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1. Soft openingGolf in general and the PGA Tour in particular has never really been into the idea of celebrating Opening Day. Unlike MLB and the NFL, leagues who circle the date on the calendar, a new golf season isnt really much to rejoice about.Aside from those players who are exempt and missed the FedEx Cup playoffs or maybe bowed out early, and those who just last week earned their PGA Tour cards, the start to the 2016-17 season at this weeks Safeway Open in Napa, California, is more continuation of a long golf year than it is a start of a new one.Just 18 days before the first tee shots are hit at Silverado Resort, Rory McIlroy was hoisting the FedEx Cup trophy following his Tour Championship victory at East Lake. Were still trying to decompress from the highly-charged Ryder Cup -- with Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar the only Ryder Cuppers competing this week in California.And so the PGA Tours fourth version of a wrap-around schedule is set to begin, the first of seven tournaments played during the coming six weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. The official season then resumes at the Tournament of Champions on Jan. 5.2. Of course, Tiger ...Had Tiger Woods played the Safeway Open as originally hoped and planned, the season-opening event would have taken on an entirely different vibe. Woods return to competitive golf after a now 14-months-and-counting hiatus was a story that went well beyond the sleepy opening to a golf season. Based on ticket sales and media interest, the tournament would have rivaled any of the biggest events of the coming season.Understandably, there have been some disappointed people in Napa, many of whom bought tickets with the express intention of coming to see Woods. And many were dismayed to learn there are no refunds.That is standard operating procedure at a PGA Tour event. Tickets are non-refundable, and a good lesson in reading the fine print.As it pertains to Woods hope to participate announcement on Sept. 7, the Safeway Open promoted that on its website and didnt go out of its way to explain that the 14-time major had not officially committed to the tournament. For those who think the tournament is losing out on Woods withdrawal, it managed to sell a good number of tickets based on his hopeful participation.3. When commitment is a bad wordIn order to play in a PGA Tour event, a player must commit to it by the Friday prior to tournament week. The terminology should really be enter because there is nothing at all that commits you to playing. It is a procedural move that is required. To play, you must commit -- but its not binding. Many players will commit to every tournament they think they will play early in the season, so as not to forget to do so. They then withdraw if their schedule changes or if they change their mind.In Woods case, a commitment has been a huge deal to any tournament for the duration of his 20-year career and his reluctance to commit early stems from something that occurred early on.When Woods turned pro in August of 1996, he had no status on the PGA Tour. As a non-member, he was allowed to take up to seven sponsor exemptions, and tournaments lined up to extend them. Before winning in Las Vegas, Woods goal was to earn enough money to finish among the top 125 on the money list, thereby foregoing the qualifying tournament.He had scheduled eight straight weeks of tournaments (he could forego a sponsor exemption if he finished top 10) and played Greater Milwaukee (T-60), Canadian Open (11th), Quad City Classic (T-5) and the B.C. Open (T-3). The next week, he was scheduled to play the Buick Challenge, and was actually on site when he became ill and withdrew, also skipping a dinner where he was to be honored as the college player of the year.Woods was heavily criticized -- even Arnold Palmer took issue with it at the time, saying he should have played. The lesson is you dont make commitments you cant fulfill, unless youre on your deathbed, and I dont believe he was on his deathbed.The following week, Woods won the first of his 79 PGA Tour titles at the Las Vegas Invitational and adopted a longstanding policy of not committing to events early so as not to disappoint in case he changed his mind.But Palmers comments notwithstanding, in order to play that tournament, Woods had to enter -- which is far from the commitment it is made out to be.4. About that Tiger-Phil pairingTheres been a good bit of speculation about Woods being grouped this week with Phil Mickelson at the Safeway Open and how that might have been one of the reasons he decided against playing.Its safe to say that it had nothing to do with it. The PGA Tour several weeks ago made overtures to both parties to see if they would be opposed to the idea. Mickelson had said on Sept. 7 when Woods first announced his intentions to possibly play that hed love to be grouped with Tiger at the Safeway. Woods agent, Mark Steinberg, was also approached.Aside from major championships and World Golf Championship tournaments where they might have been grouped together in the first two rounds, Woods and Mickelson had not played together on the opening days of a PGA Tour event since the 1998 Nissan Open. They have routinely been put on opposite sides of the pairings draw in order to have marquee players in the TV window for Rounds 1 and 2.Although the tour does not necessarily always ask participants if they are okay with a marquee grouping as is often orchestrated, in this case it happened. And Woods could have declined.5. What will Phil do next?For the first time since the start of the wraparound schedule, Phil Mickelson is playing a fall event -- aside from the World Golf Championship tournament in China he has played on several occasions. He announced months ago he would be playing the Safeway Open, which marks the start of his 26th PGA Tour season.Mickelson, 46, has played 548 events to date, with 42 victories, 34 runner-up finishes and 182 top-10s.6. In his own wordsWhen Tiger Woods did officially withdraw from the Safeway Open, he posted his statement at his website and also via his Twitter account.7. And at least one person was happy Tiger didnt showThat would be Max Homa, who got into the field when Woods withdrew. 