For the first time since June 2001, Sergio Garcia has been selected as the PGA Tour's Player of the Month. Garcia made three starts in May, with the highlight being his victory at The Players Championship.

Garcia opened the month with a tie for 34th at the Wachovia Championship and eded it within a 45th-place finish at the Memorial. In between, he won The Players with rounds of 66-73-73-71 for a 5-under 283 total and a first-place check worth $1.71 million.

TITLE SPONSOR IN TAMPA: The PGA Tour found a title sponsor for its March tournament in the Tampa Bay area when Transitions Optical, Inc., signed a four-year deal that keeps intact the Florida Swing.

The 2009 Transitions Championship will be held March 19-22 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook.

Even though it is considered one of the toughest tournament courses in Florida, the event was in jeopardy when it lost PODS as a title sponsor this year. It now has its third title sponsor in four years.

Sean O'Hair won the tournament in March for his second career victory.

BIG CHANGES AT AVENEL: As part of a multi-million dollar renovation, the PGA Tour's TPC Avenel will be renamed TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. The new name pays homage to the site's historic Avenel Farm, once home to Maryland's largest short-horned cattle farm, and reflects the extensive environmental efforts that have been undertaken during the golf course renovation process.

A major component of the golf course renovation, which is scheduled to be completed this fall, is the comprehensive restoration of the Rock Run Stream Valley -- one of the main tributaries of the Potomac River that meanders through the golf course. During the last century, the stream has become badly eroded, causing frequent flooding of the course during heavy rains.

A milestone was marked in December 2007 when the restoration of approximately 5,000 linear feet of the Rock Run mainstream and 2,250 linear feet of eroding stream banks on the tributaries was completed. During this restoration process, nearly 12 acres of wetlands were added to create a buffer between the stream and the golf course and allow the high water runoff from the stream to be slowed and absorbed into the wetland areas and prevent course flooding.

The course modifications include re-shaping and enhancements to all 18 holes, featuring a complete redesign of holes 10, 11 and 13; lengthening of the course to 7,124 yards, with a new par-70 design; a new state-of-the-art irrigation system; new Bentgrass tees, greens and fairways; the re-building of all bunkers with a style that is authentic and distinctive to the Mid-Atlantic region, including the addition of some Scottish-style bunkering detail with tall fescue grasses; new green complexes and landscaping on all 18 holes; and an expansive new PGA Tour-quality practice facility and short game area featuring three short practice holes complete with bunkering.

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