Archive for September, 2010
September 30, 2010
Golfom European captain Colin Montgomerie is keeping everyone guessing about his Ryder Cup pairings.
For the second day of practice Wednesday in the rain at Celtic Manor, Montgomerie hardly kept an Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and the Northern Ireland duo of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy.
Lee Westwood was playing with Ross Fisher, while Padraig Harrington was with Peter Hanson. The Swede had been paired with Miguel Angel Jimenez, but on Wednesday the Spaniard was with Ian Poulter.
Martin Kaymer and Donald were the other pairing for a practice round that Europe delayed by an hour because of the steady rain.
The Americans kept several of their players together, mostly noticeable Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker; Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson; and Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan.
Jim Furyk is also in the Woods foursome with Rickie Fowler, the 21-year-old rookie who had never played with Woods until Wednesday. Matt Kuchar was with Stewart Cink, while Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson were together. There is speculation that Overton and Watson might only play once before the Sunday singles.
Montgomerie has said he wants all 12 of his side to play on the opening day of matches Friday.
September 30, 2010
Golfom Colin Montgomerie is defending his choice of Padraig Harrington as a captains pick, telling the cynics to wait until after the Ryder Cup is over before judging whether he was the right pick.
Montgomerie took Harrington, a three-time major champion who hasnt won in two years, over Paul Casey and Justin Rose. Casey is No. 7 in the world, while Rose won twice in America this summer.
Harrington has not won a Ryder Cup match since 2004.
Montgomerie says the Irishman was playing the best golf of anyone on the European team during Tuesdays practice round, and that Harringtons energy reminds him of a rookie.
He feels criticism of his selection is not justified, and the pick should be judged on Oct. 4, the day after the Ryder Cup.
September 29, 2010
Golfom The Ryder Cup is getting personal for Tiger Woods.
Interrupting an otherwise dull press conference Tuesday, Woods fired back at a comment Rory McIlroy made six weeks ago that “I would love to face” the worlds No. 1 player in the Ryder Cup unless his game rapidly improved.
Asked for a reaction, Woods leaned into the microphone and said the closest came the week after Woods golf reached a low point in a dismal season. He had the highest score of his career and beat only one player in the 80-man field at Firestone.
McIlroy was not worried that he had given Woods or the U.S. team any more motivation.
“Im fine. Im all right,” said the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland. “Youve got to realize, I said those things the week after he had just shot 18 over at Akron, so he wasnt playing too well at the time.”
Woods was aware of the comment before arriving in Wales.
He mentioned the quote two weeks ago at Cog Hill while talking about Stephen Ames, whom Woods had beaten 9 and 8 in the Match Play Championship after Ames was quoted making fun of Woods accuracy.
“At least Rory said, Unless my game improves,” Woods said in Chicago.
There also were stories circulating at Cog Hill that Woods had said to McIlroy upon passing him, “Careful what you wish for.” McIlroy, however, denied that ever happened.
The singles matches on Sunday, which decide the Ryder Cup, are a long way off. And because its a blind draw, there is no guarantee Woods and McIlroy would play each other.
Singles rarely has been a problem for Woods or the other top Amer collectively have won 125 times on the PGA Tour, including 19 majors.
That hasnt carried over into the Ryder Cup.
In singles, they are 10-6-2, with Woods and Furyk losing only once. In fourballs and foursome matches, with different partners in the 18 Ryder Cups they have played, that trio is 18-34-9.
Maybe that explains why they all have losing records, and have played on losing teams.
“Its disappointing,” Furyk said. “But I guess weve got an opportunity to get closer back to square. Instead of looking at the past, I think right now you look ahead. You look ahead to Friday, Saturday, Sunday and not worry about whats happened. The bad news is the last 20 years, we havent won very often. Right now … try to figure out how were going to take the cup back home with us.”
