Title sponsor did not renew its deal

Updated: April 15, 2005, 4:08 PM ET

Associated Press

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BOULDER, Colo. -- This year's John Elway Celebrity Classic golf tournament has been canceled for lack of a sponsor after a five-year run that included stars such as Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.

Tournament director Dennis Engel said Thursday that Sun Microsystems, the title sponsor since the event debuted in Broomfield in 2000, did not renew its deal. The Classic had been tentatively scheduled for July 7-10 at the Omni Interlocken Golf Club.

"We need to have a title sponsor to have the tournament," said Kathy Hatch, Elway's executive assistant.

The Elway Classic had a purse of $275,000 last year. Asked if the event will be held again, Engel said: "You never want to say never, but at the same time I don't want to give false hope either."

The tournament became part of the Celebrity Players Tour in 2000. It has mostly benefited organizations that deal with prevention and treatment of child abuse. Engel said $7 million has been raised by Elway tournaments since 1987, including about $3.2 million over the five years of the Elway Celebrity Classic.

There are 13 active tournaments on the celebrity golf tour.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

Clarke sets career best for 36 holes

Updated: April 16, 2005, 1:56 AM ET

Associated Press

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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Never mind the trimmer, flashier look. Darren Clarkeinsists he's still the same old good-natured guy.

"I'm certainly a little bit older and allegedly a little bit wiser, but I haven't changed anything else," Clarke said.

That's hard to believe, especially as sharp as Clarke has been in the MCI Classic. On Friday, he shot his second straight 6-under 65 to take a six-stroke lead.

Clarke has consistently been among the world's top players, coming in ranked 17th. He made headlines with a fitness regimen that helped him lose weight some time back and has kept his celebrity for his often goofy outfits -- he wore shiny mustard yellow pants in the second round. With another good display this weekend, Clarke will again be recognized as a champion on the PGA Tour.

And that could lead to an embarrassing scene Sunday evening -- the MCI Heritage's plaid jacket slipped over whatever garish combo Clarke picks out.

"I've definitely got something that would clash maybe," Clarke said.

It's easy to grin when you've got such a sizable lead. At 12-under 130, he had the best 36-hole total of his career and finished a shot off the tournament 36-hole record set by Jack Nicklaus in 1975 and matched by Phil Mickelson three years ago.

The fans at Harbour Town are drawn to Clarke, a friendly sort who's one of the few recognizable names in the field with Masters champion Tiger Woods and the rest of the Big Four (Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Mickelson) taking the week off.

And the native of Northern Ireland, chomping a cigar and laughing with the crowd, showed how much he loved being at Harbour Town.

"I knew I liked the golf course and that's why I've kept coming back," he said. "It's easier to play on a golf course you're comfortable on than one that you're not. I'm enjoying myself and playing pretty solid golf."

Clarke moved forward as swirling, unpredictable wind sent many scores soaring.

Australian Peter Lonard had flirted with 59 late in his opening round before finishing with a career-best 62 to lead by two shots. He ballooned to a 74 on Friday, leaving him tied for second with Patrick Sheehan.

Thomas Levet, who put up a 64 in the first round, also slid back with a 74 that left him eight shots behind. Sheehan followed his opening 66 with a 70.

In all, Harbour Town played more than a stroke harder than it did Thursday -- and this with wall-to-wall sunshine.

"A couple of people on the way in said it's a much nicer day," Sheehan said. "I think it's a prettier day but it's not an easier day to play golf."

The dry, sunny conditions -- who thought that might be a problem after nine of the previous 15 tournaments faced some sort of weather delay -- have firmed up Harbour Town's small greens, making it near impossible to get it close.

"I was sort of thinking if I could shoot par or better, it was a pretty good score," Lonard said.

He was on his way to doing that, reaching 10-under with six holes to go. Then Lonard made bogeys on four of the next five holes to fall back.

"That didn't do me any favors," he said.

Levet blamed no one but himself. He took 32 putts, eight more than his first round.

"I putted like a monkey, but this time with boxing gloves on," Levet said.

Clarke, who began his round on the back nine, moved in front with a stretch of five birdies in six holes. He had a 20-foot birdie putt on the 15th and a 25-footer for another on the 16th. Clarke's irons took over after that. He had birdie putts of three feet or less on the 18th, first and second holes.

"When things are going good on this course, it can look easy," said Davis Love III, a five-time champion at Harbour Town.

Clarke said he grew more aggressive as the birdies kept coming.

"It's easier for me when I feel as if I'm swinging good to start going after flags, and I wanted to," he said.

