Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT

By Simon Evans

ORLANDO, March 24 (Reuters) - European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who faced his share of hecklers in the United States, believes Tiger Woods will be able to cope with any abuse that comes his way on his return to golf.

Woods, who has not competed since his marital infidelities became public in November, has admitted to being nervous about the reception that awaits him on his return at the U.S Masters next month.

"I heard when he said he would be nervous to come back and that's the first time I've ever heard Tiger say those words, it's going to be interesting," Briton Montgomerie told a news conference on Wednesday ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"I hear he has been up for a practice round (at Augusta) already. He'll get over those nerves and he will be as determined as anyone has ever been on a golf course to prove that he is still the number one player in the world and, in my opinion, the best player ever to play the game," he said.

Montgomerie, who was jeered by U.S fans in the past — notably at the 1999 Ryder Cup in Brookline—and threatened to stop playing Stateside, said if anyone could cope with distractions on the course it was Woods.

"He has a spotlight and it has been on him for the last 10 years. It's amazing how sometimes you see him swing a club and it comes down and just stops, incredible how he has that control to stop the club at that speed.

"So he has been used to this most of his professional career. I don't envisage any problems arising from that at all. He has the most focused sportsman I have ever known and I think he will adapt accordingly," said Montgomerie, the European Ryder Cup captain.

"Being such a controlled environment, I think he is being very wise selecting the Masters for his return and believe me, he wouldn't be playing in the Masters if he didn't think he could win."

The Arnold Palmer is an event Woods has won six-times, including the last two editions at the Bay Hill course, just down the road from his home in Windermere, but the host is without the world number one this year.

"I will say we are disappointed that Tiger isn't here to play…on any of the other issues..I have an opinion, I will keep it till a later date to give it," said Palmer.

A four-times Masters winner, Palmer faced only cheers and applause from the galleries in his time on the tour and he said he would find it hard to handle any heckling of the kind Woods might have to deal with this year.

"It would probably bother me. I'm a sensitive person by nature and it would effect me to a degree. It is certainly not something I would look forward to," he said.

Palmer sounded sceptical about how sharp Woods would be.

"You can't get very sharp not playing. Even just practicing won't do it. I think to be sharp, you have to compete, you have to be in the mood to compete.

"Now you can say, (take off) a couple of weeks, that would be one thing; but five months, you know..," he said.

At the same time though, Palmer is expecting Woods to be in among the contenders at Augusta.

"Absolutely, I think that is the nature of the beast - he's a competitor."

(Editing by Justin Palmer

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Golf-New Asian event throws focus on blind golfers (Reuters via Yahoo! Sports)

Posted: 23 Mar 2010 11:03 PM PDT

SINGAPORE, March 24 (Reuters) - The Asian Tour's newest golf tournament will aim to throw the focus on blind and partially sighted golfers, its sponsor said on Wednesday.

The tour unveiled its newest event, September's $400,000 Handa Singapore Classic, which will make its debut at the city-state's Orchid Country Club this year.

"(The event) will help show that those who have a partial or complete visual impairment are also able to enjoy the game," said Dr Haruhisa Handa, Japanese philanthropist and chairman of International Sport Promotion Society (ISPS), the event's title sponsor.

The International Blind Golf Association is one of ISPS's main charitable recipients.

The event winner will receive a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour. (Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Ski hill, golf course for $1, with strings (UPI)

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 08:06 AM PDT

QUEBEC CITY, March 24 (UPI) -- The provincial government of Quebec is opening bidding on a ski hill and golf course it owns at $1, but with a hefty security deposit and 5-year commitment.

The Mont Orford facility in eastern Quebec has been a financial drain to the provincial government since 2007, losing about $2 million a year, Environment Minister Line Beauchamp said, and the province wants to get rid of it, The (Montreal) Gazette said Wednesday.

Conditions on the sale require the highest bidder to post a $4 million deposit along with a guarantee the facilities will operate for five years. The 1,100 acres of land would also remain the property of the Quebec government, Beauchamp said.

The newspaper said the golf and ski operations were losing money as the province was unable to legally promote and advertise it with public funds to compete with the private ski and golf facilities in the area.

Beauchamp said if the sale doesn't go through, the ski and golf infrastructure would be dismantled and the sites closed, but remain as part of a provincial park.

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Golf etiquette gets students in corporate swing (CBC Calgary)

Posted: 24 Mar 2010 11:09 AM PDT

U of C business students were given a seminar on golf etiquette. (CBC)

Getting ahead in the business world sometimes means knowing how to play the game — with the game, in this case, being golf.

Students at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business were hitting balls instead of books Wednesday, in a seminar on the etiquette of golf, said the school's Matthew Fox.

"First impressions are always really important in any situation," he said, adding that degrees prepare students to do their chosen jobs, but a quick lesson in golf etiquette gives them peripheral skills essential to success.

The 90-minute course was given by Stu Chan, the head golf coach at the University of Calgary, who said graduating business students are often invited to corporate golf events.

"I don't know that a lot of deals are done on the golf course anymore but I think it's still a huge part of networking," he said. "Your average player tends to have a lot of impatience with people who don't really know what they're doing."

The course included tips on where to stand and when it's OK to talk.

If business grads make a good first impression, Chan feels they will master the key skill of networking.

"I think we all know in Calgary a lot of times it's who you know, not necessarily what you know."

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Golf Zone

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

“Golf-Montgomerie sure Tiger will cope with any hecklers (Reuters via Yahoo! Sports)” plus 3 more

“Golf-Montgomerie sure Tiger will cope with any hecklers (Reuters via Yahoo! Sports)” plus 3 more

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