Tiger Woods returns to top 20 in world ranking

Tiger Woods may have lost his head-to-head battle with Robert Rock in the final group at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, but his tie for third place was enough to lift him back into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking. This week Woods is ranked 17th.

Woods began 2012 ranked 23rd, thanks largely to his victory at the Chevron World Challenge in December. He slipped to 25th the week before teeing it up in Abu Dhabi, his first event of the year.

Despite not winning in Abu Dhabi, Woods said he is pleased with the way his golf game is progressing. His next scheduled tournament is the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in two weeks.

"I've got a week off to get ready for Pebble, and then we have a couple of big events, a couple of World Golf Championships," he said. "So there's plenty of big events to go, but I'm pleased at the progress I've made so far. Basically since Australia, my stroke-play events have been pretty good. So I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent."

Woods entered the 2011 season as the top-ranked player in the world, but during his erratic, injury-plagued season he briefly toppled out of the top 50 before winning the Chevron in December.

Thanks to his victory in Abu Dhabi, Robert Rock vaulted up the rankings from 117th to 55th.

Luke Donald tied for 48th in Abu Dhabi but maintained his No. 1 ranking. Rory McIlroy finished second in Abu Dhabi and passed Lee Westwood for No. 2, the highest McIlroy has been ranked in his career.

(Photo: Paul Childs/Zuma Press)

Truth & Rumors: Phil Mickelson's house for sale; Watch Graeme McDowell's bank shot at Abu Dhabi

Mickelson puts Southern California home on the market for $7 million

With his missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in the past, Mickelson is now focusing on the future. According to Market Watch, he and his wife, Amy, have recently put their luxurious Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., estate [right] on the market for $7.095 million.

"Simply put, this is one of the finest and most private estates you'll find -- anywhere," said Susan Bartow, listing agent for the Mickelsons. "The materials used and craftsman who built this incredible estate are second to none."

The 9,500 square foot, five-bedroom, Tuscan-style home sits on 4.88 acres and comes with two guest villas. The estate includes lavish landscaping, a swimming pool, and its very own putting green. 

Graeme McDowell's luck of the Irish

In Sunday's final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Graeme McDowell hit two memorable shots. His first was a beautiful hole-in-one on the 12th hole par 3. But his next shot on 18 wasn't as glamorous. Jonathan Wall at Yahoo! Sports has the story:

After knocking his second into a bunker short of the 18th green, McDowell caught his approach shot thin and half expected it to end up in the grandstands behind the green. But instead of ending up with an incredibly difficult fourth shot, McDowell's ball ricocheted off the grandstand and rolled back to within a couple feet of the cup.

McDowell made the birdie and finished the tournament with a tie for third. 

  

Finally, a great lie for the Donald

According to The [Newark] Star-Ledger, Donald Trump plans to seek New Jersey state approval in order to build a burial ground next to Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. 

The 1.5-acre site would become the exclusive final resting place for wealthy club members who pay as much as $300,000 in membership fees. And a section of the lush plot would be carved out for Trump and his next of kin, said Ed Russo, a Trump consultant.

"It’s a very personal decision, but he’s considering it," Russo said. "This is really about members, but we do plan to set something aside for Mr. Trump and his family."

Tweet of the Day

[Photo of Mickelson house from Prudential Realty]

Robert Garrigus on Kyle Stanley: I wish I had his number

Robert Garrigus was nowhere near the scene of the accident when presumed Farmers Insurance Open champion Kyle Stanley [right] triple-bogeyed the 18th hole at Torrey Pines South on Sunday to fall into a playoff with Brandt Snedeker. (Not surprisingly, Snedeker won on the second extra hole.)

Garrigus, who triple-bogeyed the last hole to fall into a playoff he would eventually lose at Memphis in 2010, had struggled on Torrey's poa annua greens and bogeyed his last two holes to miss the cut at the Farmers, so he was back home in Scottsdale, Ariz., watching the back nine at Torrey on TV. 

"I left to go get a massage at 3:30 or 4 o'clock," he said by phone Sunday night. "I saw Kyle make a five-footer on 15 for par. I thought it was a lock; Brandt made bogey on 17. It was a four-shot lead with three holes to play."

Alas, just as Garrigus had buckled under the pressure of trying to win his first tournament in 2010, the enormity of what the winless Stanley was about to accomplish seemed to hit him all at once. He spun a wedge off the green and into the water, hit his fifth shot on the green and three-putted. 

"I saw what happened and thought, 'I'm one of the only guys in the United States who can relate to how he feels,' because I've been there and it's brutal," Garrigus said. "He'll win. It's not the end of the world, but it sure feels like it at the time."

Garrigus won at Disney at the end of 2010 and dedicated the victory to Tony Kornheiser, the co-host of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, who had suggested fans might never hear from Garrigus again.

"He didn't know what he was saying," Garrigus said. "I got some good pub out of it. It was a lot of fun."

Similarly, he believes the first win for the shell-shocked Stanley might not be far off.

