The Manhattan Mercury from Manhattan, Kansas • 9

oorts Page B1 THE 'MANHATTAN MERCURY SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1999 3 1 7 Pinehurst No. 2 proves to be the victor Stewart leads by 1 shot FINKIIUH8T, C. (AP) Stem Saturday after tto third round of It I Open en Um 7, 173 yard, par-70 No 1 court Uia Plrwhuret HmoH and Country Club amateur fumeNuwart aHe732 ItiilMltkDlMM 87 7071-110 TigorWuul 67I 72211 Timllemm 71 To 1 1 1 l.ldluv.l 87 70 78-2 1 2 Vljyftlnh OBTOTJ 212 KtmKtrlrliaf 773 212 UlllyMayfalr 077374-211 J.lTM.u.rt 71 74-214 JuhnHiuU 7HW7S-2I8 lUINulton W77ft-21S Ml(uUitMlvn 73 70 71-215 PeulUoydoe 077474-215 DarrmtClarkt 717074-217 DAWalbrlnf 68 74 74-2 IT KrotlV.rvl.nl! 72 73 73-217 JiullrtUofi.rd 75 73-217 tj.WilAv.lll 707374-217 KurroModlata W72 7A-2I7 bobfeiM 7071-77-218 jMporPanwvIk 717176-218 rJl.b.nTulwlo 7072 79-218 CollnMonUoiMrt 737374-218 TomhrhfTr 7373 74-218 P.ulAilnjer 737378-218 PhllllpPmo 71-73-75-218 Nlckfrlci 71 74 74-218 Jayllaaa 747373-218 (erliMKranco 607773-218 (JoofTlroySlik 71 7276218 Brt.nW.IU 68-7377-218 JlroKury. 8V 73 77-218 wouldn't have come in handy out on the course. Week in and week out, PGA Tour pros hit an average 63 percent of the greens in regulation.

They might have landed the ball on Pinehurst's humpbacked versions just as often. It's just that far fewer of those approach shots 42 percent on Saturday stuck. That led to scene after scene of golfers grimly marching into a swale on one side of the green and sending a shot skidding across the green and into a swale on the other side. It happened so often that on some holes, fans in the bleachers might have thought they were watching a tennis match. It was hardly the only incongruous snapshot the day yielded.

At No. 17, Esteban Toledo holed a shot out of a greenside bunker for birdie and celebrated as though he'd taken the lead. His real accomplishment? Getting back to 8-over for the tourna- see No. 2, Page B3 JlmUtkt APSporttWrhw PINEHURST, N.C. Brandel Chamblee called Pinehurst No.

2 "Augusta on steroids." And he had one of the easier trips on the day, shooting 74. "I've been asked many times what's the hardest golf course I ever played," defending champion and two-time Open winner Lee Janzen recalled. "Now I have the answer." Channel surfers looking for golf could have clicked onto one of those specials titled something like, "When Nature Strikes Back!" and seen pretty much the same thing. That's how much carnage took place Saturday at the U.S. Open.

We'll get to the numbers backing that up momentarily. But suffice it to say only one golfer, former Open champion Payne Stewart, is on the right side of par after three rounds, and only one, Phil Mickelson, is straddling it For nearly everybody else, the best way to screw up the courage to come back Sunday is to take John Cook's advice. "I played this," he said, "as a par 88." Cook is not kidding much. He and his playing partner, Swede Gabriel Hjerstedt, began Saturday at 7-over-par. Five hours later, walking off 18, Hjerstedt offered a handshake.

"Thanks for the game," said Hjerstedt, who shot 79. "I enjoyed it." Cook, who shot 77, extended his hand, a crooked smile creasing his lips. "You're lying," he said. Anybody who called it an enjoyable afternoon had to be a liar. The best thing that can be said about the 68 golfers contesting the national championship is that all of them found their way back to the clubhouse without the U.S.

Golf Association having to leave a trail of bread crumbs. That's not to say those markers i V' 1 r'. 'f i i (i LL MARK JANSSEN SPORTS EDITOR 2 million fans Uie key lo Royals' success Miles Prentice is poised in the on deck circle awaiting base-bull's word to'TlayBall!" At the earliest, the baseball owner's fraternity says that cry will come this Tall. Probably later. For publication, baseball commissioner Bud Sellg only says, "The purchase of a baseball team is a unique process." For baseball, and specifically Kansus City, Prentice, an east coast attorney, appears to be made for ownership in Small-Market Baseball, USA.

Speaking last week to the Associated Press Sports Editor's meeting in Kansas City, Prentice was poised to attack the Midlands with slogans in hand. I Ie said he wanted to make the Kansas City Royals "The Heartland's Team." The key to success? "Two Million In 2000," he said in reference to the number of fans Kansas City needed for its 81 game home schedule. Prentice continued, "I want our games to be a family experience. Selling'fun' will be our primary objective. We want it to be a positive experience for each fan that comes through the gate." That's for the old and the young or lose.

