Tiger Woods’ swing coach wants critics to stop

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods’ swing coach says criticism of his client is getting out of hand. Sean Foley says Woods is an important part of the game and the reason PGA Tour prize money has quadrupled since he turned pro in 1996. He says …

Bubba Watson puts N.C. home up for sale

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Masters champion Bubba Watson has his home in North Carolina up for sale. The Charlotte Observer reported that Watson has lived on a part-time basis in Lexington for several years. The 5,000-square-foot home is listed at about $1.5 million, according to a …

Jose Maria Olazabal left Masters going 97 mph

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Speeding between the Masters and his next tournament cost Jose Maria Olazabal $621 when a Georgia sheriff’s deputy pulled him over for driving 97 mph on a rural highway. Olazabal, the Ryder Cup captain for Europe, agreed to follow a deputy to …

Should’ve bet on Bubba

If you had plunked down a little cash on Bubba Watson (right), you could have made a nice chunk of change. He was a 45-1 underdog before the Masters started, an 8-1 underdog going into the final round and a 3-2 underdog before his playoff …

Phil Mickelson flails to have ‘right’ stuff at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The hugs with his family took place on the clubhouse lawn, not the 18th green. That was occupied, and by this time there was nothing Phil Mickelson could do about it. He had celebrated there before, most famously eight years ago when …

Louis Oosthuizen records 4th ever albatross at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Even if he doesn’t have a place in the champion’s locker room at the Masters, Louis Oosthuizen can say he has a spot in the Albatross Club with Gene Sarazen. Not a bad consolation prize: That shot by “The Squire” in 1935, …

Bubba Watson pulls off Masterful finish

Sometimes, winning a golf tournament or putting on a green jacket can change a guy’s life. Bubba Watson insists he’s not that guy. Maybe that explains his ability to pull off the impossible when the pressure was boiling over at the Masters on Sunday. Perched …

Phil Mickelson doomed by one bad hole

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The hugs with his family took place on the clubhouse lawn, not on the 18th green. That was occupied by Masters winner Bubba Watson, and there was nothing Phil Mickelson could do about it now.

He had celebrated there three times before, …

Tiger may be fined for antics

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods is subject to discipline by the PGA Tour for kicking his golf club after a poor shot Friday at the Masters. Whether he is fined isn’t likely to be known. The tour doesn’t comment on discipline. After a bad miss …

Tiger Woods in hot water for kicking his club

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods’ latest temper tantrum did not go over well with some fans at the Masters. Woods caused a scene with his boorish behavior at buttoned-down Augusta National on Friday, scowling, cursing, tossing clubs. He even went so far as to give …

Fred Couples takes lead at Masters

Twenty years after his win at Augusta, 52-year-old Fred Couples grabbed a share of the second-round lead at the Masters, making seven birdies to get to 5-under par and a tie with Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy and Jason Dufner.

Mark O’Meara withdraws from Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Mark O’Meara, the 1998 Masters champion, withdrew with an injury just before he was set to tee off for the first round at Augusta National. Details were not immediately available Thursday. O’Meara played a practice round with good friend Tiger Woods on …

Obama believes Augusta should admit women as members

WASHINGTON — A White House spokesman says President Barack Obama believes women should be admitted as members to the all-male Augusta National, home of the Masters golf tournament. White House press secretary Jay Carney says Obama’s “personal opinion is that women should be admitted” to …

Dog eats his master’s Masters ticket

Russ Berkman’s dream came true when he won a lottery for four passes to Wednesday’s practice round at the Masters golf tournament in Georgia. But the Seattle-area resident’s stomach turned when he found his dog, Sierra, had eaten them.

Back injury forces Dustin Johnson to withdraw from Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Dustin Johnson withdrew from the Masters on Tuesday because of a lingering back injury that he aggravated while lifting a jet ski last week, his agent said. Johnson, a five-time PGA Tour winner who is No. 12 in the world, described the …