TIGER WOODS has confirmed he will compete in The Players Championship next month. Woods, who revealed after the Masters he was going to take some more time off, confirmed earlier this month he would play at the Quail Hollow Championship from April 29th to May 2nd. And the world number one has now committed to playing the following week at Sawgrass as well.
Today Brian Davis will tee it up at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with the status of golf’s newest hero following his show of sportsmanship in South Carolina last week. Davis called a penalty on himself during a sudden-death play-off with Jim Furyk at the Verizon Heritage tournament, an act that cost him the chance of a maiden US PGA Tour victory and almost €299,000 in prize money.
The Englishman will attempt to put his disappointment at the title slipping from his grasp and fourth runner-up finish in America in the last four years when he tries again at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, near New Orleans.
Yet he will also have the praise of fellow professionals and fans alike ringing in his ears having called the penalty on himself at Harbour Town Golf Links last Sunday when he made contact with a reed, a loose impediment, during his backswing while playing out of a greenside hazard area. The 35-year-old Londoner notified rules officials of the infraction and received a two-stroke penalty, effectively handing American Furyk his second title in a month.
Davis, set to face the media in New Orleans this evening, is one of three Englishmen in the Zurich Classic field alongside Justin Rose and Greg Owen. Ian Poulter withdrew yesterday because of a knee injury
Sergio Garcia of Spain will bid to bounce back from a missed cut at Harbour Town having opened there with a four-under 67 but then carded a 77 for his second round. The field will be led by America’s world number three Steve Stricker.
Zurich Classic
Course:TPC of Louisiana, Avondale
Length:7,399 yards.
Par:72
Prizemoney:€4.8 million (€860,000 for the winner)
Layout:Pete Dye layout opened in 2004. Its fair test includes three par fours of over 480 yards, a 589-yard par five 18th and below-average sized Bermuda greens.
Field:156
Defending champion:Jerry Kelly
On TV:Sky Sports 2 (8pm)
Weather forecast:Cloudy but warm, becoming wetter and more thundery over the weekend.
