Rory McIlroy in pole position for Australian Open

Rory McIlroy shot a second-round 65 to give himself a chance of winning the first trophy of a forgettable year at the Emirates Australian Open.

The Northern Irishman will want to put 2013 to bed after an alarming loss of form cost him the world number one spot, but he could at least end it on a high.

He trails home favourite Adam Scott by two shots at the midway point at the Royal Sydney Golf club after a fine round which contained nine birdies.

The overall leaderboard was also affected by Scott failing to seriously follow up his course-record 62 from day one, but McIlroy will not worry about that.

He may well kick himself about a 17th-hole bogey but the fact that he recovered to birdie the last suggests he is in good shape.

“When you see someone like that (Scott) at the top of the leaderboard already with a low score, it’s tough not to think about it,” McIlroy told the tournament’s official website at the end of his round.

“It’s tough not to sort of press the issue and try and make birdies to catch up with them right away but golf tournaments are long, they’re four days, 72 holes and there’s a lot of time to chip away at those leads.”

McIlroy’s bad year has been well covered but he insists he has long felt back on track.

“I feel like I’m playing well. I’m hitting the ball well off the tee and giving myself plenty of chances. It was good to see a few more putts go in today,” he added.

“As I’ve said for the last few weeks, the game is feeling much better and I’m much more comfortable with it.”

Scott was always unlikely to match his brilliant opening-day score, but he could have wished for a more consistent round.

Gunning for the ‘Aussie treble’ of this tournament to go alongside his Australian PGA and Australian Masters titles, Scott signed for seven birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey on an up and down afternoon.

In close attendance at the top of the leaderboard is Richard Green who rests on nine under par overall, with Friday’s round of 66 including a hole-in-one on the sixth.

“That shot on the par-three sixth today was a flush golf shot. It’s nice to build a bit of confidence from hitting good shots again,” said Green.

“I love coming to Royal Sydney. It’s my favourite course up here. I’ve done well here before. It fits my game, how far I hit the golf ball at least.”

Matthew Jones trails by a shot in fourth, with four more players on six under, among them amateur Bradley Watt.

Scott secures Aussie Order of Merit

Adam Scott can do no wrong at the moment as the world number two has wrapped up the PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit title.

Although there are still two rounds left in the Australian Open, Scott can no longer be caught as he is now Aus$68,557 ahead of his nearest challenger, Korean-born Jin Jeong.

While Scott leads the event by two shots ahead of the weekend, Australian-based Jeong missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 76, handing the title to the Masters winner, who also won the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Masters earlier this month.

"I won the Order of Merit in 2005 so it's nice to again finish the year as Australasian Tour number one even though it has not been quite a year-long season down here in Australia for me," said Scott.

"It's also not the same as finishing the PGA Tour as number one or winning the European Tour Order of Merit but then it still is something you have got to achieve and one day I will sit down and look back on all the achievements and accolades and feel proud of all that I have done.

"But then the icing on the cake this year would be to win the Triple Crown and that still remains the big goal this week."

Adam Scott leads Rory McIlroy by 2

SYDNEY -- Adam Scott held a two-shot advantage over Rory McIlroy as the Australian Open's star players moved to the top of the leaderboard at Royal Sydney on Friday.

Scott shot 2-under-par 70 for a two-round total of 12-under 132. McIlroy, playing in the morning and avoiding the rain and storms that later hit the course, had a 65.

Scott and McIlroy will play together on Saturday in the third round.

"It was always going to be a day where you just had to hang on," Scott said of the tough conditions. "He (McIlroy) is one of the best players in the world so I'm going to have to bring my best game."

Australian Richard Green shot 66 and was three strokes behind Scott, who is trying to add the Australian Open to his Australian PGA and Australian Masters titles to become the second player after Robert Allenby in 2005 to capture the Triple Crown of Australian majors.

McIlroy felt lucky to have escaped the worsening conditions.

"The weather wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be and the wind didn't pick up," he said. "So I knew we could take advantage of that, and the greens were a little bit softer as well."

Defending champion Peter Senior had an 81 Friday and did not make the cut.

