Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 11

THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC EXPANDED COVERAGE Wednesday: Wimeaspirts Thursday: Imiill Extra, AzGilf, 0utTber2 Friday: AzPreps Satarday: MitmpirU Suiday: laseball Insider MONDAY APRIL 6, 1998 Senior Editor, Kaihy Tulumello 444-8641 kaihy.lulumellopni.com 3 Morgan raffles for repeat Overtakes Wargo for Tradition title LEADER BOARD Gil Morgan 71-66-69-70-276 Tom Wargo 68-67-69-74278 V. Fernandez 71-70-69-69279 Hale Irwin 69-69-74-68280 Ray Floyd 73-68-69-72-282 Complete scores, D10. nings, including a $210,000 check from The Tradition, there seems to be little doubt that Morgan is the new trail boss of the "Over the Hill Gang." Of course, the modest Morgan will have none of it. I don't know (if I'm No. I)," said Morgan, 51, who joined Jack Nicklaus (1990-91 and 1995-96) as the only players to win back-to-back Traditions.

"I pretty good today, and this week, But I don't know about the best player out here." Morgan was at a loss to explain why his putting is so much better now than it was before he turned 50. He still is using the same PING Anser putters he used on the junior tour. "I think I always chipped the ball well and blasted the ball pretty good, but I never got much out of it because I didn't putt to the level that I have been putting this last year and a half," said the Oklahoman, who some call the "Good Doctor" because of his degree in optometry. Please see MORGAN, Page DIO By Bill Huffman The Arizona Republic A beaten man, Tom Wargo could crack a smile only when someone asked him whether he thinks Gil Morgan is the premier player on the Senior PGA Tour. "Hale Irwin made the comment to me (Saturday), that for some reason, Gil is a hell of a lot better player now than he was a few years said Wargo, referring to Morgan's career on the PGA Tour.

"So, I would think so, yes. Especially with his length. And he is putting the ball so well right now." Morgan relied on that 1-2 punch Sunday, overtaking Wargo down the stretch at Desert Mountain for a repeat victory in The Tradition. Two examples of what Morgan does best stood out: On the par-5 12th, he powered a 342-yard drive down the pike, then his 6-iron from 169 yards set up an easy 2-putt birdie from 20 feet. That was the I I A 4 second consecutive hole that Morgan birdied and Wargo bogeyed, and the 4-shot swing, which led to a 4-shot lead, proved insurmountable.

On the final hole, Morgan rolled in a nerve-rattling.) 10-foot par to make Wargo 's attempt at a 3-foot meaningless. A bogey by Morgan and a Wargo birdie would have resulted in a playoff. 1 Instead, it was a 2-shot victory for Morgan over the emotionally drained Wargo. With 10 victories in the past 12 months and nearly S3 million in win Mora ReederThe Anrona Republic Gil Morgan (left) and Tom Wargo, who battled all day at The Tradition, share a light moment after Morgan's tournament-clinching putt on the 18th green. Ken LevineAssociated Press Rasheed Wallace of Portland tries unsuccessfully to dunk over the Suns' Clifford Robinson on Friday night.

Suns smack one Blazers Reprinted from Sunday's late editions By Bob Young The Arizona Republic The Suns have a roster full of veteran, savvy players. They've been through many April battles that led to all-out war in the NBA playoffs. But most of them, with the exception of reserve center Mark Bryant, were coasting along Saturday as if they had already conceded the fourth seed in the Western Conference to San Antonio. It was as if the Suns were looking forward to a little Fiesta celebration on San Antonio's famed Riverwalk during the first round of the playoffs. It took 23-year-old Antonio McDyess, who had never played in a meaningful April game in his NBA career, to shake the Suns Suns 90, Trail Blazers 83 Benes stops Giants with bullpen aid Associated Press The Diamondbacks won for the first time in franchise history, ending a five-game losing streak when Andy Benes pitched them past the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, on Sunday night at Bank One Ballpark.

Felix Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his first major league save, stopping San Francisco's Diamondbacks 3, Giants 2 Gets the call HSU 1 4 three-game winning streak. He struck out the first two batters, and center fielder Devon White made a running catch on Rey Sanchez's drive for the final out. Benes got off to a shaky start Paul Sorrento of, the Devil Rays rests easy after beating the tag of White Sox shortstop Chris Snopek for a fourth-inning double Sunday. when Bill Mueller lined the second pitch of the game into the Giants' bullpen in right field. The Diamondbacks struck back in the bottom of the first.

