titleist is involved in an ongoing dispute with Callaway over patents applied to the popular Pro V1 ball. Two courts have ruled in favor of Callaway and titleist is appealing. Before the latest court ruling titleist converted the Pro V1 to be outside the patents in question.

So what does that mean...]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/6-questions-for-golf-tour-in-2009-2173.htm KAPALUA Hawaii(AP) Ernie Els looked as though he had not shaved since the last time he was at Kapalua for the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship even though the stubble was more like four days than four years.

Standing atop the steps of the clubhouse gazing across the Pacific to the island of Molokai Els soaked up a view he sorely missed.

``It's good to be here'' he said. ``Especially here.''

The start of a new season is for PGA Tour winners only and while the top four...]]> Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/daly-suspended-for-6-months-by-pga-tour-2172.htm John Daly smashed one tee shot off the top of a beer can during a pro-am. At another tournament he returned from a rain delay with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. And his most memorable photo this year came in an orange jail suit eyes half-closed.

Daly said Wednesday that such unwelcome publicity is why the PGA Tour suspended him for six months.

The two-time major champion confirmed his suspension to The Associated Press calling this the low point of an 18-year...]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:10:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/sony-open-missing-hawaiis-2-teens-2168.htm HONOLULU(AP) Paul Goydos once joked that he made PGA Tour history in 2007 by winning the Sony Open as the first player to beat a field that included a 5-foot boy (Tadd Fujikawa) and a 6-foot girl (Michelle Wie).

If Goydos wins at Waialae next month it could be against a field that doesn't include either of Hawaii's most famous golfing teens.

Tournament director Ray Stosik said Wie now a 19-year-old student at Stanford would not be playing the Sony Open for the second straight year....]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/tales-from-the-tour-in-2008-2164.htm San Diego was still buzzing after five days of a U.S. Open that ranks among the most memorable. The airport was filled with chatter and travelers stopped to watch highlights at every bar of Tiger Woods wincing and willing his way to victory.

In a working area of the Crown Room at Lindbergh Airport the agent for Tiger Woods sat alone with his legs crossed feet pressed against the window as he watched planes taxi from the gate.

``I got into this business 17 years ago'' Mark Steinberg...]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:10:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/woods-absence-opens-door-for-others-2162.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) Tiger Woods posed next to the trophy on the 18th green a familiar scene with a rare twist. It was Sunday and his clothing did not include so much as a trace of red.

Plus he was wearing a jacket - black not green.

He was merely the host of the Chevron World Challenge. His duty was to thank sponsors and volunteers and give the trophy to Vijay Singh.

``I'm on the operational side this week'' Woods said.

That still beats being operated on which is why...]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/mahan-nearly-matches-tour-earnings-in-silly-season-2163.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) Hunter Mahan played 27 times on the PGA Tour this year and earned just over $2.2 million. He nearly made that much money playing just twice during the silly season.

Mahan won't get a trophy or official recognition but he won the ``money title'' during the 2008 silly season with $1.995 million. Mahan won the Kiwi Challenge then tied for third in the Chevron World Challenge. That's enough money in two tournaments to have finished 39th on the PGA Tour money list.

Vijay...]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:40:02 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/tour-offers-fewer-tournaments-in-the-fall-2161.htm PONTE VEDRA BEACH Fla.(AP) The PGA Tour has lost at least one tournament from its Fall Series because of the economy and the final part of its 2009 schedule released Tuesday had another tournament still up in the air.

The tour announced five tournaments - down from seven this year - that will be played after the FedEx Cup ends and give players a chance to finish in the top 125 on the money list to retain their cards.

Gone from the Fall Series schedule is the Ginn sur Mer Classic...]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:10:02 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/hit-ball-drag-bag-and-burn-some-calories-too-2166.htm ENGLEWOOD Colo.(AP) Is golf really a sport or just a hobby?

Is it a good walk spoiled or should we forget the walk and ask Santa for a golf cart this Christmas?

Would a PowerBar help more than an apple after nine holes or should we forget 'em both and just wolf down another candy bar and Coke?

And do you really have to have Tiger Woods' biceps to be any good?

A sports scientist pondering these and other 19th-hole kind of questions crunched a bunch of numbers and came up...]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:40:02 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/singh-wins-chevron-challenge-with-birdie-on-no--18-2160.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) Vijay Singh rarely shows up at a golf tournament not knowing what to expect.

Then again he has never gone an entire month without so much as lifting a club.

In his first conventional tournament since capturing the FedEx Cup on Sept. 28 even the 45-year-old Singh was surprised by what transpired over the weekend at the Chevron World Challenge.

He kept the ball in play with a new driver. He piled up birdies on the par 5s. He moved up the leaderboard with...]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/singh-wins-with-a-final-birdie-at-sherwood-2129.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) Age is starting to creep up on Vijay Singh who turns 46 in February and spent the last three months taking the longest break of his life to let nagging injuries heal.

But against a world-class field Sunday at the Chevron World Challenge Singh looked as good as new.

With three straight birdies early on the back nine to get into contention and a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole Singh closed with a 5-under 67 for a one-shot victory over Steve Stricker to...]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:40:01 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/15-more-players-added-to-masters-field-2154.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) The final official shot of 2008 was a tap-in birdie by Richard Sterne to win the South African Open in a playoff capping his unlikely climb in the world rankings to be among 15 players Sunday earning a Masters invitation.

Three players on two continents made one final push for the top 50 in the rankings to make the trip to Augusta National.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tied for third at the South African Open and will move up to No. 39 while Lin Wen-Tang...]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:10:03 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/sterne-beats-maybin-in-playoff-to-win-sa-open-2143.htm PAARL South Africa(AP) Local favorite Richard Sterne won the South African Open on Sunday after defeating Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland on the first playoff hole.

The pair were tied at 14-under 274 after 72 holes at Pearl Valley Golf Estates and Sterne (66) birdied the playoff hole after Maybin (70) pushed his tee shot into a fairway bunker and was only able to make par.

Sterne hit what he described as the best bunker shot of his life on his final regulation hole after pulling...]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:42:59 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/singapores-lam-wins-volvo-masters-by-2-strokes-1941.htm BANGKOK Thailand(AP) Singapore's Lam Chihbing won the Asian Tour's season-ending Volvo Masters on Sunday firing a 5-under 67 in the final round to win by two strokes.

Lam one of five players sharing the lead heading into the final round finished with three birdies in the final four holes for a four-round total of 14-under 274. Thailand's Chapchai Nirat (67) was second with Australian Terry Pilkadaris (66) another stroke back in the $750000 event.

``I have won a bunch of small ones...]]> Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:10:05 +0000 http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/news/kim-takes-the-lead-at-chevron-challenge-1991.htm THOUSAND OAKS Calif.(AP) Anthony Kim put himself into position Saturday for the Tiger two-step.

Kim finally figured out some flaws in his putting hit an exquisite shot with a wedge from a buried lie in the side of a hill and wound up with a 5-under 67 on Saturday to build a one-shot lead over Jim Furyk in the Chevron World Challenge.

If Kim can hang on to win maybe this time Tiger Woods can congratulate him in person.

Woods is the tournament host at Sherwood Country Club an end-of-the-year...]]> Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:10:01 +0000