star-telegram.com: Sports

Fancy glove work is key as Texas Rangers KO Mariners

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:41 CDT

By JEFF WILSON

ARLINGTON -- Noted wordsmith Lee Elia, the former Cubs manager, said 25 years ago that the key to winning baseball is to "hit the ball, catch the ball and get the [bleeping] job done."

The Texas Rangers haven't had too much trouble at the plate this season, but their glove work has been less than desirable.

On Tuesday night, Rangers fielders provided most of the highlights.

Stout defense, and another big game from Ramon Vazquez, lifted the Rangers to a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners that clinched a sixth consecutive series win.

Four plays stood out. Each saved a hit, two saved doubles, and a leaping catch near the 400-foot sign by Josh Hamilton kept a game-tying run from scoring in the eighth inning.

"I liked everyone of them because each time they made one, it was at an important part of the game," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "If they don't make them, something bad happens."

The flashy defense started in the fifth, when Ian Kinsler took away a hit from Ichiro Suzuki. The second baseman dived into shallow right field and threw from a knee to retire the speedy Suzuki and end the inning.

David Murphy and Vazquez delivered in the seventh -- Murphy on a running, diving catch in right field, and Vazquez catching a line drive behind third base to end the inning.

Hamilton robbed Kenji Johjima of extra bases in the eighth and kept the tying run from possibly scoring from first base.

"We're just playing the way we're capable of playing," said Kinsler, who just missed a diving grab of a Raul Ibanez line drive in the second. "We always knew we could play defense."

Vazquez, whose days in the starting lineup are numbered as Hank Blalock nears a return from the disabled list, had two RBI and drove in the game-winner for the second straight night.

Both of his run-scoring hits drove in Gerald Laird, who reached base four times and scored three runs.

Kason Gabbard pitched five scoreless innings and was leading 2-0 when he was pulled after allowing a double by Ibanez that put runners at second and third with one out in the sixth.

Washington said the left-hander, who had thrown only 5 2/3 innings the previous three weeks, was on an 85-pitch limit. Gabbard threw 82 before he was relieved by Josh Rupe, who couldn't hold the lead.

But the Rangers regained the advantage only a few minutes later when a sacrifice fly by Vazquez brought home Laird, who had singled, gone to second on an error by Ibanez and taken third on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Shelton.

The run was unearned, as were the two the Rangers added in the eighth. Seattle committed four errors. The Rangers were flawless.

"If we can make plays on defense, not only does it help our pitching staff, but it kills momentum for the other team," shortstop Michael Young said. "We're just playing with a lot of confidence out there."

RANGERS 5, MARINERS 2

BREAKING DOWN THE RANGERS

Hitters

Gil LeBreton: Rangers turn a profit on adversity

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:36 CDT

By GIL LeBRETON

ARLINGTON -- Ho-hum. Another night, another Ranger-palooza.

Another four nominees for ESPN's play of the day.

Another winning series -- six in a row, the first time that's happened to the Texas Rangers in nine years.

The key date, lest we forget, is April 29. Since that date, the Rangers have won 11 of 14 games, including Tuesday night's 5-2 win over the fast-sinking Seattle Mariners.

Since April 29, the Rangers have gone from a stumbling 9-18 team, awash in presumed internal strife, to a spunky 20-21 bunch, brimming with confidence.

And, uh, one other thing.

Since April 29, third baseman Hank Blalock has been injured and out of the starting lineup.

A simple coincidence?

Stop it. Perish that cynical thought.

Baseball doesn't work that way. Teams are not supposed to get better when their starting players go on the disabled list.

Different, maybe. And sometimes they get younger.

But the idea that Blalock's hamstring injury and the Rangers' current hot streak are anything but a fortuitous coincidence is overreaching. And all Blalock has to do when he returns to the lineup, possibly as early as Friday, is prove it.

Otherwise, the Ramon Vazquez Fan Club will continue to grow.

Vazquez, too, plays third base for the Rangers. Sometimes. And shortstop. And second base. And pretty much anywhere that manager Ron Washington wants to fit him in.

The "U-word" -- utilityman -- doesn't insult Ramon Vazquez, a proud son of Puerto Rico. On the contrary, he has staked his baseball career on it.

