Cold Comfort
In november TimHerron's wife, Ann, gave birth to twin boys, and shortly thereafter the Herronsmoved the newborns and their older son from Arizona to Minnesota, where Timgrew up, to be near family. Herron, 36, admitted that the migrationnorth--where practice time would decrease in inverse proportion to hours spentdiaper-changing and shivering--brought two questions to his mind: "Is mycareer on the way to ending? Should I be satisfied with simply [keeping] mycard?" After Herron won the Colonial, a triumph he accomplished with a12-under 268 and by outlasting Richard Johnson in a two-hole playoff, theanswer to both questions is no. "I proved to myself that I can be aNorthern guy and still win," said Herron after his first victory since BayHill in 1999, a span of 203 starts. Herron played the par-4s in 10 under, bestin the field, and went a combined 13 under on the first seven holes. As Herronmodeled the bright-red plaid jacket bestowed upon the Colonial champion, hedidn't say if he thought it would keep him warm during a Minnesota winter, buthe did have plans for it. "Next year I'll wear matching pants."
En Fuego
Is there a golferon any tour hotter than Lorena Ochoa? The 24-year-old from Mexico has played in10 LPGA events so far this year and has two wins, five seconds and a tie forfourth. In the last six weeks she's sandwiched three straight second-placefinishes between a win at the Takefuji Classic and her victory in last week'sSybase Classic, where she shot a five-under 208 in the rain-shortened, 54-holeevent. The Sybase, which vaulted Ochoa back past Karrie Webb to the top of themoney list, may also carry a psychological perk: It's the first of Ochoa's fivewins with Annika Sorenstam in the field.
ALSO ...
• Greg Norman andhis wife of 25 years, Laura, have filed for divorce. • Morgan Pressel graduatedfrom Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Fla., last Saturday and turned 18three days later. • In his first start since surgery on his left hand, RyanMoore shot a three-over 283 and finished 65th at the Colonial. • Matt Kuchar,who last won the 2002 Honda Classic, prevailed in a three-hole playoff to winthe Nationwide tour's Henrico County Open.
• For new golfcolumns every day, go to SI.com/golf.
[This articlecontains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]
Survey Says ...
Hybrid use at the2006 NCAA men's regionals was up 55% over last year. Here are the five mostpopular hybrid lofts (by degree) at last week's venues.
Loft | Players |
19° | 73 |
16° | 19 |
17° | 8 |
22° | 4 |
20° | 3 |
The Darrell Survey has tracked equipment usage at tournaments since 1938.
"Amy Sabbatini first caused a stir in fall2004" -- Amy's T-Time, Page G12
New Math
Tiger Woods rents an entire hotel (with a helipad) for the British Open
[$58 MILLION WINNINGS / HUMBLE START] * DESIRE FORPRIVACY + ENTOURAGE + NO TRAFFIC = PRIVATE HOTEL
PHOTO
SCOTT HALLERAN/GETTY IMAGES (HERRON)
 MINNYTOUR
Herron wondered if his game would go south after a relocationnorth.
FIVE PHOTOS
DON MASON/CORBIS (TRUCK); JAMES LEYNSE/CORBIS (MOTEL 6); SUNSET BOULEVARD/CORBIS (GRETA GARBO); KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES (ENTOURAGE CAST); CORBIS (HELICOPTER)
TWO PHOTOS