INDIANAPOLIS - Suzy Whaley is taking another crack at golfs old boys network.More than one decade after becoming the first woman to qualify for a PGA event in 58 years, the 48-year-old Whaley became the first female officer in the PGA of Americas history. Shes on course to become the organizations first female president in 2018, too.Whaley received 52.63 per cent of the 114 votes in a three-way race for secretary near the end of Saturdays meeting in Indianapolis. Russ Libby was second at 33.33 per cent and Michael Haywood was third at 14.04 per cent.As the final tally was posted on two video boards in the front of a hotel ballroom, Whaleys supporters pumped their fists, delegates gave her a standing ovation and Whaley hugged everybody in sight as she took a deliberate 5-minute stroll from the back of the room to one of two head tables.Its an incredibly special day for me, my family, the Connecticut section and our members, Whaley said. Our association has a long-term strategic plan and Im excited to part of implementing that plan. We have so many opportunities to bring diverse groups into the game, thats what Im excited about.The selection of Whaley, who in 2003 became the first woman to qualify for a mens event since Babe Zaharias, is just a start.She will serve the next two years as PGA secretary, then two years as vice-president before starting a two-year term as president and another two-year term as honorary president. Each promotion must be approved through a formal vote, which is usually considered a formality.For the PGA, its a chance to turn the page on one of the organizations darker chapters. President Ted Bishop was ousted last month after using social media to call European pro Ian Poulter a Lil Girl and writing that Poulter sounded like a little girl squealing during recess.Supporters made it clear that the association needed to go in a different direction and that choosing Whaley would help.Who among is more passionate about the teaching the game to every person, to show the magic of our game to every child, to every man and to every woman? Connecticut section member Gary Reynolds said in his nominating speech. Sometimes we are lucky, lucky to experience a moment where we can embrace change.Voters didnt just want to embrace change, they wanted to embrace Whaley, a mother of two and the director of instruction at her own golf academy in Croswell, Connecticut. In 2010, the Farmington, Connecticut, resident became the second woman elected to the PGAs board of directors.But the historic vote drew raves from every corner of the room — friends, supporters, board members, teaching pros and especially her new executive colleagues.Whaley was so touched that she forgot to insert her own name into the oath during the swearing-in ceremony.I am so proud to be a PGA member and so honoured to serve all of you, she said as her voice cracked.The selection of Whaley wasnt the only business Saturday.Voters approved Derek Sprague, of Malone, New York, to become the associations 39th president. They also voted to promote Paul Levy of Indian Wells, California, from secretary to vice-president. And they extended Allen Wronowskis term an additional two years. He will fill the void left by Bishops ouster.But it was the election of Whaley that could have the greatest long-term impact for an organization that has been mostly male-dominated that will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2016.I think its great to have a woman in a national leadership position because I think it opens the door for women in other leadership positions, Sprague said. It can only inspire other women to get into leadership positions. Wholesale Football Jerseys Throwback . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign. Clearance Football Jerseys Throwback .J. -- The New Jersey Devils are so bad in shootouts, coach Pete DeBoer doesnt mind seeing his team take chances in the five-minute overtime. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/. - Tiger Woods only made it through 10 holes Thursday — this time because of the weather, not his back. Cheap Football Jerseys Throwback China . Dane Dobbie and Shawn Evans each had two goals and two assists for the Roughnecks (8-5), who outscored Minnesota 6-2 in the fourth quarter after being tied through 45 minutes. Curtis Dickson scored once and set up three more for Calgary and Dan MacRae, Geoff Snider, Tor Reinholdt, Karsen Leung and Matthew Dinsdale. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video.Steve Stricker made it clear that money was not important. His plan was to defend his title at Kapalua and walk away from the PGA Tour for the rest of the year. Over the holidays leading into 2013, he reached a compromise and cut his schedule roughly in half. He contacted his sponsors, and they supported him. Stricker didnt have great expectations starting his year of semi-retirement. "If I could just make enough money to pay yearly expenses, Im fine with that," he said. "If we dont have to touch anything Ive put away ... I dont need to do what Im doing just to make money. Id rather be staying at home, doing things at home with the foundation and with my kids." No one else was around during this conversation, but Stricker still leaned in and lowered his voice as he stated what everyone already knew. "You know, were pretty conservative with our money," he said. Stricker was runner-up that week at Kapalua and made $665,000. He didnt play for six weeks, and then reached the quarterfinals of the Accenture Match Play Championship to earn $275,000. Two weeks later, he was runner-up at Doral and brought in $880,000. That should pay the bills. He finished the year with just over $4.4 million, the third-highest total of his career. His world ranking improved 10 spots to No. 8. And by the end of the year, he had several players contemplating a similar schedule. Along the way, there were plenty of other moments that showed more about players than just their birdies and bogeys, and the checks they cash. ------ Rory McIlroy generated a buzz no matter where he went at the start of the year. He had the hefty deal from Nike. He was No. 1 in the world. And he was struggling early with a missed cut in Abu Dhabi and a first-round departure in Match Play. Nothing caused a stir like Friday at the Honda Classic, when he abruptly shook hands with Ernie Els as they were making the turn and walked straight to the parking lot. Information was a trickle. He was vague during a brisk walk to the