A good utilityman is the Swiss army knife of baseball. He can stab grounders. He can plug a hole at shortstop. He can hold his own at the plate.

Or, as Vazquez did on Tuesday night, he can rap two hits, drive in the eventual winning run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, and help save the game by making a diving stop of an Adrian Beltre line drive to end the Seattle seventh.

In 22 games this season, Vazquez has seven runs batted in and two home runs, including the game-winner Monday night. He's batting .344 with a .419 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .516.

And whaddya know? Also in exactly 22 games this season, before going on the DL, Blalock had seven RBI and three home runs. He was hitting .299, with a .365 OBP and a slugging percentage of .460.

Not that the comparison of numbers means anything, mind you. But, by all means, feel free to call the talk shows.

So far, it's been a series of frustrations for the Dallas Stars

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:35 CDT

By TRACEY MYERS

FRISCO -- The message was written on the board in the Dallas Stars locker room: Get your heads up. It's sound advice for a team that's teetering on the edge of elimination in the Western Conference Finals.

But with frustration and mistakes, coupled with the Detroit Red Wings' 3-0 lead, the Stars' collective heads have understandably dropped at times. So has their game, which has brought them to this point.

For all the great things the Stars did to make it this far, many aspects seem to be backfiring against Detroit. Mistakes? Plenty. Puck-handling? Goaltending? The power play? All shaky at best.

Now facing the win-or-stay-home game, the Stars are trying to recapture the work that brought them to this point.

"When we're at the top of our game, we feel we make teams make mistakes," Stars center Mike Modano said. "We did that against, for the most part, Anaheim and San Jose. And it feels like we're getting a little bit of a taste of our own medicine right now."

Here's a breakdown of what's broken down for the Stars:

What's my line?

The Stars had two, sometimes three, scoring lines contributing through the first two series. But in this round, the Stars have mustered very little; they've had just four goals in three games. That's quite a downturn from their matchups with Anaheim and San Jose, when the Stars scored two or more goals in each of the first three contests.

Power play lost

The Stars entered this series connecting on 25 percent of their power-play opportunities. Against the Wings, they're just 1 of 15. Yes, the Stars have had their chances, but that's little consolation when the red light fails to illuminate. Coach Dave Tippett said there could be some tweaking prior to Game 4.

"Our power play got us some zone time, got us some chances," Tippett said. "But we've got to capitalize on the chances."

The puck doesn't stop here

Marty Turco was stellar against the Ducks and Sharks, especially in his 61-stop outing when the Stars eliminated San Jose last week. But the 1.73 goals-against average he possessed entering this series is now at 2.09. And his career GAA vs. Detroit is up to 2.87. Turco has to get tough, fast.

"It's paramount to beat these guys, and we have to do it a whole bunch of times in a row," he said. "I don't think effort is going to be a problem."

So many no-nos

What distinguishes the Red Wings from so many other teams in the league? If you give them a gift, they graciously accept -- and turn it into momentum and/or goals. It seems like every time the Stars have made a turnover, it's ended up in their net. But that steep cost hasn't lessened the mistakes.

And the Wings are so good that they can force you into making some of those, too.

"You have to get that fine line where you're physical with energy, but with poise," Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas said. "Just be in good position, limit mistakes and play as a team. Obviously they're a good team. But every mistake we make, they make it count."

Tough sledding

The Stars have enjoyed their best playoff run since 2000, but they're a game away from elimination. What's happened against Detroit, compared with what the Stars did the previous rounds:

T.O. has sights on new game: Acting

Wed, 14 May 2008 04:38 CDT

By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.

IRVING -- Whenever Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens walks away from the NFL -- and he hopes to play at least three more years -- don't look for him to end up in a television booth as a commentator.

That's so passé.

Owens, who has never shied away from the limelight, has Hollywood on his mind and his sights set on an acting career.

"I want to be an actor," Owens said. "I don't want to fit the football player mold and step in the booth and do commentary. I know I can do it. Acting is more challenging and it's something I look forward to."

Beginning tonight, Owens will get a jump-start on his post-career endeavors when he makes his television sitcom acting debut on the MyNetworkTV show Under One Roof (7 p.m., KDFI/Ch. 27). Owens will play the long-lost brother of the show's star, Flavor Flav.

