Goggin holds Memorial lead after 7-under first round
Sharp putting helped Matthew Goggin shoot a 7-under 65 and take a one-stroke lead on Thursday at the Memorial.
Sorenstam struggles at her LPGA tournament
Annika Sorenstam’s name is everywhere at the Ginn Tribute except where she wanted it most - near the top of the leaderboard after Thursday’s opening round.
Sorenstam’s even-par 72 left her seven shots behind co-leaders Karrie Webb and In-Kyung Kim, and tied for 60th at RiverTowne Country Club.
Sophie Gustafson was third at 66. U.S. Open winner Cristie Kerr led a group of seven another stroke back at 67.
Strange fires 63, leads by 1 in Wales
Scott Strange made five straight birdies and shot an 8-under 63 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Edoardo Molinari in the first round of the Wales Open.
Wie shoots 4-under 68 at German Open
Michelle Wie shot a 3-under 69 to share fifth place at the Ladies German Open with about half the field in the clubhouse, trailing leader Nina Reis of Sweden by five strokes.
The 18-year-old American birdied three of the first five holes and made par the rest of the way at the Golfpark Gut Haeusern, north of Munich.
“I felt I was a little bit rusty.
Ochoa pulls out of Sorenstam’s tourney
Lorena Ochoa has withdrawn from this week’s Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika.
The world’s No. 1-ranked woman golfer said in a statement that her uncle was ill, and she needed to be with her family. Tournament organizers say she left for Mexico on Tuesday night.
Ochoa has won six times this season. She finished second at the Ginn Tribute last year, losing a playoff to Nicole Castrale.
Woods says he’s ‘on schedule’ for U.S. Open
Tiger’s knee wasn’t up for this week’s Memorial, but the world’s top golfer says he’s “on schedule” for the U.S. Open.
Els decides to play Memorial
Ernie Els changed his mind Tuesday and will play in the Memorial, a tournament he won four years ago.
Els surprised tournament officials Monday with a posting on his Web site that he would not play again until next week in the Stanford St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn.
But he changed that posting Tuesday.
“Originally, this week was going to be a gap in my schedule, but I’ve changed my mind and decided to play in the Memorial,” Els said.
Mickelson wins at Colonial on final putt
A bogey on 17 by Rod Pampling opened the door for Phil Mickelson, who birdied 18 to win at Colonial for the second time.
European and U.S. Tour heads make Olympic push
Leaders of the European and U.S. Tours have held discussions with IOC president Jacques Rogge over the possible inclusion of golf at the 2016 Olympics.
European Tour chief executive George O’Grady said he and U.S. Tour commissioner Tim Finchem met Rogge on Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the sport’s chances of joining the Olympics.
Nothing was agreed, O’Grady said.
Sorenstam struggles at her LPGA event (AP)
One LPGA Hall of Famer rose to the challenge at the Ginn Tribute. And, no, it wasn’t the tournament’s namesake host. Karrie Webb had five birdies and an eagle for a 65 to share the first-round lead with In-Kyung Kim on Thursday. Annika Sorenstam, whose first name is on everything from programs to tickets to caps at RiverTowne Country Club, was seven shots behind and tied for 60th.