NOTEBOOK PGA Championship

Presidents Cup: Charles Howell III will get his wish to play for his country in the Presidents Cup. Howell finished tied for 10th in the PGA Championship, locking up his spot on the U.S. team that will travel to South Africa in November to defend the cup. While Howell made the team by finishing 10th on the money list, Fred Funk and Bob Estes had to wait until today to see if Jack Nicklaus takes them as his captain's picks. Funk and Estes are on the bubble in 11th and 12th places, but 49-year-old Jay Haas may merit some consideration after his fifth place finish in the PGA. Nicklaus and the International team captain, Gary Player, were to announce their captain's picks today. The Presidents Cup is a Ryder Cup-style event that pits players from the United States and an international team with players from everywhere but Europe. The matches are set for Nov. 20-23 at Fancourt, a links-style course on the southwestern coast of South Africa.
Player of the year: The PGA Championship failed to provide a clear front-runner in what remains a tight race for player of the year. And that's quite a difference after Tiger Woods handily won the honor in each of the last four years. The winner is decided on a points system that takes into account tournament wins, money standings and scoring averages. Masters champion Mike Weir had a slight lead heading into last week, with Woods, Davis Love III and U.S. Open champ Jim Furyk among those close behind. Weir was in a position to all but lock up first place with a win at Oak Hill Country Club, before falling out of contention in the final round, and finishing in a tie for seventh.
-- Associated Press