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LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD ● LJWorld.com/sports ● Monday, July 25, 2011
LAGA CITY OPEN
Tom Keegan tkeegan@ljworld.com
City golf has room to grow
Pumped up
602 E. 9th • Lawrence
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Legacy recruit on KU’s radar ——
Guard Sanders’ dad a Jayhawk 1975-79 By Gary Bedore gbedore@ljworld.com
Somebody, somewhere, long, long ago came up with the idea of riding a horse to get someplace faster. Good idea. Car, even better. Radio, cool. Television, terrific upgrade, thanks largely to HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Bathing suit, nice. Bikini, really, really nice. Complacency, bad. Tinkering, good. A year ago, upon completion of the Lawrence Amateur Golf Association’s Big Event, also known as the city tournament, one of the area’s most accomplished senior golfers, local insurance man Mike Grosdidier, had an idea for how to improve it. He wanted the country clubs to get involved again. Thanks to Grosdidier and the cooperation of Lawrence Country Club, it happened. Unfortunately, Grosdidier didn’t compete because Tiger Woods isn’t the only strong stick whose knee has put him on the disabled list, but he enriched the experience for those who did. For some, Sunday represented the first opportunity to play LCC since its fabulous facelift. Friendly head pro Jon Zylstra was happy to have so many new eyes on the course, but a golfer, especially a pro, is nothing if not a tinkerer. So Zylstra shared his ambitious thoughts on how to jazz up the tournament. “Have it over two weekends at all four courses,” Zylstra said, meaning LCC, Eagle Bend and both Alvamar courses. “Throw out a number, let’s say, there are 150 participants. You play stroke-play the first weekend.” One course one day, another the next. “Have eight flights, and the top eight finishers in each flight in stroke play advance to match John Young/Journal-World Photo play the next weekend,” Zylstra SPENCER WILSON FOLLOWS THROUGH ON A SHOT ON THE FIRST HOLE at Lawrence Country Club. Wilson went said. on to win the open championship flight of the LAGA city tournament on Sunday. Seed each flight, with the No. 1 finisher in stroke play matched against No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5. The second day, moving to the final course, the second round of match play By Clark Goble total of 148, with a even-par 70 takes place in the morning. It just took me until about Sunday — when he was coming up Journal-World Sports Writer The final in each flight is in the 18 before I finally got the No. 18, but he figured he had to afternoon, meaning 16 golfers A vicious, knee-buckling fist speed of the greens down.” make at least bogey on the final from the original field play two pump wasn’t part of Spencer Wilhole to win. 18-hole matches on the final son’s celebration plan. A double bogey on No. 18 still day. Holding a five-shot lead going — LAGA open championship-flight winner would’ve given Wilson the title, “Match play is a lot easier to into the f inal round of the Spencer Wilson but holing the fast downhill putt follow,” Zylstra said. “Today, Lawrence Amateur Golf Associasealed the victory. there was some drama, but tion city tournament at Lawrence Afterward, Wilson said the nobody really knew for sure Country Club, Wilson wanted to tory in the open championship tricky greens gave him the most where the leaders stood. It play conservatively and skip any flight, but it didn’t come easily. trouble. would be a true city champidrama down the backstretch. His fist pump at No. 18 came “They are so fast and they roll so onship. You would have stroke But Wilson played the first eight after he holed a 15-foot downhill well,” Wilson said. “It just took me play and match play, and you’d holes in 4-over par, capping the par putt from just off the green. until about 18 before I finally got play all four courses.” slow start with a double bogey at “That was more of a relief fist the speed of the greens down.” First, LAGA needs to grow No. 8. pump, because I was making it as The victory officially ends Conbefore taking on such an ambiHe also was hearing that Greg difficult as I could, that’s for sure,” rad Roberts’ five-year reign of the tious format. Sharp, an LCC member, was mak- said Wilson, a 27-year-old assistant tournament. In a university town, it always ing birdies. manager at Golf USA. Wilson said he was thankful pays to try to figure out how to Wilson did enough on the final Wilson (70-75—145) didn’t wed the city and the university Please