Stanford shares lead at Women’s British Open
July 30, 2009
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP)—Angela Stanford birdied the last hole with a30-foot putt for a 2-under 70 Thursday and shared the first-round lead in theWomen’s British Open with Song-Hee Kim.
Kim, one of 29 Koreans playing in the championship, holed out from 20 feetfor birdie at the last.
Stanford and Kim were a shot ahead of Yuko Mitsuka of Japan and Hee YoungPark of South Korea on a day when stiff winds on the back nine at Royal Lythamand St. Annes made scoring difficult.
Michelle Wie coped well to shoot a 1-over 73, while Paula Creamer carded a74 without a birdie on her card.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa shot a 75, LPGA Tour money leader Cristie Kerr had a76, and defending champion Jiyai Shin scored 77.
Stanford coped well with the conditions with an eagle and two birdies tooffset two late bogeys, playing the back nine in even par.
She credited her early success with an unusual approach to preparing for thetournament when she opted to go to Rome for two days. She returned on Wednesdayin time for a single practice round.
“I always wanted to go to Rome, so I just decided to go. It was even betterthan I hoped for,” she said. “I was better off just playing one round becauseI played here in 2003 and 2006 and I know the course.”
She eagled the seventh with a 242-yard 3-wood to the front of the green anda 66-foot putt.
Her first birdie came on a 10-footer at the 12th. She three-putted No. 15and chipped poorly at No. 17 for bogeys, but rolled in a 30-footer at the last.
Kim said she scored well because she has been working on hitting the balllow.
“With my swing I tend to hit it high, but my teacher has been helping mehit it lower,” she said.
Wie is hoping a victory this week could help secure a place on the U.S.Solheim Cup team to face Europe next month.
“There is still a lot of golf left ahead of us. But I felt pretty proud ofhow I played today,” Wie said.
Creamer had 16 pars and two bogeys, and said she had a frustrating day onthe greens.
“Not one birdie, but I had many looks. I had a lot of chances,” she said.“I had good chances on the par 5s. One of my bogeys was a 4-1/2-footer. It’sdifficult, especially with how windy it was, to make putts.”
Mitsuka played her first pro event outside of Japan last week in the EvianMasters and tied for eighth. This is her first week in Britain and her firstevent on a links course.
After birdies at the third and fifth holes, she also eagled the seventhafter using a 3-wood to get within 10 feet.
“I enjoyed this round. My iron shots felt good today,” last year’sJapanese Tour rookie of the year said.
Ochoa had a mixed day with four birdies against a double-bogey and fivebogeys.
South Korea's Song Hee Kim… AP – Jul 30, 1:35 pm EDT
“I didn’t putt well. I three-putted twice,” she said. “But I’m OK withthis. I think that today with a lot of wind, I’m not out of this yet, but I needto putt better tomorrow to stay in the championship.”
One of the three-putts led to a double-bogey at the short 12th, where shemissed the green with her tee shot.
Kerr, who came close to winning the U.S. Open last month, was 1 under fornine, then hit the windier, tougher back nine and promptly double-bogeyed the10th.
“I hit some bad shots in the wind and they ended up in some not-so-goodspots and I kind of lost my feel for a couple holes there. That’s what happensin the wind sometimes,” she said.
“Of course I’m disappointed. I didn’t play those holes well. I played wellcoming in, 15 to 18, four pars. Conditions are probably going to be tough allweek and I just have to be better.”
Defending champion Shin appeared to be mastering the back nine when sheparred its first seven holes. Then she double-bogeyed the last two.
“The wind is the biggest problem. One minute it is strong and the next itgoes down,” Shin said. “The fairways are also drying, so the ball is runninginto the rough more than it was in practice.”
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Three players shoot 66 to share Senior Open lead
July 30, 2009
CARMEL, Ind. (AP)—Greg Norman, Joey Sindelar and Dan Forsman each shot 6-under66, tying for the early lead at the U.S. Senior Open.
Half of the field, including British Open runner-up Tom Watson, had Thursdayafternoon tee times at Crooked Stick Golf Course in Carmel, Ind.
