Augusta National names first women members
AUGUSTA, Ga., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and businesswoman Darla Moore have been selected as the first female members of Augusta National Golf Club.
Augusta National, the site of the Masters golf tournament, has faced calls for years to accept female members. The protests were most apparent in 2003 and 2004 when Martha Burk staged demonstrations near the course during the Masters.
But the private club, which didn't have an African-American member until 1990, kept its male-only policy until Monday.
"This is a joyous occasion as we enthusiastically welcome Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as members of Augusta National Golf Club," club President Billy Payne said.
"We are fortunate to consider many qualified candidates for membership at Augusta National. Consideration with regard to any candidate is deliberate, held in strict confidence and always takes place over an extended period of time. The process for Condoleezza and Darla was no different."
Both women accepted the invitations to join Augusta.
Garcia wins PGA Tour Wyndham Championship
GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Sergio Garcia collected his first PGA Tour victory in more than four years Monday with a rain-delayed victory at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Garcia was 4-under-par in the final round for a 72-hole total of 18-under 262. He finished two strokes ahead of Tim Clark and was three up on Bud Cauley.
Rain limited play Sunday, when the tournament was to have finished, and Garcia, who had the lead after three rounds, got in just four holes of his fourth round.
He opened play Monday with six consecutive pars but he had birdies at Nos. 11 and 13 around a bogey at 12. He pulled away with consecutive birdies over 15-17 and survived a final-hole bogey for a final round of 66.
Garcia hadn't won a PGA Tour event since the Players Championship in May 2008. He did have a pair of wins last year on the European Tour. He owns eight PGA titles and 23 championships overall.
Clark had a 67 in the final round and was 16-under for the tournament. Cauley, with a fourth-round 68 for a 72-hole total of 265 was third. Chad Campbell (66), Jimmy Walker (67) and Carl Pettersson (68) tied for fourth, four strokes behind Garcia.
Shawne Merriman released by Buffalo Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Three-time all-pro linebacker Shawne Merriman was released Monday by the Buffalo Bills.
Merriman, 28, had 39 1/2 sacks in his first three NFL seasons but injuries then limited his playing and he had five sacks since 2008 while playing in only 23 games.
He played the bulk of his career with the San Diego Chargers but joined the Bills in 2010 when they claimed him off waivers.
He was injured shortly after joining Buffalo and spent the rest of that season on injured reserve. He appeared in five games last season before Achilles tendon problems surfaced and he was again put in IR.
Merriman was the 12th overall selection by the 2005 draft by San Diego. He was named all-pro after the 2005, '06 and '07 seasons.
Federer No. 1 going into U.S. Open
LONDON, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Roger Federer's continued record-setting run sets him up as the No. 1 player in men's tennis going into the U.S. Open.
Federer defeated Novak Djokovic 6-0, 7-6 (9-7) Sunday in collecting a record fifth title at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. It was his record-tying 21st ATP Masters-level championship, equaling the mark set by Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic entered last week's tournament in Cincinnati with a chance to pass Federer for the No. 1 ranking. That ended when Federer beat Stanislas Wawrinka in the semifinals.
Federer has been No. 1 for the last seven weeks -- since winning a record-tying seventh championship at Wimbledon -- and 292 weeks overall. That is also a record.
He will be ranked No. 1 when U.S. Open organizers set the seedings and draw this week for the year's final tennis major tournament. The Open begins Aug. 27 and is to wind up with the men's singles final Sept. 9.
Federer has 12,165 points in the rankings while Djokovic is second with 11,270. Nadal, who lost to Djokovic in last year's U.S. Open final, is third at 8,715 but has withdrawn from the Open due to a knee injury. No. 4-ranked Andy Murray, coming off a win at the Olympics, has 7,290 points.
David Ferrer (5,375) is fifth, followed, in order, by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (4,835) and Tomas Berdych (4,155). Juan Martin del Potro, who lost to Djokovic in the Cincinnati semifinals, moves up one place to No. 8. He has 3,620 points. Janko Tipsarevic (3,285) slips to ninth and John Isner, who had 2,880 points, completes the Top 10.
