Bart Bryant shoots 10 under, leads at Dick's

JOHN KEKIS (AP Sports Writer) August 17, 2013AP - Sports

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Bart Bryant during the first round of the 3M Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities …

ENDICOTT, N.Y. (AP) -- Bart Bryant sat in an old familiar place, bright lights shining all around as he recounted a round he'll most certainly remember for a long time.

The Champions Tour rookie, a tight wrap covering his left wrist and a constant reminder of his difficult recent past, shot a 10-under 62 on Saturday to take a four-shot lead overCorey Pavin after two rounds at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open.

It didn't match his career low of 60 set in 2004 when Bryant was a consistent threat on the PGA Tour. It was oh-so-satisfying, nonetheless. He's trying to recapture a lot of what he lost at the end of his career on the big circuit, when two wrist surgeries kept him away from the game for three years.

''My wrist is hanging in there. I feel I've been gathering momentum all year, to be honest with you,'' Bryant said. ''I didn't have a lot of game at the beginning of the year. I was able to kind of piece together some rounds, but I knew there wasn't much game there.''

There is now, even though he doesn't even practice during the week of a tournament.

Bryant took advantage of another serene day at En-Joie Golf Club, making six birdies in his first seven holes to surge past first-round leader Kenny Perry and finished the day at 16-under 128, a 36-hole record for the tournament.

Duffy Waldorf was 11 under after a 65, and Rick Fehr (67) and Russ Cochran (67) were 10 under. Perry was eight strokes back at 8 under after a 71.

Bryant's round matched the Champions Tour course record set by R.W. Eaks in 2007, the tournament's first year. Hal Sutton, Robert Gamez and Fred Funk each shot 61 when En-Joie hosted the old B.C. Open on the PGA Tour.

More than half the field broke par under nearly ideal scoring conditions on the first day, and the assault at the narrow, tree-lined layout continued Saturday as 47 players finished the day under par.

Perry, the hottest player on the Champions Tour after victories this summer in the Senior Players and U.S. Senior Open, began the day with a one-shot lead after opening with a 7-under 65. Playing in the final threesome with Bryant and Joel Edwards, Perry watched his slim margin slip away quickly.

The formula for going low at the narrow, tree-lined course is to keep the ball in the fairway, and nobody was more consistent than Bryant over the first two rounds. He hit 10 of 14 fairways and reached 16 of 18 greens in regulation each day.

Bryant should have birdied the first seven holes. He rolled in a perfectly paced 20-foot putt that broke right to left at the par-4 second hole, hit his tee shot to 8 feet at No. 4, then made a superlative save at the par-5 fifth hole, blasting out of a greenside bunker to 3 feet from the flag.

He followed that with consecutive 30-foot birdie putts on the next two holes, his only early miscue coming at No. 3, one of three par-5s on the front nine. He stuck his third shot within 5 feet, then watched in dismay as his birdie try barely skimmed the lip and stayed out.

''I played really solid today,'' Bryant said. ''But probably the club of the day for me was the putter. That's kind of been the club that's been holding me back. I just made a lot of putts.''

Bryant continued his assault with an 18-foot birdie putt at No. 11 and another birdie at No. 12 to reach 14 under, just missing an eagle try on the latter. Perry also had a chance for eagle at the par-5 and scowled in dismay when his putt barely missed and he had to settle for a birdie.

Pavin, on a roll with finishes among the top three in each of his last three outings, gained sole possession of second at 11 under after making a 6-foot birdie putt at the difficult 15th hole, a 432-yard par-4 that's guarded by a massive water hazard. It was one of only nine birdies there on the day.

''I was playing well before this,'' Pavin said. ''My putter just wasn't behaving as well as I would have liked. I was hitting a lot of good putts and I wasn't making them.''

Pavin hit 11 of 14 fairways and reached 16 of 18 greens in regulation on the day and needed only 26 putts as he repeatedly hit it close. He had three putts inside 6 feet, made a 25-footer from the fringe at No. 12, and sank a 15-footer at No. 16 for his final birdie.

Bryant matched that moments later with a birdie at No. 14 after hitting a 4-iron to 5 feet at the 212-yard par-3 and closed his round with a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Now, it's on to Sunday and the pressure that always brings.

''I know I am going to have to go out and play really well tomorrow to win this,'' Bryant said. ''Someone's going to go low. I can't go out and play real safe. But if I can drive it well, play solid, and if my putter continues to perform as it has, I think it could be a real good day.''

