Golf Digest: SIMON COWELL IS THE CRANKY BRIT ON "AMERICAN IDOL," WHO’S THE CRANKY SCOT GOLFER WHO NEVER GOT ALONG WITH AMERICAN GALLERIES IN THE 1990s? (Answer: Colin Montgomerie.)

Taylor Hicks: lan Woosnam? [Told Monty.] Oh, yeah. I never liked how he got mad at the crowd. I’m not a Monty Fan< at all.

GD: YOUR SUPPORTERS ARE KNOWN AS THE "SOUL PATROL." WHO WERE THE FANATICS WHO FOLLOWED ARNOLD PALMER? (Answer: Arnie’s Army.)

TH: The Palmer Patrol? Or... the Arnie Army? That’s a guess. I’m a golf fan. I played some in high school— I’d shoot 86,87,88 if I was playing a good bit. Because I’ve been on this "American Idol" tour, I don’t know what I’d shoot right now. Hopefully I’d keep it in the fairway. I get tired of doing the old "Alabama Kick Out" with my ball.

GD: MANY MUSICIANS HAVE PLAYED IN THE AT&T AT PEBBLE BEACH. CAN YOU NAME THE SAXOPHONE PLAYER WHO TEAMED WITH PHIL MICKELSON TO TIE FOR FIRST IN THE 2001 PRO-AM? [Answer: Kenny G.]

TH: There’s a famous saxophone player, but he was the president. Was it Kenny G? He’s a great musician.

GD: KATHARINE McPHEE FINISHED RUNNER-UP TO YOU IN THE 2006 "IDOL" FINALE. WHO FAMOUSLY FINISHED AS A RUNNER-UP IN THE 1999 BRITISH OPEN AFTER BLOWING A THREE-SHOT LEAD ON THE FINAL HOLE AT CARNOUSTSE? [Answer: Jean Van de Velde.]

TH: Don’t know. [Given the answer] I’ve never heard of Van de Velde. You know what’s funny about the British Open? As a musician, I can’t get up in time to watch. We’re either just getting in from a town where we’ve played, or still sleeping. I always catch just the end of the British.

GD: WHAT GOLF EQUIPMENT COMPANY SPONSORS SERGIO GARCIA, RETIEF GOOSEN AND MANY OTHER TOUR PLAYERS? [Answer: TaylorMade]

TH: TaylorMade. Please tell the people there I’d love to play some celebrity tournaments with TaylorMade clubs. I still have my old Ping Eye2 irons, and I hit a Lynx Black Cat driver. I also have an old persimmon 5-wood that I keep in my bag because my grandfather used it.

GD: YOU WERE RAISED IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA., WHERE TWO PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A U.S. AMATEUR WERE PLAYED. WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE COURSE? [Answer: Shoal Creek.]

TH: Shoal Creek. Maybe now that I’ve won "American Idol," I’ll get to play there. I’m getting to play Pebble Beach this year. Growing up, I was able to attend the PGA at Shoal Creek. I remember trying to get Jose Maria Olazabal’s autograph.

GD: MORE THAN 63 MILLION PEOPLE VOTED IN THE FINALE OF LAST SEASON’S "AMERICAN IDOL." WITHIN $5 MILLION, CAN YOU 6UESS TIGER WOODS’ CAREER EARNINGS ON TOUR? [Answer: Almost $66 million.]

TH: Is it over $5 million? ... $40 million? [Told it’s just more than the "Idol" vote total] That’s outrageous. I’m a Tiger fan. And I’d love to meet Phil Mickelson. If Phil’s out of reach, I’m a Tiger fan. But if Phil’s within reach, I’m definitely pulling for The Mick.... I can’t believe I’m in the same magazine as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson!