Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Honda Classic after playing just nine holes in the second round on Friday. There's no question the tournament and PGA Tour are disappointed in his departure because it will mean a decrease in ratings this weekend, but if you happened to be on Twitter at the time, it was worth not getting to see him this weekend. 

As is custom on social media sites, when a story breaks - good or bad - people are going to talk and chime in with their opinions and so many of them can be absurd. 

I saw everything from "Rory must be having lady problems" to "Rory must be too hung over" to the logical "Rory must have some type of injury." 

It gets old quick, yet it never really does. Golf fans are especially good on Twitter and I'm always very amused by our followers on there and our fans on Facebook. 

We all waited impatiently for McIlroy to release a statement on why he up and left so abruptly and just as all the absurd speculation was making the turn from funny to pandering, the statement finally dropped. 

What was so pressing in McIlroy's life that turned him into a bogey machine and forced him to withdraw?

A wisdom tooth. 

Not kidding. 

And it's not joke. If you've ever had an infected or impacted wisdom tooth, you know doing anything besides complaining and wishing you could rip it out is nearly impossible. 

Here's his statement:

“I sincerely apoloize to The Honda Classic and PGA TOUR for my sudden withdrawal. I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future. It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners. I came here with every intention of defending my Honda Classic title. Even though my results haven't revealed it, I really felt like I was rounding a corner. This is one of my favorite tournaments of the year and I regret having to make the decision to withdraw, but it was one I had to make.”

I don't know how it was affecting his playing partners, but if the defending champion says it was, I'll just take his word for it. If it was that bad, there's no way an Advil was going to make enough of a difference to let him continue to play. For a guy of McIlroy's stature, I would imagine he could get that tooth taken out anytime he wanted and wouldn't need to wait for the "near future." 

McIlroy has not had a very good start to the 2013 season and this just adds to it. I am beginning to wonder if it's due to early season rust or if he's still not totally used to playing with Nike clubs just yet. We've heard many pros over the years talk about taking club endorsement deals and it affecting their game because they couldn't hit their sponsored clubs as good as the ones they had before. Sometimes, it's a simple thing like that that can take you from contention to struggling at the cut line. 

I don't think that's going to happen with McIlroy, but time will tell. A golfer of his talent should be able to play any club at a high level and it's something I'll keep an eye on this year. 

The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain doesn't carry the weight of one of the four majors or the FedEx Cup, but it does have a tinge of that March Madness feel.

Anytime you combine a bracket and sports it ignites a fire under fans that a typical tournament just can't offer. College basketball perfected it and even though match play in golf isn't nearly on the same level, it's still special - and best of all - fun.

Before I get to the picks from the Hurricane Golf staff, let's take a look at the field.

Number 1 Seeds

Bobby Jones Division: Rory McIlroy 

Ben Hogan Division: Louis Oosthuizen 

Gary Player Division: Tiger Woods 

Sam Snead Division: Luke Donald

There's no question Woods and McIlroy are the two standout stars of this match play championship, but if the recent past is any indicator of the future, we know Woods is vulnerable and it's usually a name like Donald or Oosthuizen that casual fans aren't that familiar with who play well. Getting a number one seed may change that this year for them. That being said, as much as I should think better about believing in favorites, I expect big things for Woods and McIlroy this week.

Upset Watch

We're going to see upsets every year in this tournament. Keep an eye on these matchups tomorrow:

Bobby Jones Division: (12) Harrington over (5) McDowell; (11) Day over (6) Johnson 

Ben Hogan Division: (12) Jacobson over (5) Els; (15) Choi over (2) Rose 

Gary Player Division: (16) Howell III over (1) Woods; (12) Bjorn over (5) Hanson 

Sam Snead Division: (13) Stenson over (4) Stricker; (11) Senden over (6) Van Pelt

I'm not saying all of these will happen, but of all the first round match ups, I think most of these have the best shot at happening. I don't think Woods will get bounced by a 16 seed, but you never know at what level Woods is going to play in the first round so I see a small sliver of hope for Howell III. Very small.

The Picks

My Final Four: 

Bobby Jones Division: Rory McIlroy 

Ben Hogan Division: Bill Haas 

Gary Player Division: Tiger Woods 

Sam Snead Division: Adam Scott

Championship: McIlroy over Scott

It's sweet victory for Adam Scott and Stevie Williams over Woods, but McIlroy is going to spoil their party.

Hurricane Golf Staff Winning Picks:

Woods - 4, McIlroy - 2, Mahan - 1, Donald - 1, Schwartzel - 1

Looks like we've got a lot of folks on the Woods bandwagon and for the first time in a long time, I'm not the one out front and center making that pick. However, it's a pick that I don't think anyone would be surprised to see win. Same for McIlroy. The Mahan, Donald and Schwartzel pick wouldn't surprise me either and that's what's going to make this match play awesome.

Notable Stats from the Hurricane Golf Staff Brackets: 1 person has Bubba losing in the first round; 3 people have Fowler over Rory in the second round; 2 people have Tiger not making the Elite Eight; nobody has all 1 seeds in the Final Four

Let us know how your brackets are turning out on Twitter @HurricaneGolf.

There are a lot of negative statements about finishing in second place: if you're not first you're last... it's like kissing your sister... second place is the first loser...

Truth is, its not nearly as bad as some make it out to be. The pay day is good and in golf, it's definitive evidence that you're game is ripe for winning.

Just ask Brendt Snedeker.

This year, he's already finished second twice and when the names ahead of you on the leaderboard read Mickelson and Woods, there's no shame in second place. It's just one of those growing pains that come in ascending to the top of the golf game today.

It also makes winning feel a little bit sweeter when the time comes.

Snedeker, the hottest golfer  on the PGA Tour today, had that feeling on Sunday at Pebble Beach.

When you've played 16 of your last 17 rounds in the 60s, it's only going to be so long before you're holding a trophy on the 18th green. Snedeker rolled to a two shot win (-19) over Chris Kirk. He began the day tied with Kirk but after starting the final round five under thru the first seven hole, Sunday was mostly a victory lap with a breath taking view.

The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am isnt the most star studded events on the Tour, unless you count Bill Murray and other Hollywood players, but in this tournament it's important to conquer the real star of the show: Pebble Beach.

If the course wasn't hard enough already, trying to keep your focus when there is so much beautiful scenery to look at has to be a little tough at times. Now, most pros rise to that level because of their ability to lock in and concentrate, but I've got to believe it can be a little distracting at times or could become a bigger distraction when you've got a lead and are feeling comfortable. 

None of that mattered for Snedeker, though. He played brilliantly and has started 2013 almost as good as he ended 2012: played in his first Ryder Cup, won the TOUR Championship, won the FedEx Cup and collected a cool $10 million for that last achievement. 

In 2013 alone he's got  one win, two runner-ups, one third place finish and finished in the Top 25 in all five of the tournaments he's played so far. 

Most guys won't get those kinds of results in a full calendar year so to say this is shaping up to be a very special year for Snedeker is an understatement. 

Two days ago, I was on the phone with my dad talking about golf and he asked me who I thought was going to have a great year. I told him I thought Woods would bounce back a little more than last year, Rory McIlroy would have a good year but not as good as 2012, to keep an eye on Adam Scott, Graeme McDowell and Webb Simpson and that, ultiimately, I really thought it was wide open.

I should have told him Brandt Snedeker. 

PGA President talks bifurcation

What is bifurcation you ask? Well, the short answer is it's changing the rules of golf. We haven't heard much about it since the original announcement to ban long putters and anchoring, but it's going to pop up quite a bit from now until the rule most likely goes into effect in 2016. 

Somehow, 63% of polled club pros are concerned over the anchoring/long putter ban. This is perplexing because, honestly, it's not a huge deal to switch putters and it can be written into the rules that golfers with conditions could still use them. It doesn't have to be so black and white. 

Ted Bishop, PGA of America President, is one name you'll often see in any article that talks about bifurcation. Bishop is most concerened about what rule changes are going to do in terms of driving golfers away from the game. He said the game "can't afford to lose one player, (or) one round of golf at our facilities."

I'm not sure who is going to quit the game over any of this, but he does have a point. Golf is not football, which holds well over the marketshare of sports television viewers. However, as head injuries and concussions become a more prevelant topic in years to come, I would expect a higher number of parents steering their children to golf over contact sports. 

There is discussion about whether there should be two different sets of rules for pro's and amateurs. Why this is an issue doesn't really make sense to me. There are different sets of rules in all of the major sports when it comes to pro vs. amateur. Metal bats vs. wood bats in baseball. Clock stops on a first down in college football, not the NFL. Three point lines are different distances in the NCAA than NBA. 

I don't understand why the governing bodies don't just ammend the rules as needed to make the game the best it can be, on every level. Stop taking polls and debating. Start focus grouping ideas and making things happen. 

PGA Merchandise Show 

If you didn't get a chance to go to the PGA Merchandise Show, check out coverage of it here. One day, I'd love to go, but for now, I'll send you to an even more impressive display than anything you'd have seen in Orlando. Boom.

Phil Mickelson apologizes about tax comments

This is how you handle a mistake correctly through public relations. Athletes take note. 

Marshall Faulk is at the tee box, the fairway, the bunker, the fringe, green, cup, TOUCHDOWN!

Why was this necessary? It's fine and all, but I don't think putting Marshall Faulk in a golf video game is going to help any in the sales department. 

Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines - Round 1

Round 1 of the Farmers Insurance Open is underway. Tiger is in the field. Check it out. 

Golf fans enjoyed a short head-to-head feud between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy last year. We came out of it knowing that the two of them brought out the best in each other on the course, and in press conferences. 

That was 2012. In 2013, they'll be on the same team. 

Which team? Nike. 

All it took was a five year deal multi million for Nike to court McIlroy away from Acushnet Co., which outfitted him with FootJoy and Titleist. Early reports indicated the deal was for around $200 million, but sources have since reported it's not quite that much. My guess is it's probably closer to the $200 million mark than Nike is willing to let on.

"I chose Nike for a number of reasons," McIlroy said. "It's a company and a brand that really resonates with me. It's young. It's athletic. It's innovative. They are committed to being the best, as am I. Signing with Nike is another step towards living out my dream."

For as long as McIlroy has been showing up on our TV screens, we've seen him with the Jumierah logo on his hat or shirt. Frankly, I never knew who they were until I decided to find out one day while watching McIlroy walk down the fairway. 

They're a luxury hotel chain, wouldn't you know. The company's five-year ad space reign on McIlroy's golf clohing is over now, as they chose not to renew their contract. 

Something tells me Nike priced them out of the market on this one. They were conquered by the power of the Swoosh, I suspect. I don't imagine Nike wanted any other logos on their apparel. 

Golf isn't quite NASCAR when it comes to promoting and showcasing sponsors on TV, but the logos don't go unnoticed. I never would have visited the Jumierah site without seeing it on McIlroy's shirt. It is no surprise to me McIlroy got so much money from Nike. He'll make them much more in return. 

The only concern I'd have over the sponsor change is his ability to switch equipment. Golfers in the past have complained about switching equipment sponsors and having it affect their game. I've got to believe McIlroy did his homework and played enough practice rounds with the Nike equipment to feel comfortable enough to make the switch. 

It's a huge day for Nike and it's continuously growing impact on the golf world. Having the current World No. 1 golfer and arguably the greatest of all time on your roster at the same time will do that. 

And of course, they've already made an awesome commerical: click here.

My intentions were to begin the New Year covering the first PGA Tour tournament of the year, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, HI, but sometimes the wind just blows you in another direction. 

Literally. 

In my lifetime, I don't ever recall so many delays on behalf of wind. I don't remember any wind delays, in fact, which makes the four day delay so extraordinary. No one wants to swing a club in a thunderstorm or try to find their white golf ball in a foot of snow. That's completely understandble. But, wind? Well, I live in the Windy City and I've been nearly knocked over by some of the gusts that kick up in downtown Chicago, but I've never not gone golfing because of a wind forecast. Nor have I known, seen or heard of anybody else doing so. 

It could be because of my skill level, but wind is never really a big factor in my golf game. Like so many of you, I enjoy grabbing a bit of grass and throwing it in the air to see where the wind is going. Most of the time it doesn't seem to matter which way the wind is blowing because my accuracy isn't on point enough to be aided by gusts of wind. Regardless of the value of the wind information I get, I just like the idea that doing the test is important and makes me look more legit. 

There might come a time when I actually get really good at this game and wind statistics will matter more to me. For now, it is what it is. I'll toss the grass and look at it inqusitively as it falls to the ground. The last time knowing the wind conditions was important to my game and I was able to do something about it was about 10 years ago. But, I was playing speed golf in a thunderstorm with a friend and having the wind at my back helped propel me down the fairway after my ball faster. 

I do feel as though the PGA Tour missed a huge opportunity to attract viewers and showcase a fun, mostly silly product.Just let them play through it. I know I'd watch a player chip in to the wind and watch them chase afer their ball as it flies in random directions or blows right off of the green and into the bunker. 

I know I would watch hours of PGA Tour players struggling the way we do in perfect weather. Can you imagine how made Tiger Woods wood get? Or how funny Bubba Watson would be? 

This is starting to sound like Steve-O's next TV show. 

We can only hope.  

The golf offseason always comes too soon. Fortunately, there are so many distractions between it ending and beginning again, it's the fastest offseason in all of sports. By the time we hit Thanksgiving, my golf depression is in full swing, but all of a sudden it's Christmas time and the new season is just around the corner. This, dear readers, is a very good thing.

The long, drawn out debate over whether belly putters and any other form of anchoring in a putting stroke should be illegal may soon be coming to an end. 

The governing bodies of golf proposed a ban on such practices Wednesday and while it's only step one of the process, all signs point to said ban passing. 

The new rule states that during a stroke, a player cannot anchor the club, either “directly” or by use of an “anchor point.” Prohibited stokes would include a belly putter anchored against the stomach, an anchored long putter to the sternum, the end of the club anchored against the chin, and an anchor point created by the forearm.

Bifurcation should not be a problem going forward and will create an even playing field across all ranks from recreational to professional. In other words, this rule is being put in place everywhere.

A 90 day comment period immediately follows Wednesday's ruling for golfers and industry professionals to talk about the matter and have their opinions expressed, but at this point it already feels like that's all out in the open. It's more of a courtesy and in my opinion, one that is unnecessary. There is not one argument for or against that hasn't already been said. 

Let's just get to the spring, when this rule can become official and then happily watch as the illegal anchoring goes away forever... starting in 2016. 

Yes, 2016. This ban will not be fully implemented until the next publishing of the Rules of Golf in three years. What kind of ridiculous bylaws prohibit the governing bodies to just push this thing through and, seriously, why do they exist? It's a bit maddening. 

We've had three golfers win majors in the past two years using belly putters: Keegan Bradley, 2011 PGA; Webb Simpson, 2012 US Open; and Ernie Els, 2012 British Open. Before I declare an illegal injustice on them, it is worth mentioning that no golfer using a belly putter was ranked in the Top 20 in putting in 2012. To me, that simply says that you don't have to be consistently great at putting for an entire year to win a major, just over a four day period when the tournament is being held. 

I'm going to love not having to watch men in their 20's and 30's slumped over a belly or long putter as if they are ready to start collecting Social Security checks. 

And speaking of our "veteran golfers" (very PC, I know)... I do wonder what this will mean for Champions Tour golfers who are stricken with age-related injuries that might prohibit them from adjusting to the no anchor rule. I'm guessing a One-A-Day multivitamin isn't going to be a great substitute, but then again, these guys do have caddies and if you're unable to swing a putter like everybody else, it's probably time to call it a career anyway.

It's worth considering, but not enough that it should make a difference in the outcome. 

You'll hear all in power within the PGA Tour say this rule is a way to improve the future of golf and keep the rules fair. Believe those words, because they are true. You'll hear some golfers gripe about it and bring up a bunch of lame complaints as well, but just brush those off and look forward to a brighter future for golf... or something like that. 

Players can still use their precious belly and long putters, anyway. They just can't illegally anchor them anymore. Who wants to cheat to win, anyway? 

"We legitimately believe it’s the right thing to do for the game of golf long-term. We know short-term there is going to be some angst over this. We accept that. We don’t like it either. But we want to, once and for all, put this controversial ruling to bed," US Golf Association executive director Mike Davis said.

Let me be the first to offer to tuck it in and read it a bed time story, Mike. Anything for it to rest in peace.

What I'm going to miss most about the golf season freezing over and the PGA Tour taking its annual hiatus is not just the feeling of getting out on the course or being lazy on the couch watching golf. There's more to it, as I'm sure is the case with anyone who has found this blog. I'm a sucker for lists, so let's get started with this one. 

Reasons to miss golfing and watching golf because it's just about winter...

1. The constant back and forth about whether Tiger Woods is back. You'd think this would be something that I WOULD NOT miss, but I'm one of those over analytical people who also enjoys reading the thoughts of other over analytical people. Tiger is polarizing and that always makes fodder for a good column or Twitter rant from any number of people. After a long winter nap, I look forward to jumping right back on the bandwagon as this circus goes for another lap. 

2. Eating a hot dog after the 9th hole. There are few things I like more about golfing than eating while I'm making the turn. Whether it's a hot dog, Snickers or something else off the grill, there is something perfect about the energy you've spent on the first 9 and the way that mid-round snack amps you up for 9 more holes. I can eat a hot dog any time, but at the ball park, on the Fourth of July and between holes 9 and 10 are the best times I can think of. 

3. Cleaning my clubs. I find the process of scrubbing away 18 holes of mostly poor shots and big divots soothing. It's like getting a clean slate for the next time you tee it up. Of course, when I hit a great shot, I swear to never clean the club again because I don't want to wipe off the magic, but I always do. Many don't like having to clean their clubs and many others don't at all, but it's something I always look forward to especially if there's a beer and some good friends around partaking as well. 

4. Pretending I'm a worse golfer than I am on this blog. The fact is, I'm not the worst golfer in the world, as I portray myself to be on here all the time. I shoot in the 80's for 18 holes routinely and while that's not great, it's not terrible either. I'm sure it's where most people on this site end up. However, it's fun to pretend that anytime I pick up a club madness is about to occur and there's a patch of grass that's going to need re-seeding. You can bet that if I was really good, I'd rub it in. But you all probably wouldn't buy that any way. 

5. Promoting deals on the Hurricane Golf Blog. Just kidding. Go sign up for our VIP for exclusive, time-sensitive deals and check back every Monday for a new Deal of the Week. Plus, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. It's nice that you came here for the blog, but the deals are where it's at. Oh, you came for the deals? Well, thanks for stopping by the blog, too. 

This list will be ongoing throughout the winter, so check back often for more and feel free to leave a comment on what you'll miss the most this winter. 

What's that? You thought shopping on HurricaneGolf.com couldn't get any better? Sure, when something seems too good to be true it usually is, but not this time. 

Introducing the members only Hurricane Golf VIP program. Members only deals will feature name brand golf equipment, accessories, and more. These deals can have limitied quantities and time availability so when you see that deal that's just too good to pass up, get it while it's hot!

If you've visited this site throughout 2012 you've noticed the VIP icon on the top of our site. Clicking through led to a page that said Coming Soon, but what once was to come soon is finally here and our VIP members will be the beneficiaries of great prices and as always, a great customer experience. 

Just because the golf season is nearing an end doesn't mean Hurricane Golf closes with it. We will feature deals that you won't find elsewhere on the Internet. What's in it for us? Customer satisfaction of course. We love to hear from our customers, so if you snag a great deal by being a VIP member, let everyone know on through Facebook and Twitter. 

We've got some great items up right now so if you're not a member yet, sign up here.