Adam Scott ready for Texas showdown after Augusta assault

US Masters runner-up Adam Scott is confident of defending his Valero Texas Open crown this week, which starts at the TPC San Antonio on Thursday (April 14th).

Scott was tied second with fellow Australian Jason Day at Augusta, just two shots behind South African Charl Schwartzel who birdied his last four holes to win the famous green jacket.

Last year, Scott won the Texas crown with a final round four under par, which left him to finish on 14 under, one shot clear of Fredrik Jacobson and two clear of Aaron Baddeley, Ernie Els and Jimmy Walker.

After a roaring success with his Titleist 910D3 driver in Augusta, the Australian will be hoping for a similar performance when he tees off as the second ranked golfer in Texas.

“I feel like my game is in great shape. It was great to make a run (at the US Masters)," he said.

Another man who is looking for silverware this week is Anthony Kim, and he is hoping that his Nike Victory Red Full Cavity Irons will be able to better his debut Valero Texas Open appearance where he finished second.

"I know for myself personally that the sky is the limit if I just keep grinding away and have a good attitude. A couple of things have gotten in my way, and I've made some mistakes as well, but I'm growing through that, and it sometimes gets hard in making mistakes in front of people," he said recently.

Jhonattan Vegas, who is among the favourites in Texas, was full of praise for Kim, telling MySanAntonio.com that he looks up to players like him and tries to learn from what they do out on the course.

According to the official PGA Tour website, Scott is the favourite to claim victory this week, however, challenges could come from the likes of Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy and Marin Laird, who recently played the final round at August alongside Tiger Woods.

"Yes, he'll be drained after the Masters. But he'll also be motivated after finishing tied for second. And what better place for Scott to get back on track than at a course where he's had success before," commented one of the website's experts Helen Ross on Scott's Texas chances.

Elsewhere, on the European Tour Charl Schwartzel is the headline act when he appears at the Maybank Malaysian Open, which takes place at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

The South African is now top of the Race to Dubai rankings ahead of Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer after his US Masters win.

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Big 5 Sports Hockey

Field hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team’s goal. Its official name is simply hockey, and this is the common name for it in many countries.

Hockey has several regular international tournaments for both men and women. These include the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the quadrennial Hockey World Cups, the annual Champions Trophies and World Cups for juniors.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is the global governing body. It organizes events such as the Hockey World Cup and Women’s Hockey World Cup. The Hockey Rules Board under FIH produces rules for the sport.

Many countries have extensive club competitions for junior and senior players. Despite the large number of participants—hockey is thought to be the field team sport with the third largest number of participants worldwide (the first being association football and second being Cricket)—club hockey is not a large spectator sport and few players play as full-time professionals. Hockey is a sport played internationally by both males and females however in some countries, such as the United States, is predominantly played by females.

In countries where winter prevents play outdoors, hockey is played indoors during the off-season. This variant, indoor field hockey, differs in a number of respects. For example, it is 6-a-side rather than 11, the field is reduced to approximately 40 m x 20 m; the shooting circles are 9m; players may not raise the ball outside the circle nor hit it. The sidelines are replaced with barriers to rebound the ball.

Traditional grass pitches are far less common in modern hockey with most hockey being played on synthetic surfaces. Since the 1970s, sand-based pitches were favoured as they dramatically speed up the pace of the game. However, in recent years there has been a massive increase in the number of “water-based” artificial turfs. Water-based synthetic turfs enable the ball to be transferred more quickly than on the original sand-based surfaces and it is this characteristic that has made them the surface of choice for international and national league competitions.

The game is played between two teams of up to sixteen players, eleven of whom are permitted to be on the pitch at any one time. The remaining five players, the substitutes, may be substituted in any combination, from one to five, an unlimited number of times in the course of a game. Substitutions are permitted at any point in the game, apart from between the award and end of a penalty corner; the only exception to this rule is for injury or suspension of the defending goalkeeper.

Players are permitted to play the ball with the flat of the ‘face side’ and with the edges of the head and handle of the hockey stick with the exception that, for reasons of safety, the ball may not be struck ‘hard’ with a forehand edge stroke, because of the difficulty of controlling the height and direction of the ball from that stroke.

The flat side is always on the “natural” side for a right-handed person swinging the stick at the ball from right to left. Left-handed sticks are rare, but available; however they are pointless as the rules forbid their use in a game. To make a strike at the ball with a left to right swing the player must present the flat of the ‘face’ of the stick to the ball by ‘reversing’ the stick head, i.e. by turning the handle through approximately 180°(while a reverse edge hit would turn the stick head through approximately 90° from the position of an upright forehand stoke with the ‘face’ of the stick head.

