TOUR Championship Round Two Goes to the Europeans: A Fan's Take

The TOUR Championship is the final event in the PGA TOUR playoffs and culminates, on Sunday, September 23, 2012, with the presentation of the FedEx Cup. Being played less than a week before the Ryder Cup, some of the individual pairings between members of Team USA and Team Europe are intriguing. In Thursday's opening round, Team USA claimed a commanding 4-0 lead.

What follows are the results of three head-to-head contests from Friday's second round action:

Phil Mickelson vs. Rory McIlroy: In stroke play, McIlroy dominated this pairing 68-71. In match play however, they would have been all square through 14 holes. McIlroy moved ahead with an eagle at #15, but Mickelson caught up again with a birdie on #16. Mickelson's bogey at #17 was decisive, as Rory McIlroy claimed a 1 up win. USA 0 - Europe 1.

Dustin Johnson vs. Sergio Garcia: Johnson was totally dominant on this day, winning by six strokes (67-73). WIth his third consecutive birdie, at the 15th hole, he ended the match with a 4 and 3 victory. Dustin Johnson also defeated Lee Westwood on Thursday (note to Captain Davis Love III). USA 1 - Europe 1.

Tiger Woods vs. Justin Rose: This stroke play battle, between the first round co-leaders, was not even close. Rose posted 68 and is one shot behind the leader, Jim Furyk. Woods fell to a 73 and is now six shots off the pace. In match play, like Mickelson and McIlroy, this one would have been even after 14 holes. Following a Rose birdie at #15, and a Woods' bogey at #16, the match was dormie in Rose's favor. Both players made bogey at #17, and the match ended as a 2 and 1 win for Justin Rose. USA 1 - Europe 2.

For the two days combined, Team USA has a 5-2 lead, with three more matches coming on Saturday:

12:00 p.m. - Keegan Bradley vs. Sergio Garcia

12:50 p.m. - Tiger Woods vs. Luke Donald

2:00 p.m. - Jim Furyk vs. Justin Rose

In the TOUR Championship proper, Jim Furyk is the 36-hole leader following a six-under par 64 in the second round. He is seven-under overall, one shot ahead of Justin Rose, with Bubba Watson and Bo Van Pelt each two shots behind.

Rory McIlroy came into the tournament ranked #1 in FedEx Cup points, is seventh in the TOUR Championship (four shots behind Furyk), and is currently in position to claim the Cup on Sunday.

Tiger Woods outdueled Rory McIlroy by three shots when they played head-to-head on Thursday, but McIlroy had the lower score by five when they were not paired together on Friday. This has become the norm in 2012. Woods wins head-to-head, but McIlroy wins when they play apart. I don't know if Woods loses focus without McIlroy, or if McIlroy is intimidated head-to-head, but it is an interesting phenomenon.

Harold Andrews has played golf for nearly 50 years. He considers Jack Nicklaus the greatest of all time.

Last session before Granada's match

Messi

Russia beat Spain in battle of unbeaten

 Russia roared back from a 20-2 deficit to beat Spain 77-74 after a crucial free throw miss by Pao Gasol, seizing the upper hand for a critical seeding advantage at the Olympic men's basketball tournament on Saturday.

The victory between the previously unbeaten teams of Group B gave Russia (4-0) the inside track with one preliminary round left to win the group and ensure a path to a possible gold medal game against the defending United States.

The see-saw struggle came down to the last seconds.

Gasol went to the foul line for two shots with Spain trailing 75-73 and 5.3 seconds left on the clock.

After a Russia timeout to give the Los Angeles Lakers NBA All-Star time to ponder his task, Gasol hit the back rim and missed his first attempt. After making the second the world's second-ranked Spaniards trailed 75-74.

Russia's Vitaliy Fridzon was fouled immediately after the inbounds pass and made his two shots from the charity stripe for the final total. He led all scorers with 24 points.

There was still 4.8 seconds left when Spain inbounded, but the ball came to Marc Gasol in the backcourt and he was not able to set up a desperation shot for Spain (3-1).

