Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 28

D2 CALGARY HERALD Sunday, September 3, 1 995 SPORTS U.S. OPEN weeps Edlfeeirg Iff ik I Defending champ proves too much for veteran Swede PHILIP HERSH Chicago Tribune NEW YORK It looked like the match to inject some life into the first week of a U.S. Open in which the men's singles tournament has turned into a dreary waiting game. It ended as just another reason why everyone would like to fast-forward one week and get to the anticipated final between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. The stadium court was packed Saturday by a crowd that hoped defending champion Agassi's third-round match with two-time champion Stefan Ed-berg of Sweden would be a break from the routine.

"When I walked in. it felt like a semifinal or a final," said Edberg, who has slumped to No. 19 in the world. It had a score like a typical early-round mismatch in a Grand Slam tournament, with Agassi beating Edberg 6-4. 6-3, 6-1 in only one hour and 40 minutes.

"I just wish the people have more time to spend out there and see a better match than it ended up being," Edberg said. "It had potential. If I got to a set-all, it could have been different." Edberg had the chance to even the match. Leading 3-0 in the second set, he had a break point for 4-0. But Agassi held serve and went on to win 11 straight games.

"I felt I was doing all the right things and suddenly I was down, and after that, he started getting very confident," Edberg said. "He played well in the third set, but apart from that, he Osamu Honda, Associated Press straight-set victory Saturday, which had girlfriend Brooke Shields (right) applauding his efforts. ANDRE'S DAY: Defending U.S. Open champion Andre Agassi (above) blasts a return at Sweden's Stefan Edberg during his good fortune in the last two years. He was taken in by an Armenian-American family in Connecticut after touring the U.S.

with an Armenian junior team in 1993. The host family helped him get a scholarship to Arizona State, for whom the 22-year-old Sargsian won the 1995 NCAA title. Saturday's strangest match involved fourth-seeded Boris Becker of Germany and 139th-ranked Jason Stoltenberg of Australia. Before Becker prevailed in four sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, the two played through a stretch of sev- don't know whether I would be thinking about tennis a lot." Agassi's new-found ability to concentrate on tennis since winning the 1994 Open as an unseeded player has helped him end a decade of inconsistency to become No. 1 in the world.

He moves on to a Monday match with Jared Palmer of Tampa, who ended the magic run of Sargis Sargsian 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a battle of NCAA champions Saturday Sargsian, ranked No. 392, is an Armenian emigre whose career and life have been marked by several strokes of made a lot of mistakes. What he did good today was playing the point that matters." Edberg, 29, winner of six Grand Slam titles, has lost the serving power to cope with Agassi, the best serve returner in the game. "You have to understand how little separates somebody ranked top and somebody ranked 20 or 30," Agassi said. "Most of the time, the difference is in the head.

"He hasn't lost enough at any level that he couldn't turn it around. If I had some beautiful children like he has I Mike Blake, Reuters en straight service breaks. Stoltenberg alone failed to hold serve in six straight games. On the women's side. Monica Seles obliterated 28th-ranked Yone Kamio of Japan, 6-1, 6-1, to advance to the fourth round.

The 21-year-old has yet to lose a set in her comeback, and has barely been pushed for more than an hour. Kamio's first appearance on the Stadium Court was barely a cameo, ending in just 54 minutes in a flurry of Seles forehand winners. And, fourth-seeded Conchita Martinez has jogged through the early rounds at the National Tennis Center and extended her 1995 hard-court winning streak to 13. Saturday night's victim was Naoko Sawamatsu, who fell to the Spanish baseliner. 6-1, 6-2, in a 90-minute third-round match.