"I wish I had his number because I would call him," said Garrigus, who tied for third at the U.S. Open last summer and will make his first Masters start in April. "I'm sure I'll see him soon. I'll tell him, 'You've got to get there to blow it.' That's what Chris DiMarco said to me: 'You've got to get there to blow it, and you'll be there again. Don't worry about it. It's just golf.'"

(Photo: Kohjiro Kinno/SI)

Sound off: Readers' live PGA Tour Confidential

Join us on Monday, Jan. 30 at noon EST to respond to each of the questions posed in this week's edition of the PGA Tour Confidential.

Robert Rock beats Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to win Abu Dhabi Championship

Robert Rock held off Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the field to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday.

It was the second career victory for Rock, a 34-year-old Englishman in his 10th year on the European Tour who also won last year's Italian Open. Rock, who started the day tied for the lead with Woods at 11 under, hit his drive on the par-5 18th into a hazard but salvaged bogey to shoot 70 and finish 13 under, one shot ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Woods had three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and started the back nine with a bogey on the par-5 10th. From there, Woods made nothing but pars, shooting even-par 72 to tie for third with  Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn at 11 under.

All week, Woods had been in control of his long game, but he hit just one fairway on the back nine on Sunday and only six greens in regulation for the day.

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

After the tournament, Woods said some of his distances were off in the final round, but overall he sounded optimistic about his game.

"I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made so far," he said. "Since Australia, my stroke play events I’ve been doing pretty good. I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent. Today was a day I putted beautifully, I just didn’t give myself enough looks."

Rock sounded a bit overwhelmed by his accomplishment.

"I was just very happy to be playing Tiger Woods today, and that’s a special honor in itself," Rock said. "It’s been a steady progression from when I finished work in the golf shops, and I worked hard at my game, but I didn’t think this would happen."

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 4 Photos | Round 3 Photos 

Photo: Paul Childs/Zuma Press

Tiger Woods tied for lead after three rounds in Abu Dhabi

Tiger Woods fired a six-under 66 in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship to get to 11 under for the tournament. He's tied for the lead with England's Robert Rock.

Woods hit 10 of 14 fairways and 16 greens in regulation and had 30 putts. He shot 32 on the back nine with four birdies, including one on the par-5 18th.

Rory McIlroy shot a four-under 68 and is tied for third with Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari and Paul Lawrie. 

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 3 Photos | Round 2 Photos

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Guessing the appearance fees for Abu Dhabi's stars

How can a tournament with a purse of "only" $2.7 million ($445,000 to the winner), played in a place that's a 14-hour hour flight from the East Coast, match a rich ($6 million purse, $1.044 million for first) domestic event held at a former U.S. Open venue? Can you say "appearance fees”?

Such payouts are forbidden on the PGA Tour -- the only perk players will get at Torrey is the use of a rental car -- but the Euro tour has fewer restrictions, and Abu Dhabi is the major championship of pay-for-play. The extras are so lavish that they more than make up the $3.3 million purse differential. For starters, everyone in the field gets free travel and accommodations at the luxurious Emirates Palace. After that, the size of the envelope varies based on star power.

Players universally refuse to discuss specifics, so we’re left with no choice but to speculate. Here's a guesstimate, based on many conversations with fellow golf journalists, as to what some of the headliners might be receiving.

Tiger Woods, $2.5 million: Woods's has played in Dubai, where his Al Ruwaya golf course project has returned to the desert, but this is his first start in Abu Dhabi.

Rory McIlroy, $1 million: The U.S. Open champ is the second-biggest draw in golf and a regular at Abu Dhabi, playing there five straight years.

Lee Westwood, $750,000: You don't hear much about it, but keeping easy-money events like Abu Dhabi on their schedules is one reason Euros like Westwood come and go from the PGA Tour.

Luke Donald, $600,000: This was the world No. 1's first trip to Abu Dhabi. If he wins a major, his price could double.

Darren Clarke, $400,000: Being the British Open champ is a big deal in an event like this. Plus, who doesn't love Clarkie?

Graeme McDowell, $200,000: Another regular in the UAE and a popular U.S. Open winner.

Martin Kaymer, $200,000: Kaymer is the King of Abu Dhabi, where he has won three times and is the defending champ.

Charl Schwartzel, $200,000: All the 2011 major winners were pursued, and only Keegan Bradley (PGA Championship) said no.

K.J. Choi, $100,000: At Abu Dhabi, they regard the Players Championship as if it really is the fifth major.

Colin Montgomerie, $0: No cash, but since he has played in all seven Abu Dhabi Championships, he'll get the royal treatment.

Truth & Rumors: McIlroy slips up; New caddie for Els

D'oh! Rory gets two-stroke penalty at Abu Dhabi
Rory McIlroy had a momentary brain lapse in Friday's round at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship that cost him a two-shot penalty and left him tied for fourth instead of tied for the lead at the end of the day. McIlroy brushed away sand from his line when playing his shot from off the ninth green. The Irish Examiner has the story:

Ireland's US Open champion would have been alongside Dane Thorbjorn Olesen -- a rather less well-known 22-year-old -- but for brushing sand away from his line on the ninth hole of his second round.

