Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 37

Sunday, August 11, 2002 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL C-S SPORTS IPasfi: mraeds piresemrii: Israeli athletes stay at site of 72 Olympic massacre ri lit All ILL I By NESHA STARCEVIC Till- ASSOCTATIiDPRKSS MUNICH, Germany Israeli athletes know they are potential targets for terrorism wherever they travel in the world. They are raised to endure their fear, and this camaraderie was a comfort to several athletes who slept at the site of one of the most horrific attacks against their country. Thirty years after 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by Palestinian terrorists at the Olympic Games in Munich, Israel's entire contingent at the European track and field championships are staying at the same housing complex where their countrymen were taken hostage in 1972. The Israelis say it was an important symbolic gesture for them to be here. "You feel shivers when you close your eyes and think about the terrible things that happened," said distance runner Nili Abramski.

"But we had to come and show that even the most terrible things won't stop us." Abramski said the massacre was on her mind as soon as she learned the championships would be held in Munich. The dark chapter in the city's history only made her want to compete even more. Seventeen athletes qualified for the championships, the most for Israel in the 18-year history of the meet. "We wanted to show that we are even stronger that we never give up," she said. "We know we are targets everywhere we go, but you can't live in fear." Pole vaulter Alex Averbukh made the athletes' return a triumphant one by winning the gold medal, Israel's first-ever medal at the championships.

He dedicated it to his late father and to the people of Israel. On the night of Sept. 5, 1972, a group of armed Palestinians entered an Olympic Village apartment house, killing two Israeli athletes and holding the others hostage in an effort to gain the freedom of 200 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. During a botched rescue attempt that followed a 20- hour standoff at an airfield near Munich, the Palestinians killed the remaining nine Israeli athletes and coaches. Five terrorists and a German policeman also died in the firofight.

For the first time since the Munich Games, the housing built for the Olympians is being used by athletes, including all of the Israelis. Normally a student dormitory, the worn-out village was given a facelift, the students were temporarily moved out, and the athletes were brought in for the duration of this week's championships. More than 1,000 armed police are providing security. "It was a bit scary at the beginning, but the security is unbelievable," Abramski said. "The Germans are taking no chances.

It's the best security I saw in my life." During her 10.000-meter race, Abramski ran with "72" on one palm and "11" on the other, painted in blue lipstick. Her nails are painted blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag. Levy Psavkin, chief of the Israeli delegation, said the athletes have been shown exceptional hospitality, but they will never forget that bleak day in 1972. "I have a bad feeling to be in Germany; my whole family perished in the Holocaust," Psavkin said. "Munich is nothing compared to what happened before." Jack Cohen, general secretary of the Israeli athletics federation, said the team never considered staying elsewhere.

"We wanted to be here to participate like any other country, and to live with all other teams," Cohen said. "At the beginning, it was difficult to come after 30 years, and to remember and go through Connolly Street and past the memorial. We are trying to focus on the championship." A large stone tablet, often adorned with fresh flowers, marks the site of the abduction at ConnoUystrasse 31. The victims' names are written on the tablet in German and Hebrew, with the words "In honor of their memory." "They Should also write it in English so that everyone knows why it is there," Abramski said. GOLF Woods falters but maintains 1-stroke lead SliNTINEL WIRE SERVICES GRAND BLANC, Mich.

Tiger Woods was in position to run away with the Buick Open. Instead, he ran into early trouble. "I didn't really have the stuff I had the last couple days," Woods said. "Didn't quite feel as comfortable over the shots, but I got it to under par for the day, that's something I am proud of. Woods merely matched the field average Saturday with his 1-under 71, but held onto a 1-stroke lead at Warwick Hills.

He opened with a 67 and shot a season-best 63 on Friday. "We're all human," Woods said. "I think that's the simplest way to explain it. This game is so fickle." Four strokes ahead after the second round, Woods had a double bogey on his first hole Saturday and was three strokes behind at one point before rallying to earn a one-stroke lead. Preparing for the PGA Championship next week at Hazeltine in Chas-ka, Woods has won 24 of 26 PGA Tour events when leading or tied for the lead entering the final round.

If he holds on for his 33rd victory on the PGA Tour and fourth this year, he would do something that rarely happens in the Buick Open. Since 1958, just 15 of 37 players who have at least shared the lead after 54 holes have won. Esteban Toledo, who enjoyed the lead for a few holes, was a stroke back at 14 under after a 67. Fred Funk (67) and Bob Tway (68) were 12 under, and first-round leader Kent Jones (70) followed at 11 under. Of the top five on the leaderboard, Woods is the only player with a victory in the last four seasons.

