Rain washes out Friday's play at LPGA's Sybase Classic on Friday

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) - The only people on the golf course at Wykagyl Country Club on Friday had squeegees in their hands. <br/><br/>Heavy rain and a saturated course forced LPGA officials to cancel

Friday, May 19th 2006, 8:34 am

By: News On 6

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) - The only people on the golf course at Wykagyl Country Club on Friday had squeegees in their hands.

Heavy rain and a saturated course forced LPGA officials to cancel play at the Sybase Classic.

Two friends among three tied for first-round lead at LPGA's Sybase Classic

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) - Natalie Gulbis and Beth Bauer are sharing more than just a good friendship.

The two, who battled it out for LPGA rookie of the year honours in 2002, and Hee-Won Han were tied for the first-round lead at the Sybase Classic on Thursday with 3-under-par 68s. The golfers attracting the most attention coming into the 72-hole event at the 6,227-yard Wykagyl Country Club course were both four shots behind the leaders. Paula Creamer, who won this tournament last year four days before her high school graduation, and Annika Sorenstam, who missed the cut last week for the first time since 2002, had 1-over 72s.

Cink takes lead at Colonial; Ames among group of five one stroke back

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Stewart Cink was swinging and thinking well during the first round of the Colonial. Combined with an uncharacteristic light breeze on a pristine course, the result was predictable.

"It almost feels like it's too easy to play," Cink said after shooting 6-under 64 Thursday. Cink wasn't alone. Only a stroke back at 65 were long-hitting Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson, Arron Oberholser, Charley Hoffman and Calgary's Stephen Ames, who briefly got to 7 under before running into trouble. Defending champion Kenny Perry was among eight golfers who shot 66, a group which included Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont.

Golf star Greg Norman says his 25-year-old marriage is over

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SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Golfer Greg Norman says his 25-year marriage to his wife Laura is over.

"Laura and I will be getting a divorce and both of us obviously want to have our privacy protected," the Florida-based Norman told the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday. Norman, 51, had been in Australia for the past two weeks but revealed the breakup before returning to the United States on his jet.

Irish Open marked by delays, high winds, McGinley withdrawal

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MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AP) - Iain Pyman shot a 2-under 70 to take the clubhouse lead in the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday, when wind and rain kept half the field from finishing 18 holes.

Spain's Ignacio Garrido was atop the leaderboard at 3 under through six, while Ireland's David Higgins and Englishmen Andrew Marshall and Tom Whitehouse all were at 2 under not having finished their first nine. Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington were a stroke back after 71s and in the clubhouse with Pyman.

Annika Sorenstam back after missing a cut for first time since 2002

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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) - Annika Sorenstam had two unexpected days off last weekend.

Instead of checking leaderboards and reading greens at the Michelob Ultra Open, she was home spending time with friends in Orlando, Fla., after missing the cut in an LPGA Tour event for the first time since 2002.

Kenny Perry back from knee surgery to defend 2005 Colonial title

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Kenny Perry was laid up in bed recovering from knee surgery two months ago, forced to watch the Bay Hill Invitational on television instead of being there to defend his title.

"It was just disgusting," Perry said. "I didn't even go back and get to enjoy being the defending champion. I was laying there thinking, 'I've got to somehow get back to Colonial."'

U.S. Open champ Campbell lukewarm on Michelle Wie playing European Masters

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MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AP) - U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell is lukewarm about Michelle Wie playing at the European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in September.

The 16-year-old Hawaiian has accepted an exemption to play in the Sept. 7-10 event in Switzerland - her first on the European men's tour - and is also attempting to qualify for this year's U.S. Open.

U.S. Open champion Campbell prepares for defence at Irish Open

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MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AP) - Defending U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell was forced to hand over the winning trophy last week - and it hurt.

"I had to give it back," said the New Zealander, who is among the favourites when play begins Thursday in the Irish Open.

