With Tiger’s Game in Shambles, Players Scramble for PGA Tour Glory

Paramus, New Jersey - The dominance of Tiger Woods becomes even more defined when he can’t beat anyone at all.

In the years when he wasn’t winning a major or three, Woods compensated by winning at least five times on the US PGA Tour against some of the strongest fields on some of the toughest courses.

He won 31 times and six majors in the previous five years.

The only time during that span that Woods did not win USPGA Tour player of the year was in 2008, when he made it through only half the year until his knee gave out.

Padraig Harrington captured the last two majors to win the award. He won four times in six starts, including a US Open.

The FedEx Cup playoffs get under way this week at The Barclays, and Woods is at No. 112 in the standings, right between Bob Estes and Cameron Beckman.

Dominance has given way to parity.

Five players have multiple victories this year — Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Justin Rose and Hunter Mahan — yet none of them has more than two wins, and none of them won a major.

Why has no one filled the void?

“That’s how good Tiger Wood is — that’s what I make of it,” Adam Scott said on Tuesday.

Golf is bunched up at the moment, at least on the US PGA Tour.

“No one has separated themselves,” Mahan said. “Tiger hasn’t won five times. You’ve got a bunch of guys who have won twice.”

In its first three years, the FedEx Cup has provided four great tournaments after the majors were over, and the list of winners backs that up — three wins for Woods; two apiece for Mickelson, Stricker, Vijay Singh and Camilo Villegas; and Heath Slocum as the outsider, but only after beating Woods, Stricker, Harrington and Els on the last hole.

This year — thanks to Woods — it’s a little different.

The four playoff events over the next five weeks will likely decide who is the best player on the US PGA Tour this year. Not only is there no clear-cut favorite for player of the year, it’s hard to determine the front-runner.

Winning the FedEx Cup might be all it takes for Els to be voted player of the year. Then again, it’s mathematically possible for him to do that without winning another tournament. Can a guy get voted best player with only two wins and no majors?

The defining shot of this goofy season was the 6-iron Mickelson hit through the pines on the 13th at Augusta National when he won the Masters.

He is the only major champion in the FedEx Cup because the other three — Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer — were not US Tour members.

For the eighth time over the last three months, Mickelson will have yet another chance to replace Woods atop the world ranking. It should have happened by now, as poorly as Woods has performed. Trouble is, Mickelson hasn’t been much better.

He has not finished in the top 10 in the four tournaments he has played since the US Open.

Mahan won in Phoenix, got engaged to a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, then won his first World Golf Championship title at Firestone. He would get consideration with a victory or two in the next month, plus the $10 million prize for the FedEx Cup.

The same holds true for Stricker, Furyk and Rose. Someone needs to separate themselves from the pack.

“I guess there’s a lot of people in the mix,” said Dustin Johnson, who recently lost the PGA Championship for grounding his club harmlessly in a bunker. “But whoever has a good playoffs will probably be the top candidate.” (Doug Ferguson)

Associated Press

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Asia’s Grand Slam Renaissance Put on Hold, Again

Asia’s wait for its first Grand Slam singles winner goes on.

As Taiwan’s Chan Yung-Jan walked off court after being hammered 6-1, 6-0 by top seed Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday, the continent’s interest in the final Grand Slam of the year dwindled.

Asia’s failure to get a single player into the fourth round of either the men’s or women’s draw at Flushing Meadows is a disappointing outlay bearing in mind the promise shown of late by a growing hotbed of tennis talent.

Asia looked set to break its Grand Slam record at January’s Australian Open when Chinese duo Li Na and Zheng Jie reached the semifinals.

But the rest of 2010 proved disappointing with just three more quarterfinalists in the subsequent Grand Slams, Li and Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan at Wimbledon and Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova at the French Open.

Asia’s longest-lasting player at the current US Open, Chan Yung-Jan, is not overly concerned about the continent’s poor showing in New York.

“For our country it’s better for us — it’s the best result we’ve ever had,” said the world No. 77. “I know everyone’s out of the tournament from Asia but we are growing all the time and Asian tennis is getting better,” she said.

