The news of Lorena Ochoa’s departure from professional golf is as big a blow to the LPGA Tour as Tiger’s transgressions were to the PGA Tour.

The ladies game has lost its figurehead, a role that even Ochoa herself initially struggled to fulfill with the same ease as her predecessor, the dominant Annika Sorenstam.

However, just as the popular Mexican, known for her beautiful rhythmic swing, had steadily begun to charm her way into our hearts, she pulled the carpet from beneath us – and in effect, the LPGA.

Already struggling to attract sponsorship for its diminishing tour schedule, the LPGA will already be looking to another of its stars to step up to the plate – but just who is capable of emulating the success of Ochoa, never mind that of Sorenstam, is anyone’s guess. Read more…

Prior to a recent trip, I would have been among the proud group that say that nowhere can compare to Scotland when it comes to golf. On my return, I was forced to concede that this isn’t quite the case.

I had the good fortune of being invited as part of a small group of journalists to Southport, for a weekend of sporting activity – and what a weekend it proved to be.

A round at Royal Birkdale was first on the itinerary and it was difficult to know what to expect. In truth, I was worried it wouldn’t live up to expectations – I couldn’t have been more wrong.

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So, the first major of 2010 has come and gone – and what an event it was. But who gets pass marks and who flunked badly at Augusta National…

Phil Mickelson: A+

A more worthy winner you’d have struggled to find. The emotional post-script notwithstanding, the left-hander played some utterly sublime golf at times and had a putter hotter than the surface of the sun. He’s now just three Green Jackets short of Jack Nicklaus’ record of six wins at Augusta and, with his unmatched local knowledge around Georgia’s most famous course, who’d bet against him matching or even passing that tally?

Tiger Woods, The Golfer: B

Twenty weeks and not a competitive ball struck in anger. Then he turns up at one of the world’s most notoriously unforgiving courses and still shoots 11-under-par. Yes, the putting was uncharacteristically inconsistent and, yes, some of shots were most un-Tiger-like. However, let’s not forget that up until he had a brain-fart over a four-footer on the back nine, he was still bang in contention. World No.1 or otherwise, that’s mighty impressive. Read more…

Actions, so goes the saying, speak louder than words. And nowhere does that proverb ring more true than in the realm of celebrity scandal.

That’s precisely why the way that Tiger Woods behaves on his return to golf this week and not his hand-on-heart apologies will tell us most about how much he genuinely, truly wants to repair his battered reputation.

In his few public appearances since the sleazy details of his multiple infidelities surfaced, the world No.1 has spoken of his willingness and desire to change his ways, on the course as well as off it.

And since the majority of us have no access to him as a person, we are going to have to judge him solely as a professional. Read more…