WEST PALM BEACH - Peter Jacobsen won the ADT Golf Skills Challenge for the third time, finishing with $172,500 in rainy and windy conditions Monday at Trump International.
"I've always had a pretty quick focus and that's what is needed at this type of event," said Jacobsen, who admits he can switch from joking around to being serious with ease. "This event is tailor-made for me and fits my style of play."
Fred Funk finished second with $118,000, followed by Jason Gore ($108,000), Chris DiMarco ($101,333), Nick Faldo ($85,333), Paula Creamer ($83,000), Annika Sorenstam ($78,333) and baseball star Roger Clemens ($53,500).
"I love this type of stuff because I love being around the guys," said Sorenstam, preparing for the ADT Championship this week on the Trump course.
The skills event will be televised Dec. 24 and 25 on NBC.
WEBB INTO HALL: Karrie Webb , who captured the career Grand Slam quicker than any other player and is the only woman to win all five of the LPGA Tour majors, became the youngest member of the World Golf Hall of Fame when she was inducted with four others in St. Augustine. "It's hard to believe I'm here tonight," the 30-year-old Aussie said. "I still feel like a little girl with big dreams from a small town in Ayr." She was joined in the Hall by Ayako Okamoto of Japan, who won 17 times on the LPGA Tour and won the money title and player of the year in 1987. Inducted posthumously were Willie Park Sr. , the first British Open champion, writer Bernard Darwin and golf course architect Alister MacKenzie , whose designs include Augusta National, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne. Vijay Singh was elected on the PGA Tour ballot, but deferred his induction.
TENNIS
Agassi, Nadal withdraw
Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Masters Cup in Shanghai because of injuries, leaving Roger Federer as the only top-five player in the elite field. Agassi lost 6-4, 6-2 to Nikolay Davydenko then pulled out after aggravating an injury to his left ankle. Nadal, ranked No. 2, withdrew before his opening match with Gaston Gaudio after doctors advised him not to risk further damage to ligaments in his left foot. The French Open champion hurt himself last month. Mariano Puerta replaced Nadal, becoming the fourth Argentine in the field, and Fernando Gonzalez will take Agassi's place. Pulling out before the tournament were third-ranked Andy Roddick (back), Marat Safin (knee) and Lleyton Hewitt (expecting a child with actor Rebecca Cartwright ).
WORLD'S NO. 1: Federer was presented with the ATP 2005 Champions Race trophy as its No. 1 player. He won 11 tournaments for the second straight year, including two Grand Slam titles. The Swiss star is only the fifth player since the ATP rankings began in 1973 to be ranked No. 1 every week during a calendar year. Others were Jimmy Connors , Ivan Lendl , Pete Sampras and Hewitt. Federer has held the top ranking for 94 consecutive weeks since Feb. 2, 2004.
DAVIS CUP: The USTA announced that first-round matches between the United States and Romania will be played Feb. 10-12 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in California. The club plans to build a temporary hardcourt and stadium on a pitch-and-putt golf course.
ET CETERA
WEIGHTLIFTING: Andrei Rybakov of Belarus broke his world record in the snatch to win a gold medal at the world championships in Doha, Qatar. The 187-pounder finished with a 408-pound effort, seven better than his record of 2002.
TRACK: Sprinter Leo Bookman accepted a public warning from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for his positive test for salbutamol in May at the Jamaica International Invitational. A warning was issued rather than a suspension because it was Bookman's first offense.