That would have been all right if it had been on the green, but he was six feet off the putting surface and world number one Luke Donald instantly brought it to his attention.

"I wasn't thinking clearly and just made a very stupid mental mistake," McIlroy said.

Playing partner Luke Donald immediately brought the mistake to McIlroy's attention.

"Luke said: 'Don't think you can do that', and I was like: 'Oh yeah, I can't, can I? It happens and you just have to take it on the chin."

Despite the miscue, McIlroy was able to scramble back and finish the round with a 72. 

New caddie for Els
Ernie Els will be seeking the advice from a new caddie for the duration of this year's Farmers Insurance Open. According to Reuters, his long-term caddie, Ricci Roberts, suffered a freak accident after falling down a flight of stairs after a pro-am event in South Africa.

Roberts, who had competed in a charity tournament to raise funds for the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, broke his ankle after accepting a prize and will be out for at least two months.

"I called Ricci up on stage and he did a little speech but when he walked off he just kind of missed his first step and he went down," Els told Reuters before Thursday's opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

"It was so damn dark and this stage was about this high," the South African added, pointing six feet above the air. "The poor guy broke his ankle so he's out for a while.

Els's replacement caddie, Dan Quinn, is a former National Hockey League player and has caddied for Els before back in 2010, according to Reuters. Els said he expects Ricci to be back caddying for him by the middle of March. 

Tweet of the Day

Tiger Woods moves up leaderboard in Abu Dhabi

Tiger Woods moved into a tie for third place at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Friday, making five birdies and two bogeys on the way to a three-under 69 and a five-under total.

Woods hit six of 14 fairways and 13 greens in regulation but had just 28 putts, seven fewer than Thursday's total.

Rory McIlroy shot even-par 72 and is tied with Woods at five under. The third member of their marquee group, No. 1-ranked Luke Donald, also shot 72 and is one under.

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

Thorbjørn Olesen of Denmark shot five-under 67 to take the lead at seven under.

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 2 Photos | Round 1 Photos

Photo: Arwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images

Truth & Rumors: Mallon to captain U.S. Solheim team; Rory gets his degree

It was announced this morning at the PGA Merchandise Show that Meg Mallon will captain the U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2013 as they look to extract revenge on the European side when they meet at Colorado Golf Club. 

Mallon is an 18-time LPGA winner, including four major championships, and played on eight U.S. Solheim Cup teams, sporting a 13-9-7 career record. She served as an assistant captain to the victorious 2009 team and also captained a winning American side at the 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup. 

"It's an absolute honor to be selected as the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain," said Mallon. "I've participated in The Solheim Cup on nine occasions and each has been a proud moment for me, but to represent the United States as team captain definitely caps off my career. I look forward to working hard on getting the Cup back in U.S. hands." 

Back to school
Rory McIlroy, the scholar. That’s right, the U.S. Open champ is set to receive an honorary degree from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. According to the Irish Times, McIlroy will be awarded a Doctor of Science degree for his contribution to golf. 

The university said: “Rory McIlroy has quickly established himself as a major force in international golf as a Major winner and Ryder Cup hero.” 

Compatriots Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke have also been honored by the university in the past. 

Other notables to receive honorary degrees from the University of Ulster this year include Manchester United skipper Sir Alex Ferguson, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody and actor Sir Ian McKellen, among others. 

Golf’s Oprah
Looking to build on a successful first season, Golf Magazine contributing writer David Feherty’s hit talk show, Feherty, will expand to a one hour time slot, beginning February 27. Due to viewer demand, Golf Channel has also ordered more episodes for season two and has pushed the original series back to the 10 p.m. time slot. In a press release, Golf Channel stated:

“We were blown away by the positive reaction our viewers had to this show and their appreciation for the truly heartfelt moments David was able to pull from each interview,” said Golf Channel President Mike McCarley. “People know David as funny and a bit irreverent, but they never knew how much emotion would come from this series. The one comment we heard repeatedly from viewers was ‘give us more’ -- so that’s exactly what we plan to do in season two.” 

If you can’t hold out an entire month for your weekly dose of Feherty, don’t fret. Before season two airs, viewers will be treated to a special from the Super Bowl with Feherty performing before a live theatre audience, armed with a slew of guests from the world of sports and entertainment. 

Additionally, Golf Channel will be airing bonus footage shot for two of the most popular Feherty episodes, including never-before-seen interviews with Johnny Miller and Tom Watson. The episodes will be re-aired in a one-hour format on February 13 and 20, respectively. 

Speed golf
Ben Crane isn’t the only one pumping out viral videos; rally driver and drifting champion Rhys Millen has teamed up with Hyundai to bring the largely underground world of Formula D to the golf course. Millen, who will race the 500bhp Hyundai Veloster in the US Rallycross championship, shows just how fast he really is, terrorizing the Purangi Golf & Country Club in New Zealand with his turbocharged golf cart. 

