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Sports Notebook
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PGA GRAND SLAM
Tiger endorses keeping Grand Slam at Poipu
POIPU, Kauai » The PGA of America may or may not like Tiger Woods' opinion on where the PGA Grand Slam should be played.
But the people of Hawaii probably like it a lot.
"I've always enjoyed playing Poipu," Woods said. "I always enjoyed coming here. I don't see any reason why they should move because it is such a wonderful place. Everyone always brings their families. They celebrate Thanksgiving here."
Hawaii golf and tourism officials would do well with Woods as their spokesman if they deemed it important enough to try to save the tournament from going to Las Vegas or the Caribbean or another international location, as has been talked about by the PGA of America.
"Everyone loves coming to Hawaii," Woods continued. "They love to hang out and enjoy the wonderful resort. The golf is always fun to play. We always seem to shoot low numbers on this golf course. I think it's exciting for the fans. I'd like to keep qualifying for the event. Hopefully, I can keep coming back here."
Drive time: The tee box was moved up 73 yards on the par-4, 13th hole to make it possible for the golfers to drive the green. Instead of 384 yards against the wind like on Tuesday, it was 311 with the trade winds.
With a water hazard to the right, Phil Mickelson and Michael Campbell drove the green, but Mickelson missed his 18-foot eagle putt and settled for birdie and Campbell two-putted from 30 feet for birdie.
Woods, however, took a different approach. Instead of hitting a driver, he chose to lay up and hit a 7-iron 208 yards. He ended up with the same result -- a birdie -- after his wedge and 15-foot putt.
Campbell had an opinion on why Woods layed up.
"Driver was too much and 3-wood wasn't enough," he said. "The obvious one was to lay up. It was stupid for him to go for it if he wasn't comfortable with the shot."
Marshal, marshal, marshal: Twice, a course marshal spoke up to quiet the crowd just as Mickelson was ready to start his back swing.
The second time, on the 16th green, when the marshal said "stand still please," Mickelson stepped away from the ball and asked his caddie, "Is that the same guy?"
A new day: On Tuesday, Woods drove the green at the 348-yard, par-4 eighth hole. Yesterday, he went into a fairway bunker at the eighth and then came up short of the green from 107 yards out of the sand. He saved par, though, by chipping to 1 foot.
Woods nearly chipped in for birdie on the fourth hole, and he also scrambled for par several times: with an 8-foot putt on the par-4 10th after pulling his approach into a bunker; with a chip to 2 feet after coming up short of the par-4 ninth green; and with a 151-yard pitching wedge and a 5-foot putt after going out of bounds on the par-4 15th.
In addition, Woods' 15-foot birdie try on the par-3 17th skirted the outside edge of the cup.
Provided you find your ball: Mickelson hit a provisional on the 10th hole after going way left and under some trees, but he found his first ball and saved par by hitting the green with a 184-yard 4-iron and two putting from 80 feet.
Even or better: All four golfers finished even par or better for the first time since 1992, when Nick Price beat Tom Kite in a playoff at La Quinta, Calif.
Friendly tap: Vijay Singh's foot was the recipient of a playful, but hard tap from Campbell's driver as both golfers stood on the 10th tee.
"Ouch," Singh said.
A good summation of both golfers' performances against Tiger.