This weekend’s Cialis Western Open has been touted as a confrontation between the world number 1` and the world number 2. But after the first round, Vijay is tied for 84th; Woods for 103.

Do they even make the cut?

In a perverse sort of way, I’m hoping not.

When I saw the highlights of the French Open, I had a fleeting moment when I thought that they had made a mistake and were replayng Jean van de Velda’s 1999 Open Championship fiasco, where he lost the cup in the Barry Burn.

But then I realized that he was doing the same thing again in the French Open.

Only this time, he did the wise thing and took the drop. It didn’t do him any good.

The guy is cursed.

The LPGA next year will institute a playoff system that will culminate with two players competing in a final round for $1 million.

According to ABC News,

The ‘06 season will be split into two parts, with players earning points toward making the 32-player field at the ADT Championship at Trump International, which previously served as a Tour Championship.

Fifteen players from each half of the season and two wild cards will advance to the LPGA Playoffs. After 54 holes of stroke play, the top two golfers will meet in an 18-hole showdown for $1 million, nearly double the richest payoff in women’s golf.

It actually sounds pretty exciting. its very different from what’s done on the men’s tour and could generate somereal interest. But I guess teh cynic in me says that they could save themselves the trouble by just handing the check to Annika right now.

For the past several years, my next-door-neighbor at the school where I teach has been entertaining me with the stories of her son’s efforts to break through on golf’s mini tours. I’ve enjoyed following him through the New England mini tour, and on several California tours, and have gotten in the habit of looking for his name on the mini tour websites.

Now David Ping has won the biggest payout in the history of golf: Along with his partner Garth Mulroy, he won the three million dollar prize in last weekend’s Big Stakes Match Play Championship.

Julie (David’s mother) was in Vegas to see him realize a golfer’s dream, and I couldn’t be more happy for them. I can’t wait until she gets back to tell me all the details.

UPDATE:

I’ve found another good article on the event.

In an article in Golf Observer, Keith Lowe breaks down this weeks’s possibilities with the World Golf Rankings. And it looks as though its going to be a two man battle: the difference between second and third is as large as its been in almost two years.

Unfortunately for Vijay, even another win this week won’t move him ahead of Woods.