"It was a shame I wasn't able to score the two free throws which would have put us in contention," said Pau Gasol, who had made his previous four foul shots. Spain missed only two of 19 free throws in the game.

"It was a great game," said Russia's American coach David Blatt, who credited assistant coach Dmitry Shakulin for suggesting he use a timeout to try and disturb Gasol before the key free throws.

ON FIRE

Spain, coming back from a lacklustre victory over Britain, came out on fire, scoring the first 10 points on the way to a massive 20-2 lead.

The Russians patiently clawed their way back, and when Fridzon and his team mates started finding the mark with their jump shots they went on a 12-4 run that helped get them to intermission trailing by just 40-32.

Russia limited Spain to only 12 points in the second quarter and 13 in the third quarter as they surged to a 56-53 lead.

The momentum swung back to Spain at the start of the fourth as the 2008 silver medallists used a 16-4 burst to lead 69-60.

A three-pointer by Victor Khryapa tied it at 73-73 with a minute to go and Timofey Mozgov's slam dunk put Russia ahead by two with 18 seconds left before Pau Gasol was sent to the line.

"Today, they killed us. Those three of them. They were extremely effective," Spain's Italian coach Sergio Scariolo said, singling out Fridzon, Anton Ponkrashov and Khryapa.

Ranked just 11th by the International Basketball Federation, Russia overcame Spain because of their team play, according to 31-year-old forward Andrei Kirilenko.

"I think our team has a face, our own face," said Kirilenko, who played 10 years with the NBA's Utah Jazz.

"We're playing hard. We don't have a lot of shooters, but I think we can do a lot of things together as a team. We stay in as a team and that's why we keep grinding those wins."

Dark days makes U.S. gold shine brighter

 LeBron James and Kobe Bryant own National Basketball Association, Olympic and world championship titles and their trophy cases are packed with individual honours.

Yet for all their success, two of the world's most famous athletes celebrated the United States' 107-100 gold medal victory over Spain in the London Games basketball final on Sunday as if it was the first thing they had ever won.

It would be easy for the mighty Americans, 130-5 in Olympic competition and winners of four of the five golds on offer since NBA players began taking part in the Games, to be blase about the successful defence of the crown they won in Beijing.

But James and his U.S. team mates were taking nothing for granted with memories of past failure fresh in their minds.

James and head coach Mike Krzyzewski were part of USA Basketball's darkest days when the country's status as the world's undisputed superpower in the sport was questioned after third-place finishes at Athens 2004 and the 2006 worlds.

Thoughts of those failed campaigns made Sunday's 107-100 win over a plucky Spain side even sweeter.

"Between coach K, CP (Chris Paul) and Melo (Carmelo Anthony), we've been through it all," said James, brushing the gold medal hung around his neck.

LOWEST POINT

"We were part of the rebuild of the USA team trying to get back to where it was before. I was part of it in 04, me and Melo, that was the lowest point for the USA team.

"Then coach K took over and we lost the world championship 06 but we made that three-year commitment from 05. We were able to win the worlds in Las Vegas and then gold in 08.

"It has been a long road for USA basketball and I'm just happy to be in a position to say I had something to do with us being back on top," he added.

For a player associated only with success, it is easy to forget that James has also known failure.

Drafted into the NBA as the number one overall pick by the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers, James laboured for years to lift his team to a title before turning his back on the city and signing for Miami Heat where he has realised all his basketball dreams.

In June, James celebrated his first NBA title by leading the Heat past the Oklahoma Thunder and two months later he was collecting his second Olympic gold medal.

To cap his season, James also won the league's most valuable player award for a third time along with NBA finals MVP honours.

However, for James the thrill of victory, especially at the Olympics, never grows old.

SHEER JOY

The sheer joy the men displayed following their gold medal win was in sharp contrast to the U.S. women's team's muted celebrations following an 86-50 romp over France on the same hardwood a day earlier that earned them a fifth straight gold.

Unbeaten since a bronze medal win at the 1992 Barcelona Games, not a single member of the current U.S. women's team has known the sting of an Olympic defeat.

James explained that it was the losses that taught the men to savour every win.

"It was definitely a different attitude towards the game and what it meant to really represent your country," reflected James.

"I don't think we all understood that, I think we were all putting on the uniform and thought we could just come together in two, three weeks and win just because we had great individuals.

"It was a long journey but I guess eight years later we have two gold medals and a world championship."

Former world number one Ferrero to retire next month

Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former world number one who won the French Open in 2003 but whose career has been hampered by injuries, will retire after playing at his home event next month, he said on Wednesday. "The Valencia Open 500 will be my final tournament, in the best possible scenario," Ferrero told a news conference presenting the ATP event. "This season injuries have prevented me from playing with regularity and it was a tough year as I realised on the court that I did not have the same ambition after 14 years at the top level," added the 32-year-old. "I am starting a new phase in my life with tremendous excitement, I will continue to be involved with tennis through the Valencia Open, the academy, the foundation that carries my name and other projects." Ferrero, who has slipped to 111 in the latest singles rankings, turned professional in 1998 and went on to win 15 titles, including the Masters events in Monte Carlo and Rome. As well as his grand slam title at Roland Garros, he reached the final there in 2002 and the U.S. Open final in 2003, after which he rose to number one and stayed there for eight weeks. His last title came in Stuttgart in 2011 on his favoured clay. Ferrero played in 17 Davis Cup ties for Spain, compiling an 18-6 record in singles rubbers, and helped the Iberian nation to their first triumph in the competition in 2000 and subsequent victories in 2004 and 2009. "Among the memories I would pick out the Davis Cup win in 2000, because I understood afterwards how much it meant to the country," said Ferrero, who clinched the trophy by beating Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth singles rubber. "But certainly for a player winning a grand slam or getting to number one in the world is the most important," he added. "What I will miss most is the competition, it will difficult to fill the void."

Czech Berdych beats Monaco to level in Argentina

World number six Tomas Berdych fought back to beat Juan Monaco 6-1 4-6 1-6 6-4 6-4 in a thriller to put Czech Republic level at 1-1 with Argentina in their Davis Cup semi-final on Friday.

The Argentines, aiming to reach a second straight final and fourth since 2006, won the opening singles at Parque Roca with Juan Martin del Potro's 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory over Radek Stepanek.

An emotional Del Potro, torn between what is best for his career and his desire to play for his country, had considered pulling out of the tie because of pains in his left wrist.

Monaco recovered strongly from losing the first set with confident strokes and accuracy on his first serve while Berdych conceded unforced errors and double faults on crucial points.

During the second and third set, Berdych struggled with his length and lost many points with long drives but began putting his shots just inside the lines from midway through the fourth.

The Czech suddenly rediscovered his early consistency at 4-2 down in the fourth set, winning eight consecutive games.

Monaco went down fighting, though, breaking Berdych twice in the fifth set after falling 4-0 behind.

The Argentine handed Berdych three match points on his serve with the Czech clinching victory on the first with a winning backhand return down the line.

EMOTIONAL DEL POTRO

Earlier, tearful Del Potro could barely speak in a courtside interview after beating Stepanek to put the home team 1-0 up.

"How I suffer playing, just for you, a lot for you, I played to thank the fans for their affection, the support they give me," the Olympic bronze medallist, choking back the tears, told the crowd.

"The important thing is for me to be here... We all have pains, more or less bad... I know the one up there is looking after me," added the world number eight after the match played to a backdrop of raucous, soccer-style chanting by the crowd.

Stepanek, who had won three of their four previous meetings, said he did not see his rival struggling and suggested Del Potro's wrist problem might have been pre-match gamesmanship.

But the Argentine told a news conference his pain was real out on the clay court at the Mary Teran de Weiss stadium.

REAL PAIN

"It was very emotional playing this match. I enjoyed the moment, the decision to take a risk," the lanky 23-year-old, sensitive to weaknesses in his wrists, said.

