Golf Capsules: Cowboys' Romo has 1st round lead at Tahoe celebrity golf

STATELINE, Nev. — Although golf’s top players were in Scotland, there was some celebrity power at Lake Tahoe on Friday as Tony Romo shot a 3-under-par 69 to take the first-round lead and Charles Barkley avoided last place — barely — at the 20th annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback and the NBA Hall of Famer- turned-television analyst are among 89 past and present sports stars, actors and politicians competing through Sunday for the $600,000 purse at Edgewood-Tahoe Golf Course.

Romo, who once came within one qualifying spot to play in a U.S. Open Championship, had seven birdies including three of the first four holes.

"Anytime you can get off to a good start it makes it easier," he said. "It’s all about consistency in this game. It’s no different than any other sport."

Romo tallied 27 points in the modified Stableford format that awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey and minus-two for double bogey or worse.

Rick Rhoden, the former pitcher who has won the tourney a record seven times and nearly qualified for the U.S. Senior Open Championship earlier this month, was two points off the lead with 25 points. Next were NHL Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr with 24 and ex-quarterback Trent Dilfer with 23.

"I’m right in the mix and feeling like I didn’t play worth a dang," said Rhoden, who had two 3-putts along with a 4-putt after reaching the 570-yard, par-5 No. 3 in two. "We all knew Tony Romo is a good player. I told my friends he’s going to win some of these tournaments."

Romo declined to comment about his reported break-up with actress Jessica Simpson, who watched him play to a third-place finish last year. On one hole along the lake, four bikini-clad women on a boat held up a sign Friday that read, "Romo, we’re single 2."

"I’m not going to talk about my personal life, but I appreciate you asking," he told reporters.

Marshall Faulk, who played in a running back super group with Emmitt Smith and Marcus Allen, had a hole-in-one on the 169-yard, par-3 17th that borders the lake. That was worth eight of his 11 points total.

Barkley, the longshot in the field who was paired with actor Ray Romano, finished the day in second-to-last place with minus-30 points — six better than ultimate fighter Chuck Liddellm, who made his tourney debut.

"I played horrible," Barkley said. "I just choked like a dog."

It was a disappointing effort after he had spent several months earlier this year trying to revamp his swing during a Golf Channel series with Tiger Woods’ swing coach, Hank Haney.

"Ray, are you doing the ‘Haney Project’ next year?" Barkley asked Romano. "Hank’s a yeller and a screamer."

"So’s my wife," Romano shot back before plugging his latest animated movie with the gallery on the first tee. "Why aren’t you people at ‘Ice Age?"’

The mayor of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., thanked Barkley for contributing $190,000 the past two years to a fund for victims of a wildfire that burned more than 250 homes at Lake Tahoe in 2007. He also presented him with a blown-up copy of a $5 betting ticket with Barkley’s 750-1 odds — which actually dropped to 499-1 by the time play began.

"I’ve heard you may want to get into politics," Jerry Birdwell said about the most popular golfer on the course. "I hope you don’t decide to run for mayor of South Lake Tahoe because I’d be out of a job."

Barkley’s stop-and-go swing showed some improvement, hitting his first drive more than 225 yards down the right side of the fairway. But he let a few expletives go and slammed his bag with his club when he chipped into a greenside bunker on the par-3 5th and couldn’t get out in three shots.

Nevertheless, he and Romano entertained the biggest gallery on the course.

"All that weightlifting ain’t paying off for me, Ray," Barkley said before his 60-foot putt for par came up an inch short on the par-3 7th.

"It’s an easy game," he deadpanned after the tap-in bogey, one of three on the day with all the rest double bogey or worse.

Romano’s par on the same hole cost him $20 when he told a boy on the tee he’d give him that much if his tee shot landed on the green, and it did.

"You’re probably going to follow me around now," he told the boy after producing the money.

Chalmers takes first 36-hole lead in 9 years

MILWAUKEE — Greg Chalmers picked up the nickname "Snake" with his Australian golfing buddies.

There’s no flute or entrancing rhythm to his game, just a smooth putting stroke that’s kept him at the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Bank Championship. Chalmers actually is scared of snakes despite seeing quite a few of him in his life growing up in Perth, Australia.

"There’s nothing to do with snakes whatsoever," Chalmers said. "I don’t charm snakes. I don’t own any snakes. I have seen a load of snakes."

Chalmers stayed on top of the leaderboard Friday, firing a second-round 67 to move to 9-under 131 and build a two-shot lead over Chris Riley (66), Jeff Klauk (69) and Kris Blanks (63). Kevin Na (65), Marc Turnesa (65) and Steve Flesch (65) were another stroke back at 6.

A day after blustery conditions made the field post the worst scores in a round since 2004, temperatures plunged into the 60s and rain showers made it feel closer to the British Open at Turnberry than summertime in the Midwest at a tournament that’s looking for a new title sponsor.

While Chalmer’s nickname has nothing to do with snakes, he’s made a winding path to the PGA tour, going back and forth between the top level and the Nationwide in recent years. He never had thoughts of giving up because he said he wasn’t overwhelmed.

"If I’d been struggling on the Nationwide tour to keep my card out there, I probably would’ve had some serious thoughts about my career or certainly looked at going to another tour somewhere else in Europe or Japan, but I was fortunate I got my card back two out of three years I’ve been out there," he said.

"A career is a long time, it’s a rollercoaster ride. I’ve had some good years out here on the PGA tour and I’ve had some really poor years. You’ve got to keep trying to improve and ride the waves, you know?"

Chalmers, who last led a tournament at the halfway point nine years ago and finished tied for second at the Kemper Open, again made a mistake early after starting his day at No. 10.

