Tidbits from around the world of golf

HEART HELP

He suffered a massive heart attack last September and had two heart operations three weeks ago. In a story in the Palm Beach Post, doctors said that Compton had an angioplasty on Monday, March 17th. The following day, doctors placed a defibrillator in his heart because an irregular heartbeat was found.

All this happened the week the PGA Tour was at one of Comptons' favorite courses, Doral Resort & Spa. The Nationwide Tour regular played the Ford Championship at Doral four times and made the cut all four times.

He has teed it up in just 12 PGA Tour events and made the cut in six of them. So, if he had never played at Doral, he would have made the cut in only 2-of-8 tour starts.

Compton was able to visit Doral during Saturday's rain delay and caught up with some of the players. But the gravity of the situation did not escape him.

"I know I've got to get a new heart or that's it. That's reality," Compton told the Palm Beach Post.

WHAT'S NEW AT AUGUSTA

After several years of big changes, little has changed about Augusta National since Zach Johnson won the Masters last April. Here are the subtle changes you'll see this week at Augusta:

-The first tee box was extended by 10 yards so officials could move the tee up in case of bad weather.

-The putting surfaces on the seventh and ninth were altered to improve and/or add flagstick locations.

-Heading into Amen Corner, more trees were removed from the right side of the par-four 11th.

-Between the 15th and 17th holes, some grass was removed and replaced with pine straw. Pine straw was also added to the left of the 15th.

-Finally, the hill overlooking the pond on the par-three 16th will have space for some 2,000 fans to sit and catch action on the sixth, 15th, 16th and 17th holes.

TAMPA BAY TROUBLES

Several weeks after the PODS Championship, the tour is working hard to keep that event in the Tampa Bay area.

PODS pulled out as sponsor after only two years, and now the tour is searching for a new title sponsor for the event. How this plays out will be interesting, because the players raved about the host course, the Copperhead Course at Westin Innisbrook Resort.

What could happen if no sponsor is found? Well, it could create an early season hole in the schedule, but more likely a different event would be moved up on the calendar.

SAFEWAY OUT IN ARIZONA

Much like the PGA Tour, the LPGA is searching for a sponsor of one of its big events. Safeway has pulled out as sponsor of the Safeway International, which was played at Superstition Mountain.

This event draws record crowds for the LPGA Tour, much like the FBR Open does for the PGA Tour.

Safeway, however, will remain as the title sponsor of the Safeway Classic in Portland.

FEHERTY RETURNS

Just weeks after getting hit by a pickup truck while riding his bike, CBS commentator David Feherty returns to action this week at The Masters.

In the accident, Feherty suffered a separated shoulder, three broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Feherty has one thing going for him in his return this week. He'll be in a tower instead of following one of the final groups on foot. He will likely be back on foot next week at the Verizon Heritage.