The match is officiated by two field umpires. Traditionally each umpire generally controls half of the field, divided roughly diagonally. These umpires are often assisted by a technical bench including a timekeeper and record keeper. Field players may not play the ball with their feet, but if the ball accidentally hits the feet, and the player gains no benefit from the contact, then the contact is not penalised. Although there has been a change in the wording of this rule from 1 January 2007, the current FIH umpires’ briefing instructs umpires not to change the way they interpret this rule.

The teams’ object is to play the ball into their attacking circle and, from there, hit, push or flick the ball into the goal, scoring a goal. The team with more goals after two 35-minute halves wins the game. The playing time may be shortened, particularly when younger players are involved, or for some tournament play.

Big 5 Sports Baseball

Baseball is a very popular sport which involves two teams made up of, more or less, nine players. A baseball game is done in what we call a baseball field, a very large and open space where there is a ninety-foot square (or diamond) usually located at the bottom middle of the field. Baseball is oftentimes called a bat-and-ball game wherein a pitcher throws the baseball as fast and as hard as he (or she) could. This action, in baseball terms, is called "pitching". On the other side of the "diamond", we have the batter who will attempt to hit the hard fist-sized baseball using a narrow cylindrical wooden bat. However, if one is not playing professional baseball, only perhaps backyard baseball or such, any long and hard object that will pass as a bat will just do, along with an open space as a field.

Some people find the sport quite boring as it takes a bit long to play, and it is not as exciting a sport for some people as, let us say, basketball. A baseball team will only get the opportunity to score when their team is the one batting. Their players move counter-clockwise past four consecutive markers at the corners of the "diamond" in the baseball field. These markers are called "bases" and are usually coloured black or white. The team's players may advance through hits, but after three outs recorded against the team, they lose the opportunity to score and their half-inning ends. Innings are similar to "quarters" in basketball, and these are the periods wherein each team are given half of the whole inning time to bat and score runs. There are, all in all, nine innings in a baseball game. Baseball is especially popular in the United States and many baseball leagues are done there.

Schwartzel wins the Masters 2011

The finishing touch of a most amazing Masters was Charl Schwartzel slipping into a green jacket. Until that moment late Sunday afternoon, everything else at Augusta National was up for grabs.

The roars came from everywhere, for everyone, and never stopped.

Schwartzel emerged from all this madness with a magical touch of his own. He became the first Masters champion in its 75-year history to finish with four straight birdies, giving him a 6-under 66 for the best final round by a winner in 22 years.

Schwartzel Wins Shootout at Masters 2011

Charl Schwartzel, 26, became the first player to birdie the final four holes to claim the Green Jacket. In his second appearance at Augusta National Golf Club, the native of Vereeniging, South Africa, vaulted from the pack to deny two Australians -- Adam Scott and Jason Day -- their country's first Masters victory.

Schwartzel shot 6-under-par 66 for a 274 total, 14-under. It was two shots better than Day (68) and Scott (67), just when it looked like one of the Australians might end their country's drought.

Schwartzel wouldn't let it happen.

"I've not been around when it's been that tight," Schwartzel said. "If it wasn't for Rory (McIlroy) that was leading by four, you look at the leader board, there was a whole bunch of guys that could have won. It was always going to come down to the back nine, who made the birdies coming in."

Schwartzel made a torrid birdie-par-eagle start, ran off 10-straight pars and, when it was time, he delivered in a big way.

"There were so many roars that go on around Augusta, especially the back nine," Schwartzel said. "It echoes through those trees … there's always a roar. Every single hole you walk down, someone has done something, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking at the leader board. But sometimes I would look at it and not register what I was looking at, and that sort of helped.

"I just knew it was now or never. You have to start hitting some good shots and converting them."

Schwartzel's birdie putts on the final four holes were from 8, 15, 12 and 15 feet.

Day tipped his cap to Schwartzel's effort.

Mickelson Fails to Meet High Hopes

Phil Mickelson's official duties as defending champion at the Masters came to an end early Sunday evening when he graciously slipped a Green Jacket over the strong, lean shoulders of Charl Schwartzel. Even as late as Saturday afternoon, Mickelson was still hoping he would be the one helped into a Green Jacket.

