The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Injured Roddick pulls out of Washington tournament
- Meena Lee takes 2-shot lead at Women's British Open
- Woods to end 3-month layoff at Firestone
| Injured Roddick pulls out of Washington tournament Posted: 28 Jul 2011 06:55 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP): Three-time champion Andy Roddick has pulled out of next week's Legg Mason Tennis Classic because of a partially torn abdominal muscle on his right side. The tournament announced Roddick's withdrawal Thursday and said he was hurt while practicing. Four other players are missing the hard-court tournament with injuries: two-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Querrey, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori. The highest-ranked players in the field are No. 7 Gael Monfils and No. 9 Mardy Fish. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Meena Lee takes 2-shot lead at Women's British Open Posted: 28 Jul 2011 05:48 PM PDT CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP): Meena Lee overcame wet conditions to shoot a 7-under 65 on Thursday for a two-shot lead after the first round of the Women's British Open. The South Korean had seven birdies and no bogeys in her round played mainly in a heavy afternoon downpour. "I like links golf. It's very different to what we play on the LPGA Tour and I really enjoyed it today, despite the weather," Lee said. Two strokes back was American Brittany Lincicome, who started her round in good conditions early in the morning and set the early pace with a 5-under 67. Among a group at 68 were American Angela Stanford, South Korea's Amy Yang, Germany's Caroline Masson and Sweden's Sofie Gustafson. Twice a winner on the LPGA Tour in her first two seasons after turning professional in 2005, Lee is making her second visit to Scotland, having played in the British Open at St. Andrews in 2007. Lee opened Thursday with a birdie at the first when she hit her 7-iron second to 6 feet. She birdied the long sixth after hitting a sand wedge to 12 feet, made a 20-foot putt for birdie at the seventh and holed from nine feet at the ninth. Putts for birdies from similar lengths followed at the 11th and long 14th. At the 17th Lee hit two 5-woods to 45 feet and took two putts for her final birdie. Lincicome made her charge starting at the 12th, where she made a 15-foot birdie putt. She hit a 7-iron to 7 feet at the 13th and holed the putt. Lincicome hit a huge drive on the 14th - "must have been 300 yards,' she said - and then a 6-iron to 10 feet and holed that for an eagle. She also birdied the long 17th. "I played really well," she said. "I didn't take advantage of some chances on the front nine but then really got going from the 12th. This is a great golf course and it seems to suit my game really well so I'm looking forward to the next three days." American Paula Creamer had two eagles and finished with a 69, along with Swedish rookie Caroline Hedwall, Japan's Momoko Ueda and Mika Miyazato, South Koreans Na Yeon Choi and Song-Hee Kim, Taiwan's Amy Hung and Canadian Lorie Kane. Morgan Pressel and three-time winner Karrie Webb shot 70s, one better than defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan. Cristie Kerr had a 72, while Michelle Wie had a lackluster 74. American Kristy McPherson made a sensational start and reached the turn in 5-under 31, but faltered on the back nine and finished with a 71, the same as Natalie Gulbis. Last week's Evian Masters winner Ai Miyazato of Japan bogeyed the first five holes on her way to a 76, while former three-time winner Sherri Steinhauer slumped to a 78. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Woods to end 3-month layoff at Firestone Posted: 28 Jul 2011 05:48 PM PDT JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP): Tiger Woods is finally set to get back to golf next week at the Bridgestone Invitational, ending an 11-week break to heal injuries to his left leg. Woods used his website to announce his return on Thursday. He posted on his Twitter account that he's "feeling fit and ready to tee it up at Firestone next week. Excited to get back out there!" It marks the third-longest layoff of his career, only this time Woods returns with as much uncertainty about his future as ever. Along with questions about the strength of his left knee and Achilles', Woods embarks on his latest comeback with a new caddie, and without guarantees he'll be eligible for more than two weeks. Woods last month fired Steve Williams, who caddied for Adam Scott at the U.S. Open and worked for the Australian again at the AT&T National without seeking permission. Woods has plunged to No. 21 in the world - his lowest ranking since Jan. 26, 1997 - and has gone more than 20 months since his last win, at the Australian Masters, shortly before he was exposed for having multiple extramarital affairs that led to divorce. He last played May 12 at The Players Championship, when he withdrew after going 6 over on the front nine because of recurring pain in his left leg. He has said he would not compete again until he was fully healed. How long he lasts might depend on more than just his leg. By missing three months, including the last two majors, Woods has gone from No. 81 to No. 133 in the FedEx Cup standings. Only the top 125 players qualify for the opening round of the playoffs at The Barclays, likely leaving him only the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship next week to make up ground. Otherwise, he would have at least five weeks off without being able to play on the PGA Tour. At least he is returning to a friendly course - Woods has won seven times at Firestone, matching the most he has won on any course as a pro. However, he was at his low point on the course in the Bridgestone Invitational last year when he finished 78th in an 80-man field. Before that, Woods had never finished out of the top five on the course. Woods missed the second half of the 2008 season following reconstructive knee surgery, then sat out five months after crashing his car into a fire hydrant on Thanksgiving night in 2009, changing his career on and off the golf course. His image shattered, he lost four major corporate endorsements and still has not found an endorsement for his bag. He was divorced in August 2010. On the course, Woods has lost his aura of the sport's most dominant figure in the last 40 years. He remains stuck on 14 majors - the last one was in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines - and he nearly missed the cut the last time the PGA Championship was played at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
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