The Clubhouse

Rory McIlroy may be on the verge of signing a reported $250-million deal with Nike, but it is Tiger Woods who delivered more for his sponsors, primarily the Oregon-based sports equipment manufacturer, in 2012.

According to a study done for Forbes by brand analysis and research firm Repucom, Woods is still the most dominant brand in golf delivering nearly 50-percent more airtime for sponsors than McIlroy this past year.

“Woods generated $18.9 million in media value for his sponsors, Nike and Fuse Science, during U.S. golf telecasts this year. ...Nike alone commanded $18.1 million of the total based on a Repucom formula that calculates time and clarity on the screen of logos, as well as the cost to reach that audience. Woods is unusual in that he is outfitted head to toe in Nike and also uses the equipment of the Beaverton, Ore. sports giant. The Fuse Science logo is only on his golf bag. McIlroy’s sponsors, primarily Jumeirah, Oakley, Titleist, Footjoy and Audemars Piguet, received $12.9 million of value.”

Phil Mickelson was third on the list receiving $11.8 million of value followed by Jim Furyk with $8.5 million and Louis Oosthuizen with $8.2 million. The report notes that the South African’s second place finish at the Masters was responsible for 72-percent of his value.

The report also had this tiny nugget... Tiger also still dominates the golfing conversation on social media. There were three times as many posts on social media about Woods as McIlroy during 2012. And while Woods certainly has his detractors, the percentage of posts with a negative sentiment were 50-percent higher for McIlroy than Woods (Mickelson had the most posts with a negative sentiment among the top golfers).

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GO WEST: There has been talk that when the RBC Canadian Open makes its next swing out west, it could land in Calgary. In the meantime, it appears the Champions Tour is set to arrive in Calgary in advance of the PGA Tour.

According to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun, Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club is set to host a senior circuit event in August of 2013. Work is already underway to try and find a sponsor willing to pony up $2.5-million for the naming rights to the event. Calgary resident and current PGA Tour player Stephen Ames is said to be on the tournament committee, which reportedly has a three year deal plus an option for two more years to stage the event. It would be the second Champions Tour event staged in Canada to go with the one in Quebec.

Meanwhile, Brad Ziemer reports that Vancouver will not be on the PGA Tour Canada schedule in 2013. Linx Marketing had been searching for a sponsor for the event but said on Thursday that time has run out for next year and they are now concentrating their efforts on 2014.

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DIVING FOR HISTORY: There is something stirring at the bottom of Lough Salt in County Donegal in Northern Ireland. And it’s not a cousin of the Loch Ness Monster. Instead, divers are said to be trawling the lakebed for golf balls, except these aren’t your garden variety Titleists.

According to Irish Independent newspaper, divers are searching for the golf balls of four-times Open champion Old Tom Morris, who is said to have whacked a few of his now much sought after orbes into the lake more than a century ago.

"There are literally thousands of balls at the bottom of Lough Salt because stopping off to hit golf balls there has been a tradition going back to Morris's time," said diver diver Gus O'Driscoll, who is leading a four man team in this search. "We have recovered some golf balls from the early 1900s but we haven't located Morris's golf balls as yet."

"The balls we are looking for were designed by Morris himself and he used them when he won the Open four times in the 1860s. They are made of rubber and can fetch up to $25,000 US each at auction, but they may be worth more if they were actually used by Morris himself. It would be fantastic to get one of them."

In fact, estimates are that there may be 20 of Morris’ golf balls sitting on the lake bed which would put their potential value at more than half a million dollars.

O’Driscoll says it’s not just about the dollar signs. Should they manage to find one of the elusive golf balls, they plan to donate it to the nearby Rosapenna Golf Club, which Morris designed at the end of the 19th century.

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PAR IS YOUR FRIEND: What would happen if a PGA Tour player shot even par at every tournament? At the very least, he'd still have his card.

Throw out the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, the four major championships, and count the tournaments opposite the World Golf Championships. Count the money earned for finishing at even par. The total comes out to $817,142, which would be the equivalent of finishing 111th on the money list.

The biggest check for finishing a tournament at even par was $119,867 at the Memorial, followed by $113,750 at the AT&T National. Tiger Woods won both those events.

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AND THE WINNER IS: Rory McIlroy is the only non-Olympian among the nominees for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Of the 12 names on the list, the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world McIlroy was the only person not to have competed at the Games this past summer in England.

Cyclist Bradley Wiggins is the bookmakers’ odds-on favourite to win the award following a historic victory in the Tour de France and a gold medal in the Olympic time-trial. Other strong contenders include Mo Farah, gold medallist in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres, Olympic hepathlon champion Jessica Ennis, and tennis player Andy Murray, who won Olympic singles gold and became the first British man to win a Grand Slam in 76 years at the US Open.

The winner will be decided by a public vote and announced during a ceremony in London’s ExCel centre on December 16.

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FASHION FAUX PAS: Micheal Jordan was recently called out for wearing cargo shorts while playing a round of golf at the exclusive La Gorce Country Club in Miami Beach. As first reported by the New York Post, Jordan's multipocketed pants went against the club's dress code which states that collared shirts and Bermuda shorts are acceptable attire for members and guests.

Jordan confirmed to ESPN Chicago that this was not the first time he had worn cargo shorts while playing La Gorce.

"I've been there many times and no one told me a thing," Jordan said via text. "Then all of a sudden they come to me on the 11th hole and say I can't wear cargo shorts. Wow! The round is almost over and you want me to buy shorts now? Yeah, right!!"

While Jordan was allowed to finish the round, reports indicate the basketball great will likely not be invited back anytime soon.

"We were not aware that he is not allowed to return to La Gorce," a rep for Jordan told the Post. "I guess it’s their loss."

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FINAL WORD

“I feel like the USGA has really put an ‘X’ on our back and really shined a light on us, and I don’t know if that’s exactly fair. I just hope that people look at us for the type of players that we are and the accomplishments that we’ve had, and not because we use a belly putter, and now the USGA says it’s going to be illegal. When we started putting with it, they were legal. And they still are.” -- Keegan Bradley

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Files from the Associated Press were used in this report