Golf Tips

Fred Couples has already promised Tiger Woods a place in the United States team for the Presidents Cup in November.

Former world number one Woods has not missed a Presidents Cup since making his debut in the 1998 competition.

He is reportedly keen to play in this year’s tournament in Melbourne but has struggled for form and fitness throughout 2011.

Couples had previously said Woods would need to justify his inclusion through his performances in the latter part of the season.

But speaking ahead of the Champions Tour Beijing Classic, the 51-year-old confirmed Woods would be among the US players to contest the tournament, to be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club between November 14-20.

“I’ve told him that he’s going to be on the team,” Couples said.

“There is no reason for me to wait till September 26 to pick Tiger.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Thousands of Minnesota sports fans have added an unusual specimen to their memorabilia collections.

The first 3,000 fans who visited the Metrodome during an open house Saturday were given a 4-inch square of Teflon-coated fiberglass.

The pieces were from the stadium’s former roof that collapsed in December.

Twelve-year-old Anne Bundy of Champlin tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press she really wanted a piece for her grandfather, an avid sports fan.

The open house gave visitors a good look at the new roof. Some fans grew nostalgic, recalling memories from the Minnesota Twins’ glory days. Others wondered whether it made sense to fix the roof while the Vikings are pushing for a new stadium in Arden Hills.

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EDISON, New Jersey – Dustin Johnson won The Barclays title on Saturday after shooting a six-under 65 to claim the weather-shortened opening event of the FedExCup playoffs with a 54-hole total of 19-under 194.

Matt Kuchar, who began the day with a one-stroke lead over fellow American Johnson and Vijay Singh of Fiji, fired a 68 to finish two strokes back.

The tournament, the first of the U.S. Tour’s season-ending, four-event series that pays the overall winner a $10 million bonus, was cut to 54 holes due to Hurricane Irene.

Matt Kuchar holds a oneshot lead after carding a second round sixunderpar 65 at The Barclays in New Jersey.

Dustin Johnson and Vijay Singh are one shot behind after rounds of 63 and 64 respectively.

However, the spectre of Hurricane Irene and its impending arrival has been hanging over the event and tournament officials have confirmed it has been reduced to 54 holes.

The plan is for the third and final round to start on Saturday morning in the hope it can be concluded before the rain arrives.

If not, it will revert to a 36hole tournament.

Kuchar wasted no time in heading to the top of the leaderboard on 14 under, with a bogeyfree round that included six birdies.

The American said: “The best players generally come out winners after 72, so for me, I feel like the more golf we play, the better my chances.

“But, given the situation, I love being on top of the leaderboard with 18 holes to go.”

Johnson also enjoyed a bogeyfree round and sunk eight birdies for an eightunderpar 63 as did Singh although he did have a bogey for a sevenunderpar 64.

Jonathan Byrd is one shot further back after a 66 with England’s Justin Rose and Padraig Harrington in a fourway tie for fifth along with Aaron Baddeley and Charley Hoffman.

Harrison Frazar and William McGirt, overnight leaders alongside Kuchar, were in a threeway tie for ninth after both carded rounds of twounderpar 69.

Graeme McDowell sits on five under after 36 holes.

DAEGU, South Korea – American Brittney Reese successfully defended her world long jump title with her first and only legitimate jump of 6.82 meters on Sunday.

The 24-year-old spent a mostly frustrating evening watching red flags waving but the first of her six attempts, while well short of her season’s best of 7.19 meters, proved good enough to retain the gold medal.

Reese was the first woman to successfully defend the world title since compatriot Jackie Joyner-Kersee in 1991 and her victory gave the United States their first medal of the championships.

Russian Olga Kucherenko of Russia stole the limelight from her glamorous compatriot Darya Klishina by taking silver with two jumps of 6.77, the latter coming with her final attempt to overhaul Reese.

Latvia’s Ineta Radevica snatched the bronze medal away from Belarussian Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanona with her final jump of 6.76.

Mironchyk-Ivanona was fourth ahead of Sweden’s three-times heptathlon world champion Carolina Kluft with Klishina a disappointing seventh.