AP GOLF Headlines

Golf to ban anchored putting as of 2016

Golf's governing bodies approved a rule Tuesday that outlaws the putting stroke used by four of the last six major champions, a move opposed by two major golf organizations that contend long putters are not hurting the game.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and U.S. Golf Association said Rule 14-1b will take effect in 2016.

"We recognize this has been a divisive issue, but after thorough consideration, we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf," R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said.

Garcia on Woods spat: Let's move on

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia don't like each other, and they're making no effort to disguise their feelings.

The verbal feuding began May 11 during the third round of The Players Championship. It resumed this week on both sides of the Atlantic when Woods offered a one-word answer if he thought about contacting Garcia to put the matter to rest.

"No," he replied with a tight smile.

McGinley opts for extra Ryder Cup pick

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) Europe captain Paul McGinley has given himself an extra pick for next year's Ryder Cup, copying American counterpart Tom Watson's decision to choose three players.

McGinley announced the decision on Tuesday, after meeting the leading European players on the U.S. PGA Tour at the Players Championship. He received their unanimous endorsement to increase his picks from two to three.

In Watson's first big move as captain, he said in March he will reduce his selections to three players, down from four, as captain's picks.

Woods to return to Begay's charity event

VERONA, N.Y. (AP) Tiger Woods is returning again to play a charity event hosted by Notah Begay III, his former teammate at Stanford.

Woods will play in the NB3 Foundation Challenge in late August at Turning Stone Resort's Atunyote (ah-DUNE'-yote) Golf Club. It'll be his fourth appearance in the six years Begay has hosted the event, a fundraiser that targets health issues facing Native Americans.

Begay, who started a new line of work this season as a full-time member of the broadcast team for NBC Sports and Golf Channel, says the event has raised more than $4 million in five years. He's a Navajo and the only full-blooded American Indian to play on the PGA Tour.

Bae wins Nelson for first PGA title

IRVING, Texas (AP) Sang-Moon Bae led by four strokes in the final round of the Byron Nelson Championship when his tee shot at the ninth hole went way left.

After getting to his ball, Bae hit a high-arcing shot over the trees in front of him, clearing the green and apparently going into the water - nobody seemed to know for sure where it went. He took a drop in deep grass after conferring with a rules official.

"I don't know, where is it?" Bae was able to joke Sunday after his first PGA Tour victory.

14-year-old Guan will play at Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old Chinese amateur who made history at Augusta National, is bringing his game to Jack Nicklaus' backyard.

Guan, who last month became the youngest player to make the cut in a major championship when he finished 58th at the Masters, has accepted an exemption to play at the Memorial Tournament next week.

"I am very excited to accept the invitation to play at the Memorial Tournament," Tianlang said. "It is Jack Nicklaus' event, and the same as all the golf fans out there I have very high respect to Mr. Nicklaus, not just as a golf legend, but also as a great person. He has been actively involved in the development of golf in China, and junior golf development worldwide, and as a junior golfer myself I appreciate what he has done to help us grow."

Villegas among 8 to qualify for British

PLANO, Texas (AP) Americans Josh Teater, Scott Brown Johnson Wagner and Bud Cauley qualified for the British Open on Monday at the international final qualifying at Gleneagles Country Club Queens Course.

The 34-year-old Teater shot rounds of 64 and 69 to take medalist honors. He has never played in a major championship before taking one of eight spots available under very windy conditions at the par 70 course.

The British Open will be held July 18-21 at Muirfield Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland.