Today's other stories in brief

Nicklaus against plan

THE PGA Tour should put to rest an idea to force golfers to play in a greater number of lower-profile events each season, Jack Nicklaus has said. According to Nicklaus the sport is too global to force the many international players to commit to more events on the US circuit.

“You have got your four major championships, your (four) world championships. You have got your other significant events. (For) the players from around the world, that is a lot of golf for these guys,” Nicklaus said. “They have got to go home and support their own tour. You start designating them to play more, it really becomes a difficult situation.”

The idea of forcing tour members to play at least one designated second tier event among their minimum 15 starts each year came about as some lower-profile events struggled in recent years to draw decent fields because of the deteriorating economic situation.

Westwood wins shot of month

LEE Westwood’s approach to six feet on the last-but-one hole of the US Masters has been voted the European Tour Shot of the Month for April. Westwood birdied the hole, but finished runner-up to Phil Mickelson. Second place in the award went to England’s Mark Foster, who found the green from thick rough at the 14th hole of the final round of the Spanish Open and third was Westwood again for the bunker shot he almost holed at the seventh on the final day at Augusta.

Presidents Cup set for Ohio

MUIRFIELD Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, will host the Presidents Cup in 2013, when the biennial competition returns to the United States. The event will be held September 30th-October 6th, 2013. The team matchplay competition features 24 of the world’s top golfers, 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe. It is next scheduled for November 14th-20th, 2011, at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club.