Chilean teenager shares the lead at Memorial
DUBLIN, OHIO » Joaquin Niemann could figure out where Tiger Woods was on the golf course from the mass of people following him a few groups ahead, and he had a pretty good idea what he was doing from all the noise, at least before Woods put a putter in his hands.
“There was said.
The few that stuck behind for the 19-yearold Chilean saw another good show.
In his fifth start as a pro, Niemann finished with two birdies over his last three holes for a 4-under 68 and a share of the lead with Kyle Stanley, who had a 66. He finished with an 8-foot birdie on the 18th hole.
Woods made Muirfield Village sound like a rock concert until storms arrived. He holed out with a sand wedge from 97 yards for eagle on the par-5 11th hole, and then his tee shot on the par-3 12th struck the flag waving in the wind and settled 6 feet behind the hole.
And then he sat out a weather delay that lasted just under 90 minutes, and he missed four putts under 7 feet the rest of the way.
“It could have been easily a nice little 62 or 63,” Woods said. “I turned it into a 67.”
And he was six shots behind with nearly two dozen players in front of him.
Stanley, who won the Quicken Loans National last summer, was atop the leaderboard for much of the day and was starting to pull away until a poor tee shot at No. 6 led to bogey. He finished with a par save from just off the ninth green and reached 11-under 133. so many people,” Niemann
LPGA’s Brittany Lincicome set to play in PGA Tour event
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. » Brittany Lincicome is set to join an elite group — female professionals playing in a PGA Tour event.
Lincicome said Friday at the U.S. Women’s Open that she was asked to play in the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky July 19-22.
“I love competing with the guys,” she said. “I feel like I step up my game when I play with them. I play a little harder, try a little harder when I play against them. I always thought it would be cool to try.”
Tom Murray, president and CEO of Perio, which owns the Barbasol and Pure Silk brands, reached out to her a couple of weeks ago, Lincicome said.
“I was kind of torn,” she said. “Obviously I can already hear people saying you are trying to compare not what it is.”
Other female pros who have played in a PGA Tour event include Michelle Wie, Babe Zaharias, Annika Sorenstam and Suzy Whaley. yourself to the men.
Hall of Fame pitcher Smoltz qualifies for U.S. Senior Open
That’s PEACHTREE CITY, GA. » Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz is making his mark in a new sport. Golf.
The 51-year-old Smoltz qualified for the U.S. Senior Open on Thursday, emerging from a three-man playoff to take the final spot.
Three places were up for grabs in the 18hole qualifier at Planterra Ridge Golf Club in Peachtree City, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Atlanta. Jack Larkin and Sonny Skinner got through in regulation by shooting 4-under 68, with Smoltz and two others one stroke back.
Brian Tennyson was eliminated on the first playoff hole with a bogey.
On the third extra hole, Smoltz finished off Brian Ferris despite making double bogey.