Tuesday was the first day of practice on the Twenty Ten course at Celtic Manor, designed specifically for the Ryder Cup. What began under a light drizzle soon gave way to mild sunshine, only for rain to arrive toward the afternoon.
Based on the foursomes both captains sent out, there were no surprises.
Europe started on the back nine with Francesco and Edoardo Molinari playing with McIlroy and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland. Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher brought up the rear.
European captain Colin Montgomerie defended his selection of Harrington, a three-time major winner who has not won in two years, saying he played the best of anyone on his side during practice and made two eagles.
“Theres reasons why Padraig Harrington was picked, and judge me about that selection on Oct. 4,” Montgomerie said. </p when he made the Englishman a captains pick. Donald, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood all have winning records in the Ryder Cup. They are considered to be good Ryder Cup players.
Does that mean Woods, Mickelson and Furyk are not good Ryder Cup players because of their records?
“You can say that about a number of players,” Montgomerie said. “Tigers record in the Ryder Cup is not quite as bad as people think it is. Its just because his individual record is incredible.
“Who says that wont happen this week?”
Woods played alongside Steve Stricker, with whom he was 4-0 at the Presidents Cup a year ago. They were joined by Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson, while the anchor foursomes was Mickelson and Dustin Johnson with Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, the 21-year-old who became the first PGA Tour rookie to be picked for the Ryder Cup.
Woods got through his least favorite part of the week - his press conference - putting little thought into any of his answers, except when he listened to one British reporter refer to him as an ordinary golfer. Woods thought he recognized the reporter from the British Open who harshly asked whether he would respect the game.
“I hope youre having a good week,” Woods replied.
His teammates painted a different picture, especially Stricker. Woods gave him a putting tip during the practice round, and Stricker noted that Woods was hitting the ball crisply and his spirits were high.
“Hes talking very positively,” Stricker said. “I think his motivation level is high, as it is always in this event. I think hes a little misunderstood when it comes to these team events.”
Asked what he meant by talking positively, Stricker said it appeared to him that Woods was “in a good place.”
The sex scandal that led to so many and kept Woods from qualifying for the Ryder Cup team for the first time. He is playing as a captains pick, although Woods says he feels no extra pressure to perform. < and McIlroy picked up on that.
“Hes still a fantastic guy, and Im sure hell get back to winning the way he used to,” McIlroy said. “For the meantime, I suppose a little bit of that aura is probably gone.”
September 29, 2010
Golfom Colin Montgomerie is defending his choice of Padraig Harrington as a captains pick, telling the cynics to wait until after the Ryder Cup is over before judging whether he was the right pick.
Montgomerie took Harrington, a three-time major champion who hasnt won in two years, over Paul Casey and Justin Rose. Casey is No. 7 in the world, while Rose won twice in America this summer.
Harrington has not won a Ryder Cup match since 2004.
Montgomerie says the Irishman was playing the best golf of anyone on the European team during Tuesdays practice round, and that Harringtons energy reminds him of a rookie.
He feels criticism of his selection is not justified, and the pick should be judged on Oct. 4, the day after the Ryder Cup.
September 28, 2010
CBSSpo One clutch shot gave Jim Furyk two big trophies Sunday.
He sat between them Sunday afternoon after his dramatic victory in the rain at East Lake, the crystal trophy for the Tour Championship on his left and the sterling silver FedEx Cup trophy on his right.
Which one meant more?
Furyk reached out his right hand and gently tapped the silver cup, which might be more valuable than the $10 million that comes with it.
Tour Championship Steve Elling Jim Furyks up-and-down on the final hole brings clarity to a process only a math major could love. More >> Final scores and earnings Notes: Kuchar consolation prize $3 million
Clinging to a one-shot lead, in a bunker so deep he could only see the top of the lip, Furyk hit a clean shot and watched it head for the flag. It landed inches from the cup and spun to a stop 2½ feet away for an easy par and a one-shot victory over Luke Donald.
