Beatriz Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff

Beatriz Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff










Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange March 24, 2013 10:41 PMThe SportsXchange



CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Spain's Beatriz Recari sank an 18-foot putt on the second hole of a playoff to defeat I.K. Kim of South Korea and capture the $1.7 million Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club on Sunday.

"I can't think right now," Recari said, breaking down in tears after the victory. "I'm just thinking about my family, my coach, everybody that has really been with me for so long."

It was the second LPGA Tour win for Recari, who earned $255,000 for her effort. Recari won the CVS Pharmacy Challenge as a rookie in 2010.

Twice this season she came close to winning, but couldn't seal the deal. She finished tied for third at the Honda Thailand event and tied for fourth at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February.

Kim, who has three LPGA Tour titles, won $156,616 for her runner-up finish.

Both players, who were tied at 279 in regulation, had chances to clinch the title on the final hole in regulation, but neither managed to come through. Kim missed a 30-foot putt for birdie on 18, coming up about six feet short. Her shot for par sailed right for bogey and dropped her one shot back of Recari.

But Recari failed to take advantage of the opportunity. She also 3-putted on 18, coming up empty on a putt from 25 feet that sailed four feet past the cup. Her attempt for par lipped out right, and she bogeyed the hole and to force a playoff.

On the first playoff hole, both players bogeyed.

Recari, who didn't bogey a hole for the first three rounds, carded three on Sunday. Kim had four, including three in a row on holes 11, 12 and 13.

Several players were in contention throughout the final round. Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum made a strong run for the title. Phatlum, who started the day seven shots off the lead, was tied for first before bogeying the 18th. She finished at 280 and tied for third with Mo Martin and Cristie Kerr.

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, who was two shots back to start the day, shot a 74 and tied for sixth at 281 with Jane Park and Lizette Salas.

Stacy Lewis' bid for a third consecutive tournament title was dashed on the back nine with a double bogey on 11 and a bogey on 14. On 18, she hit a tee shot in the water and double bogeyed the hole.

Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff

Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff










Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange March 24, 2013 11:40 PMThe SportsXchange



CARLSBAD, Calif. -- They call her Iron Woman on the LPGA Tour. On Sunday, though, Spain's Beatriz Recarishowed her softer side.

Recari, who earned the nickname after she made the cut in 27 events last season, kept her poise through regulation and a two-hole playoff in the final round of the Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club. However, when she sank an 18-foot birdie putt to defeat South Korea's I.K. Kim for the tournament title, she could no longer keep her emotions in check.

"I can't think right now," Recari said as she broke down in tears. "I'm just thinking about my family, my coach, everybody that has really been with me for so long. I'm definitely more emotion than my first win."

Her second Tour win allowed her to claim $255,000 in prize money. Recari's first victory came in the 2010 CVS Pharmacy Challenge as a rookie.

She shot a 2-over-par 74 Sunday to finish with a four-day total of 9-under 279.

Kim won $156,616 for her runner-up finish.

"I had a good day, I have to say," said Kim, who shot a 71 Sunday. "Just on the back nine made a few mistakes, and reading the green was really tricky out there. But I had a chance. Everybody's the same story, but it was just one of those days."

Twice this season Recari had similar days to Kim. She came close to winning but couldn't seal the deal in earlier tournaments, finishing tied for third at the Honda Thailand event and tied for fourth at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February.

At times, it almost appeared she might not win the Kia Classic, either. Recari and Kim had chances to clinch the title on the final hole in regulation, but neither managed to come through.

Kim, who has three LPGA Tour titles, missed a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 18, coming up about six feet short. Her shot for par sailed to the right for a bogey, and she dropped one shot back of Recari.

Recari failed to take advantage of the opportunity. She also three-putted on No. 18, coming up empty on a shot from 25 feet that sailed four feet past the cup. Her attempt for par lipped out right, and the bogey forced a playoff.

On the first playoff hole, back at No. 18, both players shot bogeys. But Recari prevailed on the second playoff hole, again at No. 18, pumping her fist as her birdie putt rolled toward the hole.

"I had a good feeling, but like the same as the other putts that didn't go in, the other ones went by, missed the hole, and this one went in," Recari said. "I had the same (approach) in every shot. Nothing different. And I'm always trying to do my best, and I'm just happy that it dropped in."

Said Kim, who missed a birdie putt on the second playoff hole, "It would have been great if I had won, but I played well this week and even last week I played well, so I think I'm going in the right direction and I just think I'm working on the right things. It's getting better, so I'm very excited about this season."

