Golf
Notebook: Couples gets rich with birdie putts

By Seattle Times news services

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GAYLORD, Mich. — Seattle native Fred Couples dropped a 36-foot putt for a birdie on the 11th hole, followed with an 8-footer on the next hole to earn $220,000 and went on to win the Par-3 Shootout yesterday.

"It was ... all guess and a lot of fun when it went in," Couples said of the birdie putts worth $220,000.

In this event's skins format, players must win or tie the hole following their win to validate it.

Couples, 44, the event's first two-time winner, made the most money, netting $270,000, including $50,000 for being closest to the pin five times on the par-3 course.

Lee Trevino won a three-hole playoff with a birdie to claim the final $80,000 in the skins at Treetops Resort. Trevino and Phil Mickelson tied for second, winning $130,000 apiece.

Haas duo wins

BARRINGTON, R.I. — Jay Haas made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to give his father-and-son team a one-stroke victory in the CVS Charity Classic at Rhode Island Country Club.

The putt broke a tie with David Toms and Chad Campbell. Jay and his son, Bill Haas, shot a 9-under 62 and finished with a two-round total of 20-under 122, worth $250,000 of the $1.3 million purse.

Notes
 
• Tiger Woods committed to play in the Buick Open, a tournament he won two years ago. The Buick Open is July 28-Aug. 1 at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

• Michelle Wie didn't want to work with a new caddie this week at the U.S. Women's Open in South Hadley, Mass., so she pulled a familiar face out of retirement — her father.

B.J. Wie hasn't caddied for his 14-year-old daughter all year, and the timing is peculiar. Team Wie endured a bizarre confrontation last year at the Women's Open while playing with Danielle Ammaccapane, who accused them of poor etiquette and berated the teenager in the scoring tent.

• Dottie Pepper, battling through a series of injuries the last couple of years, withdrew from the U.S. Women's Open on Monday night.