ALL CYST-EMS GO FOR POULTER

Ian Poulter earned a top-20 finish at the WGC-CA Championship at Doral before revealing he had a cyst removed from his right wrist earlier in the week.

The Englishman was in the clubhouse on 10 under par for the tournament following a closing-round, three-under 69 before it emerged he had undergone the medical procedure last Monday.

"I had a cyst on my right wrist which I had syringed last Monday which had been bothering me," Poulter said.

"I went in for a scan because it was sore and it showed a cyst which has been there for a long time.

"It is good news in a way because they syringed it and it took the pain away. That is what the problem has been on my wrist for the last little while but it has never really showed up before so now it got big enough that it showed on an MRI and I was able to get it syringed."

Asked if the problem had been resolved permanently, Poulter said: "Well there is a chance that it will come back as it can do with any cyst but the good thing is that it is pain free now which is happy days and I feel great with it.

"If it was to come back I'd just get it syringed again. It literally was sore for a day after the syringing but after that it was fine and if we need to do it again, we will. We could go the surgery route but there is no need to. It was a lump which got taken away pretty quickly."

Poulter said he had mixed emotions about his performance on the golf course this week.

"Well, I made three birdies today on the par fives, one was a tap-in and the others were five footers. Yesterday I made 17 pars and one bogey.

"It was a frustrating weekend when my game was so good and I've played awesome this weekend. But the upside is my game is great, I am playing good golf."


Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler likely to skip team meeting after talk with coach Josh McDaniels
One missing boater rescued; search continues
FUNDING BOOST FOR WALES

MICKELSON ON TIGER'S TAIL

Phil Mickelson is now only 0.52 points behind fellow American Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings.

Mickelson has never been number one but the left-hander's victory at the WGC-CA Championship in Florida, his second win in four weeks and the first World Championship success of his career, has lifted him back above Sergio Garcia into second place.

It was Garcia who had a chance to overtake Woods last week, but the 29-year-old Spaniard finished down in 31st spot.

Not that victory would have done it for Garcia in any case. Woods needed to finish 27th or worse, but tied for ninth.

With all three now taking time off, the battle for the top spot goes to next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill - and two weeks after that comes The Masters at Augusta.

YANG THE BIG MOVER IN RANKINGS
LaDainian Tomlinson renegotiates contract, will return to San Diego Chargers in 2009
GARCIA: MAJOR MEANS THE MOST

STENSON EXPECTING STRIP TEASE

Henrik Stenson caused a storm at Doral today when he stripped down to his underwear to play his way out of trouble during the opening round of the WGC-CA Championship.

Stenson hit a wild drive at the third hole, the 12th of his round, on the Blue Monster course, landing on mud in a water hazard.

With seven holes still to complete and the world number seven believing he had a good enough lie to hit out, the Swede opted to shed his clothes and play.

He got the ball out and carded a bogey five on the way to an opening round of 69, four strokes behind the clubhouse lead.

"Because of the mud I couldn't really afford to play in any of my clothes as they would have been a real mess down the last six or so holes so I had no option," Stenson said after his round.

"I was only wearing two things when I hit the shot, my jocks and my golf glove - that is the only thing that will appear in the picture aside from the golf club - just the way God created me.

"Shirt, trousers, socks, shoes, hat, the lot was off."

Stenson certainly saw the funny side but also said his decision paid dividends.

"I just remembered I didn't have my rain gear so I didn't have any choice," he said. "I felt like I was definitely going to save a shot by actually playing the ball so that was the only decision I had to make.

"If you are saving a shot, that has to be worth taking your shirt and trousers.

"I'm sure I'll hear a few comments and once the pictures get out, I'll hear a few more no doubt. I'll probably take that to my grave with me.

"I don't think I scared too many spectators off the course, hopefully."

Stenson also believes he might have opened up a new avenue for sponsorships following his impromptu strip.

"Absolutely, you never know, after this I might have a new endorsement with PlayGirl or something like that."


Defensive end Antonio Smith, Houston Texans agree to 5-year, $35 million deal
STENSON HOSTS NEW SWEDISH EVENT
TIGER READY FOR PHYSICAL CHALLENGE
Offensive tackle Willie Colon signs tender, will return to Pittsburgh

WILSON MISSES CHANCE OF LEAD

Oliver Wilson missed a chance for a share of the lead at Doral with a disappointing final hole as Padraig Harrington made a welcome return to form at the WGC-CA Championship.

England's Wilson held a share of the opening-round lead at seven under par as he played the par-four, 443-yard 18th hole but landed his second shot in water short of the green on the way to a double-bogey six.

That left the 2008 Ryder Cup player with a first-round 67 on day one of this 80-player, no-cut event, two shots back of clubhouse leaders Jeev Milka Singh of India, Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, South African Retief Goosen and American Phil Mickelson, who each carded 65s on the par-72, 7,266-yard Blue Monster course.

"Yes, very frustrating," Wilson said of his final hole blunder.

"It is a tough hole, though, you know. I hit a great drive but I think that is the toughest pin on that green to be honest.

"I was more concerned missing the green right rather than left and I was just a bit in between clubs and didn't really concentrate properly and hit a bad shot.

"It was a shame not to hole the putt for five, that would have been all right but I played all right, it was a good round apart from that so I'll try and take that forward into tomorrow and the rest of the week."

Ireland's Harrington, the Open and US PGA champion, bounced back from a first-round WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship exit to Pat Perez two weeks ago and two missed cuts in his first four starts of the year prior to that.

The Irishman birdied three holes on his front nine and three more at the start of his inward nine on the way to six-under-par 66, one shot off the lead alongside American Nick Watney, Australia's Rod Pampling and James Kingston of South Africa.

"I'm very happy," Harrington said. "Obviously I have not had a great run of form so far this year so it's nice to shoot a good score.

"I was probably a little more focused on my scoring this week than necessarily anything else so it's nice to get out and shoot a decent number.

"I certainly didn't hit the driver very well today but, again, my head seemed to be in the right place and I hit my irons well, short game was good.

"So all of those things added up to a 66."

Joining Wilson in the clubhouse on five under were Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, American Sean O'Hair, Argentina's Andres Romero and Colombia's Camilo Villegas, who had begun his day in the worst possible way.

Villegas, a big crowd favourite in Miami, gave his Latin American fans palpitations with an awful start to his round at the par-five 10th, four-putting from the fringe of the green for a bogey six before making amends over the next 17 holes.

Rory McIlroy got off to a great start and saw his round unravel slightly on the back nine.

The Northern Ireland 19-year-old, a quarter-finalist at the WGC-Accenture in his first Stateside tournament as a professional and tied for 13th place in last week's Honda Classic, eagled the first hole and was five under after 12 holes before bogeying the 13th and 14th.

McIlroy hit back with a birdie two at the 16th and finished four under with Americans Jim Furyk and Charley Hoffman.

World number one Tiger Woods continued his comeback from knee surgery but was not firing on all cylinders in a solid if unspectacular opening round.

Woods, playing in his first stroke-play event in nine months, carded a two-bogey, three-birdie round of 71 but was happy with his play if not a little perplexed.

"It was a little bit frustrating on those greens today," Woods said. "I hit so many putts that looked good.

"I thought I hit my lines and thought I had the right speed but they just didn't go in.

"I have to be a little bit sharper tomorrow, hopefully those putts go in and the score will be a little different."

Luke Donald carded a three-under 69 to make light of his wrist injury scare at the WGC-Accenture Match Play two weeks ago, while Ian Poulter, another of the eight Englishmen in the field this week, finished at two under.

Of their compatriots, Paul Casey recovered from three over par after six holes to finish with a one-under round of 71, the same score as Lee Westwood while Richard Finch and Ross Fisher were in the clubhouse on level par and Justin Rose posted a 73.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell was another on one over par while compatriot Darren Clarke carded a round of 74, two over.

Collated first-round scores (USA unless stated, par 72):

65 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha)

66 Nick Watney, Rodney Pampling (Aus), James Kingston (Rsa), Padraig Harrington (Irl)

67 Sean O'Hair, Andres Romero (Arg), Oliver Wilson (Eng), Camilo Villegas (Col), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

68 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Charley Hoffman, Jim Furyk

69 Steve Stricker, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Vijay Singh (Fij), Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby (Aus), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Boo Weekley, Ian Poulter (Eng), Luke Donald (Eng), Henrik Stenson (Swe)

70 Pat Perez, Garth Mulroy (Rsa), Zach Johnson, Davis Love III, Soren Kjeldsen (Swe), Peter Hanson (Swe), Kenny Perry, Dustin Johnson, Ernie Els (Rsa), Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Briny Baird, Shingo Katayama (Jpn), Richard Sterne (Rsa)

71 Dudley Hart, Tiger Woods, Ross Fisher (Eng), Adam Scott (Aus), Ben Curtis, Hunter Mahan, Paul Casey (Eng), Robert Karlsson (Swe), Anthony Kim, Mike Weir (Can), Ken Duke, Tim Clark (Rsa), Lee Westwood (Eng), Stuart Appleby (Aus)

