A round-up of golf news stories in brief

Dash-for-cash still not finished article 

AMID all the column inches devoted to the vagaries of the FedEx Cup play-offs, this little nugget may have escaped your attention.

According to CBS, under the convoluted points mechanism Tiger Woods could have skipped the first three tournaments in the FedEx Cup series and still have started last week as the third seed.

Kind of makes a mockery of the supposed “play-off” aspect, doesn’t it?

When he was told by a journalist, a decidedly unimpressed Woods is reported to have “muttered disgustedly to himself”.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem wasn’t keen to dwell on the issue last week. When asked had he realised that Woods could have sat out the other three events and still been third in the rankings, he replied simply: “No, and I’m glad he didn’t.”

It would appear the dash-for-cash still needs a little tweaking.

Fernandez-Castano takes Zapatero to task over tax

GONZALO Fernandez-Castano has been so put out by the Spanish government’s proposed tax increases he was moved to share his simmering indignation with golf fans last week.

Striding down the fairway alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez at the Vivendi (neé Seve) Trophy, Fernandez-Castano took time out from peeling a banana to address Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Turning to the camera, he proclaimed: “Message to Zapatero – you are stripping us all naked.”

Having caused quite a stir in his homeland, Fernandez-Castano was later asked what exactly Zapatero had done to ruffle his feathers?

“Nothing,” he replied. “That’s exactly the point. We have five million unemployed and he doesn’t do anything.”

While Fernandez-Castano may have caused a media furore, we have to wonder exactly how far the protests of a pampered golfer (he pocketed €50,000 simply for turning up last week) will go when it comes to shaping tax policy?

Building bridges for Ryder Cup

WITH all the fears over flooding at next year’s Ryder Cup, it seems somewhat fitting that the final major piece of building work at the Celtic Manor would be a bridge.

The new, 120-metre cable-stayed construction spans the River Usk and has cost organisers in the region of €2.2 million. Designed and built by local contractors, it will allow players and fans reach a new practice ground.

Now, having spent well over €17 million on a new course, clubhouse and all the necessary infrastructure, all the organisers need to cover every eventuality is an Arc.

Poulter won’t be a Monty wildcard

SO, Colin Montgomerie criticises Ian Poulter’s no-show at the Vivendi Trophy and then asks the media not to make a big deal of his comments. Seriously, who does the Scot think he is kidding? After all, it’s not as if there isn’t more than a little form between the pair.

Since a well-publicised spat at the 2005 Seve Trophy in Co Laois – where Poulter is reported to have told Monty to f*** off – the two have been sniping at each other on a regular basis.

There were even claims of a slanging match between the pair in a crowded restaurant last year.

One has to wonder, then, how prudent the Ryder Cup captain has been in undermining Poulter once more, given the Englishman is likely to be a key player at next year’s renewal at Celtic Manor.

Poulter wasn’t the only high-profile cry-off last week. Pádraig Harrington and Luke Donald may have qualified for the big-money FedEx Series, but others – including Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia — were also conspicuous by their absence.

Yet Poulter was singled out by Monty for being disloyal to his team. It’s safe to assume Europe’s leading scorer at Valhalla won’t be banking on a wildcard pick for Wales.

Fakers get plenty of eBay takers

THE pitfalls of buying equipment online were highlighted again last week when it emerged that counterfeit merchandise had been sold to eBay customers via an international network of fraudsters.

In what was described as the “single largest counterfeiting conspiracy” discovered on the online auction site, the dodgy clubs and clothing were peddled in massive numbers.

Greg Bellchambers, the brains behind the global operation, has already admitted his role in the scam, but six others went on trial in London last week.

Bellchambers is believed to have sourced the goods in China before selling them on as the real deal for massive profits on eBay.

“Nearly every major golf brand has been affected by the sale of counterfeit goods through the eBay accounts,” Adam Davis, for the prosecution, told the court.