Els suddenly suffers withdrawal symptoms

NORTON -- His golf game has been coming around. As for the editorial end of things . . . well, Ernie Els could use help on his website.

The world's fourth-ranked player yesterday confirmed what had been rumored for a few days: he was going to skip the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston. Though it's the second of a four-week stretch of playoff tournaments and Els is situated a lofty 10th in the FedEx Cup standings, the 37-year-old South African issued a statement explaining his decision.

"I have been on the road for almost eight weeks and it is important that I return home where my children will be preparing for their return to school," said Els, who is back in London. "I regret having to miss such a prestigious and important tournament."

It seems to contradict what had been on his personal website yesterday morning.

"I've made a pretty good start to the FedEx Cup playoff series, so I really want to push on from here and win one of these prizes," it said after The Big Easy shot 65-71-68-68--272 to finish 12 under par and tied for fourth at Westchester CC in the Barclays. It came two weeks after a spirited run at the PGA Championship (third) and a month after his strong British Open (fourth).

Having picked up nine positions in the FedEx Cup standings with his Barclays performance, Els is guaranteed spots in next week's playoff event, the BMW Championship in Chicago (top 70), and in the postseason finale, the Tour Championship Sept. 13-16 in Atlanta (top 30).

There are $7 million pursues available each of those weeks, so even if his chances for the overall FedEx Cup championship are derailed by missing the Deutsche Bank, Els knows he can realize plenty of financial rewards.

On the heels of the decision of Scott Verplank (15th in the standings) to skip here, Els's announcement leaves the Deutsche Bank Championship with 18 of the top 20 in the standings.

Later in the day, Tom Lehman, who is 87th in the standings, and Jose Maria Olazabal, who is 98th, also withdrew. Lehman did not offer an explanation; Olazabal is nursing a knee injury.

The field is at 115. No alternates are placed in the playoff tournaments.

He is trying to remain encouraged, but David Toms has issues with his back -- again. He sat out nearly two months last summer, and those two bad disks are acting up again. He was walking gingerly as he practice-putted and he hopes treatments will have him ready to go by Friday's first round. "I haven't had a problem all year," said Toms. "Talk about your bad timing." He missed just his second cut of the season at the Barclays and fell to 27th in the FedEx Cup standings. But the truth is "I need to play good this week or next week to get into the Tour Championship," said Toms. With his seven top-10 finishes, it would have to be considered a strong year, though Toms has yet to win. He has won at least once in four straight seasons and seven of the last eight, and extending those streaks is a top priority. "There's still time," said Toms, who said he'd play maybe twice in the seven weeks after the Tour Championship.

He's on crutches because of surgery on his right foot, and he didn't qualify for the playoff tournaments, but Brad Faxon has been on site the last two days. On Monday, he greeted amateur players who took part in a Stop & Shop Pro-Am that helped raise $1.2 million; yesterday he toured TPC Boston with Gil Hanse to talk to players about the many changes they oversaw. Though he's not involved as a player, Faxon suggested a way even more of a buzz could have enveloped the FedEx Cup race. "I think it would be cool if they handed out 10 million $1 bills on the 18th green of the Tour Championship," he said. Instead, the winner will receive $10 million -- in deferred payments . . . In warm sunshine, Lucas Glover hit balls and prepared for his eighth tournament in nine weeks. Sitting 47th in the FedEx Cup standings, he's in great shape to make it to the BMW Championship, which would be nine events in 10 weeks, and he offered his philosophy: "Just to get jacked up to play as many as I can until they tell me I can't play anymore." Glover has a big date on the horizon. He was picked by captain Jack Nicklaus to play for the American team in the Presidents Cup Sept. 27-30.

While their successors were in New York preparing for yet another meeting with the Yankees, Red Sox heroes of yesterday were teeing it up alongside a handful of PGA Tour members. The annual Deutsche Bank Championship Red Sox Legends & Friends Pro-Am served as the morning entertainment for those in attendance. Forty summers removed from their Impossible Dream heroics, Rico Petrocelli and Jim Lonborg hit golf balls. So, too, did former Sox Dennis Eckersley, Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, Carlton Fisk, Frank Malzone, Rick Miller, Bob Montgomery, Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, and Sam Horn. Also taking part were former Celtic M.L. Carr, onetime Patriots standout Andre Tippett, former All-Pro tight end Mark Bavaro, and three Bruins -- Phil Kessel, Marc Savard, and general manager Peter Chiarelli, who ended up on a winning team anchored by Daniel Chopra. From the pro-am, $100,000 was donated to the Red Sox Foundation.