The week ahead in golf 7/17/02

LOCAL EVENTS

Lassies Classic (two-woman scramble), Cape Girardeau Country Club., today and Thursday

Two-man scramble, Sikeston Country Club, Sikeston, Mo., Saturday and Sunday Michelob

Two-person scramble, Lakeview Country Club, Neelyville, Mo., Saturday and Sunday

MGC Hank Watson Individual, Malden Municipal Golf Club, Malden, Mo., Saturday and SundayROYAL & ANCIENT GOLF CLUB

OF ST. ANDREWS

British Open

Site: Gullane, Scotland.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Muirfield Golf Links (7,034 yards, par 71).

Purse: $5.3 million. Winner's share: $980,000.

Television: ESPN (Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 7-10 p.m.) and ABC (Saturday, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.).

Last year: David Duval won his first major title, closing with a 67 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes for a three-stroke victory over Sweden's Niclas Fasth. Tiger Woods tied for 25th, nine shots back.

Last week: Argentina's Eduardo Romero won the Scottish Open at age 47 to become the third-oldest winner in European tour history. Romero beat Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson with a par on the first hole of a playoff at Loch Lomond. ... Jeff Sluman won the Greater Milwaukee Open for the second time in five years, beating Tim Herron and Steve Lowery by four strokes.

Notes: Woods, making his first start since winning the U.S. Open, is the first player to win the first two legs of the Grand Slam since Jack Nicklaus in 1972. Nicklaus' Grand Slam bid ended at Muirfield, where Lee Trevino beat him by a stroke. ... Nick Faldo won at Muirfield in 1987 and 1992, the last two times the tournament was played at the course. ... Duval has missed three straight cuts for the first time in his PGA Tour career. ... Paul Azinger withdrew Monday, citing an undisclosed injury. ... The 2003 tournament will be played at Royal St. George's, followed by Troon in 2004 and the Old Course at St. Andrews in 2005.

On the Net:

www.opengolf.com

PGA Tour site:

www.pgatour.com

PGA European Tour site: www.europeantour.comLPGA TOUR

Giant Eagle LPGA Classic

Site: Vienna, Ohio.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.

Course: Squaw Creek Country Club (6,454 yards, par 72).

Purse: $1 million. Winner's share: $150,000.

Television: ESPN (Friday-Saturday, 2-4 p.m.; Sunday, 3-5 p.m.).

Last year: Dorothy Delasin successfully defended her title, shooting a final-round 65 for a one-shot victory over Tammie Green.

Last week: Australia's Rachel Teske won the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic for her second victory of the year, closing with a 66 to beat rookie Beth Bauer by two strokes.

Notes: Delasin won the 2000 tournament at age 19 to became the LPGA's youngest champion in 25 years. She beat Pat Hurst on the second hole of a playoff at Avalon Lakes. ... The top five players after 36 holes not otherwise exempt for the Women's British Open will earn spots in the Aug. 8-11 tournament at Turnberry. To be eligible, players were required to enter the British Open by July 9 and designate the tournament as a qualifier. ... The Big Apple Classic is next week in New Rochelle, N.Y., followed by the Wendy's Championship for Children in Dublin, Ohio

On the Net: www.lpga.comPGA TOUR

B.C. Open

Site: Endicott, N.Y.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: En-Joie Golf Club (6,994 yards, par 72).

Purse: $2.1 million. Winner's share: $378,000.

Television: The Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 3:30-6 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday, 3-5:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m.; Monday, midnight-2:30 a.m.).

Last year: Jeff Sluman, from Rochester, won with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff with Australia's Paul Gow.

Last week: Sluman won the Greater Milwaukee Open for the second time in five years, beating Tim Herron and Steve Lowery by four strokes with a 23-under 261 total.

Notes: The $2.1 million purse is the smallest on the 2002 tour. ... The John Deere Classic is next week in Silvis, Ill., followed by The International in Castle Rock, Colo.

On the Net: www.pgatour.comSENIOR PGA TOUR

SBC Senior Open

Site: Chicago.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.

Course: Harborside International Golf Center, Port Course (6,951 yards, par 72).

Purse: $1.45 million. Winner's share: $217,000.

Television: CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 4-6 p.m.).

Last year: Dana Quigley won at Kemper Lakes, beating Jay Sigel by five strokes in a Monday finish.

Last week: Australia's Stewart Ginn won the Senior Players Championship, the fourth and final major of the year. Ginn closed with a 66 for a one-stroke victory over Jim Thorpe, Hubert Green and Mike McCullough.

Notes: Hale Irwin won the 1995 tournament at Stonebridge for the first of his record 34 senior titles. He also won in 1998 and 1999 at Kemper Lakes. ... The 36-hole links-style facility was built on a landfill site. ... The FleetBoston Classic is next week, followed by the Long Island Classic.

On the Net: www.pgatour.comBUY.COM TOUR

Fort Smith Classic

Site: Fort Smith, Ark.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Hardscrabble Country Club (6,619 yards, par 70).

Purse: $425,000. Winner's share: $76,500.

Television: None.

Last year: Jay Delsing beat Jeff Freeman with a par on the fourth hole of a playoff in a Monday finish. Freeman shot a course-record 60 in the third round.

Last week: Jason Buha won the Dayton Open for his first tour title, closing with a 66 for a three-stroke victory over 2000 winner Todd Barranger and Marco Dawson.

Notes: Nationwide agreed to a five-year deal with the PGA Tour last week to become the developmental tour's umbrella sponsor. Nationwide is one of the country's largest insurance and financial service organizations. ... The Price Cutter Charity Championship is next week in Springfield, Mo., followed by the Omaha Classic.

On the Net: www.pgatour.comOTHER TOURNAMENTS

Men

U.S. Golf Association: U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, through Saturday, The Orchards Golf Club, Washington Township, Mich. On the Net: www.usapl.org

Canadian Tour: MTS Classic, Thursday-Sunday, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba. On the Net: www.cantour.com

PGA European Challenge Tour: Golf Challenge, Thursday-Sunday, Brunstorf Golf and Country Club, Hamburg, Germany. On the Net: www.europeantour.com

Women

Futures Tour: Lincoln Futures Golf Classic, Friday-Sunday, Blue Fox Run Golf Course, Avon, Conn. On the Net: www.futurestour.com