72 Chad Campbell, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Richard Finch (Eng), Bubba Watson, Stephen Ames (Can), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)

73 Y. E Yang (Kor), Justin Rose (Eng), Graeme McDowell (NIrl), K J Choi (Kor), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Stewart Cink, Mark Brown

74 Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den), Kevin Sutherland, Darren Clarke (NIrl), Carl Pettersson (Swe)

75 Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Billy Mayfair, Wen-Tang Lin (Tai)

76 John Rollins, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa)

77 Azuma Yano (Jpn), D.J. Trahan


Defensive end Antonio Smith, Houston Texans agree to 5-year, $35 million deal
Kurt Warner makes counterproposal to Arizona Cardinals
HULL LEADS THE WAY

DAY AND BRADLEY MOVE FOUR CLEAR

Rising Australian star Jason Day and 42-year-old American Michael Bradley moved clear of the field in the third round of the Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande today.

The chasing pack is four behind after 21-year-old Day carded a two under par 70 and Bradley, playing his first event of the season after losing his card and failing to get it back at the qualifying school, a fine 68 in difficult conditions at the Trump International.

Eight players share third place on eight-under - Americans Cliff Kresge, Bryce Molder, Jay Williamson, Brett Quigley, Omar Uresti, Kent Jones and Bart Bryant, plus Australian left-hander Greg Chalmers.

Bradley, who had the second of the PGA Tour victories 11 years ago, birdied four of the first six holes to turn in 32 and after a bogey on the 12th collected his fifth birdie of the round at the 17th.

Former Australian and world junior champion Day had three birdies himself on the front nine and his only dropped shot came at the 14th.

Day had shared the halfway lead with compatriot Matt Jones, but the 28-year-old from Sydney had a nightmare run after grabbing an eagle on the long fifth.

Jones double-bogeyed the next, bogeyed five of the following six holes, had another double bogey on the 13th and let another stroke go at the next.

That was 10 over par for nine holes, but he did at least pick up two birdies on the closing stretch for a 79 that dropped him to 37th.

England's Greg Owen, 12th overnight, managed only a 77 to slump to joint 58th on one under, while German Alex Cejka signed for a 74 that sent him down from eighth to 17th on five under.

American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin is on the same mark following a 73 and Rocco Mediate, beaten by Tiger Woods in a play-off for the US Open last June and still seeking his first top 10 finish since then, struggled to a 75 that left him alongside Jones and 18-year-old Hawaiian Tadd Fujikawa.

Collated third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular, Trump International Golf Club, Puerto Rico, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

(USA unless stated, par 72):

204 Michael Bradley 67 69 68, Jason Day (Aus) 66 68 70

208 Kent Jones 69 69 70, Bart Bryant 67 68 73, Omar Uresti 71 67 70, Brett Quigley 68 71 69, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 68 70 70, Jay Williamson 71 70 67, Bryce Molder 67 69 72, Cliff Kresge 67 69 72

209 Aron Price (Aus) 70 71 68

210 D.A. Points 70 68 72, Joe Durant 71 72 67, Estanislao Goya (Arg) 69 67 74, J.P. Hayes 71 68 71, Chris Smith 71 71 68

211 Jerry Kelly 70 68 73, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 71 71 69, Kris Blanks 72 70 69, Jeff Overton 69 72 70, Paul Stankowski 69 72 70, Colt Knost 71 67 73, Corey Pavin 69 69 73, Ronnie Black 69 68 74, Alex Cejka (Ger) 68 69 74

212 Patrick Sheehan 71 70 71, Tom Scherrer 71 70 71, Robert Garrigus 70 68 74, John Merrick 70 72 70, Lee Janzen 69 70 73, David Berganio Jnr. 71 71 70, Greg Kraft 71 71 70, Manuel Villegas (Col) 72 71 69, Michael Allen 69 74 69, Scott Sterling 69 69 74, Troy Matteson 68 69 75

213 Andy Matthews 73 68 72, Ted Purdy 71 69 73, John Mallinger 69 70 74, Matthew Jones (Aus) 70 64 79, Tadd Fujikawa 70 68 75, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 71 70 72, Jay Delsing 70 72 71, Shaun Micheel 71 71 71, Carlos Franco (Par) 76 67 70, Rocco Mediate 68 70 75, Jonathan Byrd 68 72 73

214 Charles Warren 70 73 71, Eric Axley 72 70 72, Derek Lamely 66 71 77, Kevin Stadler 67 75 72, Guy Boros 74 68 72, John Huston 71 70 73, Alan Wagner 73 69 72, Jason Gore 74 69 71, Tommy Gainey 72 70 72, Matt Weibring 70 70 74

