Off the wire
Posted on Friday, August 8, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/233650/
GOLF Sorenstam shoots 66 Annika Sorenstam birdied six of her last eight holes, shooting a 6-under-par 66 Thursday to take a onestroke lead after the opening round of the Scandinavian TPC in Stockholm, Sweden. The Swede, who is hosting the Ladies European Tour event for the last time, started on the 10 th hole in rainy weather. The 37-year-old winner of 10 majors parred the first 10 holes, then reeled off four birdies. She also birdied the last two holes. Sorenstam missed the green on the last par-3 hole, but she hit the flag with her chip and the ball bounced in. Johanna Head of England, who was 7 under until she bogeyed the 17 th and 18 th, shared second at 67 with Anna Rossi of Italy. Jill McGill, the only American LPGA Tour player in the field, shot 69 and shared fourth place with four others. Sorenstam, who will stop playing in December to start a family and focus on her business and golf interests, had never played a competitive round on the course. It’s only an hour’s drive from her parents’ hometown north of Stockholm, where she grew up and honed her game. Sorenstam won the tournament six times from 1997-2006, when it was named the Compaq Open, HP Open and Scandinavian TPC Hosted by Annika. Tommy Tolles shot a 9-under-par 62 for a one-stroke lead over Bob May in the first round of the Wichita (Kan. ) Open. Play was suspended because of darkness. Scott Gardiner (Farmington ) shot a 7-under 64 with an eagle and five birdies. Bryce Molder (Conway ) shot a 5-under 66, with five birdies. Rich Morris (Arkansas ) shot par 71 with three birdies and three bogeys. Deane Pappas (Arkansas ) shot a 2-over 73 with three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.
Lucy Nunn (Arkansas ) lost 5 and 4 to fourth-seeded Whitney Neuhauser in the second round of match play at the U. S. Women’s Amateur in Eugene, Ore. Qualifying medalists Amanda Blumenherst and Stephanie Na each won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals. FOOTBALL
Auburn CB out Auburn cornerback Aairon Savage will miss the season after undergoing knee surgery. Coach Tommy Tuberville said Wednesday’s operation was a success. Savage was a starting safety last season and finished with 26 tackles. He hurt the knee in Monday’s practice. Tuberville did not specify the extent or nature of the injury. Savage’s brother told the Albany (Ga. ) Herald that the player had a dislocated knee cap, a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament. Savage is eligible for a medical redshirt and could return in 2009 with two years left. Tennessee defensive tackle Chase Nelson has been ruled out for the season because of a knee injury. Nelson, a junior, played in four games last season before injuring his wrist, and played in three games as a freshman in 2006. He injured his left knee in practice Tuesday and will have surgery next week. Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram will miss the season because of a torn knee ligament. Coach Urban Meyer said Ingram, who nearly skipped his senior year to jump to the NFL after last season, will undergo surgery within the next week to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The fifth-year senior has caught 64 passes for 888 yards and 8 touchdowns in the past two years, including 34 catches for 508 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2007. Kansas State Coach Ron Prince signed a five-year contract through 2012. His base salary will be $ 143, 000 with a total guaranteed package of $ 1. 1 million, which includes compensation from endorsements and personal appearances. Prince could also earn up to an additional $ 950, 000 per year in performance-based incentives. Prince took over after the retirement of Bill Snyder and led the Wildcats to a bowl game in 2006. But Kansas State lost four consecutive to finish 5-7 last season, including a 73-31 defeat at Nebraska.
TRACK & FIELD South Carolina hurdler honored South Carolina hurdler Jason Richardson, a senior from Cedar Hill, Texas, is being honored for his athletics and academics. The school announced Thursday that Richardson has been named the NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The award came from the U. S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Richardson was unbeaten in collegiate competition at the 110-meter hurdles this outdoor season. He capped it by winning an NCAA title in June. Richardson also posted a 3. 46 grade-point average while majoring in sports management.
NCAA Beer ads to stay Beer ads will continue to pay for college sports telecasts, and college fantasy leagues could become the next real moneymaker on Web sites. On Thursday, the NCAA’s executive committee decided it couldn’t eliminate alcohol advertising nor stop the incorporation of college sports into the fantasy games and decided, essentially, to retain the status quo. Pressure mounted from many corners of the sports and nonsports world, pleading with the NCAA to change a policy that allows networks to sell 60 seconds of commercial time for each hour they’re on the air. Ads can only be sold for beverages containing 6 percent or less of alcohol — almost exclusively beer — during the NCAA’s national championships. The NCAA also requires all beer ads in stadiums or arenas to be covered during its championships, does not permit the sale of beer, wine or liquor during the games and has advised its member institutions to follow the same code. In other news, the NCAA announced a federal court had approved its proposed settlement with 12, 000 former student-athletes seeking reimbursements for educational expenses, resume preparation and career counseling. The NCAA will create a $ 10 million fund for former studentathletes, who signed on to the classaction lawsuit. Those students, who attended college between Feb. 17, 2002, and Aug. 4, 2008, have three years to file claims with the NCAA. Current student-athletes can apply for reimbursement from another $ 218 million fund, which will be in place through 2012-2013. The committee also upheld a decision to prohibit men’s basketball coaches from attending nonscholastic events, such as AAU tournaments, during April.
BOXING Calzaghe-Jones set Joe Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KOs ) will face Roy Jones Jr. (52-4, 38 KOs ) on Nov. 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York in a light heavyweight fight that was rescheduled after the undefeated Welshman sprained his wrist in training. Calzaghe, who beat Bernard Hopkins in April to become the linear 175-pound champ, hurt his wrist about three weeks ago while working pads in preparation for the fight, originally scheduled for Sept. 20. He took about two weeks off before resuming training. Calzaghe relinquished his WBC super middleweight title to fight Jones, the eight-time world champion who landed the big payday by beating a fading Felix Trinidad in January. BASKETBALL Clippers sign Williams The Los Angeles Clippers signed free-agent point guard Jason Williams, 32, who averaged 8. 8 points, 4. 6 assists, 1. 9 rebounds and 28 minutes in 67 appearances last season with the Miami Heat. Williams is a 10-year veteran. In 679 regular-season games, he has averaged 11. 4 points, 6. 3 assists and 2. 4 rebounds. He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 1998 after his junior year at Florida. He also played for the Memphis Grizzlies.
TENNIS Shriver files for divorce Former tennis star Pam Shriver, 46, has filed for divorce from one-time James Bond actor George Lazenby, 48. Documents filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court cite “irreconcilable differences” for the end of the couple’s six-year marriage. They have three children together, including twins born in 2005. Shriver is seeking custody of the children, with supervised visits for Lazenby. Shriver, who won 22 Grand Slam doubles titles, has served as a tennis commentator since retiring. Lazenby is perhaps best known for his one-movie stint as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.