Golf-U.S. tempers fray as Europe push to brink of Solheim win

 

August 17, 2013

Aug 17 (Reuters) - Sweden's Anna Nordqvist holed-in-one to clinch a morning point in style as Europe tightened their grip on the Solheim Cup and the United States' tempers frayed during a controversial second day in Parker, Colorado on Saturday.

 Europe opened up a 10.5-5.5 lead over the U.S. at the close, dominating the fourballs on an afternoon marred by an astonishing tiff over ball placements between the American pairing of Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr and their opponents Karine Icher and Beatriz Recari.

 Relations, already strained in the morning when organisers admitted to a mistaken ruling in Europe's favour during Friday's play, became acrimonious as Pressel and Kerr quarreled with Icher and Recari on the 16th hole for over half an hour.

Officials needed to step in to place Recari and Kerr's balls after both shot into a water hazard and could not agree on each other's ball placement.

Icher and Recari shrugged off the furore to help Europe sweep the fourballs 4-0 and open a commanding five-point lead heading into Sunday's singles.

 No team has ever rallied from more than two points behind to win the trophy, but U.S. captain Meg Mallonrefused to concede.

"Obviously, it was a very disappointing afternoon," Mallon told reporters. "We have our work cut out for us tomorrow. It can be done. It's daunting right now but it can be done."

 Trailing 5-3 after the opening day, the U.S. had pulled within a point after winning the morning foursomes 2.5 to 1.5, but Nordqvist, playing with Caroline Hedwall, fired up the Europeans by acing the 187-yard par-three 17th at Colorado Golf Club.

 That sealed the clash with Pressel and Jessica Korda 2&1, and marked the Swede as the first player to make a hole-in-one in the tournament's history.

"I don't think it has hit me yet," Nordqvist said. "It was a really good shot, going straight at it. We thought it might be a little long, but it pitched and hit, and it's just an unbelievable feeling."

INCORRECT DROP

 Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer prevailed one-up over Azahara Munoz and Icher, while Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang won 2&1 over Suzann Pettersen and Beatriz Recari to give the U.S. early momentum in the foursomes.

 The Americans were up in arms after organizers confirmed in the morning that Europeans Pettersen andCarlota Ciganda were given a favourable and incorrect ruling on the par-five 15th during their duel with Lewis and Lexi Thompson on Friday.

Ciganda hit her second shot into a water hazard and was allowed to take an incorrect drop before eventually halving the hole and going on to win the match.

The LPGA apologised "for any confusion" in a statement, but Lewis, who had argued the point with officials on Friday, was not mollified.

"It hurt us. It hurt our team. It hurt the momentum," she said. "But ... it fired us up more. So, if anything, if they feel bad about it, that's good, because we're just more fired up out of it."

 Catriona Matthew and Caroline Masson salvaged a half for Europe in the morning foursomes againstBritanny Lincicome and Lizette Salas, before Europe tore through the afternoon.

Jodi Ewart-Shadoff and Charley Hull won two-up over Creamer and Thompson, and Munoz and Ciganda prevailed one-up against Gerina Piller and Angela Stanford.

Hedwall and Masson won 2&1 over Wie and Korda, before Recari and Icher completed the sweep with a one-up win over and Kerr and Pressel following their 16th hole squabble.

 The U.S. will need a monumental effort on Sunday to score the 14.5 points needed for victory, effectively nine out of the 12 singles battles.

Europe's five-point lead is the equal biggest in the competition's history heading into Sunday.

(Reporting by Ben Everill; Editing by Ian Ransom)

U.S. tempers fray as Europe push to brink of Solheim win

 

August 17, 2013

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(Front L-R) Jessica Korda, Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer of Team USA encourage fans on the first tee …

(Reuters) - Sweden's Anna Nordqvist holed-in-one to clinch a morning point in style as Europe tightened their grip on the Solheim Cup and the United States' tempers frayed during a controversial second day in Parker, Colorado on Saturday.

Europe opened up a 10.5-5.5 lead over the U.S. at the close, dominating the fourballs on an afternoon marred by an astonishing tiff over ball placements between the American pairing of Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr and their opponents Karine Icher and Beatriz Recari.

Relations, already strained in the morning when organisers admitted to a mistaken ruling in Europe's favor during Friday's play, became acrimonious as Pressel and Kerr quarreled with Icher and Recari on the 16th hole for over half an hour.

Officials needed to step in to place Recari and Kerr's balls after both shot into a water hazard and could not agree on each other's ball placement.

Icher and Recari shrugged off the furor to help Europe sweep the fourballs 4-0 and open a commanding five-point lead heading into Sunday's singles.

No team has ever rallied from more than two points behind to win the trophy, but U.S. captain Meg Mallon refused to concede.