Kevin Streelman, who played with Matt Kuchar in the American team at last week's World Cup, retired on the fourth hole due to an eye infection. Playing for the first time in Australia, he was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Streelman, playing with Scott and Jason Day, shot 70 in the opening round Thursday and began Friday's round with a birdie.

But as his eye condition worsened, he had a 5 on the par-3 third and a bogey on the par-4 fourth before deciding to retire.

"It's pretty rough right now but we'll see what we can do," Streelman said. "The doctor said it was pretty badly infected.

"I've been trying to do some drops but I started getting dizzy and it's the first time I've ever (withdrawn) at a tournament ... I'm really sad to do it."

Streelman won the PGA Tour's Tampa Bay Championship in March and finished second with Kuchar behind Day and Scott in the team event at the World Cup at Royal Melbourne.

Australian Open: Rory McIlroy still driven to reach the top again

RORY McIlroy is driving as well as ever but his putting has let him down in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney.

The world number six's problems since changing his equipment this year have been well documented and he arrived in Sydney this week still searching for his first title of 2013.

After home favourite Adam Scott's brilliant opening round – a record-breaking 10 under par 62, seven ahead of the Ulsterman – McIlroy's chances of success in Australia already appear remote, and the Holywood star was left ruing four missed short putts that could have made a huge difference to his score.

"Missed three or four short ones out there," he said. "Wasteful, yeah. I felt it could have been a lot lower.

"Off the tee, I'm driving the ball the best I ever have, it's just a matter of being more efficient and scoring better.

"That's really it. I only played the par-fives at one-under and the way I'm driving it, I should be playing those at four-under," he said.

A missed birdie putt at the seventh and three-putt from the edge of the green at the 16th were the most obvious wasted opportunities, while a pair of bogeys shortly after the turn halted his momentum after a solid front nine.

"I got the most out of it, especially after bogeys on 10 and 11, so to get in the 60s was decent," he said.

"It was nice to finish with a birdie at the last, makes up a little bit for not making birdie at 16," he added.

McIlroy felt conditions may have been a little trickier for the late starters after US Masters champion Scott had posted his stunning round early on.

"The wind might have got up for us a little bit this afternoon but still 62 on that course is great going," McIlroy added.

"When I was sitting over breakfast, I saw he'd birdied the first six holes and thought, 'oh nice'."

Scott has had an incredible year, following up his Augusta triumph with a win at the Barclay's and claiming the Australian PGA and Masters title before helping Jason Day win the World Cup of Golf for his country last weekend.

For McIlroy, it was a reminder of his 2012 season when he became world number one and won the US PGA and a string of other tournaments.

"He's doing what I did last year and (world number three Henrik) Stenson's doing the same thing," the 24-year-old said.

"I've been in that position before, I know what it's like. That's what I'm trying to get back to."

Scott, meanwhile, rated his course-record round as one of his best ever – but maintained that his picture-perfect swing was not quite where he wanted it to be.

The world number two lost his rhythm midway through his round and had to settle for eight straight pars.

He bounced back with a superb tee shot on the par-three sixth and sunk the short putt, however, to spark another run of four straight birdies and smash the previous course record by three shots.

"I can't sit here and complain about anything but, a bit like last week in the first round, the swing wanders on a couple of shots and it did it again," Scott said. "It's not quite in the slot. It's not as free-flowing as the first couple of weeks (at the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Masters)."

Scott, looking to become the second man to win Australia's Triple Crown in a single season, led little-known Canadian Ryan Yip and American John Young Kim by three shots heading into round two after the pair posted classy 65s.

Meanwhile, Ballyclare's Gareth Maybin is just four shots adrift of leader Morten Orum Madsen after the opening day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in South Africa.

Maybin's three-under-par 69 left him sharing eighth, four behind the Dane who bagged his first European Tour win at last week's South African Open.

Belfast's Michael Hoey shot a 76 after suffering a double bogey and two other dropped shots in his last five holes.

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel, the former Masters winner, is on four under.

Madsen said: "It seemed easy but it definitely wasn't, it was pretty tough out there and the course was playing long with the wind."

McIlroy Within Reach of the Lead in Sydney

With a mere four weeks to go until the end of 2013, Rory McIlroy is currently still in the running for his first win of the year at the Australian Open in Sydney.

