The Atlanta Journal from Atlanta, Georgia • 35

Xq Bl LioSL222x LiNsiiTiKEsq Domeless ImJ kickoff 1 '5 Dave AAAA state champion 1 TrJ Brookwood team is a host for the Corky nq Kell Classic shifted from the Georgia Dome because of a convention D2 I tennis D3 A DIO SECTION 3 WEDNESDAY AUGl 27 ilo vWjffA fiwL STEVE HUMMER Win exposes Kuchar talent A kid spends most of his Wonder Bread years being a quiet golfing apprentice Nothing at all like a Tiger Woods with training wheels His father start implant ing the game from the time he was a zygote Not every swing drew a crowd and promised to deliver golf to the masses Then Matt Kuchar a mod est likable sort known to many within the golfing community simply as goes and wins the US Amateur and joins the firm of Jones Palmer Nick laus Woods and Associates Within hours a 19 year old is taken apart and reassembled into someone else was the guy who they said even belong in the 'Amateur joked his coach at Georgia Tech Bruce Heppler now everyone wants to know if going to turn never will be the said his father Peter Kuchar of all the doors that have already opened always be my little kid but I saw the way the fans compiling a list: irst I get a trip to the Masters after becoming an Amateur finalist Then I win and will get to play with Woods at the Masters and at the US Open with Ernie Els and Justin Leonard and the British Open They say get an invitation to tourna ment at Bay Hill hoping to get into BellSouth a rumor I can play at the Memo rial with Jack said Kuchar from his home near Orlando still breathless two days after the fact got this smile that go Last week at Cog Hill out side Chicago they kept waiting for the fledgling college golfer to go away As a freshman at Tech last year he was sneaky good leading the team in stroke average (725) winning two tournaments coming in 31st in the final national individual rankings Yet all you heard last weekend was how Kuchar was the only semifinalist without a Walker Cup pedigree dream is alive what the US Amateur is all said Kuchar just one of 6000 who started in sectional qualifying It until 1989 that Kuchar followed his father onto the golf course but now he stands as the successor to Woods and his three straight Amateur titles and the person who would return Tech to the recent good days of David Duval and Stewart Cink Step by improbable step Kuchar and his bag toting father gave form to a dream He beat not only the nation but also his own youth inexperience and nerves The more it got serious the more his stomach revolted must have lost 10 pounds the last he said In 36 hole final Kuchar was matched with Stan Joel Kribel who lost in last semis to Woods Kuchar rode every extreme of match play He fell two down quickly Surged to seven up with 10 holes to play Just held on win the title 2 and has been a hidden secret Heppler said I lived with the guy every day saw him go to the weight room every morning to add to his length off the tee been waiting for something like this to Kuchar returns to Tech in 10 days life is going to be dif he said will it feel to step up to the first tee of the next tournament and hear: Kuchar 1997 US Ama teur That is so cool to always have that next to your name When they annotace that start floating The Atlan ta Journal Constitu lion A REGULAR PERSON retiring in luxury By Jeffrey Denberg STA WRITER In an era when veteran NBA players frantically hold on to the last dribble Ken Norman wants to be finished with basketball No training camp No practic es No games All he wants is a paycheck contract calls for $33 million this season and $375 million the next The Hawks have been responsible for the first $2 million each sea son since acquiring Norman from Milwaukee in 1994 The Bucks pay the rest ew players have made so much for so little Last season Norman made $286 million while playing in 17 games aver aging 32 points Hawks would be crazy not to accept the buyout we agreed Norman said Under the deal the obligation would be spread out reducing its cost to the Hawks Norman 33 wants to remain in his hometown of Chicago where he will play with his dog and look after his profitable real estate interests and his two children Khara and Eric a regular person Norman said I want exercise I go out and cut the Except for lifting weights like body beautiful until I strained a mus Norman has done noth ing strenuous since he went home complaining of lower back pain last ebruary The Hawks in search of a starting small forward to replace Ty Corbin have tried to trade Norman for salary cap purposes No such luck The collapse of his game turned Norman into a man who was a stranger to himself was disrespectful to Norman said was immature I know that Last year I tried to come back in the right frame of mind and Lenny and management were great to me They gave me every chance I say enough for Lenny I Where did it all go wrong? Norman wasj a terrific college Hawks will keep Wilkens through 2002 When the Hawks sat down with Lenny Wilkens last sum mer they told him he can coach the team for as long as he likes Today they can announce that Wilkens will do that After a year of talks the win ningest coach in NBA history has agreed on a four year exten sion that will take him through the 2001 02 season when he will near his 65th birthday If Wilk ens decides to keep going he and the team can talk again The Hawks have called a press conference for 2 pm today at the Omni Hotel to announce an extension worth more than $20 million that takes effect as soon as he completes his current $14 deal next June: To date Wilkens has a record of 1070 victories 876 losses 201 127 in Atlanta Jeffrey Denberg player at Illinois a very good player in six seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers for whom he averaged 181 points and 83 rebounds in 1988 89 of my first year in Milwaukee the game stopped being Norman said That DAVID TULIS Staff mPI jyWSA A wqjd A A AWjH 1 seat: Ken Norman has a contract worth $7 million the next two years but has offered the Hawks a buyout deal SMALEORWARDSHOPPINGLIST Wa The Hawks went into the offseason looking for a starting small for ward to replace free agent Ty Corbin Rick ox was their first choice but he is expected to sign with the Lakers perhaps today Player Old team Nick