Norman made the first charge with four straight birdies on the front nine,one short of tying the tournament record. He retook the lead at 7-under with abirdie on No. 17 but bogeyed the final hole to fall into a tie.
Sindelar had three birdies on each side and saved par on No. 18 with afour-foot putt.
Forsman started on the back nine and was 4-under at the turn. He got to6-under with a birdie at No. 6 and finished with three straight pars.
The tournament runs through Sunday.
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Golf-Argentine Goya leads as Tour returns to Czech Republic (Reuters)
July 30, 2009
CELADNA, Czech Republic, July 30 (Reuters) – Argentine TanoGoya shot a seven-under par 65 to lead by one stroke after thefirst round of the Moravia Silesia Open on Thursday.
The 21-year-old was ahead of Britons John Bickerton andSteve Webster at the Prosper Golf Resort as the European Tourreturned to the Czech Republic for the first time in 12 years.
Goya, who claimed his first European Tour win at the MadeiraIslands Open in March, got off to a fine start as he started onthe back nine holes and breezed through them in 30 strokes.
“I was always on the green for a birdie chance,” he told theTour’s official web site (www.europeantour.com) after a roundthat included six birdies and one eagle.
“If you aren’t on the greens here with the slopes it isdifficult… The key was hitting the greens.”
Miguel Angel Jimenez, among the favourites at the event inthe Czech north-east, was off the pace on one-under par.
The Spaniard helped design the layout and is aiming tobecome only the second golfer to win a Euro Tour event on acourse he designed.
However, his first-hand knowledge of the course failed toprovide an advantage on the first day.
“I missed a few shots in the last few holes,” Jimenez said.“Anything under par is good. If I could have birdied a few moreit would have been better.”
The Ryder Cup player finished joint 13th at the British OpenChampionship in Turnberry earlier this month.
European Tour rookie Chris Wood, who was third at The Open,also slipped off the pace in Celadna at one-under-par.
(Reporting by Petr Josek, writing by Jason Hovet, editing byKen Ferris)
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Goya leads by 1 after 1st round in Czech Republic
July 30, 2009
CELADNA, Czech Republic (AP)—Tano Goya shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take aone-stroke lead after the first round of the Moravia Silesia Open.
Goya had an eagle on the 16th hole at the Prosper Golf Resort and birdiedthe last two holes.
The 21-year-old Argentine had six birdies and a bogey on the second hole. Hewon his first European Tour title at the Madeira Islands Open BPI in Portugal inMarch.
John Bickerton and Steve Webster each shot 66 to tie for second.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, who designed the 7,155-yard course in Celadna, shot71.
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PGA Championship heading to Valhalla in 2014
July 30, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—The PGA is looking to bring more drama back to Valhalla.
The 2014 PGA Championship and 2011 Senior PGA were awarded to the JackNicklaus-designed layout Thursday. The decision comes months after the coursehosted the 2008 Ryder Cup in which the U.S. ended a nine-year drought by beatingEurope without Tiger Woods, who was rehabbing a knee injury.
PGA of America president Jim Remy said the Ryder Cup showcased why the venuehas become so attractive to the PGA.
“They said you can’t create history, can’t create a major site,” he said.“I think we’ve probably proven that wrong. By continually working hard, makingit a challenge but a fair challenge to the greatest players in the world, thereputation for the facility has really grown.”
The PGAs two previous visits to Valhalla produced memorable finishes.
Mark Brooks birdied the 18th to force a playoff with Kentuckian Kenny Perryin 1996, before winning on the first extra hole to capture his only major title.
Four years later, the PGA returned and Woods and journeyman Bob May went toa three-hole playoff. Woods captured his fifth career major and the second ofhis four PGA titles.
The PGA originally planned to bring the championship back to Valhalla in2004, but awarded the tournament to Whistling Straits instead while givingValhalla the Senior PGA that year. Hale Irwin won a weather-plagued tournamentwith a birdie on the 18th hole.
