Pebble Beach: Charlie Wi leads by 3: Tiger Woods six behind

Charlie Wi, who played college golf at the University of California, didn't mind the suddenly cool and rainy weather that arrived at Pebble Beach during Friday's second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Wi, born in Seoul but now a Californian, has a three-shot lead over two-time tournament winner Dustin Johnson after two rounds. Wi, who turned 40 last month, has never won a PGA Tour event. He is 12-under 130 after the first two rounds and shot a 69 Friday at the Pebble Beach course.

Tiger Woods, playing his first PGA Tour event of the year, is six shots behind Wi and tied for 16th after his two-under 68 Friday on the Monterery Peninsula course. Phil Mickelson made a move Friday, shooting a five-under 65 at Monterey Peninsula and is seven under for the tournament and tied for eighth.

Woods mentioned that he felt pain in his right wrist when his club hit the ground hard on the eighth hole.

"It hurt like (heck) when I did it," Woods said. He said the pain disappeared quickly. "Hurt just that one shot. Once I popped it back in, it was good. It was just a joint. No big deal. The problem was, I was in a divot. So I was in a divot on an uphill slope, and it was a tough combo."

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-- Diane Pucin, reporting from Pebble Beach

Photo: Charlie Wi hits off the 18th tee of Pebble Beach Golf Links during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament on Friday. Credit: Ben Margot / Associated Press

World No. 1 Luke Donald in Northern Trust Open field

Luke Donald, ranked No. 1 in the world, will make his United States and PGA Tour debut next week when he plays in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.

Defending champion Aaron Baddeley will try to become the seventh player in tournament history to win back-to-back titles. The last man to do it, Phil Mickelson (in 2008-09) is also in the field.

Fan favorite Fred Couples will also be in the tournament and trying to win for his third time (he won in 1992 and 1994).

2011 PGA Tour rookie of the year Keegan Bradley is also in the field and will make his second career start at the Northern Trust Open. Bradley burst onto the scene in 2011 with two victories, first at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and then again in dramatic fashion at the PGA Championship. He became the first player to win in his first-career start in a major championship since Ben Curtis at the 2003 British Open and the first rookie to win twice on TOUR, including a major, since Todd Hamilton in 2004. Bradley missed the cut last year in his first start at the Northern Trust Open.

“On the eve of the 2012 Northern Trust Open, we’re thrilled with the way our field has taken shape,” said Executive Director Jerry West. “Our defending champion Aaron Baddeley will have a tall task in his attempt to repeat, as the field features many of the biggest names in golf."

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-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Luke Donald plays a shot on the first hole at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Jan. 28. Credit: Shijilesh Ulleri / Associated Press

Pebble Beach: Tiger Woods birdies, moves into 10th place

Tiger Woods birdied the par-five 12th hole on the Monterey Peninsula course Friday at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which drew a huge roar and pulled Woods to seven-under for the tournament, tied for 10th overall.  Woods is four shots behind co-leaders Dustin Johnson, a two-time winner here, and Charlie Wi, who is trying to become the first University of California alum to win on the PGA Tour.

Johnson is through 11 holes on Spyglass Hill and Wi is through 14 at Pebble Beach.

Woods hit his approach shot on the 12th to within about two feet of the cup. He had chosen to lay up rather than go for the green with his second shot. Friday he has birdied two of the three par-fives on Monterey Peninsula. Unfortunately for Tiger, he has no more par-fives left this afternoon.

Umbrellas are coming out as a misty rain has begun.

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Pebble Beach: Tiger Woods into top 10

Tiger Woods, working on a round of two-under par through nine holes at the Monterey Peninsula course, a course that joined the rotation only last year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, has also hoisted himself into a tie for ninth in the second round Friday.

He has birdied back-to-back holes including a crowd-pleasing two on the par-three seventh after his tee shot landed to within 15 feet of the pin. On the par-five sixth hole, Woods teased the large gallery with a chance at a 10-foot eagle putt. He had to "settle" for a birdie.

Leading the tournament right now is first-round co-leader Charlie Wi who is at 11-under through 10 holes of the Pebble Beach course. He is a shot ahead of two-time champion Dustin Johnson, who is through eight holes on Spyglass Hill, and Kevin Na, who is through nine on Monterey Peninsula and who played that nine in four-under.

Clouds have covered the sun and it has become sweater weather though the wind is calm. In the gloom, though, you can't miss Ricky Fowler, whose outfit is somwhere between electric yellow and some mad scientist's creation of greenish-yellow. In any case, the color is brighter than the day or his score, so far of even-par for the tournament, good only for a tie for 92nd at the moment.

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-- Diane Pucin, reporting from Pebble Beach

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Pebble Beach: Tiger Woods birdies first hole, bogeys fourth

It's another beautiful day at Pebble Beach, and for Tiger Woods it's a new experience. The last time Woods played the AT&T Pebble Beach  National Pro-Am 10 years ago, the Monterey Peninsula course wasn't part of the three-course rotation.

