Gary Player

Golf's greatestThe top male and female golfers of the century as selected by a panel of experts for the Associated Press (listed in order of voting).MaleNo. 1 -- Jack Nicklaus: Won 70 events on the PGA Tour and set the standard in major championships. He won all of them at least three times, including six Masters, for a total of 18.Remaining Top 10: Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Walter Hagen, Harry Vardon, Gary Player, Tom Watson.FemaleNo. 1 -- Mickey Wright: Won 82 times, including 13 majors, despite playing only 15 full seasons.

Nine weeks to make a move. That's the time remaining until the British Open, with the U.S. Open three weeks earlier. And it might loom as the most critical juncture in Tiger Woods' closing push toward 19 major titles. His neck hurts every time he swings a golf club. His body seems in persistent breakdown mode. When Woods does get back to the range, the man he entrusted with his swing for six years won't be around. As recently as six months ago, the planets seemed aligned in 2010 for Woods to take a chunk out of the five majors he needs to break Jack Nicklaus' gold standard.

Nicklaus ties course record in SeniorsPALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Jack Nicklaus shot a second consecutive 66 yesterday and took a five-shot lead at the PGA Seniors Championship.Nicklaus' two-round total of 12-under-par 132 at the PGA National golf club tied the 36-hole tournament record, set by Sam Snead in 1973 and Arnold Palmer in 1984. His past four rounds in Senior Tour competition, counting his final two in his victory at The Tradition two weeks ago, are 66, 67, 66, 66.His closest pursuer at this tournament, the first major of the year on the Senior Tour, is Jim Dent, who also shot 66 to post a two-round total of 137. At 138 is Tom Joyce, who had a 71.Meanwhile, other top senior players continued to fall back.

AUGUSTA, Ga. - History was made yesterday at Augusta National, just not the kind the sport's keepers usually get too excited about. Mike Weir did what Tiger Woods couldn't do in the final round of the 67th Masters, what left-handers have been trying to do here forever, and in major championships for 40 years. Weir won. After playing without a bogey for all 18 holes of regulation, Weir made one on the first hole of sudden-death, the par-4 10th. But Len Mattiace, who stumbled into the playoff with a bogey to close an otherwise sparkling round of 7-under-par 65, made a double-bogey to give the 32-year-old Weir the first major championship of his career.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Mark O'Meara shot a third-round 68 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead into today's final 18 holes of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am."

What figures to be golf's most scrutinized new course could have its architect by the end of the week. The eight finalists for the 2016 Rio Olympics design project — a list that includes Jack Nicklaus , Greg Norman , Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player — wrapped up two days of presentations to organizers Wednesday in Brazil. From there, a selection committee will wrestle with the final choice. Rio 2016 will mark golf's return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.

Christy O'Connor will never forget the emotion he felt the last time he was at Hobbit's Glen Golf Club in Columbia. He will always remember the sadness coupled with remarkable joy that marked his victory in last year's State Farm Senior Classic, a victory that came only 10 months after the death of his 17-year-old son in an automobile accident. Back at Hobbit's Glen for the tournament's Media Day yesterday, O'Connor intermingled smiles and laughs with slight flinches when he talked about the feelings that went along with his one-shot victory over Bruce Fleisher.

Ex-trainer reportedly tied to crime figureFormer Denver Nuggets trainer Robert "Chopper" Travaglini is being investigated by the National Basketball Association for a possible association with an organized crime figure, the Rocky Mountain News reported yesterday.Travaglini, 58m who announced his retirement Thursday after 14 years with the Nuggets, was seen with Paul "Fat Paulie" Villano, the newspaper said.Lt. Ed Hansen, commander of the Denver Police Intelligence Section, confirmed that the two were seen at a restaurant near McNichols Sports Arena about three weeks ago. The paper said that Villano, 62, is a member of the Smaldone crime family and has an extensive gambling record.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- It sort of figured that it would be here, at the home of golf, the most traditional of British Open venues, that the modern game's most unconventional player would blast his way into the consciousness of the fans.That's just what happened yesterday at the Old Course on a bright, blustery and cold afternoon. It is where the new John Daly tamed some old demons and decided to show the world that he is a more mature and patient golfer -- and a genuine threat to win his second major championship.

Please. Don't cry. There's no crying in sportswriting. OK, OK, seriously. A few final thoughts on the Terps - both hoops and football - for you, as this will be my last blog post for The Sun. ... The best part about covering Maryland football the past few years? The players. They're good kids who have stayed out of trouble, and their personalities have always made the late-night waits for their interviews worth it. The worst part? Standing at practice in the freezing cold. Standing at practice when it's 115 degrees.