Planet Golf

A round-up of today's other golf stories in brief ....

Tour passes dope tests - sort of

ON the first anniversary of its anti-doping programme, the US PGA Tour announced last week that after over 1,000 random samples the tour remains clean. That news was greeted with some scepticism, however, due to one critical fact.

Unlike other sports, the PGA are required to notify the media only if a player tests positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Players testing positive for recreational drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, are deemed to have merely behaved with "conduct unbecoming a professional".

Asked if anyone had provided a positive sample for recreational drugs, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem ducked the issue.

Obama open about his failings

A FEW weeks back we brought you news that Barack Obama's swing was inferior to that of his predecessor, George W, according to expert analysis. That revelation appears to be clouding the president's thinking, to judge from a recent interview in Moscow.

Obama, making his first appearance in front of the Russian media, was asked if there was anything he didn't like about himself. Cutting straight to the chase, Obama bemoaned his loss of form on the fairways.

"I have been playing golf lately, and I don't like my golf swing," Obama opined. "You probably don't have that much golf weather in Russia, but it's a game that I keep on thinking I should be good at, and somehow the ball goes this way and that way and never goes straight."

Tiger tinkers but does not toy

TIGER Woods may have taken in the likes of Royal Co Down, Ballybunion, Waterville and Portmarnock in the past to hone his links game in preparation for the British Open. Indeed, it would come as no surprise if Woods were to visit these shores again in the coming days ahead of next week's event at Turnberry.

But we are unlikely to see the world number one playing the cream of Ireland's courses just for fun any time soon. Woods, who recorded his third win of the year at the AT&T National over the weekend, revealed the idea of a busman's holiday is not high on his list of priorities.

"I don't play golf on my vacations," Woods explained. "I'd never, ever have a golfing vacation, because it's not interesting for me to go out there and do that.

"I love playing. But when I'm at home, it's more of preparing. I'll go out there and I'll play, but it's preparing for the next event. I rarely ever go and play just to play."

Harrington still able to see the funny side

IT was heartening to hear last week that, despite his travails on the course, Pádraig Harrington has yet to lose his sense of humour. With five missed cuts in a row, we might be forgiven for assuming the affable Dubliner had little to smile about these days.

And after hitting his drive out of bounds on the 14th during Friday's second round at the French Open, an error that would lead to a triple-bogey eight and contribute to another weekend off, one might have expected a fit of pique from a more hot-headed player.

Harrington, however, preferred to adopt a more sanguine approach.

"My driver is an "office club" at the moment," he was overheard to quip. "It only works nine to five and never at the weekends."

It is, after all, only a game.

Some are still raking it in

THE recession may be hitting tournaments worldwide, with a host of events falling by the wayside, and many tour players are not immune to its effects. But before we organise a whip-around, it should be remembered that many are still making an absolute fortune.

According to Sports Illustrated, Tiger Woods remains the world's highest earning sports star, raking in over €70 million in prize money and endorsements during the past 12 months.

Phil Mickelson continues to play second fiddle off the course as well as on, but with almost €40 million banked in the last 12 months shouldn't feel too hard done by. Similarly, Vijay Singh (€20 million) and Sergio Garcia (€17 million) aren't exactly on their uppers just yet.

Woods and Mickelson occupy first and second spots in the US magazine's "Fortunate 50" list. David Beckham, whose coffers rose to the tune of €32 million in 2008, is third in the world.