Golf Clubs Reviews

Tiger Woods will have Steve Williams carrying his golf bag at this week’s AT&T National, two weeks after making critical comments about his caddie at the U.S. Open.

After finishing fourth with a final-round 4-over-par 75 at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Woods blamed the loss on three mental mistakes he said were influenced by Williams, his caddie for 11 years.

The admission of mental mistakes and singling out Williams was a rarity for Woods, the winner of 14 major titles, and led to questions about whether the duo would remain together.

“There’s no tension there, not at all,” Woods said during a news conference today at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. “You guys are reading way too much into it.”

Woods seems to have changed his views of the U.S. Open mistakes in the 10 days that have passed. Moments after the final round, Woods said “we made three mental mistakes” and “the only thing it cost us was a chance to win the U.S. Open.”

Today, Woods took sole responsibility, saying, “I was asked what happened out there, and I made three mental mistakes out there, three mistakes I don’t normally make.”

At the 2005 Masters, when Williams convinced Woods to hit his driver on Augusta National Golf Club’s 350-yard third hole during the final round, he finished with a double bogey and fell out of contention after his tee shot landed in the trees. Woods and Williams didn’t speak for most of the final round after the gaffe.

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“Do Stevie and I make mistakes on the golf course? Of course we do,” Woods said today. “We’re not perfect. We made mistakes at the wrong time. It happens. We’re great competitors and we both want to win. I just made a couple mistakes, and hopefully that won’t happen this week and we can win an event.”

Woods, 34, is seeking his first victory of the season at the AT&T National, which has moved from Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, to Aronimink, located about 15 miles west of Philadelphia. Woods is the defending champion of the tournament, which benefits his charitable foundation.

At the U.S. Open, Woods finished three shots behind winner Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland. The three-shot deficit was the result of bogeys on the sixth, 10th and 12th holes, Woods said.

He hit a 3-wood over a cliff on the sixth, came up short of the green with a sand wedge on the 10th — where he said he took Williams’s advice to “take dead aim” instead of trusting his own “instincts” — and flew a 4-iron over the 12th green after a discussion with Williams. Woods said he wanted to hit a 4-iron on that hole.

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Ryan Benzel, a teaching pro at Battle Creek Golf Course outside Marysville, shot his third consecutive round of 70 and is tied for third, five shots off the lead at the PGA Professional National Championship in French Lick, Ind.

Benzel trails leader and defending champion Mike Small, the Illinois men’s coach, by five strokes. Small shot a course-record 7-under-par 65.

Blaine’s Jeff Coston shot a 74 and is tied for 44th at 6-over 220.

At stake is the $75,000 first-place prize out of the $550,000 purse. The final top 20 will earn spots in the PGA Championship on Aug. 12-15 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Notes

 The Spokane Chiefs will have a news conference Wednesday to introduce veteran Western Hockey League coach Don Nachbaur as their new coach, according to a source within the organization.

General manager Tim Speltz last week denied a report that an agreement with the former Seattle and Tri-City coach was imminent, but said Nachbaur would be an outstanding choice to replace Hardy Sauter.

 The Seattle Thunderbirds selected center/right wing Marcel Noebels with their first-round selection, 10th overall, in the 2010 CHL Import Draft.

 The Everett Silvertips selected forward Jesse Huhtala of Pori, Finland in the CHL Import Draft.

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Huhtala was selected 52nd overall by the Silvertips after completing a season with the Assat U-18 team in which he had 28 points on 14 goals and 14 assists.

 Jessica Pixler, the distance running star who graduated from Seattle Pacific earlier this month, has been named winner of the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America of the Year Award. Pixler won the award for the College Division (NCAA Division II, III and NAIA schools). SPU’s Lisa Anderberg was named a second-team Academic All-American.

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Defending champion Mike Small shot a course-record 7-under 65 on Tuesday to take a four-stroke lead entering the final round of the PGA Professional National Championships.

Small, the Illinois men’s coach, was at 9-under 205. He broke the record of 69 set on Monday by Bruce Smith, the PGA director of instruction at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas.

After his round, Small was back on the driving range and putting green.

“I have work to get done,” he said.

Danny Balin, the PGA assistant pro at Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., was second at 5-under 209 after shooting a 68.

Small, who also won the PGA National in 2005, dominated the 7,174-yard course with precision drives, approaches and putts. He birdied six of his first 10 holes, needing 10 putts.

“I made some adjustments in my putting and rode with it,” he said.

Small is trying to become the second three-time winner. Larry Gilbert of Lexington, Ky., won in 1981, ‘82 and ‘91.

“Anybody can play well tomorrow,” he said. “The conditions are perfect. I’m just trying to play good golf.”

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Small built a five-stroke lead, three-putted for a par at the 320-yard No. 11 after driving the green.

“That was a little bit of a letdown,” he said.

Small held firm until the 17th hole. He drove into a fairway sand trap, missed the green and made his only bogey. He birdied the 18th.

Balin had four birdies on the back nine to try to pressure Small.

“I’ve been chipping and putting well all week,” Balin said. “I left a couple shots in the wrong spots, but I’m happy with how I played. Now I have to do it again.”

Second round co-leader Sonny Skinner and Ryan Benzel were tied for third at 210. Skinner, the PGA teaching pro at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., shot a 1-under 71. Benzel, the PGA teaching pro at Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip, Wash., shot a 70.

Troy Pare and Mitch Lowe tied Balin for the second-best rounds of the day with 4-under 68s. Lowe, the PGA director of instruction at Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, Calif., is tied for fifth at 3-under 211. Pare, the PGA head pro at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I., is tied for seventh at 212.

Rob Moss, who shared the second-round lead with Skinner, shot a 1-over 73 and is also at 212.

Chip Sullivan’s hole in one on the 192-yard par-3 13th hole earned him a new golf cart. The PGA director of golf at Hanging Rock Golf Club in Salem, Va., used a 6-iron to record his 12th career hole in one, and second in competition. He shot a 71 and was tied for 11th at 213.

At stake is the $75,000 first-place prize out of the $550,000 purse. The final top 20 will earn spots in the PGA Championship on Aug. 12-15 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

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Just six of 84 players broke 70 in the third round Tuesday at the PGA Professional National Championship. That should provide a sense of the difficulty of the Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Ind.

And only one broke 68 – Illinois golf coach Mike Small. He fired a 7-under 65 that puts him in prime position to defend his title at the PNC, which features the nation’s top teaching professionals.

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“I made some putts early and played solid all day,” Small said on the Golf Channel.

Small, wearing a white baseball cap with an orange Illini logo, got up and down for birdie on No. 18 by rolling home a 7-foot putt. He leads by four shots with one round to play.

“I’m tickled to death and will be ready for (Wednesday),” he said.

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Rob Moss shot a 2-under 70 and Sonny Skinner had a 71 for a share of the lead through two rounds of the PGA Professional National Championship on Monday.

Both are at 3-under 139.

Moss, the head pro at Pepper Pike Club in Pepper Pike, Ohio, birdied four of his last eight holes to overcome an early double bogey.

This is the second time he’s made the cut at the PGA National in four appearances. The other time came in 2005 when he finished tied for 18th.

“You can’t let your guard down,” Moss said. “I certainly do not dazzle anyone with my ball striking. I have been playing well enough to know what I can and cannot do.”

Skinner, the teaching pro at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., birdied the 18th hole to tie Moss. He was second in 2008 at the PGA Nationals and tied for 29th last year.

“I played from the back of the bus,” Skinner said. “I am not a fast player, but I feel good. I like my game plan. I feel I’m very prepared heading into the next two days.”

“We came in trying to play four good rounds,” he said. “I got two good rounds out of the way and have two more to go.”

Bruce Smith, the PGA director of instruction at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas set a new competitive record on the Dye Course with a 3-under 69. He was tied for second at 2-under 140. He was joined at 140 by defending champion Mike Small and Ryan Benzel.

Small, the University of Illinois men’s golf coach, shot a 72. Benzel, the teaching pro at Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip, Wash., had a 70.

Danny Balin, Keith Ohr and Jeff Sorenson were at 1-under 141. Sorenson had a 3-under 67. Balin shot a 68. Ohr had a 69.

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The best score of the day was the 4-under 66 on the Ross Course by Kyle Flinton, the head pro at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City.

First-round leader David Paeglow shot a 6-over 78. The head pro at Kishwaukee Country Club in Illinois had six bogeys, one double bogey and two birdies. He was at 1-over 143.

The lowest 70 scores and ties made the cut at 5-over 147 from the field of 312.

The final top 20 will earn spots in the PGA Championship on Aug. 12-15 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

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Since the retirement of the long-reigning queen of golf Annika Sorenstam of Sweden in 2008 and her successor Lorena Ochoa of Mexico in April this year, the front-runner in the world ranking has changed numerous times. Their departure created a power vacuum in ladies golf, and the scramble for the throne is intense.

Cristie Kerr became the first U.S. woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world on Monday. She won the LPGA Championship in Locust Hill in Pittsford, New York last weekend with a total 19-under 269, going 6-under in the final fourth round and beating runner-up Kim Song-hee by an astounding 12 strokes. It was Kerr’s second win of the season and a rare victory for the U.S. on the LPGA Tour where players from Korea, Japan and Taiwan have been dominating.

Shin Ji-yai, who returned to the field after undergoing an appendectomy two weeks ago, finished 5-under and shared third place with Ai Miyazato of Japan. Miyazato, who won her fourth title of the season June 21, relinquished the top spot to Kerr after just one week. Shin had claimed the world No. 1 ranking on May 4, but passed the torch to Miyazato after missing two competitions due to her surgery.

Leading with four wins, Miyazato is the front runner in the competition for the Player of the Year award, having accumulated 138 points compared to runner-up Kerr with 121. Miyazato is also on top of the money board with US$963,910, over Kerr’s $904,971.

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Shin, last year’s money leader, is sitting in sixth place with $529,184. She is also ranked sixth for the Player of the Year award with 57 points, and needs to rebound soon if she hopes to remain in contention. Despite being winless, Kim Song-hee is the highest-ranked Korean in these competitions, at fourth on the money board with $606,604 and also fourth in the Player of the Year race with 67 points.

As July is host to a number of important competitions, including the U.S. Women’s Open Championship and the Evian Masters, each with total prize money of $3.25 million, and the Women’s British Open with $2.5 million, the ranking is likely to shuffle again soon.

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First of all, congratulations to Bubba Watson, a well-deserving champion and classy champion here at this year’s Travelers Championship!

As always, it’s a thrill to be a part of what we here at TPC River Highlands feel is one of the best events in golf (no bias here!).

But I think this year, with the drama and the three-man playoff, we have a pretty good case for sure.

One of the things that struck me about Bubba Watson’s play this week was his precise distance control.

We have generous fairways and large greens here at TPC River Highlands, and everyone knows that Bubba can hit it a mile, but distance doesn’t always translate into low scores.

In order to take advantage, a player must position himself (or herself) in the right areas of the large greens to have the best chance of making the putt or avoiding the dreaded three-putt.

Obviously, the fact that Watson and Corey Pavin were both in the playoff should indicate that it’s not about distance as much as distance control at this level. Watson did an absolutely tremendous job of that all week, hence the -14 score and the champion’s trophy.

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But for this week’s A Lesson Learned, I want to focus on the already-mentioned large greens here at TPC River Highlands and the reality that most amateur players don’t have the same distance control as the great PGA Tour players we saw this past week.

It’d be nice if we could all dial our distances down to the exact yardage, but the truth is, many amateur players are just hoping for solid contact and to put their shot anywhere on the green.

Let’s face it, if we could all put our shots exactly where we wanted, we’d all be out on the PGA Tour. So with that being said, the ability to control your speed on long putts will often be as critical to your score as controlling the distance on your irons.

If you come visit us at TPC River Highlands, or no matter where you play golf, you’re probably going to have your share of long putts. I try to instill in my students three keys to being a better putter on these longer putts.

1). Take a practice stroke that mirrors the actual stroke you’ll be making on the ball. Too often I see amateur players take long fluid practice putts and then jab at the ball when it counts as if they are afraid of hurting it. Or, conversely, they take quick short practice strokes before they step up to hit a fifty foot putt. You’ve done yourself no favors by doing either of these pre-shot methods.

2). Look at the hole during your practice stroke. Visualize the entire roll of the ball, from the stroke all the way to the hole. This will get you a sense of the break, the speed and the timing that you’ll need to put the best putt possible on your ball.

3). Keep a steady head and steady lower body throughout the stroke. Excess movement can wreck any shot you take in golf, especially a putt. And having your timing amiss during a long putt can result in a much more difficult second putt than you really want for par.

So from this week’s Travelers Championship and PGA.com’s A Lesson Learned, let’s acknowledge that golf at the PGA Tour level is tough.

And any time you play golf, you’re going to have some long putts where you really want to avoid three-putting if at all possible. If you work on controlling the distance on these putts, you’re going to score better no matter what level of golf you play.

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Tournaments this week after major championships can be so forgettable. We’re all wrung out from investing our emotions and attention on the Masters or the U.S. Open; or we’re all jet-lagged after early mornings with the British Open; or we’re all NFL-jacked after a PGA Championship.

In truth, the whole concept is like the morning after a wild party, when all you can do is take some Advil, swill some Gatorade and clean up, slowly. Think of the post-party scene in John Hughes’ “Sixteen Candles” – right down to the pizza on the turntable and Anthony Michael Hall’s Farmer Ted pinned under a glass table and the Donger passed out on the lawn – as a cinematic comparison.

We’re basically just biding our time until the next significant moment on the calendar. We expect nothing of note.

That’s why Sunday’s finish at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut – a long way from Pebble Beach both physically and spiritually – was so surprisingly satisfying.

We observed a train wreck of a final round (75) from 54-hole dominator Justin Rose – on the same day his beloved England got summarily bounced from the World Cup, no less. We enjoyed a blast from the Gutty Little Bruin past from Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, who bunted his way around TPC River Highlands and proved singles hitters can still thrive in this era of mad bombers. Somewhere, Rod Carew and Lou Brock are smiling.

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And we also soaked in Bubba Watson’s first PGA Tour win, a performance that provided a reminder of how emotional a supposedly staid and boring game like golf can be.

Watson made a par on the 2nd playoff hole to hold off Scott Verplank’s bogey, then embraced his wife and turned on water works like he had just seen “Toy Story 3.”

Turns out Watson – known more for his circus-tent length off the tee, his funky left-handed rip and his odd passion for Ellen DeGeneres – has some serious things going on in his life.

While a deeply devout man, and always sure to give praise to the Man Upstairs, Watson also reached out via CBS to make sure a couple of other people knew he was thinking of them – his Mom and Dad.

Sobbing, Watson told David Feherty that the win was dedicated to his parents, saying he’d be “nothing without them.” He then told the nation his father is battling cancer and Watson is thinking of him constantly.

It was undeniably poignant. It also provided a reminder of how the filial bonds may run deeper in golf than just about any sport. While baseball does have its Little League father-son ties, neither football nor basketball seems to inspire as much parental tribute. It’s no fault of those sports; it’s just that Mom and Dad aren’t as likely to be out there showing son or daughter how to wrap up on a tackle.

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Woods was a spoiled host in 2009, beating Hunter Mahan by a stroke with a tournament-record score of 13-under 267. It was the first time in two attempts that Woods was able to win the event.

K.J. Choi captured the inaugural AT&T National in 2007 and Anthony Kim won it in 2008, when Woods skipped the event while he recovered from surgery.

Several players in this week’s field completed at the 1997 Junior Amateur at Aronimink, including Sean O’Hair, who is a member at the club. O’Hair lost in the semifinals, while Lucas Glover and Hunter Mahan — who are also in the field this week — were knocked out in earlier rounds.

In the ‘97 Junior Amateur final, Jason Allred defeated Trevor Immelman, 1-up, to capture the championship. Neither of those players are part of the 120-man field this week.

Woods, who remains No. 1 in the world rankings, will be joined in the invitation-only field by just two other players ranked in the top 20: No. 5 Jim Furyk and No. 14 Robert Allenby.

Golf Channel will have coverage of the tournament from 2-6 p.m. (et) on Thursday and Friday. CBS will broadcast from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday and then 2-6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Next week is the John Deere Classic, which was won by Steve Stricker last year.

LPGA TOUR

JAMIE FARR OWENS CORNING CLASSIC, Highland Meadows Golf Club, Sylvania, Ohio – Last year, Eunjung Yi birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Morgan Pressel and collect her first LPGA Tour win.

Pressel made a final-round charge by shooting a 67 to tie Yi at 18-under 266, but she could only manage a par in the playoff.

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Both players will return this year to lead a field that also includes past champions Paula Creamer, Mi Hyun Kim and Meg Mallon, but not five-time winner Se Ri Pak.

Cristie Kerr, who became the first American woman ranked No. 1 in the world after her 12-shot win at the LPGA Championship, will not be in the field. Nor will No. 2 Ai Miyazato, leaving third-ranked Jiyai Shin as the top player in the field.

Next week is the third major of the season, the U.S. Women’s Open, which was won by Eun Hee Ji last year.

EUROPEAN TOUR

OPEN DE FRANCE, Le Golf National, Paris, France – Last year, Martin Kaymer made a par on the first playoff hole to defeat Lee Westwood and capture his third European Tour title.

Then, he promptly won No. 4 the next week at the Scottish Open.

Kaymer is back at Le Golf National to defend his title against a field that includes some of the best players in the world.

In fact, four players ranked in the top 10 will be on hand — more than Tiger Woods’ tournament in the U.S. — including No. 3 Westwood, No. 7 Luke Donald, No. 8 Ian Poulter and No. 10 Rory McIlroy.

Golf Channel will broadcast all four round this week. Its coverage will run for three hours on the first two days beginning at 9:30 a.m. (et) and for four hours on the weekend days starting at 8 a.m. (et).

Kaymer is also scheduled to defend his title in Scotland next week against a field that will include world No. 2 Phil Mickelson.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

MONTREAL CHAMPIONSHIP, Club de Golf Fontainebleau, Montreal, Quebec, Canada – This is a new event on the Champions Tour schedule.

The field will be headlined by Charles Schwab Cup points leader Fred Couples and Loren Roberts, who is coming off a win last week at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

Golf Channel will broadcast all three rounds with coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. (et) the first two rounds, then at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Champions Tour will take a two-week break and return for the Senior British Open on July 22, where Roberts will be the defending champion. That is followed by another major, the U.S. Senior Open, which Fred Funk won last year.

CANADIAN TOUR

ATB FINANCIAL CLASSIC, Edmonton Country Club, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – Graham DeLaet fired an eight-under 64 to capture last year’s ATB Financial Classic.

It marked DeLaet’s second career Canadian Tour victory and he went on to win No. 3 later in 2009 at the Canadian Tour Players Cup. DeLaet is playing the 2010 season on the PGA Tour.

Next week is the Saskatchewan Open, where Andres Gonzales won last year.

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The Sunday Shootout expected in the 2010 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open happened early and often as five players surged to the top of the leader board during the final round.

Fred Funk tried to do to the leader as was done to him last year here in the Valley of Opportunity in Central New York State.

Though hobbling at times due to right knee replacement surgery, the defending U.S. Senior Open champion went out and shot a spectacular 7-birdie bogey-free 65 and was the first to post a score under 14.

Loren Roberts, after bogeying the par-3 17^th hole, asked his caddie where he stood in the standings after drilling another drive long and down the middle with his new driver on the 18th.

His ears “perked up a bit” when he learned he was one of three leaders at 14-under par.

The remaining 125 yards was the perfect yardage for the now 12-time Champions Tour winner and the “Boss of the Moss.”  He drained the 7-footer, his trademark left-to-right slider, for the birdie.

Safely in the clubhouse as the leader at 15-under, all he had to do was wait and rehearse his acceptance speech.

Third round leader Dan Forsman was cruising along with a three-stroke lead through 12 holes on Sunday afternoon at En-Joie Golf Club, a true municipal course in Endicott, New York.

After four birdies, it looked like clear sailing along the Susquehanna River for the two-time Champions Tour winner.

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With extraneous thoughts in his mind and an overall lack of focus, he 3-putted the par-3 14^th . From there, his round and championship contention began to unravel.

Remember the golfer who did not want to be a millionaire, but wanted to play like one?

Sir Walter Hagen never made a million dollars in his career, but he did win a lot of tournaments down the stretch by asking his competitor what he intended to do with the money when he won.

Forsman admitted as much in the post-round interview of asking himself the same question-thinking it would be nice to get his first win in New York.

He was formulating his victory speech for the 18^th green with thoughts like “here I am standing as tall as the Empire State Building.”

The sun broke through the clouds as he was about to putt that gimmie for par on 14.

With thoughts that may have affected his putting routine, he bogeyed the same hole that had jinxed him with his first bogey of the tournament the day before.

Do you think the golf gods impact the outcome of golf tournaments?

Forsman, though he bogeyed three of the last five holes, has the heart of a lion. Needing eagle on the last to tie, he drilled his tee shot on the 419-yard par-18^th down the heart of the fairway.

 Though his lob wedge failed to find the hole and he missed yet another short putt for birdie, this introspective golfer who already has won once this year is destined to win again.      

Roberts, playing two groups ahead of Forsman, was looking at making a par-5 at the 12^th , but ended up chipping in for eagle.

Something from the heavens above distracted Forsman on the 14^th . After going 49 holes with one bogey, he bogeyed three of the last five holes.

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Funk and Roberts shot 65-the best round of the day by four strokes over the field.

Funk finished second for the second year in a row.

Roberts thinks he needs birdie at 18 for a playoff and wins the tournament outright in regulation.

The gentleman from Tennessee exclaims at the end of his acceptance speech that “I love New York baby.”

I know the golf gods and another God have blessed me as I covered this golf tournament in my hometown.

Just walking up from the television compound to the clubhouse this morning was nostalgic for me.

I caught Chip Beck, Mr. 59 and local golfing hero Mile Hulbert coming off the 11^th tee.

I happened to work the same charity outing at Shores Acres on the north shore of Chicago a few years back.

Me with my hickory clubs and able-minded Mr. Hickory associates.

Chip with his inspirational personality and golfing skill.

The consummate amateur hickory golfer Harry Horton giving Chip Beck a few tips on how to play with hickory clubs is a memory I will cherish for my lifetime and beyond.

Mr. Hulbert, who I have seen caddie for his buddy Davis Love III at Mr. Palmer’s Bay Hill tournament is one of the finest television personalities to assist in the business.

Then in the next group hitting into the 10^th green was Jay Haas who I saw win the U.S. Senior Open at Oak Hill where I played last Wednesday.

I also did the Nationwide Tour’s BMW Charity Open at Jay’s home course earlier in the year- The Thornblade Club in Greenville, South Carolina.

Then coming off the 10^th tee was Ben Crenshaw, the walking and golfing legend.

Out on the golf course I ran into Binghamton’s own Todd Jones one of the premier instructors in the game of golf.

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Holding an eight-stroke lead and 18 holes away from a second major title, Cristie Kerr wasn’t about to declare victory in the LPGA Championship in Pittsford, N.Y.

“I can sit here and say, ‘Give me the trophy now.’ But it’s not going to happen,” Kerr said after shooting a 3-under 69 on Saturday. “I’ve got one more round to play.”

Kerr’s focus was on display during a rain-soaked round at the Locust Hill Country Club, where she went to 13-under 203. Her advantage tops the previous largest entering the final round of the LPGA Championship — Mickey Wright led by seven in 1961 on her way to a title.

