News round-up: Tiger Woods is going into the golf course design business.
The world number one has announced the creation of Tiger Woods Design, with himself as chairman.
"My goal is to provide a unique collection of amazing courses all over the world that represent what I love about golf," he said.
"I'm very excited to announce the formation of this company and get to work on finding the right projects for my first few courses.
"I've had the luxury of playing golf around the world and I've spent a lot of time evaluating how to play all kinds of courses.
"I'd like to share my experience and the lessons I've learned and hopefully create some amazing, fun courses."
Woods, who is in Shanghai this week for the HSBC Champions Tournament, added: "There are golfers everywhere that may never get a chance to play a links course in Scotland, a tree-lined course in America or the sand belts of Australia. Hopefully, I can bring some of those elements into their backyards.
"I wanted to wait until I felt I had enough golf experience to launch Tiger Woods Design. I've been working very hard over the last decade to get a feel for all kinds of courses and really understand the best elements of design.
"Now I feel I've logged enough time and learned enough lessons to start this venture."
In the meantime, Woods' rivals will be hoping he has not been too refreshed by his short break when the $5 million Champions Tournament starts.
Woods, who skipped last week's PGA Tour Championship to recharge his batteries, won six of eight tournaments, including two majors, after a nine-week lay-off following the death of his father earlier this year.
Having finished runner-up to England's David Howell at the Sheshan International golf club last year, Woods wants to go one better at Asia's richest tournament for a 10th title in what, on the course at least, has been another successful season.
"I think if you look at it overall, I've had a pretty good year," the British Open and US PGA champion told the tournament website.
"I think eight wins on the PGA Tour and one in Dubai, so nine wins, that's a good year . . . it is pretty good. It would be really special to top it off by winning the Champion of Champions title."
The event, which starts on Thursday, launches the European Tour's 2007 season and newly-crowned Order of Merit winner Padraig Harrington is in the field, along with defending champion Howell and seven of their team-mates from the Ryder Cup.
And South Africa will host a third European Tour event next year after the inaugural Joburg Open was added to the schedule.
The event will be held at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club between January 11th and 14th and will be co-sanctioned by the European Tour, which means for the first time the country will stage three official Order of Merit events in the same season.
There are now 51 counting events for the 2006-2007 money list, starting with this week's tournament in Shanghai.
