Mr Woods Goes to Washington

• By Mercer Baggs
• Jan 19, 2009 12:00 PM ET

 
SPEAKING OF TIGER: Tiger Woods took part in President-elect Barack Obama's pre-inauguration ceremony, giving a speech Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial. Woods focused on the military, praising the men and women in the U.S. Armed Services.
 
Woods' speech was apropos, considering his father was in the U.S. Army Special Forces. But don't expect this to lead to any political talk in the near future. Woods may not have graduated from Stanford, but he does have a diploma from the Michael Jordan School of Fence Riding.
 


 
A TADD BIT BETTER: Tadd Fujikawa Monday qualified to get into his home state Sony Open in Hawaii and then proceeded to make the cut. He shot 62 on Saturday to finish 54 holes just two off the lead, but struggled on Sunday, shooting 3-over 73 and finishing tied for 32nd.
 
There wasn’t a Disney finish in paradise, but this was a big step for the little man. The 5-foot-1 high school senior showed he can play on this stage – at least in this event. Hopefully this is a springboard to more success on the mini-tours, and ultimately full time on the PGA Tour.
 


 
MEANWHILE …: Zach Johnson won the Sony Open, closing in 65 to beat Adam Scott and David Toms by two strokes. Charles Howell III finished three back.
 
It turned out to be a big boy tournament come Sunday as Fujikawa bowed out and the higher-ranked players battled for the title. Johnson was dead on with his irons and played the back nine in 4-under 31. Now it’s back to the mainland, where Woods will make his debut – one of these weeks.
 


 
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO...: As first reported by Quien magazine, Lorena Ochoa has said yes to a marriage proposal by the millionaire businessman who runs Aeromexico, one of North America's biggest airlines.
 
The gentleman, 13 years her senior, is a divorced father of three. Although trailing Annika Sorenstam by eight in the majors won department, Ochoa has taken a commanding lead over her former Swedish rival – a recent bride herself – in the total kids department.
 


 
MONTY'S ON THE CLOCK: Colin Montgomerie is the odds-on favorite to be the next European Ryder Cup captain. English betting parlors saw a significant shift in his favor this past week leading to speculation that he will be tabbed to captain the team in Wales in 2010.
 
Jose Maria Olazabal was the early favorite, but looks like he wants to try and make the team as a player. Sure Monty could do the same, but let's face it: he couldn't have an easier act to follow as captain. It's like succeeding Gerry Faust at Notre Dame.
 


 
RAISE YOUR HAND IF...: ... you feel like an idiot. Chad Campbell arrived in time for the Sony Open in Hawaii only to find out he had forgotten to enter the tournament and thus was left out of the field.
 
Yes, it was a big mistake. Yes, it was a long flight. Yes, it probably cost quite the pretty penny. But no, landing in Hawaii with nothing to do is never a bad thing. In fact, there should be a new verb describing screwing up royally and then somehow landing in paradise – Campbling.
 


 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Paul Casey won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. … Ian Poulter was forced to withdraw from the European event in order to undergo corrective eye surgery. … Retief Goosen won the Africa Open on the Sunshine Tour. … Phil Mickelson announced he will make his 2009 debut at the FBR Open and not the Bob Hope, which he has twice won.
 
It was Casey’s first win since 2007. … Perhaps Poulter finally saw this and had to get his vision restored. … It wasn’t a PGA Tour win or even a European Tour win, but a win is a win for Goosen. … Expect this to be Mickelson’s first event of the year for many years to come.
 

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