He put his name on a trophy with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. He finally won the Tour Championship, giving him three victories in a season for the as PGA Tour player of the year.
Maybe that explains why his stoic demeanor gave way to a celebration never before seen out of Furyk.
“It just hit me,” said Furyk, who closed with an even-par 70. “I was excited and dropped the putter and … I dont know. I guess at that moment, youre not really responsible for what happens next.”
He thrust his fist toward the grandstand with such force that it looked like he heaved his golf ball into the crowd. And he shared a hug with his wife, Tabitha, asking her, “Did I win the bonus?”
Furyk had a pretty good idea when he walked off the 18th tee, and the cheer of the crowd when he tapped in only confirmed it.
It was the kind of finish the PGA Tour had in mind when it created the FedEx Cup four years ago. Six players had a chance to claim the $10 million prize over the final hour at East Lake, from Matt Kuchar as the top seed to Nick Watney all the way down at No. 28.
Then came the final hole.
Donald chipped in for birdie from 100 feet on the 17th hole to keep his hopes alive. Furyk, who had a three-shot lead with three holes to play, made bogey on the 16th and 17th holes and hit his hybrid into a bunker on the 18th. If he made bogey, Furyk and Donald would go back to the 230-yard 18th hole for a sudden-death playoff with $11.35 million riding on the outcome.
Then came a bunker shot that defined a career worth of grit. He was in a bunker nine times at East Lake, and saved par every time.
Donald didnt bother going to the range. He waited in the scoring trailer.
“I didnt feel like going out in the rain and drowning myself even more,” Donald said. “So I was just watching the action, seeing if there was a chance I was going to get in a playoff. But Jim made a great up-and-down at the last and deserved the victory.”
Furyk finished at 8-under 272 and earned $1.35 million, along with the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf. He moved to No. 5 in the world ranking.
Furyk was the No. 3 seed when the playoffs began, but was disqualified from the opener when he missed his pro-am time at The Barclays because the battery died in his cell phone, which he used for an alarm. He was No. 11 in the standings going into the Tour Championship, and became the first player out of the top 10 to win the cup.
Turns out he joins Woods as the only FedEx Cup champions to miss the first playoff event - Woods in 2007 because he didnt want to play, Furyk this year because he couldnt.
He still ranks the U.S. Open as his biggest win, although this was a close second.
“Its only 4 years old,” he said of the FedEx Cup. “But 40 years from now, there should be a lot of history in this trophy. And to have Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk … Im ve two of the most dominant players of my era, for sure.”
This Sunday was so bizarre that Kuchar, who shot 71 and tied for 25th in a 30-man field, still had a chance to win the FedEx Cup. He wound up second for a $3 million bonus. Donald moved up to third in the standings and picked up an extra $2 million.
Retief Goosen also had a chance at both trophies until a bogey on the 17th. He shot a 71 and finished alone in third at the Tour Championship. Watney (67) and Casey (69) tied for fourth.
The celebration was dampened by a two-hour rain delay that sent most of the fans home from East Lake. For those who stayed, it was tough to applaud with one hand on the umbrella as the rain pounded the players over the final hour of competition.
Even so, a FedEx Cup finale has never had so many possibilities, so much movement.
Watney wasnt even a remote candidate when he went into the weekend tied for 25th in the 30-man field, 13 shots out of the lead. Then came a 63 in the third round, and he kept right on going. Watney shot a 28 on the back nine Saturday, then had a 30 on the front nine Sunday to pull within one shot of the lead.
Watney could have won the FedEx Cup with a victory at East Lake, provided Kuchar did not finish alone in 25th. Kuchar missed a 7-foot par putt on the final hole.
That became irrelevant when Watney failed to birdie the par-5 15th and made his first bogey of the round on the 16th.
Even when Furyk had a three-shot lead after his birdie on the 15th, the FedEx Cup remained in doubt.
Casey, who has not won a tournament all year, could have claimed the $10 million bonus by fini when he hit his approach toward the corporate tents on the 17th. After a free drop, he hit a wedge to just outside 5 feet and badly missed the putt.
Furyk has no time to celebrate. He was to join his teammates on a charter flight to Wal this one worth no money at all.
September 28, 2010
Golfom The U.S. and Europe Ryder Cup captains predicted Monday the trophy could be won by a single putt on the final day.
The U.S team arrived in Wales for the three-day match, which starts on Friday at Celtic Manor. The Americans are defending the trophy following their home win in Valhalla in 2008. The U.S., though, hasnt won the Ryder Cup on foreign soil since 1993.
“Its going to be very competitive. Its going to come down to who makes the putts,” U.S. captain Corey Pavin said. “Its hard to win over here.”
European captain Colin Montgomerie agreed with Pavin, saying: “These matches will be very closely contested. On this occasion, I think it will come down to a Sunday putt. But thats the beauty of the Ryder Cup, the closeness of it over the last few ye Tiger Wo who are in the worlds top 5, but Europe is considered the favorite.
The No. 1-ranked Woods has a mediocre Ryder Cup record, winning 11 points from a possible 25, and only made the U.S. team as one of Pavins four captains picks.
“I have always said that Tiger is the best player in the world and the best player to have ever played the game,” Montgomerie said. “Of course he would be in my team. Its the first time Tiger will have played in Wales as a professional. Were delighted hes here.”
There has some debate whether Woods, who hasnt won a tournament in 2010, will play a maximum of five matches this week but Pavin did not give much away about his team selection.
“I have thought about it a lot … I have a pretty good idea of the direction Id like to go,” Pavin said. “Every time Tiger plays in the Ryder Cup, he wants to win. All the guys want to come out and play their best golf and retain the trophy. There isnt one player different to the other.”
Pavin held the Ryder Cup trophy aloft as he posed for pictures at the foot of the aircraft steps after the teams charter plane landed in Cardiff. He was soon joined by his players, who stood in six pairs behind him wearing beige jackets.
Woods, one of four players wearing dark sunglasses, stood alongside Steve Stricker as Montgomerie waited to offer an official welcome.
Overcast conditions greeted the U.S. team and rain is forecast for Friday and over the weekend.
“Everyone has to play in the rain. We have a lot of guys on the team who actually enjoy playing in the rain, believe it or not,” said Pavin, who played in three Ryder Cups.
“I think our guys can embrace any kind of weather. I played Ryder Cup in poor weather. You dont really notice it so much, youre just focused on winning your matches.”
Pavin said he and his players would rest Monday following their overnight flight, with a first practice session scheduled for Tuesday.
September 27, 2010
CBSSpo One clutch shot gave Jim Furyk two big trophies Sunday.
He sat between them Sunday afternoon after his dramatic victory in the rain at East Lake, the crystal trophy for the Tour Championship on his left and the sterling silver FedEx Cup trophy on his right.
Which one meant more?
Furyk reached out his right hand and gently tapped the silver cup, which might be more valuable than the $10 million that comes with it.
Tour Championship Steve Elling Jim Furyks up-and-down on the final hole brings clarity to a process only a math major could love. More >> Final scores and earnings Notes: Kuchar consolation prize $3 million
Clinging to a one-shot lead, in a bunker so deep he could only see the top of the lip, Furyk hit a clean shot and watched it head for the flag. It landed inches from the cup and spun to a stop 2½ feet away for an easy par and a one-shot victory over Luke Donald.
He put his name on a trophy with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. He finally won the Tour Championship, giving him three victories in a season for the as PGA Tour player of the year.
Maybe that explains why his stoic demeanor gave way to a celebration never before seen out of Furyk.
“It just hit me,” said Furyk, who closed with an even-par 70. “I was excited and dropped the putter and … I dont know. I guess at that moment, youre not really responsible for what happens next.”