Love was nine strokes back after a 70.

Divots

Tom Kite was disqualified for the first time in his 34-year PGA Tour career after signing an incorrect scorecard. The 55-year-old Kite signed for a par-4 on the eighth hole instead of his bogey-5 during a round of 76, PGA Tour spokesman Phil Stambaugh said. Kite's 36-hole total of 6-over 148 was one shot off the cut. ... Jay Haas shot his second straight 72 to make his 22nd cut in the event, one behindHale Irwin's tournament record.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

Webb, Dunn tied for second Updated: April 15, 2005, 10:53 PM ET Associated Press 0 0 0 EMAIL PRINT LAS VEGAS -- Wendy Ward had a scrambling 68 on Friday and took a three-shot lead through two rounds of the Takefuji Classic. Ward, looking for her fourth LPGA victory and first in nearly four years, was at 11-under 133. Karrie Webb, who shared the opening-round lead with Ward, had a 71 on Friday and was tied for second with Moira Dunn, who is winless in 10 years on the tour. Dunn had a 5-under 67 in the second round. Amateur In-Bee Park, a 16-year-old South Korean and Las Vegas high school junior, had a 71 that left her in a group four shots off the lead. Former University of Arizona star Lorena Ochoa vaulted from a tie for 96th into a tie for fourth with a 9-under 63. The round was a career best for the native of Mexico and the lowest in the three years the tournament has been played at The Las Vegas Country Club. Also at 7-under with one round to go in the 54-hole tournament were Mi Hyun Kim and Nicole Perrot. Kim, a South Korean who has won four events in her previous six years on the tour, shot a 71, as did Perrot, a Chilean playing in her 10th LPGA tournament. Defending champion Cristie Kerr and 2003 winner Candie Kung just survived the cut, with scores of 144 and higher out for the final round. Both were at 1-under 143, Kerr with a second-round 71 and Kung with a 70. Ward, a native of San Antonio, has credited a new outlook, thanks to her sports psychologist, for the improvement in her game. Although Ward's second round included a drive into trees and a bogey on her 10th hole of the day -- the par-4, 400-yard 1st -- her accurate iron play put her in close range for five birdies. Ward said she spoke with sports psychologist Debbie Crews after shooting the first-round 65. "She was tickled to death and she said, 'Now you know what you have to do tomorrow,'" Ward related. "I said, 'Yes, more of the same.' She said, 'No, you have to turn it up a notch.' "That was her way of saying I need to be even more aggressive, because there are plenty of people behind me that have that mentality -- and more," she said. Ochoa, who has won twice since joining the tour full-time in 2003, was delighted with her spectacular round. "It was a great day. The score is going to be very special for me for all my career," said Ochoa, who set up most of her nine birdies by sticking iron shots near the pin. "I'm in contention to hopefully have a good round tomorrow and have a chance to win the tournament," she said. Webb was disappointed with her second round. "I just didn't feel as comfortable as I did yesterday," she said. "I didn't have as many chances at birdies. I've got to be a little sharper and give myself more opportunities." Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

Webb, Dunn tied for second

Updated: April 15, 2005, 10:53 PM ET

Associated Press

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LAS VEGAS -- Wendy Ward had a scrambling 68 on Friday and took a three-shot lead through two rounds of the Takefuji Classic.

Ward, looking for her fourth LPGA victory and first in nearly four years, was at 11-under 133.

Karrie Webb, who shared the opening-round lead with Ward, had a 71 on Friday and was tied for second with Moira Dunn, who is winless in 10 years on the tour. Dunn had a 5-under 67 in the second round.

Amateur In-Bee Park, a 16-year-old South Korean and Las Vegas high school junior, had a 71 that left her in a group four shots off the lead.

Former University of Arizona star Lorena Ochoa vaulted from a tie for 96th into a tie for fourth with a 9-under 63.

The round was a career best for the native of Mexico and the lowest in the three years the tournament has been played at The Las Vegas Country Club.

Also at 7-under with one round to go in the 54-hole tournament were Mi Hyun Kim and Nicole Perrot.

Kim, a South Korean who has won four events in her previous six years on the tour, shot a 71, as did Perrot, a Chilean playing in her 10th LPGA tournament.

Defending champion Cristie Kerr and 2003 winner Candie Kung just survived the cut, with scores of 144 and higher out for the final round. Both were at 1-under 143, Kerr with a second-round 71 and Kung with a 70.

Ward, a native of San Antonio, has credited a new outlook, thanks to her sports psychologist, for the improvement in her game.

