TEEING OFF

Five things to look for on the professional golf scene:

1. The era of drug testing has arrived for the PGA Tour, which can randomly test players, beginning this week at the AT&T; National at Congressional Country Club.

As for whether drug testing is going to be relevant, of course it is.

Why? Because Tiger Woods pushed the plan, and did not hesitate when asked on a brief conference call with reporters Tuesday whether he had already done any testing on his own in the last several months.

“Yeah, I have,” he said. “I’ve done it twice, actually.”

The PGA Tour has gone to great lengths to make sure its players understand the rules of the testing, undertaking a comprehensive educational program. The players seem to have gotten the message, although some, such as Frank Lickliter, have voiced concerns about privacy.

Steve Stricker says it is time for professional golfers to line up with the major sports that already test, such as Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NFL.

“I think it’s necessary, just to keep us up with the other sports in the world,” Stricker said. “I’m not concerned about it. I’ve never been to a meeting about it. I’ve read some of the literature on our anti-doping policies, but . . . I’ll just go by the rules that are set forth and participate in it.”

Positive results are not supposed to be made public, but the maximum penalties are not insignificant and range from a suspension of up to a year for the first violation and a possible lifetime ban for multiple violations.

Players also may be fined up to $500,000.

2. Rocco Mediate is still riding his high after the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, where he pushed Woods into a playoff only to lose in 19 holes.

Mediate is playing this week at Congressional, a tournament that Woods hosts but can’t play in because of his knee surgery.

Could Mediate win Woods’ tournament?

“Now we’re going to go crazy here,” Mediate said.

3. What would happen if Colin Montgomerie pulls himself together and does something unexpected at the British Open at Royal Birkdale . . . like win it?

Padraig Harrington, the defending champion, said he’s OK with that.

“If I’m not able to defend the Open, I would be delighted to see him win a major, particularly the Open,” Harrington said.

Looking toward the Ryder Cup, Harrington and Montgomerie, 45, need to step it up -- beginning this week at the European Open -- because of their positions in the Ryder Cup standings. Harrington is 17th, Montgomerie 14th.

4. Woods is going to stay stuck on 14 major titles until at least his next chance, which most expect to be the 2009 Masters.

He says he’s dealing with the disappointment of not being able to play the British Open at Birkdale, where he was third in 1998; and also missing the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, where he played the 1996 U.S. Open as an amateur and where he played the 2004 Ryder Cup.

“Just had some good feelings going into those two major championships, to a venue that I liked, and not to be able to go, it is frustrating.”

5. The P&G; Beauty Northwest Arkansas Championship is a far cry from the U.S. Women’s Open, where she went from a third-round 69 to a closing round of 78, but Paula Creamer has a chance to get her mind off fading at Interlachen.

She’s still only 21 and one of only three multiple winners on the LPGA Tour this year (joining Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam). With seven top-10 finishes in 2008, Creamer is trying to cement her reputation as the top U.S. player.

Inbee Park, who won at Interlachen, is also playing at the 54-hole event in Rogers, Ark.

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A SLICE OF LIFE

Fred Funk, who had knee surgery in May because of cartilage damage:

‘But I didn’t get hardly any attention compared to Tiger. Feeling a little down. He had this small little knee problem, and just because

he wins the U.S. Open on one leg.’

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STAT OF THE WEEK

Justin Hicks, above, who tied for the first-round lead of the U.S. Open before fading, just won the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic on the Nationwide Tour, after being assigned locker number 99 -- Gretzky’s jersey number.