Mika Miyazato double-bogeyed No. 18 to finish at 72 and fall into a tie for second with rookie Azahara Munoz (70) and Jimin Kang (70) in the LPGA Tour’s second major of the year.

Kang could only shrug when asked if there’s a chance of catching Kerr.

“I’ve got nothing to lose but 18 holes to go,” Kang said. “That’s all I can say.”

Local results included Christina Kim (70-216), Paula Creamer (74-217), Michelle Wie (73-219) and Juli Inkster (77-222).

PGA Tour: Justin Rose shot a 2-under 68 and held a three-stroke lead over Ben Curtis (64) at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn. Rose was at 16-under 194 at TPC River Highlands. Rose began the third round with a five-shot lead over former Cal star Charlie Wi. After three holes, Wi reduced Rose’s lead to two. That was as close as Wi or anyone else got. Wi (71) finished at 202.

Champions Tour: Dan Forsman shot his second straight 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Brad Bryant at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y. Forsman was at 12-under 132. Bryant (67) kept pace until a bogey at 18. In his tour debut.

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Amateur: Youth overcame experience as 22-year-old Scott Travers posted a 4-and-3 win over Harry Rudolph, 40, at the 99th California State Amateur at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. Travers, the 2010 West Coast Conference Player of the Year out of Santa Clara University, birdied four of the first six holes in the 36-hole final and picked up an early 4-up lead. “I’ve really worked hard the last few weeks, and to be honest, the win still hasn’t hit me,” he said. “I know as a player, you have to be able to finish tournaments and it’s a relief to do it.”

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Golfers at a western Montana golf course faced a hazard with real teeth — and claws — when a mountain lion decided to play through. Golfers said they spotted the elusive predator while teeing off at Valley View Golf Club Friday morning in Bozeman.

Bozeman animal control officer Kathy Middleton said the lion was first sighted near Aspen Pointe senior living center before other callers later saw it at the golf course.

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Joe Knarr with Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the agency has been receiving calls about lions all through the south of town. He said mountain lions sightings are common in the area, though there have been more reports this year than previous years.

Middleton said the lion spotted Friday most likely was just passing through.

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Bubba Watson stands 6-foot-3. Corey Pavin measures in at 5-foot-9.

Watson’s drives routinely reach more than 300 yards. Pavin would need a friendly cart path bounce to get that far.

Watson ranked T-58 in driving accuracy at this week’s Travelers Championship. Pavin was No. 1.

When it comes to playing golf, the two have nothing in common, right?

The pair, along with Scott Verplank, faced off in a playoff Sunday at the Travelers Championship in which Watson brought home his first PGA Tour victory after shooting a final-round 66.

“If you look at Corey, [we] are just alike, except he’s won 15 times and he’s the Ryder Cup captain,” Watson said with a laugh. “But we’re just alike. He shapes the ball more than anybody, and I shape the ball more than anybody. I’m just younger, so I hit it a little bit farther than he does. That’s it. Love you, Corey.”

The simple fact that two players with diametrically opposite styles of golf games can reach a playoff in the same tournament proves that this week’s PGA Tour event is one of the fairest tests in golf. Pavin echoed that fact after being eliminated on the first extra hole Sunday evening.

“Bubba’s one of the longest hitters on tour, and he won, and you can look at short hitters that have done well [here] in the past,” Pavin said. “So it’s just a golf course that fits my game. I feel comfortable on it.”

Maybe Watson and Pavin aren’t all that different despite the overwhelming statistical evidence. At least that’s what aspiring Ryder Cup hopeful Watson said after the victory in an overt attempt to curry favor with the man who will lead the U.S. squad against the Europeans in Wales.

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How big was the disparity off the tee? On the 18th hole in regulation, Watson hit his drive 396 yards (with a little help from a cart path). Pavin’s drive on the same hole before the playoff, which he admittedly popped up, was just 242 yards. That’s a difference of 154 yards, or a likely 9-iron in Watson’s case.

