Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Monday 30 July 2018

In this May 2, 2008, file photo, Bruce Lietzke tees off on the first
hole during the opening round of the Champions Tour's FedEx
Kinko's Classic golf tournament in Lakeway, Texas.
Associated Press

Bruce Lietzke, fun-loving

PGA Tour winner, dies at 67

Mikey Garcia, left, hits Robert Easter Jr. with a left during the 12th round of their WBC and IBF
ATHENS, Texas (AP) — trates. It started at the final lightweight title bout in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 28, 2018. Garcia won by unanimous decision.
Bruce Lietzke, the fun-lov- event in 1984 when Lietzke Associated Press
ing, fade-hitting PGA Tour told caddie Al Hansen that
winner whose practice he wouldn't touch his clubs Mikey Garcia trounces Robert
regime — or lack of one again until the 1985 open-
— spawned an often-told er. The unbelieving Hansen
spoiled banana story, died put the banana in Lietzke's Easter, nabs IBF 135-pound belt
Saturday of brain cancer. golf bag as a test, only to
He was 67. discover the rotten fruit still LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mikey also the first time two previ- to a promoter dispute, but
Lietzke's family said he died there in January. Garcia added the IBF light- ously unbeaten boxers had he is 5-0 since returning to
at his Athens ranch. "We hunted, we fished, weight belt to his WBC title fought in a lightweight uni- the ring in 2016. He is one of
"Our PGA Tour family lost but most importantly, we on Saturday night, domi- fication bout. only three fighters in mod-
a treasured member with all laughed with 'Lieky.' He nating the previously un- "It's a great accomplish- ern history to hold world
the death of Bruce Lietzke," was truly one of the good beaten Robert Easter for a ment being here in LA," titles at 126, 130, 135 and
PGA Tour Commissioner guys and will be missed," clear unanimous decision Garcia said. "I was in con- 140 pounds, joining Juan
Jay Monahan said in a two-time U.S. Open winner victory. trol most of the fight, and Manuel Marquez and Man-
statement. "He touched on Curtis Strange tweeted. Garcia (39-0) knocked I did what I had to do. I ny Pacquiao,
parts of five decades as a Introduced to golf in his na- down Easter in the third knew he was a tough op- Garcia won the vacant IBF
player, competed in 700 tive Kansas City, Missouri, round and controlled long ponent. He's a tough war- 140-pound title in March
tournaments as a member Lietzke starred at Forest stretches of the bout at rior. He gave a great fight to become a four-division
of the PGA Tour and PGA Park High School in Beau- Staples Center. He unified but I was a better fighter. I world champion, only to re-
Tour Champions, and re- mont, Texas, before mov- the two 135-pound titles was in control of the fight linquish the title to return to
corded a total of 20 victo- ing on to the University of with flair in his first fight in his and I did what I had to do 135 pounds to face Easter.
ries. Houston. native California in seven to win." Easter was knocked Earlier on the Showtime
"But to celebrate Bruce Lietzke played in the Unit- years. down for only the second card at Staples Center,
Lietzke's life properly, we of- ed States' 1981 Ryder Cup The judges all favored Gar- time in his career after a heavyweight Luis Ortiz
fer praise to the great fam- victory in England, and fin- cia, scoring it 116-111, 117- strong right jab set up Gar- (29-1, 25 KOs) landed a
ily man and the cherished ished second to John Daly 110 and 118-109. cia's devastating left hook straight left hand that sent
friend to many." in the 1991 PGA Cham- The 30-year-old Garcia has late in the third round. Romanian Razvan Cojanu
With family, fishing and a pionship. He won seven been a world champion in Garcia also got better as (16-4) to the canvas and
large muscle car collec- times on the senior tour, the four weight classes, and his the fight progressed. In the ultimately ended the fight
tion to tend to, the 13-time last victory coming in the combination of precision final four rounds, Garcia in the second round in the
PGA Tour winner had little 2003 U.S. Senior Open at In- and power was too much out-landed Easter 95-34 in co-feature.
time or desire to tinker with verness. for Easter (21-1). Garcia total punches and ended Both fighters were coming
a trusted swing that didn't Lietzke is survived by wife knocked down Easter with the fight being the more off losses in heavyweight
need tinkering — as the ba- Rose, son Stephen and a nasty left hook in the third active fighter, throwing 555 world title fights, and Ortiz
nana story hilariously illus- daughter Christine."q round and nearly finished punches to Easter's 507. was fighting for the first time
the bout moments later. "Whenever we step in the since challenging Deontay
Garcia couldn't get his ring we are both putting Wilder earlier this year.
first knockout since Janu- our lives on the line, and to- Mario Barrios (22-0, 14 KOs)
ary 2017, but still delivered night Mikey was victorious," recorded his sixth straight
another outstanding per- Easter said. "I just couldn't stoppage victory in the
formance. His victory in a find the timing and I just eighth round against Jose
unification bout put him in couldn't let my right hand Roman (24-3-1). Each of
a rare collection of talents go. He caught me with the judges had the fight
to accomplish the feat, a clean shot and I went scored 80-70 in favor of Bar-
including Roberto Duran, down, but I got up like a rios at the time of the stop-
Julio Cesar Chavez, Per- true champion." page when Roman's cor-
nell Whitaker and Oscar Garcia had a 2 1/2-year ner didn't answer the bell
De La Hoya. The bout was layoff from his sport due for the ninth round.q