The streak continues

DIVOTS

For a while it seemed that the streak might stop at 125. But then Tiger Woods, who on several occasions bounced back from the edge, did so once more. At the Western Open, where he was defending the title, Tiger managed to keep his streak but barely.

After a first round 70, he carded a second round 73 and was at one-under 143, which at one stage was the projected cut line. But it turned out that the cut came at two-over as the winds took over. Tiger roared back into contention in third round with a brilliant 65 and moved from 50th to sixth.

In 2000, he won the Canadian Open after being close to missing the cut. Tiger, who has three top-five finishes in the last four starts but is still said to be in a slump, ended tied seventh in the final standings.

Not a man's world

Annika Sorenstam is ready to play against men once more. The world's top woman golfer has signed up for the next three editions of the ADT Skills Challenge, a series of contests for long drive, bunkers, trouble shots, putting and chipping.

The made-for-TV event will be taped at the Trump International in Palm Beach on November 15 and will be aired by NBC in December. Sorenstam becomes the first woman to play in the event.

In the past, she has competed against men in the Skins games "" beating, among others, Phil Mickelson and Mark O'Meara. Retired baseball slugger Mark McGwire won last year's ADT skills challenge, beating Peter Jacobsen, Paul Azinger, Padraig Harrington, Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie.

Sorenstam became the first woman in 58 years to compete on the PGA Tour when she played in The Colonial in May 2003. She missed the 36-hole cut by four strokes.

Player for charity

The Gary Player Invitational will be held on July 12 at The Grove, a new golf resort nearLondon. The event is part of the Nelson Mandela Invitational series of golf events and the Gary Player Invitational, presented by Coca-Cola.

It will feature numerous sports, TV, film and stage stars besides the legendary "Black Knight" himself who will play 18 holes with leading business executives.

As with the Nelson Mandela Invitational played annually in South Africa, the beneficiaries will be the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and The Player Foundation in South Africa.

Bogeyman