Amazing Shot Helps Ballesteros Tie

Golf

Seve Ballesteros showed fans something they won’t see him do at the Ryder Cup Thursday when he hit a 4-wood 185 yards while on his knees to finish with a 65 and a tie for the lead at the Lancome Trophy at Saint-Nom-la-Breteche, France.

Ballesteros is captain of the European team that will play the United States in Spain in two weeks, but he failed to qualify as a player after his worst season in 23 years as a professional.

“It was like the old days,” said Ballesteros, who shares the lead with Australian Peter O’Malley. “The best round I have played for three or four years.”

Ballesteros is 174th on the European money list with $18,400 and 293rd in the world rankings. He has made only two cuts in 16 tournaments this year.

Ballesteros has won the Lancome Trophy four times, the last in 1988.

Memories of Ballesteros’ dashing go-for-broke style of play came rushing back at the 522-yard sixth hole when he hit a 4-wood 185 yards through a narrow gap in the trees and just short of the green with a shot played while he was kneeling on the ground.

“I could not hit it standing up because my backswing touched the branches of a tree and there was only a little gap,” Ballesteros said with typical understatement. “So it was the only way to play it.”

He chipped up and made the birdie.

LPGA

Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Dale Reid each fired 5-under-par 67s to share the lead after one round of the $550,000 Safeco Classic at Kent, Wash.

Clarkston’s Robin Walton shot a 75.

PGA

Despite an intermittent drizzle that chilled his achy spine, Dave Rummells shot a 7-under-par 64 at Sutton, Mass., and was tied with Charlie Rymer for the first-round lead at the CVS Charity Classic.

Playing in just his sixth PGA Tour event since taking five months off for back treatment, Rummells made seven birdies. Rymer, who started on the back nine, parred his first seven holes before birdieing six of the next seven, then pulled even with Rummells with a birdie on No. 8.

Women’s Mid-Amateur

Carol Semple Thompson won her second U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur championship with a 2-and-1 victory over Leslie Shannon at the Atlantic City Country Club at Northfield, N.J.

Crenshaw begins recuperation

Two-time Masters Tournament champion Ben Crenshaw will miss six weeks after undergoing successful surgery on his right big toe Tuesday in Austin, Texas.

“We are optimistic that Ben will make a quick recovery,” said Dr. Ted Spears.

Crenshaw had damage to a small bone under the big toe repaired and calcium deposits in the toe removed.