"I think everyone could see how I played, I didn't have winners with my backhand. It's super hard to play like that but my serve helped me," said Del Potro, who seven months after winning the 2009 U.S. Open had surgery on his right wrist.

"When you can't do damage with all your shots it gets complicated. It's frustrating not being able to be aggressive on one side," added the Argentine who missed most of the 2010 season because of the operation.

"When Stepanek was bothered (by the crowd) I leant more on the fans. The noise helped me."

The winners will meet holders Spain or the United States in the final. Spain are 2-0 up after Friday's singles.

Spain roundup-Barca without Puyol and Pique

Brief news from La Liga ahead of this weekend's matches (all times GMT): * Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova faces a defensive headache when the early leaders host Granada on Saturday (2000), with Spain centre backs Carles Puyol (knee) and Gerard Pique (foot) sidelined by injury. Vilanova may deploy midfielders Sergio Busquets or Alex Song as makeshift central defenders to partner Javier Mascherano and he also has the option of throwing youngsters Marc Bartra or Andreu Fontas into the fray. * There was better news for the Barcelona coach on left back Jordi Alba, who returned from Spain duty with flu and missed last weekend's 4-1 win at Getafe and Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League comeback victory at home to Spartak Moscow. Alba trained on Friday with the rest of the squad and was given the all-clear by club medical staff afterwards, Barca said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com). * Barcelona's opening La Liga Clasico of the season at home to Real Madrid on Oct. 7 is looming but Vilanova told a news conference on Friday he preferred to focus on the Granada game. "I am not concerned about the Clasico," he said. "It's as if you were asking me about the return match in Madrid in the second half of the season. Take it easy, we'll talk about it when the time is right." * Barca's World Player of the Year Lionel Messi has fond memories of Granada having netted a hat-trick against the Andalusians last season that made him the club's record scorer on 234 goals in all competitions. The Argentina forward has since netted 29 more, 19 at the end of last term and 10 this season in only seven appearances, including the equaliser and winner against Spartak. * Real have a chance to put their woeful start behind them when they travel across the capital to play Rayo Vallecano on Sunday (1930). Jose Mourinho's side are on a high after snatching a dramatic 3-2 Champions League win at home to Manchester City on Tuesday but that has not halted media speculation that all is not well behind the scenes. After last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Sevilla, Mourinho left centre back Sergio Ramos out of the City game and fellow club captain Iker Casillas failed to celebrate when Ronaldo netted the winning goal in the 90th minute. * Barca have the only perfect record in La Liga, winning all four of their games to open a two-point lead at the top ahead of Malaga on 10 points. Real, who have already lost twice, the same number of defeats they suffered in the whole of last season, are 12th on four points. * Valencia need to shrug off Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich when they visit Real Mallorca on Sunday (1000). Midfielder Fernando Gago, who suffered a blow to the head while on duty with Argentina, is recovering well but the club will not take any risks by rushing him back into action and he will not be available for the trip to the Balearic Islands, doctor Jordi Candel said on Thursday. * Malaga made an impressive Champions League debut by beating Zenit St Petersburg 3-0 at the Rosaleda on Tuesday and visit stuttering Athletic Bilbao on Sunday (1750). Coach Manuel Pellegrini has Jeremy Toulalan available again after a leg muscle injury kept the French midfielder out of the Zenit game. * Losing finalists to Atletico Madrid last season, Bilbao had a disappointing start to their latest Europa League campaign on Thursday, drawing 1-1 at home to Israeli minnows Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Bilbao's Spain striker Fernando Llorente, who asked for a transfer in the summer but failed to seal a move, played his first match at the San Mames stadium this season on Thursday and was whistled by some sections of supporters. "What is important now is not the future but helping the team," Llorente, who scored at Espanyol last weekend on his return to action, told reporters. * Europa League champions Atletico got their bid for a third triumph in Europe's second-tier club competition in four years off to a flying start with a 3-0 win at Hapoel Tel Aviv on Thursday despite fielding an under-strength team. Diego Simeone's side, undefeated in La Liga, are fifth on seven points with a game in hand.