"Obviously, it was a very disappointing afternoon," Mallon told reporters. "We have our work cut out for us tomorrow. It can be done. It's daunting right now but it can be done."

Trailing 5-3 after the opening day, the U.S. had pulled within a point after winning the morning foursomes 2.5 to 1.5, but Nordqvist, playing with Caroline Hedwall, fired up the Europeans by acing the 187-yard par-three 17th at Colorado Golf Club.

That sealed the clash with Pressel and Jessica Korda 2&1, and marked the Swede as the first player to make a hole-in-one in the tournament's history.

"I don't think it has hit me yet," Nordqvist said. "It was a really good shot, going straight at it. We thought it might be a little long, but it pitched and hit, and it's just an unbelievable feeling."

INCORRECT DROP

Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer prevailed one-up over Azahara Munoz and Icher, while Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang won 2&1 over Suzann Pettersen and Beatriz Recari to give the U.S. early momentum in the foursomes.

The Americans were up in arms after organizers confirmed in the morning that Europeans Pettersen and Carlota Ciganda were given a favorable and incorrect ruling on the par-five 15th during their duel with Lewis and Lexi Thompson on Friday.

Ciganda hit her second shot into a water hazard and was allowed to take an incorrect drop before eventually halving the hole and going on to win the match.

The LPGA apologized "for any confusion" in a statement, but Lewis, who had argued the point with officials on Friday, was not mollified.

"It hurt us. It hurt our team. It hurt the momentum," she said. "But ... it fired us up more. So, if anything, if they feel bad about it, that's good, because we're just more fired up out of it."

Catriona Matthew and Caroline Masson salvaged a half for Europe in the morning foursomes against Britanny Lincicome and Lizette Salas, before Europe tore through the afternoon.

Jodi Ewart-Shadoff and Charley Hull won two-up over Creamer and Thompson, and Munoz and Ciganda prevailed one-up against Gerina Piller and Angela Stanford.

Hedwall and Masson won 2&1 over Wie and Korda, before Recari and Icher completed the sweep with a one-up win over and Kerr and Pressel following their 16th hole squabble.

The U.S. will need a monumental effort on Sunday to score the 14.5 points needed for victory, effectively nine out of the 12 singles battles.

Europe's five-point lead is the equal biggest in the competition's history heading into Sunday.

(Reporting by Ben Everill; Editing by Ian Ransom)

Dufner back in the swing of things after PGA triumph

 

Larry Fine August 21, 2013

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Jason Dufner of the U.S. reacts as he wins the 2013PGA Championship golf tournament on the 18th green …

By Larry Fine

 JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Reuters) - Happily, life soon returned to the mundane for Jason Dufner following his PGA Championship triumph 10 days ago at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.

 "As far as me personally, nothing's changed," Dufner told reporters at Liberty National on the eve of Thursday's first round of The Barclays, the opening event of the FedExCup playoffs.

"I still took the trash out on Tuesday morning and we actually got a new puppy, so I was up at three in the morning every night taking him out to the bathroom, and still going to my favorite breakfast spot in town," dead-pan Dufner said.

"So not too much has changed in my life. My wife hasn't treated me any differently and people around me are still treating me the same."

 And that is just the way the impassive Dufner, 36, likes it, even after stepping into the spotlight with his first major championship triumph and third career PGA Tour title.

 There was a whirl of media attention that brought him to New York City right after the PGA for a flurry of TV appearances, but now the glamorous metropolis serves as backdrop for the high-powered golf to come this week.

 With the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline looming over a course built over landfill on the edge of New York harbor, Dufner joins world number one Tiger Woods, British Open winner Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and Masters champion Adam Scott among favorites in the elite 125-man field.

Unsurprisingly, Dufner aims to stay on an even keel.

"I don't put too much pressure on myself," he said. "Just try to do the same thing as I've been doing the last couple years.

 "We've got a great set of events coming up. You can really kind of make a year out of it. I know that winning a major can make your year, but I'm focused on trying to get back to Atlanta (Tour Championship)."

The Tour Championship is the climax of the four-event playoffs with a field whittled down to the top 30 players on the points list with the overall series winner banking a $10 million bonus.

Dufner admitted that success had whetted his appetite.

"I think winning one made me a little hungrier to be competitive and win more events, more majors, be part of the Ryder Cup team, part of the Presidents Cup team," he said.

"I'm pretty good at thinking ahead and moving forward. Maybe in this case, it's kind of a weakness because I haven't maybe enjoyed what I did a couple weeks ago as much as maybe some other people would."

 Dufner said he was hoping for continued success, but understood the reality of life on the PGA Tour - at least for players other than Tiger Woods, who is gunning for his 80th career PGA Tour title.