The course underwent significant changes following the Senior PGA inpreparation for the Ryder Cup. Nicklaus lengthened the course to about 7,500yards and gave several greens a makeover in an effort to fend off sometechnological advances.
The changes certainly seemed to benefit the Americans during the Cup, asbombers like Kentuckians Perry and J.B. Holmes led the U.S. to its first Cup winsince 1999.
Remy isn’t sure whether another facelift will be necessary before 2014.
“We feel like we could host a major championship here tomorrow,” he said.
The return of the PGA will also give the area an economic boost. The RyderCup generated about $120 million, and the state is eager for another turn on theinternational stage.
“Over the past 12 years, the world has witnessed how Kentuckians haveembraced the game of golf,” Gov. Steve Beshear said in a statement. “We arevery pleased to have two major championships return to Valhalla Golf Club, whichonce again enables us to showcase our state worldwide.”
This year’s PGA will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska,Minn., on Aug. 13-16. Padraig Harrington is the defending champion.
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Buick Open, Round 1 (PGATOUR.com)
July 30, 2009
CONDITIONS RECEPTIVE TO SCORING (3 p.m.): In the morning wave, Steve Lowery took advantage of near-perfect conditions at Warwick Hills, shooting a bogey-free, 9-under 63. On the front (his back-nine), Lowery posted seven birdies on Nos. 1-4 and 7-9 for a 7-under 29, tying the 9-hole scoring record at Warwick Hills. (See the chart below for the others who've achieved that feat.)
PGATOUR.COM Instant AccessBuick Open PGATOUR.COM's The Live Report has all the news and notes from the Buick Open, and we'll be providing updates from Warwick Hills all day long for each round, so check back often. (All timestamps are Eastern Time.) PGA TOUR Shot Tracker | Live Scoring | PGA TOUR Network | Facebook | Twitter | FanZone
Lowery's 63 is also two strokes off the course-record 11-under 61, set twice by Billy Mayfair in 2001's final round and again by Tiger Woods in round two of 2005. It's also three shots off Lowery's career best, a 12-under 60 in the final round of the 1997 Buick Challenge at Callaway Gardens in Georgia.—Doug Milne
Front-nine 29s at Warwick Hills Player Round Year Trevor Dodds Third 1987 Kenny Perry Second 2001 Vijay Singh Third 2005
Steve MATTESON MAKING A MOVE (2:40 p.m.): The morning wave pretty much shredded Warwick Hills and some in the afternoon groups are doing the same. Troy Matteson is 6 under through his first 11 holes with two eagles and two birdies ( to follow live with Shot Tracker).
Senden's first eagle came on the par-5 13th, where he was one of three players to make eagle after chipping in from just off the putting surface. Senden's second eagle of the day came on the par-4 second hole, where he holed out from 135 yards. One more and he'll match the record for number of eagles by a player in this tournament (see chart below).—Brian Wacker
Most eagles in one tournament: Buick Open Eagles Player Year 3 Fred Couples 1994 3 Hal Sutton 2000 3 Steve Flesch 2002 3 Carlos Franco 2003 3 Tiger Woods 2005 3 Matt Jones 2008
DALY UPDATE (2:35 p.m.): Tiger Woods isn't the only player off to a slow start at the Buick Open. John Daly is 1 over through his first six holes with two bogeys and a birdie. Unlike Woods, however, Daly has been wild with the driver, hitting just 1 of 5 fairways so far and 3 of 6 greens in regulation.
Then there's Greg Chalmers. He played his first nine holes in even par with nine straight pars before rolling off six birdies over his final nine holes for a back-nine 30 and a 6-under 66.—Brian Wacker
TIGER UPDATE (2:20 p.m.): This is not the kind of start Tiger Woods was looking for. He is 2 over through his first six holes with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 5. On the second hole, he three-putted from just inside 12 feet. Similarly, it took Woods three shots to get home from just off the back of the fifth green, two-putting from just inside 6 feet. On the bright side, Woods has hit all five fairways and has only missed two greens in regulation so far. There's a lot of golf to go, but Woods will have to turn it around at some point if he wants to avoid missing the cut.—Brian Wacker
SENDEN MATCHES SEASON LOW (1:55 p.m.): Not to be overlooked on the leaderboard is John Senden, who matched his season-low today with a round of 64— a score he shot for the fourth time this year, most recently before today in the final round in Memphis.
