Sully on Sports

An Epic LPGA Victory

PITTSFORD -- It wasn't a round of golf. It was a coronation. Cristi Kerr just completed one of the most dominant performances in major golf history, shooting 66 in the final round to win the LPGA Championship by 12 strokes at Locust Hill Country Club.

I imagine this was how it felt when Tiger Woods won the Masters by 12 shots in 1997 -- or the U.S. Open by 15 strokes in 2000. No one is supposed to tear up the course this way in a major. But Kerr grabbed this tournament by the throat in the second round and never let up. She shot 68-66-69-66 on the par-72 Locust Hill layout. Kerr led by eight shots to begin Sunday's round and played as if she were behind by a shot. On the final hold, Kerr landed the ball a few feet above the hole at the back of the green and made an easy three-foot birdie putt to finish in style.

The LPGA hasn't made an official announcement, but the win will push Kerr into first place in the ROLEX world rankings. No American has led the rankings since they went to world rankings for women in 2006.

Kerr's 12-stroke winning margin set a record for the LPGA Championship. Betsy King won the tournament by 11 shots in 1992. Louise Suggs won the U.S. Open by 14 strokes in 1949.

There's little doubt that Kerr is the best American woman golfer right now. She has won two majors. Americans have won only six of the last 34 LPGA events. She has three wins during that time.

"It feels awesome," Kerr said after the final round. "I'm not going to lie. But that's when I do my stuff to the level that I can do it. I just had a great week. I putted great. I hit it really good and I just managed to keep the momentum going all week.

"There are no words," Kerr said of her ascension to No. 1 in the world. "It's kind of like that Stanley Cup commercial. There are no words."

The Other Camilo

I eased back from my vacation on Monday by golfing in the annual Women and Children's Hospital Pro-Am at Park Country Club. It was the 30th year of the annual event, and a privilege to take part. Two of my children were born at Women and Children's. Park is one of my favorite courses. It was also the first time I'd ever played in an actual Pro-Am, in which each of the 36 four-player groups was accompanied by a pro.|

The event has attracted some big names over the years -- Sam Snead, Peter Jacobsen, Paul Azinger, Bob Tway -- but generally gets players who haven't broken through on tour. Our professional was Camilo Benedetti, a 31-year-old Colombian who has spent the last three seasons laboring on the Nationwide Tour -- the PGA's official minor league. Benedetti hails from Medellin, the same hometown as Camilo Villegas, one of the top players in the world. The Camilos played in the same club as kids and played college golf together at the University of Florida. 

Villegas is currently eighth on the PGA money list and has earned $12.4 million in his five-year pro career. Benedetti has made one cut in a PGA event. He has spent most of his career on the Nationwide circuit. He's currently 151st on the Nationwide money list with $4,245. Benedetti has made $158,170 in four years as a Nationwide player. 

It shows you how wide a gap there is, in terms of financial reward, between the haves and have-nots in golf. There are a lot more players like Benedetti out there, talented but struggling pros who find it worthwhile to travel to a charity Pro-Am for a relatively modest appearance fee (around $3,000). 

Benedetti said there's little that separates the PGA guys from the also-rans. Generally, it's the short game, particularly putting. Benedetti was terrific from tee to green. His putting wasn't that remarkable, which is why he's "the other Camilo" back in his native Colombia. 

Lonnie Nielsen, the former Crag Burn pro who has made it big on the Champions Tour, gave a clinic before the event and played in the Pro Am. Nielsen, who has been hobbled by bad knees, will defend his title at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott in two weeks. Nielsen told me he plans to play the following senior stop in Montreal, then shut it down for the year to have his right knee replaced. 

More on Nielsen in tomorrow's column. 

One final note: My weekly chat returns this Friday, probably at 11 a.m.  

Who's the Creep?

Give me 10 minutes to read the newspaper and there's a good chance I'll find something to rant about. Today, it was Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times,  whose column on Tiger Woods ran on the front page of the sports section in today's News. Dwyre is a fine writer. I've admired his work since his days in Milwaukee. But it was disappointing to see him take gratuitous shots at his fellow media while advising Woods on how to handle his eventual return from scandal.

Dwyre tells Woods to come to grips with "the fact that there will be bigger creeps than you will ever be, asking you questions about why you were such a creep."

Look, I know there are some sleazy characters in the press. But why does Dwyre need to make this point in a column about a disgraced athlete? He's in the media. He doesn't have to suck up to Woods by reminding him there are creeps in the business. And really, is he sure Woods won't be the biggest creep in the room when Tiger gets out of sex rehab and condescends to interviews with the press?

Woods is a serial adulterer who cheated on his wife with at least a dozen women. Some day, he'll have to answer to his children for that. But I guess that's not as creepy as some TV sports guy in a bad haircut asking Woods about it. You see, the TV and radio guys aren't as distinguished as those of us in the print business. A lot of them ask long-winded questions to get their faces on the air. They might not work in a major market, like Los Angeles, or have Dwyre's impressive journalistic resume.

