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	COLLEGE	NASCAR	SOCCER

Ernie Els made two early departures last week -- from the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, and from his contract deal with Titleist. Els had one year left on his deal with Acushnet -- Titleist clubs, ball and glove, FootJoy shoes -- and the split was said to amicable. He is believed to be going to Callaway, although spokeswoman Michele Szynal said Callaway does not have a deal with the world's No. 6 player.
-- PGA.com

Twenty years after settling a lawsuit over square grooves in irons, the U.S. Golf Association proposed a change Tuesday that would limit the amount of spin produced by U-shaped grooves. The proposal would not ban U-shaped grooves, but would set specifications so that they performed like V-shaped grooves, producing less spin, especially out of the rough.
-- PGA.com

Tiger Woods' association with the new tournament gives the PGA Tour's stop in Washington a stature it long has lacked. Woods is expected to be a regular presence at the tournament, though his participation this year might be affected by the birth of his first child. The tour is in negotiations with Congressional Country Club, site of the 2011 U.S. Open, to host the event in 2007 and 2008.
-- Washington Post

Hollis Cavner, who oversees the 3M Championship, has chartered a 757 airplane he hopes will entice Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros and other European golfers to compete in his Champions Tour tournament July 30-Aug. 5 at the TPC in Blaine, Minn. The flight will be available to Senior British Open players who will compete the week before in England.
-- St. Paul Pioneer-Press

When Tom Watson won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am a week ago, his caddie was none other than Philadelphian Neil Oxman. For Oxman, who essentially leads a double life as a looper and successful political consultant, it was his fourth victory on his old friend's bag. He'll caddie for Watson at the Masters and at 15 or 16 other tournaments this year. They've known each other since 1972, when Watson was in his first full year on the Tour, and Oxman was looping to pay his way through law school.
-- Philadelphia Inquirer

Vijay Singh, who won the 2004 tournament at Innisbrook on his way to a nine-victory, $10-million season, has committed to next week's PODS Championship, along with other former major championship winners Tom Lehman and Todd Hamilton. Others in the field ranked among the top 25 in the world are Sergio Garcia, Charles Howell, O'Hern, Chris DiMarco, Stuart Appleby and defending champion K.J. Choi.
-- St. Petersburg Times

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	COLLEGE	NASCAR	SOCCER