"I think he spoils the media, the fans, with how well he plays, because then people think that other players should play at that level," Dufner joked with his stone-faced delivery.

"You know, 79 wins is pretty remarkable. I've got three. If you look at the history of golf, if you win two percent of the time, you're pretty much a Hall of Famer.

"Pretty much the average guy is about one percent of the events he plays, he wins. I think Tiger is probably around 23, 24 percent.

Woods is actually winning at a rate just under 26 percent with his 79 wins coming from 305 events, including five victories this season.

"So he's way above the norm, and we don't worry about him too much, unless you've got to face him on a Sunday," said Dufner.

 (Reporting by Larry Fine, Editing by Simon Evans)

A new video for 'bubble boy' Ben Crane

DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer) August 21, 2013AP - Sports

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Ben Crane was lucky to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs as the No. 125 seed. He missed the cut last week at the Wyndham Championship, and this was the first year that no one moved into the top 125 in the final event before the playoffs.

He likely needs to finish at least in the top 40 at The Barclays to advance to the second round.

Instead of stressing out, Crane made another video set to a rap song

''It's called, ''Bubble Boy.''

Crane excitedly played the song to a reporter when he walked off the first tee during a practice round, and then took a few videos on the course and it was on YouTube by Wednesday. It probably won't get as many views as his Golf Boys' hit, ''Oh, Oh, Oh'' with Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan.

But it's vintage Crane.

''Being down here at 125, wipe my tears, the dream's still alive,'' are the lyrics. ''Jersey shore, baby here we come, remember '09 and Heath Slocum.''

Slocum didn't make a rap video.

All he did was make a 20-foot par putt on the final hole at Liberty National in 2009 to win by one shot overTiger Woods, Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker and Ernie Els. That guaranteed him a spot in the Tour Championship and the four majors the next year.

Whether that happens with Crane is unlikely, through crazier things have happened.

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DUFNER RETURNS: Jason Dufner wasn't swamped with phone calls and text messages after winning his first major at the PGA Championship. But there's a reason for that. He changed the number on his cellphone about three weeks ago.

''Very limited people have access to my phone number,'' he said.

A couple of them are fellow Auburn athletes with a higher profile - Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley. Dufner otherwise was home in Alabama, living up to his pledge that winning the PGA Championship was not about to change his life. It didn't change his pulse, either. He was as flat-line as ever, and proud of it.

''I was excited. I was satisfied and gratified, because I knew how much sacrifice I made and what it took to win the major,'' he said. ''But I don't show it out emotionally outward too well, but that's just kind of who I am and how it's been. I don't want to try and change things. It's not like I have to put my game face on or have to hold back emotions out there on purpose. That's just kind of naturally who I am, so I think it's been working pretty good for me.''

Dufner was in New York on Tuesday after winning the PGA Championship for a media tour that included an appearance with Howard Stern.

Otherwise, it's as if nothing changed.

''I still took the trash out on Tuesday morning and we actually got a new puppy, so I was up at 3 in the morning every night taking him out to the bathroom and still going to my favorite breakfast spot in town,'' he said. ''So not too much has changed in my life. My wife hasn't treated me any differently and people around me are still treating me the same. So it's pretty easy when you've got good people around you.''

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HAAS PERSPECTIVE: Bill Haas starts the FedEx Cup playoffs with the No. 5 seed, which has more to do with his tour-leading nine top 10s than his win at the AT&T National. With five career wins, he was told he was only four wins away from being among the top 10 in PGA Tour wins among active players.

Haas said he was a little surprised by that, but he took issue the word ''only four wins away.''

Getting to five wins was no picnic.

''It's so hard to win out here,'' he said.

That has made him appreciate even more the careers of Tiger Woods (79 career wins), Phil Mickelson (42), Vijay Singh (34), Davis Love III (20) and Ernie Els (19).

''Those guys are on another level because of how many times they have won,'' he said. ''It's pretty amazing, the level of competition nowadays. But ... you've got to think of about those to be positive. When things aren't going well, you have to say, 'Hey, wait a second, you can win out here.' Stats like that are fun to look at and only positive motivation for the future.''

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SECOND PLACE: This is one time Tiger Woods doesn't think second place is all that bad.

Woods has 14 majors, putting him in second-place behind Jack Nicklaus (18). He has 79 wins on the PGA Tour, second only to Sam Snead at 82.

''That's not bad at my age,'' the 37-year-old Woods said Wednesday. ''Both of those guys took a lot longer to get to that point, and to do it where I'm at right now, it's pretty good.''

Nicklaus won his 15th major when he was 38. Snead won his 80th tour event when he was 47.

Kiwi teen Ko defends Canadian Women's Open title

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Lydia Ko of New Zealand watches a tee shot at Sebonack Golf Club on June 29, 2013 in Southampton, New York. Ko, a 16-year-old New Zealand amateur, defends her title at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open starting Thursday at Edmonton's Royal Mayfair after a historic triumph a year ago. (AFP Photo/Gregory Shamus)

 

August 21, 2013

Lydia Ko, a 16-year-old New Zealand amateur, defends her title at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open starting Thursday at Edmonton's Royal Mayfair after a historic triumph a year ago.

Ko became the youngest winner in LPGA history last year at 15 years and four months of age when she captured the crown in Vancouver. This season, Ko has played in nine prior LPGA events, including four majors.

"It was a huge surprise, but now when I look back at it, it was a really big week in my life," Ko said.

"I have really been enjoying the last year. I have been getting a whole new experience. I've been getting a feel for all these different types of golf courses in different countries and situations. It doesn't feel like I've played 10 already, but it has been really cool to have that opportunity to play this many."

All but one of the players in last week's Solheim Cup will be playing this week, with Sweden's Caroline Hedwall entered after becoming the first player to go 5-0 in a Solheim Cup in helping Europe defeat the US women 18-10, including sinking the Cup-clinching putt.

England's Charley Hull, a 17-year-old who went 2-1 for Europe, has four runner-up showings in nine Ladies European Tour starts and will play on a sponsor exemption, giving Ko a run for the money as top teen.

"She obviously proved herself out there last week and she's a really great player," Ko said. "It kind of makes me feel better seeing that I'm not the (only) young one, so that feels good."

Missing out on the money she could earn as a tour player does not weigh on Ko's mind.

"I don't really think about money. It's not like I count how much I'm (potentially) earning each week," Ko said. "I just hit the ball. My parents are the ones that are thinking about money and expenses."

Ko is still pondering college options and when to turn professional, but nothing has been decided on either matter.

She took a putting lesson on Sunday from world number one Park In-Bee of South Korea.

"I was putting and then she came along and did some putting as well," Ko said. "I didn't ask her any questions, but I stopped and then looked at how the world number one putts."

This year, she has putted very well. Park seeks her seventh title of the year this week, having won three major titles and leading the LPGA money list with $2,147,619.

Park returns after some time off in South Korea, including time spent with a seriously ill child whose dream was to play golf alongside Park.

"One of the kids' wishes was playing golf with me, so I did their wish and spent some time with them," Park said.

"When I was in Korea I obviously met up with my family and friends. I did some stuff for sponsors. Everything kept me really busy. I really enjoyed my time there. I feel like I'm more refreshed, feel like I'm ready to go again."

Park finished second to Ko last year, even though she collected a winner's check because Ko was an amateur.

"I could give her advice, but I don't think she really needs advice. She's a very talented player," Park said.

"It would be nice if I could actually get the trophy and the first-place check this time. I'll try my best this week and just see what happens."

Park said she feels more relaxed after her Asian trip and after her quest for a major sweep was scuttled when she failed at the Women's British Open.

"I'm a lot more relaxed now," Park said. "I experienced some big pressure in British Open. That week was big, and it could have been great if I could have played a little bit better, but some weeks you don't play your best. But I had a great experience there so I think that experience will help me throughout this season and my career."

Wales Open heralds start of European Ryder Cup race

(Reuters) - The year-long quest to win a place in Europe's 2014 Ryder Cup team starts at this week's Wales Open and captain Paul McGinley cannot wait for the qualifying process to begin.

"This is another significant milestone in my captaincy and it is going to be an exciting campaign to see who can make the team for Gleneagles next year," McGinley told the tour website (www.europeantour.com) on Monday.

"There are so many talented players who have the potential to make the team and it will be very interesting for me to watch it evolve."

 Irishman McGinley, who was appointed skipper in January, will compete this week as he keeps an eye on the early contenders for a place in his team for the biennial clash against the United States in Scotland.

 Italy's Francesco Molinari is the only member of the triumphant side that won so dramatically in Illinois last September who will tee up at Celtic Manor in Thursday's opening round.

 Celtic Manor was also the venue for Europe's Ryder Cup victory over the U.S. in 2010.

 Among the other title hopefuls competing at the Wales Open are former British Open champion Darren Clarke, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Alvaro Quiros, Ross Fisher, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Thomas Bjorn.

 Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, 22, who captured his first victory in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles on Sunday, will also bid to make it back-to-back tour wins.

(Writing by Tony Jimenez; editing by Toby Davis)