"The experience has to be positive," Prentice said. "We have to make sure the hotdogs are hot, the Cokes are cold, that Slugger-rr is visible and maybe they get an autograph." It's a philosophy that has worked in Midland, Texas, where Prentice's Class AA Rock-Hounds have been named the Texas League Organization of the Year twice in the 1990s and named the No. 1 Class AA franchise in the nation in 1996. The high-dollar player, Prentice knows, will not ever find a home in Kansas City. After all, KC's total payroll is well below the $100 plus million Los Angeles is paying pitcher Kevin Brown.

Instead, Prentice uses the phrases "part of a family" and "blue collar family" when talking about the future of Kansas City baseball. While he knows better players are needed, Prentice says that will only start with a better fan base. After drawing 1.49 million fans last year, the hope is to seat 1.65 million in 1999. And then, 2.0 million in 2000. Kansas City's all-time season high was 2.47 million in 1989.

The last time the Royals were above 2.0 million was in 1991 (2.1 million). If 2.0 million can be achieved, then, Prentice says, "All of a sud-denyou can afford that left-handed middle relief guy." He added, "No, we may not be able to keep them (top players), but we want every player to be happy to be a Royals player. At every level, we want the experience to be a positive one and then maybe he will want to stay." In order to get those fans, Prentice says, "I'll go out and sell tickets door-to-door." Keeping George Brett in the Kansas City family will also help to sell tickets. Prentice says it's a priority: "He's part of the plan we have to sell and market the Royals. George Brett is identified as the most prominent Royal player.

He's an integral part of the Roy- see No. 1, PageB2 Associated Press Photo Payne Stewart leads the United States Open by a single stroke heading Into the final round this afternoon. Beltran, Febles ruiining away from other rookies Fernandez haunts KC 1 a pit, Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. It was Carlos Beltran's reaction to a bad play that first caught Minnesota manager Tom Kelly's practiced eye. Beltran had looked bad while making the last out of an inning.

The 22-year-old rookie was completely fooled on a pitch. But instead of sulking or losing his focus, he made a marvelous play just a few minutes later, robbing Marty Cordova of a hit. "He really looks like he can play," said Kelly. "He made a terrific catch on Cordova's ball. That was after he made an easy out, too, which makes it more special.

When you see a player make the last out, sort of a broken-bat dribbler, then go out in the field and make a neat play, that's pretty impressive. He also looks like he has a nice left-handed swing." Little did Kelly know that two months later Beltran would be running neck-and-neck with second baseman Carlos Febles, the other half of the Royals' "Dos Carlos" tandem, for the lead among AL rookies in almost every offensive category. Week-to-week, game-to-game, first one and then the other Carlos looks like the one the Royals should push for rookie of the year honors. Febles, a 23-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, has been spectacular defensively, flashing the range, quickness and ability fans remember from a young Frank White. (44), hits (79), total bases (125), doubles (14), stolen bases (12) and extra-base hits (25).

Febles was second in average RBIs (27), multihit games (15), runs (36), hits (60), total bases (98), doubles (13), stolen bases (10), and extra-base hits (23). Febles leads AL rookies in triples (five), slugging percentage (.467) and on-base percentage Beltran is third in on-base percentage (.330) and second in slugging percentage (.465.) "I'm proud of them, there's no question about it," said Muser. "I think this city has caught on. I think they appreciate what these kids have done. But we have a long way to go." Muser was worried last September that he might be promoting the two ahead of their time.

So he sat down and had a heart-to-heart talk with each. "I asked both of them, 'Do you think you're big league players? Do you think you can handle it on a big league level? Look me in the eye, Can you play in the big They looked him in the eye and spoke with the naive confidence of the young and talented. "I told him, 'Yeah, I'm ready to play. I think I'm said Beltran. "When somebody asks you if you can play, you're going to say sure, you know you can," said Febles.

"Carlos and I have been working hard to learn as much as possible about the game every day. I know we have a lot to learn." desperation Associated Press TORONTO Tony Fernandez is on the verge of becoming the most prolific hitter in the history of the Dominican Republic. Fernandez had two RBI singles to raise his major league-leading average to .409 and Roy Halladay allowed just two hits over 6 innings as Toronto beat the Kansas City Royals 7-0 Saturday. Fernandez received a standing ovation from the 23,369 fans at SkyDome after his seventh-inning single gave him 2,177 career hits. That moved him into a tie with Julio Franco for the most hits by a Dominican-born player.

