This week: Nationwide Tour's Moonah Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Moonah Links, Fingal, Victoria, Australia.

Third-round score: 4-over-par 76.

Fourth-round score: 1-under 71.

Position: Putnam (even-par 288) will finish in the top 40, and cash his first paycheck in 2009.

Recap: The Tacoma golfer certainly made strides, but still has a few kinks to work out. His 13 birdies were matched by 13 bogeys. His two eagles were matched by a pair of double bogeys. The fourth round was easily his best ball-striking round of the season (hit 13 of 14 fairways, and 15 of 18 greens in regulation) on a course that has played difficult.

Next: HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship starting Thursday at Clearwater Golf Cllub in Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand. He will play tournaments on back-to-back weeks in that country before returning to the continental schedule.

This week: Nationwide Tour's Moonah Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Moonah Links, Fingal, Victoria, Australia.

First-round score: 2-over-par 74.

Second-round score: 5-under-par 67.

Position: Putnam (3-under 141) sits in a group tied for 22nd, five strokes behind co-leaders Michael Sim and Josh Teater.

Recap: The Tacoma golfer posted his first under-par round of 2009 when he came out blazing in his opening nine holes (four birdies, one eagle). He was 6-under during a five-hole stretch, including an eagle at the par-5 15th. Putnam has had an eagle in each of his first two rounds.

Tee time Saturday: 10:57 a.m. local time with Adam Bland.

This week: PGA Tour's Mayakoba Golf Classic, Thursday through Sunday, El Camaleon Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

First-round score: 12-over-par 82.

Position: After his round, Kelly withdrew from the tournament. Bo Van Pelt leads after his 7-under 63.

Recap: Three double bogeys, and a quadruple bogey-8 on the par-4 14th led to Kelly's worst round of 2008. He hit eight of 18 greens in regulation. He was one of three golfers to withdraw after the first round.

Next: The field for next week's Honda Classic won't be set until today, so it is uncertain when Kelly will play next.

This week: Nationwide Tour's Moonah Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Moonah Links, Fingal, Victoria, Australia.

World ranking: 645th.

2009 earnings: Zero.

Last tournament: Putnam, a Life Christian Academy graduate, missed the cut at the season-opening Panama Digicel Championship (13-over 153), shooting a first-round 80. The Tacoma golfer has gone through a swing change in the offseason, and said it could be a few events before his game starts clicking. He's had three weeks off to practice before teeing it up in Australia.

Tee time Thursday: 9:20 p.m. PST Wednesday (1:20 p.m. Thursday local time) with Steven Jones and Garrett Osborn.

This week: PGA Tour's Mayakoba Golf Classic, Thursday through Sunday, El Camaleon, Riviera Maya, Mexico.

World ranking: 1,169th.

2009 earnings: $11,178 (185th on the PGA Tour).

Last tournament: Kelly, the Tacoma native, hasn't made a cut since opening with a tied-for-65th at the Sony Open in mid-January. Since then, he's missed three cuts in a row – with five of his past six rounds scoring 75 or higher. The University of Washington product had last week off, and comes into an even he certainly cash in, considering it is opposite of the World Match Play Championship. The field for this tournament has gotten considerably stronger with former major championship winners such as Rich Beem, Lee Janzen, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, David Toms and Bob Tway playing this week.

Tee time Thursday: 10:45 a.m. PST off the first tee with Mauricio Azcue and Matt Weibring.

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – Accenture Match Play Championship

Site: Marana, Ariz.

Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday.

Course: Dove Mountain, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club (7,466 yards, par 72).

Purse: $8.5 million. Winner’s share: $1.4 million.

Television (all times PST): Golf Channel (Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30-8:30 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 p.m.-2 a.m., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 p.m.-2 a.m., 7-11 a.m.; Sunday, 7-10:30 a.m.) and NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.).

Last year: Tiger Woods beat Stewart Cink, 8-and-7, in the 36-hole final at The Gallery for his fifth conseucutive victory and 15th World Golf Championship title. Woods also won in 2003 and 2004 and reached the 2000 final, losing to Darren Clarke.

Last week: Phil Mickelson successfully defended his Northern Trust Open title, beating Steve Stricker by a stroke at Riviera. Mickelson went from a four-shot lead at the start of the final round to a two-shot deficit with three holes to play. He birdied 16 and 17 and wrapped up his 35th tour victory with a 6-foot par putt on 18.

