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SportsFebruary 26, 2006

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Davis Love III returned to the Match Play Championship final for the second time in three years, and this time he is feeling plenty of love. Love holed out for eagle from 111 yards on the 18th hole to beat Padraig Harrington in the quarterfinals Saturday morning, then buried Zach Johnson in the afternoon with six birdies on his way to a 4-and-2 victory...

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Davis Love III returned to the Match Play Championship final for the second time in three years, and this time he is feeling plenty of love.

Love holed out for eagle from 111 yards on the 18th hole to beat Padraig Harrington in the quarterfinals Saturday morning, then buried Zach Johnson in the afternoon with six birdies on his way to a 4-and-2 victory.

Raising his hopes even more is that Tiger Woods is nowhere to be found.

Love advanced to the 36-hole championship match against Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, the marathon man at La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., who won his fourth straight match in extra holes in the quarterfinals, then had an easy time in beating Tom Lehman in the semifinals, 4 and 3.

Love got to the semifinals in 2000 before he was beaten by Woods. He reached the final two years ago, and lost again to Woods.

Ogilvy birdied the last hole in the quarterfinals to go overtime with David Howell of England, then made a 20-foot birdie on the 19th hole to set a record in the event with his fourth consecutive victory in extra holes.

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Chrysler Classic of Tucson

Duffy Waldorf shot a bogey-free 65 to reach 19 under, good for a two-shot lead over long-hitting rookie Bubba Watson after three rounds in the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

Watson, using a pink-shafted driver this week, still hasn't made a bogey in Tucson. He found every green in the third round, and his 7-under 65 moved him one stroke ahead of first-round leader Mark Wilson, who shot a 67.

Fields Open

South Korea's Meena Lee won the Fields Open for her second LPGA Tour victory in two years, holding off Michelle Wie in regulation and beating rookie Seon Hwa Lee on the third hole of a playoff in Kapolei, Hawaii.

The 24-year-old Meena Lee closed with a 7-under 65 to match the 20-year-old Seon Hwa Lee (71) at 14-under 202 -- a stroke ahead of the hometown favorite Wie (66) -- and won with a 6-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole.

Outback Steakhouse

Loren Roberts remained in contention for a record fourth straight Champions Tour victory, shooting his second straight 2-under 69 to finish three strokes behind the leaders in the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla.

-- The Associated Press

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