But after he closed with a 74 to finish at 1-under-par 287, 13 shots behind the winner, Charl Schwartzel, Mickelson acknowledged that it just wasn't his round, his day or his Tournament. He had missed his chance, he said. Mickelson stated that the course was ripe for scoring; he just couldn't take advantage.

"Greens receptive, pins in spots you can get to, not much wind," the three-time Masters champion said. "But I struggled with the blade again and it was a frustrating week, really. I love these greens, I usually putt them very well, but I struggled this week."

Mickelson came into the week with high expectations -- his own and others'-- after a commanding victory the Sunday before at the Shell Houston Open. He had followed his tradition of playing a PGA Tour even the week prior to the Masters, and the strategy seemed to pay off.

But Mickelson's game wasn't nearly as sharp at Augusta National as it had been in Houston. He needed 122 putts for the week and made just 13 birdies. Despite staying within reasonable distance of the leaders through two rounds, Mickelson failed to make a crucial charge on Saturday to put himself into contention.

Although he said he did not feel fatigued, Mickelson said he would take the next three weeks off. He plans to make his next appearance at Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow the first full weekend of May.

On Saturday, Mickelson put his struggles into perspective by saying how pleased he was to have his wife, Amy, who been battling breast cancer, with him this week and healthy enough to walk the hilly course two days in a row.

Regardless of starting the final round nine shots behind McIlroy, Mickelson never considered his position hopeless.

"I never feel like you're out of it here," he said. "I felt like if I could shoot something in the low 60s -- 63 or 64 -- you just never know what might happen. I really felt good; I just didn't put it together."

Scott, Cabrera, Schwartzel on the move at Masters 2011

Adam Scott will take a 67 any day at Augusta National.

The Australian made up some serious ground on the Masters leaderboard Saturday after matching Angel Cabrera and Bubba Watson for low round of the day. Tied for sixth at 7-under, Scott is five shots behind leader Rory McIlroy.

"I felt like I played OK the first two days, just a little bit off," Scott said. "But today, everything kind of fell into place. It was nice to get a bit of momentum going and keep it going for most of the round."

Cabrera, Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Bo Van Pelt also made big moves. Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion, and Schwartzel are tied for second at 8-under with K.J. Choi and Jason Day, while Van Pelt is in eighth place behind Scott and Luke Donald.

Going low is one way to climb the leaderboard. But Scott and Co. got a big assist from the guys who'd been ahead of them, too. The last five groups Saturday were a cumulative 11 over, with only McIlroy and Choi shooting below par.

McIlroy builds four-shot lead at Masters 2011

Rory McIlroy, who already dazzled the crowd with a shot through the pines to the back of the 17th green, raised the putter in his left hand as the birdie putt turned toward the hole, then slammed his right fist when the ball disappeared into the cup.

The cheer was so clamorous that Woods, who had settled over his shot in the 18th fairway, had to back away. After all these years of crushing the hopes of so many others, the four-time Masters champ finally felt what it was like on the other end.

That moment - and right now, this Masters - belongs to McIlroy.

McIlroy Takes Masters Control

Rory McIlroy has taken control of the 75th Masters Tournament late in the second round. The 21-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland reached 10-under-par through Amen Corner on Friday and led K.J. Choi by three strokes.

McIlroy went out in 33 on Friday to reach 10-under-par. After a par on the par-4 11th hole, he had gone 29 holes without a bogey in this year's Masters. But, on the par-3 12th hole he hit his approach shot in the front bunker and failed to get up and down. McIlroy followed the bogey with a birdie on the par-5 13th hole when he hit his second shot to 12 feet and just missed his eagle try. He then went on to par Nos. 14 and 15 to hold steady.

In Thursday's first round, McIlroy became the youngest 18-hole leader in Tournament history. Seve Ballesteros was age 23 years and 1 day when he held the first-round lead on the way to the 1980 Masters title. Ballesteros shot 66 in the first round that year.

McIlroy has spent the last three weeks relaxing in preparation for his third Masters start. He went home to Northern Ireland the week after the PGA Tour event at Doral and then returned to Florida last week to work some with his coach. While in Augusta, he and some friends have visited the mall, played football in the street and watched the 1986 Masters where Jack Nicklaus rallied to win.

Woods Makes Statement While Phil Hangs Quietly Mid-Pack

Tiger Woods got everyone's attention Friday at the Masters, where he splashed the back nine with an array of birdies - five in all and three in a row - to climb into contention after a stirring 6-under 66.

Woods is tied for third with K.J. Choi at 7-under 137, just three shots behind 36-hole leader Rory McIlroy and one shot behind Jason Day.

