Immelman leads Masters, Woods seven back
AUGUSTA, Ga., April 11 (UPI) -- Trevor Immelman took the lead after two rounds of the Masters Friday, Phil Mickelson jumped into contention and Tiger Woods fell seven shots behind.
Immelman fired his second straight 4-under 68 at the Augusta National Golf Club and his 136 total put him one shot in front of Brandt Snedeker. Mickelson shared third place at 139 with Steve Flesch and Ian Poulter. Stephen Ames and Paul Casey were at 140.
Woods, seeking his fifth Masters title, was one of seven players tied for 13th place at 143. Woods recorded four birdies in a round of 71, but bogeyed the par-5 second, the easiest hole on the course.
The world's top-ranked player hit his second shot at the 18th hole onto the 10th tee and managed to make an amazing par. He will need a near-record comeback during the weekend to win the tournament.
Jack Burke Jr. set the Masters record for largest 36-hole comeback by rallying from eight shots behind to capture the 1956 tournament.
"Obviously I've got to make a few more birdies and eliminate the mistakes," Woods said. "But on this golf course anything can happen."
Cooler, windier and possibly rainy weather was forecast for the weekend.
Americans take 2-0 lead in Davis Cup
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 11 (UPI) -- Andy Roddick and James Blake won their matches Friday to give the United States a 2-0 lead in its Davis Cup quarterfinal against France.
Roddick banged out 30 aces in the first match at Winston-Salem, N.C., for a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) victory against Michael Llodra.
"I've said repeatedly over the last year or so that I've become a good Davis Cup player," Roddick said. "At the beginning of my career, I don't think I played my best tennis in Davis Cup. It's a different kind of pressure and it's a different kind of match. I think it's taken a while for me to be comfortable."
In a tougher and much longer match (3 hours, 48 minutes), Blake rallied to top Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
Blake won 13 of the match's last 16 points.
Spain also took a 2-0 lead over Germany in their quarterfinal matchup. There were 1-1 ties in the other two showdowns that featured Russia against the Czech Republic and Argentina against Sweden.
Ovechkin stars in playoff debut
WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin capped a third-period rally Friday that led the Capitals to a 5-4 win over Philadelphia in their playoff opener.
In the first post-season game of his NHL career, Ovechkin scored unassisted with 4:32 to play, thus extending the late regular-season momentum that carried the Caps into the playoffs.
Washington won its final seven games of the regular campaign and 11 of its last 12. Ovechkin, the league's leading scorer, produced 30 points in Washington's last 18 games.
The sixth-seeded Flyers owned a 4-2 lead going into the final period, but Mike Green scored twice in the first 6:26 of the stanza to tie it. The second of Green's goals came on the power play with Ovechkin recording an assist.
With overtime looming, Ovechkin came in alone on Philadelphia goaltender Martin Biron and lifted the puck just under the crossbar.
Donald Brashear and Dave Steckel also scored for the Capitals and Cristobal Huet made 18 saves.
Philadelphia scored three unanswered goals in the second period to take its 4-2 lead. Two of those goals came from Daniel Briere.
Washington will host the second game of the series Sunday.
Baseball fines Ozzie Guillen
NEW YORK, April 11 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball fined Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen Friday for a verbal slam against umpire Phil Cuzzi this week.
The volatile Guillen was ejected by Cuzzi during the White Sox 2008 home opener Monday.
"I don't like that guy (Cuzzi) behind the plate, and I'm going to let him know," Guillen told reporters during a pre-game meeting Wednesday. "It's one reason if you don't like me as a man and what I do, I respect that but if you don't like me, and all of a sudden you're going to take it out on my players, you're wrong."
It was Guillen's 13th ejection since the White Sox made him their manager in 2004 -- and his second ejection by Cuzzi.
Guillen said he plans to talk with the league office again about the problems with Cuzzi because he thinks an ejection is imminent in any White Sox game with Cuzzi behind the plate.
