of contracts with its television partners. The current six-year deal expires after next season. "Rory is an immense talent," Pazder said. "To win the Open by eight, he captivated a lot of U.S. fans and people around the world. To have him on our Tour is very significant, if it works out." An additional factor may be his love life. McIlroy got back together briefly with his long-time girlfriend earlier this summer but then broke up again and is reportedly dating pro tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, ranked No. 1 in the world. So what do you do if you live in a small town in Northern Ireland (Holywood) and you famously break up with a local girl who had been living with you and you don't want to run into her around town? Move to another continent. Earlier this year, McIlroy's manager, Chubby Chandler, had insisted that McIlroy wouldn't consider PGA Tour membership until the Tour cut its minimum tournament requirement from 15. "If they want Rory, the number will have to be reduced," Chandler said. Perhaps not. On Wednesday, it sounded as if McIlroy has already made up his mind. Tweet

Clarke says Tiger a 'good kid' beneath the layers

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Darren Clarke was one of the more popular winners of the British Open because of his zest for living and the way he relates to the common man, not to mention how he coped so publicly with the death of his wife, Heather, from breast cancer just one month before the 2006 Ryder Cup. It was suggested to him Tuesday that it was easy to root for Clarke, followed by this question: Why should someone root for Tiger Woods? "Good question," Clarke said, pausing briefly. "Because beneath it all, beneath all the stuff that's happened, self-inflicted or otherwise, he's essentially a really good kid - a man - beneath everything. Sometimes his media image has been portrayed in a very poor, poor way, some of that, again, from some of the stuff that he's been through. But underneath it all, he has been a tremendous friend to me. "And there's a real good side to Tiger Woods that nobody ever fortunately gets a chance to see. That's why." They will be paired together for the first two rounds of the Bridgestone Invitational, where Woods is a seven-time winner and Clarke won in 2004. Clarke said he doesn't mind competing against a friend, at least until a title is on the line. "I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I've got the opportunity to play with Tiger in his first tournament back. I think it's brilliant. Hopefully, I'm able to give him a little bit of stick and make him laugh a little bit the first couple of days." It's that humor that made them such close friends. They first played together at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in the 1996 British Open, Woods' final major before turning pro. They hit it off immediately and have remained friends, even after Clarke took him down in the final of the Match Play Championship at La Costa in 2000, when both worked under Butch Harmon. Woods sent him a series of text messages after Clarke won the British Open last month, although neither would say the content. It likely included a few words that couldn't be printed. How could two players who seem so opposite be such good friends? "He sort of got my sense of humor and I got his," Clarke said. "I give him a little stick and what have you. I don't think anybody gives him that much stick. He's been a very, very good friend to me over a very long period of time. I've got no idea why, but we just get on very well." DALY AND COMMISSIONERS: John Daly ran into his share of trouble early in his career when Deane Beman was the PGA Tour commissioner, getting suspended in 1993 for picking up his ball before finishing the 12th hole at Kapalua. Even so, Daly said he didn't rejoice when Beman retired and was succeeded by Tim Finchem. "I never really liked Deane, but one thing about him, I respected him. He was approachable," Daly said Tuesday from the Reno-Tahoe Open. "I can't talk to Finchem. Maybe it's the TV contract and his job is more frustrating than Deane's was because the money is so big. But I've never gotten to know Finchem the way I got to know Deane. I got to know Deane's family and we got to being friends." Daly said Beman constantly got on him for quitting, such as getting disqualified for not signing his card after shooting high scores. "Finchem's plate is so full, and he's got a lot of other players to deal with, I'm just not as high on his priority list," said Daly, who has not had a full-exempt card the past five years. "But Tim did call me to say he was proud of me for what I was doing, with the weight loss and not drinking. That was a shock. I wouldn't have expected him to do that." CADDIE FOR HIRE: Tiger Woods still hasn't settled on a permanent caddie, using longtime friend Bryon Bell for the Bridgestone Invitational. That's not to say he hasn't had a few offers. "How many? I hear there's been a few," Woods said. "People who are not caddies out here? A ton. So yeah, we've gotten a lot of interesting ones. But as far as a timetable ... right now I'm trying to play this week with Bry, and hopefully next week, as well, and maybe get myself in the playoffs." PGA champion Martin Kaymer has been through a few caddies already, recently firing Craig Connelly and picking up Christian Donald. He said it takes about two or three weeks for a caddie to figure out a player's game. "I know a lot of people, a lot of friends of mine would love to caddie for Tiger," Kaymer said. "If he needs someone, I think I can find him someone." CLOSED ON TUESDAY: Tiger Woods didn't have much of a crowd following him when he played nine holes Tuesday morning at Firestone. There were eight writers, six photographers, three Nike employees, his coach and spokesman, agent and two security officers. But no fans. There was a reason for that. The Bridgestone Invitational staff decided months ago to close the course to the public on Tuesday. It discovered in recent years that with a small field, and a limited number of players on the course on Tuesday, that fans milled around the clubhouse without much to see. Tournament director Don Padgett III said by closing the course to the public on Tuesday, the money saved by not running shuttles, hiring the extra security and running concession stands could slightly add to the charity donation at the end of the week. The tour also closed Doral on Tuesday of the Cadillac Championship. WALKER CUP: The U.S. team at the Walker Cup will have two players who have won on the Nationwide Tour this year. Russell Henley and Harris English, who both played at the University of Georgia, were among four of 10 players selected to the American team that will play Great Britain & Ireland at Royal Aberdeen on Sept. 10-11. The other two selected were U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein and UCLA freshman Patrick Cantlay, the low amateur at the U.S. Open who has had four top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this summer. The other six players will be selected later this summer. DIVOTS: A year ago, there were 46 players who had all four rounds in the 60s at The Greenbrier Classic. This year there were none. ... U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy and British Open champion Darren Clarke have been given honorary lifetime membership on the European Tour. ... The Women's British Open will return to Royal Birkdale in 2014. ... U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy and British Open champion Darren Clarke will join Lee Westwood in the Thailand Golf Championship, a new Asian Tour event with a $1 million purse to be played Dec. 15-18, one week after the Dubai World Championship. STAT OF THE WEEK: Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Bubba Watson are the only Americans from the last Ryder Cup to have won a tournament this year. FINAL WORD: "I genuinely hope he gets his game back up to the level that it was before. Because it was awesome." - Darren Clarke on Tiger Woods.

Arnold Palmer reflects on his game, the Tour and his friendship with Jack

So, how's your game these days? I don't play very often, but I still enjoy it. My game is not so good. How far do you think you could hit the ball if you were in your prime and had today's equipment? I don't know. I know one thing—right now I hit it so far, and so hard, I can hear it land [laughs]. What's the best swing tip you ever received? I've never worried too much about the swing. I've worried more about the things my father taught me when I was growing up. I remember he put my hands on the golf club when I was a young boy and showed me exactly how he wanted me to hold it. He gave me a stern look and said, "Now, don't you ever change that." I tried not to. Which of today's players most reminds you of yourself? A lot of people through the years have compared Phil Mickelson to my style a little bit. I see a few guys coming along who are somewhat similar, but I can't find someone that makes me say, "Hey, boy, that's the way I used to play." I've always wondered, what's the proper way to make an Arnold Palmer drink? ( motions to a nearby table ) There are cans of it all over the world. But I want to make mine from scratch. First you get some good tea — some tea that you like, and then you get some good lemonade. I use about three-quarters tea and one-quarter lemonade. Then sweeten it to your likes. Besides the drinks, you're heavily involved in a number of outside projects, including two charities for prostate cancer, which you have battled and survived. What advancements have been made? There are a lot of advancements being made constantly. A lot guys, like I was when I had prostate cancer, are afraid to even say the word 'cancer.' You've gotta get over that and start doing something about it. I will always thank my doctor for making me take a PSA and detecting it early. That's one of the reasons I'm here talking to you right now. Any advice for guys? The most important single thing I can say is to get checked up. Do it annually. Everybody asks, 'What age should you start?' I can't find an age. I've run into people who are 30 years old who've had prostate cancer, and I've run into people who are 85 years old who've had it. Take a physical, annually. Make checking prostate part of it. And you can also go to myprostatecancerroadmap.com. Every man should be checking it out. How's your health today? I feel great. When I get a little older, and get a little more experience I'll get even better. But I feel fine. Recently we've seen some young Americans with loads of talent, like Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney, fail to close out victories on Sunday in majors. You won seven majors in your career. How were you able to close them out? I think it's just hard work, and concentration. I think one of the problems these young players have is they lose their concentration in the heat of the battle. For me, good concentration was the key to getting over the hump. They players you mention, I think they will get there, it's just a matter of time until they do. In your prime you were the game's most popular player and drew huge crowds and media interest. Was concentration something you struggled with? Well, certainly I've lost tournaments that I've had every right to win. Part of the reason was that I lost my concentration. That was one of the lessons I learned early in my career. But the more times you're there, the better your concentration, the more times you're going to come out a winner -- particularly in major tournaments. How did being a fan favorite help you in competition? Well, I enjoy the crowds, and I enjoyed playing to them. I suppose that was one thing that helped me as much as anything. People say I looked into the crowds -- well, I did. I looked at everybody in the crowd. But it still goes back to concentration. One time after a round my mother said to me, "Did you see me over there, Arnie?" And I had looked right at her, but I didn't remember seeing her. That's concentration. That's what you have to keep to get by those obstacles that jump up in your way. Which of your titles is the most special? I actually go back to my amateur championships. I think they really gave me a springboard to my career. When you think about it, I was pretty old when I won the U.S. Amateur. I was 24, and turned pro when I was 25. These young people today have been playing competitive golf long before that. The Amateur gave me the impetus and the confidence I needed to go out and play. It was something I felt, and something I referred to a lot, particularly in my early years on Tour. How close are you and Jack today? We're very close. We talk about golf, or fishing, or just the things we do now. We both still design golf courses, and we're both still very competitive. That keeps our friendship intact. What's your favorite memory with Jack? I like to think of the times when he put a green jacket on me, or when I put one on him. Those are always nice things to remember [laughs]. We also played a lot of games on the course. We'd both bring amateur friends, and we'd go at it. But we've had a lot of fun outside of golf, too. Jack fishes a lot, so that's good. And I fly a lot, and I had a lot to do with Jack getting into that. Now we both have our own airplanes and do our own thing. Do you still fly? I just gave up flying—I had over 20,000 hours, and I thought maybe I'd just [not fly and] poke around a bit. But I miss it. I may start back up again. Do you and Jack still play games out on the course? When you play the Masters Par 3 Contest, are there stakes? We always have a little game going at the Par 3. But just a little one. Like a $5 Nassau? [Smiles] Yeah, that's it. Will Tiger break Jack's record? It's going to be difficult, but the opportunity is there. The biggest challenge will be his attitude—his positive thinking. He has to get that back. I don't think there's any question about his physical ability as long as he's healthy. He just has to tie that ability back in to the mental aspect. I think he'll do it. He'll be back. I hear you have an iPad. Why aren't you on Twitter? I do have an iPad, but I don't think I'm going to do Twitter. I'm already learning too much from my iPad. Like what? [Laughs] Oh, I'm not going to reveal that. Do you still spend time in your workshop? Yep, I still enjoy that. When I have a problem, and I can't get it on the iPad, I go back to the shop and work it out back there fixing golf clubs. I'm making you PGA Tour commissioner for a day. What do you change? First would be speed of play, but the most important thing is to slow down the ball. I'm very concerned about preserving our great golf courses. The Oakmonts, the Winged Foots, the courses that were great in the years gone by. I'd like to keep them great without making so many changes to the golf courses themselves. You've just come in from a long day on the course. What are you drinking? Ketel One on the rocks [laughs]. Wait, what happened to the "Arnold Palmer"? I have one of those before I start. Tweet