It's a cameo appearance, but Owens did well enough for the producers to consider him for a recurring role.

"It was a way to get my feet wet into the acting world," Owens said. "I look forward to doing some other things. I will take some acting classes over the next few off-seasons to expand my role. This was a way to get off the ground."

Owens joins former Cowboys Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin as actors. Sanders and his wife, Pilar, star in their own reality series Prime Time Love on the Oxygen Network. Irvin starred in the movie remake The Longest Yard, starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock.

Under One Roof is not Owens' first time dabbling in the acting world. In 1999, he appeared in the film Any Given Sunday, starring Jamie Foxx.

It was because of Any Given Sunday that Owens befriended a Los Angeles casting agent, who has always kept him in mind for potential projects.

Owens was supposed to be involved in a football movie called Playmakers about four years ago, but it never got off the ground.

"She said she would continue to keep me in mind," Owens said. "So about a month ago [she] hit me up and said, 'I got this perfect role for you.' She sent the script. I had so much fun."

Owens said he immediately hit it off with the show's star, Flavor Flav -- off the set.

"He said he has been a Cowboys fan and a fan of mine from afar," Owens said. "He said he was humbled to meet me. It was likewise for me. I have seen his shows. He is a personality himself. He was so funny."

On the set, however, Flavor Flav is the one who foils Owens.

Owens tries convincing Flav and sitcom sibling Kelly Perine that they're all brothers in hopes of getting them to invest in his Web site.

"I play Shawn Hill, the long-lost brother," Owens said. "I try to manipulate them out of a lot of cash. Flavor doesn't buy it all. He smells a rat."

Owens, who was involved in a contract dispute in Philadelphia and is currently looking for a contract extension with the Cowboys, chuckles at the art-imitating-life element of the plot line.

With the Cowboys' training camp set to be chronicled in the HBO series Hard Knocks, Owens said it will give Cowboys fans a taste of things to come.

"It will give people a chance to tune in to see my beautiful face every day," Owens said. "Everybody knows I am not a stranger to the camera. So get your popcorn ready."

No. 1 Henin announces immediate retirement from tennis

Wed, 14 May 2008 09:54 CDT

By RAF CASERT

LIMELETTE, Belgium -- Justine Henin retired from tennis Wednesday, an abrupt ending to a short and successful career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and leaves while ranked No. 1.

The 25-year-old Belgian made the surprising announcement at a news conference Wednesday, less than two weeks before the start of the French Open. She has won that clay-court major championship four times, including each of the past three years.

"This is the end of a child's dream," Henin said. "This is a definitive decision. Those who know me know it is serious."

Her announcement came a day after one of the greatest female golfers in history said she's walking away: Annika Sorenstam, owner of 10 major titles and one of six women to complete a career Grand Slam in her sport, is retiring at the end of the season.

Henin, though, won't have any sort of farewell tour. She is quitting immediately.

Henin won 10 tournaments last year, but has been in one of the worst slumps of her career this season. She lost last week in the third round of the German Open and pulled out of this week's Italian Open, citing fatigue.

"I thought long about this," Henin said, her voice cracking and eyes watering. "I started thinking about it late last year. I was at the end of the road. I leave with my head held high."

Last year, Kim Clijsters — another Belgian who reached No. 1 and won a Grand Slam title — retired from tennis at 23. She has since married and become a mother.

The 5-foot-5¾, 126-pound Henin overcame her slender build and a litany of injuries to dominate tennis for long stretches, thanks to a superb one-handed backhand, impressive court coverage and grit.

In 2006, she reached the finals of every Grand Slam tournament. In 2007, she sat out the Australian Open in January while going through a divorce, then returned to the tour and won the French Open and U.S. Open, eight other tournaments and more than $5 million.

However, after winning her home tournament in Antwerp in February, she has failed to go beyond the quarterfinals at any other event this season.

Henin's year began with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 drubbing by Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open in April, the worst loss for a top-ranked player in nine years.

At last week's German Open, Henin lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to Dinara Safina.

"She finds it tough, losing matches she normally would not lose," Belgian Fed Cup captain Sabine Appelmans said.