car. Later, a statement from his management company said he had a sore wisdom tooth. There was a golf tournament still going on. Michael Thompson shot 65 on that Friday to move to the top of the leaderboard. It was early afternoon and no one seemed interested. The announcement sounded more like a plea. "We have Michael Thompson in the interview room," the official said. One voice broke the awkward silence. "Is he a dentist?" a reported asked. No. But he did win his first PGA Tour event that week. ------ Angel Cabrera is a man of few words and loud actions. A month after losing the Masters in a playoff, he was walking off the 18th green at TPC Sawgrass following a practice round. Fans thrust programs and flags for him to sign. There was bumping and pushing, and a marshal started to bark at everyone to back up. Cabrera stepped back about 10 feet, and then instructed only the children to come under the ropes and join him. He spent the next 15 minutes signing for them. ------ It looked like the scene outside the mansion in "Young Frankenstein," missing only the pitchforks and torches. The Pure Silk LPGA Bahamas Classic was played on a 12-hole course at The Ocean Club because of flooding. The first round didnt finish because of another storm system in the area. Players gathered in darkness outside the rules trailer to find out the plan for Friday. A computer error led players to believe -- only for a moment -- that they would keep their same tee time for the second round. Chaos ensued, filled with heated arguments among players and rules officials. And it was at this moment the LPGA showed its true international flavour. A group of Swedish players were off to the right, raising their voices in their native language. The Americans were in the front of the pack. The South Koreans were in the back. The Spaniards were in the middle. The Germans were over by the hedges. It was the ultimate melting pot. And they ultimately got it all worked out. ------ Among the visitors at The Players Championship was Ulises Mendez, who plays on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. The Argentine earned his card last year when he tied for 15th in Latin America Q-school. His player badge allowed him access to the tournament, and he camped out just beneath the bleachers behind the 17th green. He stoood there for an hour as the best players came through the 17th.dddddddddddd It was an inspiring day. "To know where you need to be," Mendez said, "you need to see where you want to go." ------ There is no love lost between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, as both made clear at The Players Championship and in the weeks that followed. The same could be said for Garcia and Padraig Harrington, as the Irishman showed on a couple of occasions this year in his subtle style. Speaking to a small group of reporters at the TPC Sawgrass, where the Woods-Garcia flap was starting to unfold, Harrington said of all the times he has played with Woods he considered his etiquette "absolutely impeccable." "Ive played with Tiger many times," Harrington said. "I give him an A-plus on his etiquette on the course. I give him an A-plus for his respect for fellow players on the course." A British reporter then asked Harrington what kind of grade he would give Garcia. "Im not in a position to rank players," he replied. Later that summer, Harrington finished a practice round at Muirfield and was signing autographs. One fan had the British Open program turned to the page that showed Harrington winning his first claret jug. That was in 2007 at Carnoustie, after a playoff with Garcia. Harrington signed the page and held onto the book for the longest time, staring at the photo with a satisfied smile. "You like that picture?" the man said. "More than you know," the Irishman replied. ------ The woman behind the counter at Starbucks in the Denver suburbs was making small talk with a customer when she learned he was headed to the Solheim Cup. "Annika Sorenstam was just in here," she said. "Well, I think that was her." Think? Not only is the Swede the most famous LPGA Tour player of her generation, one would suspect writing the word "Annika" on the cup would be a dead giveaway. Except that in this case, she can be excused. Turns out Sorenstam doesnt go by "Annika" when shes in Starbucks. Her code name is Maria. "Maria is the one name that translates on every continent," Sorenstam said when she confessed to her alias. "So Im Maria Swenson." ------ The first day of the Solheim Cup nearly didnt finish because of a rules decision that took nearly a half-hour to determine -- and as it turned out, it was the wrong decision. It proved a pivotal part of the fourballs match, which Europe went on to win. It wasnt the first time a rules official had made the wrong call. Former USGA President Trey Holland, one of the most skilled in the Rules of Golf, mistakenly gave Ernie Els relief in the U.S. Open from a temporary immovable object that was movable. But when an official makes a ruling, it stands. Brad Alexander, a respected LPGA official, made the wrong call at the Solheim Cup. When the day was over, confusion and anger lingered. Alexander volunteered to accompany both captains to the media centre to handle any questions from the press. He explained what happened. He made no excuses. He accepted all the blame. It was classy. That kind of accountability would have come in handy at Augusta National this year. ------ The final week of December is the one week no meaningful tournaments are played on any tour in the world. The golf year is endless, and it can feel even longer. Mark Fulcher, the caddie for Justin Rose, has been at this a long time. The crowning moment was at Merion, where Rose won the U.S. Open for his first major. This was in late October, halfway around the world in Shanghai. Everyone was tired. Rose was just starting the stretch run to the end of his year. The caddies were talking about the drudgery of early rounds at a tournament. Except for "Fooch." "The day I stop caddying, Ill either be dead or I wont be excited on a Thursday morning," Fulcher said that day. "Thursday is the greatest day in golf. Its the perfect reset, isnt it? Youre reminded, even if you won, that everyone starts all over the next week. And if youve played absolute rubbish, theres always the belief that its about to turn around. I love Thursday. Just love it." Its a good reminder for everyone involved in this game. You never know whats going to happen next. Or when. ' ' '