After the victory, Watson jumped up to 13th in the Ryder Cup point standings. The top eight after the PGA Championship in August automatically qualify, and Pavin will make his captain’s picks Sept. 7, just weeks before the Oct. 1-3 matches in Wales.

Watson, a native of Bagdad, Fla. — also the home of PGA Tour players Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum — made no mistakes about using this experience in front of Pavin to prove he can hit the clutch shots when everything is on the line.

In the playoff, Watson’s second shot on the par-4 18th stopped inches from the hole, just shy of ending the playoff with an eagle. After Verplank made his 10-foot birdie putt, Watson’s tap-in was just a formality, and the two went off to the par-3 16th while Pavin exited.

In their careers, Pavin owns 15 victories and a major championship and Watson’s win total just hit one. Granted, Watson is 31 and Pavin just turned Champions Tour-eligible with his 50th birthday this past November. But there’s no telling what’s in store for Watson.

The Americans’ 2008 Ryder Cup victory at Valhalla included long bomber J.B. Holmes. If Pavin were interested in having a prodigiously long driver of the golf ball to help change the complexion of some matches, he could do much worse than having Bubba Watson on his side at Celtic Manor.

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Bubba Watson recorded his first U.S. PGA Tour win at the Travelers Championship by beating Scott Verplank with a par on the second hole of a playoff.

Watson, 31, rolled in a four-foot putt on the par-3 16th hole at the TPC River Highlands golf course in Cromwell, Connecticut, after Verplank missed his par attempt. Watson receives $1.08 million for the victory.

Watson, who’s tied for the PGA Tour lead in driving distance with an average of 304.5 yards off the tee, almost scored an eagle on the first extra hole, the par-4 18th. His approach shot stopped two inches away from the flag and Verplank also made birdie to extend the playoff, while Corey Pavin was eliminated.

Watson, Verplank and Pavin were tied at 14-under par after four rounds, one shot better than Chris Riley and two ahead of Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Ricky Barnes and Chad Campbell.

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Tiger Woods is scheduled to play in the next stop on the tour, the AT&T National at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. The world’s top-ranked player’s foundation is hosting the July 1-4 event.

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Just when it seemed like Leslie Folsom was losing her grip in the finals of the Seattle Women’s Golf Association city championship, she hit her best wedge of the week.

That led to a birdie and helped her to a 4-and-2 victory over Mimi Racicot, a fellow Rainier Country Club player, Friday at Meridian Valley Country Club.

It was Folsom’s fourth win in the tournament in the past five years and her third straight.

“Last year was really special because my mom was here,” she said, “but this one means a lot because I am now only one of three people to win it three times in a row, along with Ruth Jessen and Anne Carr. To be in the same company as those two is really a thrill.”

Folsom, 42, and Racicot, 52, were even through 14 holes before Folsom took a 2-up lead after the first 18 of the 36-hole final. The players took a break between rounds, but the stoppage didn’t hurt Folsom’s game. She went 2 under on the next six holes to take a 4-up lead. She had two birdies and four tap-in length par putts during that stretch.

“I was really on a roll,” Folsom said.

The momentum then reversed as Folsom played the next six holes at 6 over and Racicot was just two holes down entering the 13th hole, their 31st hole of the day.

“I just got a little nervy with all of the people watching,” Folsom said.

That was when Folsom hit a second-shot wedge to about 3 ½ feet. Racicot ended up conceding the birdie, and Folsom’s lead was back to 3 up.

“That really switched the momentum back into my favor, and match play is all about momentum,” Folsom said.

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Folsom essentially ended Racicot’s hopes two holes later when she made about a 15-footer for par to halve the hole and maintain a three-hole lead with three to go.

Racicot was playing in her first city championship after spending the last 21 years with Everett Golf Club, making her ineligible for the event. Folsom and Racicot are now teammates with Rainier, making it a bit strange they were competing against each other for the title.

“Yeah, it is kind of hard when you’re playing against a friend, but we all know that’s just how it is,” Folsom said.

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