Former PGA Championship winner Elkington eyes injury comeback at Macau Open

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HONG KONG (AP) - Former PGA Championship winner Australian Steve Elkington hopes to come back strong from a recent groin injury in his debut at the $300,000 US Macau Open starting Thursday.

"The injury fully healed three weeks ago. I stayed at home for around a month and played golf every day. Only problem with the groin is that you can't push off as much. It's like a strain. But now I have no problems at all," said Elkington, a 10-time PGA winner, including his 1995 triumph at the PGA Championship.

Golf legend Arnold Palmer withdraws from Senior PGA Championship

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Arnold Palmer withdrew from the Senior PGA Championship on Tuesday because of concerns he wouldn't be competitive.

The 76-year-old Palmer had planned to make the tournament next week at Oak Tree his first Champions Tour start of the year. He hasn't played competitively since February, when he teamed with Peter Jacobsen in the Champions Skins Game in Hawaii.

Michelle Wie beginning to build her legend with small victories

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(AP) - In a span of 12 hours, Michelle Wie made headlines in three parts of the world stretching across 12 time zones.

She accepted an invitation to play the Omega Masters in Switzerland, which will make her the first woman to compete in a continental European PGA Tour event. A few hours later, the 16-year-old received a special exemption to the U.S. Women's Open in Newport, R.I., which is sure to infuriate Morgan Pressel and others who believe she should have had to qualify.

Sawgrass torn up with overhaul on schedule, but the weather was nice

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A pile of dirt was all that remained from what used to be the TPC at Sawgrass clubhouse. The driving range looked more like a dirt bike track. There was a shovel in the middle of the first green, not a flagstick. The island green on the par-3 17th resembled a pie shell, ready to be filled with pumps, pipes, gravel, dirt and grass.

It was enough to make PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem take a deep breath.

Play abandoned at rumbling Mount Merapi's golf course next to volcano

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MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia (AP) - The caddies have fled. A pair of cleaning ladies squat beneath the shade of a tree close to the 18th hole. The club's manager sits and smokes, knowing he is in for a quiet couple of weeks.

When dormant, the volcano that gives Golf Merapi club its name is its biggest draw.

This week's golf tournaments

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(AP) - A look at this week's tournaments around the world:

Teen sensation Wie advances with even-par round in local U.S. Open qualifier

KAHUKU, Hawaii (AP) - Michelle Wie wanted to do something special for her mother's birthday. Mission accomplished.

Wie moved a step closer in her long-shot bid to become the first female player to qualify for the U.S. Open, shooting an even-par 72 on Monday to win a local qualifier. "Awesome," she said after a USGA official told her the results were official. The USGA believes she is the first woman to get through local qualifying for the U.S. Open. Wie and two other players advanced to sectional play next month, with Wie saying she will play in the June 5 36-hole sectional at Canoe Brook in Summit, N.J.

Six-time champ Rick Rhoden out of this year's Tahoe celeb golf

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STATELINE, Nev. (AP) - Rick Rhoden, who has won the annual celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe a record six times, is ineligible to play this year because of his status on the Champions Tour, sponsors said Monday.

It will be the first time since 1990 the former major league pitcher will miss the American Century Celebrity Championship, where he's won a record $812,289 US. After failing to qualify the three previous years, the former major league pitcher earned a conditional card for the Champions Tour by tying for 10th at the Q-School last November.

Michelle Wie to play first European tour event, exempted to U.S. Women's Open

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NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - Michelle Wie had a busy day. And now she has a busy summer ahead of her.

The 16-year-old phenom received another exemption to the U.S. Women's Open and accepted her first exemption to a European tour men's event Monday, the same day she shot an even-par 72 to win a local qualifier in Hawaii for the men's U.S. Open. Wie and two other players advanced to sectional play next month, with Wie saying she will play in the June 5 36-hole sectional at Canoe Brook in Summit, N.J. The USGA believes she's the first woman to get through local qualifying for the U.S. Open.