Golf Notebook: Tiger Woods Continues Self-Reclamation Project

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- There are questions about Tiger Woods right now that not even Tiger Woods (like he would anyway) can answer: questions about his game, his life, his health (both mental and physical) and the stature he once held.

So when the world's still-No. 1 ranked player semi-hosts this week's AT&T National at Aronimink Golf Club, much of the week's story will be anything and everything that provides the slightest insight into a career that has taken on water.

Woods is coming off a T-4 at the U.S. Open two weeks ago at Pebble Beach that was both disappointing and positive. He did shoot a third-round 66 that was vintage Woods. He also lumbered home on Sunday with a final-round 75 when an even-par round would have won his 15th major. And that is far from vintage Woods.

Whether he still is shaking off rust from an extended layoff and then a bad neck, or whether there's too many things besides golf on his mind makes for lively debate. Not to mention a lot of interest.

"I feel like I put some pieces together," Woods said of his showing at Pebble Beach. "It's a process, a long process, but I've put some of it together, and hit some shots that I haven't hit in a long time."

This week's task is to continue the process.

It's a big week for Woods. First, because the name of this week's event used to be the "AT&T National Hosted By Tiger Woods." That changed, however, when AT&T dropped the golfer as a spokesperson as a reaction to the personal-life scandal that has surrounded Woods since last November.

Still, the Tiger Woods Foundation continues as the tournament's primary beneficiary, so he remains the week's front man.

"Nothing changed at all," he said. "Still have the same responsibilities. I still do the same things. We are trying to do everything we can to raise as much money as we can for the Philadelphia area and help as many people as we possibly can."

The tournament is making its first visit to the Philadelphia area after three years in the Washington, D.C. area. Its previous site, Congressional Country Club, is being renovated this year to host the 2011 U.S. Open.

This will be only Woods' sixth event of a year that did not start until mid-April at Augusta National for the Masters. In both the Masters and U.S. Open, he finished tied for fourth, his best finishes of the year. He missed the cut at Quail Hollow and withdrew from The Players Championship with a neck injury that sidelined him for three weeks.

He has also parted with swing coach Hank Haney.

"I think he's very close," said Ernie Els, who played with Woods for the first two rounds of the Open. "I think his ball-striking was pretty good. His short game is pretty sharp. He just didn't make enough putts. He's skimming the hole, but nothing looks out of the ordinary. He looks pretty sharp. I think it's only a matter of time."

So many questions.

Maybe a few more answers.

PAVIN'S YOUNG GAME

U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Corey Pavin, taking a break from his rookie season on the Champions Tour to keep an eye on potential team members, turned out to be the player to watch at last weeks Travelers Championship.

The 50-year-and-seven-month-old Pavin carded a final-round 66 to finish 14 under and in a three-way playoff with Bubba Watson and Scott Verplank.

Pavin was eliminated on the first hole before Watson went on to win, but had already won over the crowd.

Fans began chanting "USA'' after Pavin sunk a 32-foot big-breaking putt for birdie on the 17th hole that put him in contention.

A win by Pavin during the same year as he captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team would have put him in some select company. Arnold Palmer, Jerry Barber, Lloyd Mangrum, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Walter Hagen are the players to have earned wins in the same year they captained.

No matter what, Pavin said he would not consider himself for the team.

"Being captain is pretty tough, just to do that," he said. "Arnold Palmer was the last one to do that, and that was a different era, a different time. I wouldn't have played."

KERR FIRST NO. 1 AMERICAN

With her victory Sunday in the LPGA Championship, Cristie Kerr becomes the first American to hold the No. 1 spot in the Rolex World Ranking.

The rating system was introduced in early 2006 and was dominated by Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and then by Mexico's Lorena Ochoa.

With both now out of the game, South Korean's Jiyai Shin and Japan's Ai Miyazato had shared the top spot this year until Kerr's win.

"It means a tremendous amount," Kerr said. "It's something that I've wanted my whole life, I worked for my whole life. I take great pride in being the top American."

The LPGA should benefit from an American newsmaker. Until Kerr's win, foreign players had won 25 of 26 previous events. But how much benefit is questionable.

Kerr has never been cooperative or embraceable, and it's doubtful she will decide to start now.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Somebody said years ago 'winning never gets old.' I see how excited Bernhard Langer gets when he wins, and Bernhard doesn't get too excited about anything."

– Mark Calcavecchia, before making his Champions Tour debut.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK II

"Now it's just time to go back and play with adults my own age next week."

– Pavin, who will compete at the Montreal Championship on the Champions Tour after being eliminated in a playoff at the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour.

MENTIONABLES

• International players had won seven of eight PGA Tour events going into the Travelers, but it's no surprise that Bubba Watson turned that tide for the U.S. No foreign player had won at TPC River Highlands since Greg Norman in 1995.

• Ten players in their 20s have won PGA Tour events in 2010. Last year saw just seven players in their 20s win during the entire season. Rookies have fared well in 2010, as eight of the 20 first-year players would currently be eligible for the first Playoff event, The Barclays. Two rookies -- Rory McIlroy (Quail Hollow Championship) and Derek Lamely (Puerto Rico Open) -- have victories one year removed from a season without a rookie winner.

• It was a solid Champions Tour debut for Calcavecchia, who finished tied for sixth at 12-under at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open. Calcavecchia was one of five players to post three rounds in the 60s. He made just one bogey in the event, the fewest by any player in the field, but had just 13 birdies for the week.

• Nick Price's T3 this week was his eighth top-10 finish on the Champions Tour in nine starts dating back to the Allianz Championship (T9) in February, when he made the switch to the belly putter.