Still no answer on Watson exemption

Tom Watson is on a short list of players who have a strong connection to Pebble Beach, from his back-to-back wins in the National Pro-Am to his famous chip-in for birdie on the 17th hole to win the U.S. Open in 1982.

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Whether he gets a chance to return in June is under discussion.

The U.S. Golf Association wrapped up its annual meeting 10 days ago without awarding a special exemption to the U.S. Open, which is what Watson would need to play the national championship at Pebble Beach for the fifth time.

"The decision was that our committee is going to look at it in April," said Mike Davis , senior director of rules and competition. "They feel like if there's any special exemption, they want to look at it closer to the time of the Open."

Nick Price in 2005 was the last player to receive a special exemption to the U.S. Open. Watson would appear to be a logical choice.

Along with being a past U.S. Open champion at Pebble Beach, he showed his skills quite sufficiently last summer when he stood over an 8-foot par putt on the 72nd hole with a chance to win the British Open. He wound up losing a playoff to Stewart Cink at Turnberry.

Two weeks ago, Watson played the Dubai Desert against the fourth-strongest field in golf this year and tied for eighth.

Davis said the USGA no longer awards exemptions at its annual meeting in case it overlooks someone who is playing well or hands out an exemption to someone who starts playing poorly late in the spring.

"Most years, we don't even give a special exemption," he said. "Certainly, Watson is being talked about."

Davis said he expects a decision to be announced in May.

THE OTHER MAJOR: Add the PGA Championship to the victims of Johnny Miller 's candor.

During a reception at Pebble Beach, Miller said the U.S. Open was considered the premier major during the peak of his career. He said the British Open was still regaining popularity among Americans, and he cited Tony Lema as saying the Masters was only "fun at the top."

"Now we've got three really great championships," Miller said.

Miller, a former U.S. Open and British Open champion, might not realize that four majors make up the Grand Slam, and that includes the PGA Championship.

Then again, it might be worth nothing that the PGA Championship was the only major in which Miller never finished in the top 10.

LATE START: The LPGA Tour season finally gets under way in Thailand on Thursday when Lorena Ochoa defends her title over a field that includes Michelle Wie, Jiyai Shin, Paula Creamer and Juli Inkster.

The LPGA does not play its first tournament in America until March 25 at La Costa Resort.