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Kaymer shoots 63 to win HSBC Champions

Kaymer shoots 63 to win HSBC Champions

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — Martin Kaymer made nine birdies over his last 12 holes Sunday and closed with a 9-under 63 to win the HSBC Champions for the biggest comeback ever in a World Golf Championship. Starting the final round five shots behind Fredrik Jacobson, with a host of stars around him, Kaymer ran off four straight birdies to start the back nine at Sheshan International. The German finally caught Jacobson with a birdie on the 13th, and then poured it on with key birdies on the final two holes. Kaymer delivered the lowest closing round by a WGC winner since the series began in 1999, topping the 64 by Hunter Mahan last year at the Bridgestone Invitational. The former PGA champion hasn’t found golf to be this easy since he shot a 59 his first year as a pro on a mini-tour in Germany, when he was 14 under over his last 16 holes. “I just played really good golf, and I’m glad that it came together,” Kaymer said. “The last few weeks, I played good golf, but it has not happened yet. And this week, it was nice that it happened here, the World Golf Championship event.” Kaymer is the 10th player to win a WGC and a major championship. Adam Scott, hounded by questions over caddie Steve Williams’ racial slur against former boss Tiger Woods, got within two shots of the lead early in the round until making two soft bogeys and never recovering. He closed with a 73 and was eight shots behind. Jacobson led by as many as three shots until a long three-putt bogey on par-5 eighth. As Kaymer made his charge, the Swede came to life with birdies on the 12th and 14th to stay tied. Jacobson’s hopes ended, however, when he pulled his tee shot into the rough left of the par-3 17th and failed to get par. He shot 71 and finished three shots behind. “I wish I could have made maybe a couple of more putts along the way to really get a little bit of a cushion and put a little bit more pressure on Martin coming down the stretch,” Jacobson said. “I gave it my everything, and overall, a great week.” Graeme McDowell closed with two birdies for a 67 to finish alone in third, quite a turnaround from last week in the Andalucia Masters when he [...]

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Jacobson takes lead in Shanghai

Jacobson takes lead in Shanghai

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — Fredrik Jacobson played bogey-free on an overcast day at the HSBC Champions for a 6-under 66. He had a one-shot lead as several players began to take aim on a soft Sheshan International. Despite making only birdie on the par 5s, Jacobson got around the course with little trouble. He was at 11-under 133, one shot clear of Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott, with PGA champion Keegan Bradley another shot behind. Oosthuizen had a tournament best 63, while Scott also had nine birdies in his round of 65. Sixteen players were separated by five shots going into the weekend, a group that includes Paul Casey, who lost his PGA Tour card this year. A win would give Casey a three-year exemption.

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McIlroy: Management change geared toward winning

McIlroy: Management change geared toward winning

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — Golfer Rory McIlroy felt he was ready for a fresh start when he decided to leave longtime agent Chubby Chandler, a decision he said Wednesday was the most difficult of his career. “It’s the toughest conversation to sit down with a person who’s been there for you the last 10 years and tell him you want to change things up a little bit,” McIlroy said. In the midst of a breakthrough season, and just four months after his record-setting win in the U.S. Open, the 22-year-old McIlroy surprised those around him last month by announcing he was leaving Chandler for Horizon Sports Management, a Dublin-based agency that also manages good friend and fellow U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. The decision was a shock to Chandler, who never had an inkling his star client wanted to leave International Sports Management. Those searching for answers didn’t get many from McIlroy on the eve of the HSBC Champions. He repeated that he was interested in a “fresh view on things.” “All I want to do is concentrate on golf and win golf tournaments,” McIlroy said. “I feel up to this point, I haven’t won enough. I feel I needed to make a few decisions to change that.” He insists this decision was not made overnight, though he couldn’t say how long he had been thinking about such a big change. It helped that he has known Conor Ridge, who runs Horizon, for many years and was impressed with how he handled McDowell. McIlroy broke the news to Chandler on their way home from the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda. “The hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life,” McIlroy said. Chandler recently had signed McIlroy to yet another endorsement with Santander Bank in Spain, which the agent described only as “big money, proper money.” He also negotiated deals with Oakley, Jumeirah Estates and Titleist. The timing was reminiscent of when Tiger Woods switched agents from Hughes Norton, who negotiated blockbuster deals for Woods when he turned pro, to Mark Steinberg after two years. “Sometimes to go forward in your career, you need to make a decision,” McIlroy said. “I thought it was a decision I needed to make. I felt like for four years, Chubby was the best guy. But sometimes to progress you need to have a different view and a fresh view [...]

