No colour, please

DIVOTS

Ian Poulter, that flamboyant European tour star, has been asked not to colour his hair before the Masters in Augusta from April 8-11. The message was sent from Hootie Johnson, the Augusta chairman, through a mutual acquaintance.

Poulter, fond of red tints because of his devotion to Arsenal, said that he had indeed got such a message and that he would be acting on it. "Out of respect, I'll steer clear of the old blue and red stripes and stick to natural shades," he promised. But since there has been no message about clothing, he is planning an all-pink outfit!

ROAR OF THE TIGER
The altercation that Davis Love had with a spectator who time and again heckled him during the World Matchplay Championship final against Tiger Woods, has led the world No 1 to appeal to the officialdom everywhere to react.

Woods said that the players were having to face heckling, mobile phone ringing and camera clicking on a weekly basis. In Dubai this week announcers time and again asked spectators to switch off their mobiles.

He said, "It's happening more and more as we bring new fans to the game of golf. In Florida, we're getting soccer fans, American football fans and basketball fans who are used to a more raucous atmosphere. What they don't appreciate is that our game is a little bit different."

COSTLY CALL
Talking of mobile phones on a golf course and their effect on players, one of the worst mobile related incidents occurred at the Sony Open in 2003. John Cook and Jerry Kelly were tied after 16 holes on the final day.

On the 17th, Cook made a bogey as a mobile went off when he was on his downswing. He lost by a stroke and that in turn cost him a place in the US Masters at Augusta.

Bogeyman