Wie and Lewis are friends linked by golf

SOUTHPORT, England (AP) ― The friendly matches in South Florida can involve as many as eight players, with teams decided by drawing names from a hat.Michelle Wie would seem to be a great pick, except for the timing.“We usually play in the morning and then go have lunch,” Stacy Lewis said Tuesday. “And she usually gets very focused on the lunch and kind of doesn’t pay attention to the whole golf side of it. She’ll tell you the same thing.”Wie laughed when told the story Lewis shared. Wie loves he

July 9, 2014

Kim wins Ladies European Masters

Korea’s Kim In-kyung looks to take advantage of her momentum heading into the Women’s British Open. (File photo)DENHAM, England (AP) ― South Korea’s Kim In-kyung won the Ladies European Masters on Sunday, closing with a 3-under 68 for a five-stroke victory in the final event before the Women’s British Open.Kim had an 18-under 270 total at Buckinghamshire for her first victory since the LPGA Tour’s 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational. She opened with rounds of 68, 63 and 68.“I just had a great time,”

July 7, 2014

Hurley extends lead to 2

Korea’s Yang Yong-eun tees off on the sixth hole at the Greenbrier Classic. ( AFP-Yonhap)WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia (AP) ― Billy Hurley III doesn’t plan to lose much rest sitting on a third-round lead for the first time on the PGA Tour.The former U.S. Navy officer shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday to extend his advantage to two strokes over Angel Cabrera entering the final round of the Greenbrier Classic.“I’ve been working for a long time to win on the PGA Tour,” Hurley said. “I figure if

July 6, 2014

Tiger is back but where is he going?

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― Tiger Woods back on the golf course is a big deal.There was never any doubt, except for one sarcastic scribe who was walking toward the first tee at Congressional and noticed a sparse gallery for Woods’ first appearance in three months. “Tiger really packs them in.”This was before realizing a few moments later that Woods was starting his round on No. 10.Fans stood side-by-side down the entire left side of the 221-yard hole and three-deep around the green at 8 a.m. Thurs

July 2, 2014

Lewis wins in Arkansas

Stacy Lewis poses with the winner’s trophy on Sunday. (AFP-Yonhap)ROGERS, Arkansas (AP) ― Stacy Lewis made a 7-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday in the NW Arkansas Championship to finally win an official event in her adopted state.The top-ranked Lewis, the Texan who played at the nearby University of Arkansas, earned an unofficial win in the rain-shortened 2007 tournament as an amateur. On Sunday, she closed with a 6-under 65 for a one-stroke victory.Lewis birdied three of her final hole

June 30, 2014

Rose rules at Congressional

Justin Rose celebrates with the winner’s trophy at the Quicken Loans National on Sunday. ( AP-Yonhap)BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― Justin Rose got his mistake out of the way one hole early and won the Quicken Loans National in a playoff Sunday over Shawn Stefani.Tied for the lead as he played the 18th hole at Congressional, Rose tried to hit through two trees left of the fairway and overturned the shot. It ran down a bank and into the water, and he had to hole a 15-foot bogey putt just to stay in th

June 30, 2014

Wie leads rain-delayed Arkansas event

Michelle Wie (left) watches Ryu So-yeon play a shot on the third hole at the NW Arkansas Championship on Saturday. (AP-Yonhap)ROGERS, Arkansas (AP) ― Whether it’s because of her improved play or the reason for it, Michelle Wie appears as comfortable on and off the golf course as at any time in her career.Wie continued her season-long surge on the LPGA Tour on Saturday, shooting her second straight 5-under 66 to take a two-shot lead in the suspended second round of the NW Arkansas Championship.Th

June 29, 2014

Tiger Woods pleased with last round before PGA comeback

BETHESDA, United States (AFP) ― Tiger Woods was pleased with his final practice round before returning to competition after a three-month injury layoff, saying Wednesday he is still rusty but his back feels fine.“Generally it feels good,” Woods said. “I hit some loose shots today but I also hit some really good ones. Back feels great which is a really good sign.”Woods played a morning pro-Am round ahead of his Thursday morning start at the $6.5 million U.S. PGA National at Congressional Country