And he finished with a splash, rolling in a 12-foot birdie putt from the right side of the hole at the 18th.

"It was nice to get it going," Woods said. "I'm three back so I played myself back into the championship. We've got 36 holes left, so there's a long way to go."

If Woods' round was eventful, Phil Mickelson's turned out to be routine. The defending champion shot an even-par 72 and is 2-under, tied for 20th. He did not have a birdie after the 10th hole and finished with seven straight pars.

"I left too many shots out there," Mickelson said. "But that's all in the past and we've got the weekend to look forward to. Fortunately I'm not in that bad a spot where if I can go out and shoot a good round, I can get right back in it.

"These next two days are my favorite two days of the year, the weekend of the Masters . . . I'm going to have to make a good run tomorrow."

Woods ran off birdies in bunches - the 8th, 9th and 10th, and also the 13th, 14th and 15th. He hit a 3-wood and 3-iron to 10 feet at the 13th, a 3-wood and a full wedge to 18 inches at the 14th, and then a driver and a 5-iron to the 15th that led to a two-putt birdie from 35 feet.

Woods established himself as a contender for a fifth Masters title with a nine-birdie day, offsetting his three bogeys that included a three-putt at the 7th. But Woods was able to answer each of his bogeys with a birdie. He credited his patience.

Big 5 Sports - Golf

Golf equipment includes the various items that are used by the sportsmen who play the sport golf. The types of golf equipment include the golf ball itself, and other implements that are designed for striking the golf ball, such as the golf clubs, and also the other instruments that are used to help in the process of playing a particular stroke. Certain items that enrich the players experience while playing golf can also be included as golf equipments.

The golf balls are one of the most important among the golf equipments. They are made up of special materials, which are used in order to help the ball’s playing characteristics. The ball usually has a diameter of 42.67 mm and is covered by around 300 to 450 dimples. This is to help in the aerodynamics of the ball. The golf balls are divided on the basis of their construction, into three types, namely two-, three-, or the four- piece covers. The four- piece cover golf balls are the most expensive.

Among other golf equipments a player also carries several different types of clubs, which help him to play the game better. There are basically three major types of golf clubs, known as the woods, irons and the putters. The club wood is used to play long shots, either from the tee or the fairway; irons are used for precision shots either from the fairway or from the rough; putters are mostly used when playing on the greens, but can also be used when playing from the bunkers or also for some approach shots.

Other golf equipments can be the golf bags, which can be nylon or leather and are cylindrically constructed; ball markers, which help in marking the place of a ball; and also the golf carts, which help in the transport of the other golf equipments like the clubs and also the players across the greens. Also the golfers use gloves, towels, shoes, and clothes which keep the player comfortable while playing the sport, which can also be included as golf equipments.

Matt Kuchar Ties Career-Low Masters Round with 68

Matt Kuchar ran in lofty circles as an amateur while at Georgia Tech, compiling a résumé filled with promise -- and pressure -- for a pro career.

At 32, he's risen to No. 10 in the world rankings, one of four Americans battling six Europeans for golf supremacy. Indeed, he conquered the PGA Tour last season as leading money winner with nearly $5 million and continued his run into this year with six top 10s in eight events.

Kuchar delivered again Thursday, matching his Masters career-low of 68 and weaving his way through a traffic jam of International players.

His 4-under-par round included six birdies and two bogeys. Kuchar especially gained ground on Augusta National's par 5s -- making birdies at Nos. 2, 8 and 15 -- and trailed first-round leader Rory McIlroy by three strokes.

"I felt solid out there," Kuchar said. "I didn't feel like I was doing a whole lot of grinding. It felt like a log of good opportunities."

Kuchar made his Masters debut in 1998, an invitation earned as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. He made the cut and finished as low amateur, becoming a patron favorite with his infectious smile, Georgia Tech ties and father carrying his golf bag. Kuchar also made the cut and was low amateur at the U.S. Open that year.

In four previous Masters, he's missed one cut. His best finish, a tie for 21st, came in his first appearance. So did his 68.

Mickelson, Woods First Round in 2011 Masters Tournament

The two most-heralded golfers in the Masters field played workmanlike opening rounds Thursday that kept them in contention but out of the spotlight that shone on the young leaders, Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson bogeyed No. 18 to shoot a 2-under-par 70 that placed him in a tie for 14th, five strokes off the lead. Tiger Woods stood six back after posting a 71 and joining a logjam in 24th place.

