How much is your handicap worth to you? For one golfer in Ireland, it’s apparently worth €10m (about $13.2 million USD). In a bizarre story that, honestly, belongs in The Onion, 75-year-old golfer Thomas Talbot is suing his former club, Hermitage Golf Club, after the handicap secretary reduced his handicap by 7.7 shots between 1999 and 2004.

As the Irish Independent reported, Talbot claimed the handicap reduction took a personal toll on him over the last six years, as friends at his former club refused to play with him and labeled him a cheat.

The golf club claimed  that based on GUI Rule 19, they had an obligation to lower his handicap if they felt it was too high relative to his ability on the course. But Talbot didn’t see it that way, and so here we are … talking about a guy suing his golf club for a lowered handicap. A LOWERED handicap.

“This case has been going on for the past six years. It has been hugely stressful. I didn’t care so much about the handicap issue, it is more the principle of it.

“I’d turn up for a competition and there would be nobody to play with. I have learned the hard way that friends are a funny species — they’re never there when you want them.

On one hand, I feel bad for Talbot because playing golf with friends is one of the best things on earth. But on the other hand, I want to know how he went five years without questioning his handicap. If this was such a big deal back then, why didn’t he just talk to someone at the club and get things cleared up? That’s the real question that needs to be answered.

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It’s tournament time! We continue the season at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, the only non-stroke play event on the PGA Tour schedule.  Here’s a tournament primer to get you prepared for the week.

The course: For the fourth year in a row, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain will play host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play. The 27-hole Jack Nicklaus course, located in the High Sonoran Desert, is one of the longest tracks on tour at 7,833 yards. But don’t get hung up on the length of the course; Luke Donald won the event last year, so you know the course doesn’t favor the bombers on the PGA Tour. Aside from some seriously generous fairway, you’ll also notice the course’s bunkering is all over the map. Dove Mountain not only has your standard bunkers, but pot bunkers and expansive waste areas that stretch over 50 yards. Hitting wayward shots isn’t advisable … unless, of course, you enjoy spending time in the desert vegetation.

The schedule: The tournament runs Wednesday-Sunday. It’ll be broadcast on the Golf Channel from 12 to 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday,  2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday; and on CBS from 2 to 6 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. That’s over 28 hours of live tournament coverage … whew!

The field: Marana, Ariz., plays host to the top 64 players in the World Golf Rankings this week, but a few notable names decided to pass on the event — including Phil Mickelson, who’s going to be on Spring Break with his kids (what a nice guy). Other than Mickelson, this event definitely has a major championship feel to it. Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are just a few of the notable names in the field. There’s also some guy by the name of Tiger Woods playing this week.

The video: Check out some of the memorable moments from the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship’s history.

Your turn. Who are your picks for this week? Swing away!

You have to love guys like Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Most golfers — with the exception of Stephen Ames — wouldn’t dare call out one of the greatest match-play competitors in the history of the sport just days before a head-to-head battle on the course.

You just don’t talk trash when you’re the underdog. There are rules about these sorts of things, you know. But the Spaniard didn’t get the memo, telling the gathered media on Monday that Woods was “beatable.”

“I think he’s beatable,” Fernandez-Castano said. “Of course, I need to play good. That’s all I can think about and that’s all I’m going to try on Wednesday, just try playing my best game and hope that he doesn’t play his best.”

Gulp. After talking about his chances against Woods, Fernandez-Castano went on to say later that he didn’t think Woods “was at his best.” Now I’m all for confidence in golf, but based on what’s happened in the past when guys have trash talked Woods, it would have made a lot more sense for the Spaniard to stay low-key and go for the upset on the course.

[Video: Tiger Woods talks about his putting, match play format]

Woods, of course, responded on Tuesday by saying, “I feel exactly the same way as he does.  I feel he’s beatable, too.” Even though he claimed the comments wouldn’t light a fire under him as they maybe would have in the past, you have to believe there will be some added motivation when he steps on the first tee tomorrow — and the last thing you want to do is give Tiger Woods another reason to send you home with a 9&8 parting gift.

There’s always a chance Fernandez-Castano could back up the words and look like a genius on Wednesday afternoon. But if he doesn’t? Well, he’ll go down in the books as just another trash talk wannabe with some serious chutzpah.

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Welcome to the new season of Teeing Off, where Devil Ball editor Jay Busbee and head writer Jonathan Wall take a day’s topic and smack it all over the course. Suggest a future topic by writing jay.busbee@yahoo.com, or hit us on Twitter at @jaybusbee and @jonathanrwall.