Recari, who didn't bogey a hole during the first three rounds, carded three bogeys Sunday, then another on the first playoff hole. Kim had four prior to the playoff, including three in a row on Nos. 11, 12 and 13.

"They were the only three bogeys that I made all week," said Recari, who fought through a sinus infection since the opening round of the tournament. "I mean, I was playing very solid and I was managing to do very good. ... I just told myself not (to) be hard on myself. I dropped shots. Everybody does. I'm human, (but I) just kind of continue and have a positive attitude."

Several players were in contention throughout the final round. Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum made a strong run for the title. Phatlum, who started the day seven shots off the lead, was tied for first before bogeying the 18th. She finished at 280, tied for third with Mo Martin and Cristie Kerr.

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, who was two shots back to start the day, shot a 74 and tied for sixth at 281 with Jane Park and Lizette Salas.

Stacy Lewis' bid for a third consecutive tournament title was dashed on the back nine with a double bogey on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 14. On No. 18, she hit her tee shot in the water and double bogeyed the hole.

Tiger reclaims world No. 1 ranking with Bay Hill victory

Tiger reclaims world No. 1 ranking with Bay Hill victory










The Sports Xchange March 25, 2013 2:31 PMThe SportsXchange



Tiger Woods took over the No. 1 world ranking for the first time since October 2010 by winning the weather-delayed Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Monday.

Woods shot a final-round 2-under 70 to finish the tournament at 13-under - two shots ahead of Justin Rose. It was Woods' 77th career PGA Tour victory and his eighth at Bay Hill, and he took over the No. 1 spot in the 2013 FedEx Cup rankings.

"I play well on this course," Woods said with a smile. "I made my share of putts."

He had to wait an extra day to complete the Bay Hill victory after a fierce storm dumped heavy rain and rendered the course unplayable Sunday. But Woods was solid in polishing off his third victory of the year Monday.

"I've turned some of those weaknesses from last year into strengths," he said.

Woods said he is looking forward to taking a few days off and will not play at this week's Shell Houston Open as he prepares for the Masters April 11-14. Rory McIlroy, who lost the No. 1 world ranking to Woods, will play in Houston.

Woods' victory at Bay Hill on Monday tied him with Hall of Fame member Sam Snead for the most victories at a single PGA Tour event.

Celebrity couples seen everywhere at Masters

Celebrity couples seen everywhere at Masters











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 10:55 PM

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Lindsey Vonn played hide-and-seek with some photographers on Thursday at the Masters.(Getty Images)


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Think of it as power couples instead ofFred Couples.


Some of the talk Thursday at the Masters wasn't just about what was happening on the tees and greens, but who was outside the ropes looking in. The No. 1 and No. 2-ranked players in the world, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, had entourages that included girlfriends with some pedigree of their own.

For Woods it was Lindsey Vonn, the Olympic ski champion and now his very public companion. She watched from the clubhouse lawn as Woods teed off on No. 1, and lingered around to see him after he came off the 18th green.

In between, she drew a crowd of photographers who gathered around her while Woods played the ninth hole.

Woods and Vonn acknowledged their relationship last month in posts on social media, complete with studio pictures of the couple. The last time Woods won the Masters, he was married to Elin Nordegren. They divorced in 2010 after Woods admitted numerous marital indiscretions.

Caroline Wozniacki, once the No. 1 tennis player in the world, has been linked to McIlroy for nearly two years. She's now No. 10 in world standings.

Wozniacki put on a caddie's bib Wednesday for the Par 3 contest, and McIlroy even had her hit a shot, which she topped in the water. On Thursday, she was in the crowd following the Irish player during the first round.

McIlroy and Wozniacki were prominently featured on television coverage of the Par 3 contest, an informal outing for players and their families.

As far as lingering camera shots on celebrities during the tournament, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said:

"The focus of our coverage remains on the competition."

Celebrity couples aren't new to golf. Sergio Garcia once dated tennis player Martina Hingis, while Dustin Johnson currently dates Paulina Gretzky, daughter of hockey great Wayne Gretzky and actress Janet Jones.

Teen star Guan plays like old pro in first round

Teen star Guan plays like old pro in first round











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 11:29 PM

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Guan Tianlang wasabout the only person who didn't seem impressed with how he played on Thursday.(Getty …


By Nancy Armour, Associated Press


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Guan Tianlang put off his homework for a few hours, grabbed the snack his mom had made and went out to play with his friends.

His playground was Augusta National and the world had tuned in to watch the 14-year-old from China, the youngest player ever to tee it up at the Masters and youngest at any major in 148 years.