This year it is, and Woods promptly birdied the 391-yard par-four first hole there Friday. It put him at five-under for the tournament at the time, but he bogeyed the par-four fourth when he drove into a fairway bunker and could not make a 10-footer to save par.

Charlie Wi, also playing Friday's second round at Pebble Beach, is the leader at 11 under. Danny Lee, playing Spyglass, is 10 under.

Among other notable happenings, 49-year-old Steve Elkington withdrew after five holes Friday with a rib injury. He was four over par during his round at Spyglass.

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Pebble Beach: Ken Duke early leader; Tiger Woods in hunt

Ken Duke, a 43-year-old veteran who has been on and off the PGA Tour since 1996, shot an eight-under par 64 Thursday and became the first leader in the club house at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am during Thursday's first round.

Tiger Woods, playing his first PGA Tour event of this season, is three-under par through 13 holes at Spyglass Hills. Woods had gotten to four-under before he bogeyed the par-four 13th.

Duke had six birdies and an eagle on the back nine at the Pebble Beach layout for a course-record 28. Duke, from Hope, Ark., had scoliosis so badly as a child that he needed a metal rod put in his back to fix the 51% curvature. Duke hasn't won a PGA Tour event in his career.

Even Duke was dismayed at his total round. He was even par after the front nine and then, for no reason he could figure out, Duke only made one par on the back nine. The rest were better.

"Made about a 15-foot birdie on 10. Then hit it probably about 6 feet on 12, made it. Hit the pin on 13 and came back about 6, 7 feet, made that. Then made about a 15-, 16-footer on 14; same thing on 15; 16-footer on 14. Same thing on 15, probably about a 12-footer, something like that, then the eagle on 16 and about a 12-or-so-footer on the last," Duke said. It was the par-three 17th hole that Duke parred or he would have had a 27.

Duke's clubhouse lead might not last long though.

Danny Lee, who is through 16 holes on Pebble Beach, and Charlie Wi, who is through 15 holes at Monterey, are both nine-under.

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-- Diane Pucin in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Photo: Ken Duke. Credit: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press.

Pebble Beach: Tiger Woods returns to start U.S. 2012 season

Tiger Woods kicks off his 2012 PGA Tour season Thursday at Pebble Beach with amateur playing partner Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, at the Spyglass Hill course.

And it's not a back kickoff so far, even with a quarterback as a partner. Woods has birdied his first two holes at Spyglass Hill and is 2-under. That's three shots off the lead because Northern Californian Nick Watney has played nine holes so far at Spyglass and he's 5-under.

Yes, the weather is beautiful. The wind is nonexistent.

Woods began his round on the par-four 10th hole and after a picture-perfect drive, his wedge shot hit the stick. A three-foot birdie was almost an anticlimax for the 10-deep gallery.

Tiger, whose swing coach Sean Foley was in the gallery, seemed pleased on the par-5 11th, when Tiger hit another great drive. His approach left Woods a 14-foot putt for eagle. The ball touched the cup but didn't drop. Another anticlimactic birdie.

The tournament leader so far is Watney, also playing Spyglass.

John Huh, the 21-year-old who now lives in Los Angeles and is in in first year on the PGA Tour, is at three-under through 17 on Spyglass. Phil Mickelson, who has continually said how happy he is with his game this season while not coming close to winning a tournament, is 1-under through four holes at Spyglass.

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-- Diane Pucin, reporting from Pebble Beach, Calif.

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Rickie Fowler not a contender at Farmers Insurance Open

Rickie Fowler, the 23-year-old from Murrieta, Calif., who is a fan favorite because he wears golf outfits that would stand out on a fashion runway, because his hair is long and because his background is unconventional -- Fowler learned the game on public courses and was a dirt bike racer for a while -- is still looking for his first PGA Tour win.

Evidence of how difficult winning is was clear Sunday. Fowler's friend Kyle Stanley, 24, was set to become a first-time PGA Tour winner Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines when he took a three-shot lead to the par-five 18th hole. Stanley, though, hit into the water and missed a four-foot putt for double bogey. His eight put him into a tie with Brandt Snedeker and into a playoff.

Fowler had been expected to become the next great American golf star since he came out of Oklahoma State, did a short apprenticeship on the Nationwide Tour and then joined the PGA Tour two years ago.

Fowler has finished second four times and third once, but his only win has been in the Kolon Korea Open, a non-PGA Tour event, last fall.

This was Fowler's first tournament of the 2012 season, and his rounds of 68, 70, 71 and 70 kept him safely in the middle of the field but never close enough to the top to be considered a threat to win. Fowler's 279 had him tied for 13th. He will play this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and is scheduled to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in two weeks. He said Sunday that he is undecided about playing in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.

Even though he was not a contender Sunday, the galleries following Fowler were large.

"It's fun for me," he said.

Fowler said he does not have a timeline for earning his first PGA Tour win.

"Where I am today, it's been a huge success. I guess [winning] is kind of the one thing that just needs to be done. I'm going to get my first win out of the way and, like I said, that's one of my main goals going into this year."

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-- Diane Pucin, reporting from La Jolla

Photo: Rickie Fowler watches his tee shot at No. 18 during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday. Credit: Donald Miralle / Getty Images

What kind of year will Tiger Woods have in 2012? [Poll]

Tiger Woods is at Abu Dhabi this week, in good health and even better spirits as he kicks off his 2012 season.

Basically he's ready to kick some butt!

After enduring a rather miserable year for most of 2011, which included injuries and poor play, Woods appeared to turn things around with a strong final month or so, which concluded with a victory at the Chevron World Challenge, his first win in more than two years.

So can we expect more of the same from Woods now that he appears to have gotten over the hump? Is he back to the Woods that was a threat to run away with every event he entered, and quite often would do just that?

It was once seen as a given that he would eventually break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major tournament victories. But the 36-year-old Woods has been stuck on 14 for quite some time now -- will he be any closer by the time this season is over?

How do you think he will do this year? Vote in the poll, then leave a comment explaining why you voted the way you did.

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Photo: Tiger Woods enjoys himself during the pro-am event at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Wednesday. Credit: Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images

Tiger Woods looking to continue comeback in 2012

Tiger Woods is poised for a comeback in 2012. He finished strong last year, taking finished third at the Australian Open, delivering the clinching point for the U.S. at the Presidents Cup and winning the Chevron World Challenge, his first victory in more than two years.

Plus, Woods said Tuesday, he's starting the season healthy for the first time in at least eight years.

“It's been quite a few years since I've been physically fit,” Woods said during a news conference at the Abu Dhabi Championship. “So I'm looking forward to getting out there and giving it a full season, which I haven't done in a while.”

Woods started 2011 at No. 2 in the world rankings but dropped out of the top 50 after missing much of the season with injuries and often not playing well when he was able to participate. But he recovered toward the end of the year to finish with both a No. 25 ranking and increased confidence.

Now he's looking to continue riding that momentum, starting this week against a field that includes top-ranked Luke Donald, second-ranked Lee Westwood, defending champion Martin Kaymer and U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy.

Big Break Ireland competitor gets Northern Trust Open exemption

Fans of the Golf Channel reality show Big Break Ireland will recognize the newest member to the field of the Northern Trust Open which will be held at Riviera Country Club Feb. 14-19.

Andy Walker, who became a major character on the show for his outspoken honesty, will make his first career PGA Tour start at Riviera. Walker is a Pepperdine graduate and played for the Waves' 1997 NCAA champion team.

With the 2012 Northern Trust Open less than a month away, Walker, a 36-year old who lives in Phoenix, Ariz., was chosen from a pool of applicants to receive the exemption, created and sponsored by Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS). The annual exemption provides an opportunity for a top golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf and wouldn’t otherwise be eligible to compete in the event.

Walker is the fourth recipient of the Northern Trust Open Exemption, following Vincent Johnson (2009), Joshua Wooding (2010) and Joseph Bramlett (2011).

“Playing the PGA Tour has been a dream of mine for a long time, and I look forward to competing against the game’s best next month at the Northern Trust Open,” Walker said. “For years, I’ve strived to represent myself, my family, my community and my heritage in golf the best way I know how.  A goal of mine is to use my knowledge of the game to improve the quality of instruction and caliber of facilities for those who otherwise could not afford them. I want to produce or inspire future TOURplayers from my community, and I’m hopeful that playing in the Northern Trust Open will help me do that.  I’m extremely grateful to Northern Trust, not only for affording me this opportunity, but also for instituting an exemption that helps promote and encourage diversity in golf.”

Heavily recruited following high school and junior golf, Walker began his collegiate career at Scottsdale Community College, but transferred to Pepperdine University after competing with Jason Gore at the Pacific Coast Amateur the summer after his freshman year. Walker and Gore helped Pepperdine capture the 1997 NCAA Championship. Both are now in the field at the Northern Trust Open after Gore received a sponsor’s exemption earlier this month, in part because Gore and his friends encouraged a Twitter campaign to get the local a spot in the field.

Over a 12-year professional career, Walker has won tournaments all over the world and has spent the last three years competing on various mini tours, including the Gateway Tour and the Canadian Tour. In 2007, Walker and longtime friend and former NFL player Seth Joyner created the Joyner-Walker Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing life skill programs for high school and college students. The foundation organizes celebrity golf tournaments to benefit local charities.

-- Diane Pucin