  

PGA Tour, take notice. We just solved your pace of play problem.

Tweet of the Day

Steve Sands @ Golfchannel reports from Abu Dhabi that Tiger Woods took off his undershirt on hole 4 yesterday.... #tigersyearhasstarted

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) January 26, 2012

Truth & Rumors: Injuries knock Tebow out of Pebble Beach, Ben Crane's new video, Bubba Watson's pink driver

Those looking forward to some Tebowing on the greens at Pebble Beach are going to be disappointed. According to Golf Channel's Ryan Ballengee, Tebow will not be participating in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am due to injuries sustained in the Broncos' playoff game against New England.

Tebow suffered injuries to the chest and ribs during the game against the Patriots, reportedly including torn rib cartilage and bruised lungs. The former Florida Gator would not have played in the AFC Championship game had the Broncos won.

"Due to the injuries, it looks like he's a no-go," Tournament Director Steve Worthy said.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is still committed to the event, as is Bill Belichick. 

Crane's other favorite sport
Ben Crane and his helmet have finally returned to let us know he has a lot left in the tank ...on the uneven bars.

 

It’s not all pommel horses and floor routines, though. For every 100,000 views, Farmers Insurance will donate $1,000 to charity, and up to $5,000, on behalf of Crane.

Pretty in Pink
While Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and other TaylorMade stars are sporting white drivers, and Rickie Fowler seems to have bright orange everything, Bubba Watson is trumping them all with his new pink Ping G20 driver. Every drive Bubba bombs with his pink hardware will help his new charity, “Bubba and Friends Drive to a Million.” Watson’s personal website has the details:

Last year, he dubbed himself Bubba Long – averaging 315 yards per drive on the PGA Tour. This year, he's Bubba Long in Pink.

PING will be with Bubba every step of the way – especially on the tee box – as he drives toward his goal of $1 million while relying on his custom-painted, matte-pink finish PING G20 driver and pink True Temper Grafalloy Bi-Matrix shaft.

PING will donate $300 for the first 300 drives measuring 300 or more yards in 2012 to help Bubba reach the $1 million mark and has already contributed $10,000 to the effort.

According to Golf Channel, Watson had 483 drives of more than 300 yards last season. Golf photographer Allan Henry tweeted an image of the driver, and it’s safe to say it will be hard to miss.

No word yet on whether the General Lee will also be getting a new paint job.  

Tweet of the Day

@bubbawatson WHAT IS THAT DRIVER?!? You really are a big fan of mine! Thank you hahah

— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) January 24, 2012

Truth & Rumors: Timberlake-crafted Callaway ads to debut this weekend

Callaway's new ad campaign, which was featured in Truth & Rumors in December and will air for the first time this weekend, was crafted in part by Justin Timberlake, who was named creative director for the company in December. According to The Wall Street Journal, the ads, featuring trick shots by staff pros on the Vegas strip, are designed to reach a younger audience and spice up Callaway's image.

The marketing effort features golf pros such as Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam using Callaway products to perform jaw-dropping golf feats on the Las Vegas Strip. One TV ad shows golfer Alvaro Quiros on a floating platform on the strip, hitting a golf ball 310 yards over the Bellagio fountain.

In another, several golfers including Ms. Sorenstam hit balls from rooftop to rooftop along the strip. Helicopters fill in for golf carts.

"We wanted to make a statement that was more rock 'n' roll," said Mr. Timberlake, who has been a paid endorser for Callaway for several years but isn't in any of the new ads. Mr. Timberlake worked with Factory Design Labs, a Denver ad agency that began creating the new pitch in April 2011.

Callaway spent far less on advertising in 2011 than rivals TaylorMade and Titleist, The Journal reported, and plans to increase this year's spending by $25 million. Timberlake summed up the company's efforts by saying that Callaway is hoping to give golf a "nice injection of kickassery."

Big fee lures Tiger, but how big was it?
Tiger Woods will be paid between $1.7 and $2.7 million in appearance fees to play in Abu Dhabi this week, according to GolfChannel.com. The article only cites "practice-tee buzz," and Woods did not disclose the amount, but rest assured that this has already been a lucrative trip for Woods.

Vandals strike Texas course
The Pecan Grove Country Club in Richmond, Texas, suffered at least $80,000 worth of damage when carts were stolen and left all over the course, according to Click2Houston.com.

The vandals broke into a golf cart barn and stole more than two dozen carts. Six were submerged in the golf course's water hazards. Eighteen other carts were found parked all over the golf course, including the greens.

Tweets of the Day
Caroline Wozniacki's tough loss in the Australian Open seems to have been softened somewhat by a present from one Irish pro and a compliment from another.

@Graeme_McDowell Thanks Gmac! :) Hope to see you soon! @McIlroyRory has good taste, it was a present from him:)

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) January 22, 2012

SI Golf Ranking: Donald holds onto No. 1

Each week, 15 staffers from SI Golf+, Golf Magazine and GOLF.com vote for their top 10, awarding 10 points to their first choice and proceeding in descending order to the 10th player, who gets one point. The points are then added and the ranking calculated. Tell us your top 10 in the comments field below.

