Sports Report: Sergio Garcia Takes First PGA Tour Win In 4 Years

Sergio Garcia"s Best Golf Shots from 2015 BMW European Masters

NBA:

In the NBA playoffs, Oklahoma City bested Golden State 133-105 to take a 2-1 series lead.

NHL:

In the NHL playoffs, Tampa Bay topped Pittsburgh 4-3 to take a 3-2 series lead.

Connor McDavid scored in the first period and Matt Ducheneadded an empty netter to give Canada a 2-0 win over Finland for the gold medal at the ice hockey world championship. Cam Talbot made 16 saves to help Canada to its 26th title, one short of the combined Soviet and Russiaa record. Canada becomes the first team to repeat as champ since Russia in 2009. Host Russia routed the United States 7-2 to win the bronze medal.

MLB:

In baseball, in the American League, Boston beat Cleveland 5-2 and are now tied with Baltimore for first place in the AL East. Jackie Bradley Jr. has stretched his hitting streak to 27 games, but it was a Red Sox veteran who helped the team win the rubber match of a three-game series with Cleveland. Meanwhile the Yankees edged Oakland 5-4, Toronto won against Minnesota 3-1, Texas defeated Houston 9-2, Detroit beat Tampa Bay 9-4, the White Sox slid past Kansas City 3-2, and it was the Angels over Baltimore 10-2.

In the National League, the Mets beat Milwaukee 3-1, Washington topped Miami 8-2, Philadelphia blanked Atlanta 5-0, Arizona defeated St. Louis 7-2, the Dodgers won against San Diego 9-5 in 17 innings, and it was San Francisco over the Cubs 1-0.

In interleague play Seattle beat Cincinnati 5-4.

WNBA:

In the WNBA, Atlanta beat Chicago 87-81 and it was Minnesota over Seattle 78-71.

NFL:

Jacksonville has signed top draft pick Jalen Ramsey to a four-year contract, a deal expected to be worth more than $23 million and include a $15 million signing bonus under the NFL"s rookie salary slotting system. The cornerback sustained a small meniscus tear in his right knee during an on-field workout earlier this week. The fifth overall pick in the draft is scheduled to meet with renowned specialist Dr. James Andrews early next week to see if he"ll need surgery.

PGA:

Sergio Garcia ended a four-year winless drought on the PGA Tour when he beat Brooks Koepkain a playoff at the Byron Nelson. Garcia parred the first extra hole, while Koepka had a double bogey after wasting a three-stroke lead on the back nine. It was the ninth tour win for Garcia, which ties him with the late Seve Ballesterosfor the most by a Spaniard.

Rory McIlroy has finally shaken off his struggles at the Irish Open. McIlroy shot a 3-under 69 to win the tournament he hosts by three shots. The third-ranked McIlroy had failed to make the Irish Open cut since 2012, and his previous best was seventh place in 2008.

LPGA:

Thailand"s Airya Jutanugarn shot a nearly mistake-free 4-under 67 and won the Kingsmill Championship by one shot. It"s the second straight win for the 20-year old after her inaugural victory two weeks ago in Alabama. So Oh finished second after a closing 65, with Gerina Piller and Sei Young Kim sharing third, two shots back.

Swimming:

Ray Essick, the first executive director of USA Swimming, has died. He was 82. He died Saturday at a care facility in Colorado Springs, according to USA Swimming, which learned of his death from a family friend. No cause was given Sunday. Essick guided the sport"s U.S. governing body from its formation in 1980 until his retirement in 1997.

Soccer:

The United States prepared for the upcoming Copa America competition with a 3-1 exhibition win over Puerto Rico. Paul Arriola had a goal and an assist in his national team debut. Tim Ream and Bobby Wood also scored for the Americans.

IndyCar:

James Hinchcliffe has continued his remarkable comeback by beating American Josef Newgarden for the Indianapolis 500 pole. The Canadian driver earned his first IndyCar pole with a four-lap average of 230.760 mph, a year after a life-threatening leg injury forced him out of the race. Newgarden will start second in the May 29 race after averaging 230.700.

Horse Racing:

Now Power took command shortly after the start on her way to a 2 1/2-length victory Sunday in the $77,000 allowance feature for fillies and mares on the turf at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Joel Rosario improved to 2 for 7. The time was 1:40.93 for the 1 1/16 miles. Now Power paid $13, $5.30 and $3.10. Dea rallied for second, returning $3.20 and $2.50. I"ll Take Charge paid $4.20 to show.

Full Salute won a four-horse battle in the deep stretch in the $42,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Sunday, beating El Grande Rojo by a nose. Ridden by Paco Lopez and trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., the 3-year-old colt led for most of the race before he lost and regained the lead in the closing strides. Full Salute ran the six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.79, winning for the fourth time in nine career starts. Full Salute returned $8, $4.20 and $2.80, while El Grande Rojo paid $5.40 and $2.80. D C Dancer finished a nose back in third and paid $2.60, while Mewannarose was a neck back in fourth.