McIlroy shot 65 in the second round, closing the gap between him and day one leader Australian Adam Scott.

Scott, who is hoping to win the Australian Triple Crown, after winning the Australian PGA and the Australian Masters earlier this month, broke the course record by three shots with his first round 62, but was marginally less impressive on day two, delivering a 2-under round of 70.

Weather conditions had been predicted to worsen, but the promised wind held off as McIlroy hit nine birdies and two bogeys on the way to his 7-under-par round which left him in second place on the leaderboard at 10-under.

"The weather wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be and the wind didn't pick up, so I knew we could take advantage of that, and the greens were a little bit softer as well," McIlroy told Golf Magic.

"As 7-unders go, I think it was a pretty comfortable one. I don't think I did anything really spectacular out there.

"It feels good, I played well, putted much better today than I did yesterday too, so that was a big positive. I'm in a great position going into the weekend."

However the weather did start to take its toll when Scott took to the Royal Sydney course later in the day, and the Australian battled to a 2-under-par 70 that included seven birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey.

"It was a tough afternoon, plenty of good stuff in there but made a few mistakes in the tricky conditions," Scott said.

"At times, it was extremely difficult and I think I held it together pretty well.

"I made lots of birdies but bogeys were easy to come by if you were just slightly off and probably most scorecards would have looked similar this afternoon.

"It was always going to be a day where you just had to hang on. Rory is one of the best players in the world so I'm going to have to bring my best game."

World Cup of Golf winner Jason Day also struggled with the wind, managing a 2-over-par 74, while Australians Richard Green (9-under) and Matthew Jones (8-under) occupy third and fourth place on the leaderboard.

American Kevin Streelman who won his first PGA title at the Tampa Bay Championship in March, had to withdraw from the competition after just four holes after suffering a scratch to his cornea, and is now awaiting advice as to whether he will be able to play in next week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

Mclroy supports Open changes

SYDNEY: Double Major winning Rory McIlroy may have no concern for some time in being exempt into golf's oldest major but it hasn't stopped him lending his support to the new British Open Championship Qualifying Series.

The famed Claret Jug has been on display all week on the first tee of this week's Australian Open host course at Royal Sydney.

The R&A has abandoned a series of 36-hole International Final Qualifiers around the globe and instead selected four national open's (Australian, Irish, French and Scottish) plus a number of other events including two on the PGA Tour where players can now gain entry into the Open Championship through a 72-hole tournament.

The 2013 Australian Open is the first of the new Qualifiers and with the top three place-getters inside the top-10 at the close of the event, and not otherwise exempt, will earn a place in next year's Open Championship at Hoylake.

"It's a great new idea and a much better opportunity for players to try and qualify for The Open," said McIlroy after moving to within two shots of the lead on the second day of the Australian Open.

"Staging a 36-hole qualifier, as the R&A has been doing for a few years now, on the Monday ahead of a regular tournament is not the ideal preparation heading into a tournament like the Irish Open, so to merge qualifying into a 72-hole event makes more sense.

"It's a lot fairer system I feel and also to have three spots available into The Open in events such as the Irish Open is a huge lift for those competing."

McIlroy is not only looking for a first success this season but if triumphant in Sydney he will be only the second European to lift the Stonehaven Trophy.

Let's not get hysterical over Rory McIlroy's Ashes remark

Let's get a bit of perspective going here. When Rory uttered the remark, it was at a Press conference. In Sydney, Australia. A few days after a crushing Ashes victory for the Aussies over their old enemy.

It was clearly delivered tongue-in-cheek too, McIlroy well aware of his audience as he prepared for the Australian Open.

And you'd hardly expect him, a (Northern) Irishman, to root for England in that environment, would you?

He still said it, though. He still used those words: "anyone but England" when asked about who he wanted to win the series.

He's Rory McIlroy ABE from now on. Perhaps he should have had a natter with Andy Murray, who was vilified for nearly six years after uttering the same three words prior to the football World Cup in 2006.

Murray has since redeemed himself courtesy of two Grand Slam titles which have helped him evolve into a 'national treasure'.

Still, our boy is unlikely to trouble the late Tony Greig as author of one of the most ill-judged sports quotes in history.