He thrust his fist toward the grandstand with such force that it looked like he heaved his golf ball into the crowd. And he shared a hug with his wife, Tabitha, asking her, “Did I win the bonus?”
Furyk had a pretty good idea when he walked off the 18th tee, and the cheer of the crowd when he tapped in only confirmed it.
It was the kind of finish the PGA Tour had in mind when it created the FedEx Cup four years ago. Six players had a chance to claim the $10 million prize over the final hour at East Lake, from Matt Kuchar as the top seed to Nick Watney all the way down at No. 28.
Then came the final hole.
Donald chipped in for birdie from 100 feet on the 17th hole to keep his hopes alive. Furyk, who had a three-shot lead with three holes to play, made bogey on the 16th and 17th holes and hit his hybrid into a bunker on the 18th. If he made bogey, Furyk and Donald would go back to the 230-yard 18th hole for a sudden-death playoff with $11.35 million riding on the outcome.
Then came a bunker shot that defined a career worth of grit. He was in a bunker nine times at East Lake, and saved par every time.
Donald didnt bother going to the range. He waited in the scoring trailer.
“I didnt feel like going out in the rain and drowning myself even more,” Donald said. “So I was just watching the action, seeing if there was a chance I was going to get in a playoff. But Jim made a great up-and-down at the last and deserved the victory.”
Furyk finished at 8-under 272 and earned $1.35 million, along with the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf. He moved to No. 5 in the world ranking.
Furyk was the No. 3 seed when the playoffs began, but was disqualified from the opener when he missed his pro-am time at The Barclays because the battery died in his cell phone, which he used for an alarm. He was No. 11 in the standings going into the Tour Championship, and became the first player out of the top 10 to win the cup.
Turns out he joins Woods as the only FedEx Cup champions to miss the first playoff event - Woods in 2007 because he didnt want to play, Furyk this year because he couldnt.
He still ranks the U.S. Open as his biggest win, although this was a close second.
“Its only 4 years old,” he said of the FedEx Cup. “But 40 years from now, there should be a lot of history in this trophy. And to have Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk … Im ve two of the most dominant players of my era, for sure.”
This Sunday was so bizarre that Kuchar, who shot 71 and tied for 25th in a 30-man field, still had a chance to win the FedEx Cup. He wound up second for a $3 million bonus. Donald moved up to third in the standings and picked up an extra $2 million.
Retief Goosen also had a chance at both trophies until a bogey on the 17th. He shot a 71 and finished alone in third at the Tour Championship. Watney (67) and Casey (69) tied for fourth.
The celebration was dampened by a two-hour rain delay that sent most of the fans home from East Lake. For those who stayed, it was tough to applaud with one hand on the umbrella as the rain pounded the players over the final hour of competition.
Even so, a FedEx Cup finale has never had so many possibilities, so much movement.
Watney wasnt even a remote candidate when he went into the weekend tied for 25th in the 30-man field, 13 shots out of the lead. Then came a 63 in the third round, and he kept right on going. Watney shot a 28 on the back nine Saturday, then had a 30 on the front nine Sunday to pull within one shot of the lead.
Watney could have won the FedEx Cup with a victory at East Lake, provided Kuchar did not finish alone in 25th. Kuchar missed a 7-foot par putt on the final hole.
That became irrelevant when Watney failed to birdie the par-5 15th and made his first bogey of the round on the 16th.
Even when Furyk had a three-shot lead after his birdie on the 15th, the FedEx Cup remained in doubt.
Casey, who has not won a tournament all year, could have claimed the $10 million bonus by fini when he hit his approach toward the corporate tents on the 17th. After a free drop, he hit a wedge to just outside 5 feet and badly missed the putt.
Furyk has no time to celebrate. He was to join his teammates on a charter flight to Wal this one worth no money at all.
September 27, 2010
Golfom wir John Parry of England captured his first European Tour title Sunday, winning the Vivendi Cup by two strokes over Johan Edfors of Sweden after shooting a 2-under 70.