Before we begin, we want to take a moment to thank our pal Shane Bacon for years of fine service here at Yahoo! Sports and Devil Ball. Shane is now the top golf blog dog over at CBS Sports, and we not only wish him well, we’ll be reading him constantly. And we’ll bring him back every so often for guest appearances.

Today, we consider whether the current run of American victory heralds a resurgence of stateside golf.

Busbee: With Bill Haas’ triumph at Riviera Sunday, American golfers are now seven-for-seven in PGA Tour events this year. USA! USA! But let’s go beyond slogans and dig a little deeper. For the last few years, we’ve heard of this “decline in American golf,” as if the rest of the world were starting to kick sand in our faces in the post-Tiger era. First question for you, sir: do you believe American golf was in decline?

Wall: I think so. You look at all the foreign-born guys at the top of the World Golf Rankings and it’s not difficult to see that the Stars and Stripes had a rough go of it in 2011. Sure, a bunch of young American players broke out last season and made some serious headway, but for the second straight season, American golfers only won one major championship. I know everyone is excited about the seven-for-seven start on the PGA Tour, but we can’t call this a comeback until these guys start contending with the best in the world on the major championship stage. Wouldn’t you agree?

Busbee: See, I question the entire premise of the “USA on the downswing” argument. One break here or there in just the last 18 months or so (Dustin Johnson closes out any of the three majors he’s eyed, Bubba wins the PGA playoff, Phil rallies to take the British) and we’re looking at a completely different perspective on American golf. The differential between the various rankings is so narrow now that a good American three-week charge will skew them. But to your point, yes, Americans need to capitalize on their potential. Which American do you see as the best bet to break through at a major this year?

Wall: You make a good point about Dustin, Bubba and Phil being a break away from blowing up the American  golf decline talk. Hopefully this time around someone will actually close the deal, and I think that guy could be Phil Mickelson. I know he failed to close on Sunday at Riviera, but I think Lefty has a great shot the way he’s playing at the moment. I honestly think he could win multiple majors this year if he keeps the putter going.

Busbee: And wouldn’t that be a fine story? Everybody wants so badly to believe Woods is ready, but there’s obviously something really missing from his arsenal; if he were a cornerback, we’d call it closing speed. The problem is that so many of the key Americans — Mickelson, Woods, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan — have such major current flaws in one aspect of their games. I think the best American bet right now to win a major is a low-key, reliable player like Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley or Steve Stricker. Question is, does American golf need a more charismatic winner … or should we just worry about winning and let charisma take care of itself?

Wall: Bill Haas is a name you don’t hear about too often, and I think that’s a damn shame. But the reason he doesn’t get a lot of respect or fanfare is because he lacks the charisma to captivate an audience. I know Tiger Woods was a one-in-a-lifetime golfer and his impact on the sport was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, but American golf desperately needs a guy with a personality to be the face of American golf. Who knows, maybe Bill Haas will prove me wrong, but I’m just not sure his name would tip the scale if he won a major this year. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I’d love to see a charismatic player like Rickie Fowler or Phil Mickelson win and get the golf world talking again. Reliable definitely works, but I think you need both. The only problem is I think I’m asking for too much.

Busbee: You were the kind of kid who made the ten-page annotated Christmas list, weren’t you? Thing is, I agree with you … golf needs stars with both talent and charisma. Virtually every iconic player in history has combined both. And while McIlroy has it, many of the best Americans don’t. Maybe Bill Haas should change his name to Chainsaw. That’d be a good start.

All right, your turn. Are we in the midst of an American resurgence, or do we need more proof?

Everyone has a nervous tick when they’re under a lot of stress and pressure. Some of us bite our nails; others crack their knuckles continuously; and some of us curse like a sailor. Keegan Bradley, on the other hand, has a bit of a spitting problem.

No, we don’t mean he’s hocking loogies at random members of the gallery. For some reason, the PGA Champion has a tendency to spit during his pre-shot routine. It’s not that big of a deal when you think about it, but apparently a bunch of uptight social mediates voiced their displeasure about the act during the final round of the Northern Trust Open.

The heat got so hot, in fact, that Bradley took to Twitter on Monday night to apologize for spitting. For spitting. You can thank Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia for making this a bigger deal than it really should be.