That's some play date.

"I felt a little bit nervous on the first tee," Guan said. "But I hit a great tee shot and, after that, everything feels comfortable. ... I just had fun today. Pretty much fun."

Played great, too.

Guan made a 15-footer from off the fringe to birdie his final hole Thursday, finishing with a 1-over 73. As the ball rolled into the cup, the crowd around 18 gave the teenager a standing ovation, with two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw leading the cheers for his young playing partner.

Play like this again Friday, and he's got a shot at making the cut.

"I'm telling you, he played like a veteran today," Crenshaw said. "Played a beautiful round of golf. He stays well within himself. He's very confident and, obviously, beautiful hands. His thought process never got rushed. Very patient. Very, very, very impressive."

He wasn't the only one who was impressed. The same "wow" murmurs could be heard on every hole, as fans -- young and old -- marveled at the eighth grader who was holding his own with the greatest golfers in the world.

"That's the 14-year-old."

"Fourteen? You're joking!"

"Fourteen? That's amazing."

"It's amazing. Absolutely amazing," said Lisa Nichols, whose folding chair, from the 1998 Masters, was older than Guan.

And more than a little bit humbling.

"It makes me feel a little lousy," 15-year-old Daniel Thrailkill said sheepishly. "I do (play). I can't play as good as him, though."

About the only person who didn't seem impressed with Guan was Guan himself. He strode onto the first tee with confidence, shaking hands with Crenshaw and Matteo Manassero, who three years ago, at 16, became the youngest person to make the cut at Augusta National, and their caddies.

He gave a long look down the fairway before taking a few warm-up swings, then stepped up to the tee and let it rip.

At 5-foot-9 and about 150 pounds, he doesn't hit it anywhere close to the big guys. But he rarely strayed from the fairway, and his short game more than makes up for what he lacks in length.

He got his first birdie on No. 3, chipping to about 12 feet past the hole and rolling it in. After his drive on the long par-4 No. 5 sailed far right, he recovered with a nice shot to just below the green, then chipped within 3 feet.

And though he didn't have the distance to reach the green on the par-5 15 in two, he got close enough to give himself a makeable birdie putt.

"(Adam Scott) and I were talking about it, joking a little bit, if we would have been here at 14 years old, we would have been shaking," said Sergio Garcia, who knows a little bit about being a phenom. "It happened to me at 16 when I played the British Open and I thought I was going to miss it on that first tee shot, so I can't imagine how he must have felt."

If Guan was nervous, he never let it show. Didn't show any emotions, really. There were occasional smiles, a fist pump when he rolled a putt in for a birdie, a polite touch of his cap to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd.

But the baby-faced teenager never looked flustered, and there was never a hint of the petulance.

"People were very nice to me," he said. "And I feel comfortable on the course."

If he ever did get overwhelmed, Guan knew his parents were only a few feet away.

After having breakfast with their only child -- potatoes, beef, rice, vegetables and stir-fried eggs -- Hong Yu and Han Wen followed him for the entire round, joined by several family friends. But unlike the parents of some other young stars, they didn't seem overbearing or caught up in their son's results.

After Guan's second shot on the first hole, while everyone else followed the flight of the ball, Han Wen watched his son, breathing a sigh of relief when the youngster nodded in satisfaction. He clapped enthusiastically after every shot -- his son's and those of his playing partners.

Asked if his son would turn professional soon, Han Wen answered with an emphatic no.

"Not for a long time, maybe," Han Wen said. "Amateurs have fun. Enjoy it."

But if Guan keeps playing well, surely there will be pressure on him to turn pro before he's out of high school.

Golf is only beginning to catch on in China, making it a huge untapped market for the tours, sponsors and television. Guan is the first Chinese player with real star potential, and don't think golf's marketing gurus aren't already envisioning him as the Asian Tiger Woods.

There was even a little something Tiger-esque about the reaction Guan got Thursday. The galleries buzzed when he walked by. Kids followed him from hole to hole, running ahead so they could stake out spots to watch him.

"He's going to come right by us!" 12-year-old D.J. Kellar exclaimed after Guan's second shot on No. 2 landed on the right side of the fairway.

Pretty heady stuff for someone who arrived at Augusta National with six textbooks stuffed in his bag. Guan still goes to public school back home -- math, English and history are his favorite subjects -- and he spends at least 90 minutes a day studying.

But Guan is wise enough to know he's not going to contend at the Masters.

Not this year, at least.

"But I think I can win in the future," he said, flashing a smile.

