Delicate Shot Helps Norman Return with Style

From a sharp slope with a hanging lie in deep, wet rough, on the short side of the green and water just beyond, Greg Norman was looking at big, big trouble.

Norman answered with a deft, delicate sand wedge and watched as the ball came to rest inches from the cup. It was a shot that sent him to a four-stroke victory Sunday and his second Memorial title and $306,000.

“I hit it perfect,” Norman said. “No question about it, that was the most important shot.”

Norman, playing in a tournament for the first time in six weeks, having taken a break because of back spasms, won for the first time on the tour in more than a year.

He closed with a six-under-par 66 and a total of 19-under 269 on the rain-soaked Muirfield Village Golf Club course in Dublin, Ohio, on which players were allowed to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway.

For the long day, Norman had seven birdies and no bogeys in 22 holes of competition. He was among the 22 players stranded on the course by darkness Saturday night and had to return earlyin the morning to complete his round.

Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington and David Duval tied for second.

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Graham Marsh shot a two-under 70 for a five-shot victory in the Bruno’s Memorial Classic in Birmingham, Ala., for his first victory on the Senior PGA Tour and his second victory in the United States.

The native of Australia finished with a 15-under 201, the lowest for 54 holes on tour this year, and matched the largest margin of victory in taking the $157,500 first prize.

J.C. Snead finished strong, grabbing second with a 68 for a 206.

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Dale Eggeling shot a one-under 71 to win the Oldsmobile Classic in East Lansing, Mich., earning more from this one tournament than she has in 15 of her 19 years on the LPGA Tour.

Eggeling, who led all three rounds after opening with a 63 Thursday, won for the first time in 15 years and took home $90,000.

She finished at 14-under 274, two strokes ahead of Meg Mallon, Elaine Crosby and Annika Sorenstam of Sweden.

Miscellany

Frank Bruno will challenge World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium on July 22.

Suzy Hamilton set an American record in the 1,000-meter run in the Prefontaine Classic track and field meet in Eugene, Ore.

In other events, Michael Johnson held off Carl Lewis in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 20.15, his best so far this season. Derek Mills won the men’s 400 in 44.13 as world record-holder Butch Reynolds was third in 44.91.

American record-holder Gail Devers won the women’s 100 hurdles in 12.84.

Tony Rominger completed his domination of the Tour of Italy, becoming the first Swiss rider to win the cycling event in 41 years after completion of the final stage in Milan. Rominger finished with an aggregate advantage of 4:13 minutes over runner-up Eugeni Berzin of Russia, the 1994 winner.

Alexi Lalas will skip the first match of U.S. Cup ’95 on June 11 to play with his Italian first division soccer club.

Scott Ayakatubby and Karch Kiraly defeated Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh, 14-6, to win the $20,000 Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Nestea Open at Atlanta.

Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno won the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. event at San Diego, defeating Linda Hanley and Angela Rock, 15-10.

The U.S. Naval Academy’s A and B boats with three men and five women rode brisk winds to first place for the second consecutive year in the national collegiate dinghy championships at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. UC Berkeley was second and UC Irvine third.