Zimmerman Wins LPGA Tournament

Mary Beth Zimmerman won her first LPGA tournament since 1987, capturing the Rail Classic on the second hole of a playoff Monday at Springfield, Ill., against the tour’s youngest pro, Emilee Klein, 21.

Zimmerman came from seven shots back and completed her regulation round with a tournament-low 7-under 65.

“I played really well today,” said Zimmerman, who was four groups ahead of Klein and had seven birdies and no bogeys. “I didn’t back off at all.”

She said she was especially pleased to win in front of her family and friends from nearby Hillsboro. Zimmerman’s father had colon cancer surgery Monday and wasn’t able to watch her play in the Rail Classic for the first time since 1983.

“He’s my biggest supporter,” she said.

Klein, who tied Hall of Famer Betsy King for the lead after the first two days, was leading when she missed a putt and bogeyed the 18th hole to force a playoff.

Zimmerman and Klein, who finished regulation play at 10-under 206, parred the first playoff hole, a repeat of the 18th. Then came the course’s toughest par-three water hole, the 16th.

Klein’s tee shot was closest to the pin, but Zimmerman sank a 25-foot uphill birdie putt and Klein missed her putt.

Klein, unusually poised throughout the tournament, admitted being “a little nervous” going into the 18th hole with a one-shot lead over Zimmerman.

“I played a little too conservatively, and I wasn’t making birdies all day,” she said.

“I thought my group [including King and Beth Daniels] were the people who would be on top, and I should have expected someone to come from behind.”

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Masters champion Ben Crenshaw will head the U.S. team for the Dunhill Cup Oct. 19-22, with Greg Norman and PGA champion Steve Elkington leading Australia.

The 16-nation field, with 12 of the world’s top 24 players, includes Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance of Scotland.

Lee Janzen and Peter Jacobsen will join Crenshaw for the Americans, who were upset in the final last year by Canada. The Canadian threesome of Dave Barr, Rick Gibson and Ray Stewart is back to defend the title.

Horse Racing

Winalota Cash, with a late kick, caught the previously undefeated filly Shake The Bank to win the 37th running of the $1.6-million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, N.M.

The bay gelding, ridden by Billy Peterson and owned by Jamie and Andra Meridyth of Odessa, Tex., earned $921,465.07 to boost his earnings for his first year of racing to more than $1.5 million.

His winning time of 21.18 seconds was the fastest for 440 yards in the 37-year history of the futurity, quarter horse racing’s richest race.

Motor Sports

Larry Dixon beat Bob Vandergriff Jr. in the U.S. Nationals at Clermont, Ind., to become the first rookie Top Fuel winner in the National Hot Rod Assn. event since Gary Beck in 1972.

Dixon covered a quarter-mile at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 4.931 seconds at 293.25 m.p.h. for his fourth victory of the season. Vandergriff’s parachute accidentally opened midway through the run, slowing him to 5.330 at 181.59.

Cruz Pedregon won the Funny Car title for the second consecutive year. He drove a Pontiac Firebird owned by former Washington Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs past John Force in the final. Pedregon finished in 5.075 at 304.67 for his fourth victory of the year. Force finished in 5.228 at 290.60.

Warren Johnson won the Pro Stock title for the fourth consecutive year, beating Lewis Worden with a run of 7.059 at 197.02 in an Oldsmobile Cutlass. Rick Ward beat John Smith in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final.

Four-time world champion Alain Prost of France, who retired last year after setting a career record of 51 Grand Prix victories, might return to racing.

“I will consider a comeback when I’m 100% sure that I can rely on a good car and a good engine. . . . I believe that my return to racing tracks would be good for Formula One, which lacks strong personalities,” Prost told an Italian sports newspaper.

Miscellany

Dot Richardson and former UCLA pitcher Lisa Fernandez lead the list of 15 players chosen to the first U.S. Olympic softball team.

Richardson, at 33 the oldest member of the team, is a 14-time Amateur Softball Association All-American selection and the NCAA’s player of the decade for the 1980s.

The team also includes outfielder Laura Berg of Santa Fe Springs, catcher Gillian Boxx of Torrance, infielder Sheila Cornell of Diamond Bar, infielder-outfielder Kim Maher of Fresno, infielder-outfielder Leah O’Brien of Chino and infielder Julie Smith of Glendora.