Today, Senden hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation—despite hitting just 5 of 14 fairways. He also had 10 one-putts and at one point made five straight birdies en route to a back-nine 31. He, like leader Steve Lowery, had a very good approach shot distance to the pin at 28 feet, 10 inches and his putts made distance was 5 feet, 8 inches.—Brian Wacker
MORE ON LOWERY (1:30 p.m.): Seeing Steve Lowery's name atop the leaderboard at the Buick Open is more than just a subtle surprise. Lowery had just two top-25s this season and one of those came at the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship in January. The other came in Milwaukee two weeks ago, where he closed with a final-round 66 to snag a tie for 24th.
His 63 was his best score of the year by two strokes—he shot a 65 in the second round of the 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer—and he's only made five more cuts than he's missed this season.
Lowery also doesn't rank in the top 50 in any major statistical category on the PGA TOUR and comes in at 165th in scoring average at 71.59. Thursday, though, he hit a lot of fairways and greens and made the putts he needed to with 12 one-putts, including seven of them over his final nine holes. That, folks, is how you shoot 63.—Brian Wacker
TIGER ON THE COURSE (1:10 p.m.): Tiger Woods, fresh off just the fifth missed cut of his career, is on the golf course at Warwick Hills, where he's hoping wide fairways and big greens will help him straighten out his game. Plus, he's won there twice and twice been a runner-up.
In yesterday's pro-am, Woods shot 5 under, citing the soft conditions. Well, they appear to still be soft, hence all the low numbers so far, which Woods predicted there would be under those conditions. Now let's see what he can do.
"I worked on my speed," said Woods of his pro-am round. "I finished the hole early, and putted around a little bit until I got my speed on the greens, and after that I played the golf course normal. You can get a little bit of work in, but obviously you can't get as much work in as you normally would on a true practice round."
Track Woods' round live with Shot Tracker by .—Brian Wacker
LOWERY THE LEADER (12:30 p.m.): Steve Lowery is the early clubhouse leader at the Buick Open, where he just closed out a 9-under 63 with three straight birdies to cap a 29 on the front nine at Warwick Hills.
Lowery, who started on the back nine and at one point made four straight birdies, hit all but three greens in regulation and missed only three fairways. But the real key to the lowest round of his season was his proximity to the hole—just 28 feet, 8 inches—and his putts made distance—6 feet, 4 inches. Those rank eighth and third in the field, respectively.
Both of those stats are considerably better than his season averages. Coming into this week, Lowery ranked 155th on the PGA TOUR in proximity to the hole at 36 feet, 7 inches and 69th in putts per round at 28.83 (he took 23 putts Thursday).—Brian Wacker
Below is a look at Lowery's scorecard from today ( to replay it with Shot Tracker):
WHERE'S VIJAY? (12:15 p.m.): Tiger Woods has won the Buick Open twice and finished runner-up twice. Jim Furyk won here in 2003 and has eight top-10s in 14 starts at Warwick Hills. Woody Austin finished second each of the last two years and has six top-10s in 14 starts. They're all in the field again this year. So where's Vijay Singh, a three-time winner of this event?
Singh is busy preparing for six tournaments through August and September, acording to Camp Singh—four of those are Playoff events. So even though Singh has had plenty of success here, his 46-year-old body, which has been beaten up a bit this year, needed to energize itself for a run at defending his FedExCup title.—Brian Wacker
SENDEN ON A STREAK (12 p.m.): We've got a new leader at the moment in John Senden, who has birdied his last five holes and 6 of his last 7 to get to 8 under on the day.