Although Ward's second round included a drive into trees and a bogey on her 10th hole of the day -- the par-4, 400-yard 1st -- her accurate iron play put her in close range for five birdies.

Ward said she spoke with sports psychologist Debbie Crews after shooting the first-round 65.

"She was tickled to death and she said, 'Now you know what you have to do tomorrow,'" Ward related. "I said, 'Yes, more of the same.' She said, 'No, you have to turn it up a notch.'

"That was her way of saying I need to be even more aggressive, because there are plenty of people behind me that have that mentality -- and more," she said.

Ochoa, who has won twice since joining the tour full-time in 2003, was delighted with her spectacular round.

"It was a great day. The score is going to be very special for me for all my career," said Ochoa, who set up most of her nine birdies by sticking iron shots near the pin.

"I'm in contention to hopefully have a good round tomorrow and have a chance to win the tournament," she said.

Webb was disappointed with her second round.

"I just didn't feel as comfortable as I did yesterday," she said. "I didn't have as many chances at birdies. I've got to be a little sharper and give myself more opportunities."

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

All winnings go to tsunami relief

All winnings go to tsunami relief

Updated: April 16, 2005, 10:42 AM ET

Associated Press

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PHUKET, Thailand -- Retief Goosen and Thomas Bjorn shared the Tiger Skins title Saturday, with the total winnings of $180,000 donated to relief efforts following the December tsunami.

Goosen, a South African who won the two previous Tiger Skins, birdied the 15th and 16th holes for nine skins to tie Bjorn. The Dane won seven skins but on more valuable holes.

Colin Montgomerie of Scotland finished with one skin and LPGA star Grace Park of South Korea had none in the 18-hole event on this tsunami-hit resort island. Goosen and Bjorn each won $85,000 and Montgomerie $10,000.

Park was playing against men for the first time.

"I don't think it's fair for the women to compete with the men," she said. "Strengthwise, I'm not capable of doing that. I'm happy with our competitions."

The tournament was held on this battered but rapidly recovering island to show it was ready to welcome tourists again. Nearly 5,400 Thais and foreign tourists died when the tsunami slammed the southern coast of Thailand. Another 2,932 are still missing.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

TPC weather might keep Mickelson out of BellSouth

Updated: March 27, 2005, 5:31 PM ET

Associated Press

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Horrible weather at The Players Championship, and PGA Tour rules might keep Phil Mickelson out of the BellSouth Classic.

	Mickelson

Mickelson was four strokes off the lead after two rounds of The Players Championship, which could be stretched until Tuesday because of rain. That means Mickelson's expected practice rounds at Augusta National early this week might get pushed to Wednesday at the earliest, and make him unavailable for the BellSouth's pro-am.

PGA rules are clear: If you miss the pro-am without an excused absence, you can't play that week.

"There's a good chance I'll end up playing Augusta on Wednesday and that means I won't be able to play" at TPC at Sugarloaf, Mickelson said Sunday.

Mickelson, the defending Masters champion, said he's not a fan of the PGA Tour's pro-am rule because it affects only those scheduled to play in the pre-tournament event and not all competitors.

"I don't think it's a legitimate rule," he said. "I think the punishment should not affect the competition itself."

Henry Hughes, chief of operations for the PGA Tour, said he didn't anticipate any exceptions to the pro-am policy just because a tournament ends on Monday, or even Tuesday.

"I would think that does not have any impact," Hughes said. "It's not a cross-country trip. I don't see any conflict."

Earlier this year, U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen overslept, missed his pro-am tee time at the Nissan Open and was disqualified at the Riviera Country Club.

The rule went into effect before last season. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in the two years before that, "we averaged 54 total no-shows" for pro-ams.

"We went from that to last year, two DQs," Finchem said.

Pro-ams are significant revenue streams for tournaments. A spot in the March 30 pro-am at the Tournament Players Club at Sugarloaf cost $4,950, according to the tournament's Web site.

Goosen was the only disqualification so far this season. Finchem says there have been no excused absences.

As problematic as disqualifying a player can be, Finchem says "there's always a silver lining in just about everything. I think it's really got the players focused on the regulation and the importance of making your tee time on Wednesday."

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

Swede wins record-tying 5th straight tournament

Updated: March 30, 2005, 2:35 PM ET

Associated Press

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RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- It might be time for Annika Sorenstam to reassess her goals for the season. She wants to win all four major championships, but perhaps a better goal might be to win every tournament she plays in.

GettyAnnika Sorenstam, right, jumped into the pond with her sister Charlotta in celebration.

