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Perks Flow Toward Imada

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The Associated Press

Published: May 22, 2008

It didn't take long for Chamberlain High graduate Ryuji Imada to realize some of the perks from winning the AT&T Classic outside Atlanta, chief among them a return trip to Georgia next April for the Masters.

Little did he know that his victory also sewed up a spot in the U.S. Open and the British Open.

This is a big week for a dozen or so players who are not already exempt from qualifying for golf's two oldest championships. The U.S. Open and British Open will take the top 50 in the world ranking after this week, and some exemptions are available through money lists.

Imada is at No. 49, but he will get his free pass to both Opens through the money list.

The top 10 on the PGA Tour money list through Colonial are exempt to the U.S. Open, and Imada is a lock at No. 4. The British Open takes the top three players not already exempt among the top 20 on the money list through Colonial. Imada is mathematically assured of that spot, too, because most of the players around him on the money list easily will make it off the world ranking.

The U.S. Open also takes the top 10 from the Order of Merit on the European Tour, and that could turn out to be an interesting battle. Damien McGrane is holding down the 10th spot by $1,669 over Oliver Wilson.

As for the British Open, the top three players on the U.S. money list not already exempt are Imada, Jeff Quinney and Bart Bryant, with Sean O'Hair about $25,000 behind Bryant. All of them are at Colonial this week.

Faldo Confident Monty Can Qualify

Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo is confident Colin Montgomerie can emerge from his slump and be part of Europe's team for the ninth time.

Montgomerie, who has never lost a singles match in the Ryder Cup, has not won in 10 months as his world ranking has plunged to No. 90. He already has failed to qualify for the Masters and The Players Championship, missing out on ranking points.

"I firmly believe Monty will turn it around. I certainly haven't counted that out," Faldo said. "He has a great way of producing the goods when really needed. A player of his ability has enough time to make it happen."

The Ryder Cup is Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky. Montgomerie has played on every team since 1991, the longest active streak on either team.

Jack's Lesson

Muirfield Village has been host of the Memorial near the end of May every year since 1976. After the tournament was over, it once became somewhat of a laboratory where four-time champion Jack Nicklaus prepared for the U.S. Open.

Nicklaus recalled how he would practice out of thick rough and on firm greens to get ready for conditions players saw only once a year. He also talked about how he worked on his driving.

"I used to go back to Muirfield and stand on the 14th tee, the ladies tee, and try to drive the ball on the green," Nicklaus said. "It's about a 14- or 15-yard fairway coming into the green with water on the right. And I practiced that all the time. It's a little left-to-right tee shot. It prepared me for the U.S. Open."

Costly Break

Lorena Ochoa earned $300,000 for her sixth victory of the year at the Sybase Classic, which should help her pay a $25,000 fine for skipping the Corning Classic this week.

The LPGA Tour has a "1-in-4" rule, meaning players must compete in every full-field event on the schedule at least once every four years. Ochoa has not played Corning since 2004, when she tied for 19th.

The Mexican star felt she had no choice. She is defending champion at eight tournaments this year, the LPGA Tour added another tournament in Mexico and Corning is right before a buildup into the majors.

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