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Lucas Glover hung on to win the 2009 U.S. Open.  He wasn’t brilliant shooting a +3, but did enough to earn the victory.

Phil Mickelson made a run, but bogeyed the 15th and 17th to finish even.  Considering the limited amount of play Phil has had since his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, Phil’s play was remarkable.

Tiger Woods was one under to finish four strokes back.

David Duval was in the running, but was one over for the day to finish two strokes back.

Ricky Barnes entered the last round as the leader, but shot a +6 to finish two strokes back.

Ross Fisher was the top European finisher at -1.

For the first time in recent history Tiger Woods will not be the sentimental favorite for a major.  When the best golfers in the world tee off at Bethpage State Park (Black Course) in Farmingdale, NY, Phil Mickelson will have the heart of the country behind him.  His wife Amy was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and after a short break to be by his wife’s side, he rejoined the tour last week for the St. Jude Classic.  Phil was off to a great start entering Sunday at -4.  He shot a 75 (+5) to finish tied for 59th at one over.  Not bad for a rusty guy.  Brian Gay ran away from the field with a -18, five strokes better than runner ups David Toms and Bryce Molder.

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

The U.S. Open will be about Tiger and Phil initially though.  Tiger won last year’s Open in dramatic fashion over Rocco Mediate despite playing on an injured knee.  With a little luck the two will be paired up on Sunday in a match for the ages.  This time America will be on Phil’s side.

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

As I suspected when Phil and Amy first went public with her breast cancer, Phil Mickelson will play in next week’s St. Jude’s Classic and then in the U.S. Open.  Golf has become such a major part of their lives that I knew he would take part in one of the biggest events, especially at Bethpage Black.  I imagine that Amy more than gave her blessing for Phil to plau.  He will likely resume his leave after the Open as his wife undergoes treatment.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Mickelsons on her road to recovery.

The Phillies acquired Matt Stairs for a Minor Leaguer.  Josh Beckett (elbow) landed on the DL.  Carl Pavano pitched well.  Dustin Pedroia hit cleanup.  He is probably the smallest cleanup hitter since the Dead Ball Era.  Frank Thomas landed on the DL.  C.C. Sabathia threw a Complete Game one-hit Shutout.  Jeff Kent will have knee surgery.  Arizona acquired David Eckstein for a Minor Leaguer.  Cliff Lee threw a Shutout to improve to 20-2.  He’s amazing.  Adrian Beltre and Stephen Drew each hit for the Cycle.  Troy Percival and Joba Chamberlain came off the DL.  An A-Rod HR was the first reviewed via Instant Replay.  The call on the field stood.  Carlos Zambrano has rotator cuff tendinitis.  That darn goat. 

Chad Johnson officially became Chad Ocho Cinco.  Dude isn’t smart enough to figure out that Ocho Cinco means eight five not eighty-five.  Bryant McKinnie got suspended four games for being big, dumb, and aggressive.  Cincy cut Rudi Johnson.  He caught on with Detroit.  Joey Harrington was cut by Atlanta.  Houston cut Rosevelt Colvin.  Tampa cut Chris Simms.  Philly cut Jerome McDougle.  He caught on with the Giants.  The Pats cut John Lynch and Chad Jackson.  Kevin Faulk got suspended for a game for smoking weed.  Speaking of weed, Ricky Williams signed a one-year extension with Miami.  Jacksonville T Richard Collier was shot.  Joe Flacco will start the opener for Baltimore.  Pittsburgh sent Sean Mahan to Tampa for a late draft pick.  Denver sent CB Domonique Foxworth to Atlanta for a late pick.  Kyle Boller was placed on the Injured Reserve.  Tom Brady finally practiced.  Tatum Bell took Rudi Johnson’s bags as a parting gift when Rudi replaced him on the Lions’ roster.  Deion Branch may give it a go this weekend despite tearing his knee in the playoffs. Daunte Culpepper retired.  Plaxico Burress signed a five-year $35 million extension.  Then he went out and helped the Giants beat Washington.  Willie Anderson signed a three-year deal with Baltimore.

Patrick Ewing, Jr. was traded to the Knicks from Houston for Frederic Weis.  Houston’s Chuck Hayes had surgery on his broken nose.  Donyell Marshall signed with the Sixers.  Miami signed Jamaal Magloire.  Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were dumb enough to bring marijuana to rookie camp.  I wonder who reminds them to inhale and exhale.  Oklahoma City will be known as Thunder.  Manu Ginobili had his ankle scoped.

Ottawa traded Andrej Meszaros to Tampa Bay for Fikip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and a first-round draft pick.  Toronto sent Bryan McCabe and a draft pick to Florida for Mike Van Ryn.  Nashville suspended RW Alexander Radulov for not re-joining the team.  He’s opting to stay in Russia.  St. Louis signed first rounder Alex Pietrangelo.  Atlanta signed first-rounder Zach Bogosian.

Jim Tressel tweaked his contract to make him the highest paid coach in the Big Ten.  Florida State RB Tavares Pressley (knee) will miss the season.  JoePa tied Bobby Bowden with his 373rd Win.  Michigan lost their opener to Utah.  #24 Alabama crushed #9 Clemson 34-10.  East Carolina upset #17 Virginia Tech.  Bowling Green beat #25 Pitt.  Texas DT Lamarr Houston got popped for a DUI.  Georgia lost DT Jeff Owens (knee) for the year.  USC took over #1.  Ohio State’s Beanie Wells hurt his foot in a blowout win.  He’ll miss this week’s game.  UCLA beat Tennessee.  Penn State suspended Maurice Evans, Abe Koroma, and Andrew Quarless after they got busted with weed.