The way Sorenstam is playing these days, anything seems possible.

The most dominant player in golf remained unbeaten on the season Sunday, and she made a statement while doing it. Sorenstam turned a runaway into a blowout, shooting a final-round 68 to win the Nabisco Championship by eight shots and extend her LPGA Tour winning streak to five.

Sorenstam had reason to celebrate, and celebrate she did. She was doused in champagne after sinking her putt on the final hole before taking the traditional winner's plunge into the pond next to the 18th green along with sister Charlotta and mother Gunilla.

"I'm going to remember this Easter weekend for a long time," Sorenstam said.

So will golf fans, who witnessed the best player of her generation -- perhaps the best ever -- turn the first major championship of the year into a romp with a weekend that included 10 birdies and no bogeys over the final 36 holes.

Sorenstam was so dominating that fellow competitors could only marvel at the new heights her game is reaching.

"It only shows that she's that much better than the rest of us," defending champion Grace Park said.

The win was Sorenstam's fifth in a row over two seasons, tying a record set by Nancy Lopez in 1978. It also was the 59th LPGA Tour victory of her career -- a number Sorenstam is very familiar with -- and her eighth major championship win.

Lopez didn't even bother to compare her with other players on the LPGA Tour. She aimed a little higher.

"I think really and truly she's better than Tiger Woods," Lopez said. "We have a lot of great players out here and nobody is even coming close to her."

Unlike most players, Sorenstam has no problem with stating her goals, whether they are playing in a men's tournament or winning the women's Grand Slam. Unlike most players, she sets them high and then has a good chance of meeting them.

Sorenstam stumbled last year after saying she wanted to win all four majors and only won one. But she has one down now and is playing the best golf of her remarkable career.

"This is a long year and who knows what will happen," Sorenstam said. "But it's a good start."

	“	I think really and truly she's better than Tiger Woods. We have a lot of great players out here and nobody is even coming close to her. ”
		— Nancy Lopez, on Annika Sorenstam

Sorenstam began the weekend tied for the lead and then shot rounds of 66 and 68 to leave the rest of the field far behind. She had a five-shot lead beginning the day and wasted no time in turning it to eight shots with birdies on three of her first five holes.

Sorenstam was impressive with both her driver and her short game. She was the longest hitter in the tournament, consistently hitting the ball 50 to 60 yards past her playing partners, and made almost every putt under 10 feet when it counted.

The final nine was more of a victory lap than anything, as Sorenstam took in the cheers of the crowd on her way to certain victory.

She finished 15-under, eight shots ahead of Rosie Jones and 10 ahead of the next two challengers, Laura Diaz and Cristie Kerr.

"Somebody said, 'You didn't make it exciting,'" she said. "But for me it was exciting."

Sorenstam's win was not only her fifth in a row over two seasons but her seventh in her last nine tournaments. She hasn't shot a round over par since last June 27 in the Rochester LPGA, where she had a 1-over 73.

Since then, Sorenstam has played 43 rounds at par and better. Even worse for those playing against her, she believes the best is still ahead.

All-time women's majors winners
15	Patty Berg
13	Mickey Wright
11	Louise Suggs
10	Babe Didrikson Zaharias
8	Betsy Rawls and Annika Sorenstam
7	Juli Inkster
6	Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Patty Sheehan, Karrie Webb and Kathy Whitworth

"I feel like I'm starting to reach my peak," Sorenstam said. "And I want to get there."

Jones finished with a pair of 71s in the final two rounds after being tied for the lead going into the third round. She also got a close-up look at the best player in women's golf.

"She didn't show any nerves at all," Jones said. "Her ball striking was just great."

Sorenstam didn't make a bogey all weekend, playing methodically as she made her way around a 6,535-yard course that was supposed to play tough with narrow fairways and deeper than normal rough.

Just for fun, Sorenstam capped her command performance by going for the green in two on the 485-yard final hole. Her 4-wood safely cleared the water, and Sorenstam took a victory lap on her way to the green, exchanging high-fives with spectators as she walked past the grandstands.

She promptly three-putted from about 100 feet, but it was of little consequence. When she tapped in for the win, her sister and a few others raced on the green and sprayed her with champagne.

Michelle Wie finished outside the top 10 for the first time in three years in the Nabisco, shooting a 71 to finish at even par, 15 shots back. That was two shots better than fellow teen Morgan Pressel.

"It was a really strange week," Wie said. "For some reason I couldn't shoot low, and I really couldn't pinpoint what was wrong."

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press