Victory Gives Browne Some Reasons to Relax

Olin Browne no longer has to write letters to PGA Tour events begging for a tee time. He doesn’t have to sweat out the final two months of the season, wondering if he’ll earn enough money to keep his card.

Browne, the former Occidental College golfer, took care of all those worries Monday afternoon, when he emerged from a five-way tie for the lead and closed with a four-under-par 67 to win the Deutsche Bank Championship at Norton, Mass., by one shot over Jason Bohn.

“It’s a little bit different feeling to start out with a lead and play with it all day long, and then finish it off,” said Browne, who finished at 14-under 270. “I couldn’t be happier about the way I played.”

It was the third victory of his career.

Browne built a three-shot lead on the back nine, saved par with a delicate chip that tumbled down a ridge to five feet on the 11th hole, and hit a seven-iron from an awkward lie into 15 feet on the 17th for a birdie that gave him a two-shot lead.

The toughest part was waiting for Bohn to finish.

Bohn needed an eagle on the 18th hole to force a playoff, and gambled with a hybrid club out of the rough that sailed to the right of the green. His chip never had a chance, and his birdie gave him a 68.

Vaughn Taylor shot a 68 to finish third at 10-under 274. Charles Howell III had a 67 and joined three others who finished another shot behind.

Tiger Woods, the first-round leader, was never a factor over the last three days. He shot 71 to tie for 40th.

The five-way tie for the lead going into the last round was the biggest since the 1983 Colonial.

Woods didn’t show up on the first tee until 22 seconds before his twosome was announced. “My cart driver was taking his time,” Woods said of the shuttle ride from the range. “Every speed bump, he slowed down to an absolute stop and looked around. We were telling him, ‘Hurry up, don’t worry about it.’ ”

Motor Racing

Del Worsham became the sixth driver in Mac Tools U.S. Nationals history to sweep the Funny Car eliminations and Skoal Showdown bonus race, beating Frank Pedregon in the final at Clermont, Ind.

Worsham, who earned more than $225,000 during the weekend, had a quarter-mile run of 4.874 seconds at 320.05 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo to hold off Pedregon, who finished in 4.904 at 313.07 in a Dodge Stratus. Larry Dixon (top fuel), Greg Anderson (pro stock) and Matt Smith (pro stock motorcycle) also won their divisions in the $2.6-million event at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Soccer

Costa Rica Coach Alexandre Guimaraes was suspended by FIFA for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago.

FIFA imposed the penalty after Guimaraes’ ejection by U.S. referee Kevin Stott during Saturday’s 3-1 victory at Panama.

Costa Rica (3-3-1) is third in the final round of North and Central American and Caribbean qualifying, trailing the U.S. (6-1), which has 18 points and has clinched a berth, and Mexico (5-1-1), which has 16 points.

Baseball

Bryan LaHair hit two home runs and Rob Johnson hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lead the U.S. over Australia, 6-4, in the World Cup at Amsterdam.

The U.S. won its second consecutive game and is tied atop Group B with Taiwan, which beat Spain, 12-2. Cuba defeated Brazil, 11-1, for its third win and matched the Netherlands atop Group A.

In other Group B games, Japan beat the Czech Republic, 19-0, and South Korea beat Canada, 7-6.

In other Group A games, Panama beat Sweden, 11-1, and China beat South Africa, 11-1.