The heat is on at Oakmont

Oakmont Country Club, a demanding course capable of producing scores in the 90s, is tormenting the U.S. Women's Open golfers with a different kind of problem: temperatures in the 90s in Oakmont, Pa.

Jiyai Shin, the South Korean golfer who was briefly ranked No. 1 in the world following Lorena Ochoa's retirement earlier this year, struggled badly as practice-round readings hit 94 on the suburban Pittsburgh course Tuesday.

She didn't reply when asked by reporters if she needed intravenous fluids or any medical help, but she admittedly wasn't prepared for weather that was steamier than that in Miami Beach.

With temperatures expected to remain only a few degrees short of 100 until Friday, Shin's worry is how she will feel when she tees off that day at 1:03 p.m. EDT. She played her practice round Tuesday morning to escape the oppressive heat, but she's scheduled to be in the middle of it for Round 2.

"I'm really surprised it's so hot and humid," said Shin, a six-time LPGA Tour winner. "It's really hot and sunny all day, so green(s) and fairways are getting firm, like concrete."

Cristie Kerr, the LPGA Championship winner by 12 shots two weeks ago, didn't bother playing another full round in the sauna-like conditions. She played only nine holes Tuesday and plans to play nine Wednesday before the women's national championship begins Thursday, when the predicted high is 93.

"We teed off at 7:20 (Monday) and it took us five hours and 20 minutes to play," Kerr said. "Mentally, I felt like I was a little fried at the end. You have to learn how to manage in this kind of weather. I think for me it's more mentally challenging than physically, because the physical kind of leads to the mental."

The weather is similar to that of the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, when temperatures were in the high 90s before Ernie Els won in a three-way playoff.

Some golfers carried umbrellas throughout their practice rounds to shade themselves from the sun, while some of Oakmont's historically fast-rolling greens were being watered between practice groups. The large practice green already is tinged with brown spots.

The heat affected attendance, too: There appeared to be fewer spectators on the course for Tuesday's practice rounds than Monday's. Normally, such crowds increase as the tournament draws closer.

The hazy, hot and humid conditions led the USGA to allow spectators to bring their own bottled water, although other beverages had to be purchased on the course.

Several golfers related tales of putts rolling off Oakmont's greens, which were running a brisk 14 on the Stimpmeter that measures such speed. That's only one below the 15 of the 2007 U.S. Open won by Angel Cabrera.

Woods not happy: After another warm welcome from the Irish public, Tiger Woods turned curt and dismissive at a news conference Tuesday when asked about his state of mind since the sex scandal that's wrecked his marriage.

Woods was questioned following his 3-under-par 69 in his final round of the charity J.P. McManus Invitational Pro-Am, his first foreign appearance since the turmoil.

When asked whether his liaisons with other women had been "worth it" since it cost him his marriage and endorsements, Woods replied, "I think you're looking too deep into this." He torpedoed the follow-up question with an icily firm "Thank you."

Woods is returning immediately to his Florida home rather than heading to Scotland to prepare for next week's British Open at St. Andrews, one of his favorite courses and where he won Opens in 2000 and 2005.

Looking East: The PGA Tour already has the West Coast Swing, the Florida Swing and now the Texas Swing. It might not be long before it has an Asian Swing after the FedEx Cup portion of the season is over.

In two years, the PGA Tour already has grown to two events there. It returns to Shanghai on Nov. 4-7 for a World Golf Championship, this time treating the HSBC Champions as an official victory if a tour member is holding the trophy. A week earlier is the inaugural Asia Pacific Classic in Malaysia, which is co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and offers a $6 million purse.

And after that? Stay tuned.

"We're looking at possibilities in Japan, Korea, China," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "I'm not saying we will, but we may very well do a short series over there in the fall in the next two or three years. If we're going to get serious about a presence in Asia, it would probably argue for a short series."

Open purse boost: The winner of the 150th British Open will earn $1.29 million, about a $60,000 increase from the previous year.

Royal and Ancient Club chief executive Peter Dawson says organizers have taken into account the pound's weakened position against the dollar and the euro.

"The Open Championship sits at the forefront of world golf and it is appropriate that our prize fund reflects that position in the game," Dawson said Tuesday.