That's a pretty good stretch for anyone, much less someone coming off back-to-back missed cuts at the RBC Canadian Open and the British Open. Senden has gone low this year, though, shooting a final-round 64 at the St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx, where he finished in a tie for fourth, and 65-64 on the weekend at the HP Byron Nelson Championship to finish seventh. He also had an opening-round 65 at the Shell Houston Open. Follow the rest of Senden's round live with Shot Tracker by .—Brian Wacker
ONE LEGEND ON ANOTHER (11:40 a.m.): For those of you who missed Bob Seger's press conference following his pro-am round with Tiger Woods, here are some highlights from the interview, which was pretty entertaining, Seger was in golf nirvana to say the least.—Brian Wacker
Bob Seger interview highlights Q. What did Tiger tell you as far as advice on your golf game?
BOB SEGER: He's just a very nice guy. You know, very personable and very nice to a lot of people out there. And oh my gosh, oh my gosh, what a thrill, you know. I mean nine putts on the front nine. He didn't miss a putt on the front nine. I went 9-under, so that helped. (Laughs). He missed one fairway all day, 18. And he hit every par-3, so 17 for 18. You see that and to be eight feet away, wow, what a thrill. What a great golf thrill. I mean I'm a golf fan. My wife and I go to tournaments all the time. We play together all the time, my wife and I. So it's just a really interesting golf nirvana right there. Eight feet away watching the best maybe who ever was.
Q. Did Tiger have a good sense of your career and who you are?
BOB SEGER: I gotta tell you this. This is funny. About five years ago I met Tiger—he won't remember, but Al Sutton took me to the Ryder Cup room. So I met everybody. Phil wasn't there. He was off doing something. But I met everybody on the team except for Phil, and Tiger goes up and I'm taking pictures with all the golfers' wives, all Furyk and Saxon. Tiger is right here. And I see Tiger off in the corner he's talking to Chris, young Chris, and he says, "who's he?" He had no idea who I was. (Laughs). He was 25 at the time, 25, 26.
Q. Bob, you've done some pretty cool things in your time. How does this compare with some of the other cool things that you've done in your life?
BOB SEGER: I've played golf for about 16 years, but this is it. This is top of the—I mean you can't get better than this. This is really something.
For the complete interview transcript, click here.
LOTS OF RED, BUT NO RECORDS (11:25 a.m.): Tiger Woods doesn't tee off until about 90 minutes from now, but there's already plenty of red on the leaderboard in the opening round of the Buick Open, where Steve Lowery is currently alone atop the leaderboard at 6 under through his first 14 holes.
In the in-case-you're-wondering department, though, they've got a ways to go before any records are set (unlike last week where there were records set for consecutive birdies and most holes-in-one). The lowest 18-hole score ever shot in the Buick Open is a 61—by Tiger Woods in the second round in 2005 and by Billy Mayfair in the final round in 2001—and the lowest opening-round score is a 62, shot by Sonny Skinner in 1997.
Who (or where) is Skinner? He's a club pro in Georgia who has played in four Nationwide Tour events this season, missing the cut in each of them.—Brian Wacker
LOWERY GOING LOW (11:15 a.m.): It's not the that Mark Calcavecchia made at last week's RBC Canadian Open, but Steve Lowery has climbed into contention on the strength of four straight birdies on the front nine at Warwick Hills ( to follow his round live with Shot Tracker).
After making the turn in 34—Lowery started on the back—he hit each of his next four approach shots inside 13 feet before rolling in the four birdie putts. That moves Lowery into a share for the lead at the moment. Not surprisingly given the size of Warwick Hills' fairways and greens, the 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am champion has hit 9 of 11 fairways and 11 of 14 greens in regulation so far. As a result, he's one-putted nine holes so far.—Brian Wacker
WILLIAMSON OUT FAST (11 a.m.): Jay Williamson has played in 340 PGA TOUR events and never won. Well, he's trying to change that quickly this week. He's the early leader right now, playing his first 13 holes at the Buick Open in 6 under ( to follow his round live with Shot Tracker.