Keon Lawrence is transferring from Missouri to Seton Hall. 

#3 Svetlana Kuznetsova got beat in the U.S. Open by Katarina Srebotnik.  Lindsay Davenport was beat by Marion Bartoli.  #5 Nikolay Davydenko was beat by Gilles Muller.  This time Serena beat Venus.  Leander Paes and Cara Black won the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles title.  Novak Djokovic beat Andy Roddick.

Jimmie Johnson won the Pepsi 500.  Kyle Busch won Nationwide’s Camping World 300 at Auto Club Speedway.

Vijay Singh won the Deutsche Bank Championship.  Camilo Villegas won the Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge.  Gregory Havret won the Johnnie Walker Championship (European Tour).  Jeff Sluman won the First Tee Open (Champions Tour).   Just because he’s not golfing doesn’t mean Tiger isn’t busy.  He has another baby on the way.

That concludes the Tidbits. As always feel free to add any stories you liked this week in sports or discuss any of the stories I mentioned.  Be sure to check out my Links Page for some great sites.

The Lakers took Game 5 from the Celtics.  A steal, which was totally a foul, by Kobe sealed the deal for the Lakers.  I can see in traffic getting away with a foul, but missing it in the open court in inexcusable.  Kevin Garnett was useless on offense.  The Celtics hammered the Lakers at home to take home the franchise’s 17th NBA Title.  Paul Pierce was the MVP.  Ray Allen and KG had great games in the clincher.  Carmelo Anthony was named to the Olympic team.  Toronto cut Jorge Garbajosa.
 

Willie Randolph was cowardly fired in the middle of the night.  I wonder if it came via text message.  Mike Mussina won 260th career game, which gave him 10 on the year, which he’s done for 17th straight years.  His teammate didn’t have the same good fortunes as Chien-Ming Wang will miss several months to a foot injury.  The Mariners fired GM Bill Bavasi.  Signing Carlos Silva to a four-year, $48 million deal will put your head on the chopping block.  They didn’t stop they.  The M’s also fired Manager John McLaren.  Detroit brought P Fernando Rodney off the DL.  One man’s (Texas Rangers) trash (Sidney Ponson) is another man’s (Yankees)…err….trash.  The Yanks signed Ponson to help fill the void Wang’s injury created.  The Yanks have won 7 straight.  The Rays signed their top pick.
 

Chad Johnson finally took part in practice.  Later he had ankle surgery.  Former teammate Chris Henry won’t be playing at time soon.  He was suspended for being an idiot.  Javon Walker was robbed in Vegas.  No word on Cedric Benson’s whereabouts during the crime.  Rosevelt Colvin signed with the Texans.  Chicago signed Tommie Harris to a four-year, $40 million extension.
 

Alexander Ovechkin won the Hart Trophy (MVP), Art Ross Trophy (Points), Maurice Richard Trophy (Goals), and the Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding).  Nicklas Lidstrom won the James Norris Memorial Trophy (Defenseman).  Patrick Kane won the Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie).  Pavel Datsyuk won the Frank J. Selke Trophy (Defensive Forward) and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportmanship).  Bruce Boudreau wont the Jack Adams Award (Coach).  Chris Osgoood and Dominik Hasek won the William M. Jennings Trophy (Goalie).  Florida hired Peter DeBoer to be their next Coach.  Pittsburgh offered G Marc-Andre Fleury arbitration.  Nashville signed D Ryan Suter to a four-year deal worth $14 million.  Philly traded the rights to LW Vaclav Prospal to Tampa Bay for a late draft pick.  Igor Larionov, Glenn Anderson, Ray Scapinello and Ed Chynoweth were elected to the Hockey Hall ofa Fame.
  
 
BYU’s Lee Cummard, UNC’s Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green, Texas’ A.J. Abrams, Cal State-Fullerton’s Josh Akognon, Memphis’ Robert Dozier, Tennessee-Martin’s Lester Hudson, Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo, Alabama’s Ronald Steele, UAB’s Robert Vaden, and Arizona’s Chase Budinger will return to school after flirting with the NBA Draft.  Coach Jeff Reynolds signed a five-year deal with Air Force.  Southeast Missouri got placed on probation for two years by the NCAA.

 
Arkansas State suspended RB Preston Brown and DB Marlon Douglas for the season for violations.  Notre Dame will remain on NBC through the 2015 season.  Oh joy.

 
Tiger Woods celebrated his first Father’s Day with a dramatic putt on 18 to send the U.S. Open to a playoff.  After 90 holes Tiger and Rocco Mediate remained even.  In the first round of sudden death, Tiger was able to capture his 14th major.  Hey Jack.  Tigers in your rear view mirror are closer than they appear.  Unfortnately for Tiger, his season is over as he’ll have another knee surgery to repair his torn ACL and stress fractures.
 
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway, which is pretty cool because it was on Father’s Day.  Joey Logano won the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Kentucky Speedway.

That concludes the Tidbits. As always feel free to add any stories you liked this week in sports or discuss any of the stories I mentioned.
 
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