Yani Tseng wins Women's British Open by 4 strokes

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) — Yani Tseng won the Women's British Open for the second straight year, beating Brittany Lang by four strokes Sunday and becoming the youngest woman to capture a fifth major title. The 22-year-old top-ranked Taiwanese shot a 3-under 69 to finish at 16-under 272. She trailed third-round leader Caroline Masson of Germany by two strokes entering the final round. Masson closed with a 78 to finish tied for fifth. "It's very special to win here at Carnoustie where so many great players have made history," said Tseng, who also won the LPGA Championship last month. "I was a little nervous before the start, but then I hit a good tee shot and I felt good. I feel that, having been in this position in a major a few times before, I am getting more mature and can handle the pressure better." Lang shot a 67 to finish at 276, one ahead of Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, who had a final round 68. South Korea's Amy Yang had a 67 and was fourth. Lang was tied for sixth entering the final day, eight behind Masson. She picked up just one stroke by the turn but the American bagged four birdies at Nos. 11, 12, 14 and 17. "I played great today," Lang said. "I made some really big par putts early on and from then on played fairly flawless golf. Tseng dropped a shot at the first hole with three putts, missing a 3-footer for par. She birdied the third with a pitching wedge to 2 feet and the long sixth with a chip to 5 feet to be out in 35. Playing alongside Masson, who was out in 39, Tseng had taken a firm grip by the turn. She was just short of the green off the tee at the par-4 11th and took two putts for a birdie, but then dropped a shot at two straight holes. She hit an 8-iron over the back of the green at 12 and then hit the pin off the tee on the short 13th but her ball stopped at the edge of a bunker. She stood in the sand to play her second shot. Tseng birdied the long 14th and finished with two birdies, holing from 20 feet on the 17th and hitting a majestic 9-iron to 3 feet at the last. "It's so great making history on this golf course and I feel wonderful right now," Tseng said. "It feels really good and I hope to keep winning. Next year there are another four majors and I will try and organize and keep working hard." Masson also ended with two birdies but had fallen into the pack, dropping four shots in the first three holes on the way home. She finished at 9 under alongside home favorite Catriona Matthew, the 2009 champion, who had a double-bogey 6 on the final hole after pulling her second shot to the green out of bounds. "She will learn from her mistakes and every great player goes through that," Tseng told the Press Association. "It's not a big deal. You try your best and I've lost lots of times too." Sweden's Anna Nordqvist tied for seventh at 280 with South Koreans Sun Young Yoo, Na Yeon Choi and Inbee Pak. American Stacy Lewis moved up the leaderboard with a 4-under 68, going from a share of 22nd overnight to a share of 11th at 281. Sweden's Maria Hjorth was at 282 after a 68 and Americans Katie Futcher and Cristie Kerr were in a group a stroke further back. Futcher equaled the best round of the week with a 64, including an eagle at the long 14th, followed by three birdies. Kerr had four birdies for a 68 to finish at 5 under. Paula Creamer dropped five strokes in the first five holes to be out in 40, then dropped three more on the back nine for a 79. Brittany Lincicome shot 73 to finish at 287 as did first-round leader Meena Lee, who closed with a 74 after opening with a 65 Thursday.