Golf Point/Counterpoint: 2011 Season Observings

FanHouse Golf Writer Mick Elliott runs through a point/counterpoint on the early weeks of the 2011 PGA season:

Fact: World No. 1 Lee Westwood (pictured) heads the field this week at Abu Dhabi, joined by Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy.

Observation: Not to be outdone, the PGA Tour's Bob Hope Classic, with its pro-am format, has Alice Cooper, Craig T. Nelson, Sterling Sharpe and a Rush Limbaugh listener.

Fact: Of the 26 rookies who made their season debut last week at Sony, only five survived the cut with the best finish belonging to Chris Kirk, a former Ben Hogan Award winner at Georgia (T30).

Observation: Do you wonder if the Bulldogs elected Kirk team captain?

Fact: Not a particularly strong start to the year for Camilo Villegas; disqualified at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and missed the cut at Sony.

Observation: Way too early to start enjoying it.

Fact: Matt Kuchar, who led the PGA Tour with 11 top 10s in 2010, is two for two in 2011: T6 and Hyundai and T5 Sunday at Sony.

Observation: Never too early to start enjoying it.

Fact: Despite comments by Natalie Gulbis that suggested otherwise, Dustin Johnson insists reports of a relationship between the two golf stars are false. "Yes, me and Natalie have spent some time together, but we're not in a relationship," Johnson said.

Observation: Occasionally, rumors are not such a bad thing.

Fact: With the NBA All-Star Game weekend next month in Los Angeles scheduled the same time as the PGA Tour's stop at Riviera CC, tournament director Jerry West, the former L.A. great, is using his personal Lakers tickets to help lure players to the event.

Observation: "That's great, Jerry. And you will comp the valet parking, too, right?"

Fact: Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam is lending her fame to a new TV series, "Golf a la Carte,'' introducing each segment and occasionally appearing as a celebrity hostess to share cooking secrets.

Observation: Considering she made toast of the LPGA for years, seems like a natural progression.

Fact: PGA Tour rookie Brendan Steele's uncle is Anthony Geary, who plays Luke on "General Hospital."

Observation: And speaking of soap operas, did you see that John Daly missed the cut in Hawaii.

Fact: Actress Cameron Diaz, obviously bitten by the golf bug, called the game "kind of like crack cocaine to me."

Observation: This is your brain on golf.

Fact: A replica Masters Tournament trophy, commissioned 10 years ago by Augusta National for the Augusta Golf Museum and now in private hands after the exhibit never opened, is being offered to a select number of collectors at a price of $140,000.

Observation: Would anybody really begrudge Greg Norman?

Fact: Oklahoma State Cowboys all-conference quarterback Brandon Weeden is joining the school's golf team as a walk-on.

Observation: All of a sudden, 99-yard drives are nothing to cheer about.

Fact: LPGA commissioner Mike Whan stood firm, rejecting 15-year-old Lexi Thompson's petition that requested 12 sponsor exemptions, double the number previously allowed a non-member.

Observation: On the bright side, Thompson still has the babysitting gig to fall back on.

Fact: Mark Wilson, 37, won the Sony Open Sunday, his third-career victory, by playing the final 40 holes without a bogey and posting all four rounds in the 60s.

Observation: How can golf be so difficult, then every now and then so easy?

Fact: South African Tim Clark shot 66-64 during Sunday's third- and fourth-round play at Sony, but hobbled home with painful blisters from walking 36 holes and may be forced to withdraw from this week's Bob Hope.

Observation: In that case, he can just prop up his feet and watch the Jets' game.

Fact: Jose Maria Olazabal will captain the European team and Davis Love III will lead the United States in the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Observation: Let the battle of rain suits begin.