Times staff, wires
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Woods headed out of world's top 10
Tiger Woods is about to fall out of the top 10 in the world for the first time in 14 years. Woods, whose last win was 18 months ago at the Australian Masters, will drop to at least No. 11 in the next World Golf Ranking, published Monday. It will be the first time he is out of the top 10 since he was No. 13 on April 6, 1997, the week before he won the Masters for the first of his 14 majors. Woods started the year No. 2 and has been steadily dropping. He withdrew from The Players Championship last week because of injuries to his left knee and left Achilles'. He said Monday on his website that he'll try to return June 16-19 at the U.S. Open. Woods has been No. 1 in the world for 623 weeks in his career, by far the longest of any golfer since the ranking began in 1986. He was No. 1 from June 2005 until Lee Westwood supplanted him in November.
But the news isn't all bad for Woods
Forbes magazine says Tiger Woods is still the top celebrity in the sports world. Despite not winning a tournament in 18 months, Woods checks in at No. 6 on Forbes' annual "Celebrity 100" list of the most powerful people or groups in the entertainment business. Lady Gaga tops the overall rankings. In all, 19 athletes are on the list, including Heat star LeBron James at No. 10 and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant at No. 14. Forbes says Woods, with an estimated $75 million in total earnings over the past year, is also the highest-paid athlete.
Transitions gets new leaders
David Robbins has been named general chairman of the Copperheads, the group that organizes the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor. Robbins replaces Bob Banks, who finished a two-year term as general chairman. Kevin Krisle has been named tournament director. Krisle, 39, was co-tournament interim director this year, with Ron Campbell. He was previously executive director of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. Campbell will return to the board of directors of the Copperheads.
LPGA Tour ready to expand events
LPGA commissioner Mike Whan is looking to expand the tour, meaning more tournaments in 2012, a greater commitment to sponsors and accepting what the LPGA is: a worldwide tour that isn't apologizing for having a lot of Asian players, playing events overseas and not having more Americans. "What we have is a global sport that is growing around the world, where young girls all over can have this dream," Whan said Wednesday on the eve of the Match Play Championship at Gladstone, N.J. "I am not going to do anything but embrace it." The tour has 24 official events this year.
This week on tour
PGA: Crowne Plaza Invitational, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m., Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m., Ch. 10
LPGA: Match Play Championship, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Gladstone, N.J. TV: Today-Friday, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Golf Channel
PGA Europe: World Match Play, Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Casares, Spain. TV: Today-Friday, 9 a.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.; Sunday 6 a.m. Golf Channel
Times staff, wires