215 Mark Brooks 70 71 74, Neal Lancaster 70 73 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 67 77, Charles Howell III 69 69 77, Robert Damron 70 71 74, Robin Freeman 71 72 72, Rich Beem 70 73 72, Scott Gutschewski 72 69 74, Glen Day 72 67 76, Brandt Snedeker 69 74 72, Ryan Moore 72 71 72, Tyler Aldridge 69 73 73

216 Ricky Barnes 69 71 76, Bo Van Pelt 74 67 75

217 Derek Fathauer 74 69 74, Notah Begay III 70 72 75, Rick Price 69 72 76

218 Casey Wittenberg 69 72 77, Jimmy Walker 72 71 75

219 Matthew Borchert 71 70 78


YANG HEADS HONDA FIELD
LAMELY SHARES LEAD
Agent Drew Rosenhaus working on getting Terrell Owens new team

McILROY IN AGGRESSIVE MOOD

Rory McIlroy has no intention of curbing his enthusiasm this weekend as he bids for a maiden PGA Tour title.

The 19-year-old from Northern Ireland, two months on from landing his first professional crown at the Dubai Desert Classic, will start today's third round of the WGC-CA Championship at Doral within striking distance of becoming the youngest winner in US Tour history, three shots behind overnight leader Phil Mickelson.

If successful come Sunday night, McIlroy's achievement will eclipse that of Johnny McDermott, whose 1911 US Open win at 19 years, 10 months and 14 days would be beaten by two days.

McIlroy carded a six-under round of 66 yesterday, the highlight coming on his penultimate hole, the par-five eighth, with an eagle three after sending in a 266-yard three wood second shot to seven feet.

Asked if he could see an end to his current run of form in the United States, which has seen him reach the WGC-Accenture Match Play quarter-finals and a tie for 13th place at last week's Honda Classic, McIlroy replied: "Not really.

"I've been playing well, and it's a golf course that suits my eye and is my type of golf course - hit it long and hit it high. The greens are pretty firm.

"It's been a great few weeks and obviously it's another good week this week - going into the weekend with a good mind-set and hopefully picking up another really good finish."

Nor will McIlroy moderate his aggressive approach to the game.

"Not at all," he said. "It's the way I play. It's the way I enjoy playing.

"If you don't enjoy playing golf, then you shouldn't really be here.

"I get a kick out of it when I'm trying to go for greens and trying to go for pins over water."

Mickelson, the youngest winner since 1970 when he took the 1991 Northern Telecom Open title at 20 years, six months and 25 days, is proving to be in mercurial form this week and is in ebullient mood for the weekend and next month's Masters after a 66 took him into the halfway lead at 13 under par.

"I can't be any more excited," Mickelson said.

"As well as I'm driving it, to be hitting it as high and as far as I'm hitting it, with my short game being as good as it's ever been, I can't wait for Augusta to get here."

Fellow American Nick Watney lies two shots back on 11 under following a 67 with Kenny Perry, who shot a 64, and McIlroy at 10 under in a tie for third place.


McILROY IS TOP OF THE SHOTS
Dallas Cowboys release safety Roy Williams
McILROY ON FAMILIAR GROUND

LAMELY SHARES LEAD

Qualifier Derek Lamely had the thrill of his golfing life today when he took a share of the first round lead at the US Tour's Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande.

"This is what I've wanted to do since I can't tell you when. This is what I've been trying to do for forever," said the 28-year-old from Florida after a six under par 66 put him alongside 21-year-old Australian Jason Day.

Lamely, a Nationwide Tour rookie who is not even in the world's top 1,000, grabbed one of only four spots on offer at Monday's qualifying event and after bogeying two of his first four holes on the Trump International course notched eight birdies.

Day, with two top 10 finishes on the circuit already, birdied four of the first five holes, picked up more strokes on the 12th and 13th and came straight back with another after bogeying the difficult 459-yard 14th.

One stroke behind are Kevin Stadler, son of former Masters champion Craig, Cliff Kresge, Michael Bradley, Bart Bryant and Bryce Molder.

German Alex Cejka is part of the group one further back, while 18-year-old Tadd Fujikawa returned a 70 and England's Greg Owen a 71.

Colombian Manuel Villegas, younger brother of world number 10 Camilo, scored 72 on his PGA Tour debut.

WIE SETS CLUBHOUSE TARGET
New York Jets agree to deal with former Baltimore Raven Bart Scott
OGILVY EASES TO SECOND SUCCESS
Ex-Falcons RB Anderson held on drug charges