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SPORTS Friday 15 November 2019
Postseason golf about entertainment, not about fair

By DOUG FERGUSON It was the second straight for the CME Group Tour
AP Golf Writer year that the great shots Championship based on
Scott McCarron has been belonged to the last guy points earned all season.
in position for a $1 million on the course while the big Once they get to Tiburon
payoff twice in his career check belonged to the guy Golf Club in Naples, Florida,
under vastly different cir- watching from the club- whoever wins the tourna-
cumstances. house. Vijay Singh's victory ment wins the Race to the
The first occasion was in in 2018 gave the Schwab CME Globe and the $1.5
2002 in the final of the Cup to Bernhard Langer. million in official money, the
Match Play Championship This is what the PGA Tour richest payoff in the history
at La Costa when he stood was trying to avoid when it of women's golf.
over an 8-foot putt to ex- made a radical change to The best player? That's al-
tend the 36-hole match the FedEx Cup finale. ready been decided.
against Kevin Sutherland The tour didn't want anoth- Jin Young Ko has won four
and turned away in shock er scene like Justin Thomas times, more than anyone,
when it caught the left lip. trying to celebrate a $10 and two of them were
The other was Sunday, million bonus while stewing majors. She already has
when he was in the club- inside over finishing second clinched LPGA player of
house at Phoenix Country in the 2017 Tour Champion- In this Nov. 19, 2006 file photo Julieta Granada, of Paraguay, the year, based on points.
Club, feeling more stress ship to Xander Schauffele, stands next to her trophy as she holds a box of money after Ko has earned more than
than if he were playing. He or the awkward ceremony winning the LPGA ADT Championship at the Trump International $2.7 million and leads the
thought the $1 million bo- in 2009 when Tiger Woods Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. money list by $721,791 over
nus for the Charles Schwab became the first player Jeongeun Lee6.
Cup was gone when Retief to capture the FedEx Cup field. That gave everyone a shots on the tournament Throw all of that out at the
Goosen stood over a 4-foot twice — after finishing sec- chance, with higher prob- leaderboard, which in- Tour Championship. It's
birdie putt to win, only to ond to Phil Mickelson at abilities for the top players. cluded how many under all or nothing, depending
miss. He was in shock when East Lake. "I'm sure I would Two weeks ago in China, par he was at the start. He on who has the best four
Jeff Maggert holed out probably be more happy when Rory McIlroy was talk- won the real tournament days. There is no advan-
from 123 yards for eagle to tomorrow than I am right ing about trying to avoid by three shots. There was tage, no matter how slight,
win the playoff and hand now," Woods said. slow starts, he was asked no debate. with points being reset or a
the season points race on So it switched to a format for an example. "I was five There will be at some point. manufactured score to par
the PGA Tour Champions that gave a head start shots behind at the Tour It's inevitable. before the first shot is struck.
to McCarron. based on a player's position Championship before it Next up is the LPGA Tour, And because the money
"One of the most incred- in the standings — 10-under even started," he said with which might be the most is official, anyone from the
ible shots that has ever af- par for Thomas as the No. 1 a laugh. radical of all because it is top 10 has a mathematical
fected me that I didn't hit," seed, even par for the last It worked out well — this the simplest to follow. Six- chance to win and cap-
McCarron said. five players in the 30-man year. McIlroy won by four ty players have qualified ture the money title.q

Then-Defense Secretary ing Corps should be able If the athletes can’t pass
Jim Mattis, in an April 2017 to defer their military ser- required medical stan-
memo, said that the ser- vice obligations due to the dards when it is time to
vice academies "exist to "short window of time" they rejoin the military, then
develop future officers," have to "take advantage they are “encouraged”
and that graduates would of their athletic talents dur- to serve in a civilian post
serve as "full-fledged mili- ing which playing profes- within the department for
tary officers carrying out sional sports is realistically no less than five years, ac-
the normal work and possible." cording to Esper’s memo. If
career expectations" of In the new memo, Esper they choose not to do that
someone who received an says that military service they would be subject to
education at the taxpay- secretaries can nominate repayment of their school
ers' expense. an athlete for a waiver af- expenses.
Earlier this year, however, ter determining there “is a It wasn’t clear Thursday
Trump said he was consid- strong expectation that a what impact Esper’s new
ering allowing athletes to Military Service Academy policy will have on the fate In this Nov. 6, 2019, file photo, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark
Esper talks to the media with Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and
get a waiver so they could cadet or midshipman's fu- of Noah Song, a pitcher Minister of Defense Khalid Al Attiyah at the Pentagon in Wash-
play pro sports. He made ture professional sports em- from the U.S. Naval Acad- ington.
the announcement during ployment will provide the emy. Song, 22, was the Associated Press
a Rose Garden ceremony DoD with significant favor- fourth-round draft pick this
in May when he presented able media exposure likely year of the Boston Red Sox, bach, a quarterback for fore making his NFL debut
the Commander-in-Chief's to enhance national level so he is not covered by the Midshipmen from 1962- with Detroit in 1950.
Trophy to the football team recruiting or public affairs the new memo. The right- 64. After serving a tour of In addition, receiver Phil
of the U.S. Military Acad- missions.” hander was going to pitch duty in Vietnam, he joined McConkey played for
emy at West Point. The If approved by the defense for short-season Lowell dur- the Dallas Cowboys in 1969 Navy from 1975-78, then
Army Black Knights com- secretary, the athlete must ing the summer before re- and guided the team to a served for five years before
pleted an 11-2 season and agree to return to the mili- porting for duty this month pair of Super Bowl victories. the New York Giants made
earned the trophy for the tary and serve their enlist- to train as a flight officer. Another Heisman Trophy him a 27-year-old rookie in
second consecutive year. ment time, which is usually Several Navy football play- winner, Glenn Davis of 1984. He caught a touch-
He issued the order in June, five years. While in the pro ers have gone on to have Army in 1946, was a first- down pass in the Super
saying that athletes gradu- sports job, the athlete’s success in the NFL, most round draft pick of the De- Bowl for New York and re-
ating from the academies waiver would be reviewed notably 1963 Heisman Tro- troit Lions but had to serve mained in the NFL through
and Reserve Officers' Train- every year. phy winner Roger Stau- three years in the Army be- 1989.q