8. Schedule crunchAn unfortunate -- but avoidable -- situation occurred last week when the PGA Tour had to cancel the Web.com Tour Championship due to the threat of Hurricane Matthew. Canceling the event due to the impending storm was the only option aside from trying to move it, although that likely presented numerous logistical concerns.The fallout, however, was severe for those players who were counting on the event to try to secure their PGA Tour card for the season that begins this week. And therein lies the problem.With the wraparound schedule as it is, determining playing status for the first event of the new season has to be completed. Hence, the Web.com Tour Championship could not be moved to this week.But there was an off week prior -- ostensibly to not go up against the Ryder Cup -- and that proved to be the problem, offering no room for error.9. Confidence boostAustralian Steven Bowditch has been in a slump that saw him miss 15 cuts this year, including his past six in a row. But the two-time PGA Tour winner has had a great sense of humor about it, this time offering a shout out to Tiger Woods for a practice round. Hurricanes Jerseys China . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Hurricanes Jerseys 2021 . Despite the cost, effort and an improved steroid test, its possible that very few -- if any -- positives will be detected, Dr. Richard Budgett told The Associated Press in an interview. "We just dont know what the results from Torino will be," Budgett said. https://www.cheaphurricanes.com/ . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Wholesale Hurricanes Jerseys . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Fake Hurricanes Jerseys .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. Week 4 of the college football season has the Southeastern Conference in the spotlight as a couple teams try to break long losing streaks to their opponents, and a few coaches face referendum games with their fanbases.BEST GAMENo. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 17 Arkansas at Arlington, Texas.No. 14 Tennessee-No. 19 Florida probably has the most pressure on one team -- hello, Volunteers. No. 12 Georgia-No. 23 Mississippi has star power with Nick Chubb, Chad Kelly and the potential for a bunch of points. But well go Razorbacks and Aggies, who have gone to overtime each of the last two seasons.Its very early, but the winner has to feel as if it could be the team in the SEC West to push Alabama. Thats especially the case of the Aggies, who could come out of this 2-0 in conference with both wins coming away from College Station.A game inside the game to watch: Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, maybe the best defensive player in the country, against Arkansas left tackle Dan Skipper, a 6-foot-10 NFL prospect. Garrett gets moved around and the Aggies other end, Daeshon Hall is good, too. Itll be interesting to see if the long reach of Skipper helps can fend off Garrett, who has three sacks.HEISMAN WATCHChubb is averaging 121 yards rushing per game and has scored three touchdowns. Solid work, but not exactly stuff that will get him into the Heisman Trophy conversation.He has a good chance to grab attention in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels run defense ranks near the bottom of the SEC at 4.99 yards allowed per carry, but Kelly and the Rebels are hard to slow down.The Bulldogs, who have won 10 straight against Ole Miss dating to 1997, are going to need to score some points and control the ball. No doubt coach Kirby Smart took note of how Alabama ran for over 300 yards against the Rebels last week. Its a perfect setup for Chubb to go off and re-enter the Heisman discussion.NUMBERS TO KNOW8 -- Number of consecutive games of at least 200 all-purpose yards by Stanfords Christian McCaffrrey.dddddddddddd Also, the seventh-ranked Cardinal have beaten UCLA eight straight times. Stanford visits the Bruins in the Rose Bowl.11 -- Tennessees losing streak to Florida. If the streak reaches 12, with the Gators set to start a backup quarterback in Knoxville, the locals might be ready to run coach Butch Jones right out of town.24 -- The number of plays 20 yards or more that Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson is responsible for in three games. He has six runs of at least 20 yards, tied for second most in the nation, and 18 passes of 20 yards or more, third-best in the country. Jackson and the third-ranked Cardinals travel to Marshall.OFF THE RADAREast Carolina will try to run its winning streak against Virginia Tech to three games and its streak against Atlantic Coast Conference opposition to seven in a row when the Pirates visit the Hokies.The Pirates already have one ACC victory this season. They beat North Carolina State. ECU also has the nations second-leading receiver in Zay Jones, who caught 22 passes -- one short of the NCAA record -- last week against South Carolina.COACH IN NEED OF A WINAuburn has lost seven straight home games against Power Five competition, the second-longest streak in the nation to Kansas nine straight. Any time your team is mentioned with Kansas football, things are not great -- thats where Tigers coach Gus Malzahn is right now.The Tigers host No. 18 LSU and are in danger of falling to 1/3 overall and 0-2 in the SEC while playing all the games at home. Malzahn needed to improve on last years 7-6 record, so this is no way to start.And if Malzahns team can spring the mini-upset, the temperature rises for LSU coach Les Miles, who will have a team that was considered a serious playoff contender with two losses before October.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAPwww.Collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '