Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 11, 2000
Ex-Ryder Cup captain has cancer
VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Former European Ryder Cup captain Mark James has cancer and will undergo chemotherapy.
The 46-year-old Englishman has withdrawn from the European Tour's next five tournaments.
"I have been diagnosed with lymphoma and, pending further tests, expect to be starting chemotherapy soon," James said Tuesday. "I would be grateful if the media would respect my privacy at this time."
Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, which conveys electrolytes, water, proteins and other fluids into the blood stream. Without treatment, the cancer can spread quickly to other parts of the body. James captained the European Ryder Cup team in 1999, when the United States rallied to win on the final day in Brookline, Mass.
James was highly critical of the U.S. team for celebrating after a 45-foot putt by Justin Leonard on the 17th green.
James was selected as Sam Torrance's vice captain for the 2001 Ryder Cup team. But he was forced to resign because of his book Into the Bear Pit, which chronicled the 1999 Ryder Cup.
The book harshly criticized Nick Faldo, former European Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin and the behavior of the U.S. team. Faldo urged James' resignation.
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court refused to revive a lawsuit that accused the U.S. Golf Association of unlawfully trying to dominate the business of calculating individual golfers' handicaps.
The court turned down Handicomp Inc.'s argument that it should be allowed to pursue its claim that the USGA gave unfair advantages to the company it created to compete with firms such as Handicomp.
Handicomp is a Michigan company that began providing computerized calculations of golfers' handicaps to regional golf associations in 1968.
In 1981, the USGA, which governs golf in the United States, formed the Golf Handicap & Information Network to begin selling handicap calculations.
Handicomp's lawyers contended that the USGA eventually signed exclusive contracts with more than 70 percent of the 94 state and regional golf associations.
Handicomp sued the USGA in 1996, accusing it of unlawfully monopolizing the handicap-computing service.
A federal judge in Trenton, N.J., ruled for the golf association in April 1999. Handicomp did not show that the USGA did anything to control prices or harm competition, the judge said, adding that any financial losses Handicomp suffered were caused by increased competition.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, saying Handicomp did not show competition had been harmed.
A "skilled teenage hacker" would have no trouble creating the computer program to produce handicap figures, the appeals court said.
In the appeal acted on Tuesday, Handicomp's lawyers said the lower courts ignored evidence that the USGA "abuses its position as golf's supposedly neutral governing body in order to gain competitive advantages" for its handicap-computing company. Among other things, the lawyers said, the golf association changed the rules for setting handicaps to ban innovations offered by other firms.
LPGA PURSE INCREASE: The Evian Masters in France is not a major championship, but it is becoming a major event on the LPGA Tour schedule. The total purse will be $2.1-million next year, up $300,000 and second only to the U.S. Open in prize money. First place will be worth $378,000.
"Our goal is to have the Evian Masters attain the same status and prestige for the women that the Masters in Augusta has for the men," tournament chairman Franck Riboud said Monday.
The tournament will be played June 13-16, a week before the LPGA Championship.