But I guess if Tiger reminds himself that a lot of sports media types are pathetic losers, it'll help him get through the torture of actually having to answer questions about being able to bed every available women in his path. I only wish I could be at the first press conference. I might actually put Woods on the spot, as I did at the 2003 Masters when he was hiding from the issue of women at Augusta.

Of course, everyone knows I'm a creep.

All-Time Moment

I'm settling back in from a week of vacation and people are still buzzing about the Tiger Woods-Rocco Mediate playoff. I'm told they were packed around the TV in the newsroom last Monday to watch that amazing event. One person told me he built  his entire day around the playoff. A number of people have asked where this year's Open would rank among the best events I've ever covered.

Good question. It's still fresh in my mind, which makes it hard to be objective. But this year's Open would certainly make my Top 10 and be a contender for the most memorable event I've covered in person. Here's a quick list of other events that would be in or near my Top 10:

1. Duke-Kentucky regional final in Philadelphia, 1992. The 104-103 overtime game that our guy, Christian Laettner, won at the buzzer. Writers that night were calling it the best basketball game they ever covered.

2. Super Bowl XXV. My first Super Bowl, same as the Bills. The Gulf War, the missed field goal, the gut-wrenching loss for Buffalo. Unforgettable on many levels.

3. Celtics-Lakers final, 1987. The game where Magic Johnson made the baby sky hook over the Celtics' big three. I'm pretty sure it was Game Four. The Celtics and Lakers didn't meet in a final for another 21 years. It just didn't seem the same. How do you measure up to those teams?

4. Kerri Strug's winning vault at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. We all thought she needed to nail it to beat the Russians. One of the most intense events imaginable. Won't ever forget the scene of Bela Karolyi carrying Strug off the floor.

5. No Goal. Sorry to include another crushing Buffalo loss in a championship, but what am I supposed to do? I remember standing outside the Sabres' locker room at about 1:15 in the morning, as the news began to circulate that Hull's skate had been in the crease.

6. 1991 World Series, Game 7: Jack Morris wins 1-0 in 10 innings. Man, it was loud in the Metrodome that night.

7. Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan. The whole ice skating saga was an unforgettable and bizarre experience from start to finish. I still remember the stunned silence when Harding stopped in her free skate because her bootlace broke. I thought she was having a nervous breakdown.

8. The Houston comeback. I wasn't actually working that day. I sat in the stands for the second half of the Bills' historic playoff comeback. I'll confess, I was cheering. How could you resist? I remember feeling that the crowd was a living, screaming force that day, that they willed the Bills to victory.

9. St. Bonaventure's double overtime loss to Kentucky in the first round of the 2000 NCAA tourney. Indelible moment: David Messiah Capers hitting three free throws with no time on the clock to send the game into the second overtime. Jim Baron, you should have fouled Tayshaun Prince.

10. Tiger-Rocco would have to be in there somewhere.

I might have left out some great moments (Home Run Throwback, anyone?). But this is a pretty representative list.

Sunday at the U.S. Open

SAN DIEGO -- We could be in for even more dramatics on the final nine holes today at Torrey Pines. The USGA has decided to shorten the par-4 14th hole to just 267 yards, making it drivable for just about every player in the field. The 14th had been playing at 435 yards and had yielded only 32 birdies through the first three days. It was the third-toughest hole after three rounds at .344 over par.

The 13th and 18th holes have been the easiest so far, relative to par. Both are par-5s that can be hit in two. Those are the holes Tiger Woods eagled on Saturday to take over the lead. So there are now three holes in the closing six that could be eagled on the final day. That could make for some very interesting golf later today. The leader might not be able to play conservatively down the stretch and settle for all pars. No Open has been decided by an eagle on the 72nd hole.

It will be interesting to see how Lee Westwood performs in the final pairing with Woods. It should be quite a zoo out there. I'll be heading out soon to join it. Westwood has been by far the steadiest player in the Open, the only one to shoot par or better all three days. Westwood has 42 pars in 54 holes, easily the most pars of anyone. He has no double bogeys on his card.

Woods, on the other hand, has three eagles and three double bogeys. Woods has 31 pars. Westwood made pars on his first 11 holes Thursday. If he plays that way today, he'll have a chance. I don't see Woods shooting a real low number. Then again, I've learned never to be surprised by him. With the 14th hole moved up, chances are someone will shoot 66 today.

Will Tiger Hold On?

SAN DIEGO -- Wow. I thought I'd seen it all from Tiger Woods, but these past two days have been amazing even by his standards. Three eagles in two days at a major. Are you kidding me? And the chip on 17. Woods said he was lucky, and the ball would have gone eight feet past if it hadn't gone in the hole. But come on, when you chip the ball directly at the hole, that's a lot more than luck.