In addition to her French Open titles, Henin won the Australian Open in 2004, and the U.S. Open in 2003 and 2007. The only Grand Slam title to elude her was Wimbledon, where she was the runner-up in 2001 and 2006.

Henin, who earned nearly $20 million in career prize money, has been ranked No. 1 since Nov. 13, 2006, except for a seven-week period last year when Sharapova held the top spot.

"Justine Henin will be remembered as one of the all-time great champions in women's tennis, and a woman who made up for her lack of size with a will to win and fighting spirit that was second to none," WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said. "It is rare that an athlete leaves at the very top of her game in this day and age, but Justine has always played by her own rules, in the very best sense of those words."

Fifth person charged in Redskins safety's killing

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:21 CDT

MIAMI -- Prosecutors in Miami say a fifth person has been charged in the slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.

Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office spokesman Ed Griffith said Wednesday that 16-year-old Timothy Brown is charged with first-degree murder under a sealed warrant.

Taylor died of massive blood loss after he was shot at his Miami-area home during a botched robbery in November. The 24-year-old safety had made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007.

Brown is being held in Lee County. It's not immediately known when he'll be transferred to Miami-Dade County to face the charge.

Trial for the other four suspects is set for Aug. 25. Prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty.

Jim Reeves: Stars being run over by big train that should

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:51 CDT

By JIM REEVES

They have been outscored, outhit and outclassed by the Detroit Red Wings in almost every facet of the game in the Western Conference Finals, which is best illustrated by the fact that the Dallas Stars will be fighting for their very playoff lives tonight, down 0-3 in the best-of-seven series.

They have looked almost nothing like the team that shocked Anaheim and stunned San Jose in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The Wings have pulled the plug on the Dallas power play and reminded the Stars' young defensemen that there's no place for raw and inexperienced players this deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Stars have been flustered, confused and frustrated by a much deeper, more talented team.

So here's my suggestion to you when the Stars take the ice tonight at the AAC:

Get on your feet and pay your respects to a Stars team that has played its heart out for you. Bring them out with a standing ovation and, whatever happens in the game, send them out the same way.

Whatever else you may think, they've earned it.

Look around you. Anybody else around here still fighting in the playoffs in mid-May?

Don't think so. In fact, the Stars have given us our longest run in the spring since the Mavs' trip to the NBA Finals two years ago.

By all rights, the Stars shouldn't be here. They weren't supposed to have a chance against the defending Stanley Cup champs in the first round, but it was the Ducks who went home mad.

In the semifinals, the Stars were expected to be easy pickings for the hungry Sharks, just about everyone's pick to win the Cup this year, but it was the Sharks who were disappointed.

Both were hard-fought, tense, six-game series, climaxed by that four-overtime win over San Jose at the AAC.

Now, The Little Team That Could has finally run out of steam. The tank is empty. The Stars are wheezing on fumes.

It's not that the heart isn't there. That's never been a problem with this team.

You could see that illustrated perfectly in Game 3's 5-2 loss Monday night when Brenden Morrow ricocheted awkwardly off the end boards and landed with his left arm bent behind him in ways it's not supposed to bend.

"Broken?" I typed onto my computer at the time, as Morrow slowly skated toward the bench, cradling the arm in front of him. He disappeared down the tunnel, done for the series I was sure, only to reappear on the bench and then back onto the ice 3 minutes later. The miracle of painkillers, no doubt.

It didn't matter that the Stars' chances of overtaking the Wings were zero. Morrow wasn't going to quit on his teammates. And this Stars team hasn't quit on you, the fans.

So I'm asking you, don't quit on the Stars.

There was some frustration Monday night, when the Stars struggled to mount an offensive threat even with six power plays. And there was some booing of the home team that came out of that frustration.

That's understandable. The talented Wings have made the out-of-gas Stars look like they're totally out of their league. While the Wings are making nifty plays and crisp, accurate passes, the Stars too often are fumbling the puck around, making turnovers and missing wide-open shots.

Fans' Insider: Game soon changes for the class of 2008

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:31 CDT

By DAVID THOMAS

The local high school athletics season is in its final stages, so that means a whole class of seniors will soon be moving on from their high school sports careers.