Devon White singled, Jay Bell walked and Travis Lee hit an UP NEXT D-Backs at Dodgers 1 p.m. Tuesday, FOXAZ, KTAR-AM (620). RBI single that tied the score at 1 Matt Williams followed with a bloop hit down the right field line that fell between second baseman up and carry them past Portland, 90-83, at America West Arena for their fourth straight victory. McDyess scored 23 points, took down 13 rebounds and equaled career highs with six blocked shots and five steals. About the only thing he didn't swat away all night was a television reporter's microphone, which was inadvertently jammed into his eye during the post-game melee.

"McDyess was all over the place," Ainge said. "He's always energetic. He made some huge goal-saving plays." Ainge, however, credited Bryant for turning the rest of the club's energy up with his defensive hustle in the third quarter. "It doesn't do any good to have one guy playing with energy," Ainge said. "I thought Mark picked up the energy of the whole team." That might be true, but it took another McDyess defensive gem to get the announced crowd of 19,023 into the game in the fourth quarter, and when that happened, the Suns started playing defense with abandon.

The Suns trailed by five, and Portland's Gary Grant drove into the lane looking to make it seven when McDyess moved over to reject the shot. That led to Danny Manning's fast-break layup at the other end and started a 16-4 Phoenix burst. Jason Kidd and Rex Chapman finished the deal by hitting some big shots down the stretch. "I came out very energetic," said McDyess, who had sparked the Suns in Houston with a shot block on Hakeem Dlajuwon down the stretch. "I was really nto the game at the beginning, and I stayed and relaxed." It's easy to understand why McDyess has much energy.

During his first two years in he league, in Denver, important games lsually dried up during the winter. When the "ans were screaming in April, it usually vasn't encouragement. When there were fans. "Oh, my God, this is fun right now," McDyess said. "For the last two years, it lasn't been that way.

This is a totally lifferent feeling." The Suns' victory allowed them only to tay in step with the Spurs, who came into lie game with a 2'4-game lead on the Suns Jeff Kent and right fielder Stan Javier, scoring Bell. Shawn Estes (0-1) walked Yamil Benitez to load the bases, and Chris Jones grounded into a double play that scored another run. Suns probably will start playoffs in San Antonio Devils rookie trips Coyotes Coyotes 3 Devils 2 -o III SA I pnoi mix suns By Norm Frauenheim The Arizona Republic SEATTLE The Suns are searching for signs. Only one matters. It points to San Antonio.

NBA standings and schedules make for a pretty good road map as the Suns plan for the playoff's first round. Unless an asteroid falls on Tim Duncan during the next week, the Suns can begin to book on one necessity: Hotel rooms in San Antonio. That's where they figure to be for the first two games in a best-of-five series against the Spurs. The Suns can hope, of course. There's got to be a promising tea leaf in some fortune teller's parlor somewhere.

No matter how you read the remaining schedule for each team, the home-court advantage figures to be in San Antonio. 'I think we can still get it," said Rex Chapman, who is expected to be back in the starting lineup tonight against the SuperSonics Please see SUNS, Page D3 By Tom Canavan Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. When it comes time to pick the NHL Rookie of the Year, don't overlook Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils. Elias moved into a tie for the goal-scoring lead among rookies and helped the Devils break a season-high three-game losing streak by scoring twice in a 3-2 win over the Coyotes on Sunday. Elias, who scored the game winner early in the third period, has 18 goals, tying him with Boston's Sergei Samsonov for the rookie lead.

"He has to be there, with the talent he has," Devils Coach Jacques Lemaire said of Elias being the top rookie. "He had a Please see DEVILS, Page D5 nd also won Saturday night. But whether the Suns catch San Antonio nd get the home court advantage in the first ound or not, winning in April provides lomentum for the playoffs. With only eight games to play and the next ive coming on the road, the Suns have a ifficult task ahead of them to catch the UP NEXT Suns at Sonics 7 p.m. tonight, Channel 45, KTAR-AM (620).

UP L'EXT Coyotes at Penguins 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, FOXAZ, KDUS-AM (1060). purs. "Yeah, it's a tough task," Ainge said. "But 're going to keep trying.

We're going to to keep winning. "We're not spending a lot of time focusing our opponent right now. We're really Kusing on trying to get better. We're really ying to get our game up for the playoffs." Bit KostTDurv Associated Press Scott Niedermayer (27) of New Jersey checks the Coyotes' Cliff Ronning in the first period. 1.