He bogeyed the par-3 14th after his wayward tee shot left him needing a 12-foot putt to make par. But, just like Thursday’s opening round, Chalmers came on strong with birdies at Nos. 17 and 18. He also had consecutive birdies at Nos. 4 and 5 for the second straight day.

"It was a bit of a battle for me off the tee today, but it was a working-man’s 3 under," he said.

The working man mentality should serve him well this weekend after changing conditions continued on Friday, keeping scores down and the cut line at 1-over 141.

The 35-year-old Chalmers, who started playing golf at age 13 and idolized Greg Norman, and the rest of the field dealt with stiff wind and warm temperatures on Thursday and said he’d only brought one sweater with him for the tournament.

"You don’t expect it in the summertime," said Riley, who also only has one sweater with him for the tournament. "The weather is totally different today."

Norman won this tournament in 1989, and Chalmers is on the right track after needing just one putt on 21 of the 36 holes he’s played.

"I made most putts inside 10 feet," Chalmers said. "At this level, if you’re going to lead the tournament or be competitive, you’ve got to make them."

Meanwhile, Klauk didn’t have nearly the same success as Friday, when he was co-leader. He was 1 over through his first nine holes and needed to rally to stay two shots back. Still, Klauk likes his position heading into the weekend.

"You can’t overpower this golf course," he said. "Anybody can play. It’s just a good, old-style golf course."

One that might not return next year. U.S. Bank is dropping its title sponsorship and tournament organizers say a new one must be found to continue the shortest event on tour at the 6,759-yard, par-70 Brown Deer Park Golf Course.

Na is 20th in FedExCup standings this year and is the highest ranked player in Milwaukee.

"That only means one thing — I need to win," Na said. "That’s what I need on my resume is a W out here. A win’s a win even though it’s an opposite field event."

-- Colin Fly

LPGA players hopeful about future under new leader

As the LPGA Tour searches for a new commissioner, Brittany Lincicome summed up the challenge her sport faces in a dismal economy.

"We need tournaments," said Lincicome, who won April’s Kraft Nabisco Championship. "Even if we’re playing for half the purses."

Carolyn Bivens resigned under pressure as LPGA commissioner this week, and Marsha Evans took over as an interim replacement. The tour’s board of directors hopes to find a full-time commissioner by the end of the year.

Bivens was no stranger to controversy — she was criticized last year when she proposed an English-only policy for tour players. Now, the LPGA’s schedule is everyone’s big concern. The number of official money events dropped from 34 in 2008 to 28 this year.

"The economy was not helping Carolyn at all," Lincicome said.

Bivens’ tenure ended after a group of players wrote a letter to the board calling for her to quit.

"I believe 100 percent she had our best interests in hand," said Nicole Castrale, a 2007 Solheim Cup participant. "I believe that everyone involved just wants the best for our tour. ... I just think that it became alarming to the players that we were losing events so quickly."

When Lincicome won the Kraft Nabisco Championship this year, the winner’s share was $300,000 — double what it was at that tournament 10 years ago. That’s a sign of progress, but Lincicome said she’s not the only player who would be open to playing for less money — in the short term, at least — if it would help save events.

The average purse per event this year is $1.78 million, up from $1.31 million in 2004.

The tour says it has 13 events committed for 2010, including two that weren’t on this year’s schedule. The LPGA also says discussions are ongoing with 15 events from the 2009 schedule.

Still, McDonald’s is no longer sponsoring the LPGA Championship, and Paula Creamer expressed concern last month about not knowing where the major would be next year.

Creamer, who is eighth on this year’s money list, said in an e-mail this week it’s important to strengthen relationships with sponsors.

"Over the past five years, I’ve learned that there are many different priorities, goals and expectations of our various sponsors. Charity giving at the end of the week is very important to many tournament owners and sponsors that have been with us for decades," Creamer said. "Other events have unique mission statements and objectives which are equally as important to them as well. Community pride, exposure, economic stimulation are just a few others."

Two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Meg Mallon called the LPGA "the best bargain in sports," but she’s still cognizant of the financial concerns facing sponsors.

"Professional sports, especially golf, is a luxury. You don’t underestimate that when businesses are looking at us," Mallon said last week. "I think the players are very concerned about their future, and I’m proud of them stepping up and taking an active role because this tour has always been motivated by the players, run by the players. When players take an interest, good things happen."

Lincicome said she hopes the full-time commissioner will come from a golf background. Evans, a retired rear admiral in the Navy, began serving on the LPGA board just this year. She was on an LPGA commissioner’s advisory council in 2007 and 2008.

For now, she’ll try to reach out to players and secure tournaments despite the economic climate.

"She definitely will command respect," Castrale said. "I know the economy is in a tough position right now. ... When it’s all said and done, the sponsors see what we bring to events as players."

-- Noah Trister

Top seed vs. lefty for Publinx title

NORMAN, Okla. — Top-seeded Nick Taylor of Canada has advanced to the finals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links, where he will face Brad Benjamin of Rockford, Ill.

Taylor defeated Oklahoma assistant golf coach Phillip Bryan 3 and 2 in the semifinals to earn a spot in Saturday’s championship. The senior-to-be from the University of Washington beat Wesley Bryan from South Carolina in the quarterfinals Friday morning.

Benjamin made it to the finals with a 1-up win over Brandon Crick of McCook, Neb. The recent Memphis graduate sealed the win with a birdie on the 18th hole.

Benjamin will seek to become only the second lefty to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links. Ralph Howe III did it in 1988.

The Public Links winner earns a spot in next year’s Masters.