Tiger Woods yesterday denied that he had parted company with his coach, Hank Haney.
"Contrary to rumours, I have not split with Hank, my friend and swing coach," said the world No.1 in a newsletter on his website. "He's spent more time at home helping his wife deal with health issues, which is the way it should be.
"Besides, I've become much better at correcting my swing flaws, and that's ultimately where you want to get to with a coach-pupil relationship. Hank is still going to be my coach; that's not changing."
Woods was generally content with a year highlighted by victory in the US PGA Championship which brought his total of major titles to 13, a mere five short of Jack Nicklaus' haul.
"On the course, I finished strong and won seven tournaments, which isn't too bad," he said. "Other than my putting, it was a pretty consistent year. My ball-striking was solid, but I was hot and cold with my putter, which is kind of unusual for me. At times, I struggled with my pace."
He revealed that his four-month-old daughter Sam Alexis had already held a golf club. "I didn't start swinging a club until I was 11 months so she has seven months before that happens," he said.
Meanwhile, Michelle Wie has opted to skip the Japanese Tour's Casio World Open next month while she recovers from hand injuries. In her two appearances at one of Japan's richest men's events, the 18-year-old from Hawaii missed the cut by one stroke in 2005 and last year was second last, missing out by 17 strokes.
nElliot Saltman hopes to secure a full card for next year's European Challenge Tour in the £100,000 PGA EuroPro Tour Championship which starts today at the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews, writes Nick Rodger.
The 25-year-old is No.6 on the EuroPro order of merit and is just £600 short of a top-five spot which would seal promotion to the next level. With a £30,000 first prize on offer to the winner after 54 holes, the Craigielaw rookie has a real chance to continue his climb up the pro ladder.
Saltman will join his younger brother Lloyd in Stage 2 of the European Tour's qualifying school in Spain next week. If he reaches the final, he will also gain a Challenge Tour ranking but he said: "I have a better chance of getting my Challenge Tour card here than through the tour school."
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