Vivendi Cup Related links Leaderboard
The 23-year-old Parry, a former Walker Cup player who turned professional in 2007, finished at 17-under 271 at Golf de Joyenval Club.
Edfors had a 71 to finish a stroke ahead of five players: Francois Delamontagne of France (71), Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands (71), Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden (71) and Soren Kjeldsen (70) and Mark Haastrup (72), both of Denmark.
Padraig Harrington showed signs of rounding into form ahead of the Ryder Cup, which begins Friday at Celtic Manor. The Irishman shot a 64 to finish tied for eighth at 13 under, ending the weekend with 15 birdies and an eagle.
“I am getting to Wales early, I am enthusiastic and I am ready to go,” said Harrington, who just made the cut at 2 under. “Its been nice to play well here in France, its nice to post a score, though I did leave a few shots out there, which meant I could not put any pressure on the leaders.
“But I hit a lot of good shots. I had my head in the right place most of the time and I was happy with what I saw.”
Peter Hanson, another European Ryder Cup player, will join his teammates in Wales on schedule Monday despite pulling out of the Vivendi Cup because of illness.
His agent, Marcus Day, said that after two days resting at home in Sweden the 32-year-old Hanson had resumed practicing and would be ready to make his Ryder Cup debut.
Parry led last weekends Austrian Open after 36 holes before buckling under pressure to finish 20th. He appeared to learn from the experience, making four birdies Sunday to protect the one-shot lead he took into the final round.
“I didnt feel comfortable in the lead in Austria,” Parry said. “But I came here, practiced hard and played really well, and I feel really comfortable in the lead this time.
“The win means to much to me because I was 116th in the money list and fighting to keep my playing card for next year. Now I know I have got one and can go ahead and plan the whole of 2011.”
Parry faltered only once down the stretch. Holding a two-shot lead, he drove into a bunker at No. 17 and took a bogey. But Edfors found the same sand and also bogeyed the hole.
September 26, 2010
CBSSpo Jim Furyk ended a demanding round with an even-par 70 in the Tour Championship. It was just enough to give him a one-shot lead Saturday, and not nearly enough to allow him to think ahead to a possible $10 million payoff.
There were simply too many players right behind, too many possibilities going into the final round of the FedEx Cup.
Furyk scrambled for two good bogeys on the back nine and two consecutive birdies late on another steamy day at East Lake to build a one-shot lead over Retief Goosen and Luke Donald going into the final round Sunday.
Day 3: Tour Championship Analysis Steve Elling
Jim Furyks game is so solid at the moment, hes in simple point-and-shoot mode, and isnt tweaking a thing. Read More >> Third-round leaderboard Cards: Furyk | Goosen | Donald
Goosen, who won the Tour Championship in 2004 on a rare occasion that Tiger Woods didnt hold a 54-hole lead, didnt make a bogey until the final hole and shot a 4-under 66. Donald was atop the leaderboard most of the round until a three-putt double bogey on No. 15, the only par 5 on the back nine. He shot a 71.
“I have to win tomorrow, and the idea is just to go out and do the best I can to do that,” said Furyk, who was at 8-under 202.
The top three on the leaderboard can win the FedEx Cup, along with Geoff Ogilvy (72) at 5-under 205.
But its not as simple as winning.
Paul Casey, who shot a 69 and tied for fifth at 4-under 206, could still win the FedEx Cup by finishing in second place alone. Charley Hoffman, another shot back at 207 after his 69, still has a chance win the $10 million bonus if he were to finish alone in third.
Never has the FedEx Cup finale had so many possibilities.
“In the past, we had an idea who was going to win, or who had already won,” Goosen said, referring to Tiger Woods in 2007 and 2009, and Vijay Singh in 2008 when the points system was so skewed that the Fijian had already clinched the cup when he showed up at East Lake.