Williamson didn't waste any time getting off to a fast start with birdies on 5 of his first 6 holes. The only blemish so far was a bogey on the par-5 16th hole, where he three-putted from 13 feet. Of course, Williamson got off to a good start here last year, too, shooting an opening-round 68 before failing to break 70 the rest of the week.
Among the players chasing Williamson: David Duval, who is 4 under through his first 10 holes. Duval, who was a runner-up at the U.S. Open, hasn't made a cut since, but is playing much better this week with only 14 putts so far and 7 of 10 greens in regulation.—Brian Wacker
Groups We're Watching Tee time Players 8:12 a.m. ET, Hole No. 10 
David Duval, Lee Janzen, John MerrickJanzen was T5 last week and has three top-25s in the last two months. Duval hasn't made a cut since his U.S. Open T2. 12:45 p.m. ET, Hole No. 10 
Nathan Green, K.J. Choi, Brandt SnedekerGreen is looking to build off his first victory. Snedeker was T5 in Canada. Choi needs to kickstart a lackluster year. 12:54 p.m. ET, Hole No. 10 
Tiger Woods, Jonathan Byrd, Todd HamiltonWoods can equal his win total from 2008 by winning here. His playing partners have five career wins combined. Live Essentials 
Follow every shot with our newest application 
The only place on the Internet for real-time live scoring 
Listen to expert commentary on the PGA TOUR Network 
News, notes, stats and analysis during each round
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Golf-Troubled Karlsson to miss U.S. PGA Championship (Reuters)
July 30, 2009
By Norman Dabell
CROWLAND, England, July 30 (Reuters) – Last year’s Europeannumber one Robert Karlsson will miss next month’s U.S. PGAChampionship after being forced to delay his comeback from aneye problem.
“Robert is so eager to play again but doctor’s orders aredoctor’s orders,” the Swede’s manager Lillian Jansson toldReuters on Thursday.
“He is recovering but not allowed to play yet, apart frompractice and very light working out, nothing that can bring onstress.”
Karlsson has a form of retinitis, causing a blister behindthe left retina which is blurring his vision.
The 40-year-old will have a medical examination on Aug. 25,when he will find out if he can resume competitive golf thisseason.
Karlsson took part in last week’s Scandinavian Masterspro-am but found he still had a long way to go to be fully fit.
He has not played a tournament since late May and, followingfurther tests at his base Monte Carlo, has been advised not toplay competitive golf until his condition has improved.
The U.S. PGA Championship takes place from Aug. 13-16 at theHazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota.
(Editing by Alison Wildey
To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Pros express regard for troubled Buick Open
July 30, 2009
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)—Two-time champion Tiger Woods will be makinghis ninth appearance in the Buick Open. In the face of Buick’s plans to pull itstournament sponsorship after this year, he hopes it won’t be his last.
“Obviously this area’s been struggling a bit,” Woods said. “I think theatmosphere, all the players have really enjoyed playing in front of the fanshere. It is very intimate.”
General Motors Co. will end its half-century run as sponsor of the BuickOpen, a person briefed on the decision told The Associated Press this week. Theperson spoke only on the condition of anonymity because the announcement willnot be made until the tournament ends.
Whatever the status of sponsoring agreements, several PGA Tour prosexpressed their affinity for the Warwick Hills course’s tree-lined fairways,short layout and distinctly human feel.
It’s the small-town atmosphere that makes the Buick unlike many PGA Tourstops.
“That kind of support, that kind of commitment from the fans to come outand see us play, yeah,” 2003 champion Jim Furyk said. “That’s what makes agolf tournament special and what the guys enjoy.”
Fifty miles north of Detroit, Grand Blanc has big-city ties without the needto compete with other major sports.
Luxury suites are seen on the … AP – Jul 29, 3:42 pm EDT
“It’s easy to do Chicago or Boston. It’s a big deal. It’s the PGA Tour,it’s still Tiger Woods and the best golfers in the world. But you have to goagainst the Phillies and the Celtics,” Furyk said. “We really thrive in thosesmall-medium size cities … You can feel a sense in the crowd because it’s abig deal around those towns.”
Sometimes, this even includes running into some of the same fans andmarshals year after year.
