Fat Bastard 460 driver Tour

Tiger Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Tuesday to repair damaged cartilage. It is the second operation Woods has gone through on his left knee in five years. The surgery was announced on Woods’ Web site, and comes just two days following his second-place finish at the Masters.

“I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters,” Woods wrote on his site. “The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can.”

The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas Rosenberg in Park City, Utah. Rosenberg had previously operated on the same knee in Dec. 2002. It is the third surgery Woods has had on his left knee, having had a benign tumor removed in 1994.

“Tiger has been experiencing pain in his knee since the middle of last year, and when he had it looked at by his doctors, arthroscopic surgery was recommended,” said Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg told the AP. “Tiger has played through the pain in the past, but knew it would be better for him to have the procedure done as early as possible.”

Woods is expected to be back in time for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, though he will likely be able to compete in The Players Championship. At the PGA Tour Web site, Commissioner Tim Finchem commented on Woods’ knee surgery.

“Of course, we’re disappointed when Tiger is unable to compete in a PGA Tour event,” Finchem said. “There is really never a good time for an athlete – especially one of Tiger’s caliber – to take weeks off from competition during the season. But his health concerns have to come first.”

Daly Goes Under the Knife to Repair Muscle Tear - 04/15/2008

By Associated Press

While Trevor Immelman was winning the Masters for his first major, John Daly was having surgery in Arkansas with hopes of getting his train-wreck of a career back on track.

Daly has cited injury as the primary reason for his poor play over the last two years, during which he has withdrawn eight times and missed the cut 14 times in 33 events. The injury dates to the ‘07 Honda Classic, when he tried to stop his swing upon hearing the click of a fan’s camera. More than a year later, his doctor believes he found the problem.

The surgery was to repair a torn muscle in his stomach.

“When he tried to stop swinging at the Honda Classic, he tore his rotator cuff and he also dislocated two rib joints where they attach to the spine,” said Dr. Steve Whitelaw, who works with the Arkansas Razorbacks. “We rehabbed all that, but the whole time he had dislocated ribs, he tore the ligaments around them.”

Whitelaw said when Daly complained of more pain, they ran a full body scan and discovered the muscle tear in the stomach.

“It was not attached, and the muscle shrunk down,” he said. “When he swings, he uses that area with his stomach and core strength. He could only go so long without hurting. He was in a cycle he could not get out of.”

Whitelaw said Daly might be able to hit easy wedge shots this week, and the recovery should be quick. Where the two-time major champion returns is uncertain, although it could be Europe.

Daly has agreed to play the Spanish Open in Seville in two weeks. That’s opposite the Wachovia Championship, which did not offer Daly an exemption this year. Daly is contemplating an extended stay in Europe, possibly playing the Italian Open and Irish Open the following two weeks, and perhaps the BMW Championship at Wentworth

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MASTERS Quotes of interest....

“He can play pretty average and win. Most of us have to play pretty darned good. Plus, he’s got that Nicklaus aura when he’s in contention.” -- Masters champion Zach Johnson, speaking to the press about the one and only Tiger Woods.

"That's why he's Tiger Woods. He's done it before and he'll do it again." -- Bart Bryant, after Tiger birdied the final hole to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational to deny Bryant a chance at a playoff.

“They are not very good. It’s going to be an interesting week on them. You’re going to see a lot of guys hit good putts and they’re going to go weird ways, unfortunately. But, hey—we’ve all got to deal with it.” -- Tiger Woods, talking about the greens at the King's course on the eve of the event at Bay Hill.

"I thought the greens putted well." -- Phil Mickelson, displaying a different view on the conditions of the greens.

(Getty Image)“Hasn’t been a good day. This is the last thing I needed in my life. I feel like I let Arnold down.” -- John Daly, after missing his tee time at the Bay Hill Pro Am event disqualifying him, and also making him ineligible for the tournament.

“As far as I’m concerned, Arnold Palmer is the King and I will always be appreciative of the start that he gave me in America when I first played here in 1993. I will personally be speaking to Arnie to explain why I have taken the difficult decision to pull out after supporting his tournament for the last 15 years.” -- Ernie Els, commenting on his difficult decision to pull out of this past week's tournament at Bay Hill, citing fatigue.

“I think this is the day that I reach my full potential as a caddie, and when I do, it will be just me and Stevie.” -- John Wood, the looper for Hunter Mahan, playing off an Ian Poulter comment from earlier in the year. The Stevie that Wood mentions is of course Steve Williams, Tiger's caddie.

"I love Arnold Palmer to death. I called and talked to him and apologized." -- JD again, expressing his regret over the mistake that cost him, and others, a spot in the field.

(Getty Image)"We don’t have time for me to tell you what I think about Tiger and his golf, because I think that right now, he has got it by the neck, and he’s choking it. And he should.” -- Arnold Palmer, throwing his two cents in on the dominance of Tiger Woods so far this year.

“When I should have been on the tee, I was giving my girls breakfast. I thought common sense would have prevailed. This is a tough one to take. Unfortunately, we got caught up in John’s snowball effect.” -- Nick O’Hern, who lives only five minutes from Bay Hill, at Isleworth, furious to learn he would not be eligible to play in the event after not be around the course to take Daly's spot when he was a no-show. Ryuji Imada also missed out.