“Id like to apologize for my spitting,” Bradley tweeted. “It’s like a reflex, I don’t even know I’m doing it, but it’s a longtime habit I’ve got to try to conquer.”

Unlike Tiger and Sergio, it’s easy to see that Bradley wasn’t spitting on purpose; the guy was actually unaware of the nervous tick prior to the final round (I’m going to take his word for it). Make a big deal out of SpitGate if you want, but this pales in comparison to a guy spitting directly into the cup or hocking one on the green.

Plus, Bradley wasn’t even the only guy spitting on the course during the final round. As GolfTalk Central’s Ryan Ballengee noted, Pat Perez and Dustin Johnson were both spotted spitting on Sunday. If that’s indeed the case, then why didn’t they apologize?

I know it’s a nasty habit and golf is a “gentleman’s game,” but unless he’s hocking loogies all over the green, I don’t have a huge problem with it. Regardless, Keegan gets a lot of credit for apologizing quickly and putting an end to this issue. Hopefully this is the last time we have to talk about SpitGate at Riviera.

Sunday was an exceptional day of golf by any measure, but it wasn’t the only display of fine shotmaking this past weekend at the Northern Trust Open. Here, check out the best of the weekend’s play … and, yes, the majority of the video is dominated by the late-Sunday-afternoon putting fiesta. Still, it’s good stuff, and the season is now kicking into a higher gear.

The Accenture Match Play Championships begin this week, and we’ve got your bracket breakdown right here. First, snag yourself a printable bracket, and next, let us help you with the rundown. Fill it out pronto, and remember: the “cuter uniform” rule has no sway here.

Bobby Jones Bracket: No. 1 seed and defending champ Luke Donald leads off against Ernie Els. Other intriguing matchups include #3 Dustin Johnson against #14 Jim Furyk and #4 KJ Choi against rebound kid #13 Kyle Stanley. This bracket has its pitfalls, but it ought to be a fairly easy route to the Final Four for Donald.

Ben Hogan Bracket: Martin Kaymer, the top seed, faces Greg Chalmers in the first round, but then it gets tough. He’ll have to potentially face Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar or Bubba Watson just to get to the Elite Eight. The other half of the bracket features #2 Steve Stricker potentially facing Graeme McDowell, Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson or Y.E. Yang. That’s some tough competition there. Prediction: Mahan is this year’s surprising #6 seed in the Final Four.

Gary Player Bracket: Rory McIlroy has a fairly straightforward first couple rounds, but then he potentially faces Sergio Garcia, Keegan Bradley or Geoff Ogilvy. The lower half of the bracket shakes out well for Jason Day, with Charl Schwartzel his primary competition there. McIlroy is the best bet to come out of this bracket, though Ogilvy could surprise.

Sam Snead Bracket: The big matchup looming out there is in the round of 16, with #1 seed Lee Westwood possibly facing an unheralded #5 seed by the name of Tiger Woods. In the lower half of the bracket, Webb Simpson and Bill Haas lead the way. Depending on how those two play, they could easily knock off one of the marquee names. And we predict that’s exactly what will happen, as Haas’ putting stroke and invulnerability to pressure will take down either Woods or Westwood.

So that leaves us with a Final Four of Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy and Bill Haas. We’re picking Donald to blow Mahan out of the water, and McIlroy to edge Haas late, setting up — hey, going out on a limb here — a Luke Donald repeat. Book it!

Let’s be honest, we’re all incredibly busy. Nobody has time to sit down and watch four rounds of golf each week — unless, of course, you watch TV for a living, and if that’s the case, please email us your number. So in an effort to condense the tournament coverage for you into a few quick hits, here are five things we learned from the Northern Trust Open.

Phil Mickelson is still Phil Mickelson — One week after we wondered aloud if this was the start of a special year for Phil, we got our answer in the form of a final round roller coaster ride at the Northern Trust Open that had a little bit of everything. The 25-footer on the 72nd hole proved Mickelson has the mojo going with the putter, but the erratic driver and missed birdie opportunity on the 16th hole on Sunday made you realize that even though this very well could turn into a career-defining season for Lefty, he’s still … well, he’s still “Phil the Thrill”. That persona, while great for golf, is going to cost him tournaments from time to time.