Toledo and Jones have never won a PGA Tour event. "I've told a lot of people that I will quit this game if I win," said Toledo, a former professional boxer. "My wife doesn't agree with that because I have to feed the family." Defending PGA Championship winner David Toms (70) is among a group of four at 10 under. Sweden's Karin Koch made a 30- The Associated Press Esteban Toledo is one behind Tiger Woods going to today's final round. Mason had a 72 a day after shooting a course-record 64 on the TPC of the Twin Cities.

The leaders were 8 under, three strokes ahead of Bruce Fleisher (68), Bob Gilder (68), Rocky Thompson (71), Leonard Thompson (71), and Allen Doyle (71). Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie completed a 7-under 65 to take the second-round lead in the rain-delayed Wales Open. The Scot had a 12-under 132 total for a two-stroke lead over England's John Bickerton (67) and Australia's Richard Green (69). Patty Sheehan and Jan Stephenson shot 1-under 71s in windy conditions to share the second-round lead in the Women's Senior Golf Tour's Great Lakes Classic in Green Bay, Wis. Sheehan and Stephenson were 4 under, a stroke ahead of Chris Johnson, who also had a 71.

foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 4-under 68 and a share of the third-round lead with Jenny Rosales in the Women's British Open. Rosales, of the Philippines, had a 65 to match Koch at 12-under 204 total. Spain's Paula Marti (69) and 19-year-old LPGA rookie Natalie Gulbis (67) were two strokes back. Australian star Karrie Webb, seeking her third victory in the event that became a major championship last year, was three strokes back after a 70. Michelle Ellis (68), Beth Bauer (70), Tina Barrett (70), and Candie Kung (71) were tied with Webb, trying to become the first player since 1964 to win a major four years in a row.

Hale Irwin shot a 2-under 70 in windy conditions for a share of the lead with James Mason after the second round of the Senior PGA Tour's 3M Championship in Minnesota. BRAND NEW RADIAL TIRES! I Gearing up for year's final major Slam is history, but Tiger says don't expect letdown P155R12 P155R13 P165R13 P15S80R13 P16580R13 P17580R13 P1058OR13 piea75Ri P1937SR14 P20575R14 P2137SR15 P22S7SR1S warn I33.QOOIIII1IUII rs s.floo iiiii'Miiiin LI fcf TOURING RAD1ALS SUV LIGHT TRUCK PERFORMANCE RADIALS Ip IS! i TZSL P2MSR1' 4k P287SP.15 $65 Ap fti- tS. aill IU P21M5B15 157 jlfJT ir P23575R1S $70 dlGTIGlT Pf9M015 IS6 HI $1 P287SP.15 P2357SB1S $70 PUM0RI4 $36 $S6 'How can you have a letdown. It's a major championship' Woods MX9J0BI! $78 3IXI0.50BI5 $80 PJ0W0P.I5 $60 PJ0H5RI6 $7S P205J70BI5 $49 P23575R15 DUE 40,000 rmii iii 40.000 nn win hi 140,000 UUilUUQ Because so much is riding on your tires' AS BFGoodrich MnmHMMHHw Tires LI JrJJ TAKE CONTROL iiiaimiiffl mm Hazeltine has held only two major championships. Payne Stewart won the 1991 U.S.

Open in a playoff over Scott Simpson. In 1970, England's Tony Jacklin was the last European to win the U.S. Open, so perhaps that's a good omen for Harrington, Darren Clarke or maybe even Colin Montgomerie. A European-born player hasn't won the PGA Championship since 1930. Montgomerie once shared the billing with Mickelson as the best player to have never won a major, although he has spent more time sniping at the British press than putting together four good rounds in any tournament.

"The inconsistency is worrying," Montgomerie said. "I'd be more worried if it was all 74s and 75s, but it's not. There is the odd 64 and 65. 1 used to put three of them together, and my bad round was 69. That was why I was top of the Order of Merit for so long." Woods, meanwhile, remains atop the list of all contenders in a major.

His bid for the calendar Grand Slam ended shockingly at Muirfield when he had an 81 in the wind, rain and cold of the third round, his worse score as a professional. He answered with a 65 in the final round, and says he has put it behind him. Hazeltine figures to set up well for Woods and other big hitters at 7,360 yards, although most of that yardage comes from three monstrous par 5s (one of them at 636 yards). Oddsmakers have installed Woods as a 3-2 favorite, but he figures to get plenty of challengers. Ernie Els is coming off an important victory in the British Open, his first major in five years, and is equipped with renewed confidence.