RANK (TOTAL VOTES, FIRST PLACE VOTES, LAST WEEK'S RANK)

1. Luke Donald (147, 12, 1) - Last three finishes: T12, JBWere Masters; 3, Dubai World Championship; 7, Nedbank Golf Challenge - Official World Golf Ranking: 1

2. Rory McIlroy (135, 2, 2) - Last three finishes: T11, Dubai World Championship; 1, Hong Kong Open; T4, WGC-HSBC Champions - Official World Golf Ranking: 3

3. Lee Westwood (109, 0, 3) - Last three finishes: 1, Thailand Golf Championship; 29, Dubai World Championship; 1, Nedbank Golf Challenge - Official World Golf Ranking: 2

4. Webb Simpson (99, 0, 4) - Last three finishes: T38, Sony Open; T3, Hyundai Tournament of Champions; T13, Chevron World Challenge - Official World Golf Ranking: 6

5. Steve Stricker (71, 0, 5) - Last three finishes: T38, Sony Open; 1, Hyundai Tournament of Champions; 16, Chevron World Challenge - Official World Golf Ranking: 5

6. Charl Schwartzel (70, 0, 6) - Last three finishes: 5, Volvo Golf Champions; MC, Joburg Open; 2, Thailand Golf Championship - Official World Golf Ranking: 8

7. Keegan Bradley (46, 0, 7) - Last three finishes: T13, Sony Open; 16, Hyundai Tournament of Champions; 17, Chevron World Challenge - Official World Golf Ranking: 30

8. Nick Watney (37, 0, 8) - Last three finishes: T12, Hyundai Tournament of Champions; 18, Chevron World Challenge; T4, Australian Open - Official World Golf Rank: 12

9. Martin Kaymer (27, 0, 9) - Last three finishes: T11, Dubai World Championship; 8, Nedbank Golf Challenge; 1, WGC-HSBC Champions - Official World Golf Ranking: 4

10. Adam Scott (25, 0, 10) - Last three finishes: T4, Australian PGA Championship; T4, Australian Open; T11, WGC-HSBC Champions - Official World Golf Ranking: 7

Others receiving votes:

Branden Grace (11, 1, Not Ranked)
Tiger Woods (10)
Jason Day (9)
Johnson Wagner (7)
Bill Haas (5)
Sergio Garcia (4)
Matt Kuchar (4)
Aaron Baddeley (3)
K.J. Choi (3)
Mark Wilson (3)

 

 

Bubba Watson buys 'Dukes of Hazzard' car for $110,000

Bubba Watson bought the original “General Lee,” a 1969 Dodge Charger used in "The Dukes of Hazzard" television show, at a car auction last weekend in Scottsdale, Ariz. Watson announced his purchase on Twitter.

 

According to AutoBlog.com, Watson’s new car is the Dodge Charger used in the first episode of the series, which ran on CBS from 1979-1985.

What's "the most famous television car in the world"? We suppose that depends on who you ask, but to many, nothing but the General Lee could possibly hold the title. Of course, there wasn't just one General Lee. In fact, scores of orange Dodge Chargers were filmed for "The Dukes of Hazzard," and most of them never survived their first televised escapade.

Not so Lee 1, so named because it was the car that famously jumped over a Hazzard County police cruiser in the very first episode of the hit series. If you've ever seen the opening credits, you know the car we're talking about... it flew 16 feet in the air over a distance of 82 feet. And, as you may have guessed, it didn't exactly stick the landing.

Fox News called the $110,000 bid “disappointing” for the seller, and noted that a General Lee with less history sold for much more in 2008.

“Lee 1” spent most of its life in a junkyard after being wrecked filming its famous flight through the Georgia sky. It still had a trunk full of cement ballast when it was purchased by the president of the North American General Lee fan club for less than $1,000 about a decade ago. Since then it has been fully restored to the original, imperfect condition the 1969 Dodge Charger was in when it was brought to Oxford College on Veteran’s Day in 1978 to film the iconic scene. Over 300 more General Lees would follow it during the seven-year run of the program.

Cars are offered at Barrett-Jackson with no reserve and no official pre-sale estimate, but a replica of the General Lee that was built for John Schneider, who played Bo Duke on the show, sold at the auction in 2008 for $450,000, setting a high bar for the original.

It sounds like Watson might have gotten a bargain. He was enjoying his new purchase on Sunday night.

 

For more pro golfers and their serious cars, visit our photo gallery here.

--

This story was produced for Golf Magazine's weekly Front9 app. To keep up with the latest golf news, get great tips from the Top 100 Teachers in America, and weekly Rules Guy columns, download the Front9 app at the Apple iTunes store. A lifetime subscription is $2.99.

