* We manufacture rivalries for Tiger, be it Phil, Vijay or Ernie. I've always contended Jack Nicklaus is his main rival. Throw another name in the hat.

A seven-time winner on the European Tour is going to dethrone Tiger. OK. Dethrone Johan Edfors, then we'll talk.

* There's word that the PGA Tour is already exploring options with the new cut policy. Too much complaining. Play better and this won't be an issue. Also players are crying about drug testing now. Enough guys. Play better and know what goes into your own bodies.

* Paul Azinger will make his four captain's picks on September 2nd. That's about two weeks before the Ryder Cup and gives Azinger almost three weeks after the PGA to still get the hottest players for the team. This is more significant a move than making the Ryder Cup list all about this year's money list.

As for the Sports Network Golf Editor Challenge, well, I won for the first time in almost two years. Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines. Who knew?

FBR Open with the best golf fans in the world at the par-three 16th. If the U.S. staged a Ryder Cup here, this hole would require SWAT team help.

G (16) -Phil Mickelson - Weir (4th Mercedes), Ames (T10th Sony), Leonard (2nd Bob Hope), Woods (1st Buick Invitational).
JB (11) - Rory Sabbatini - Mahan (T5th Mercedes), Furyk (T20th Sony), Senden (T22 Bob Hope), Woods (1st Buick Invitational).
KC (3) - Bill Haas - Weir (4th Mercedes), Kelly (3rd Sony), Verplank (T22 Bob Hope), Sabbatini (T3 Buick Invitational).

G is already racking up points with Justin Leonard finishing second at the Bob Hope.

Buick Invitational

GG (6) - Tiger Woods - Weir (4th Mercedes), Ames (T10th Sony), Leonard (2nd Bob Hope)
KC (2) - Rory Sabbatini - Weir (4th Mercedes), Kelly (3rd Sony), Verplank (T22 Bob Hope)
JB - (1) - Tiger Woods - Mahan (T5th Mercedes), Furyk (T20th Sony), Senden (T22 Bob Hope)

Sorry for the slight lateness, but Wednesday starts throw me.

I can guarantee the authenticity of this. Take me at my word or we do not have a true society.

Last week, Currie charged into the lead as Jerry Kelly took third. That got him a point.

This week - Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

KC (2) - Scott Verplank - Weir (4th Mercedes), Kelly (3rd Sony)
G - (1) - Justin Leonard - Weir (4th Mercedes), Ames (T10th Sony)
JB - (1) - John Senden - Mahan (T5th Mercedes), Furyk (T20th Sony)

It came to my attention that I erred the other day. You get a point for a top-five finish so all three of us got a point. Apologies.

So Kelly Tilghman has been suspended. Two weeks by the Golf Channel. The reason you might ask? Al Sharpton.

Sharpton said that even though Tiger Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, called it a "non-issue," it is one. He demanded she be fired. The Golf Channel suspended her three hours after he's sticking his two cents in.

Sharpton's point is that even though Woods was not insulted, the rest of the African-American community was. That's fair. I actually like Sharpton more than most, but I've always found it interesting that he's the first guy in against Tilghman, Don Imus (who I think should've been fired) and those Duke Lacrosse kids. Then when Isiah Thomas of the New York Knicks calls a black employee a derogatory word, albeit none with a racial tie, Sharpton doesn't think there's a need for any further action.

He picks his moments, certainly, but some group, just once needs to say, "No." Sharpton has some influence no question, and no one is defending Tilghman's comments, but there was no intent on making that a racial statement.

What Imus said about the Rutgers' women's basketball team was said with the intent of igniting racial feelings. Tilghman said that younger players basically wished Woods was not around. The word "lynch" has an awful history to it, but look at Tilghman's intent and Woods' treatment of it and take a step back.

Here's The Golf Channel's statement:

"The Golf Channel regrets the poorly chosen remarks made by Kelly Tilghman on a recent broadcast and, again, extends our apologies to anyone who was offended. There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this. While we believe that Kelly's choice of words were inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate. Consequently, we have decided to suspend Kelly for two weeks, effective immediately."

This just seems like too much.

* Let's start with the Kelly Tilghman "scandal." For those that don't know, when Nick Faldo said on Friday's broadcast stated that the players were tired of Woods' dominance, Tilghman suggested young players wanted to "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley."

Stupid choice of words, but it was not meant to be racist. Woods' agent called it a "non-issue." Mark Steinberg is correct. When people fly up in arms about comments like this, it takes away from fighting real fights against racism. The whole thing is much ado about nothing.

* "I think it's easily within reason."

Those words may be what we hearken back to in August. That's what Woods said on his website www.tigerwoods.com about the chances of winning the single-season Grand Slam. In a particularly solid column, one writer thinks he will come close, but ultimately short. http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=golf-m/misc/out_of_rough.htm

* Golf is starting to feel the steroid crunch from baseball. Courtesy of The Desert Sun. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200801080115/EVENTS02/801080338

* Media Take Out broke the story of another golf/tennis engagement. Not Greg Norman and Chris Evert, but still...true love warms my heart. http://www.mediatakeout.com/20828/exclusive_venus_williams_engaged.html

On to the Sports Network Golf Editors Challenge. I forgot to mention last week that you receive 10 points for winning, five for a runner-up finish and one point for a third. Sadly, we all knocked on the door last week, but came up short.

G - Weir (4th Mercedes-Benz Championship)
KC - Weir (4th Mercedes-Benz Championship)
JB - Mahan (T5 Mercedes-Benz Championship)

This week - Sony Open in Hawaii

G - Stephen Ames
KC - Jerry Kelly "I don't know why."
JB - Jim Furyk "I get that using the third-ranked player in the world this early is foolish, but I'm going for wins early this year."

Good 2008 everyone. We are back with the Sports Network Golf Editors Challenge. The rules are you can only use one player each week and a player only once all year. A case of beer is on the line as Gerard Gallagher is our defending champion.

To Hawaii we go for the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

G - Mike Weir
Kevin Currie - Mike Weir. "Continuing his hot finish from last year."
JB - Hunter Mahan. "No real reason but with only a handful of guys in the field having experience at the course, why not?"