With This Latest Win Yani Is Almost In The Hall Of Fame...

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John Reger's AP story points out that Yani Tseng's 15th LPGA Tour win in this weekend's KIA Classic puts her in rarified company.

"Today the first hole, I just kind of felt like every day is the same," Tseng said. "I didn't feel like today was Sunday. I didn't feel like I had a three-shot lead. I just focused on playing one shot at a time. I think I did a good job to just kind of focus on myself."

At 23, Tseng became the second-youngest player to reach 15 LPGA Tour victories. Nancy Lopez was 22 when she reached the mark.

And in five notes, Beth Ann Baldry puts Yani's domination into perspective with this about her World Golf Hall of Fame eligibility:

Tseng needs only four more points and 10 years of service to qualify for the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame. A major victory gets her two points and non-majors are good for one. There’s a good chance she’ll have that wrapped up by the summer’s end.

Karrie Webb earned her 27th point in July of 2000 at 25 years, 7 months and 2 days.

R.I.P. "Tiger Is Close," April 2010-March 2012

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The dreaded phrase "Tiger is close," first uttered following an initial birdie early into Woods' return at the 2010 Masters and to virtual absurdity after each hint of his previous golfing prowess right up until the morning of his 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational victory, has died.

"Tiger is close" succumbed at 23 months, just a month shy of his 2-year-anniversary.

Woods, who had not won a PGA Tour event in three years but had exhibited a healthy dose of his trademark play and improved ball striking compared to his pre-2009 accident days, continued to hear the phrase used in conjunction with his game from all corners of the world. Even following a thrilling win at the 2011 Chevron World Challenge, recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking as a points-earning victory, Woods' game was subjected to repeated "close" references in various forms and on all media platforms. Earnest but at times painfully-desperate Golf Channel personalities were typically the worst offenders.

"They really rode the phrase to death, not just on the air but also on Twitter," said Terry Posthumous of Golf Media Matters. "Just this morning I heard them use it ad nauseum and frankly, the entire golf media can put the over-used phrase to rest. But it will go down as a very special two years for inanity."

Arrangements are pending, but it is believed a ceremony to retire the phrase is being planned by Woods spokesman Glenn Greenspan for Tuesday, April 3rd in the Masters Media Center, five minutes before Woods takes the podium to address the press. Woods is said to be "close" to making a decision on whether to attend the service.

Arnold Palmer Hospitalized Before Bay Hill Conclusion

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Golf World's Dave Shedloski first Tweeted about Arnold Palmer's absence from the wild 18th hole scene following Tiger Woods's seventh victory, and a Golfweek staff report follows up with more details on Mr. Palmer's hospitalization for high blood pressure.

"I just talked to his daughter Amy (Saunders) who's with him, and I think the blood-pressure situation is starting to ameliorate and improving," Alastair Johnston, the chief operating officer of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, said in a hastily arranged news conference minutes after Tiger Woods' dramatic five-shot victory.

"Nobody is overly concerned about the prognosis, although he is going to remain in the hospital overnight for observation."

Stinger Turns Into Screaming Hook; Tiger Still Up By 1

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Larry Dorman on Tiger's prospects heading into the Arnold Palmer Invitational final round with a one shot lead:

Woods's record with the third-round lead is daunting, 48-4. But Woods has lost three of the last five times he has held or shared the 54-hole lead.

So, which will it be on Sunday? The Woods whose presence on the leaderboard with lead in hand was virtually unbeatable on Sunday? Or the more vulnerable Woods of recent times, who surrendered leads at the 2009 PGA Championship, the 2010 Chevron World Challenge and the 2012 Abu Dhabi Championship?

"I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing what happens," Woods said, smiling.

Bob Harig on a confident-sounding pursuer in Graeme McDowell, one shot back.

"The atmosphere is going to be fantastic out there tomorrow, due to him being in the mix," McDowell said.

"There's going to be a nice amount of expectations on him tomorrow, trying to complete the comeback.

"He's still got to win," McDowell said. "Still got to go win tomorrow like the rest of us have to."

Farrell Evans asks, "What's at stake for Tiger on Sunday?

His legacy is secure as a one of the greatest players of all-time, but a win at Bay Hill could signal a new period of growth in his career and a check on those who seek to completely dethrone him as the barometer of great play on the world scene.

Steve Elling thinks a wild and wacky 2012 is about to get even more interesting Sunday.

In a season filled with riveting finishes, careening crashes and Sunday shootouts, this could be the white-knuckle Maalox ride to top them all. Reclamation beckons for the world's biggest sports figure, and Woods almost casually said he's ready to answer the doorbell.

"I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing what happens," he said, as calmly as he would order a pizza.

Now, there's this business of Tiger's OB-hook on the 15th hole. You can see it within ESPN's highlight package.  Or this YouTube video that Yahoo's Jonathan Wall posted, and which the PGA Tour's finest censors are complaining to YouTube about as we watch it.

Wall explained what caused Tiger to flinch.

A woman screamed during Woods' backswing, after her teenage son fainted. So, yeah, that probably played a role in the errant shot.

Woods commented on the incident after the round, saying: "Yeah, we're finding out what happened, there was an 18‑year‑old kid that passed out right at the concession stand, hit, and she yelled, and it happened to be right in midway on my downswing, and I tried to stop it but I passed the point of no return.  I stopped it and flipped it out‑of‑bounds."

The transcript includes Tiger's comments about the moment.

Here's the video:

Amazingly, the PGA Tour Productions highlights leave out the Woods out-of-bounds shot.