Sonartec Golf has 27 clubs in play in the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in Winter Garden, Florida. Sonartec was the No. 3 most used fairway wood on the PGA Tour in 15 tournaments in 2003.

Jack Nicklaus led a panel of golf's most influential personalities for a television special taped Thursday at The Golf Channel Studios titled "RBS Presents the State of the Game." Check local listings for air time.

Beginning January 23 with the MasterCard Championship, The Golf Channel's broadcasting lineup for Champions Tour events will include veteran golf broadcaster Jim Kelly, The Golf Channel's Rich Lerner, and former PGA Tour players Brandel Chamblee and Frank Nobilo.

The thermometer dropped below freezing during daylight Thursday, which was the cue to Casual Friday that it was time to put the clubs away for the winter. So, along with the upcoming holidays, Casual Friday will have time to ponder all things golf.

Here are just a few thoughts to consider:

* Tiger Woods announced this week that he and his girlfriend of two years, Swedish nanny/model Elin Nordegren are engaged. Though no date for the wedding has been announced, is there any question that the media attention preceding the event will be just slightly less than there was in the weeks prior to the supposed J-Lo/Ben nuptials?

* Will Phil Mickelson win a major in 2004? Or, for that matter, will Mickelson win at all? Mickelson will win because he is too talented and 2003 should be viewed as an aberration. But his winless streak in majors will continue.

* The last five major winners have been by first-time major winners, will that trend continue? No. Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods and/or Davis Love III will win majors in 2004.

* Do we have to listen to Martha Burk bark about Augusta National Golf Club any more? Most likely yes - unfortunately. In November, Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, had her lawyers ask a federal judge to block a Augusta ordinance to allow them to protest in front of the club's gates. A positive answer would likely mean a bigger circus than what was stirred up last year in the weeks prior to the Masters.

* What will Annika do? She keeps denying the possibility of playing more PGA Tour events, but she will likely get another invitation to the Bank of America Colonial. Since women playing on the Tour has become old hat, it's fair to say that as long as the media attention is not as intense, Sorenstam could appear in a couple of events.

* Was 2003 an aberration in regards to so many player age 40 and over winning? The trend suggests yes, as two years ago was known as the year of the first-time winners. In 2001, there was also a high rate of fortysomething winners.

Then again, who would have thought that in 2003, a woman would have been invited to play a PGA Tour event, that all four majors would have been won by previous non-major winners, and that Ben Curtis and Shaun Micheel would have won the British Open and PGA Championship, respectively? No one, not even Vegas.

So count on this as well: Expect the unexpected.

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www.pgatour.com/players/qschool/2003/index.html

The PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament might be the most exciting and understated tournament around. It's not about majors or money, but a player's future. Players' emotions are as visible as the logos on their bags. It's worth the time to check in over the weekend to see who is breathing a little easier and who is sweating bullets.