Mickelson finds a fan

DIVOTS

Phil Mickelson's long-belated success at the Masters recently has inspired British tennis star, Tim Henman, who has more than once been a Wimbledon semi-finalist but never a winner.

Henman feels that the US golfer's first Major victory after 46 failed attempts has helped him shrug away years of frustration and finally look forward to a Grand Slam title has eluded him so far.

Henman, 29, He (Mickelson) was obviously very clear in the way that he felt he was developing his game. My game has turned around so quickly in the last six months, I feel that the way I'm playing and the way I'm beginning to use the abilities I've got, that there's no reason why I can't follow a similar path."

Choi to play in China

KJ Choi, who played impressive golf while finishing third in the Masters has signed up for next month's BMW Asian Open when the Europe Tour heads into China for the first time ever.

He will be among the marquee names alongside stars like Ireland's world No 8, Padraig Harrington, Germany's Alex Cekja and Australia's Greg Norman. The event is co-sanctioned between the China Golf Association and European Tour and will be held at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club in the third week of May. The event carries a prize fund of $1.5 million making it the richest tournament ever on the Chinese mainland.

Other Asian stars include Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, China's No 1 Zhang Lian-Wei, Japan's Nobuhito Sato, India's Jyoti Randhawa, Taiwanese Chen Tze-chung, an eight-time winner in Japan, and Myanmar's Zaw Moe.

Triple eagle in a row

Club golfer Bennie Shaw Jr. delivered what surely must be a unique performance. On the weekend Phil Mickelson was winning a thrilling Masters, Shaw posted a rare, three consecutive eagles at his home course, Fort Mill Golf Club in North Carolina. He pulled off an amazing effort, which included a hole in one.

In the entire history of the PGA Tour, three eagles in the same round have only been achieved 13 times, but never in succession.

Bogeyman