see LAGA, page 3B 10 holes to hold on for a 3-shot vic- know Sharp’s score — a two-day to the benefit of both. See if Kansas University would go for offering three-credit internships per year to two sports-management majors who serve twoyear terms, the first as assistant student manager of LAGA, the second as head student manager. On the list of things to do for KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — A fin- pitch limit was the students: Upgrade the webROYALS ger blister, not the Kansas City in great shape,” site, including results from Royals, knocked Tampa Bay Maddon said. VS. BOSOX years past and current tee times rookie Alex Cobb out of the game “He had plenty and results. Offer online left in the When: 6:10 tonight Sunday. signups and make registration He curbed the Royals on six tank.” for the event available at all city Where: Boston singles in seven scoreless Cobb (3-0) Pitchers: Davis (1courses. Inquire as to whether innings and Ben Zobrist had struck out two 9) vs. Lester (10the names and addresses of the three hits and drove in two runs and walked 4) Penny Jones Tournament parto help the Rays beat Kansas City, none to pick up ticipants can be shared with 5-0, on Sunday. the victory and TV: FSKC (cable LAGA, since both benefit chariCobb threw 65 strikes in 81 lowered his channels 36, 236) ty. pitches, but developed a small earned run No point in waiting until Ed Zurga/AP Photo blister in the seventh inning that average to 2.57. He has allowed Gary Woodland wins the MasTAMPA BAY PITCHER ALEX COBB DELIVERS in led to Rays manager Joe Maddon one earned run in 13 innings in ters to grow golf in Lawrence, the first inning against the Royals. The Rays two starts since being recalled going to his bullpen. although something tells me it blanked K.C., 5-0, Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. “It’s unfortunate because his July 18. might not be such a long wait.
Wilson overcomes slow start “
Christian Sanders began to draw the attention of major-college basketball recruiters in March when the 6-foot-3, 180pound junior combo guard helped propel his Houston St. Thomas High team to a Texas state championship. The pursuit of Sanders, son of former Kansas University guard Brad Sanders, intensified in early June. That’s when Christian won the three-point shooting contest — and made the allstar team — at the Under Armour Best of the Best camp Christian Sanders in Atlanta. In a short span he has received offers from Stanford, Colorado, Texas, Maryland, Harvard and Oklahoma State and is also being recruited by Brad Sanders, KU and others. circa 1978 “It’s been a learning experience for the family. It’s been enjoyable in many ways, but also a pretty serious process,” former Leavenworth High standout Brad Sanders said Sunday in a phone conversation, indicating recruiting has changed a lot since his years (1975-79) at KU. “It’s clearly a business. It can be a bit overwhelming not only for a 17-, 18-year-old but an entire family.” Christian Sanders, who plans to make some official visits this fall before selecting a school, is currently playing for the Houston Defenders at an AAU tournament in Florida. “If you can imagine these kids playing during July and the outof-bounds is lined with head coaches from all over the country ... that (short recruiting) period makes a difference where you go and don’t go. It’s very, very nerve-wracking, certainly for dads and moms but also players,” Brad said. Christian, whose mom, dad and older brother attended Kansas, made an unofficial visit to KU on June 30, indicating at the time it was a “great” visit and he was looking forward to KU’s coaches evaluating him this summer. “From mom and dad’s perspective, we are Jayhawkers so we’ve got a loyalty for KU, but this is Christian’s decision,” Brad said, indicating KU’s staff is watching Christian seriously this summer for the first time. “Christian moved away from (Wichita) Kansas when he was in fifth, sixth grade. He’s had most of his influential years in Texas. Please see RECRUIT, page 3B
Rays rookie Cobb clobbers Kansas City, 5-0 Relievers Cesar Ramos, Joel Peralta and Jake McGee held the Royals to one hit the final two innings to finish off the Rays’ eighth shutout of the season. “It was a big disappointment,” Cobb said of the blister. “I wanted to throw at least eight innings, maybe nine. We’re short in bullpen. I would have liked to have been able to help that out.” It is uncertain whether the blister will prevent Cobb from making his start Saturday at Seattle. What is certain is he won’t be Please see ROYALS, page 3B