NBA SIGNING Heat can enjoy life with Riley Former Knicks' coach lands huge contract with Miami VANCOUVER INDY Vilieneuve picks up his IndyCar pace Canadian relaxed as he seeks to win first point crown GRANT KERR The Canadian Press VANCOUVER Jacques Vilieneuve planned to sleep almost a hairpin turn away from the temporary street course that could help crown him IndyCar champion today at the Molson Indy Vancouver. The pole-sitting Vilieneuve organized a barbeque and early bedtime at his motorhome that's parked near the IndyCar track. "It's more relaxing than going out on the town," he said Saturday. "I don't want to be in any traffic jams before the race." Vilieneuve captured his fifth pole position of the season by running even faster than his preliminary lap time Friday that was the best in the field of 28 entries in the second and last Canadian stop in the PPG IndyCar World Se- The Canadian driver can claim his first points championship by finishing sixth or better today, the 16th of 17 series races. Villeneuve's top qualifying lap of 111.013 miles per hour placed him in the front row alongside Jimmy Vasser.

"The car was slightly better today," Vilieneuve said. "It's warmer and you can use more of the trip on the new tires." Vilieneuve, 24, has won four times this year for Team Green and Player's Ltd in his Ford Cosworth-powered Reynard. He would like to win his last race in Canada before joining the Williams Renault team on the Forumla One circuit next year. But, he cautioned, there are some pitfalls to the Vancouver course that must be remembered at all times. "It's very slippery and bumpy out there.

If you want to pass somebody, you have to take big risks." Villeneuve's pole was the 10th consecutive time a Reynard chassis has been used by the fastest qualifier. Vasser was second (110.459), followed The Associated Press MIAMI After nearly three months of dreaming about the life of Riley, the Miami Heat now can officially live it. Pat Riley was introduced as the Heat's new presi Jeff Vinnick, Reuters TOP QUALIFYING TIME: Vilieneuve took a moment for a sip of water in pit area PAT RILEY Rahal. "We've made a lot of progress with the car," Goodyear said. "We wanted the front row, but came up a little short." Driving for Tasman Motorsport, his qualification was the highest placing for a Honda engine this year.

Al Unser Jr. of Penske Racing, the three-time Vancouver winner and 1994 champion, will be ninth on the grid. by Bobby Rahal (110.420) and another Canadian-born driver, Toronto's Scott Goodyear (110.193). Paul Tracy, also of Toronto, was 12th (108.809), but Ross Bentley of Vancouver failed to qualify. He was 29th and last in 104.931.

Goodyear, in only his third race of the season, was shooting for the front row and was second until late in qualifying when surpassed by Vasser and GOLF LEGENDS AT THE HAMPTONS This will he a dream round for Courage Star power A look at Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, who will play the Hamptons on Monday Gary Player Birthday: Nov. 1, 1935 Height: Five-foot-seven Weight: 147 Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa Residence: Alaqua, Fla. Family: Married to VivienneVer-way, six children, four grandchildren. Turned professional: 1953 Joined PGA Tour: 1957 Arnold Palmer Birthday: Sept 10, 1929 Height: Five-foot-10 Weight: 185 Birthplace: Latrobe, PA. Residence: Latrobe, Bay Hill, Fla.

Family: Married to Winnifre Walzer, two daughters Peggy and Amy. Six grandchildren. Turned professional: 1954. Joined PGA Tour: 1955 gas GARY PLAYER ARNOLD PALMER dent and coach Saturday, in perhaps the biggest basketball development to hit the city since the National Basketball Association awarded it a franchise in 1988. The team, owned by Carnival Cruise Lines magnate Micky Arison, did it with the glitz and glamor of a Las Vegas-style revue trotting Riley out on the main stage of the company's newest and biggest superliner, the appropriately-named Imagination.

"This is one of the great cities in the league and a great place to start this new, dramatic change in my life," said a smiling, tanned Riley, who spoke as an ice carving bearing the Heat logo sweated behind him. "I hope and wish that it does end here in Miami for a very longtime." Riley is the fourth Heat coach in eight years. He replaces Alvin Gentry, who was interim coach last season after Kevin Loughery was fired after four years. "This is a very important day," Arison said. "We're delighted that Pat's here.

We think he brings a level and a commitment to excellence that no one else could have." The Heat would not release financial terms of the contract, but it was estimated at $15 million over five years. The deal also gives Riley an undisclosed ownership stake in the team and full control over basketball-related decisions. "They've given me an opportunity that I never felt I would have in my lifetime as a coach," Riley said. "(Arison) made a more than generous offer to me." For their investment, the Heat get the coach with the best winning percentage in NBA history. Riley has a .717 winning percentage in 13 years as coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, collecting four championship rings.