The playoff drama continues — A year after the tour set a record with 18 playoffs in 2011, the extra-hole drama continued at Riviera with one of the best playoffs we’ve seen in some time. Why was it so good, you ask? Because the star power was on display at a high-profile event. No offense to a lot of the playoff that went on last season, but none of them had the Rookie of the Year, FexCup Cup (and Tour Championship) winner, and a future Hall of Famer in a three-man playoff. Most golf fans care about the drama on the course, but what makes these extra-hole affairs special is when you have some recognizable names. Phil, Keegan and Bill all produced, and while only one guy could come out on top, CBS got one heck of a playoff finish thanks to the big guns.

Sergio Garcia is making a comeback — Remember when a lot of us wrote Sergio off and said he’d never win a major in his career? Well, we may want to decide how we want our crow prepared. He still seems to have some kinks to figure out, but the Spaniard has certainly found his floundering golf game over the last four months. Following two wins late in 2011 on the European Tour, Garcia opened this year with two top-15 finishes in Europe, and then followed up the good form with a T-4 at Riviera. The week included a 7-under 64 on Sunday — including a ridiculous 30 on the back nine – highlighted by two eagles and 24 putts, proving once again that when he gets it going, Garcia is still one of the best in the game.

Bill Haas’ FedEx Cup victory wasn’t a fluke — Winning $10 million and hitting what many considered to be the best shot of 2011 doesn’t make you an under-the-radar guy, but honestly, I’d be willing to bet very few had Bill Haas winning this week. The guy won more than $4 million last season (not including the $10 million FedEx Cup bonus) and he still didn’t get so much as a nod from most golf analyst when the season began. That has to change. While Haas isn’t a sexy pick, his victory on Sunday at the Northern Trust Open proves he has staying power. His putting and short game were on this week — if you don’t believe me, just look at his up-and-down on the 72nd hole to remain at 7-under — making him a must-pick for the majors this year. He also took down an incredibly impressive playoff field which, you know, isn’t too shabby. This guy isn’t going anywhere but up.

Riviera was an absolute beast — You can thank a rare northeast wind for making things interesting, but once again, Riviera proved that when the wind is up — and it was gusting like crazy early in the week — it’s the toughest tournament stop on the PGA Tour. You have to go all the way back to 1996 to find a winning score of 7-under or higher at Riviera, and the course also had a cumulative scoring average of (72.622), which is the highest on tour this season … and the only only event to post an over-par scoring average. Those are U.S. Open scores (and conditions), folks.

When the TV cameras approached him on the way to the practice range, Bill Haas, in the clubhouse with a one-stroke lead on the field at the Northern Trust Open, said the right things.

“Keegan and Phil are going to birdie 18, and we’re going to a playoff,” he smiled. You have to say those kinds of things when the tournament’s not nailed down; to say This one’s in the bag; no way those guys are going to get anything below par on that brute would only invite the wrath of the golf gods.

Perhaps Haas thought it a little too loudly, however, because sure enough, both Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley holed brutally long birdie putts, only the seventh and eighth on the day at that hole, to force a playoff. That set up one of the best three-man shootouts in recent memory: one of the world’s marquee players versus the reigning FedEx Cup and PGA Championship winners.

[Related: Leading man Phil Mickelson falls to supporting actor Bill Haas]

It was like the three-man Mexican standoff in “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” except with putters instead of revolvers (Though revolvers would have been cool too). Combine Haas’ good putting, Bradley’s bad luck and Mickelson’s ugly drives, and you had a two-hole playoff that was a fitting end to a fine tournament and a perfect precursor to majors season.

Haas won on the second playoff hole, the par-4 10th, after Bradley’s birdie putt on the first curled just right. Mickelson, meanwhile, couldn’t gauge the distance, and ended up hitting his second shot into the bunker on the 10th.

And this, then, is vintage Mickelson. In control all tournament, he even streaked out to a three-stroke lead early on Sunday before bogeying hole after hole. He then came within a single ball’s rotation of holing a lead-tying birdie on 17, and followed with a stunning 25-foot putt to force the playoff on 18. In other words: all over the damn map.

Still, take nothing away from either Haas or Bradley here. Bradley proved that his PGA Championship was, as yet, no fluke. And Haas appears to be set up well to take down his first major this year; the guy appears to have exactly zero trouble with pressure.

Oh, and one more thing? Americans are now 7 for 7 in PGA Tour events this year. Too early to say the USA is back?

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This one’s worth watching again, unless you’re a Mickelson fan: the Northern Trust Open’s final round, in which Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley held onto the lead until the final two holes. Bill Haas swooped in and appeared to vulture away the win, but no! If you don’t know how it already turned out, shame on you, but watch it anyway. Best tournament of the year so far.