Grand Blanc, Mich. – Brian Bateman‘s knees buckled. He tossed his putter in the air and pumped his fists.
His long wait for a PGA Tour victory ended with a birdie on the last hole Sunday at the Buick Open, breaking a four-way tie and making him the improbable winner.
“It seemed like it took forever to get to the hole,” Bateman said of the slow-rolling putt that broke slightly from right to left.
Bateman entered his 151st PGA Tour event 204th on the money list in his sixth year with the world’s best golfers.
His best previous finish was third before he closed with a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 15-under 273 and win by a shot with the highest winning score at Warwick Hills since 1997. The 34-year-old native and resident of Monroe, La., earned an $882,000 check – surpassing his total earnings in all but one of his previous five years on the PGA Tour. He made just more than $900,000 in 2004, when he finished a career-best 86th on the money list.
Bateman shot up to No. 59 on the money list and 44th in FedEx Cup points.
“Every player from Tiger Woods to Brian Bateman has to win their first one,” Bateman said.
Jason Gore (67), Justin Leonard (67) and Woody Austin (69) finished tied for second.
GOLF
Nielsen ends long title drought
Lonnie Nielsen, who didn’t win in five years on the PGA Tour and made 91 starts on the Champions Tour without winning, shot a 2-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Loren Roberts at the Commerce Bank Championship in East Meadow, N.Y.
Nielsen, who turned 54 on Friday, won 32 titles on smaller tours, including the New York State Open in 1985 and 1989. He entered the final round at the 7,021-yard Red Course at Eisenhower Park with a three-stroke lead and was never threatened.
England’s Graeme Storm won his first European Tour title, capturing the French Open with a one-stroke victory over Denmark’s Soren Hansen in Versailles.
BASKETBALL
Nets keep Carter with four-year deal
Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets have the framework in place for a four-year contract that guarantees the veteran all-star more than $60 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
Word of the deal came Sunday, though the person spoke on condition of anonymity because under NBA rules the agreement cannot be announced until July 11, the first day free agents can sign.
A day earlier the Nets announced Carter had opted out of the final year of a contract that would have paid him $16.3 million next season. Team officials, though, had said they were optimistic the 30-year-old swingman, who will be entering his 10th season, would return to New Jersey.
Yi Jianlian had 15 points and eight rebounds, three days after being drafted with the No. 6 pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, in China’s 91-75 loss to the United States’ 19-and-under national team in Dallas. Tajuan Porter of
Oregon went 5-of-7 on 3-pointers and led the Americans with 20 points.
OLYMPICS
USOC bulks up anti-doping strategy
The U.S. Olympic Committee will take a more aggressive approach with its anti-doping strategy, putting more emphasis on testing athletes in sports such as track and cycling, increasing unannounced testing and pumping more money into research.
Not satisfied with the progress in the increasingly high-profile fight against doping, the USOC signed a new agreement with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency through 2010 that gives the USOC a more active role in expanding research.
The USOC created the USADA as an independent anti-doping agency in 2000 in an attempt to avoid appearances of conflicts of interest. Now, the USOC again plans to call more of the shots, especially with research. It still will depend on the USADA for some components but also will look into other sources, including possible corporate support, for financial help. Even before the new contract, details of which will be made public today, the USOC and the USADA had what is largely regarded as the most extensive anti-doping system in American sports.
FOOTNOTES
Mexico in Copa America quarterfinals
Mexico became the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa America soccer tournament, beating Ecuador 2-1 in Maturin, Venezuela, on goals by Nery Castillo and Omar Bravo.
In the opener of the doubleheader in South America’s championship, Robinho converted a disputed penalty kick in the 35th minute, then added goals in the 83rd and 87th minutes to lead Brazil over Chile 3-0.
Takefumi Sakata (31-4-1) of Japan won the WBA flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Roberto Vasquez (24-2) in Tokyo.
The seventh and possibly series-clinching race of the America’s Cup between Switzerland and New Zealand in Valencia, Spain, was postponed because of light and unsteady wind, and will be conducted Tuesday instead.