Tennis:

Two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova had to rally to win her first-round match on Day 1 of the French Open. The 10th seed won the last three games to defeat Danka Kovinic 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 on a rainy day in Paris. Last year"s runner-up, Lucie Safarova, made it into Round 2 with a 6-love, 6-2 win over Vitalia Diatchenko. Those were two of only 10 matches completed on Day 1 due to rain. Men"s fifth seed Kei Nishikori was leading his opening-round match 6-1, 7-5, 2-1 when it was suspended. American Jack Sock will start the fifth set of his first-round match on Monday.

2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://wamc.org/post/sports-report-sergio-garcia-takes-first-pga-tour-win-4-years

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Hlas: Four ex-Hawkeyes beat Sergio Garcia in U.S. Open qualifier

Sergio Garcia Great Golf Shots 2015 Players Championship

May 17, 2016 at 1:12 pm | Print View

CEDAR RAPIDS Sergio Garcia is a fine golfer, but was no match for Sean McCarty Monday.

The longtime head pro at Coralvilles Brown Deer Golf Club outscored Garcia and 73 other players in the U.S. Open local qualifier at the Cedar Rapids Country Club, and joined three other players in advancing to June 6 sectional qualifying that will determine spots for the June 16-10 Open in Oakmont, Pa.

OK, it wasnt THAT Sergio Garcia, not the winner of 28 professional tourneys globally. Instead, it was a junior on the St. Ambrose University mens golf team, who carded a 79 on the course that played at par-72 Monday.

A 79 wasnt too bad this day, with the course playing fast and firm and the greens slick, to say the least. McCarty got the fourth and final qualifying spot with a 75. He finished the round with a couple of unsatisfying pars and didnt believe it when he was told he might want to hang around the course a while to see if he finished in the top four.

I thought I had no prayer, McCarty said. Then I watched the scores come in, and wow.

This isnt McCartys first push at a U.S. Open berth. He said its got to be six times he has advanced out of a local qualifier to a sectional. In 2003, he made the Open field.

It seems like yesterday, McCarty said. That journey began with a local qualifier at the CRCC. Hes 43 now, and still has game.

I like to compete, he said.

When told he beat Sergio Garcia, McCarty said Thats hilarious. I beat Mickelson, too.

No, not Phil Mickelson. Matt Mickelson of Lamoni shot 79.

The other players who advanced Monday were Nate McCoy of Ankeny and Charlie Delsman of Hartland, Wis., who had 73s, and Aaron Krueger of Des Moines, who shot a 74.

Like McCarty, Krueger is a former University of Iowa golfer. McCarty was an All-American for the Hawkeyes in 1995. Krueger, the head pro at Des Moines Wakonda Club, graduated in 2003. Hes a young pup, McCarty said.

Ex-Hawkeyes Gene Elliott and Steven Ihm shot 76s.

Im very surprised, Krueger said about qualifying with his score. The golf course played incredibly hard today.

Krueger qualified for the PGA Championship in 2014. This is the first time he has advanced out of an Open local qualifier.

So what about this Sergio Garcia fellow? Like the famous one, he is from Spain. This Sergio left home to play on the mens golf team at Ashford University in Clinton, then transferred to St. Ambrose in Davenport after Ashford dropped its golf program.

He shot a 70 for St. Ambrose at Quad Cities TPC Deere Run in the second round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, and was the tourneys runner-up. h**l play the same course with the Fighting Bees on May 24-27 in the NAIA National Championships.

He said came to Cedar Rapids for the experience of being able to say I played in a U.S. qualifier.

Even though I didnt play that well, I liked the course. It felt like I was playing in a U.S. Open.

Naturally, Garcia is often asked or teased about his name.

The first couple of holes, players always joke about it, he said. Its funny.

When I saw the tee times I said Hey! It sits in the back of your mind for a second, said Tanner Megal, assistant pro at CRCC and one of Garcias playing partners Monday.

Hes a real good player, too.

The amateur Sergio met the pro Sergio in 2010 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. The older Garcias manager noticed the boy when he saw he was wearing a Spanish flag on his clothing.

After the boy showed the manager an ID with his name on it, a meeting of the Sergio Garcias was arranged. The boy was the recipient of a hat, gloves and golf b***s from his namesake.

Hes a really nice guy, and a pretty good role model to follow, Garcia said.

But what else would you expect Sergio Garcia to say about Sergio Garcia?

Source: http://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/hlas-two-ex-hawkeyes-beat-sergio-garcia-in-us-open-qualifier-20160516

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