 

Truth & Rumors: Phil Mickelson to skip WGC-Accenture Match Play

Following his tie for 49th place at the Humana Challenge, Phil Mickelson announced that he would be skipping next month’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. Alex Miceli has the story:

Mickelson, playing in the Humana Challenge for the first time in five years, has a conflict with his children’s spring break and, as in the past, will take the week off to vacation with his three children and wife, Amy, during the Feb. 22-26 Match Play.

“I'm going to end up missing the Match Play this year as we're going to go on a family trip,” Mickelson, No. 15 in the Official World Golf Ranking, said Sunday after completing his third round here. “So as I miss that tournament, it was easier to add this one, too.”

Those wanting more of Lefty won’t have to look hard to find him. Mickelson will be making his rounds on the West Coast over the next few weeks, playing the Farmers Insurance Open, Waste Management Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and Northern Trust Open before taking a week off with the family for a little R&R.

Coming to America

Chubby Chandler may have lost his brightest star in Rory McIlroy, but that hasn’t deterred ISM’s head honcho from seeking out new talent. Expect many of those new clients to bleed red, white and blue. While speaking with Golf Talk Central, Chandler stated that he would sign more American players this year than Europeans. 

Chandler recently set up shop in South Florida, ISM’s new American base, and has signed Peter Uihlein and Ben An in the last two months alone. 

Rex Hoggard of Golf Talk Central is also reporting that Steve Zika will take the lead on ISM’s descent into the American talent pool: 

GTC has confirmed through various sources that Steve Zika, a longtime tour representative for Ping, will be ISM’s American front-man. 

Zika was with Ping for a dozen years and worked with the company’s PGA Tour team since 2001. It was during this time that Zika fostered a relationship with Lee Westwood, No. 2 in the World Golf Ranking and a longtime member of Chandler’s stable.

Bubba gets a new ride

Contrary to what Christina Kim thinks, Bubba Watson apparently can have it all. This past weekend, Watson became the proud new owner of the original General Lee car from the “Dukes of Hazzard.” While at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., Bubba tweeted a photo of the legendary vehicle:  

My fav at Barrett Jackson!! #dreamcar lockerz.com/s/176557904

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) January 21, 2012

Roughly five hours later, Watson sent out a follow-up tweet, exclaiming, “Just got my dream car!!!” 

Never one to shy away from the send button, Bubba has since continued to tweet about his new prized possession, including this picture of him gassing up the General: 

Last night I bought some gas!! #gamechanger #Lee1 lockerz.com/s/176822084

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) January 22, 2012

Watson has also contacted Notorious Whips with plans of customizing the classic Dodge Charger, including a complete restore of the inside. 

And before you even ask, yes, the horn still works. 

All in all, the General Lee set Bubba back a mere $110,000. Not too shabby considering he owns a watch worth more than four times that. Hey Bubba, just make sure you keep an eye out for Roscoe. 

Tweet of the Day 

Not a good day to b a punt returner for San Fran. #notanybodiesfavplayertoday

— Jason Dufner (@JasonDufner) January 23, 2012

 

Tweets of the Week: Bubba buys the General Lee, Porta-potty accident, Tiger's chat and more

Bubba Watson attended the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction this week, and he made a pretty big purchase. Watson bid $110,000 for the original General Lee car used in the opening scene of the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. You can see Watson make the winning bid here.

Just got my dream car!!! #cryingnow lockerz.com/s/176637893

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) January 22, 2012

And, yes, the horn does work ...

The horn last night & the monkey in the back is @ChasityBowles #Lee1twitvid.com/PE6VB

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) January 22, 2012

Tiger vs. Hank
The feud of 2011 was Tiger vs. Stevie. Now 2012 is shaping up to be the year of Tiger vs. Hank. Last week Haney responded to critics who claim that he's capitalizing on Woods's fame by releasing the book right before the Masters.

Golf books r always released either right before The Masters. Christmas, or Fathers Day which is the US Open, publisher decides that part

— Hank Haney (@HankDHaney) January 22, 2012

Blown over
How strong were the winds on Saturday at the Humana Challenge? This strong ...

Caddie of one of my am partners was in a port a potty when it blew over. He was stuck and was lucky that people were there to help himlol

— Kris Blanks (@krisblanks) January 21, 2012

Braaaaaaains ...
Tiger Woods answered questions from his followers on Friday. You can get a full recap here, but this was my favorite ...

Brains in Thailand, haven't had it since RT @hWAM_lebard What are some of the craziest things (to a Westerner) that you have ever eaten?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

GMac and Westwood call it
And finally, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood nailed the winners for the NFL playoffs.

@Graeme_McDowell I like the giants and the patriots gmac!

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) January 22, 2012

Sound off: Readers' live PGA Tour Confidential

Join us on Monday, Jan. 23 at noon EST, where we'll pose the questions from this week's PGA Tour Confidential and turn the debate over to you.

Tiger Woods tweets on Romo's game, eating brains and the new Batman movie

Tiger Woods took a break from working on his game Friday to answer some questions from fans on Twitter. What did we learn? He's fit and ready for the new season. He's still working on a putting tip from Steve Stricker. And he ate brains one time while in Thailand.

