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Nicklaus to end career

Associated Press

Jack Nicklaus said Monday the British Open will be the end of his tournament career.

Nicklaus, 65, will play the British Open at St. Andrews for the last time when the tournament is held July 14-17. He has not played in the Open since it was last held at St. Andrews in 2000, and is returning only because the Royal & Ancient Golf Club moved up the Old Course in the rotation to give Nicklaus one last chance.

British Open champions are exempt until they are 65. Nicklaus won the claret jug three times, including twice at St. Andrews (in 1970 and 1978).

“From a tournament standpoint, that will be it for me,” Nicklaus said Monday during a promotional appearance in Britain. “I will play a few skins games and father-sons, but from any kind of tournament involvement, that’s it.

“I love St. Andrews,” Nicklaus said. “It’s been a great part of my career.”

Nicklaus missed the cut at the Masters and said he would no longer play that major. On his final hole, he brushed away tears and hugged his oldest son, Jackie, who was caddying for him.

“I expect I’ll be just as emotional at St. Andrews,” Nicklaus said. “I’m a sentimental old fool.”

Champions Tour

Jim Thorpe took his second straight Champions Tour victory Monday in Milton, Fla., hitting a 4 1/2 -foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to beat Morris Hatalsky in the Blue Angels Classic at the Moors Golf Club.

Hatalsky and Thorpe each parred the first hole of the playoff Sunday night before play was suspended because of darkness following a pair of rain delays that totaled 4 hours, 18 minutes.

Mulroy, Ping win Big Stakes Match Play

David Ping and Garth Mulroy won the Big Stakes Match Play Championship in Mesquite, Nev., beating Rick Hartmann and Mark Mielke 2-up in the final to earn $2,325,000 and push their tournament total to $3 million.

Ping, a mini-tour player from La Habra, Calif., and Mulroy, a former North Carolina State player from South Africa, won six matches on the Casa-Blanca Golf Club course in the event organized by former Atlanta quarterback Steve Bartkowski.