Notes: Woods is making his first start since winning the U.S. Open on June 16. He had surgery a week later to reconstruct the ligaments in his left knee. He’ll open against Australia’s Brendan Jones, an eight-time winner on the Japanese tour. Woods has a 31-6 record in the event, with three of the losses coming at the hands of Australians — Peter O’Malley in the first round in 2002, and Nick O’Hern in the second rounds in 2005 and 2007. … Mickelson will open against Angel Cabrera. … The tournament is in its first year at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Ritz-Carlton after two years at The Gallery. … The Honda Classic is next week in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., followed by the WGC-CA Championship at Doral in Miami — opposite the Puerto Rico Open.

On the Net: http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com
PGA Tour site: http://www.pgatour.com

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This week: PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, Thursday through Sunday, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles.

Moore's fourth-round score: Even-par 71.

Position: Moore (3-over 287) finished 71st, 18 strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson (269).

Recap: The one thing you can count on with Moore, he gives it an earnest effort, even when it's time to get the tournament over and done with. The Puyallup golfer fell to 5-over with two early bogeys, but rallied with three birdies in a six-hole stretch (Nos. 1, 5 and 6). In fact, he birdied the par-3 sixth in three of the four rounds, including Sunday when his tee shot from 199 yards out landed close, and he made a 9-foot putt. Moore took home $12,474.

Next: Moore did not make the field at the WGC Match Play Championships in Arizona, and is not entered at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. The next full-field event is the Honda Classic starting March 5 in Palm Beach, Fla.

This week: PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, Thursday through Sunday, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles.

Moore's third-round score: 6-over-par 77.

Position: Moore (3-over 216) holds the 75th position in the field, which is last, and trails leader Phil Mickelson (197) by 19 strokes.

Recap: Another Saturday, another 77 – that is what it has been for the Puyallup product, who fired that score and missed the cut at last week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His round was the worst of the day by two shots, and featured three bogeys and a triple bogey on the drivable par-4 10th hole that is 315 yards. He was in a greenside bunker after his drive, and it took five shots after that just to get the ball on the green (including leaving his second shot in the bunker).

Tee time Sunday: 10:35 a.m. PST off Riviera CC's 10th tee with Ben Crane and Charlie Wi.

This week: PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, Thursday through Sunday, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles.

Second-round score: Even-par 71.

Position: By day's end, Moore (3-under 139) should be around the top 30 somewhere (he's currently tied for 29th).

Recap: The good news is the Puyallup resident made the cut for the second time in five tournaments. The not-so-good news is was near the top 10 midway through his round after being 2-under at one point, and could not hold that position. Moore added two more birdies on par-3 holes, including one on the notable bunker-in-the-middle-of-the-putting-surface sixth. It was playing 202 yards Friday, and Moore carried his tee shot to the back part of the green, stopping it 17 inches from the cup. He made birdie, one of three on his round.

Tee time Friday: To be determined.

This week: PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, Thursday through Sunday, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles.

First-round score: 3-under-par 68.

Position: Moore is in a group at 21st, five strokes behind leader, and defending champion Phil Mickelson (63).

Recap: The UNLV product from Puyallup matched his best opening round of the season (shot 68 at the Bob Hope Classic), and continues to be one of the better golfers on tour in par-3 scoring (12 birdies in 56 holes). His 9-iron on the 152-yard, par-3 sixth stopped close, and he made a 7-foot putt for birdie. Moore hit it even closer on the 161-yard, par-3 16th, and sank a 5-footer for birdie. He had five birdies on his round.

Tee time Friday: 7 a.m. PST off Riviera CC's 10th tee.

This week: PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open, Thursday through Sunday, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles.

World ranking: 150th.

2009 earnings: $194,250 (51st on the PGA Tour).

Last tournament: A final-hole double bogey, in windy and rainy weather conditions Saturday at Pebble Beach (the last round played of the rain-shortened 54-hole event), derailed Moore's attempt to make the cut (even-par 216). He's off to a career-worst start in a season – three missed cuts in his first four events – but should feel comfortable at Riviera CC where he made the cut at last year's tournament (5-over 288, tied for 48th). Even though his 71.48-stroke scoring average ranks 105th on tour, the Puyallup golfer is one of a handful who is under-par on par-3s (4-under, tied for 12th), par-4s (1-under, tied for 60th) and par-5s (10-under, tied for 150th).

