On the Tours

Finally separated from the significant shadow of Tiger Woods, K.J. Choi has the spotlight all to himself in Hilton Head.

The stocky South Korean shot a 7-under-par 64 and leads the 42nd edition of the Verizon Heritage by two strokes over Mike Weir and Greg Owen. Choi tied for 4th last week at the Masters, where he was paired with Woods for all four rounds. The two golfers finished with identical totals after each of round of the tournament.

Reigning British Open champion Stewart Cink called it the "Anti-Augusta." Matt Kuchar literally let out a sigh of relief saying he was much more relaxed minus the Tiger heat and unrelenting stress of the Masters. Two-time Heritage champion Boo Weekley appears more energized under the Carolina blue skies, saying he's got a "little itch" and is now finally healthy and ready to compete.

The post-Masters period of the PGA Tour schedule begins Thursday with the 42nd edition of the Verizon Heritage on a golf course that couldn't be more different than Augusta National, and with an atmosphere closer to a cocktail party than a constant pressure cooker.

Defending champion Brian Gay will be joined by a talented field that includes Ian Poulter, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, J.B. Holmes, Jim Furyk for the 42nd edition of the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island April 12-18.

For updated tournament and ticket information, visit www.verizonheritage.com . Here is the current Heritage field:

John Daly will bring his colorful personality and pants to Harbour Town Golf Links April 12-18 for the 42nd edition of the Verizon Heritage. Daly was granted a sponsors exemption to play in the tournament.

PGA Tour veterans Chris DiMarco, Rocco Mediate and former Clemson golfer and PGA Tour rookie Brent Delahoussaye have also been awarded sponsors exemptions.

Defending champion Paul Casey withdrew from the Shell Houston Open Thursday with an injury to his left shoulder.

The tournament Web site reports that Casey plans to remain in Houston the next two days for treatment and will not try to hit any balls. His status in next week's Masters Tournament is on a day-to-day basis.

Their confidence buoyed by consecutive wins, Ernie Els and Fred Couples have to like their chances at The Masters less than a fortnight from now. But first the red hot tandem will tackle the Tournament Course at Redstone Golf Club - site of this week's Shell Houston Open.

Els, who picked up wins at the CA Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational in consecutive weeks, is playing his best golf since 2003-2004. During that stretch, Els won five times on the PGA Tour, including back-to-back wins in Hawaii to begin the 2003 campaign.

Arnold Palmer's event takes center stage this week, as the PGA Tour stops at Orlando's historic Bay Hill Club and Lodge. The club, which has been Palmer's home since 1965, received a dramatic facelift following last year's event, and those changes will be revealed starting Thursday.

"We've literally done something to every hole," Palmer told the Orlando Sentinel. "It'll be new to most all [the players]."

The Kia Classic Presented by J Golf has announced the final field for its inaugural tournament, and the list reads like that of a major championship field.

The 144-player field for the tournament, to be played March 22-28 at La Costa Resort and Spa, boasts all of the top 10 players in the current Rolex Rankings, and 40 of the top 50. It includes 49 of the top 50 players from the LPGA's 2009 money list, and it features players who have won a combined 327 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, including 46 major championships.

Newly-minted PGA Tour winner Ian Poulter and local favorite Phil Mickelson headline the field for the 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open, which is scheduled for Feb. 25-28 at the TPC Scottsdale.

Another stellar field is assembled to vie for one of the PGA Tour's most coveted prizes. Other notables include defending champion Kenny Perry, Geoff Ogilvy, Martin Kaymer, Sean O'Hair, Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim and Fred Couples.

Decked head-to-toe in pink on a cloudy Sunday in the desert, England's Ian Poulter picked up his first PGA Tour victory and valuted to No. 5 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Poulter downed fellow Englishman Paul Casey 4 & 2 in the 36-hole final of the World Golf Championships - Accenture World Match Play Championship a day after making short work of Sergio Garcia (7 & 6) in the semifinal round.