A First: Woman Qualifies for PGA Event

Suzy Whaley became the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event, earning an exemption to next year’s Greater Hartford Open by winning a PGA Section Championship on Tuesday at Ellington, Conn.

Whaley, also the first woman to win a Section Championship, shot a one-under-par 71 to finish at five-under 211 after shooting 68-72-71 at the Ellington Ridge Country Club to win the Connecticut Section title.

Whaley, 35, was the first woman to qualify for the National Club Professional Championship in June. She said she hasn’t decided whether to play at the Greater Hartford Open. Her husband is the general manager at the TPC at River Highlands, where the GHO is held each summer.

“My household has a lot of discussing to do on that,” she said.

GHO Chairman Dan Baker said the tournament reserves a spot for the section champ and makes no distinction with regard to gender.

He said Whaley, who played Tuesday from tees 10% closer than men’s tees, would have to play the Hartford event from the same tees as the men.

Basketball

A week after trading for Mateen Cleaves, the Cleveland Cavaliers returned the point guard to the Sacramento Kings after he failed his physical.

Still hoping to shore up their backcourt, the Cavaliers traded a future second-round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for guard Milt Palacio. The Cavaliers traded small forward Jumaine Jones for Cleaves last week. The Cavaliers will get Jones back.

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The trial of three men accused of stabbing Boston Celtic star Paul Pierce opened in Boston, with lawyers contending the suspects were wrongly identified in the nightclub fight two years ago.

William Ragland, Anthony Hurston and Trevor Watson are charged with armed assault with intent to murder in the Sept. 25, 2000, attack at the Buzz Club in Boston’s theater district.

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Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers was cleared of the remaining two misdemeanor charges brought against him in July for allegedly barging into an apartment with a gun and threatening two men while looking for his wife.

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Ron Artest’s girlfriend was arrested and charged with hitting and scratching the Indiana Pacer forward. Kimisha Hatfield, 27, the mother of two of Artest’s children, was arrested Sunday at the Carmel, Ind., home where she was staying with Artest. Hatfield pleaded not guilty in court Monday.

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Aaron Brooks, a point guard from Seattle Franklin High who was heavily recruited by UCLA, committed to Oregon.

Miscellany

A 15-year-old sophomore football player at Pemberton (N.J.) High collapsed and died of an apparent asthma attack after a noncontact practice.

Dominique Johnson complained of tightness in his chest during a Monday afternoon practice.

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Former Arizona Diamondback Alex Cabrera hit his 52nd homer for the Seibu Lions, leaving him three shy of tying the Japanese season record.

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Hana Yasmeen Ali, 26, a daughter of Muhammad Ali, is scheduled to appear in court today after being arrested last week on a charge of trying to steal bedding from a store at Rossford, Ohio.