Prior to the England's First Test against the West Indies in 1976, Greig said this of the visitors: "If they're down, they grovel, and I intend, with the help of Closey (England team-mate Brian Close) and a few others, to make them grovel".

Given Greig's white South African roots, this was hardly the cleverest thing he'd ever said.

It's history now that Greig's England were subsequently blown away by the Windies' battery of fast bowlers, and suffered a crushing 3-0 series defeat.

Within nine months Greig had thrown his lot in with Aussie tycoon Kerry Packer and was stripped of the England captaincy. A chance remark had ultimately bought no chance of redemption.

Golf course hit by 40k vandalism spree

A VANDAL used a car to carve deep scars into a golf course in Linlithgow, causing up to £40,000 worth of damage.

The driver targeted two of West Lothian Golf Club's putting greens and at one stage was only a few yards from certain death as one of the holes had a 100-foot drop alongside it.

The joyrider first drove on the golf course on November 18 but returned the next night to cause further damage to the par-71 course, which was designed by two-time Open Champion Willie Park Jnr.

The PGA professional at the course, Alan Reid, suggested that it may have been the work of a "disgruntled member".

“The person had to know the golf course layout to do what they did. No-one can fathom what has happened because it’s totally malicious and carried out over two nights," he said.

“There can be no justification for this type of action that is sheer vandalism which has scarred the course and could potentially end up costing as much as £40,000.

“We have had to re-turf the greens which has a cost involved but because of the time of year we won’t know the full extent of the damage until May.” 

Alan Gibson, general manager of West Lothian Golf Club, added: “It’s members’ hard-earned cash that goes into maintaining the greens and for someone to come along and cause so much damage within a few minutes is pretty soul-destroying for the members but also the green staff.

“We have never had anything quite as bad before – we have had stolen cars driving over the course that end up a burned-out wreck. But this is someone that knows the course. It’s 
sickening.”

It's been a bad year for vandalism on golf courses with a 'Go to Hell' warning drawn on one golf club's green, holes dug in another, and vandals using motorbikes to carve up the course at Moss Valley.

The weird, wild and wacky in golf this year

With respect and homage to the good folks at Esquire and their annual Dubious Achievement Awards, allow us to present some out-of-the-ordinary moments in the golf world in 2013.

Maybe he meant to say ‘dentally’

After walking off the course while playing the ninth hole of his second round in the Honda Classic, Rory McIlroy told reporters, “I’m not in a good place mentally.” He later listed his reason for withdrawal as a sore wisdom tooth.

He thought he’d heard it takes big tentacles to win the U.S. Open

In contention at Merion, Billy Horschel showed up for the final round wearing navy trousers with large white octopi plastered all over them.

He must be nuts

During the first day of the Presidents Cup, assistant captain Davis Love III befriended a squirrel later named Sammy, keeping him in his pocket throughout the day.

She must be really nuts

Later that day, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn placed Sammy on the unknowing shoulder of her boyfriend Tiger Woods, much to his immediate displeasure.

Hey, at least Sammy didn’t bite

Daniela Holmqvist used a tee to squeeze out venom from a spider bite during the Women’sustralian Open. “It wasn’t the prettiest thing I've ever done,” she confessed, “but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible.”

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That makes two of you

After hitting his tee shot on the final hole of the PGA Championship into a fan’s back pocket, Jonas Blixt said, “I’m just glad it didn’t plug.”

‘I don’t know what to do with my hands!’

The act of “Dufnering” became an Internet sensation when Jason Dufner was photographed sitting on his hands with a glazed-over look in his eyes while working with students in a Texas classroom.

Now this is ‘Dufnering’

When shock-jock radio host Howard Stern asked Jason Dufner about his post-PGA victory celebration with wife Amanda, the laid-back champion casually replied, “Yeah, I grabbed her butt.”

Or roughly the equivalent of two-and-a-half butts

In the same interview, Dufner revealed that the Wanamaker Trophy can hold exactly 43 beers.

Sheesh. Didn’t he learn anything as a kid?

Asked about his ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ handshake with partner Tiger Woods at the Presidents Cup, Matt Kuchar explained, “This guy was the perfect Carlton.” Great quote – except Woods was actually playing the part of DJ Jazzy Jeff in this celebration.