This Open has been as dramatic as anyone could have hoped. Tiger playing hurt is a great story. It's like Michael Jordan having a big game when he was sick as a dog. Now Woods has to finish it off. He's never failed to win a major when he leads heading into the final round, but he's never been this hobbled before, either. He admits the left knee is getting more sore by the day. So it's hard to say how much he'll have left on Sunday. I've learned never to underestimate the guy, but he's only human.

Lee Westwood is a formidable opponent. He's played on five straight Ryder Cup teams for Europe, so he's no stranger to pressure. He's had a sensational year on the European PGA Tour with six Top 10 finishes in 10 events. You could make an argument for him as the best player never to win a major. I wouldn't rule out Rocco Mediate, either. He's loose and he loves this tournament and he's a good putter.

It's Tiger's tournament to lose. He's won six times on this course and will make the smart decisions under pressure. He's putting with confidence, obviously, and that makes him close to unbeatable. But he's not 100 percent. Someday he's bound to lose a major with the Sunday lead. Maybe he'll have to come from behind at the end. No U.S. Open has ever been won with an eagle on the 72nd hole, but the 18th is a reachable par-5 here, so we might get one final bit of drama Sunday night, in prime time.

Phil Fading

SAN DIEGO -- Phil Mickelson broke down today and put a driver in his bag for the first time in the U.S. Open. Apparently, it's not making any difference. Lefty is 2-over through eight holes and making no move to get back into the tournament. He's now 6-over for the week and nine shots behind leader Stuart Appleby, who has yet to tee off. Mickelson is seven behind Tiger Woods, so he has virtually no shot of winning his first Open in his hometown.

Mickelson had called this the ""opportunity of a lifetime"". But he hasn't done much to take advantage. He's embarrassed himself. The San Diego paper ripped him today for his curious decision not to hit driver. The paper also chided Mickelson for failing to meet with the media after Friday's round. He gave a few cursory quotes to a USGA official and bolted for the parking lot.

That was pretty weak, considering that Mickelson is in his hometown and attracting massive crowds. People might like to hear what he's thinking. Mickelson's big problem is that he thinks too much. Not using a driver was a stupid strategy on the longest course in Open history. Mickelson figured he could hit more fairways with a 3-wood, but he didn't hit enough fairways anyway. He was well behind Woods off the tee and it compromised his ability to make big shots and get into real contention.

More Tiger

SAN DIEGO -- What makes Tiger great? Well, among other things, Woods has an uncanny ability to move past his rough patches and not allow bad circumstances to get the better of him. Woods said it felt like he dropped three shots on three holes to finish his front nine Friday. "I bogeyed 16 and 17 and I didn't birdie 18," he said, pointing out that the par-5 18th was very reachable in two.

Woods was 2-over for the round and 3-over for the tournament at that point. But he told himself that if he could "clean up" his flaws on the second nine and get back to even-par, he'd be in good shape.  He did even better, making five birdies on the front nine (he started on 10) for a dazzling 30 and a 68.

Asked if he had gotten more out of that nine than he expected, Woods said "Absolutely, no doubt."

Tiger Says He's Fine

SAN DIEGO -- Not surprisingly, Tiger Woods downplayed the condition of his surgicallly repaired left knee after shooting 30 on his back nine (the front at Torrey Pines) to shoot 68 and get within one shot of the lead in the U.S. Open.

""It's a little sore,'' Woods said after his round. ""But I'll go back home and get some treatment on it.'' Asked how his second round compared to his first, as far as the knee goes, and he said "Same.''

Woods had said before the tournament that he was eager to get back into the competitive flow of a golf tournament. Someone asked him if it felt like he had regained the flow on Friday. "I thought I was back in a rhythm yesterday after two or three holes," Woods said. "After that, I've been fine."

It was a pretty remarkable performance by Woods, considering the two-month layoff and the sore knee. He's the favorite to win now. If he sustains this momentum, he'll take the lead Saturday and we know what happens when he leads a major after three rounds. A 5-under 30 on any nine holes in a U.S. Open is an amazing feat. But Tiger made it seem almost routine. Just the latest reminder that he is the best ever to play the sport. At times like this,  you're reminded that he might be the single most dominant athlete of all time.

What do you think?

The cutline

SAN DIEGO -- Stuart Appleby just chipped in on the 18th hole to finish the day at minus-3. That moves the cutline to 7-over. Anyone within 10 shots of the leader moves on to the weekend. That's bad news for anyone in the clubhouse at plus-8. That includes the subject of tomorrow's column, Zach Johnson. Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which is being ravaged by the worst floods in the city's history.

Johnson is Cedar Rapids' native son. When he won the Masters, he proudly proclaimed, "I'm Zach Johnson and I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa." He wasn't making excuses, but he admitted he was distracted by the natural disaster back in his hometown. He made several terrific saves Friday, but still shot 74 and finished at 150. Apparently, he's out of the tournament.

More on Johnson in tomorrow's News.