Watson for surgery

DIVOTS

Tom Watson, one of the all-time greats in golf, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his hip next month that will put him out of action for five months. Watson, who finished in top 10 of the 14 events he played on the Champions Tour last year, has won eight Majors and 39 titles on the PGA Tour in the past. Last year, Watson is said to have donated million dollars worth of funds towards research on ALS. His caddie died of the same disease early this year.

Mickelson withdraws

US Masters champion Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from next month's HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth in England. Since Tiger Woods is already out, Mickelson's withdrawal is yet another blow to the organizers. But this may be good news for Englishman Lee Westwood, who gets into the 16-man field. US Open champion Retief Goosen and fellow Major winners, Todd Hamilton (British Open) and Vijay Singh, who won the US PGA Championship recently, will contest the event. Fellow South African Ernie Els, the defending champion and a five-time winner, is also expected to play.

More money

There will be a 10 per cent increase in prize money for the 2005 Deutsche Bank Players' Championships in Europe. The money will go up from Euro 3 million to Euro 3.3 million. The sponsors have already confirmed the event till 2008 and the tournament which will return for the 11th time next year will be held at the Gut Kaden course in Hamburg in Germany. The event will be held a week after the 134th British Open in 2005. South African Trevor Immelman had won the 2004 edition.

LPGA tournament

The long journey for the Ladies begins this week when 187 hopefuls will tee off for the LPGA Sectional Qualifying tournament in California. It is the first of the two sectional qualifiers. The field will be cut to low 70 players and ties after two rounds. After four rounds, the top 30 ties will advance to the LPGA Tour's final Qualifying Tournament in Florida.