By Bob Harig
Published April 22, 2004 Jack and Gary, again?
Neither could preside over a victory in the Presidents Cup, so apparently they are going to try again. At least that's the talk for now. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are being mentioned as captains for the United States and International teams for 2005. The teams were tied at 17 last November in South Africa, and a sudden-death playoff between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els did not decide things before darkness. Instead of playing the next day, the captains decided to share the Cup. Now, apparently, they will get to settle next year in Virginia.
China's first masters
Lian-Wei Zhang received a controversial special invitation to the Masters, becoming the first Chinese golfer to play in the tournament, although there were other Asian golfers not invited who were ranked higher. China is a country of more than 1-billion people. The tournament broadcast was shown at 4 a.m. in China. Zhang, 38, did not take up the game until age 20. For much of his early years, the sport was banned. "This is an important time for golf in our country," Patrick You-yu Wang of Titan Sports, a Chinese publication, told Golf World. "It's not as big as basketball with Yao (Ming), but it's growing. His appearance can only help." Zhang missed the cut by one stroke but has received sponsor exemptions to the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the Memorial.
Birdies
Stewart Cink's final-round 64 was completed two hours before Ted Purdy finished at the MCI Heritage and eventually led to his third PGA Tour victory in a playoff. His comeback from nine shots was the second-largest in PGA Tour history.
Purdy had never finished in the top 10 in a short PGA Tour career and thought he should have won, but he at least came away with more than $500,000 and the knowledge that he has retained his tour card for another year.
Cristie Kerr's victory at the LPGA's Takefuji Classic in Las Vegas was not a thing of beauty - she missed a short par putt in regulation that would have won it - but still counts as the second of her career.
Bogeys
After leading through two rounds at the MCI Heritage, British Open champion Ben Curtis faded to a 75-73 finish. Curtis has yet to post a top-10 outside of his British victory.
Despite the fact that a PGA Tour rules official was on the scene advising Stewart Cink, dozens of fans apparently still felt compelled to call the tournament office when they believed he committed a rules violation.
Quotable
"Stewart won it, but just as equally, I think I lost the tournament." - TED PURDY, after his sudden-death playoff defeat to Stewart Cink, who shot a final-round 64 to tie him.
Stat of the Week
There has been just one tournament this year, the Masters, where the winner (Phil Mickelson) led the field in ball-striking, a combination of driving distance, driving accuracy and greens hit in regulation.
