I have NEVER been as embarrassed of Golf Channel as I have been this past week.  Starting with a National Enquirer article claiming that Tiger Woods had had an affair with some bimbo who makes a living dating married men.  Yes - the  NATIONAL ENQUIRER - that bastion of journalistic integrity.  Golfers fell for it by the thousands.  No proof required...including the supposed leading voice of golf broadcasting.

Then a late night run in with a fire hydrant and a tree - followed by a trip to the hospital for a quick checkover and a ride home.  Didn't take long for "us" to climb all over this one, did it ?  Again - no need for proof - it was another race to prove that 1+1=3. 

If it's selacious - it MUST be true. Tiger is rich, right? He MUST be corrupt. 

The reports start coming in - Elin knocked out the BACK window to get to him.  Yes - the BACK window.  Why?  Because hubby was sitting in the FRONT seat - and she didn't want to whack him in the head or cover him with glass.

She got to him before calling 911 - an action that makes perfect sense unless you are a "modern" person with some strange belief that regular people can't do anything without calling the government first. (Yes, people, fire and police emergency services are govenment.)

Instead of wondering if the guy was alright - the "reporting" immediately skips to "Was Tiger running off to meet the busty blond bimbo?" 

Or "Elin must've run him out of the house after an argument over the bimbo."  No proof required - just "professional media" speculation.

And people everywhere fell for it.

Now the "media" are camped outside the gates of Isleworth hoping Tiger will come out and talk to them - condemning him for not falling all over himself on bended knee to tell his side of the story.  And when he doesn't talk to them, they write stories and blather on TV about how big a mistake it is for him to not make a public statement.

This morning, Golf Channel announced that they will have  legal "experts" and four other "experts" on Golf Central to explain the whole thing.  No matter that they don't know the whole story.  No matter that Tiger is doing the right thing by staying away from the media.  No matter that Tiger is doing the right thing by NOT making a statement to the highway patrol who keep banging on his door.

Here's news for you sycophants - he doesn't HAVE to make a statement to a cop in a car.  The same way that you and I don't HAVE to take a breathalyzer test in the field or make any kind of statement to the police without a lawyer present.

Here's a good idea for you all...wait for the FACTS to come out.  The guy was a little banged up - but he was treated and released.  He can afford insurance on his car and health insurance...and he has cash on hand enough to (1) replace the hydrant, (2) repair the water line, and (3) dig up that tree and have a new one put in if the neighbors want.

Past that - ENOUGH with the gossip.  It's embarrassing.  And SHAME on Golf Channel for carrying on the way they have.

After watching Lee Westwood's dominating final round at the Dubai World Championship, shooting a 64 to finish at 23 under par, I watched the trophy presentation, and noticed some unfortunate symbolism in one of the trophies handed to Westwood.

David Cannon/Getty Images

I like the sceptor - very cool -  but the big trophy was in the shape of an oil derrick with a golfer on top.  Pretty ironic considering that the country of Dubai has put the oil trade in the rear view mirror in order to become a worldwide tourist destination - a decision that isn't exactly working well for them, thanks to the economy.

Oh well (no pun intended) they hosted a terrific tournament and we got to watch some excellent golf, even if there were members of the media who tried to rip the course and tournament by railing on an unfinished clubhouse and unfiinshed houses lining the course.  Last time I checked, neither of those had anything to do with anything between the ropes.  You can pick on the low scores and the wide resort course fairways, and say that it isn't a course to challenge some of the best golfers in the world...but they were all playing the same course, and Westwood showed the field and the European Tour that he was #1 in 2009.

Now go work on that trophy.

No, he didn't clinch his PGA Tour card on the money list, don't be silly, it's just Friday.  What he DID do, however, was call an official for one of the simplest rules violations in the game of golf.

On the 4th hole, his 12th of the day, Fowler missed the green with his second shot, then set up to pitch onto the green.  As he was setting up, his club touched he grass, causing his ball to sink down into the grass - a one stroke penalty, and the ball must be replaced as near as possible to the ball's original position.

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment

 a. General

When a player's ball is in play, if:

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it, touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it) or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule, or

(ii)equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move,the player incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball is moved, it must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Rickie then achieves professional status by calling for an official, who was nowhere near the green and had to drive all the way to the 4th green to tell 2.0 the obvious - that he had to add a shot to his scorecard - something I'm sure he already knew, since he called an official.  The official had no way to know if Fowler was right about the ball moving...which is why golfers are expected to police themselves for the rules, so all he was doing was slowing down play for the groups behind him.

Adding to the embarrassment were former players Curt Byrum and Jerry Foltz, who announced that Fowler was "given" a one shot penalty by the official.  Wrong.  Fowler gave himself the penalty, the official just confirmed it.

So welcome to the big time, Rickie, when/if you get your card this week, we'll know that you have the rules game down.

Good lord - the first day isn't finished and I'm already regurgitating every time Val Skinner and Dottie Pepper open their mouths.  Will SOMEone tell these two that there is no such thing as a "grip...." (whatever iron the player is hitting)  They just went back to back to back holes with Ochoa talking about how she will "grip a 7-iron", or "she's hitting a grip 8."  AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG !!!!! 

Personally, I can figure out what they are talking about because I understand gripping up and down on a shaft - but please, stop talking jargon that not only doesn't exist, it makes no sense.  Of COURSE she's going to GRIP A 7-iron...how the hell else do you keep the damn club in your hands ???

I hate jargon - especially when nobody else in their right mind uses it.