"I just feel really blessed considering all the great Dominican players that have played baseball," said Fernandez, who mentioned Cesar Cedeno, George Bell and Franco. "I never thought I would be the one with the most hits." Fernandez, who went 2-for-4, has an AL-leading .465 average with runners in scoring position. "I gave him the lineup card after the game, and told him I'll probably being doing that a lot this year," Toronto manager Jim Fregosisaid. Halladay (5-3), starting for injured Chris Carpenter, didn't allow a hit until Carlos Beltran led off the fourth with a sharp see No. 2, Page B2 KANSASCITY.

TORONTO ibrhbl Damonlf 4 0 0 0 Stewartlf Randa3b 3 0 10 TBatiait Beltrancr 3 0 10 SGreenrT MiSweylb 4 0 0 0 CDIgdolb Dyerf 3 0 10 TFrndi3b Kreuterc 3 0 0 0 Fltchere JeGmbidh 3 0 0 0 Berroadh Feble2b 3 0 0 0 JoCruzcf Scrsneai 3 0 0 0 Buah2b Posepb '0000 Leiussa 10 0 0 Totala 38.8.3.8 Totala abrhbl 5 2 2 0 3 110 4 2 2 3 4 0 0 0 4 12 2 3 0 11 3 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 4 12 0 34.7 10.8 KantaaCitjr 000 000 Toronto 000 003 40x 7 Kreuter (1). DP Toronto 2. LOB Kanaaa City 8, Toronto 0. 2B Stewart (8), Fletcher (10). Bush (8).

SB Scaraone (0, Stewart (23), SGreen (11). IP ER BB SO KanaaaClty ApplerL.6-8 Byrdak i Santiago Toronto HalladayW.5-3 Lloyd 61-3 23 1 6 2-3 1 Cjuantrill 113 HBP by Appier (TBatlata). by Appier Associated Press Photo Carlos Febles and Carlos Beltran. with the Jim Rice-Fred Lynn duo that electrified the Boston Red Sox as rookie sensations more than 20 years ago. "The scouts and the development people need to be given some credit," said manager Tony Muser.

"It was their tutoring and their teaching and disciplining that got them so far so fast. I'm just going to try to continue what they've done, to keep them getting better and better and not getting complacent." Going into Tuesday night's game at Baltimore, Beltran led AL rookies in batting average home runs (10), RBIs (48), multihit games (20), runs scored The American League's top rookies "If he stays around, I think he'll be better than I was," said White, a nine-time winner of the Gold Glove who now coaches first base for the Royals. Beltran, a 22-year-old switch-hitter, leads AL rookies in most offensive categories. Trailing him in second place is his buddy from their minor league days, Febles. Fans dubbed the pair "Dos Carlos" about the time they vaulted to the big leagues last September from Double-A Wichita.

Without a doubt, they are the most exciting rookies the Royals have had since Bo Jackson in 1987. Many are comparing them New lbrk Knicks go from destiny lo 4 'I. i 1999 N.Y. Times SAN ANTONIO The New York Knicks have gone from a team of destiny to one of desperation. Many championship onlookers including former Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan picked the surprising Knicks to upset the San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven National Basketball Association Finals.

San Antonio holds a 2-0 lead in the onesided series, which shifts to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 beginning Monday. Game 5, if necessary, would be Friday in New York. When dealing with the Spurs, if necessary often translates into probably not. San Antonio has won a playoff-record 12 straight, including four-game sweeps of the Los Ange- les Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers. Making matters worse for New York, the only eighth-seeded team ever to reach the NBA Finals, the Spurs are undefeated in six postseason road games.

The Spurs haven't lost since the second game of their opening-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Their dominance hasn't gone unnoticed by the fans, who Friday night in the Alamodome chanted "sweep, sweep," in the closing seconds of San Antonio's 80-67 victory. Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said he doesn't want his players to dwell on the daunting task ahead. "I don't want them thinking about down 2-0," he said. "We have to win four of the next five games.

We don't have to win four games on Monday, we just have to try to win one." Only two teams in NBA history the 1969 Boston Celtics and the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers have rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win the NBA Finals. And they didn't have to do it against the juggernaut Spurs, who in their last 50 games have lost only six times. "Sweep is not Something that ever went through our minds in L.A. or Portland," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We try to play with the appropriate amount of fear so that won't happen." The only ones who need be afraid are the Knicks.

New York is playing without 7-footer Patrick Ewing, who is sitting out the series with a partially torn Achilles tendon, while forward Larry Johnson has a sprained knee see No. 1, Page B3 (Berroa). WP Byrdak. Umpire. Home.

Miller; First, Everitt; Second. Culbreth; Third, Feed. 2:48. A 23,388 Miles Prentice owner in waiting..