Here are more highlights from Woods's chat ...

Preparing like any other event, Sean and I working efficiently RT @The_Real_McFIy5m what's hardest part about preparing for the season?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Yes! Ready to go RT @garyianlawrence6m well the big question is : are you fit??

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

No more lessons, still working on what he told me to do RT @DCGiesII How is the putting? Any more lessons from Stricker?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

I know he can shoot in the 60s, a matter of shooting them when it counts RT @jmoore15203 does Romo have a shot at qualifying for the Open

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

RT @PaulAzinger Byron Nelson said they're 2 kinds of plyers those that need to knw a little, those that need to knw it all. Whch 1 r U, Why?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

The latter, how are going to fix something if you don't know what's wrong? RT @PaulAzinger

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Brains in Thailand, haven't had it since RT @hWAM_lebard What are some of the craziest things (to a Westerner) that you have ever eaten?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Natural progression of golf, look at how ball has changed RT @RideTheKtrain should more be done to limit the impact of technology over skill

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

1 thing you learn at S: time mgt RT @PRodgersGolf I'm a freshman on the Stanford golf team. Whats your advice on getting to the next level.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

I met him already, Nelson Mandela RT @slickg720 what is one celebrity you would love to meet but haven't yet?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Absolutely, probably more! New Justice League Doom coming out soon too RT @slickg720 are you as pumped as me about the dark knight rises?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Green man dancing in Flint, Michigan RT @mickmilligan what was the funniest or craziest thing you've seen from someone in the gallery?

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Signing off now, thanks a lot. Back to the putting green.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) January 20, 2012

Truth & Rumors: Schwartzel wants BBQ for Masters dinner

Reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel doesn’t want to just host this year’s Champions Dinner -- he wants to prepare it. The 27-year-old has visions of grilling up a braai [right] -- a sampling of traditional South African meats -- under the iconic oak tree outside the clubhouse. Call it Pit Masters: Augusta National Edition. Global Golf Post has the details:

“We’ve put in the request and are still waiting to hear from them,” Schwartzel said. “But I’d love to be able to braai there. I want to braai everything myself, but we just have to see if that will be possible with the number of people there. I could end up with a very sore hand at the end of an evening turning all that meat.”

 

Schwartzel has already started planning his Masters braai. “I’ll keep it very simple. Ideally I would like to have a few lamb chops, some fillets and of course some boerewors (a traditional South African sausage).”

According to Scott Michaux of the Augusta Chronicle, Schwartzel would be the first champ to trade his green jacket for a green apron:

In general, the club balks at outsiders cooking in their kitchens. Other than Vijay Singh famously bringing in a prominent Atlanta restaurateur to prepare his Thai menu in 2001, Augusta National has used its own chefs to prepare whatever the host champion desires (with the possible exception of Sandy Lyle’s haggis).

New year, same old Phil

Phil Mickelson picked up his 2012 season pretty much right where he left off his 2011 season. An eagle here, a three-putt there, tee shots everywhere. It all resulted in a two-over 74 at the Humana Challenge on Thursday, a discouraging opening round at La Quinta Country Club that included a pair of out-of-bounds tee shots. Mickleson looked at the bright side: 

"The round wasn't indicative of how I know I was playing. I've been playing really well heading in. I played well the front nine, made some good birdies."

"And then the back nine those couple out of bounds, one was a matter of two feet and a couple of inches on the other and those could have been a big difference."

Mickleson, who dabbled with a long putter toward the end of last season, has returned to an Odyssey blade, which is “very similar to the putter I grew up with as a kid just going back to that type of freer motion.”

“I feel really good with the putter. And that was the one area that I was concerned with. I spent the whole off-season working on that, deciding on the direction I was going to go, with what putter and what have you.

“I'm trying to make, I feel like I can make everything on the greens. I had a couple 3-putts ... my speed was off on a couple, but really excited with the way it was transpiring and given the way I've been hitting it the last couple years I know I'll get that fixed and I can start shooting some numbers.”

Lefty's last win came the week before the Masters, at the Shell Houston Open.

Tiger says he’s executing “all the shots”

Hank who? After 17 months under the tutelage of swing coach Sean Foley, Tiger Woods says the Tao of Foley is finally clicking in an interview with ESPN's Bob Harig.

"Last year at this time I didn't truly understand what Sean was trying to teach me," Woods said. "I was very one-dimensional in my ball striking."

One-dimensional? Where does that leave the rest of us?

“I had this baby draw, didn't have a fade, and when I got to Dubai, my second tournament, the wind was howling and I couldn't hold the ball up against the wind with a fade.”

"One of the things we had to work on through the year was hitting all the shots. It didn't really start happening until the fall. I started picking up some good, positive momentum with the exhibitions I did in Asia, Australia and then winning [the Chevron World Challenge]."

Woods also revealed the genesis of his much-ballyhooed pairing with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in next month's Pebble Beach pro-am.

