Finley’s 69 earns him one-shot victory
2012 and ’13, his rebound late in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals allowing Ray Allen to convert the 3-pointer that would send that game to overtime and eventually lead to a championship moment the following game.
“People will always see the trophies and banners and think that’s the whole story,” Bosh wrote. “But it’s only a piece, only amoment in time. I’ve learned that no matter what happens on the court, the game continues. Even when things changed for me and I couldn’t play, people still supported me and let me know what basketball in Miami meant for them. I truly cherish those encounters. Those good-luck chants or someone simply caringenoughto ask about my health — they might seem like small gestures but they are some of my fondest memories.
“Wewent through life together, Miami. You showed me how to stay strong and push through in the toughest moments. And although I didn’t like it at the time, it made all the difference in the long run. It made me a better man, the person I am today. Thank you.
“Thank you to everyone — here inMiami, across the nation and around the world — who has been a part of #TeamBosh. I hope you will continue to follow me on my journey, wherever that leads me.”
ThroughHeat and insurance payments, Bosh will receive the full $52 million remaining on the final two years of the contract he signed in July 2014. He has earned $190 million over his 14-season career that began with theToronto Raptors in 2003, before joining the Heat in the 2010 offseason.
By clearingNBAwaivers, Bosh is nowa free agent. He would have to receive medical clearance from an NBA panel in order to return. There was no suggestion of such a return in his 1,400-word open letter which ended with “sincerely” and Bosh’s signature. Vegas portion of their summer schedule, after going 0-5 lastweek in Orlando.
First-round pick Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds, with the big man out of Kentucky supported by 17 points and nine rebounds from power forward Zach Auguste. LondonPerrantes, the undrafted guard out of Virginia, scored the Heat’s’ final six points, including the winning jumper with 4 seconds to play.
Adebayo said game has proved
“There’s so much more open space,” he said, as opposed to finding the paint packed during his lone season at Kentucky. “So just having that much open space, take your time, see where you’re at. It’s just being relaxed and just having patience.”
TheHeat next playMonday at 4:30 p.m. against the Washington Wizards, a game that will be televised onNBA TV. the NBA invigorating.
iwinderman@ sunsentinel.com, Twitter @iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ ira.winderman
PLANTATION For Ben Finley, winning the Broward County Amateur Golf Championship was a testament to the changes he’s made in his life and his golf game over the past year.
Finley shot a 2-under-par 69 on Jacaranda Golf Club’s East Course on a hot, sunny Sunday to go with a 2-under 70 on theWest Course on a stormy Saturday for a 139 total and a one-shot victory over Steven Lamay of Parkland, who shot 73-67-140.
“Iwould be remiss if I did not mention that about a year or so ago, I really had thought I was done playing golf,” said Finley, 47, who lives along the East Course’s 11th hole and plays at Jacaranda. “My game was very bad and my attitude was bad. I had some things going on inmy life that kind of keptmein a bad head space.
“Andrew Michael, the headprohere, startedworking with me on my game. We’ve worked together for over a year, so for me to be able towinthis tournament, at his golf course, with him out on the course watching me, is a very special thing. And I can’t thank him enough and his staff for all they’ve done forme.”
Another big change was Finley’s decision to stop drinking.
“I’ve been sober about a year,” he said, “so Iwas able tocomeout andbecalmand really enjoy the fight. This is the first tournament I’ve everwon when Iwas sober. I can’t thank the people in Alcoholics Anonymous enough. They saved my life.”
Finley entered the final round with a one-shot lead overMattiasWettergren, 19, of Miami Shores, who plays for BarryUniversity.
Not even a double-bogey on the second hole could rattle Finley.
“As I’ve gotten older, I think I’ve mellowed out a little bit and it just didn’t bother me as much and I was able to continue to move forward and make some putts ...” Finley said.
Wettergren made things interesting when he chipped in for eagle on the par-5 11th, but he bogeyed the 12th and Finley sank a 14-foot birdie putt on the par-313th.
Bogeys on the 17th and 18th dropped Wettergren, who gave up a promising tennis career to take up golf about four years ago, to fourth place at 71-72-143 behindNick Gomez, who shot 74-67-141.
Lamay, 21, who is going into his senior year at Birmingham Southern in Alabama, wherehe playsonthe golf team, had seven birdies Sunday.
“The putter finally got hot, I guess, and I hit some good shots into the green,” said Lamay, who said it was weird not knowing where he stood.
“You don’t know if you want to keep pushing or if youwant to just put it in the middle of the green and try to maintain your score. That is kind of tough.”
Finley played golf for Indiana University, then turned pro and played on mini-tours.
A title agent, Finley regained his amateur status 12-13 years ago and has done well in state four-ball tournaments playing with Mike Stiber, the owner ofMasters Title in Pembroke Pines.
“He named itMasters Title after the golf tournament, so having this trophy in the office is going to feel pretty damn good,” Finley said.
“This validates all the hard work that I’ve put in. Golf’s my pastime, it’s my passion, it’s what I do for fun. To be able to come out on one weekend, one time, and put it all together, it just feels really, really good.”
Don Staton, 66, of Boca Raton, shot 70-69-139 towin the Senior Flight by10 shots over Mike Fuentes, who shot 71-78-149. Randy Counts (80-75) and Brian Hill (78-77) tied for third at 155.
“I figured he’d come out with his guns blazing,” said Staton of Fuentes. “He played solid, but I kept hanging in there. Par’s my friend. Hit it, find it, knock it on, let them catch me.”