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So … last night then?

Ye Wocheng, a 12-year-old who qualified for the China Open, said, “I’ve dreamed of this since I was a boy.”

In his defense, autocorrect changed it from, ‘Don’t you linger out in the grass’

After Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlroy sent him a congratulatory text message. In response, Woods texted that it was his turn to win, telling McIlroy, “Get your finger out of your a--.”

On the bright side, the locusts held off

Twenty-two different PGA Tour events were marred by weather delays during the 2013 season, including wind at Kapalua, snow in Tucson and flash-flooding at Bay Hill.

The figurative definition of grabbing a bite at the turn

Midway through her third round of the Women’s British Open, Jessica Korda fired caddie Jason Gilroyed. “I knew I needed a switch,” she said. “It just wasn’t working out.”

Orange you glad you don’t have to wear it again?

Blixt playfully dressed like playing partner Rickie Fowler for the final round of The Barclays, but the joke was on him. Blixt shot an 81 in the all-orange, too-tight get-up, then revealed his plans for the clothes afterward: “I was going to burn them.”

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And the rest of us immediately felt terrible about ourselves

At the age of 77, Gary Player posed nude for the cover of ESPN The Magazine.

He also recommends lots of naked sit-ups

Player offered some unsolicited advice for McIlroy on his love life and potential choice of spouse. “If he finds the right wife, if he practices and if he’s dedicated,” Player promised, “he could be the man.”

But they were both looking at him funny

Henrik Stenson destroyed his driver on the course at the BMW Championship, and then took out his frustrations on a Conway Farms locker.

And they love to eat asparagus, just like Robert Garrigus

The band Golf Boys – comprised of Ben Crane, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan and Fowler – released a second single called “2.Oh,” which includes lyrics such as, “I got a drippy faucet on my Stewie Stewie Cink” and “I took a vacay at Sang-Moon Bae.”

He now believes in crocodiles, too

Amateur golfer Dougie Thomson of Scotland was vacationing in Cancun when he was attacked by a 12-foot crocodile on a golf course. He survived the attack thanks to friends who beat the animal with golf clubs and ran it over with a cart. “It’s only by the grace of God I’m alive,” Thomson said, “and I’m an atheist.”

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Was that the temperature or a local radio station?

Indiana assistant club pro Michael Bembenick shot a second-round 103 at the Web.com Tour’s United Leasing Championship.

Well, he’s no Michael Bembenick

Long-drive competitor Maurice Allen shot a second-round 115 at the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica’s Dominican Republic Open.

Even Miley Cyrus was kind of offended

In contention at the Open Championship, Miguel Angel Jimenez continued his unique stretching routine on the practice range – a strange combination of yoga and twerking, always accompanied by a lit cigar.

And the leader for Most Ignorant Comment of the Year honors is …

Asked about making amends after a tiff with multi-cultural Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia answered, “We will have him ’round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

And the new leader for Most Ignorant Comment of the Year honors is …

In defense of Garcia, European Tour executive director George O’Grady said, “Most of Sergio’s friends in the States happen to be colored athletes.”

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He then had meatloaf for lunch – and he hates meatloaf

Padraig Harrington started using a belly putter at the Wells Fargo Championship, even though he is fundamentally opposed to the club’s legality. “I don’t support the belly putter,” he said. “I think it’s bad for the game of golf.”

Paramor then lectured about how in his day, he would walk 10 miles uphill in the snow on every hole – and still go faster than him

Tianlang Guan, 14, was assessed a one-stroke penalty for slow play by rules official John Paramor at the Masters.

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas

In his 2013-14 season debut, Jhonattan Vegas was docked two strokes at the Frys.com Open for being late to his tee time after making a pit stop at a restroom.

Or as he likes to tell people, ‘I had three 1s on my scorecard’

During the third round of the World Cup of Golf, Stuart Manley posted a hole-in-one on the third hole, and then followed with a septuple-bogey 11 on the fourth.

Which means a green jacket is now only the second-coolest thing that he owns

Watson helped design a Hovercraft golf cart that can easily drive through water hazards.

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Where’s that Hovercraft when you need one?

