DONALD, McILROY, WESTWOOD ABSENCE DISAPPOINTS ARNIE

FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
Arnold Palmer has expressed his disappointed after the world's top two players Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy both opted not to play in the US PGA Tour event bearing his name this week.
While Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will headline the $6 million invitational at Bay Hill, the top six ranked players in the world are all absent from the penultimate event before next month's Masters.
"I'm certainly not happy that those fellas chose not to come this year," said Palmer on the eve of the event.
"To have a couple of the top players internationally and US not here, I'm kind of sorry for that, but I think we can get that squared away and maybe we'll entice them to come in the future."
McIlroy, deposed as number one by Ryder Cup team-mate Donald at the Transitions Championship on Sunday, has written to 82-year-old Palmer asking for a meeting.
"I'm not sure that I know exactly what he wants me to tell him or what he wants to hear from me, but I look forward to seeing him and talking to him," Palmer said.
"He also mentioned in the letter that he will be here to play in the years to come."
The Northern Irishman is in the middle of a three-week break before The Masters and is in Miami with girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki at the moment.
Despite his disappointment at McIlroy's absence, Palmer said he had been greatly impressed by the young Northern Irishman, who won his first major last year and briefly held the top ranking before Donald regained it by winning last weekend.
"I think he has handled himself very well. I don't know him really well (but) I know him and have talked to him a little bit," Palmer added.
"I think he has done a wonderful job with 22-years-old and starting a career like he has just gotten launched on to."
Also missing from the tournament are Englishman Lee Westwood, ranked three in the world, as well as Germany's Martin Kaymer (four), American Steve Stricker (five) and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, last year's Masters champion.
Palmer, who played a leading role in popularising golf around the world during his playing days, said he was also dismayed that more British players had not entered his tournament.
"When I think back over the years, when back in the early years of the (PGA) tour and I went to the British Open to kind of enhance or to create additional interest in international golf; and to think that those people are now the top international players in the world, we like to have them here," he said.