"It might not have been the prettiest of wins, but I got it behind me," Els said, referring to his playoff victory at Muirfield that required five extra holes. "I think it was a major step. I have been feeling that my game has been coming around. You don't really know until you are there like I was on Sunday." By DOUG FERGUSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CHASKA, Minn. The prospect of a banner year looked a lot more promising four months ago, when Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia were on top of their games and gearing up for a full slate of major championships.

Now, there's only one left. The PGA Championship is the final major of the year, one reason PGA of America officials have dubbed it "Glory's Last Shot." For Mickelson, who is 0-for-41 in the majors, it's one last shot at avoiding another long offseason filled with questions about why he hasn't won the big one. For the 22-year-old Garcia, it's his last shot this year to break through in a major and stake his claim as a serious threat to Tiger Woods. Woods no longer has a shot to win a Grand Slam at Hazeltine National Golf Club, although that doesn't make the PGA Championship less meaningful. "From what I've heard, some people expect me to have a letdown at the PGA Championship, which I find amusing," Woods said.

"How can you have a letdown? It's a major championship, and the last one of the year." Nevertheless, Woods already has won two majors this year and seven of the last 12, so the PGA Championship might be more meaningful to guys like Mickelson, Garcia, Jim Furyk and Padraig Harrington, all still searching for their first one. This would be a good time to start. Eleven of the last 14 PGA winners had never captured a major before, the exceptions being Woods in 1999 and 2000, and Nick Price in 1994. David Toms was the latest to join the club, winning last year with a gutsy decision to lay up on the par-4 18th hole at Atlanta Athletic Club and making his 12-foot putt for par to defeat Mickelson by one stroke. "I know that the offseason is going to be long," Mickelson said when he left Atlanta last year.

"I felt like this was certainly the year where I was going to win a major." Not much has changed. Mickelson has won twice this year, bringing his career tally on the PGA Tour to 21 victories and no majors. He had two good chances, finishing third at the Masters and runner-up to Woods at the U.S. Open. He has spent the last few weeks trying to rid himself of bad habits developed on the links courses' of a British Open, and figures to be a factor again at Hazeltine.

"Everybody seems to look at it like, 'Is this the major Phil will I don't," he told Golf World magazine. "I look it as another fun tournament, a tournament I try to gear up for and play well in because I know how important it is." Mickelson is easy to single out. Only Harry "Lighthorse" Cooper (31 tour victories) and Doug Sanders (24) won more times than Mickelson without a major. Sharing some of the scrutiny are Garcia and Harrington, the only other players in the top 10 of the world ranking without a major. Garcia is No.

5, Harrington No. 8. They also are the only players to have finished in the top 10 in the previous three majors this year. Garcia is particularly close, especially since finally learning to cut his pre-shot waggles and regrips to single digits. The only thing holding him back is his putting, which he admits is starting to put pressure on his iron game.

"If you look at me in the majors, I think I have played great golf on Sundays and I haven't been able to make a single putt," the 22-year-old Spaniard "To be as patient as I have and hang in there I think that I have become a lot better. I can really feel it." DE3ELULD POWER IS NOTHING WITHOUT CONTROL nil I ran OVER $300 h- VsRsy I ii'HiiiiiaiiidiJtiiiiJiiiiaiiiii'jijaffiiira mm seuerhltim til HI Mil JM ZZ7TS tlPlli7U RADIUS I'PumuniiSLyEfl lin'HHIEaSEPOJSKtl St $915 pi $560 1650 TLtinftti-itiiidw JnWKSttUiMI II. I J4 JLJ JJJ. II J. JJJ.

II I I J. 1 JIM I JJI. IJiJfJJJLjLsMarnn NO EXCUSES! When you need serious homework help you can find it at www.santacruzsentinel.comspecialhomework 90 Days Same Ai Cash j.i.it.i:i.i..iu,.1Mw.T.iiir.:ii:riirimna ICA'S LinOHT INDIPINOINT TIRB CO. EU Uiyawayt amkr SAT. Welconw HOMEWORK F1 Si 1EH i rjrv APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE 11 si sMI MU'l HELP 1 YEAR ttoadsld Assistance 2 MlnuM Application SI WATER iTREET SERIOUS HELP SUPER FUN Information for all age groups Preschool to University students can click on HOMEWORK HELP yr SANTA CRUZ (831) 423-8851 ALSO LOCATIONS IN CAMPBELL, SAN JOSE, MOUNTAIN VIEW, FREMONT MORE.

inrl oof ir facfl 4 b-- www.santacruzsentinel.com lit: hi: I iMilll.MIIMIIll.l.lllllJIIMlll.lll'.IJ.IIl.ll.lill.lU'M.l'I'II.JIIJI.lllJ.llll.lllllllll.