In all, there are six men in the world’s top 100 but the continent’s male contingent boasts just one Grand Slam quarterfinal spot in the last 15 years courtesy of Lu in London in July.

A first Asian Grand Slam winner looks far likelier to come from the current crop of women, who boast nine players in the top 100, including the 21-year-old Chan .

“You never know who’s going to make the breakthrough and when,” she said. “For the moment, everybody is working hard and you never know what’s going to happen next.” 

Reuters

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Nyaoga Community Dispensary Clinical Officer

Principal Responsibilities:
Providing clinical services in accordance with national treatment guidelines including outpatient care, diagnostics and treatment, HIV care services, TB treatment, and health education;
management duties in the health facilities including ensuring availability of equipment and consumable commodities, safety and security of premises, property, staff and patients, and the keeping of up-to-date and confidential clinical records, and preparation and
conveyance of required reports to the District Medical Office, Project Health facilitators and other partners.
Maintaining compliance with all operations of the dispensary.
Qualifications Required:
Diploma in Clinical Medicine;
Current registration with the Kenya Clinical Officers’ Council;
3 plus years experience preferred;
Able to speak and understand Dholuo, Kiswahili, and English;
Housing and uniform allowance provided;
One year plus commitment required;
References produced upon request; and submit salary requirements with application letter and CV by 15th September, 2010.

Call: 0715786897

or email: nyaogaclinic@gmail.com

Nyaoga Community Dispensary
Along Pala- Aros Roa
Near Kendu Bay (1.5 Hours from Kisumu)

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Nicky Hayden at Ducati for next two years

Nicky Hayden has agreed a new two-year contract with Ducati, which means the American will continue to ride a factory Desmosedici in the last year of 800cc racing (2011) and first year of the new 1000cc rules (2012).

Hayden will team-up with seven time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, who leaves Yamaha at the end of this season to replace Casey Stoner. Rossi also has a two-year contract.

Hayden and Rossi were team-mates in 2003 at Repsol Honda, during Hayden's first MotoGP season.

The #69 has been far more competitive during his second year at Ducati, scoring more than twice as many points compared with this time last year, and inflicting two rare team-mate defeats on Stoner, on his way to sixth in the world championship after ten rounds.

Hayden is yet to better fourth place in 2010 - which he has achieved four times - but has claimed his first ever Ducati front row start for Sunday's Indianapolis round.

"I am very proud to be signing for Ducati again," Hayden stated. "Last year I felt like I rode for Ducati but now I really feel as if I am a Ducati rider. The team, sponsors and Ducati fans have really taken me in and supported me a lot and I really hope to pay them back with the results they deserve.

"Next year I'll be teamed with some guy named Rossi who knows a little something about bikes! We're going to have a strong squad - I won't predict results but I have no doubt this team will have some real passion, real worth ethic and a lot of fun. It is the start of a new era at Ducati and it is an honour for me to be a part of it," added the 2006 world champion.

Ducati Corse Director Filippo Preziosi highlighted Hayden's never-give-up attitude and attention to detail as his greatest qualities and he expects the American to continue to improve over the next two years.

“We are really pleased that Nicky will be staying with us for the next two years. It is no secret that he is a rider who never gives up, his whole racing history shows it. As a person his tenacity is an example for us all because he shows us that nothing is impossible if you truly believe. His progress since arriving at Ducati has been impressive and I am sure this trend will continue in the future.

"Nicky is also a special rider because of his attention to every detail and for him having Valentino as his team-mate means a huge contribution towards the development of an even more competitive motorcycle. I think it is these characteristics that have won the hearts of all the Ducatisti and that is the reason why a Ducati is the bike for him right now.”

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Dani Pedrosa wins, Ben Spies second at Indy

For the first time since joining MotoGP in 2006, Dani Pedrosa has won more than two races in a single season after taking his third win of the year at Indianapolis on Sunday.

The Repsol Honda rider worked his way up from fourth on lap one and took the lead by accelerating past home hero - and pole sitter - Ben Spies on the main straight on lap 7 of 28, then rode to a comfortable 3.575sec victory.

After being overtaken, star rookie Spies held his own in second place for the rest of the race, marking his best ever grand prix finish and second podium of the year, after a third at Silverstone.

