Curtis Finally Finishes Big Victory in Maryland

After making the winning putt, Ben Curtis pumped his fists and joined his playing partners in a bow of gratitude to the volunteers and superintendents behind the 18th green on Tuesday.

He had reason to give thanks. After all, it took him six mostly waterlogged days to win the Booz Allen Classic at Potomac, Md., his first title since the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George’s.

The Tuesday finish was the first on the tour since the 1980 Tucson Open.

“It was just a big relief to get it done and finally get this win,” Curtis said. “I’ve been waiting three years for it and it finally came. We bowed to the superintendents because they did a wonderful job getting the course ready.”

But there was hardly anyone to see Curtis complete the five-stroke victory.

Fans were not allowed on the course Tuesday because the tournament didn’t anticipate six days of security arrangements.

That left about 40 people, including a handful of fellow golfers, to watch Curtis tap in for his second bogey of the morning. The two harmless bogeys concluded a one-under-par 70 in an event that dragged on because of rain.

Curtis, who earned $900,000, was five shots ahead of Billy Andrade (64), Padraig Harrington (66), Nick O’Hern (67) and Steve Stricker (68).

Steve Elkington and Jeff Maggert were among 12 players awarded spots in the British Open based on their world ranking when a qualifying round at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., was canceled because of heavy rain.

The 36-hole qualifier, scheduled for Monday, was reduced to 18 holes because of rain delays at the Booz Allen Classic, then wiped out entirely when most of Congressional remained under water.

Graeme McDowell won a seven-man playoff at Sunningdale, England, to claim a spot in next month’s British Open.

Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam and Jesper Parnevik were among those who failed to advance at the European qualifier.

Dakoda Dowd, the 13-year-old who gained attention by playing in an LPGA Tour event earlier this season, qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Peachtree City, Ga.

Dowd shot an even-par 72 in a sectional qualifier and claimed one of five spots in the July 17-22 event at the Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C.

“It feels good. I’m really excited,” Dowd said. “I’m looking at the application right now and the place looks really nice.”

Dowd received a sponsor exemption for the LPGA Tour’s Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open in April after tournament organizers heard the story of her mother, Kelly Jo, who has bone and liver cancer and said she wanted to see her daughter play one time against the best female golfers in the world. Dowd missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 82.

HOCKEY

Cuban, Marino in Group Trying to Buy Penguins

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino have joined with a New York City financier in trying to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s group, which is selling the two-time Stanley Cup champions even as the team seeks a new arena deal.

The group of prospective Penguins owners is headed by Andrew Murstein, the president of Medallion Financial Corp.

Neither Cuban nor Marino has any interest in moving the Penguins from Pittsburgh -- Cuban has made it a condition of his participation -- even though the team has yet to land a deal to build an arena to replace 45-year-old Mellon Arena.

The Boston Bruins fired coach Mike Sullivan after finishing with a losing record for only the third time in 39 years. The Bruins went 29-37-16.

The Ducks bought out the contract of forward Tyler Wright, who was released by the club in February.

The 33-year-old Wright, who was signed through the 2006-07 season, will be paid approximately $347,000 over the next two seasons.

Wright had two goals and six assists in 43 games with the Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets last season.

-- Eric Stephens

MISCELLANY

Duke Athletic Director Hurt in Boating Accident

Duke Athletic Director Joe Alleva injured his head during a boating accident on a lake north of Durham, N.C., and his son was charged in the wreck.

Joseph David Alleva, 27, was charged with operating a boat while impaired Friday after the ski boat he was driving ran onto a pile of rocks at Hyco Lake.

Joe Alleva was treated at a hospital, where he got 42 stitches to his head.

The Tour de France has asked the Astana-Wurth team to pull out of this year’s race because of a doping scandal in Spain.

The team has asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland to rule on whether it has the right to take part.

The organizers’ requests are not binding but are usually accepted. If a team or rider refuses, the organizers would need backing from CAS or the International Cycling Union to exclude them.

American cyclist Tyler Hamilton will keep his gold medal from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal by the Russian Olympic Committee to strip Hamilton of his gold medal in the time trial because of a doping controversy and give it to silver medalist Vyacheslav Ekimov.

The New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer fired Mo Johnston as coach and named assistant coach Richie Williams as his replacement on an interim basis.