Tee time Thursday: 11:40 a.m. PST off Riviera CC's first tee with Tommy Armour III and Jason Bohn.

PGA TOUR's Northern Trust Open

Site: Los Angeles.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Riviera Country Club (7,279 yards, par 71).

Purse: $6.3 million. Winner’s share: $1,134,000.

Television (all times PST): Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, noon-3 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3:30 p.m.).

Last year: Phil Mickelson won the first of his two 2008 PGA Tour victories, beating Jeff Quinney by two strokes. Mickelson opened with rounds of 68 and 64 and finished with two 70s for a 12-under 272 total.

Last week: Dustin Johnson won at Pebble Beach on Monday when rain washed out the fourth round for the second straight day. Johnson finished at 15 under, four strokes ahead of Mike Weir. The 24-year-old Johnson won for the second in his last nine starts to join Anthony Kim as the only players under-25 with multiple PGA Tour wins.

Notes: Mickelson is playing for the fourth straight week. He tied for 55th at Pebble Beach with rounds of 72, 71 and 71 after tying for 42nd in the Buick Invitational (70-72-73-75) and missing the cut in the FBR Open (76-73). … Charles Howell III won in 2007, making three pars in a playoff for a dramatic victory over Mickelson. … Weir swept the 2003-04 titles. … Puyallup's Ryan Moore is playing for a fifth consecutive week, and likely will take next week off if he doesn't win and get into the World Match Play Championships. … Former Oregon State player Vincent Johnson is in the field as the first recipient of the Charlie Sifford Exemption. Sifford, the first black member of the PGA Tour, won the 1969 event at Rancho Park. … Ryo Ishikawa is making his PGA Tour debut on a sponsor exemption. The 17-year-old Japanese star also received a spot in the Masters. … Ben Hogan stamped Riviera as "Hogan’s Alley" with three victories in 17 months — the 1947 and ’48 Los Angeles Opens and ’48 U.S. Open. … Steve Elkington won the 1995 PGA at Riviera, beating Colin Montgomerie in a playoff. … The World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play is next week in Marana, Ariz. The Mayakoba Golf Classic also is next week in Mexico.

On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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A round table of sports scribes congregated at an undisclosed location (hint: Sixth Avenue and Proctor Street … The Pub salad is one of the best in the city) a few days ago, and started talking about a road trip to play golf.

We're all mid-handicap golfers who enjoy good courses. I have visited (and played some) of the best venues in Oregon and Washington. My colleagues have ties to Montana, and started bragging about the courses there. It sparked a debate that could be a viable discussion topic here:

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This week: PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill Golf Courses near Carmel, Calif.

Moore's third-round score: 5-over-par 77 at Pebble Beach.

Kelly's third-round score: 6-over 78 at Spyglass Hill.

Position: Moore (even-par 216) and Kelly (16-over 232) missed the cut (214). Second-year pro Dustin Johnson leads at 15-under 201.

Recap: It was a 10-stroke swing for Moore, the Puyallup product who shot 67 on Friday at Poppy Hills. He got off to an unfortunate start when he had a bad lie in a greenside bunker and blasted over everything, including a nearby cliff, leading to a double bogey on the par-4 10th. Even with that, Moore was still in position to make the cut playing the par-4 ninth – his final hole – but his approach shot landed in native land, and it took him two more shots to find the green. He finished with a double bogey, and only hit five of 18 greens in regulation on his round. … Kelly recorded a double bogey, or worse, in each of his three rounds, including a triple bogey on the finishing par-4 18th at Spyglass.

Next: Moore is expected to play at this week's Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. Kelly is not in the field.

This week: PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill Golf Courses near Carmel, Calif.

Moore's second-round score: 5-under-par 67 at Poppy Hills.

Kelly's second-round score: 7-over 79 at Pebble Beach.

Position: Moore (5-under 139) is tied for 13th and Kelly (10-over 154) is in a group at 174th – all behind leader Retief Goosen (12-under 132).

Recap: What a move by Moore, on another day of windy, cool and damp conditions on the Monterey Peninsula. The Puyallup golfer's six birdies (Nos. 2, 6, 9, 10, 13 and 16) made up the day's second-lowest round behind Goosen (64 at Pebble Beach). His climb of 77 spots up the leaderboard was the day's biggest jump. … Kelly struggled at Pebble Beach with seven bogeys and a double bogey – all a product of hitting just six of 18 greens in regulation. He did make a birdie on the difficult par-4 eighth by hitting an 186-yard approach out of the rough close, and sinking an 8-foot putt.