"He called me when I was in Australia [in November] and asked me if I was playing Pebble," Woods said. "And I said yes.” He said, 'I'd like to throw my name in the hat as a possible pairing.'

“I thought about it…"

What’s to think about? Who’s a better option? Darius Rucker? Kenny G?

"…and then I called him a day later and said, 'All right, you're in if you want to be in.'"

Gee, Tiger, way to make a guy feel good about himself. Romo later admitted that he hadn’t been that nervous since he asked Betty Finkelstein to his seventh-grade dance.

Tweet of the Day

[Photo credit: Gallo / Getty Images]

Bob Hope's 18 best quotes about golf

Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer and President Eisenhower all helped spread golf to the masses. However, I don’t think the game ever had a greater ambassador than Bob Hope. He played more than 2,000 different courses in virtually every country that offered golf, appeared in the 1951 British Amateur at Royal Porthcawl in Wales, and spent decades presiding over his namesake PGA Tour event. He was Mr. Golf.

They may call it the Humana Challenge now, but we’ll always have the memories, including these 18 gems from the man himself. Insert your own rim shots where appropriate.

1. “Arnold Palmer has been a frequent pro-am partner…He’s the biggest crowd pleaser since the invention of portable sanitary facilities…He’s won as much money as I’ve spent on lessons. He told me how I could cut eight strokes off my score…skip one of the par 3s.”

2. “It’s fun playing with (Jackie) Gleason. He has the only cart with a bartender. Have you ever seen Jackie riding around in his cart? It looks like a Goodyear blimp giving birth to a jeep. When he gets into a trap, the sand has to get out.”

3. “I’m an international player. I can say ‘shank’ in twenty-seven languages.”

4. “I’d played Shinnecock once, several years ago, and the rough did me in. When you hit into that stuff, you need a tetanus shot.”

5. “Jerry Ford’s fame as an erratic hitter, capable of beaning anyone within a range of 260 yards, is richly deserved. He’s rattled a number of shots off heads and backsides of the fearless followers in his gallery. The President doesn’t really have to keep score. He can just look back and count the walking wounded…Whenever I play with him, I usually try to make it a foursome—the President, myself, a paramedic and a faith healer. One of my most prized possessions is the Purple Heart I received for all the golf I’ve played with him…You don’t know what fear is until you hear Ford behind you shouting ‘Fore!’…and you’re still in the locker room.”

6. “That reminds me of Sammy Davis (Jr.). Sammy hits a nice ball, about 90 yards. But his jewelry flies 110.”

7. “One of nature’s true golf masterpieces is Pine Valley…It’s an awesome blend of turf, sand, scrubland, trees and water…Foursomes have left the first tee here and have never been seen again. They just find their shoelaces and bags.”

8. “Billy Graham, our (tournament’s) earthquake insurance, is another (great guy). It’s hard to beat a guy who gets out of a sand trap just by muttering a few words and looking up. Billy doesn’t call it a score…he calls it a ‘reckoning.’ I sank a 35-foot putt against him, turned around and my caddie had turned into a pillar of salt.”

9. “I once showed Pat Bradley my swing and said, ‘What do I do next?’ Pat replied, ‘Wait till the pain dies down.’”

10. “It’s fun playing with Dean Martin at Riviera in Los Angeles. When he wins anything we always tell him. Dean doesn’t drink liquor anymore. He drinks Windex. He gets an awful hangover but his eyes are so clear…I’ve seen Deano send a ball over 250 yards…just by breathing on it.”

11. “I never kick my ball in the rough or improve my lie in a sand trap. For that I have a caddie.”

12. “One of the most exciting performances I’ve ever seen on a TV screen had to be Johnny Miller’s 63 in the final round of the Open at Oakmont in 1973. That was absolutely unbelievable. Oakmont may be the second most difficult golf course in the country, just behind Pebble Beach, and for Johnny to shoot that kind of score under Open conditions just defies description. I know what a real accomplishment that was because I’ve played Oakmont. A photographer kept shooting me every time I swung. I was very flattered until I found out he was from Field and Stream.”

13. “For the average player, Pebble Beach could be murder. It was Alcatraz with grass…After playing Pebble Beach you needed antifreeze, not orange juice.”

14. “I do try to work out a little. I go swimming twice a day. It beats buying golf balls.”

15. “My only regret is that they don’t have an intensive care unit in the Eisenhower Medical Center for my golf game.”

16. “The caddies in Scotland are something else. If you hit a bad shot they sneer at you. They all sound like Rickles with a burr.”

17. “(Bing) was an excellent player, with the slowest backswing I’ve ever seen. While he was taking the club back you could fit him for a tailored suit.”

18. “I joined Cypress (Point) a long time ago and haven’t played nearly as many rounds there as I would have wished. It’s such a beautiful place…It’s also very exclusive. Cypress had a very successful membership drive last month. They drove out forty members.”

Quotes from Hope's book, "Bob Hope's Confessions of a Hooker: My Lifelong Love Affair with Golf."

(Photo: Tony Triolo/SI)