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Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker are to join Davis Love III as vice captains helping to lead the American side in the Ryder Cup matches in Paris.

Captain Jim Furyk said “to win in Paris will be a great challenge (it is 25 years since they won away from home). To have Steve and Tiger share the journey is important for me and for American golf. Their knowledge and experience will be an invaluable resource in our effort to retain the Ryder Cup.

Woods, who was Vice Captain in 2016 and a player in 6 matches said “the Ryder Cup is very specual to me. I want to thank Jim for his confidence, friendship and support. My goal is to make the team and I am excited by the challenge”.

Last year Justin Thomas, the leading player on the PGA Tour took home $9,922,560. The leading female player, Sung Hyun Park won $2,335,883. It’s now been 10 years since Wimbledon was the last tennis major to introduce equal prize money. Golf is lagging way behind.

But this week the only professional event of its kind in the world took place in Australia. In 2012 the organisers of the Oates Victoria Open looked at why the female golfers were failing to attract sponsors and they decided to combine the womens and mens events at the same course. Men alternate tee times with the women and play for an equal purse – $AUS 1.3 million.This year Simon Hawkes won the mens event, Min Jee Lee repeated the win as a professional that she had four years ago as an amateur.

Golf Australia Chief Executive Simon Brooksbank says that the public loves seeing the finesse of the womens game and the strength of the mens game on the same course. Cheynne Woods, Tiger’s neice, played in this year’s event and was full of praise. “I loved it. It’s entertaining for the spectators to see a variety of groups and we appreciate each others sport. I think a lot of sponsors can learn from this, hopefully we will get more tournaments like this”.

European Tour golfer Richard Green said at the event “the Ladies European Tour are a hard working bunch of girls who deserve to have a job. Maybe this sort of format rolling alongside the men in some way whether on the Challenge Tour, Australian Tour or European Tour – it’s a great way to get extra interest”

Indeed, and it could be the answer to the Ladies European Tour’s dilemma, if only the men would buy in to the idea.

The way I see this is that it could answer the European Tour’s need to do something more interesting on Thursdays and Fridays in their events.

If they could offer the LET a 36 hole event on the weeks they dont have a tournament scheduled (obviously equal prize money wouldnt apply) alongside their own tournament at the same venue, and the men would have the weekend to complete their tournament, it would work. It would keep the women playing and showcase their talent to the public and sponsors. After all the men have amateurs to contend with at events like the Pebble Beach Pro Am and the Dunhill Links Championship, surely it would be even better to be with fellow professionals who can really play.

It was an unexpected result when Gary Woodland beat Chez Reavie at the first sudden death playoff hole at TPC Scottsdale to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Rickie Fowler had lead going into the final round, but had theee bogeys at the finish. Jon Rahm was close behind but had another mediocre weekend. his 75-77 finish last week was followed by a 72 at Phoenix. Mickelson made a late charge, birdieing 15,16,17 holes. But Woodland’s excellent 64 with 3 late birdies was enough to get to -18 and Reavie matched him after holing a huge putt on the 72nd hole.

Gary Woodland is in Butch Harmon’s stable of players and has recently been working on his short game with Pete Cowan. He dedicated his win to the baby twin he and his wife lost last year, her brother survived.

As ever the spectator party at the 16th hole was a source of controversy. Rickie Fowler, who bogeyed the hole in the final round said “I was disappointed. It went too far. I don’t want the negativity. Leave the heckling to a minimum, make it fun and support the guys out playing”. Jon Rahm was in favour of a deejay being there every day to block out the exterior noise. I turned the sound off all tournament. It was lovely just watching the pictures.

I have a new campaign, and this is to encourage fathers to bring their daughters, not just their sons, to golf.

Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan was on breakfast television this morning and in passing talked about his own love of golf. Interviewer Lorraine Kelly, who had apparently seen him play in the Dunhill Links at St Andrews, mentioned his two daughters and Dornan’s mind connected the two.

“I’ve bought Dulcia (one of his two daughters) a cut down set of clubs but she’s still using them to beat flowers with. I like the idea of taking the family with me on golf trips and do plan to get them into golf”.

Laudable. This puts to shame a man I boldly confronted in a London park once, granted it was about cricket. He was obviously cricket mad and had his two sons batting and bowling. His daughter was complaining that she wanted a go but he said no. “Girls just field Grace”. It wasn’t my business but I couldn’t turn a blind eye to this so I did say “excuse me, why did you name your daughter after England’s greatest ever cricketer if you won’t let her play?”. He blushed bright scarlet and I quickly made my retreat hearing the young girl say “yessss!” And laughing loudly.

Dads, please give your daughters the same chance as your sons.

Very interesting interview with Mark Lichtenhein of the Ladies European Tour by Lewine Mair this week.

It was indeed surprising that the genuine collective offer of help from the European Tour, the LPGA and the Royal and Ancient wasn’t snapped up last year when the tour was depleted to 15 tournaments.

But apparently the offer hasn’t been totally rejected, they didn’t want to rush into things. I cannot at all see how linking up with the LPGA in America would be in the best interests of the game. It would subordinate the Ladies European Tour to a satellite of the main Tour and make the Ladies game one product worldwide. the Solheim Cup would become a non event.

Mark Leichtenhein says the tour is poised to have two new tournaments and is aiming for 20 events this year. the tour begins this week with the co-sanctioned Victoria Open. THey hope for more support from the men’s European Tour like this. Apparently more support from the Royal and Ancient, who already run the Ladies Golf Union and give a grant to the LET is the preferred opion. But independence would be better. Surely there are sponsors out there who would help.

I recently spoke to amgirl who used to play on the tour but who now does other work because she “has to make a living” and she wouldnt be able to make ends meet if she still played professionally. She said that the tour were in “complete denial” about their situation and they were on the verge of going bust but just didnt want to look for help. From the horse’s mouth, that said it all.