A List

What golfers are talking about

• CLOSING BELL Figures that Phil Mickelson needed four extra holes on Monday to win the BellSouth. First they couldn't get the tournament started; then they couldn't end it.

• PANDORA'S BOX The USGA, which has taken heat for not reining in the ball, says it will test balls that fly farther than legally allowed. The USGA admits the issue involves spin but didn't mention public relations.

• PRODIGAL SON Jean van de Velde played for the first time in seven months, in Portugal. To everyone's relief, he didn't go to the 72nd hole with the lead. In fact, he missed the cut.

• BROADSIDED Needing only to par his final hole to win in Portugal, Barry Lane made a quintuple-bogey 9 to hand the title to Paul Broadhurst.

• COURT JESPER Jesper Parnevik arrived at the Masters but forgot his clubs. Augusta members would have preferred that he had left some of those skintight shirts at home instead.

COLOR PHOTO

STUART FRANKLIN/GETTY IMAGES (VAN DE VELDE)

Van de Velde