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McIlroy takes 3-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

McIlroy takes 3-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to increase his lead to three strokes after the third round of the Shanghai Masters. The 22-year-old star from Northern Ireland made seven birdies in another bogey-free round on Lake Malaren’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters course to finish at 18-under 198. “Another good day on the course! Excited to have a chance to get another win this year!” McIlroy tweeted, adding the hashtag “itsbeentoolong.” American Anthony Kim was second after a 65. He’s coming off a third-place finish last week in the Asian Tour event in South Korea. South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul was 14 under after a 67. Ian Poulter (67) and Hunter Mahan (68) were 11 under, second-ranked Lee Westwood (70) and Geoff Ogilvy (66) were another stroke back, and Robert Karlsson (72), Padraig Harrington (73) and Y.E. Yang (68) were 6 under. Louis Oosthuizen struggled in the windy, overcast conditions, shooting a 76 to finish at 4 under. The 2010 British Open champion had a double bogey on the par-5 13th and made four bogeys. The 30 players are vying for the $2 million first prize, the richest in golf. All the top players are getting appearance money, and last place pays $25,000. Because the International Management Group-run event isn’t sanctioned by a major tour, it doesn’t have world-ranking points. The World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions is next week at nearby Sheshan International.

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McIlroy takes 3-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

McIlroy takes 3-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to increase his lead to three strokes after the third round of the Shanghai Masters. The 22-year-old star from Northern Ireland made seven birdies in another bogey-free round on Lake Malaren’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters course to finish at 18-under 198. “Another good day on the course! Excited to have a chance to get another win this year!” McIlroy tweeted, adding the hashtag “itsbeentoolong.” American Anthony Kim was second after a 65. He’s coming off a third-place finish last week in the Asian Tour event in South Korea. South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul was 14 under after a 67. Ian Poulter (67) and Hunter Mahan (68) were 11 under, second-ranked Lee Westwood (70) and Geoff Ogilvy (66) were another stroke back, and Robert Karlsson (72), Padraig Harrington (73) and Y.E. Yang (68) were 6 under. Louis Oosthuizen struggled in the windy, overcast conditions, shooting a 76 to finish at 4 under. The 2010 British Open champion had a double bogey on the par-5 13th and made four bogeys. The 30 players are vying for the $2 million first prize, the richest in golf. All the top players are getting appearance money, and last place pays $25,000. Because the International Management Group-run event isn’t sanctioned by a major tour, it doesn’t have world-ranking points. The World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions is next week at nearby Sheshan International.

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Bo Van Pelt leads Asia Pacific Classic

Bo Van Pelt leads Asia Pacific Classic

SELANGOR, Malaysia (AP & Staff) — Bo Van Pelt shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over fellow Indiana player Jeff Overton after the third round of the Asia Pacific Classic. Van Pelt, the winner of the PGA Tour’s 2009 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, had a 16-under 197 total at The Mines in the second-year event sanctioned by the PGA Tour and Asian Tour. “I just love to play to compete,” Van Pelt said “It’s not about the money. That’s what gets my juices flowing. Like my grandpa always told me, ‘You can’t take it with you.’ “Obviously, any time you’re near the lead with 18 to go, you’re excited. That’s why we practice and why we enter tournaments. That’s all you can ask for, to have a chance to win on Sunday. It’s exciting, and I’m looking forward to it. It’s been a while since I won a golf tournament, so it would be great.” Overton, tied for second-round lead with Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson after a course-record 62, had a 69. “It wasn’t my day on the greens,” Overton said “Didn’t make anything.” Overton noted the Hoosier connection at the top of the leaderboard. “It’s crazy,” Overton said. “We’re from the same state, Indiana, and probably the only two players in the field or on tour from Indiana. To actually come all the way here, a 12-hour time change, halfway around the world to play golf with each other, it’ll be fun.” Jacobson (71) and Mark Wilson (67) were 13 under. Van Pelt bogeyed the opening two holes, but countered with birdies on Nos. 3 and 5. He also birdied the 12th and made three more on Nos. 15-17. “I didn’t make a big deal after bogeying the opening two holes,” the former Oklahoma State star said. “I told myself it wasn’t the end of the world and just concentrated on playing my shots. “I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned, experience-wise. As much as golf as I’ve played, in the times I’ve let a bad start lead to a bad round, it was probably when I made too big a deal out of it, got upset or got quicker (with my swing). I think today was just a good example of not making a big deal out of it and trying to hit good golf shots.” Three-time major winner Vijay Singh followed [...]

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McIlroy takes 2-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

McIlroy takes 2-stroke lead in Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI (AP & Staff) — U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a 3-under 69 on Friday to increase his lead to two strokes after the second round of the Shanghai Masters. After opening with a bogey-free 64, McIlroy struggled on the front nine, bogeying the fourth hole and dropping two strokes when he drove into the water on the par-4 ninth. The 22-year-old star from Northern Ireland recovered with four birdies on the back nine to finish at 11-under 133 on Lake Malaren’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters course. “I liked the birdie on 18, and had a good back nine,” McIlroy said. “To shoot four birdies kept me going after the double bogey.” Noh Seung-yul was second after a 63. The 20-year-old South Korean player birdied three of the last four holes. He began the round tied for 18th after an opening 72. “I had hurt my ankle and not been able to practice too much and also not be able to swing as hard as I would like,” Noh said. “I just decided to be careful with how I played. I putted well and chose good options, which obviously helped my score.” The 30 players are vying for the $2 million first prize, the richest in golf. All the top players are getting appearance money, and last place pays $25,000. Because the International Management Group-run event isn’t sanctioned by a major tour, it doesn’t have world-ranking points. Louis Oosthuizen (66) and Anthony Kim (68) were 8 under, and Padraig Harrington (70) and Hunter Mahan (72) were another stroke back. Ian Poulter (71) and Robert Karlsson (69) were 6 under, and John Daly followed his opening 69 with a 70 to match Lee Westwood (70), Colin Montgomerie (69) and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (69) at 5 under. The World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions is next week at nearby Sheshan International.

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Donald charges to stunning win at Disney

Donald charges to stunning win at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Under the greatest pressure, Luke Donald delivered his finest performance. Donald felt his only chance to capture the PGA Tour money title — and state a clear case as player of the year — was to win at Disney in the final tournament of the year. “It was do or die,” Donald said. That’s what made his victory Sunday in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic his most gratifying win of the year. Five shots behind going into the final round, and still four shots out of the lead with nine holes to play, Donald left little doubt who was No. 1 — in the world ranking, and now on the PGA Tour. Donald ran off six straight birdies to blow past Webb Simpson on the leaderboard and on the money list, closing with an 8-under 64 for a two-shot victory over Justin Leonard that makes him a clear favorite for PGA Tour player of the year. “I told you guys on Wednesday that the goal was to win. Nothing was really going to be good enough other than that,” Donald said. “I think this is probably one of the most satisfying wins of my career just because of that. “It’s just knowing that I had to do it, and being able to do it … it’s very, very special.” Not only was Donald four shots out of the lead at the turn, he was two shots behind Simpson, who had a $363,029 lead on the money list. His caddie for the week, Gareth Lord, had sent Donald a text Saturday night to say that “it’s not over yet.” Donald’s timing could not have been better. He holed four straight birdie putts inside 8 feet, took the lead with an 18-foot birdie on the par-5 14th hole, then sealed his stunning rally with a 45-foot birdie on the 15th hole. “We gave ourselves a chance,” said Simpson, who shot 69 and tied for sixth. “The fact is, playing against the best player in the world, he’s going to do something great like that most of the time, and he did. Made six birdies in a row. Tough to compete against.” Donald won for the second time this year on tour, as many as anyone else. He also won the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average. He finished in the top 10 [...]

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Leonard, Chappell tied for Disney lead

Leonard, Chappell tied for Disney lead

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Justin Leonard chipped in three times in a span of five holes Saturday to salvage a scrappy day at Disney with a 2-under 70 that gave him a share of the lead with PGA Tour rookie Kevin Chappell at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. Chappell was much more consistent in a round of 66, overcoming a bogey on the opening hole and giving himself a steady diet of 10- to 15-foot birdie putts throughout the day on the Magnolia Course. They were at 14-under 202, one shot ahead of 21-year-old Bio Kim, who needs at least a two-way tie for second to secure his tour card for next year. The race for the PGA Tour money title had some possibilities, but only briefly. Luke Donald, who trails Webb Simpson by $363,029, was tied for fourth when he reached the par-5 14th hole. Donald was only three shots out of the lead and three shots ahead of Simpson. When he walked off the green, Donald was in a tie for 14th, tied with Simpson and six shots behind. Donald hit another shot into the hazard, and three-putted for double bogey, ending his PGA Tour streak of 483 holes without a three-putt. Donald wound up with a 70, while Simpson shot 69 to move one shot ahead. Simpson is likely to win the money title at this stage, as Donald would need no worse than a two-way tie for second. He was tied for 14th, five shots behind. “I’m a little more confident than I was two hours ago,” Simpson said, not making it clear if he was talking about his 32 on the back nine or his chances of capturing the money list. Leonard, who is No. 144 on the money list, is moderately surprised to be atop the leaderboard in the final tournament of his worst season on tour. Even though he already is exempt for next season, he has never finished out of the top 125 on the money list. And he hasn’t been playing much golf late in the afternoon on the weekend. This was the kind of round that could have easily gotten away from him. He opened with a sloppy bogey on the opening hole, and then some exquisite play with his short game. The par-5 fourth hole won’t get as much attention, but it might have been [...]

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Leonard tied with Kim, Stenson for lead at Disney

Leonard tied with Kim, Stenson for lead at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Justin Leonard described his round Friday at Disney as a “fun, easy day,” and it was every bit of that. He had a 9-under 63 for his lowest round of the year, putting him in a tie for the lead with Henrik Stenson and Bio Kim at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic. It was only after his round that he felt as though he was on Thunder Mountain without ever leaving the golf course. Leonard is at No. 144 on the PGA Tour money list and not the least bit worried about keeping his card because he already is exempt through 2012. Because of a misprint in the media guide, reporters didn’t understand how he was exempt, leading to confusion — and a brief spell of panic for Leonard — while tour officials researched the regulations to confirm the answer. By the time he headed for the Magic Kingdom for the parade with his four children, all was well. The leaders were at 12-under 132, two shots clear of Nick O’Hern. Gary Woodland was in the group at 9-under 135. The money list is magic at Disney. Webb Simpson and Luke Donald are battling for the money title, and they both played the opening two rounds at 7-under 137, meaning they will be paired again Saturday. Simpson has a $363,029 lead, so the third round looms large for Donald. The stress is at the bottom. The players at Nos. 123, 124 and 125 — D.J. Trahan, Bobby Gates and James Driscoll — all made the cut. Kim is at No. 168 and will have to finish no worse than second to avoid Q-school. Stenson, who had a 64 on the Palm Course, is at No. 180 but is exempt through 2014 from winning The Players Championship. Leonard also has no concern about next year. “I did call the tour a couple months ago and asked about my status. I’m exempt for next year, so I’m not playing with that kind of pressure,” Leonard said in his press conference. “I don’t know how, I just am. I gave the same look to the telephone. ‘How is this guy still exempt?’” It was a reasonable question, for his exempt status on his biography page showed him exempt through his position on the money list in 2010. In the exempt ranking at the front of [...]

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Donald shares Disney lead 2 shots ahead of Simpson

Donald shares Disney lead 2 shots ahead of Simpson

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Luke Donald got off to a strong start in his pursuit of Webb Simpson and the top spot on the PGA money list, shooting a 6-under 66 Thursday in the opening round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic to share the lead with six other players. Donald, the world No. 1, is trying to become the first player to finish the season No. 1 on both the European and PGA Tour money lists. The Englishman was paired with Simpson, who was two strokes back after a 68. James Driscoll, Arjun Atwal, Nathan Green, Gary Woodland, Scott Stallings and Derek Lamely also shot 66 to share the lead in the season’s final event. Donald has made $5,837,214 this season, leaving him $363,029 behind Simpson, who has made $6,200,243 while playing in seven more PGA events. Tom Lehman is the only player since 1990 to win the money title on the final day of the season. He won the 1996 PGA Tour Championship to pass Phil Mickelson, who fished 12th — and second on the money list — that season. Donald got off to a hot start on the Palm course, birdieing three of his first five holes and going without a bogey the entire round. Simpson, who had four birdies, also played bogey free. The two will play together again Friday on the Magnolia Course in a group with amateurs Kevin Gallagher and Dennis Murphy.

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Tour to start circuit in South America

Tour to start circuit in South America

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP & Staff) — The PGA Tour is launching a developmental tour south of the border, hoping it can expand its presence in South America as golf prepares to become an Olympic sport again in 2016 in Brazil. The “PGA Tour Latinoamerica” will start next year, featuring 11 tournaments that will be played in seven countries, most of them in South America but including Mexico and Puerto Rico. The tournaments will have 144-man fields consisting primarily of players from the region, although there likely will be some access for Americans who now play the mini-tours. The top players on the Latin American tour then will have access to the Nationwide Tour. “This expansion into Latin America, when combined with what the Nationwide Tour has been able to accomplish in the region in recent years, is part of the natural progression for golf which continues to grow globally,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said. “We see this as an opportunity to help in the further development of elite players across the region.” Tournaments are to be played next year from September through December in Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru. The Nationwide Tour already has an event in Colombia, and will have one next year in Chile. The tour still has to determine how many players from Latin America could advance to the Nationwide Tour. A decision is expected before the Latin American tour starts play. Latin America already has produced players such as two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, Andres Romero and Jose Coceres of Argentina, Camilo Villegas of Colombia, Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela and Carlos Franco of Paraguay, who has played in the Presidents Cup. Cabrera and Romero got their starts by going to Europe, while Franco first blossomed while playing in Japan. “This potential pathway to the higher levels of professional golf is something that is an improvement for the players in the region,” said Henrique Lavie, the commissioner of the Tour de las Americas. Lavie will become executive director of the new Latin American tour, which hopes to grow to 14 events by 2013.

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Top-ranked Tseng leads at home Taiwan event

Top-ranked Tseng leads at home Taiwan event

YANG MEI, Taiwan (AP & Staff) — Yani Tseng began her home event with a 4-under 68 to join Ai Miyazato of Japan with a one shot lead after the first round of the Taiwan Championship on Thursday. The 22-year-old Tseng overcame early nerves in front of home fans to finish strongly and match Miyazato after the Japanese player started with four birdies over the front nine. “I saw so many fans on the first hole and I was nervous. I asked my caddie, ‘What should I do?’” Tseng said. “I told myself to relax.” The seventh-ranked Miyato birdied the par-5 18th to rally from a bogey-4 at the 16th as gusting wind forced cautious play and low tee shots. “I grew up in a windy place so I really like to play in this wind,” Miyazato said. “Today it wasn’t too bad with the wind, but still just to make sure I’m trying to hit the fairways, hit the greens, trying to play really simple out there.” Americans Jennifer Song and Morgan Pressel and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and all trailed following rounds of 69 in the gusty conditions. A further four players were two shots behind at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club where the winner will take home $300,000 from the total purse of $2 million. The LPGA’s “Asia Swing” was initially set to start in Guangzhou, China, but the China Golf Association canceled that event two weeks prior.

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Na Yeon Choi takes LPGA Malaysia lead

Na Yeon Choi takes LPGA Malaysia lead

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP & Staff) — South Korea’s Na Yeon Choi took a one-stroke lead over Brittany Lang on Saturday in the LPGA Malaysia, finishing off a 4-under 67 in fading light after a long rain delay. Choi birdied the par-3 15th and par-4 16th and closed with two pars to reach 12 under at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Lang, tied for the second-round lead with fellow American Stacy Lewis, birdied four of the last six holes — the last on the par-4 18th at dusk — for a 69. Choi is winless in 17 starts this season after winning twice in each of the last two years. She was second last week behind top-ranked Yani Tseng in South Korea and has five top-10 finishes in her last six events. Lang, a former Duke star, is winless in six seasons on the tour. Spain’s Azahara Munuz was 10 under after a 68. Tseng, a six-time LPGA Tour winner this season, had a 69 to match Lewis (72) and Se Ri Pak (65) at 8 under. Suzann Pettersen was 7 under after a 69, and Paula Creamer (69) and Michelle Wie (71) were another stroke back. Defending champion Jamin Kang was 3 over after a 75.

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Simpson 2 behind and looking ahead

Simpson 2 behind and looking ahead

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP & Staff) — Webb Simpson knew that when he signed up for one Fall Series event, he really was signing up for two. Simpson trails Luke Donald on the PGA Tour money list by $68,971, so he entered the McGladrey Classic with hopes of passing him. But the commitment deadline for the season-ending event at Disney was 5 p.m. Friday. That was too early for Simpson to know if he was playing well at Sea Island, and whether Donald would sign up for Disney. “Even if I was leading by 10 today, if I don’t have a good weekend, I’ll come up and short,” Simpson said. “And then if I didn’t commit, I’d feel really dumb that I gave up that opportunity.” Then he paused and smiled. “I didn’t want him to know that,” Simpson added. It’s all shaping up the way he imagined. Donald, in England this weekend for his caddie’s wedding, decided to play Disney on Friday afternoon. Then, Simpson went onto the Seaside course and handled the coastal breeze for a 3-under 67 that kept him in contention at the McGladrey Classic. Billy Horschel did even better, making it through a tough stretch of holes that are exposed along water with pars, and closing with one solid shot after another for an eagle-birdie-par-birdie finish for a second straight 64. That put Horschel at 12-under 128 and gave him a two-shot lead over Simpson and Michael Thompson, who had a 65 earlier Friday. For a tournament that’s up for grabs, and with so many players battling to keep their PGA Tour cards, so much of the attention already has shifted to next week outside the Magic Kingdom in Florida. “I figured Luke was going to play,” Simpson said. “I think he’s kind of thinking the same thing I’m thinking, that if one of us was going to play, the other one really needed to. It’s going to be fun. He’s one of the most competitive guys on tour, and so I’m sure he’s going to come guns loaded, and he’s going to play great like he has all year.” Donald said on Twitter: “There was never really a decision to be made. I have a chance of making history. See you all at Disney next week.” That was followed by a hash tag that said, “Bring it on.” It’s the first time since [...]

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Simpson takes big step toward money title

Simpson takes big step toward money title

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP & Staff) — Webb Simpson signed up for the McGladrey Classic because it gave him a shot at winning the PGA Tour money title. He played Thursday as though he was intent on doing just that. Simpson matched his best score of the year in the opening round at Sea Island, making eight birdies for a 7-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with tour rookie Zack Miller. “There’s no way I can play this golf tournament without thinking about the money title,” Simpson said. “I’m thinking about it every day. But I’m not over every shot thinking, ‘This is for the money title.’ It’s more that I’m just trying my best to get focused on winning the golf tournament.” At this rate, he stands a reasonable chance at both. Simpson has won twice in his last five tournaments, leaving him $68,971 behind Luke Donald on the money list with two tournaments remaining. Donald isn’t playing this week, and he has until 5 p.m. Friday to decide whether to play Disney next week in the final event of the PGA Tour season. Also at stake is the PGA Tour player of the year award, with no clear favorite. No player has more than two wins and, while Donald has only one win in the United States, he has been No. 1 in the world since May. For Donald and Simpson, the money title could go a long way in collecting votes. Simpson needs to finish at least in 15th place alone to surpass Donald, although he looked as if he had bigger plans the way he worked his way around the Seaside course, even as the breeze picked up late in the morning. Deliberate by nature, Simpson at times switched clubs two or three times, although it paid off on the fourth hole when he went back to a 7-iron and dropped his shot some 4 feet from the cup for a birdie. The only glitch was a poor approach from the middle of the 18th fairway in the middle of his round for a bogey. Simpson isn’t alone in having money on his mind this week. Miller is trying not to think about it. He hasn’t made a cut since the Viking Classic in July and has fallen to No. 146 on the money list. If he doesn’t get into the [...]

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Molder wins longest playoff at CordeValle

Molder wins longest playoff at CordeValle

SAN MARTIN, Calif. (AP & Staff) — Bryce Molder knows better than most that there’s no sure thing in golf. That wasn’t the case when he left Georgia Tech nearly a decade ago after being an All-American all four years. And it certainly wasn’t the case Sunday at the Frys.com Open in the longest playoff of the year on the PGA Tour. Molder captured his first tour victory by making a 6-foot birdie putt on the sixth playoff hole to outlast Briny Baird. “It’s a little surreal right now,” Molder said. Molder and Baird were stuck in time, going from the 17th hole to the 18th hole in three cycles, matching birdies and pars, both players feeling at various points that they were going to win. Three times, Molder hit driver on the 284-yard 17th hole over the water and had eagle putts for the win, each one a little closer to the hole than the previous one, all of them sliding by the side of the cup. On the fourth extra hole, Baird felt like a winner when Molder drove into the hazard. Molder was able to get to the front of the green from the junk, while Baird’s wedge hit the top of the flag and spun back some 12 feet. He missed. After nearly two hours, Baird blinked and Molder finally made a putt to win. “You practice and work, and you just hope there’s some validating behind it,” said Molder, who won in his 132nd start on tour. “I don’t feel I deserved to win. But I happened to settle myself down to play.” The playoff was packed with plenty of drama, and so was the rest of the sunny day at CordeValle. Tiger Woods managed to make news when a fan ran toward the seventh green as he was putting and tossed a hot dog in his direction. The 31-year-old man was arrested and never came close to Woods. “I guess he wanted to be in the news,” Woods said. “And I’m sure he will be.” It was the 17th playoff this year on the PGA Tour, setting a record dating to the modern era that began in 1970. Baird looked like a winner when he chipped in from short of the 17th green for eagle in regulation to take a one-shot lead. In the group ahead of him, Molder rolled in a 12-foot birdie [...]

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Baird next in line to end long winless streak

Baird next in line to end long winless streak

SAN MARTIN, Calif. (AP & Staff) — Briny Baird picked out his line and pulled off the shot, a driver that settled 15 feet from the cup and led to eagle on the 17th hole Saturday that staked him to a two-shot lead in the Frys.com Open. Despite a bogey from the hazard on the final hole at CordeValle, Baird had a 7-under 64 to give himself a small cushion over Ernie Els and Paul Casey, two players who have a bit more experience winning. That’s not saying much — Baird has never won at all. He has gone 347 tournaments over 12 years without hoisting a trophy on the PGA Tour. This is only the third time he has been atop the leaderboard going into the final round, the last occasion at Disney seven years ago. So how does Baird treat Sunday at CordeValle? “Whatever I thought about the other times, throw that out the window,” Baird said. “At Disney, I just played so-so. Unless you have an eight-shot lead, so-so is not going to cut it. If I can feel tomorrow like I did today … of course, if I knew how to do that, I’d be something.” Mediocre play most likely won’t cut it at the Frys.com Open. Even as Els settled into disappointing pars on the easier holes down the stretch, and Casey kept in the hunt throughout most of the sunny day along the vineyards at CordeValle, there were plenty of other players lining up behind them. Tiger Woods wasn’t among them. Woods played steadily again for a 3-under 68, although that wasn’t enough on this day. It was the first time since his season-opening start at Torrey Pines that Woods posted consecutive rounds under 70. Even so, he was nine shots behind in a tie for 38th. “It’s getting better,” said Woods, playing for the first time in seven weeks. “I’m improving day by day, which is good. Obviously, tomorrow I need to improve a lot and make putts and post a really low one.” Baird was at 13-under 200, making him the outright 54-hole leader for the first time in his career. Els had a two-shot lead when he blistered a 5-wood out of the first cut of rough on the par-5 ninth and barely cleared the water to set up a short eagle putt. But he three-putted for bogey on the 10th, [...]

