In golf, the honeymoon can wait.

The World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational has never stood in the way of marriage.

Honeymoons are a different story.

You can ask Ben and Candice Curtis, who were married on the Saturday of the 2003 NEC Invitational at Firestone a few weeks after Curtis stunned the sports world by winning the British Open.

You also can ask Martin and Maegan Laird, who were married last Saturday.

The weddings happened. The honeymoons had to wait.

Laird, from Glasgow, Scotland, and his bride, the former Maegan Franks, were married in her hometown of Steamboat Springs, Colo.

There are odd ways to spend your honeymoon and moving into contention of the Bridgestone Invitational might be one of them.

That's what Laird did Friday when he shot 3-under 67 for a two-day total of 133, one shot behind leaders Ryan Moore, Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley.

"To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect this week and maybe that's why I'm playing well," said Laird, who closed his round with three consecutive birdies. "I hadn't touched a club in two weeks apart from playing nine holes with some family and friends on Friday. I came into the week feeling fresh and on a high after getting married. Sometimes you come in here and it's amazing when you have no expectations how well you will play."

Laird, 28, and his bride plan on taking their honeymoon in October.

Was it the cake? Jason Day (one shot back) and Nick Watney (three shots back) attended the wedding and both are clearly playing well.

Shutter bug: Women's Ohio Amateur champ Erin Misheff is spending the week helping photographers from Golf Digest before she heads back to Ashland University for her senior year.

Day to day: If Day can rally to win he would become the second-youngest ever to win a WGC event at 23 years, eight months and 26 days. If Fowler can hold on to win he would become the youngest to win at 22 years, seven months and 24 days. Tiger Woods stands as the youngest winner, prevailing in 1999 at 23 years, seven months and 30 days.

Just saying: The second-round leader or co-leader has won five of the 12 Bridgestone Invitationals.

Take that: Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa joined the eagle parade on the 521-yard second hole when he used a 58-degree wedge to hole out from 76 yards.

12th travails: Phil Mickelson's tee shot on the 182-yard 12th hole struck 16-year-old Nick Walker in the leg.

"It's not a good feeling," said Walker, a student at Clear Fork High in Bellville. "But he's my favorite golfer and I'm left-handed. He's still my favorite."

Mickelson did not give Walker any kind of memento and went on to make a double-bogey.

The Indians are taking precautions in the Texas heat.

Arlington, Texas -- It was 105 degrees at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington for the first pitch Friday night when the Indians opened a three-game series against the Rangers. Temperatures are expected to be near triple digits for the games tonight and Sunday night as well.

Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, and his staff are making sure the Indians are ready for the heat.

The pitchers did their running earlier than usual to avoid the hottest part of the day. Batting practice was curtailed and hydration was stressed.

"We monitor the athletes who are leaner with lower body fat and the guys who are heavier with higher body fat," said Soloff. "The guys who usually have the issues are the leaner guys who are playing every day.

"We monitor their pre-BP [batting practice weight] and their post-game weight just to gain an understanding for what they've lost during the game. From our tests in spring training we'll have a sense of guys who are deficient in certain minerals, who may have low potassium just naturally, which can cause cramping."

The players who need supplements receive them.

The Indians regular position players, scheduled to play all three games, will receive IVs of fluid before and after games to stay hydrated.

On July 18 the Indians played a day-night doubleheader against the Twins at Target Field. It was 90 degrees for the first game and 93 for the second with high humidity.

Michael Brantley played both games and came down with heat exhaustion. He did not play the rest of the series.

Brantley didn't play Friday night because of a sore wright wrist.

Testing, testing: Shin-Soo Choo took batting practice Friday. Depending on the results of that session, and how Choo's surgically-repaired left thumb feels today, he could start his rehab assignment early next week, Acta said.

"It's realistic that he could start his rehab when we get home," Acta said. "A lot will depend on how he swings the bat today [Friday] and how he feels the day after. But it is realistic that he could start a rehab assignment pretty soon."

Choo has not played since San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez broke his thumb on June 24 with a high inside pitch at AT&T Park. The Indians will send Choo back to Cleveland today and he's scheduled to take batting practice Sunday with the Class A Lake County Captains in Eastlake.

The Indians sputtering offense is also missing Grady Sizemore, who is recovering from a bruised right knee and hernia surgery. Asked if there was a timetable on his return, Acta said: "He's rehabbing. Talk to me in two weeks."

Headed home: The Indians placed third baseman Jack Hannahan on the Paternity List.

Hannahan returned to Cleveland on Friday where his wife, Jenny, gave birth to their first child Friday. Johnny Hannahan was born at Fairview Hospital.

Shelley Duncan was called up from Class AAA Columbus to replace him. A player can stay on the Paternity List, which was created this season, for one to three days. Hannahan is expected to rejoin the Indians on Tuesday.