Anderson Orlando Rick ox Boston Robert Horry Lakers Chris Mills Cleveland Cliff Robinson Portland Destination Likely to re sign with Magic Agreed to terms with the Lakers Re signed with Lakers Signed with Boston Signed with Phoenix out there: Malik Rose Antonio Lang Lou Roe Sam Mack Matt Bullard Todd Day Eddie Johnson Jerome Kersey George McCloud Chucky Brown would have been six months after he signed a $158 million guaranteed deal with the Bucks always say bad things about the Clippers but every time we stepped on the court we tried to win That the case in Milwaukee It never sat well with a lot of players I had a different feeling about basket ball after that The fact I was not able to find out what my prob lem was at the foul line in games Norman told the Bucks he would never play for them again and was shipped to Atlanta He averaged 129 points his first season with the Hawks but he never regained his touch at the free throw linH going from 457 to 304 to 333 want to get fouled Instead of driving to the basket like I used to do I want the he said passed it as soon as I got it orrtook a jump shot After a whif I relax and play in games I was OK in practice but I play in games and pretty soon I want to be out there any And now all done Norman said Clontz Lopez put Astros away Sports I By Thomas Stinson STA WRITER Brad Clontz needed a ride home late Tuesday night The rest of the Atlanta Braves might have carried him there by sedan Javy Lopez ripped the first pitch he saw from Billy Wagner over the center field wall in the 11th inning giving the Braves a 7 6 victory over Houston on a night that should have been easier but was not Up 6 0 after four innings the Braves slowly gave it all back to the Astros who finally tied it on Craig two run homer in the eighth and were poised to score go ahead runs in both the 10th and 11th inning All but for Clontz exiled in Richmond last month for ineffec tiveness He only walked into the clubhouse at 6:40 pm having been recalled to replace the injured Mike Bielecki Yet Clontz pitched his way out of a base loaded jam in the 10th by striking out Tony Pena and Bill Spiers JONATHAN NEWTON Staff Im jIT lx kJ '4 ST' 7A if WHH In there: Ryan Klesko reaches home before Houston catcher Then after walking Luis Gonzalez to open the 11th Clontz retired the next three in order Thomas Howard ending the inning with a line out to second baseman Tony Graffanino looked like he got very very angry inside so he started to Brad Ausmus can apply the tag i throw that Lopez said of Clontz (5 1) seen him throw that fastball that hard in a long was actually an incredible feeling to be welcomed the third inning said Clontz whose ERA had risen to 411 before his July demotion really felt an emotional lift from the crowd when I struck out The victory was sixth in eight games and eased the sting of a botched six run lead that cost starter Tom Glavine a victory our of the six Astros runs were charged to the bullpen Chad ox being stuck with a blown save Going 8 for 13 during one stretch between the sixth and eighth innings the Astros prof ited from three infield singles and a balk before blast gives everybody a said manager Bobby Cox picks up the bullpen because they gave up some runs even though they really hit hard It picks up the hitters It picks up every body Picks up the manager The Braves had fallen silent at the plate after fourth inning solo homer made it 6 0 rom there the club had just one more hit until Kenny single in the seventh Over the last five innings the Braves struck out seven times and two of their three baserunners were erased on double plays Astros reliever Billy Wagner was tearing through the Braves after entering the game in the 10th and had struck out three in a row before Lopez then 0 for 4 came to the plate with two outs in the 11th I see Andruw Jones strike out with three breaking THE BRAVES TONIGHTJ 1 Opponent: Houston Astros Whenwhere: 740: pm Turner ield Probable pitchers: Greg Maddux (1 7 3) vs Chris Holt (8 9) 7 TVradio: ox Sports South 750 AM Tickets: At the gate or call 404 249 6400 THE PLAYO RACE NLEAST Pct GB Braves 81 50 618 lorida 76 54 585 416 Mike Bielecki goes on the DL because of a torn rotator cuff D5 balls I figured the first pitch was going to be a said Lopez not I still have two chances to hit it I took my chances and swung as hard as I could on the first Maddux going strong D5 jS Wil alcons release LB Styles By Len Pasquarelli STA WRITER i A i In a move that stunned Lorenzo Styles the Atlanta al i cons decided Tuesday to cut the i third year middle linebacker i To create a roster opening for journeyman linebacker Ed Sutter the alcons abruptly waived Styles a former all Big Ten per former and a third round draft choice in 1995 i With the season opener in Detroit just four days away the i llth hour roster reshaping will continue today when the alcons I sign sixth year veteran defensive tackle Shane Dronett cut earlier this week by the Lions Dronett 26 has opted for an offer from the alcons over a Bal timore Ravens proposal thought I was having 'a i really good preseason and never did I see this said i Styles who appeared to have his I best ever preseason But after a shoddy special teams outing at Jacksonville last i riday the coaches sought more i coverage help Ironically Styles led the al cons in special teams tackles (22) a year ago In two seasons he played in 28 games and totalled 20 tackles from the line of scrimmage Sutter 27 will join his fifth team since when the onetime Northwestern standout signed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent Noted for his special teams excellence Sutter has 72 I coverage tackles in 62 games Sutter spent four seasons with ClevelandBaltimore and then signed as a free agent with Cin cinnati this spring Dronett played five games for the alcons in before asking for and being granted a release He then signed with Detroit Dronett will be reunited with Dan Reeves who in 1992 took the former Texas star in the second round when he was coaching in Denver He will provide a vet eran backup behind starters Travis Hall and Dan Owens Signed to the practice squad were offensive tackle Jeremy Akers tight end Ed Smith wade receiver Kevin Tbomal and cor nerback Tim Dentfin if THE BRAVES TONIGHT 4 1.