“You see the same people on the same greens, on the same tees each andevery year. You kind of get to know them, say hi to them, how’s everythinggoing,” Woods said. “You don’t get to say that in any other tournament, exceptfor maybe the Masters because some people have been going to the Masters for50-plus years in the same seat.”
The course’s close-up feel extends to its geography. A generally flat layoutand short hole distances emphasizes a solid short game and technical skill overbooming drives, something 1995 winner Woody Austin said is lacking in manymodern courses.
“I love traditional golf. I love old golf courses,” Austin said. “You getcourses like this when the guys can’t hit it up over the trees and they actuallyhave to hit golf shots, which they’re not comfortable with.”
And then there’s the 17th hole and its legendary grandstand.
“It’s a tournament that you know regardless of how you’re playing, whattime of the day you’re playing, you’re still going to have a big crowed around17,” Austin said. Despite the lack of certainty on the sponsorship and widesupport for the event, Wednesday’s Pro-Am often felt like a going-away party.Woods drew widespread gratitude for his appearance at the tournament.
“I can’t tell you how many times I heard out there, ‘Thank you for coming,Tiger,”’ said rocker Bob Seger, who played in a Pro-Am fivesome with WoodsWednesday. “I mean, everywhere he was walking: ‘Thanks for coming.”’
AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.
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Golf-Mickelson set to play in PGA Championship at Hazeltine (Reuters)
July 30, 2009
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
LOS ANGELES, July 29 (Reuters) – World number two PhilMickelson plans to return from a six-week break by playing inthree of the next four events on the PGA Tour, including thePGA Championship, the final major of the year.
The American left-hander has not competed since tying forsecond at the U.S. Open in June, opting instead to stay at homewhile his wife Amy and mother Mary were treated for breastcancer.
Amy Mickelson had surgery in Houston on July 1 whileMickelson’s mother was operated on 10 days later at the samehospital.
“I have had a great six weeks at home,” three-times majorwinner Mickelson said on his official website(www.philmickelson.com).
“Things are going very well and I am excited about theopportunity to start playing some tournaments again.
“I’ll play the Bridgestone Invitational, PGA Championshipand The Barclays for sure and, if things continue to go well,I’ll be able to play more.”
Mickelson will return to the Tour for next week’sWGC-Bridgestone Invitational before competing in the finalmajor of the season, the Aug. 13-16 PGA Championship atHazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
The Barclays Classic, the first of the four lucrativeFedExCup playoff events, takes place at Liberty National GolfClub in New Jersey from Aug. 27-30.
World number one Tiger Woods, who is playing in this week’sBuick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan, welcomed Mickelson’sreturn.
“If he’s playing, things are doing better at home,” the14-times major winner said after Wednesday’s pro-am competitionat Warwick Hills.
“If things were not doing well, then I don’t think he’dplay. So it’s a positive sign to see him out here playing.”
(Editing by Ian Ransom; To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Thompson, Vogel lead in Junior PGA Championship
July 30, 2009
MAINEVILLE, Ohio (AP)—Alexis Thompson extended her lead in the second round ofthe Junior PGA Championship on Wednesday, and T.J. Vogel pulled into the lead inthe boys’ division with a 6-under-par round at TPC River’s Bend.
Thompson, of Coral Springs, Fla., shot a 68 to open a three-stroke lead overJaye Marie Green of Boca Raton, Fla. The 14-year-old Thompson won thechampionship in 2007.
“My ball striking has gotten a lot better in the last four days, and I ammaking birdies,” said Thompson, who finished third in the tournament last year.
Vogel, of Cooper City, Fla., came into the round tied for second. He madeseven birdies on a rain-slowed course to pull two strokes ahead of Jordan Spiethof Dallas, who finished second in the tournament last year.
Vogel, the son of PGA player Joe Vogel, will head off to Southern Californiaafter the tournament.
“This is what we live for and this is one of the best tournaments in thecountry,” Vogel said. “Playing well right before you head off to collegereally lifts you up a lot.”
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