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John Daly has been suspended from the PGA tour for six months, according to multiple reports.

John Daly smashed one tee shot off the top of a beer can during a pro-am. At another tournament, he returned from a rain delay with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. And his most memorable photo this year came in an orange jail suit, eyes half-closed. Daly said Wednesday that such unwelcome publicity is why the PGA Tour suspended him for six months.

Paul Goydos once joked that he made PGA Tour history in 2007 by winning the Sony Open as the first player to beat a field that included a 5-foot boy (Tadd Fujikawa) and a 6-foot girl (Michelle Wie). If Goydos wins at Waialae next month, it could be against a field that doesn't include either of Hawaii's most famous golfing teens.

San Diego was still buzzing after five days of a U.S. Open that ranks among the most memorable. The airport was filled with chatter, and travelers stopped to watch highlights at every bar of Tiger Woods wincing and willing his way to victory. In a working area of the Crown Room at Lindbergh Airport, the agent for Tiger Woods sat alone with his legs crossed, feet pressed against the window as he...

It's that time again.

Tiger Woods' dramatics and then absence defined the 2008 golf season.

Long established as world number one, Tiger Woods runs the risk of being deposed at the top of the rankings in the first quarter of next year.

The tournament schedule for the 2009 PGA Tour: Jan. 8-11 Mercedes-Benz Championship, Kapalua, Hawaii Jan. 15-18 Sony Open, Honolulu, Hawaii Jan. 21-25 Bob Hope Classic, Palm Desert, California Jan. 29-Feb. 1 Phoenix Open, Scottsdale, Arizona Feb. 5-8 Buick Invitational, San Diego, California Feb. 12-15 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Pebble Beach, California Feb. 19-22 Northern Trust Open, Pacific Palisades, California Feb. 25-Mar. 1 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Tucson, Arizona Feb. 26-Mar. 1 Mayakoba Classic, Riviera Maya, Mexico Mar. 5-8 Honda Classic, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Mar. 12-15 WGC-CA Championship, Miami, Florida Mar. 12-15 Puerto Rico Open, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico Mar. 19-22 Tampa Bay Championship, Tampa Bay, Florida Mar. 26-29 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Orlando, Florida Apr. 2-5 Houston Open, Houston, Texas Apr. 9-12 U.S. Masters, Augusta, Georgia Apr. 16-19 Heritage Classic, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Apr. 23-26 New Orleans Classic, New Orleans, Lousiana Apr. 30-May 3 Wachovia Championship, Charlotte, North Carolina May 7-10 Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida May 14-17 Texas Open, San Antonio, Texas May 21-24 Byron Nelson Championship, Irving, Texas May 28-31 Colonial Invitational, Fort Worth, Texas June 4-7 Memorial tournament, Dublin, Ohio June 11-14 St. Jude Championship, Memphis, Tennessee June 18-21 U.S. Open, Farmingdale, New York June 25-28 Travelers Championship, Cromwell, Connecticut July 2-5 AT&T National, Bethesda, Maryland July 9-12 John Deere Classic, Silvis, Illinois July 16-19 British Open, Turnberry, Scotland July 16-19 Milwaukee Championship, Milwaukee, Wisconsin July 23-26 Canadian Open, Oakville, Ontario July 30-Aug. 2 Buick Open, Grand Blanc, Michigan Aug. 6-9 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Akron, Ohio Aug. 6-9 Reno Tahoe Open, Reno, Nevada Aug. 13-16 U.S. PGA Championship, Chaska, Minnesota Aug. 20-23 Wyndham Championship, Greensboro, North Carolina Aug. 27-30 Barclays Classic, Jersey City, New Jersey Sept. 4-7 Deutsche Bank Championship, Norton, Massachusetts Sept. 10-13 BMW Championship, Lemont, Illinois Sept. 24-27 Tour Championship, Atlanta, Georgia Oct. 1-4 Turning Stone Resort Championship, Verona, New York Oct. 8-11 Presidents Cup, San Francisco Oct. 15-18 Las Vegas Open, Las Vegas, Nevada Oct. 22-25 Arizona Open, Scottsdale, Arizona Oct. 29-Nov. 1 Viking Classic, Madison, Mississippi Nov. 5-8 To be determined Nov. 12-15 Disney Classic, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

The PGA Tour has released its entire schedule for next year, a fully sponsored programme with a slight increase in purses despite the global financial crisis.

Tiger Woods posed next to the trophy on the 18th green, a familiar scene with a rare twist. It was Sunday, and his clothing did not include so much as a trace of red. Plus, he was wearing a jacket -- black, not green. He was merely the host of the Chevron World Challenge. His duty was to thank sponsors and volunteers and give the trophy to Vijay Singh.

The PGA Tour has lost at least one tournament from its Fall Series because of the economy, and the final part of its 2009 schedule released Tuesday had another tournament still up in the air. The tour announced five tournaments -- down from seven this year -- that will be played after the FedEx Cup ends and give players a chance to finish in the top 125 on the money list to retain their cards.

Lin Wen-tang will become the first player from Chinese Taipei to compete at the U.S. Masters for 20 years when he tees up at the season's opening major in April.

While professional golf prepares to confront a bleak economic landscape in 2009, the biggest talking point in the game relates to the timing and immediate impact of Tiger Woods's comeback from injury.

Is golf really a sport or just a hobby? Is it a good walk spoiled, or should we forget the walk and ask Santa for a golf cart this Christmas? Would a PowerBar help more than an apple after nine holes, or should we forget 'em both and just wolf down another candy bar and Coke? And do you really have to have Tiger Woods' biceps to be any good?

THOUSAND OAKS, California (Ticker)- It was an unexpected ending from one of the game's steadiest players, but Jim Furyk certainly isn't going to panic.

By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

The final official shot of 2008 was a tap-in birdie by Richard Sterne to win the South African Open in a playoff, capping his unlikely climb in the world rankings to be among 15 players Sunday earning a Masters invitation. Three players on two continents made one final push for the top 50 in the rankings to make the trip to Augusta National.

Local favorite Richard Sterne won the South African Open on Sunday after defeating Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland on the first playoff hole. The pair were tied at 14-under 274 after 72 holes at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, and Sterne (66) birdied the playoff hole after Maybin (70) pushed his tee shot into a fairway bunker and was only able to make par.