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Woods makes it to the weekend at CordeValle

Woods makes it to the weekend at CordeValle

SAN MARTIN, Calif. (AP & Staff) — The fog finally lifted at CordeValle and revealed a Tiger Woods that looked vaguely familiar. Woods ran off three straight birdies early in his round, survived a rough patch around the turn and kept the stress to a minimum Friday in his round of 3-under 68 in the Frys.com Open that assured he would be around for the weekend. “I don’t like missing cuts, period,” Woods said. “If I miss the cut, that means you can’t win the tournament on the weekend. I’ve got a shot at it this weekend.” He still was seven shots behind Paul Casey, who is making a revival of his own. Casey, at No. 135 on the money list and in danger of losing his PGA Tour card, has been fighting a foot injury since the middle of May. He showed signs of getting better by winning in South Korea last week, and then he got over jet lag in time to post a 7-under 64. That put him at 8-under 134. Bud Cauley, who turned pro this summer and is trying to avoid having to go to Q-school, had a 66 and was one shot behind. Fog delayed the start of the second round by 2 hours, 20 minutes, meaning it would not finish until Saturday. Ernie Els, a surprise entry to this Fall Series event, made a steady move up the leaderboard and had an 8-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 16th hole. He missed it and was at 7 under, and will have two holes to play Saturday. Woods was so disgusted this his putting after his opening 73 that he went to the practice green in the chill of late afternoon after the first round and rapped 5-foot putts, sometimes using only one hand. He also put two strips of lead tape on the bottom of his putter, and it seemed to pay off. He holed a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 14 to begin his run of three straight birdies, and all but one of his birdie putts looked to have a chance. He was missing, but not by much. “I hit one bad putt today, and that was it,” Woods said. “Every other putt was on line.” It was the first time since the Masters that Woods made a 36-hole cut, and the first time in two months [...]

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Golfer wins bodyweight in ham for hole-in-1

Golfer wins bodyweight in ham for hole-in-1

MADRID (AP & Staff) — Scottish golfer Elliot Saltman made a hole-in-one during his second round at the Madrid Masters and earned a tasty prize — his bodyweight in ham. Saltman made the shot from the par-3 third hole at El Encin Golf Hotel. Heavily cured and salted ham is a Spanish delicacy. “I’ve been trying to lose weight, but now I’m thinking I should have just kept it,” Saltman said. Despite the feat, the No. 686-ranked player is well off the leaders’ pace. After two rounds, he was 3 over and 14 shots behind clubhouse leader Lee Slattery of England. Saltman has a knack of carding holes-in-one — he hit two in different rounds at the 17th hole in the Wales Open in June. Ham was the prized offered for a hole-in-one at the third — prizes on other holes included a car and a watch. Tournament spokeswoman Maria Madrigal told The Associated Press that Saltman would take home about 238 pounds of ham, with organizers going by the weight listed on his official European Tour profile. Saltman’s only problem is getting the “excess baggage” back to Scotland. “I don’t think they’ll let me take that on the plane,” he said. In January, Saltman got a three-month ban from the European Tour for marking his ball incorrectly at a Moscow tournament in September 2010. He was the first professional to be banned from the European Tour since 1992, when Johan Tumba of Sweden was suspended for 10 years for altering his scorecard at qualifying school.

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Caddie said ‘no-brainer’ going to work for Woods

Caddie said ‘no-brainer’ going to work for Woods

SAN MARTIN, Calif. (AP & Staff) — Tiger Woods offered Joe LaCava the job as his caddie, and it wasn’t a difficult decision for him. “Why? Because he’s Tiger Woods,” LaCava said Wednesday, offering very little by way of elaboration. “Enough said. It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? That’s my thought. It’s Tiger Woods.” LaCava is among the top caddies on the PGA Tour, having spent most of his 25 years with Fred Couples, a former Masters champion and No. 1 player in the world who was the biggest draw during the peak of his career. So big crowds will be nothing new for LaCava. He just never imagined working for three players this year, the last one Woods. Couples was playing less and urged LaCava to work for Dustin Johnson, regarded as the top young American talent. Johnson, who already has five wins and played in the final group at three majors, was runner-up at the British Open and won The Barclays. By then, however, Woods had fired Steve Williams and was looking for a replacement. LaCava told him he was interested. “When you say was it a hard decision, it was hard in the fact Dustin was great to me,” LaCava said after his first official day of work for Woods. “Was it hard to tell him I was leaving to go to work for Tiger? Yes. Was it hard to go to work for Tiger? No.” But the timing made some people question the move. Johnson already has proven to be a cash machine, with more than $12 million in earnings after four years on the tour, and headed for another top-10 finish on the money list. Woods is winless over the last two years, and has managed to play a full schedule only once in the last four years because of injuries or chaos in his personal life. LaCava was asked if he was betting that Woods still had great golf ahead of him. This brought a smile of confidence. “Of course, no question,” LaCava said. “I know he does. I’m not betting on it.” LaCava has been around Woods often over the last 15 years, starting with practice rounds that Woods played with Couples at the Masters and U.S. Open as an amateur. LaCava was prepared to work for Woods at the 2005 Presidents Cup when Williams went home to New Zealand for the birth of [...]

