Here are 5 reasons that Tiger Woods WONT be his old self in 09 and 5 reasons that he WILL be his old self in 09.

1) His Knee

Not Himself: Even Tiger admits his surgically repaired left knee won’t be in tiptop shape until 2010.
His Old Self: If he can win the U.S. Open on one good leg and one that might snap at any moment, he can and will, win a major or two after the injured leg has been repaired.

2) His Desire

Not Himself: Winning never gets old … unless you’re Tiger. If you can win the open with one leg… what else is there to do?
His Old Self: Questioning Tiger’s hunger is silly. He could always go for another win.

3) His Rival

Not Himself: It’s Padraig Harrington, who has won 3 of the last 6 majors (to Tiger’s 2)
by perfecting his Sunday impression on Tiger.
His Old Self: It’s one thing for Harrington to shoot 66-66 at the PGA to nip Sergio at the finish for the major, but the next time someone does that to Tiger, they will be next.

4) His Proteges

Not Himself: A successful Ryder Cup showing can spur a hot young player on to win a major.
His Old Self: Playing well in Louisville may have boosted the confidence of Kim and Co., but that won’t mean much when they find themselves on the first tee at Augusta, shaking hands with the best player ever.

5) His New Baby

Not Himself: Woods and wife Elin Nordegren are expecting their second child in late winter.
His Old Self: Baby No. 2 will be no match for the world’s No. 1. When Tiger’s record had at-least 7 wins while his first child was nearly 3 months old.

The 2009 schedule for the PGA tour was announced and five tournaments remain. The country’s economic difficult times is part of why the PGA Tour is suddenly feeling a push. Tournament officials suggest that another event may be scrambled together for a date in early November, but no one is holding on for that one.Events such as Atlanta tour and the Ginn Sur Mer are both canceled due to no sponsorships and real-estate meltdowns. Perhaps in 2010, with the regular-season tournaments currently sponsored by struggling automakers. Two Buick events, the Honda Classic and the Mercedes-Benz Championship, as well as the BMW Championship, a playoff tournament. Still to be determined are details on a revamped FedExCup, and whether to take a week off before the Tour Championship.

Once that it is decided, the Tour said it would release the rest of its Fall Series schedule.By announcing the majority of the schedule, the Tour put to rest speculation that some tournaments might be in jeopardy because of the economy. The title sponsors are under contract at least through 2010, and most of them have slight increases in prize money built into their agreements. Among those that kept prize money the same were the FBR Open and Travelers Championship, both at $6 million.Not counting the four majors, prize money for the regular season is $222.9 million, up from $214.4 million in 2008.

“I’m delighted to say that the demise of the PGA Tour has been overstated considerably,” Commissioner Tim Finchem said Monday night at the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The Tour is currently discussing whether to reduce the size of the golf field to 125 players at The Barclays, 100 players at the Deutsche Bank Championship and 60 players at the BMW Championship, which returns to Chicago.

Who would have thought that a more amazing story than Tiger Woods winning the PGA U.S. Open on a broken leg would take the golf world by storm? The story surrounding women’s long drive championship makes Woods’ story look like a back page item. The RE/MAX World Champion, Lana Lawless, used to be a 245 pound swat officer in Rialto, California, one of the roughest, mot gang-infested areas in Southern California.

The USGA approved transgender participation in 2005 and Lawless was required to visit doctors and be tested before matches to make sure she met the “requirements” to officially be considered a woman. She has taken medicines to stop the production of testosterone, and despite insurance, has spent over $79,000 to become a woman inside and out. Regardless, some think that having a man’s frame and structure provide her a definite advantage.

There is no telling how Lawless would done had she been a woman all of her life. However, she has lost more tournaments than she has won and her World Championship win was credited to the wind more than her strength.  She is not the best in her sport, and regularly loses to full-time women. When she does, she is known to cry, but some men are sensitive right?

Who would of that a sport reserved for older people and CEO’s could get ugly? Apparently Tiger Woods’ caddy, Steve Williams, and Phil Mickelson just plum don’t like each other.

While in New Zealand at an even Williams was caught by the Britain newspaper, The Guardian, saying  “I wouldn’t call Mickelson a great player, ’cause I hate the [expletive].” Who knew golf caddy’s had such a salty mouth? Whenever I imagine a golf caddy I think of a polite little british person saying calling everyone “Govna”. But that’s just me.

Williams cleaned up his language the next day with an interview for New Zealand’s Star Times when he said “I don’t particularly like the guy. He pays me no respect at all and hence I don’t pay him any respect. It’s no secret we don’t get along either.”

Mickelson responded by saying “After seeing Steve Williams’ comments all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones on my bag and representing me,” Bones being his caddy Jim MacKay.

According to Woods and Mickelson their relationship is “unique” and have no qualms with eachother. Mickelson has even said “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to compete against him and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to play with him as a partner,” Mickelson said, “the latter one probably being the better one.” Apparently it’s just a caddy thing.

If you blinked, you might have missed how the golf world neatly swept a potential firestorm of controversy under their proverbial rug. Kelly Tilghman, an anchor on the Golf Channel, said something about Tiger Woods that she hopes not too many people will hear about.

Speaking about how Woods dominates the golfing world, Tilghman said that young players on the PGA Tour should “lynch him in a back alley.” Yes, she really did say that.

While Don Imus’ remarks about the Rutgers women’s basketball team got him kicked off his show and made him public enemy #1, Tilghman received only a light slap on the wrist for saying Woods should be lynched. Imus, whose remarks were also totally unnecessary and in poor taste, to his credit didn’t say anyone should “lynch” the Rutgers players.

Tilghman, who received only a two week suspension from the Golf Channel, dodged any major punishment for her slip of the tongue. Is it because she’s a good looking female? Is it because it was an honest mistake? Even if you believe that it was an honest mistake, you have to admit Al Sharpton has a point.

Said Sharpton, when speaking to CNN: “If I got on this show and said I wanted to put some Jewish-American in a gas chamber, I don’t care what context I said it in, the entire Jewish community would have the right to say I should be put off this show or my radio show if I said it there. Or if I said I wanted to see a woman raped. This is an insult to all blacks. Lynching is not murder in general; it is not assault in general. It is a specific racial term.”

While it’s true that Sharpton can be a bit fanatical at times, I have to agree with his take. If the mainstream media is going to annihilate Imus for his remarks, Tilghman shouldn’t be able to get away with an obviously racial statement, even if it were an accident. A two month suspension – or maybe even a six month suspension – seems more apropos. Two weeks? That’s not a suspension, that’s a vacation.

By Kori Ellis