While I still have their attention, I want to say a few words to those about to graduate from high school sports. Consider it my little Sports Commencement Address to the Class of 2008.

Graduates, first I would like to offer my congratulations and thanks to each of you. You have given us plenty of reasons to cheer through the years.

Your graduation, however, is no time for living in the past. That's why we call this occasion "a commencement." In case you didn't come across the word "commence" on any of your TAKS tests, it means "to begin."

It may seem odd to celebrate the end of your high school careers with a commencement, but that's what we adults who name events like to do -- keep starting over. You'll hear that life begins at graduation. It also begins when you turn 21. And 30. And 40. And 50. And every Opening Day of baseball season. So if you get off to a bad start, fret not. You'll have a chance to start over.

Adult life is nothing like the years you have experienced to this point. Remember when you were 10 and we told you that if you took that one season off and didn't play select that you would fall behind your peers and never catch up? That doesn't apply in adulthood.

In fact, you'll discover a lot of things in this new life you are set to commence. You'll soon realize that there is more to life than SportsCenter highlights. Your self-worth will no longer be measured by the number of views for your latest YouTube offering.

For most of you, this marks the end of your athletic careers. Yeah, I know that if your coaches hadn't played favorites, you would have received more playing time and some lucky college coach would have found you. But those painful lessons will serve you well in coming years. When you figure out exactly how, please look me up and tell me because I'm still bitter about my high school experiences.

The good news is that a large number of you will move to different parts of the country and make new friends. Those new friends won't be able to refute the glory days stories from your high school career you create, so take advantage of what we adults like to call "new opportunities."

For a fortunate few, your athletic careers will continue. I guess you could say your athletic careers are commencing. I ask those of you in this group to pause and consider all your family has done for you and your athletic career.

They have shared in the thrill of your victories, the agony of your defeats and the indifference of your ties. They have persevered with you through weather delays, postponements and makeup dates. They have tread carefully on icing roads to watch you play. And why? Well, sometimes, they asked themselves that same question.

So at some point during this momentous day, thank them. Besides, you'll never know when you will get fouled hard in the NBA playoffs and need your mother to step in and take up your defense.

In conclusion, I'd like for all of you to look around at your classmates who have made this journey with you. Go ahead -- take a good look at them.

Because at your next class reunion, they won't look anything like they look now.

Best of luck from here. And, trust me, you'll wish you had stretched and iced more.

David Thomas' sports humor column appears Wednesdays and Sundays.

Knievel jumps at chance to extend father's legacy

Wed, 14 May 2008 04:38 CDT

By DAVID THOMAS

After 37 years as a motorcycle daredevil, Robbie Knievel says his jumping days are about over.

He'll be making one more leap in Texas on June 7 when he jumps 20 side-by-side Hummers before the Bombardier Learjet 550k IndyCar race at Texas Motor Speedway.

"I'm coming back to Texas for one more," the son of late daredevil Evel Knievel said Tuesday at TMS, where he sat next to a $65,000 H2 to promote the event.

Knievel last jumped at TMS in 2001, when he cleared the 25-car starting field of the IndyCar Chevy 500. He jumped more than 175 feet that day. The June jump, the 46-year-old said, will be longer. He's not cutting down the length of his jumps because of his age.

"That's basically what my dad's life was, and my life -- going further and further and further," he said. "Physically, I don't want to hit the pavement again at 85 mph. I think I'm stronger mentally because I'm paying attention more so that I don't hit the pavement."

The TMS jump will be one of about five or six jumps he plans to make this year. After those jumps, "this year might be my last," Knievel said.

Knievel is still launching himself off 10-foot high ramps. Though other motorcycle jumpers are going greater distances with the aid of higher ramps, Knievel hasn't changed his ways.

"I'm old school," he said. "I hit [the landing ramp] hard, and I don't know how much longer my back's going to take it."

With no apparent future Knievel jumpers to take his place, he sees his TMS date as "another jump to keep the name Knievel the most famous on two wheels."

It's the idea of continuing his father's legacy that has carried him this far.

"To carry on that name, that legendary thing my dad started that a lot of little kids looked up to him like I did -- like a superhero," Knievel said. "He was my hero all my life, and I wanted to do what he did."