June 26, 2014

Obama hosts Presidents Cup golfers

Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju takes part in an event honoring the Presidents Cup golf teams in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (AFP-Yonhap)WASHINGTON (AP) ― President Barack Obama and his most famous golf partner, Tiger Woods, got together again Tuesday, but at the White House instead of on the course.Obama honored a team of American golfers who last year defeated an international team to win their fifth straight Presidents Cup, a victory that was clinched by Woods.“Now last year was the second time I’ve bee

June 25, 2014

Wie holds on to win Women’s Open

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Michelle Wie finally delivered a performance worthy of the hype that has been heaped on her since she was a teenager.Wie bounced back from a late mistake at Pinehurst No. 2 to bury a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, sending the 24-year-old from Hawaii to her first major championship Sunday, a two-shot victory over Stacy Lewis in the U.S. Women’s Open.Wie closed with an even-par 70 and covered her mouth with her hand before thrusting both arms in the air.Lewi

June 23, 2014

Michelle Wie wins U.S. Women's Open

Michelle Wie won the US Women's Open on Sunday, firing an even-par final round of 70 at Pinehurst for the first major title of her career.The American, tipped for stardom even before she turned pro at the age of15 in 2005, finished with a two-under total of 278, two strokes in front of world number one Stacy Lewis, who kept the pressure on with a final-round 66 for 280.(AFP-Yonhap)"I just had a lot of fun out there," said Wie. "I woke up so excited. I was so grateful for this opportunity."Wie sa

June 23, 2014

Wie, Yang sit atop leaderboard

Michelle Wie tees off on the ninth hole at the U.S. Women’s Open on Saturday. ( AFP-Yonhap)PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― In the midst of throwing away a four-shot lead, Michelle Wie never lost sight of the big picture at Pinehurst No. 2.The U.S. Women’s Open rarely goes according to plan, and Saturday was no exception. Wie knows that from experience long ago, and she settled down with four important pars to wind up with a 54-hole share of the lead for the third time in her career.Wie was a te

June 22, 2014

Lewis takes lead at Women’s Open

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Stacy Lewis had at least one thing in common with U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer. She made it around Pinehurst No. 2 without a bogey Thursday in the opening round of the U.S. Women’s Open, and that put her in the lead.That was about the only worthy comparison after one day of golf’s unique doubleheader.Lewis managed to keep the stress at a minimum on a steamy morning in the North Carolina sandhills for a 3-under 67, giving her a one-shot lead over Michelle Wie

June 20, 2014

Same course, new cast of players

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― The sounds at Pinehurst No. 2 were the first indication that the second week of U.S. Open golf would not be exactly the same as the first one.Players arrived on the first day of practice to hear clanging from workers tearing down half of the grandstands around the 17th and 18th greens. They heard the whoosh of water coming from a hose that watered the greens to keep them softer.That didn’t make the stage for the U.S. Women’s Open feel any smaller.“We play good go

June 19, 2014

Tiger taking bigger swings

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Tiger Woods is making progress in his recovery from back surgery and starting to extend his swing, his agent said Tuesday.Woods already has missed two majors this year while he recovers from a microdiscectomy on his back on March 31. He last played on March 9 at Doral, when he closed with a 78 despite the pain in his lower back. Woods has said he has no idea when he will be healthy enough to return to competition.A report on Golf Channel’s morning show said he wa

June 18, 2014

Kaymer wins U.S. Open by 8 strokes

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ―Martin Kaymer returned to the elite in golf with a U.S. Open victory that ranks among the best.A forgotten star for two years while building a complete game, Kaymer turned the toughest test of golf into a runaway at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday to become only the seventh wire-to-wire winner in 114 years of the U.S. Open.Kaymer closed with a 1-under 69 ― the only player from the last eight groups to break par ― for an eight-shot victory over Rickie Fowler and Erik Com

June 16, 2014

Kaymer protects lead on tough day

Korea’s Noh Seung-yul chips on the first hole on Saturday. (AP-Yonhap)PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Not even Martin Kaymer was immune from a Pinehurst No. 2 course that restored the reputation of a U.S. Open.He threw enough counterpunches Saturday to leave him on the cusp of his second major.On a broiling day with some wicked pin positions that yielded only two rounds under par, Kaymer rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to salvage a 2-over 72 and take a five-shot lead into the f

June 15, 2014