Ballesteros says he has brain tumor
MADRID, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Golf star Seve Ballesteros, who won five major titles and dozens of others worldwide, said Sunday doctors at a Madrid hospital found a tumor in his brain.
The 51-year-old Spaniard said the tumor was detected after "exhaustive tests." A biopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
Ballesteros collapsed at a Madrid airport last week and was hospitalized.
"Throughout my whole career, I have been one of the best at facing obstacles on the golf course," Ballesteros said in a statement on his Web site. "Now I want to be the best, facing the most difficult match of my life, with all my strength, and counting on all of you who are sending encouraging messages."
Ballesteros won the British Open three times and the Masters twice.
The Spaniard won 50 times on the European tour and has 87 titles worldwide. He appeared in eight Ryder Cups, accumulating a record of 20-12-5.
Zach Johnson is Texas Open champion
SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Zach Johnson fired a 6-under-par 64 Sunday and won the Texas Open in San Antonio by two shots over Charlie Wi, Mark Wilson and Tim Wilkinson.
The win was the fourth on the PGA Tour for Johnson, who finished at 19-under 261.
Johnson won $810,000. It was his first victory this year.
"I have not put things together this year," Johnson said. "I putted pretty well this week though. A lot of work over the last six weeks has paid off."
Wi shot a 9-under 61 to gain a share of second with Wilson (63) and Wilkinson (64) at 264.
Jeff Overton (65) was fifth at 265. Stephen Ames (62) and Chris Stroud (68) shared sixth at 267.
Rory Sabbatini, the third-round leader, slipped to a 72 and tied for eighth at 268 with Pat Perez (65) and Tim Herron (69).
Weibring bags Senior Players Championship
TIMONIUM, Md., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- D.A. Weibring captured his first major title Sunday, firing a 2-under-par 68 to win the Senior Players Championship in Maryland.
The 55-year-old Weibring finished at 9-under 271, edging Fred Funk, who closed with a 66 for 272.
Ben Crenshaw (66), Jeff Sluman (69) and Nick Price (71) tied for third at 273.
Weibring, a five-time Champions Tour winner, collected $390,000.
"I didn't play my best today, but I hung in there," Weibring said.
Weibring sank a 9-foot putt to save par on the next-to-last hole, a putt he didn't expect to go in.
"I guess that's what happens when it's your day," he said.
Alonso wins Japanese Grand Prix
OYAMA, Japan, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Renault's Fernando Alonso drove to victory at Sunday's Formula One Japanese Grand Prix auto race at the Fuji Speedway in Oyama, Japan.
In his second-straight F1 victory, the Spaniard moved from fourth to second during the opening lap when Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), the defending F1 champion, ran wide while battling standings leader Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) for position.
Robert Kubica (BMW) finished 5.2 seconds behind in second place.
Hamilton, who started on the pole, would end up in 12th-place after colliding with rival Felipe Massa (Ferrari) on the second lap.
"The start was probably the most exciting part of the race," Alonso said. "With these cold temperatures, we started with the prime tires and locked the tires (going into turn one), and everybody went long. So I took the benefit of that."
Raikkonen, Nelson Piquet (Renault) and Jarno Trulli (Toyota) completed the top-five, and Raikkonen was officially eliminated from this season's title picture.