Moore's tee time Saturday: 8:10 a.m. PST off Pebble Beach's 10th tee.

Kelly's tee time Saturday: 8:10 a.m. PST off Spyglass Hill's first tee.

This week: PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill Golf Courses near Carmel, Calif.

Moore's first-round score: Even-par 72 at Spyglass.

Kelly's first-round score: 3-over 75 at Poppy Hills.

Position: Moore (tied for 90th) and Kelly (tied for 152nd) trail co-leaders Robert Garrigus (65 at Spyglass) and Dustin Johnson (65 at Pebble Beach).

Recap: The weather was cool (low 50s) and the air was heavy. It took Moore, the Puyallup golfer, a while to get going in the right direction after opening bogeys at Nos. 11 and 16. He birdied the par-4 17th, then finished up with another one at the par-5 seventh. His two birdies are tied for 121st in the field. … Kelly played the easiest of the three courses (five par-5s), and birdied none of them. He started out with a double bogey on the par-4 first hole, and was 4-over after eight hole. The 60-golfer cut does not happen until after three rounds.

Moore's tee time Friday: 9 a.m. PST off Poppy Hills' first tee.

Kelly's tee time Friday: 9 a.m. PST off Pebble Beach's 10th tee.

This week: PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Thursday through Sunday, Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill Golf Courses near Carmel, Calif.

World rankings: Moore is 149th; Kelly 1,171st.

Moore's 2009 earnings: $194,250 (45th on the PGA Tour).

Kelly's 2009 earnings: $11,178 (161st on the PGA Tour).

Last tournament: The real question heading into this week's star-studded event? When is Moore, the All-American from UNLV and Puyallup product, going to be paired with a celebrity? He usually gets group with a businessmen, and this week's amateur partner is Donald Beall, the retired CEO of Rockwell International Corporation. A win for Moore could very well sneak him into the top 64 in the world rankings, making him eligible for the World Match Play Championships in two weeks in Arizona. … As far as last week's Buick Invitational in San Diego, both Moore (3-over 147) and Kelly (7-over 151) had almost identical outings – struggling on the easier Torrey Pines North Course but rebounding with good rounds on the harder South Course. Both missed the cut, and have made one cut in three PGA Tour stops this season.

Moore's tee time Thursday: 9:50 a.m. PST off Spyglass Hill's 10th tee with Nicholas Thompson.

Kelly's tee time Thursday: 9:50 a.m. PST off Poppy Hills' first tee with Derek Fathauer.

PGA TOUR's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Site: Pebble Beach, Calif.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links (6,874 yards, par 72),

Spyglass Hill Golf Course (6,953 yards, par 72) and Poppy Hills Golf Club (6,944 yards, par 72).

Purse: $6.1 million. Winner’s share: $1,098,000.

Television (all times PST): Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, noon-3 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3:30 p.m.).

Last year: Steve Lowery won his third PGA Tour title and first in more than seven years, beating Vijay Singh with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. At 47, Lowery became the oldest winner in tournament history.

Last week: Nick Watney won the Buick Invitational for his second tour victory, birdieing two of the final three holes for a one-stroke victory over John Rollins.

Notes: Phil Mickelson won by five strokes in 2007, closing with a 6-under 66 to match the tournament record of 20-under 268 set by Mark O’Meara in 1997. Mickelson also won in 1998 and 2005. He tied for 42nd last week in San Diego (70-72-73-75) after missing the cut in Scottsdale (76-73) in his season debut. … Singh, the 2004 winner, is returning to play following arthroscopic surgery last month on his right knee. … Jim Furyk is making his season debut. The 13-time PGA Tour winner had a tour-best nine top-10 finishes last year in his first winless season since 2004. … Kenny Perry is coming a playoff victory two weeks ago in the FBR Open. … Puyallup's Ryan Moore and Troy Kelly, who grew up in Silverdale but now calls Tacoma home, are in the field. Moore said he will play this week and at next week's Northern Trust Open. … Tommy Armour III won the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational for second consecutive year in November, beating Scott Simpson and Yakima's Brock MacKenzie in a playoff. … PGA Tour commissioner Tom Finchem is teaming with Davis Love III in the pro-am competition. … The final round will be played at Pebble Beach. … The Northern Trust Open is next week at Riviera, followed by the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play in Marana, Ariz. — opposite the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.

