WATCH FOR the second of four PGA Tour stops in Florida during the month of March. The WGC-Cadillac Championship begins Thursday at the TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Doral. Doral’s signature course has undergone a $200 million upgrade to improve the layout that had shown signs of age. The course gets its Blue Monster name from its famed 18th hole, where water along the entire left side torments golfers on both the tee and the approach shot. Despite equipment advances, No.18 still ranked as last year’s sixth-toughest hole outside the majors.
Tiger Woods is scheduled to defend his title, but his status is currently unknown after he withdrew from last week’s Honda Classic, citing back spasms. The WGC-Cadillac Championship boasts the strongest field yet of 2014, a lineup that includes the entire top 50 in the world rankings and top money-winners from various world tours. Barring any late withdrawals, this will mark the first time everyone in the world’s top 50 has teed up at the same event since the 2012 PGA Championship.
The First Tee is the primary beneficiary of World Golf Championships events. Other recipients include the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, Miami Children’s Hospital and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.
The Valspar Championship follows at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, March 13-16 and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard rounds out the month, March 20-23, at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, in Orlando.
WATCH FOR the University of Florida Gators to play as the Number One college basketball team in the nation for the second week in a row.
The Gators (27-2, 16-0) received one less first-place vote than last week in the Associated Press poll but still had a commanding 46-14 lead over unbeaten Wichita State (31-0).
While Wichita State has completed its regular season, the Gators have two games left. They go on the road Tuesday against South Carolina (11-18, 4-12) at the Colonial Life Arena, with a five-game winning streak over the Gamecocks.
Florida, currently riding a 21-game win streak, then closes the regular season at home at noon Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats. It will be the final home game for seniors Patric Young, Scottie Wilbekin, Casey Prather and Will Yeugete.
WATCH FOR the Tampa Bay Bucs new look in 2014, from the coaches on the sidelines to the uniform the players will be wearing.
Teaming up with Nike, the Bucs unveiled their new unis Monday, one that links the past of the franchise to the bold new future. It is the team’s first redesign since 1997.
The uniform will have a richer pewter and a brighter Buccaneer Red. It will also have the orange trim (remember the Cremesicles) on the pants and jersey. The Bucs become the first franchise to have a reflective chrome border around the numbers on the front, back and shoulders.
The white jerseys will have pewter sleeves and shoulders with red numbers, while the red jerseys will have pewter sleeves and shoulders and white numbers on the body and red numbers on the shoulders.
The pirate ship will be on the right shoulder of the uniforms, while BUCS will be on the left. The team’s flag will be on the the right and left hips of the pants.
The new jerseys will go on sale April 1 at Buccaneers.com, Nike.com and NFLShop.com.
WATCH FOR more Sunshine State Games event information to be released as Florida’s only Olympic Style Sports Festival celebrates its 35th year of amateur sports in 2014. Competition information and online registration for the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships and the Polk County Festival is currently posted.
Other Sunshine State Games events information will be posted soon. Be a part of a Florida tradition that is now in its fourth decade of competition.
WATCH FOR even more stories in the news about the wonderful month of March featuring spring training baseball in Florida. For 29 glorious days during the month of March stories like this one, “Traditions and spring training baseball go hand in hand.”
Follow the 2014 Florida Grapefruit League season at www.floridagrapefruitleague.com and on Twitter @FlaSpringTrain. The Florida Sports Foundation is also offering a new Mobile App for Apple and Android Smartphones. Links to download the app can be found at the Florida Grapefruit League webiste. It features schedules, stadium information and fans will receive notifications during the season about daily gameday promotions and weather updates if necessary during the 33 days of Florida Spring Training.
The Weekly “What to Watch For in Florida Sports,” is compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation, the state’s lead sports promotion and development organization. Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports. Visit www.flasports.com for more information about the Florida Sports Foundation and the vibrant sports industry in the Sunshine State. Florida is Where The World Comes to Play.
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