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Golf briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 24, 2000

Kuchar begins professional career in style

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Matt Kuchar birdied the first hole of his pro career Thursday in a round of 3-under-par 69 that left him a stroke back in the Australian Open.

"It's definitely in my mind to win here," said Kuchar, the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion who recently graduated from Georgia Tech.

Australians Peter O'Malley and Paul Gow and New Zealand's Greg Turner opened with 68s, and Australia's Aaron Baddeley, the winner last year as an amateur, was a stroke back along with Kuchar, Australia's Robert Allenby and Sweden's Pierre Fulke.

Baddeley, who missed seven of eight cuts on the PGA Tour this year, made a sterling start in defense of his only title.

"I was looking forward to getting out there," said Baddeley, playing his first pro tournament in his home country. "I was a bit nervous, but I got a good drive away at the first, and everything was pretty good after that."

Kuchar, the low amateur in the 1998 Masters and U.S. Open, said he modeled his game after Australian Greg Norman's.

"Greg has been great to me," Kuchar said. "He has always been a role model of mine. I have emulated his swing, and I have tried to conduct myself in the same way he does."

Norman, who won the Australian Open in 1995, when it was last played at Kingston Heath, shot 72. England's Nick Faldo opened with 71, and American Mark O'Meara had 76.

AJGA POLO JUNIOR CLASSIC: Brittany Lincicome of Pinellas Park defeated defending champion Naree Song Wongluekiet of Bradenton in the Girls Division at Lake Buena Vista. After beating Wongluekiet, Lincicome toppled defending U.S. Girls champion Lisa Ferrero 1 up. In the Boys Division, defending champ Nick Dougherty advanced with two wins. Ben Spitz, the top seed, was beaten by Ryan Baca.

JAPAN LPGA: Junko Yasui, bidding for her fourth title of the year, shot 4-under 68 in Sadohara for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the $550,000 championship. The tournament, one of the Japanese tour's three majors, is the last event of the season.

CASIO WORLD OPEN: Japan's Katsunori Kuwabara shot 7-under 65 in Kaimon, Japan, to take a two-stroke lead after the first round. Kuwabara, seeking his first title of the season and third overall, had seven birdies in a bogey-free round on the Ibusuki Golf Club course.

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