On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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This week: PGA Tour's Buick Invitational, Thursday through Sunday, Torrey Pines North and South Courses, San Diego.

Moore's second-round score: 4-under-par 68 (South Course)

Kelly's second-round score: 1-over 73 (South Course).

Position: Moore (3-over 147) finished a stroke out of making the cut, and tied for 85th. Kelly (151) was in a group at 126th. Colombia's Camilo Villegas leads at 11-under 133.

Recap: After lackluster opening rounds, the locals played much better Friday, and a much more difficult layout and in tougher conditions (temperature in 50s with wind and rain). Moore, the Puyallup product, made a valiant effort to stick around with his personal-best 68 on the South Course, making six birdies. He had an 18-foot putt on the par-5 18th to make the cut that slid by. The two sequences that really hurt Moore was a three-putt from 12 feet for a bogey on the par-3 eighth, and missing a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th. … Kelly, the Tacoma native, had it going on the South Course, too, moving to 2-under on his round by making an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 8. But he had three bogeys the rest of the way.

Next: Moore and Kelly are entered in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am starting Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links near Carmel, Calif.

This week: Nationwide Tour's Panama Digicel Championship, Thursday through Sunday, Panama Golf Club in Panama City.

Second-round score: 3-over-par 73.

Position: Putnam (13-over 153) missed the cut and finished 131st. Three golfers lead at 136).

Recap: Opening with an 80 like Putnam did Thursday, and you've all but sealed your tournament fate. The Tacoma golfer played marginally better with three birdies, but big numbers crept up again – a triple bogey on the par-4 seventh and a double bogey on the par-4 18th on one of the most difficult courses the tour visits.

Next: Moonah Classic starting Feb. 26 in Australia.

This week: PGA Tour's Buick Invitational, Thursday through Sunday, Torrey Pines North and South Courses, San Diego.

Moore's first round score: 7-over-par 79 (North Course).

Kelly's first round score: 6-over 78 (North Course).

Position: Kelly is tied for 131st, and Moore sits in a group at 144th. Camilo Villegas leads after a 63 on the North Course.

Recap: First-day leaders usually come from the North Course, which plays 700 yards shorter and considerably easier than the South Course, which hosted last year's U.S. Open. So if the locals were planning on making noise, they should have done it Thursday, and didn't. Moore, the Puyallup native, ranks 54th on tour in birdies per round (4.5), but was one of seven players on the North Course to make one birdie or fewer. He ended up with the day's worst round on that layout. … Kelly, the Tacoma native, registered five bogeys on his first nine holes (Nos. 10 through 18), and never got anything going.

Moore's tee time Friday: 9:40 a.m. PST off the South Course's first tee.

Kelly's tee time Friday: 9:20 a.m. PST off the South Course's first tee.

This week: Nationwide Tour's Panama Digicel Championship, Thursday through Sunday, Panama Golf Club in Panama City.

First-round score: 10-over-par 80.

Position: Putnam is at the bottom of the leaderboard in 132nd, 14 strokes behind leader Dustin Risdon, of Canada (66).

Recap: The Tacoma golfer never said making changes to his golf swing in the offseason wouldn't endure hardships. His opening round of 2009 was the first time he's been in the 80s on the Nationwide Tour – and third as a professional (81 at 2007 Honda Classic, 83 at 2007 U.S. Open. Putnam made a career-worst five double bogeys, with four of them coming on his front nine holes.

Tee time Friday: 5 a.m. PST.

Nobody can say Matt Thurmond can't change with the ages.

Now everybody can follow the fates of the University of Washington men's golf team, through a blog operated by Thurmond, the coach, and assistant Garrett Clegg.

Currently, the Huskies are in Hawaii to kick off their 2009 spring season, and lead a 17-team field at the Waikoloa Intercollegiate event at Mauna Lani's North Course.

As the coach promises, "we are now updating our blog regularly with information and pictures from the day's events along with regular program updates. In the future we will send less information via E-mail, but will post on the blog instead. … Feel free to give us any suggestions on how to make it better."

