Surprise! Tiger is the Favorite for Augusta

Nice moment for Poulter, but No.1 golfer still has no successor

(NEWSER) - Ian Poulter's hole in one in yesterday's opening round was impressive, but that doesn't bring him to the level of golf's unassailable leader. Tiger Woods, though he's sitting four shots back of the leaders after the first day of the Augusta Masters, is still unquestionably the world's best golfer. The New York Times wonders who his successor might eventually be. More»

(NEWSER) - The storybook re-coronation of Tiger Woods had a surprise ending in Augusta, where the entire field was hobbled by blunders, and an obscure Iowan walked away with the coveted green jacket. Zach Johnson hit a three-under 69 on his last 18 holes to finish in the lead with a one-over 289, tied for the worst winning score in Masters history. More»

(NEWSER) - The Masters remains wide open after Day 2, with an unassuming two-under 142 leading the field. Tiger Woods is five shots from the lead, a strikingly poor performance from a player most pundits assumed would dominate Augusta in typical unflappable godlike fashion. Relative golf demigod Phil Mickelson also disappointed at a four-over-par 148. More»

Graeme McDowell takes top honors

(AP) - When Phil Mickelson made his birdie attempt from off the green on the opening hole yesterday, the gallery roared its approval. The fans were prepared to see Lefty charge. They did the same every time Ernie Els or Tiger Woods made a move, creating a rumble of energy through Pebble Beach at the US Open. By the end, those roars were reserved for unknown Graeme McDowell on the 18th green as the new US Open champ. Lefty, Ernie, and Tiger were nowhere to be found. Key bogeys had dropped the big names out of the running. More»

Golfer blogs about Masters, thanks spectators

(NEWSER) - One little sex scandal seems to have turned Tiger Woods into a man of the people. Tiger thanked his fans profusely today, in his first blog post since October, for the warm reception they gave him at the Masters. “I honestly didn't know what to expect from the fans, but they were absolutely incredible,” he wrote. “To get that type of warmth is something I did not expect and will never forget.” More»