Mickelson, teeing off in the next-to-last group of the day, posted seven consecutive pars to start his round. He birdied the par-5 No. 8 and parred the ninth to make the turn at 1-under.

He displayed some of his typical dramatics on the par-5 13th hole, which Wednesday he described as his favorite hole on the course. Mickelson sliced his drive into the azaleas left of the fairway, but he pitched out safely and saved par. Playing with two drivers in his bag, he hit just four of 14 fairways, although he managed to hit 12 of 18 greens. Birdies at Nos. 14 and 15 vaulted him to 3 under before a pulled drive on the final hole forced him to play away from the flag. He just missed the green to the left and failed to salvage a par.

"I missed it in spots where I could get up and down, in spots that I knew the chip, I had a good angle," Mickelson said. "And that's why I was disappointed on 18. I tried to miss it left, I'm shooting right up the pin, and it was a pretty shot, and I didn't get it up and down."

Woods' round featured relatively few highlights. Going off early in the day in the morning chill, he missed makeable birdie putts on the first and second holes. Overall, he took 30 putts on the day, continuing his inconsistency on the greens.

"I hit a lot of beautiful putts," Woods said after the round. "A lot of beautiful putts. And they were just skirting the edge. So hopefully they will start going in."

The four-time Masters champion, now ranked No. 7 in the world, showed flashes of his old self. After slicing his drive into the pines on No. 3 and running his punch-out over the green, he saved par with a towering flop shot that landed like a pillow and stopped inches from the hole. He made another impressive par save at the par-3 12th, getting up and down from a difficult lie and reversing the negative momentum from bogeys at 10 and 11. Woods birdied the par-4 No. 14 with a long putt into the back of the hole and parred in from there.

Woods' score was only three strokes higher than his career-low first round at the Masters. In his four victories at Augusta National, he opened with a 70 three times (1997, 2001 and 2002) and a 74 once (2005).

McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros claimed the first-round lead at the Masters 2011

With bold displays of talent and youth on a postcard day of spring, Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros claimed the first-round lead at the Masters by shooting 7-under-par 65s. Together, they headed an onslaught of international talent at the top of the leader board. Nine of the highest 13 finishers were non-Americans.

McIlroy is relying on his growing database of knowledge in golf's major championships, and in Thursday's opening round of the Masters, he dialed the right number again and again.

The conditions at Augusta National Golf Club were superb, and the play of McIlroy and Quiros matched the pristine setting. In a flawless performance that brought to mind his first-round 63 in last year's British Open, McIlroy made seven birdies and no bogeys to shoot a 7-under-par 65. Quiros, playing in the final group of the day, birdied the 17th and 18th holes in fading light to join McIlroy atop the leader board. It was Quiros' best round at the Masters by 10 shots.

"I'll take 65 all day long," McIlroy said.

Rory McIlroy at 2011 Masters Tournament

On Opening Day at the Masters, Rory McIlroy got the full rock-star treatment, so it was probably good that he looked and acted the part: rolled brim of his cap pulled down tightly over his mop of hair, electric green frames on his sunglasses with mirrored lenses, a friendly smile, his fans shouting his name as he leaned back in a golf cart as it parted the crowd and then talking into as many cameras as you would see on the Red Carpet.

Thursday was obviously a good day to be Rory McIlroy, the 21-year-old from Holywood -- Northern Ireland -- and the first-round co-leader with Alvaro Quiros after a scintillating 7-under 65 at Augusta National Golf Club.

2011 Masters Tournament

The two most-heralded golfers in the Masters field played workmanlike opening rounds Thursday that kept them in contention but out of the spotlight that shone on the young leaders, Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson bogeyed No. 18 to shoot a 2-under-par 70 that placed him in a tie for 14th, five strokes off the lead. Tiger Woods stood six back after posting a 71 and joining a logjam in 24th place.

Mickelson, teeing off in the next-to-last group of the day, posted seven consecutive pars to start his round. He birdied the par-5 No. 8 and parred the ninth to make the turn at 1-under.

He displayed some of his typical dramatics on the par-5 13th hole, which Wednesday he described as his favorite hole on the course. Mickelson sliced his drive into the azaleas left of the fairway, but he pitched out safely and saved par. Playing with two drivers in his bag, he hit just four of 14 fairways, although he managed to hit 12 of 18 greens. Birdies at Nos. 14 and 15 vaulted him to 3 under before a pulled drive on the final hole forced him to play away from the flag. He just missed the green to the left and failed to salvage a par.