Masters Notebook: Good scores, colorful shirts

Masters Notebook: Good scores, colorful shirts











PGA.COM April 12, 2013 12:11 AM

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At the Masters, Dustin Johnson (pictured) and Sergio Garcia wore the same shirts, as determined by their …


By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia played just one group apart Thursday and were only one shot apart on the leaderboard at the Masters.

That wasn't terribly confusing, though their shirts were.

Viewers around the country had to be doing double takes as the cameras switched between the two players as they battled for the lead in the late afternoon on the back nine. That's because both were wearing the same garish shirt, color and all.

"Well, we are not wearing the same outfit because we want to," Johnson said. "This is Adidas; they script our clothing this week. We are wearing the same outfit because they told us to."

The shirts were partly striped and an acid shade of green. From a distance, it was hard to tell which player was which.

Whatever they looked like, the shirts seemed to work. Garcia shot a 66 to tie for the lead, while Johnson was a shot back at 67.

Johnson was asked if he would like to wear something on Sunday that moderator Tom Nelson -- an Augusta member -- was wearing in the interview room. That, too, comes in green and is put over the shoulders of the Masters champion.

"I would love to," Johnson said, laughing.

MICKELSON MOMENT: There's a reason fans love Phil Mickelson. He usually goes the extra step to please them.

Mickelson was at it again Thursday after finishing his opening round of 71. After signing his scorecard in the clubhouse he came out to see about 30 fans lined up in a roped off area hoping to get autographs from Lefty.

Mickelson asked if anyone had a marker pen, then had caddie Jim Mackay fetch it from a woman in the crowd. He then took out a used glove and signed it for a little boy who was waiting with his father.

"You can't sign outside the clubhouse but for him I'll make an exception," Mickelson said.

Those waiting applauded the move, then someone yelled out that Mickelson should sign for the woman, too, for giving him the Sharpie.

He didn't, and said it should serve as a lesson.

"Sometimes you can do something nice without anything in return," Mickelson told them.

WEATHER ALERT: Spring means unpredictable weather in Georgia, and the forecast for Thursday was ominous with late afternoon thunderstorms expected.

It held off, though, until just after the final groups were done and players had signed their scorecards. Rory McIlroy was just beginning his post-round interviews when thunder rumbled and the weather siren sounded and everyone was ordered off the course.

For McIlroy it was a chance to get some dinner early. For the Masters, it was the break the tournament might have needed to remain on schedule.

"Can you believe this," one green jacketed member said. "What a deal."

The storms may still come, with a 50 percent chance of rain predicted for Friday. But all 93 players got their full rounds in Thursday despite the best efforts of Mother Nature.

AMATEUR WOES: Alan Dunbar would have been happy to break 80 in the first round after getting his first look at Augusta National this week.

Unfortunately for the amateur from Northern Ireland, he couldn't even do that.

Dunbar made only one par on the front nine Thursday on his way to an 11-over 83 that was the worst score of the day. It included a triple bogey on No. 2, and he didn't make a par until the ninth hole.

"It's definitely a learning experience on a course like this," said the 22-year-old, who qualified for his first Masters by winning the British Amateur.

Dunbar rebounded after a 46 on the front nine to shoot 37 on the back. He even made a birdie on the par-5 15th, and was positive about his day despite the bloated score.

"I enjoyed the whole way around," he said. "I wasn't scoring great, but I enjoyed it. It was a great experience. "

RACING AROUND: Rickie Fowler used to race motocross, so he knows a few things about crashes and spills.

After making double bogey on the first hole Thursday, he could have stayed down. But Fowler came back to play the next 17 holes in 6-under and put himself in contention after the first round of the Masters.

Afterward, Fowler was asked to compare the roller coaster round to a motocross race.

"I would have went down pretty hard on the first corner and probably been out of the race," Fowler said. "Yeah, could have been a pile up in the first corner, so I would have been heading back to the pits."

Fowler was even happier that he had few problems with his back after spending much of the last year battling back issues. He said he kept the back problem mostly quiet as he worked his way through it.

DRIVERLESS DONALD: Luke Donald is a man in search of a driver.

Donald's opening around was going smoothly enough when he looked down at his driver on the 14th hole and noticed it had a crack in it. He managed to finish the round at 1-under 71, but will have to put a new driver in the bag for the rest of the Masters.

"It's going to be tough," Donald said. "I'm going to have to get some drivers here as quickly as possible and obviously not having teed up one, having a fresh one, it's not where you really want to be. But I'll manage."

Donald made six birdies on a day when he said the greens were as soft and slow as he's seen them in the nine years he has played in the Masters.