A half-dozen players have a realistic chance at winning the FedEx Cup.
It starts with playing well on Sunday, when the tee times will be early because rain is in the forecast that could dramatically change the fast, firm conditions of East Lake.
And as Donald showed in the third round, it all can change so quickly.
The Englishman was never out of the lead until he dumped his third shot into the bunker on the par-5 15th up the hill into a far corner of East Lake. He blasted out to about 12 feet, then ran his par putt 3 feet by. Donald hit the next putt too firmly to catch the grain, and he walked off with a shocking double bogey.
Furyk, who holed a 10-foot birdie, suddenly had a two-shot lead.
“It was frustrating to give away a couple there,” Donald said. “But I hit a lot of good shots today. Im in great position - still just one back, and this is the last Sunday of the regular tour, and Ive got a chance to win it all. So thats nice to know.”
Goosen has a chance to cap off a solid year with a victory, something he has failed to do. His nine top 10s are second on tour only to Matt Kuchar, although the two-time U.S. Open champion has never come seriously close to winning.
What a time it would be to end that drought. Goosen has a chance to walk away with $11.35 million, including the bonus. He was asked if ever imagined winning $10 million in a single day when he turned pro.
“Maybe 10 million Zimbabwean dollars,” the South African said.
Ogilvy fell out of the hunt quickly, with a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the next one. He battled his way around, however, and finished with a 10-foot birdie that seemed to take 10 minutes to trickle down the slope and fall in the side of the cup. That left him only three shots behind.
And if anyone needed evidence a low score was available at East Lake, consider Nick Watney. His caddie has been calling him “Melba” all week because Watney is so tired from a long year - and with his wedding a month away - that hes toast. Watney had never heard of Melba toast, which was just as well. He resembled a jalapeno on Saturday, making seven birdies on the back nine for a 28, and shooting a 63 that put him all the way to 2-under 208 and in eighth place.
Phil Mickelson shot a 68 and was seven shots behind, enough to hope, but little more than that. He also would need a victory to have any chance of winning the FedEx Cup for the first time, and six shots out of second place. Thats what Lefty needs to replace Woods at No. 1 in the world ranking.
September 26, 2010
CBSSports Russ Cochran shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday in the SAS Championship to increase his lead to four strokes, the largest 36-hole margin the history of the Champions Tours event.
“I dont have any experience with a four-shot lead so I dont know what to expect,” Cochran said. “Im sure Ill have to be on my toes.”
Cochran, the 51-year-old left-hander coming off his first victory on the 50-and-over tour two weeks ago in South Korea, birdied the final two holes at Prestonwood Country Club to finish at 13 under.
SAS Championship Related links Leaderboard
Ted Schulz (68) was second, and defending champion Tom Pernice Jr. (71) was 8 under along with John Cook (64) and Nick Price (69).
“I played pretty solid today,” said Schulz, the winner at Pebble Beach this month. “I probably could have putted just a little better.”
Cook played the back nine in a tournament-record 8-under 27, eagling the par-4 14th and par-5 17th.
“Yesterday, I just didnt do anything very well,” said Cook, who spent time on the range after his first- round 72. “I must have found something that worked today.”
After his record-setting nine holes, Cook, who started on No. 10, played even par on Prestonwoods front nine.
“The front side is just a hard nine holes of golf, and you kind of have to survive the front,” Cook said. “But I battled back. I didnt want to let a really good round of golf go by the wayside.”
Cochran also said the front nine is the harder of the two nines.
“The first part of the golf course is unbelievably difficult,” said Cochran, who will be paired with Cook and Schulz in the final group. “The first several holes are pretty demanding, and it keeps you off-balance.”
Keith Fergus had a double-eagle 2 on the 17th, holing a 3-iron shot from 210 yards. He finished with a 64, leaving him eight strokes back at 5 under. Schwab Cup points leaders Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples also were 5 under after 68s.
