Associated press
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. ó Boo Weekley’s first Verizon Heritage victory was a surprising relief. His latest? A joyful celebration that was a year overdue.
Weekley successfully defended his title Sunday at Harbour Town, closing with an even-par 71 for a three-stroke victory over Anthony Kim (71) and Aaron Baddeley (71).
Last year, Weekley needed chips-ins on the 71st and 72nd holes to beat Ernie Els by a stroke on a Monday morning for his first PGA Tour victory.
On Sunday, Weekley strode up the 18th fairway with the win very much in hand and the gallery chanting, “Boooo! Boooo!”
“I thought that you really won is when you stand there and pull the ball out of the hole and turn around to the crowd and say, ‘You know, hey, I am the champ,”‘ Weekley said. “I chipped it in back to back last year, and I didn’t get to stand there and turn to the crowd and do the fist pump.”
And Weekley was ready to oblige. He gave the gallery a thumb’s up as they loudly cheered, “Boooo!” He bowed to the fans and threw up his hands in triumph.
“I wanted to do the moonwalk, the belly-roll,” Weekley said.
– REUNION, Fla. ó Lorena Ochoa became the first LPGA Tour player in 45 years to win four tournaments in consecutive weeks.
Ochoa shot a 3-under 69 in the final round of the Ginn Open on Sunday and beat rookie Yani Tseng by three strokes for her fifth victory in six starts this year.
– LUTZ, Fla. ó Tom Watson successfully defended his Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am title, saving bogey after hitting into the water on No. 18 for a 1-under 70 and a one-stroke victory over Jay Haas and Scott Hoch.
TENNIS
CHARLESTON, S.C. ó Serena Williams captured the Family Circle Cup title Sunday, defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for her first clay court title since the 2002 French Open.
Williams’ third title of the year was expected to lift her to No. 6 in the rankings. She won earlier in Bangalore and Miami. She is 19-1 in matches this year after winning her 31st career title on the green clay here on a breezy, overcast afternoon.
– OEIRAS, Portugal ó Roger Federer ended a long drought with his first title of the year, and it took a leg injury to his opponent to ensure victory for the world’s top-ranked player.
Federer captured his 54th career title Sunday, winning the Estoril Open when second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko retired with a left leg injury while trailing 7-6 (5), 1-2.
Federer returned to his winning ways in his fifth tournament of the season. It had been eight years since Federer had needed so many events to reach a final. He won despite windy conditions and the fact that he was playing on his most challenging surface.
BOXING
LAS VEGAS ó Joe Calzaghe’s American adventure ended the way any European tourist’s first junket to Vegas should ó with a headache, exhaustion, indelible memories and a wallet full of cash.
The Pride of Wales’ debut fight in the United States also left him wanting another chance to try his luck.
Though he earned a split-decision victory over Bernard Hopkins on Saturday night with a tenacious late-round rally, Calzaghe was disappointed in the way he looked doing it. While both fighters could relax afterward with almost no marks on their faces, Calzaghe seemed even more disappointed in himself than Hopkins, who still insists he won the light heavyweight fight.
“I’m very critical of my performance,” said Calzaghe, who improved his record to 45-0. “Obviously, I’m very satisfied, but I felt that I didn’t fight my best. The fans didn’t get to see what I can really do, and a lot of that is because of how Bernard fights. He doesn’t try to win ó he just tries to make you lose.”
CHAMP CAR
LONG BEACH, Calif. ó Will Power led most of the way Sunday in the streets of Long Beach, winning the final race of the Champ Car World Series, the last remaining remnant of the 12-year rivalry between the newly unified American open-wheel series.
Less than 24 hours after a historic IRL victory by Danica Patrick, the first woman to win an IndyCar race, the final race for the series that began as CART in 1979 was run before a large, appreciative crowd. That included Patrick, who arrived after a 12-hour plane ride looking refreshed and very happy midway through the event.