The final podium position went to MotoGP title leader Jorge Lorenzo, who suffered his worst finish of the season, but at least kept his perfect 2010 podium record intact.

Lorenzo crossed the line 3.237sec from 2011 team-mate Spies and 5.821sec in front of present Fiat Yamaha colleague Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo will take a reduced 68-point lead over nearest title rival Pedrosa into next weekend's Misano round.

World champion Valentino Rossi, who had fallen three times this weekend and qualified just seventh, rebuilt his confidence in the race and got stronger as the race went on – rising from sixth at the end of lap one to take fourth place, from Pedrosa's team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, on lap 21.

Nicky Hayden, who claimed his first Ducati front row with third in qualifying, saw his hopes of a strong result damaged when a knee slider came loose early in the race.

Third at the end of lap one, Hayden dropped back to seventh by lap 6, but moved up a place when team-mate Casey Stoner lost the front of his factory Desmosedici and crashed out - while just behind Rossi - two laps later.

Rookie Marco Simoncelli was seventh at the end of lap one and retained that place at the chequered flag for San Carlo Honda Gresini, but team-mate Marco Melandri made an early exit from his 200th grand prix, crashing out on lap 3.

Alvaro Bautista put in a commendable ride in the tyre-melting temperatures to rise from 13th on lap one to eighth at the flag. Aleix Espargaro was the only Pramac rider to finish after team-mate Mika Kallio crashed out of ninth with eight laps to go.

The fourth rider not to reach the flag was Spies' Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Edwards, who made two pits stops before retiring. The Texan seemed to suffer tyre problems.

Hiroshi Aoyama, making his MotoGP return from a fractured vertebra at Silverstone, finished in twelfth, with another recovering rider - Honda LCR's Randy de Puniet - 13th and last.

Indianapolis Grand Prix:

1. Pedrosa
2. Spies
3. Lorenzo
4. Rossi
5. Dovizioso
6. Hayden
7. Simoncelli
8. Bautista
9. Espargaro
10. Capirossi
11. Barbera
12. Aoyama
13. de Puniet

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Indian Ocean Beach Resort, Diani Night Club Manager Job Vacancy

We are inviting applications for this post, closing date end August.

Applicants should have a good education and experience in the food and entertainment branch of hotel management.

The successful applicant will have the ability to meet sales quotas and profit margins, acquiring and training suitable staff to achieve this; overseeing all ordering processes, planning and implementing promotions, and be totally honest

In all aspects of financial transactions.

He/she must be able to work well with people, both staff and customers, have planning skills and innovative ideas on promotion and performance, and the ability to make competent decisions to ensure the success of the Club.

We are also interested with experienced Bouncers

Applications by email with a full CV and details of experience to ckabando@yahoo.com

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Coastal Bottlers Ltd General Sales Manager Job Vacancy

We are a leading Soft Drink Manufacturing Company based in Mombasa having the franchise rights for the Coast Province from the Coca-Cola Company.

We are looking for self driven exceptional Individual filled with ambition, right attitude and relevant skills to take up the following position.

General Sales Manager

The role is critical in developing and driving the Company’s trade strategy and operational excellence.

The successful candidate should be:
A University graduate with a bias in a business related degree from a recognized university.
Have a working experience in Sales & Marketing function in a FMCG
The individual would be expected to develop and execute Sales & Marketing,
Be able to develop Business Plans, achieve and surpass the set sales targets
Will be required to Manage distributors and the distribution network
Should also have strong interpersonal skills
Must be extremely self-motivated coupled with a proven track record.
Proven track record of effective People Management and knowledge of how to coach others and develop skills.
If you meet the above requirements, please send us your detailed C.V indicating your specific attainments in your professional career, your current gross emoluments, three referees one of whom should be the penultimate employer together with copies of relevant certificates and testimonials to reach us not later than 23rd September 2010.

Any direct or indirect canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.

Coastal Bottlers Ltd
Next to Zios EPZ Marifuni, Mtwapa
P.O. Box 83154
Mombasa

or e-mail careers@coastalbottlers.co.ke

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