While Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els are almost certain to be nonstarters, Vijay Singh, who has never been on Woods's Christmas card list, has somewhat surprisingly accepted his invitation.

But then, amid all the speculation about who will and who won't play, it's far from certain that Woods himself will be able to turn up at Congressional as his wife Elin is apparently due to give birth around that time.

KIM A QUALIFIED SUCCESS FOR OAKMONT Qualifying for any tournament is never easy, but booking a place at a major championship is particularly fraught. So consider Anthony Kim's predicament when he found himself in an 11-man play-off at Scioto Country Club in Ohio last Monday for just one US Open place.

Following Kevin Stadler's birdie at the first, Kim had to hole a bunker shot to stay alive. He managed that, then matched another Stadler birdie at the next before coming through with a par at the third play-off hole.

If anyone deserves his place at Oakmont, Kim does.

MICHELLE WRISTS TAKING THE WIE More controversy surrounding Michelle Wie who withdrew from last week's Ginn Tribute after 16 holes citing a wrist injury - small point that she was two bogeys away from shooting an 88 which would have disqualified her from the LPGA Tour for the season - but who was then spotted practising a day later.

Wie had her right wrist strapped during the opening rounds of this week's major, the LPGA Championship in Maryland, however, when she walked out on the Ginn Tribute, she said she had damaged her left wrist.

The plot thickens.