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Woods signs 1st major endorsement deal in 2 years

Woods signs 1st major endorsement deal in 2 years

SAN MARTIN, Calif. (AP & staff) — Tiger Woods has his first major endorsement since his downfall two years ago, announcing a deal Wednesday with Rolex to be one of its ambassadors. Woods had lost five major endorsements in the two years since he was exposed for serial adultery and eventually divorced. He previously had a watch deal with Tag Heuer, which dropped him two months ago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although it is believed to be longer than five years. Woods earlier this year announced a deal in Japan to endorse a heat rub product for Kowa Company Ltd., although that was geared exclusively for Japanese markets. The Rolex deal is far more significant, and it was announced the day Woods returned to the PGA Tour at the Frys.com Open. His agent at Excel Sports Management, Mark Steinberg, promised more deals to come. “This makes a big statement,” Steinberg said at CordeValle, where he was watching Woods tee off in the pro-am. “I think this shows me where people are with Tiger Woods.” Woods has lost endorsement deals with AT&T, Accenture, Tag Heuer, Gatorade and Gillette since his downfall. Steinberg said Rolex would be the first of a “couple of announcements” related to endorsements, including a deal for Woods’ golf bag. He has had his foundation logo on the bag since AT&T dropped him a month after Woods’ sex scandal unfolded in November 2009. He said a bag deal was likely to be announced as early as six weeks. Woods has been in negotiations with Fry’s Electronics, sponsor of this week’s tournament, although those discussions have been going on for most of the year. This is a return to Rolex of sorts for Woods. He had an endorsement deal with Tudor, a Rolex brand, when he first turned pro. Swiss-based Rolex said it was paying tribute “to the exceptional stature of Tiger Woods and the leading role he plays in forging sport’s global appeal.” “Rolex is convinced that Tiger Woods still has a long career ahead of him, and that he has all the qualities required to continue to mark the history of golf,” the company said in a statement. Woods has 14 majors and 82 wins worldwide, although none since he won the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, 2009. He fell out of the top 50 in the world ranking for the first time in [...]

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Teen sensation Thompson to become LPGA member

Teen sensation Thompson to become LPGA member

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP & Staff) — Lexi Thompson proved she was good enough to play on the LPGA Tour as a 16-year-old when she beat a strong field by five shots two weeks ago. She was granted membership Friday based on more than birdies and bogeys. LPGA Tour commissioner Mike Whan approved Thompson’s petition to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest member effective in January, impressed with how the Florida teen handled herself in all aspects of tour life. “I’ve seen her at press conferences,” Whan said. I’ve seen her when she played well, I’ve seen her when she hasn’t played too well. I’ve seen her at pro-am parties. I’ve seen her when fans are coming up to her when it’s maybe not the best time.” Thompson filed a formal petition Thursday that the LPGA waive its policy of members being at least 18. Whan approved it one day later, although he described that more as a formality. The bigger decision came in June, when he allowed Thompson to compete in qualifying school. The 6-foot teen won the first stage by 10 shots, then went to the LPGA Navistar Classic in Alabama and won by five shots against a field that included 45 of the top 50 players on the LPGA money list. Thompson withdrew from the second stage before filing her petition. By then, it was clear to everyone — from Thompson to the LPGA Tour — that she would be on tour in 2012. “I always said if she’s good enough, she’ll join us next year,” Whan said of his decision to allow Thompson to go through qualifying. “She just sped up the Q-school process by winning a tournament.” Thompson was on vacation in California when she got the news. “It’s been amazing,” she said in a conference call. “It’s always been my dream to play on the tour full time. Getting that win, it was the best experience of my life. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. “I’ve been waiting for this moment, knowing I’m going to play full time next year,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it.” Her agent at Blue Giraffe Sports, Bobby Kreusler, said he expects the teenager to play about 20 tournaments next year, including some trips overseas. “We have the luxury of planning a year ahead,” he said. Thompson, whose brother Nicholas played on the PGA Tour last year, has been building [...]

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