Tiger Speaks Up and Tour Listens

Did it surprise anyone that less than a month after Tiger Woods sounded off that illegal drivers might be being used on the PGA Tour that Commissioner Tim Finchem set forth the tour’s new get-tough policy?

Uh, not really.

Actually, what Finchem did this week at the Western Open in a news conference at Cog Hill in Illinois was to clarify the tour’s position on equipment testing, including not only drivers, but also balls. After two days of meetings, the PGA Tour’s policy board met with the USGA, which has established legal limits, and the board said it wanted to release a policy statement that offered one major item: a pendulum tester for drivers at PGA Tour events by Jan. 1, 2004.

The board also decided that if the USGA can’t get that implemented, then the PGA Tour would do it on its own. The testing will be on a voluntary basis.

In addition, the board recommended an indoor testing range for balls, already proposed by the USGA, and called for it to be in use by June 1, 2004.

As for the weight of Tiger’s comments, Finchem said he had heard the message before.

“Well, he isn’t the first,” said Finchem, who disagreed with Woods in saying there may be “hot” drivers out there already.

“There is no reason for us to believe at this point, nor do we have any evidence to indicate that there is any player on the PGA Tour that’s using a driver that’s non-conforming.”

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Arnold Palmer turns 74 in September and continues to hint that he’s getting closer to saying goodbye to tournament golf. Bothered by arthritis, Palmer shot 79-88 and missed the cut at the U.S. Senior Open. He’s a total of 98 over par in five Champions Tour events this year.

Said Palmer: “I’m playing the major tournaments right now and that will go away pretty soon. As long as I can hit it and walk the 18 holes, I’ll probably try it. It may mean that this is the last year. It may mean that next year is the last year.”

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It hasn’t made any money, but Callaway Golf’s ball business is now forecast to break even by next year, thanks to its $125 million acquisition this week of Top-Flite, the industry’s No. 2 ball maker behind Titleist.

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He missed the cut at the U.S. Open -- his only missed cut all year -- and this week he pulled out of the Western Open, citing a neck injury, so Davis Love III isn’t rolling into the British Open on a hot streak. But Love is a three-time winner this year and despite the unexpected death of his brother-in-law, chances are when he gets to Sandwich, the chips may fall his way.

The bettors think so. At Caesar’s Palace race and sports book, Love is the fourth choice with Jim Furyk at 10-1. Love is also the fourth choice at the Venetian at 15-1, the same as Padraig Harrington and Vijay Singh.

Woods is favored at 3-1, followed by Ernie Els and Mike Weir.

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Prize money for the Open at Royal St. George’s has risen $166,000 to $6.24 million. The winner’s share of $1.12 million hasn’t changed from what Els made last year.

When Greg Norman won the last Open at Royal St. George’s, in 1993, the total prize money was $1.66 million.

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News item: Annika Sorenstam renews her endorsement deal with Mercedes-Benz this week, only days after signing a new deal with Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Reaction: Thus solving the drive-through issue.

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Now we know what Norman has been up to. The Shark gave up his PGA Tour card, but he hasn’t given up playing, at least when it comes to opening up one of his new golf courses. Norman was on hand in Wolcott, Colo., to break in a course he designed at Red Sky Golf Club.

The first foursome for Colorado’s first Norman course looked more like a huddle: Norman, John Elway, Dan Marino and Mike Shanahan.

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The PGA Tour’s Western Open is probably going to get a new name, now that Lilly ICOS signed a multiyear deal as title sponsor of the event, beginning in 2004. Lilly is a pharmaceutical company and ICOS is a biotechnology company. And in Phoenix, the LPGA tournament has a new name, site and a larger purse. The Safeway/PING becomes the Safeway International in 2004 and moves from Moon Valley Country Club to Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club near Mesa. The prize money gets bumped $200,000 to $1.2 million.

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Val Skinner raised $500,000 for breast cancer research at her charity tournament. In four years, her event at New Jersey has raised $2 million for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

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The Greenbrier Sporting Club in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., has named its new Tom Fazio-designed course “The Snead” in honor of Sam Snead, who would have been 91 May 27.

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The California Women’s Championship will be played July 14-16 at Blackhorse Golf Course in Seaside. The 54-hole, stroke play event is limited to 100 amateurs with at least a 10.4 handicap. Details: (925) 200-1400.