This week: PGA Tour's Buick Invitational, Thursday through Sunday, Torrey Pines North and South Courses, San Diego.

World rankings: Moore is 144th; Kelly 1,170th.

Moore's 2009 earnings: $194,250 (32nd on the PGA Tour).

Kelly's 2009 earnings: $11,178 (142nd on the PGA Tour).

Last tournament: For the second time in his career, Moore shot every round of a tournament in the 60s – 69-67-68-69 at last week's FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale to finished tied for sixth. Seven of the Puyallup golfer's eight rounds this season have been in the 60s in fact. … Kelly's last appearance was an abbreviated one – he missed the cut (2-over 290) at the Bob Hope Classic in late January. The Tacoma native did not get into last week's FBR Open.

Moore's tee time Thursday: 8:40 a.m. PST off the North Course's 10th tee with Joe Durant and Lucas Glover.

Kelly's tee time Thursday: 10:30 a.m. PST off the North Course's 10th tee with Gregor Main and Aron Price.

Event: Nationwide Tour's Panama Digicel Championship at Panama Golf Club, Panama City.

2009 earnings: First tournament.

Stat of the week: The Tacoma golfer was ninth in all-around ranking in 2008, but 52nd in earnings ($130,981).

Tee time Thursday: 9:40 a.m. PST.

PGA TOUR's Buick Invitational

Site: San Diego.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Courses: Torrey Pines, South Course (7,568 yards, par 72) and North Course (6,915 yards, par 72).

Purse: $5.3 million. Winner’s share: $954,000.

Television (all times PST): Golf Channel (Thursday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 p.m.-midnight, 10-11:30 a.m., 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10-11:30 a.m., 6:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, noon-3 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3:30 p.m.).

Last year: Tiger Woods won the tournament for the fourth straight year and sixth time overall, opening his season with an eight-stroke victory. Woods won again at Torrey Pines in June, beating Rocco Mediate in a playoff at the U.S. Open. He had knee surgery a week later and will not play the Buick Invitational this year as he continues to recover.

Last week: Kenny Perry won the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., beating Charley Hoffman with a 22-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff. The 48-year-old Perry has 13 PGA Tour victories.

Notes: Woods is missing the Buick Invitational for the first time since 1997. … British Open and PGA winner Padraig Harrington is making his first PGA Tour start of the season. … Phil Mickelson, the winner of his hometown event in 1993, 2000 and 2001, also is in the field along with Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas. So is Puyallup's Ryan Moore, who considers this venue one of his favorites. … Mickelson missed the cut last week in Scottsdale, shooting 76 and 72 in his season debut. … Goosen won the Sunshine Tour’s Africa Open on Jan. 18. … The final two rounds will be played on the South Course. … The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is next week, followed by the Northern Trust Open at Riviera.

On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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The last of our touring golf preview profiles focuses on Tacoma's Michael Putnam playing the Nationwide Tour. Here's the story.

The 6-foot-4 Life Christian Academy graduate was inside the top 10 midway through the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School, shooting a third-round 63. But he followed that up with a 75, and ended up finishing tied for 107th.

He said when he got home, and had time to wind down, he began reviewing old footage of his swing from college and his first 18 months as a professional, and noticed he was far more flexible and free-flowing than his current swing.

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This week: PGA Tour's FBR Open, Thursday through Sunday, TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Fourth-round score: 2-under-par 69.

Position: Moore (11-under 273) finished tied for sixth, three strokes out of the playoff between Kenny Perry and Charley Hoffman at 270. Perry won the title on the third extra hole.

Recap: The Puyallup golfer did something this week only three others – Charley Hoffman, David Toms and Cliff Kresge – did by shooting all four rounds in the 60s (the only other time he's accomplished that was the 2006 Buick Championship). And among top-10 finishers, only Jeff Maggert had fewer bogeys or worse than Moore's pair during weekend play. Moore got to 12-under Sunday when he approach from 88 yards on the par-5 15th stopped 17 inches from the hole for a tap-in birdie. If he wasn't jazzed by that, walking to the tee at the raucous par-3 16th. His tee shot went long and left, and left him short-sided for a chip shot. Moore ultimately missed a 12-footer for par. He earned a paycheck of $194,250 for his highest finish since a runner-up at the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship.

Next: Buick Invitational starting Thursday at Torrey Pines North and South Courses, San Diego.