He's never coached a team that's won fewer than 50 games. Riley holds league-best marks for playoff appearances (212) and victories (137) and is third among active coaches in overall victories with 756, behind Atlanta's Lenny Wilkens (968) and Don Nelson (817). Riley, known as a demanding coach, inherits a team coming off a 32-win season and plagued by internal strife and selfish play. The signing came less than 24 hours after the Heat gave $1 million and a first-round draft pick to the Knicks as compensation for pursuing Riley. PGA Tour victories: 21, starting with the 1958 Kentucky Derby Open.

He was the last person to win events over three consecutive weeks in 1978. Majors: Nine. Won British Opens in 1959, '68, '74, Masters in 1961,74, '78, 1965 U.S. Open and PGA Championships in 1962, '72. Senior PGA Tour victories: 17, the last one being the 1993 Bank One Classic All-time career earnings (to end of 1994): $5,280,977.

Halls of Fame: Was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1964. Inducted into the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in 1994. Hobbles: Raises race horses. First victory: 1955 Canadian Open.

PGA Tour victories: 60, fourth on all-time list. Majors: Has won seven, four Masters (1958, '60, '62, '64), two British Opens (1961, '62) and the 1960 U.S. Open. Senior PGA Tour victories: 10, the last won the 1988 Crestar Classic. All-time career earnings (to end of 1994): $3,439,915 Halls of Fame: Charter member of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1980.

Business: Designs, builds and develops golf courses. Hobbies: A pilot of considerable renown, holding a number of world aviation records. Calgarian will team with Arnold Palmer in Monday exhibition LAURA SHUTIAK Calgary Herald When Gord Courage saw the leader-board, he knew it was too late to back out. Courage, Palmer, Player, Norris read the signs, which will be used Monday for the golf exhibition at the Hamptons featuring Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Courage, an assistant pro at the course, and Al Norris, a member at Bearspaw, will tee it up with the Hall of Famers in a best-ball match.

"It's starting to hit me now," says Courage, who has known he would be playing in the exhibition since March. "Every second person who walks into the pro shop asks me if I'm nervous. The pressure has been on since the tents and scoreboard have gone up around the course." Courage and Palmer will form the North American team, while Scottish-born Norris, the president of Carma Developers, and Player, a South African, will comprise the International team. Head pro Clive Grant will carry Kilmer's bag, while superintendent I irive Whitell will caddy for Player. While he always watched Palmer's career with interest, Courage's most vivid memory of the 65-year-old legend was when Arnie was in Calgary playing an exhibition at Earl Grey in 1977.

"I was working at the course and only got to see about five holes but what made it special is that you got to see them play a course you play all the time. "When you know the course, you can be able to enjoy the day and have some great memories. "I'll go with whatever swing I have that day. I'm not going to analyse things too much." They will be playing the course from the blue tees, about the length of a Senior PGA tour course. "If they are driving the ball well, I think they will get it around without too much trouble," says Courage.

"It could be a different story if if gets windy Anything can happen then." Courage currently holds the noncompetitive course record, a ed berths on two Alberta Willingdon Cup teams, winning the team title at the Canadian Amateur in 1989 and the Canadian Club Champions crown in 1988. After turning pro in 1990, Courage has remained a strong tournament player, winning the Alberta Assistants' championship in 1993 and '94. But playing with two legends, in front of 1,300 people, is the highlight of his career. "It will be a challenge to concentrate because it is such a different environment," says Courage. "But I can't worry too much about how I play.

I want to get a real sense of how a world class player plays, how far they hit it and how they make it spin. It's not the same (watching) on television." Tirion Properties, which owns the private 18-hole course on the northern edge of the city, is paying the two players an undisclosed fee to appear in the exhibition, the first of a number of major events planned for the course. Tickets sold for $75 with all proceeds going to the Alberta Children's Hospital. Courage, 35, grew up playing as a sponsored junior at Earl Grey. He had a successful amateur career that includ.