The Indians are covered at third base with Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Donald. Donald started Friday night against Texas lefty Derek Holland.

Mr. Perfect, gone: Justin Germano, who threw the first perfect game in the history of the Columbus Clippers on July 26, is headed for Korea.

Germano, who started the season in the Indians bullpen, asked for and was granted his release from the Clippers to play for the Samsung Lions in South Korea. Germano didn't think he'd get called up by the Indians in September. He was probably right and it was a chance for him to make some good money.

He'll probably make between $200,000 and $300,000.

Finally: Mitch Talbot cleared waivers and was outrighted to Columbus.

Nick Radkewich won the Cleveland Triathlon in 1998. His family lived in Hudson when he attended Notre Dame. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic triathlon team in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, the first year the triathlon was an Olympic sport. He placed 40th with a time of 1:53:44.63. He currently lives in New Hampshire and coaches and trains triathletes. See triavenger.com for more information.

Nick Radkewich

Nick Radkewich won the Cleveland Triathlon in 1998. His family lived in Hudson when he attended Notre Dame. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic triathlon team in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, the first year the triathlon was an Olympic sport. He placed 40th with a time of 1:53:44.63. He currently lives in New Hampshire and coaches and trains triathletes. See triavenger.com for more information.

Q: What is your most memorable Cleveland Triathlon moment?

A: Easily one of the most memorable was when it served as the world championships. Being from the area, I got to throw out the opening pitch at the Cleveland Indians game, and it was in the newspaper. But just the year that I won, as far as me racing, was my most memorable moment. I think it was probably my fourth or fifth year doing the event and probably my best finish before that might have been fourth or fifth. It was a big breakthrough for me to come home.

Q: What kind of prerace ritual did you have?

A: I kind of became known for two things. One was homemade chocolate chip cookies. I had my own take on Nestlé Toll House, and I’d have them for every race. Then, the morning of the race, I’d drink a Starbucks Frappuccino. I like the mocha flavor. To make sure I had one, I’d stick one in a bubble-wrap envelope so I’d always have one whenever I raced. I wanted the caffeine. To this day, I’m still slightly addicted to them. I have some in the cupboard right now.

Q: What’s a transition tip you can offer?

A: The biggest tip is practice. Most people don’t even practice, they leave it as something they do during the race. It really doesn’t get you used to getting off the bike and getting your running shoes on. A big thing as a triathlon coach that I have my athletes do is a brick. It’s a repetitive combination of run-bike or bike-swim or maybe just bike-run. You do shorter distances of it and keep doing it so you get that repetitive practice of putting on your shoes, putting out a little towel, lining their shoes up — everything. Even clipping on your race number for the run. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone running down the street trying to figure out how the clip works on the number.

Texas stormed back from a 6-2 deficit to beat the Indians, 8-7, in 11 innings Friday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Matt Strasen, Associated PressThe Rangers' Elvis Andrus celebrates with Michael Young after scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 11th on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.

Arlington, Texas -- By the time the Indians lost Friday night's game to Texas, the debut of Ubaldo Jimenez was covered in layers of sweat, disappointment and missed opportunities.

After closer Chris Perez blew a 7-5 lead with two out in the ninth inning by allowing a two-run, game-tying homer to Michael Young, and then Elvis Andrus scored all the way from second on an infield single to short to give Texas an 8-7 victory in the 11th, it did not seem all that important except to Jimenez.

The Indians gave Jimenez leads of 3-0, 6-2 and 7-2. He never really lost any of them. Rather he kept giving bits and pieces of them back, encouraging the powerful Rangers offense to stick around. All this while running up his own pitch count until the end came in the sixth when he gave up a solo homer to Mike Napoli and walked Mitch Moreland.

Jimenez was at 108 pitches and manager Manny Acta had seen enough. The Rangers were still down, 7-4, but they were lurking. That bothered Jimenez.

"The closer doesn't have to even get up if I do my job," said Jimenez. "We have a five-run lead and I wasn't able to hold it. I really take that personally. In my next start, and this situation comes up, I'm going to try and make sure the closer has a day off. He deserves it."

Chris Perez entered the ninth looking for his first save since July 15. He retired the first two batters, but Josh Hamilton singled to right. Then Young homered over the center-field fence to tie it.

"I fell behind and Young hit a fastball," said Perez. "Looking back, hindsight being 20-20, I probably should have walked Young because I've had good success against [Nelson Cruz, the on-deck hitter] in the minors and big leagues.

"Then again, you're putting the tying run on base."

Perez is 22-for-25 save situations. He's blown his last two.

The loss dropped the Indians to four games behind the first-place Tigers in the AL Central. The Tigers beat the Royals in extra innings Friday.

"This time of year, especially regarding what we're trying to do, any loss is tough," said Perez. "We had a nice lead and I coughed it up."

The Indians are 2-3 on this seven-game trip. All three losses have come in the opposition's last at-bat.

