Associated Press
The golf roundup …
MEMPHIS, Tenn. ó Brian Gay played his way into the U.S. Open in his last possible chance, completing a wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic.
Gay earned his berth at Bethpage Black with his second win in his last five events and third of his career. He beat David Toms and Bryce Molder by five strokes to grab the Open exemption as a multiple winner in the last calendar year.
He grabbed the $1,008,000 winner’s check at TPC Southwind in runaway style, too.
Gay led by only a stroke after each of the first three rounds, then shot a third straight 4-under 66 to pull away.
Phil Mickelson, in his first event since announcing wife Amy has breast cancer, and John Daly, returning from a six-month PGA Tour suspension, tied for 59th at one-over. Mickelson closed with a 75, and Daly shot a 70.
– HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. ó Anna Nordqvist completed a long day and a memorable week in splendid fashion, shooting a 4-under 68 on Sunday to become the second straight rookie to win the LPGA Championship.
– KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó Kevin Johnson tied the Nationwide Tour career victory record and moved within a win of an in-season promotion to the PGA Tour, beating Bradley Iles with a birdie on the second playoff hole in the Knoxville Open.
GREEN UPDATE
JACKSON, Miss. ó Champions Tour golfer Ken Green, who was injured in a recreational vehicle crash in Mississippi that killed his brother and girlfriend, will have his lower right leg amputated, his agent said Sunday.
Kevin Richardson said Green is struggling with the “double whammy” of the deaths and his own career-threatening injuries.
“Initially they were hoping to save the leg, but as the days went on it became apparent there was too much structural damage,” Richardson said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
PINEHURST
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. ó The USGA plans to hold the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 a week apart in 2014, according to a published report.
Golf World magazine, citing sources it did not identify, said the USGA would announce the unusual doubleheader this week. It would be the first time the men and women played the U.S. Open on the same course in the same year, let alone in consecutive weeks.
USGA spokesman Rand Jerris said no decision had been made on the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
The U.S. Open already is scheduled for Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, the third time in 15 years its premier championship has been played on the Donald Ross course.