Knievel watched as other jumpers came along and used better bikes to beat his father's distances. So he decided he would get on better bikes and beat them.

"And I just kept going and going and going," Knievel said. "It seems like I've been out there forever."

Ticket information

Texas Motor Speedway is offering a limited amount of seats in a four-pack special -- four tickets for $99 -- for Knievel's jump and the Bombardier Learjet 550k on June 7. Call 817-215-8500 or visit texasmotorspeedway.com.

Golf Insider: Sometimes, it's little things that increase star power

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:37 CDT

By JIMMY BURCH

It is appropriate that Steve Stricker graces the cover of this year's media guide for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Stricker, 41, has shown an ability to overcome adversity. He lost his PGA Tour card after a dismal 2005 season, yet rebounded to earn Comeback Player of the Year honors from peers in 2006 and 2007.

Now, he's the No. 5 player in the world golf rankings and one of next week's headliners in Fort Worth at a tournament that -- like Stricker -- is enjoying a resurgence in 2008.

How much have things changed since last year, when the Colonial field included only one top-10 competitor?

Heading into Friday's commitment deadline, Colonial officials have pledges from four of the world's top 10 golfers, including No. 2 Phil Mickelson. The total jumps to five if Geoff Ogilvy, the No. 6 player in the rankings, joins the field.

But here's the best part: Regardless of Ogilvy's decision, Colonial officials appear destined to do something that seemed like a pipe dream a year ago. They'll land more top-10 participants for their May 22-25 event than the BMW PGA Championship, a high-profile European Tour event with competing dates.

When the tournaments went head-to-head for players in 2007, the top-10 tally favored the European event 5-1. As things stand today, Colonial has a 4-3 edge with Ogilvy, an Aussie who lives in Arizona, showing enough interest that Colonial officials are hopeful they will land five of the world's top 10 for the first time since 2004.

"It's exciting," said Peter Ripa, Colonial tournament director. "You're not necessarily set up for success being opposite the BMW Championship. But we're going to have the best field we've had in years."

Why? One obvious reason is Crowne Plaza's decision to feature Mickelson in this year's commercials, a smart move by the title sponsor that triggered an early Colonial commitment from Lefty. Two players who tied for 24th in last year's Colonial, Stricker and K.J. Choi, have cracked the top 10 in recent months, raising their profiles. Jim Furyk, last year's lone top-10 Colonial competitor, remains an elite player, as does defending champ Rory Sabbatini, No. 14 in the world rankings.

There's also some fresh, subtle lures in the hospitality department during tournament week that may have influenced decisions. For the first time, Colonial officials arranged a Tuesday night driving session -- rather than an afternoon session -- for competitors at Texas Motor Speedway. All 24 spots filled quickly, Ripa said.

There will be an after-hours function for players and their families on Friday night at the Fort Worth Zoo. There's a Thursday night showing of the new movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. A series of guest chefs from Fort Worth restaurants will prepare food each day in the player dining area. The list goes on. And on.

"We've leaned toward creating experiences for the guys and their families that they can't get anywhere else," Ripa said. "Each thing may not seem like a big deal. But if you do enough things right to make them feel special... collectively, it moves the needle."

Mix in a classic course in pristine condition and, for whatever reason, the star-power needle is moving in the right direction at Colonial. At a time when the tournament really needed it.

BY THE NUMBERS

0 Top-10 golfers competing at this week's AT&T Classic in Duluth, Ga., where Stewart Cink (No. 15 in the world rankings) is the headliner.

37 Spots climbed on this week's Nationwide Tour money list by former SMU golfer Colt Knost, who is seventh ($140,315) after Sunday's victory at the Fort Smith (Ark.) Classic.

75.5 Masters champion Trevor Immelman's scoring average in PGA Tour events since his April 13 victory in Augusta, Ga. The Masters remains Immelman's last event where he survived the 36-hole cut.

103 Spots climbed on this week's PGA Tour money list by Sergio Garcia, who is seventh ($2,053,890) after Sunday's victory at The Players Championship.

119 Birdies this season by Saginaw resident Angela Stanford, tying for sixth among LPGA Tour competitors.

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