In contention at The Players Championship, Garcia hit two shots into the water at the 17^th hole and another on the 18^th to drop six strokes on the final two holes and finish in a share of eighth place.

Meanwhile, Tebow’s list of teams who won’t sign him is just the golfer’s last name

Matt Every competed in the Deutsche Bank Championshipwith Tim Tebow’s name and number and the New England Patriots logo on his golf bag, days after Tebow was released by the team just a few miles away in Foxborough.

If that was the case, more caddies would try to marry their players

Patrick Reed won the Wyndham Championship with wife Justine on the bag. She later joked that she’d take 100 percent of the winnings for her caddie fee.

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it

Arnold Palmer gave supermodel and beginning golfer Kate Upton an introductory swing lesson.

In related news, David Blaine is now the Masters favorite

In November, the USGA announced Decision 18/4, which states that “where enhanced technological evidence (e.g. HDTV, digital recording or online visual media, etc.) shows that a ball has left its position and come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye at the time.”

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Apparently Tumbledown Trails is like school in summer: No class

Wisconsin golf course Tumbledown Trails offered a $9.11 green fee for nine holes to “commemorate” the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

And that death stare? Total coincidence

Following an errant approach shot into the 12^th hole during the third round of the AT&T National, D.H. Lee turned toward the gallery and gestured with his middle finger. “I am sorry,” he later said. “It was just frustration. It was not directed at anyone.”

In response, California complained that Mickelson still can’t win the U.S. Open

During the Humana Challenge, Phil Mickelson complained about the high tax rate in his home state of California.

Just call her ‘million-dollar baby’

Leading the RBC Canadian Open through 36 holes, Hunter Mahan withdrew from the tournament to fly home to Texas and witness the birth of his first child, a girl named Zoe.

Don’t most people play more golf when they retire?

Enjoying what he called “semi-retirement,” Steve Stricker played just 13 times, but had eight top-10s, including four runner-up finishes.

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He then added, ‘But that was before he couldn’t find a fairway with a compass’

Speaking at the global G8 summit in Northern Ireland in June, President Obama said, “I did meet Rory McIlroy last year and Rory offered to get my swing sorted.”

Unlike most political issues, this one crosses party lines

Former president George W. Bush voiced support for President Obama playing more rounds of golf while in office. “I know what it’s like to be in the bubble,” he said. “It does give you an outlet.”

But she’s definitely not giving up her 11-wood

D.A. Points won the Shell Houston Open while using a Ping Anser putter that he stole out of his mother Mary Jo’s golf bag when he was 11 years old. He said after the victory, “I think Mom is just fine with me having it.”

And for an encore? The entire ‘Thriller’ video

After making birdie during the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the overpopulated and over-served 16^th hole, James Hahn celebrated in front of the gallery by doing the Gangnam Style dance. “Every time that song comes on, my friends want me to do the dance,” he later said. “It’s like, ‘James, it’s your song. You have to dance.’ And I seriously don’t know how to do the dance. So I was like, I think this is what he does. I’ve seen it a couple of times. It’s all fun. Even if I didn’t do it correctly, I was committed to putting on a show.”

Even Johnny Manziel wouldn’t sign that card

Texas A&M was assessed a one-stroke penalty for slow play in the final round of qualifying prior to the match-play portion of the NCAA Championship. The team was later prevented from advancing when it lost a four-for-three playoff for the final spots.

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Here’s an idea: Don’t read the entire title while standing on the first tee

The USGA hosted a symposium in November titled, “While We’re Young: Golf’s Pursuit of a New Paradigm for Pace of Play.”

Now that’s how you curb slow play

With host site Ocean Club Golf Course saturated from flooding, the LPGA’s Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic was shortened to three 12-hole rounds.

It was the best 42 of her life

Ilhee Lee won the Pure Silk-Bahamas tournament by posting a final-round score of 5-under 42.

That wouldn’t even have won the Pure Silk Classic

In the third round of the Memorial Tournament, Woods posted a front-nine score of 44 – the worst nine-hole total of his professional career.

Hey, it beats being grumpy, dopey or … wipey

In a television interview, Lindsey Vonn referred to boyfriend Woods’ personality as “dorky goofy.”

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Sooo, you’re saying you don’t like it?

