Woods gets backing
Tiger’s World Challenge finds sponsorship
The World Challenge that Tiger Woods has hosted every holiday season since 1999 means so much to him that he spent what was believed to be $ 4 million of his own money to help cover operating costs in a year it did not have a full title sponsor.
The future of the event is no longer in doubt. The World Challenge is back on the schedule this year.
“There wasn’t a doubt whether we could stage it. The question was whether we could get the necessary corporate support,” said Greg McLaughlin, the president of the Tiger Woods Foundation who also runs his tournaments. “We’re happy that we have a lot of support for the event that we’ve been able to generate the last few months.”
The tournament is set for Dec. 5- 8 at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, where it has been since 2001. McLaughlin said he was not ready to announce the corporate support. Since it began, the WorldChallenge has raised more than $ 25 million for college- access programs through the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim and the Earl Woods Scholarship program.
The World Challenge only offers world ranking points, not to mention a healthy holiday bonus. Even with a reduced purse without a title sponsor, Graeme McDowell made $ 1 million and last place in the 18- man field paid $ 120,000 in 2012.
Colin Montgomerie failed to earn a place at the British Open after traveling more than 3,500 miles to take part in qualifying Tuesday.
He drove from Pittsburgh, where he fi nished ninth on Sunday in the Senior Players Championship, to Newark Airport ( N. J.) and then a fl ight home to Scotland.
After a few hours’ rest, he teed up Tuesday at the Gullane No. 1 course east of Edinburgh in the hope of securing one of three spots in golf’s oldest major — which starts July 18 at nearby Muirfi eld. He shot 69- 76.
Michael Bembenick, voted the top assistant pro in Indiana last year,
received a lot of attention for the 103 he posted in the second round of a Web. com Tour event. That wasn’t the worst score in a PGA Tour- sanctioned event.
In the Dominican Republic Open, a PGA Tour Latin America event that ended June 1, Maurice Allen opened with 100 and returned the next day and shot 115. The long drive specialist missed the cut by 67 shots. His scorecard featured two 10s, an 11 and a 13.
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is moonlighting this week as Ryan Palmer’s caddie at the Greenbrier Classic. With the start of NFL training camp later this month, Payton said he was planning to spend a week relaxing at The Greenbrier resort ( W. Va.).
One thing led to another, and Payton ended up agreeing to help Palmer, who gave his regular caddie the week off. The two are good friends who met in Dallas.
U. S. captain Tom Watson selected TV analyst and two- time U. S. Open champion Andy North as a vice captain for the Ryder Cup in September 2014 at Gleneagles ( Scotland).