Johnson wins shortened Pebble Beach Pro-Am
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Some 40 hours after hitting his last shot, Dustin Johnson won the AT&T Pebble Beach (Calif.) National Pro-Am yesterday when rain created a small river through one fairway and flooded greens, forcing officials to cancel the final round.
Johnson built a four-shot lead Saturday with a 67 at Poppy Hills, holing a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that figured to give him a cushion going into the final round. But it was never played.
Rain and wind strong enough to topple a 40-foot tree suspended the final round Sunday, and nearly 1 1/2 inches of rain and a forecast for more gloom along the Monterey Peninsula left the PGA Tour no choice but to declare Johnson the winner.
Johnson moves up to No. 45 in the world, qualifying for the Accenture Match Play Championship next week. He also qualified for the first two majors of the year, including his first trip to the Masters.
BASEBALL
A-ROD TO MEET PRESS
Alex Rodriguez will have a thick pinstriped wall of New York Yankees looking on during his news conference today, with teammates coalescing around A-Rod following his admission that he used banned drugs.
The Yankees still didn't know how many specifics of his drug use Rodriguez planned to divulge when he speaks in the tent behind the third-base stands at Steinbrenner Field.
"I don't think it's necessary in my eyes that he answer every detail," manager Joe Girardi said yesterday.
NFL
JAGUARS RELEASE TAYLOR
Running back Fred Taylor wanted to end his career in Jacksonville, hoping to join the small list of standout players who spent an entire career with the same team. He won't get the chance.
The Jaguars released Taylor yesterday, parting ways with their all-time leading rusher after 11 seasons and continuing the team's offseason makeover.
Coach Jack Del Rio flew to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., earlier yesterday to meet with Taylor and deliver the news. Del Rio made it clear the team has no plans to re-sign Taylor, who turned 33 last month and was scheduled to make $6 million next season.
NBA
SUNS SUSPEND PLAYER
The Phoenix Suns have suspended Jason Richardson for one game without pay as the result of his arrest on allegations he was driving 55 mph above the limit with his unrestrained 3-year-old son in the car.
In a brief statement yesterday, the Suns said Richardson would miss today's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers "for conduct detrimental to the team."
A Scottsdale police officer first saw Richardson driving 67 mph in a 40 mph zone Sunday night and followed him, police said yesterday. That's when the officer clocked him at 90 mph in a 35 mph zone and pulled him over.
Police said Richardson admitted to speeding and identified himself as a Suns player. The officer saw Richardson's son in the back seat of the car and that he was not in a child seat.
Also yesterday, the Suns fired coach Terry Porter, just four months into his first season with the club and the sputtering team barely in playoff contention. Assistant Alvin Gentry was appointed interim coach.
CYCLING
ARMSTRONG CRASHES
Lance Armstrong took a spill when he got tangled with a motorcycle, and still moved up a spot in the overall standings yesterday at the Tour of California after a rainy and crash-filled second stage in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, Calif., became the third different race leader. He emerged from a chasing group on the final climb with about 17 miles left before finishing a close second to stage winner Thomas Peterson of North Bend, Wa.
Peterson was victorious in the 115.9-mile Sausalito to Santa Cruz road race in 5 hours, 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
Armstrong, who began the day in fifth place, is now fourth, 30 seconds behind. He finished 13th in the stage.
"I don't feel too bad, hip is a little banged up but overall a great day," Armstrong said.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
GATOR ARRESTED
Florida offensive lineman Carl Johnson was arrested yesterday and charged with violating a domestic violence restraining order.
According to Alachua County (Fla.) records, Johnson last week was ordered to stay away from a woman but was arrested early yesterday afternoon after he allegedly followed her off a bus.
Johnson, 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, was being held in the Alachua County jail late last night.
Florida coach Urban Meyer was unavailable for comment.