When asked for his thoughts on the course setup at Merion during the U.S. Open, Zach Johnson replied, “I would describe the whole golf course as manipulated. It just enhances my disdain for the USGA and how it manipulates golf courses.”

Actually, you don’t

Watson posted a septuple-bogey 10 on the par-3 12^th hole during the final round of the Masters. “If you’re not going to win,” he explained, “you’ve got to get into the record books somehow.”

Whoa. Hold on, dude. We’re still looking up ‘bifurcation’

In speaking of the impending joint anchoring ban from the USGA and R&A in January, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem explained, “Our objective always has been to try our best to follow the rules as promulgated by the USGA and R&A.”

Sounds like Tiger is confusing Jack with a member of the media

Debunking the widely held notion that the game’s two leading career major championship winners have a close relationship, Jack Nicklaus said of Woods, “I never really had a conversation with Tiger that lasted more than a minute or two. Ever.”

Scott hot at Australian Open with 1st-round 62

SYDNEY (AP) Adam Scott birdied his first six holes en route to a course-record 10-under 62 at Royal Sydney on Thursday to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Australian Open.

Scott is attempting to join Robert Allenby as the only golfers to win all three Australian majors in the same year. Allenby won the Australian PGA, Australian Masters and Australian Open in 2005.

Scott broke the previous Royal Sydney mark of 65 set by five players at the 2008 Australian Open. After Scott's opening birdie run, he made par on the next eight holes before birdieing his final four.

"The longest putt I had on those opening birdies was about 5 feet," Scott said. "I hit a lot of quality shots right out of the blocks this morning."

Canadian Ryan Yip and American John Young Kim each shot 65s and were tied for second. David McKenzie had a 66 while two-time champion Aaron Baddeley was in a group with 67s.

"I like to see the ball running and that's what this course offers me," said Yip, a regular on the Canadian Tour.

Rory McIlroy opened with a 69 in his bid for his first win of the year. He made the turn at 2-under, bogeyed 11 and 12, but had three birdies in his final seven holes, including on No. 18.

American Kevin Streelman, who played with Matt Kuchar on the runner-up American team in last week's World Cup at Royal Melbourne, shot 70 playing in the same group as Scott and Jason Day.

Day, who won the individual stroke play at the World Cup, also shot 70.

Scott could not recall starting any round with six birdies, thinking that he once had five in a row to start a round in Qatar. He finished his round Thursday with an approach to nearly tap-in range on the ninth.

"I'm off to a good start, but a lot of work to do yet," Scott said. "It's been a long time since I shot a low round like this. It's a tough setup, but it was a perfect morning for it."

Most of the best scores Thursday came in the morning groups as the wind picked up in the afternoon. Similar weather conditions are forecast for Friday when Scott will play in the afternoon.

Scott won the Australian PGA and Australian Masters before sharing the World Cup team trophy with Day last week at Royal Melbourne.

Madsen leads at Alfred Dunhill

MALELANE, South Africa (AP) Morten Orum Madsen leads the Alfred Dunhill Championship after shooting a 7-under 65 in the opening round at Leopard Creek.

The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africa's Allan Versfeld and Portugal's Ricardo Santos.

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel was in a four-way tie for fourth after a 68, while American John Daly shot a 72 for a tie for 48th in his second tournament back from right elbow surgery in July.

Madsen came from behind to win the South African Open last weekend but was out in front early at the second event on the 2014 Race to Dubai. A bogey at the par-3 seventh was his only blemish.

"I have a lot of confidence right now," he said. "I really believe I am going to hit good shots on pretty much every shot."

Versfeld carded an eagle and four birdies in a bogey-free round, while Santos finished with an eagle to add to four birdies.

Schwartzel had seven birdies, including five on his first six holes, but the 2011 Masters champion failed to fully capitalize on the fast start by making a bogey and a double-bogey around the turn. Starting at No. 10, he dropped his first shot on No. 17 and then double-bogeyed the par-4 first.

Schwartzel won here by 12 shots a year ago and has also finished second four times at the Leopard Creek course in northern South Africa.

Daly made his return to golf at the BMW Masters in China last month after surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his elbow. He struggled for consistency Thursday with two bogeys and a birdie going out and two birdies and a bogey coming home.