Rafael Perez (4-2) pitched a scoreless 10th and had two out in the 11th when Andrus reached first on a drag bunt. He took second on a wild pitch before Hamilton sent a slow grounder to short. Asdrubal Cabrera, playing deep, charged the ball and made threw to first. Andrus, meanwhile, never stopped running.

Matt LaPorta fielded Cabrera's throw, but Hamilton was safe with a head-first slide. LaPorta's throw to catcher Carlos Santana was late as Andrus slid head-first into home for the winning run.

Acta said LaPorta should have forgotten about Hamilton.

"You don't even worry about whether the guy is going to be safe or out at first base," said Acta. "You come off the bag and throw home. That's the winning run. That's what you do."

The Indians are 0-5 against Texas this year.

After Shelley Duncan's homer in the third, the Indians didn't score. They had a chance in the 10th after LaPorta and Kosuke Fukudome singled with one out against Neftali Feliz. It seemed like a good spot to pinch-hit lefty Travis Hafner against the right-handed Feliz.

Acta let Duncan hit and he bounced into a double play.

"It was a complete day off for Travis," said Acta. "Hafner shouldn't even have been a temptation in the 10th. We should have won it in the ninth."

Jimenez gave up five runs on seven hits in five innings. It would have been a lot worse for Jimenez without catcher Carlos Santana.

Santana drove in a career-high five runs in his first two at-bats to stake Jimenez to 6-2 lead after two innings. Santana, who had three hits and three RBI on Thursday, hit a three-run homer in the first off lefty Derek Holland for his 17th of the season.

Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera singled to get Santana to the plate.

After Jimenez wild-pitched a run home in the first, the Indians came right back with another three-run inning in the second. Kipnis had a run-scoring grounder and Santana followed with a two-run single to knock Holland out of the game. The last time Holland faced the Indians he threw a five-hit shutout.

The good part of his Jimenez's performance was his velocity. He was throwing between 94 mph and 98 mph throughout his outing.

"He did look healthy," Texas GM Jon Daniels said. "You don't throw that hard for that long if you're not healthy. Our gun at this ballpark is low, too. The players call it the humbler."

Deion, Marshall and Shannon. Three players who could get by with only their first names, and soon to be known as Hall of Famers.

Banners featuring the Class of 2011 hang outside of Fawcett Stadium adjacent to the football museum at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. . (AP Photo/The Repository, Scott Heckel)

CANTON, Ohio — Deion, Marshall and Shannon. Three players who could get by with only their first names, and soon to be known as Hall of Famers.

Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk and Shannon Sharpe (of course) will be inducted into the Pro Football shrine Saturday night. Sanders and Faulk were slam dunks in their first year of eligibility.

Joining that trio will be Richard Dent, Chris Hanburger, Les Richter and Ed Sabol.

Sanders was one of football's most versatile and entertaining players, earning the nickname "Prime Time." According to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he also was a phony.

"Deion was a fraud — a fraud, OK?" Jones said. "He wanted it to look easy, but he was a hard worker. He would give just enough at practice to be a team player in strength and conditioning, but when he went home he worked like a dog on his strength. He wanted everyone to think he was a natural. He was, but it wasn't only because he was born like that. He worked."

The teams Sanders played for generally worked their way into the playoffs. In 1994, he joined the 49ers and helped them win the Super Bowl. The next year, he was headed to Dallas, helping the Cowboys win their third title in four seasons.

"Deion was 'Prime Time,' 'Neon Deion,' always that flashy player that everybody wanted to be," said Mike Jenkins, the Cowboys cornerback who now wears 21. "He always stood out and he let it be known that he was one of the best. He definitely made it exotic to play cornerback."

Faulk wasn't quite so exotic. He was just as formidable, though, retiring with 12,279 yards and 100 touchdowns rushing, another 6,875 yards and 36 TDs as a receiver.

His dominance in an 12-season career, the first five with Indianapolis, the last seven in St. Louis, earned him election to the hall over two other running backs who became eligible for the first time in 2011. Both Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis rushed for more yards than Faulk, yet fell short of enshrinement.

"People make a big thing about going in on the first ballot, but it's really more about getting in," Faulk said. "They don't give you a target to shoot at. In baseball, you know what you have to do to make the Hall of Fame. In football, you start off, you don't really know what you have to do to make it. There's no 'If you break these records as a tight end, you're going to get in' or Shannon Sharpe would have got in his first year. That's hard to do."

Sharpe retired in 2003 and missed out on making the hall in his first two years of eligibility. He compiled 10,060 yards receiving and 62 touchdowns, monstrous numbers for a tight end, and won three Super Bowls — two with Denver, one with Baltimore.

But tight end always has been a difficult position from which to gain hall entry; there are only eight tight ends in Canton.

Sharpe did it the hardest way, working his way from a seventh-round draft pick out of Savannah State to making eight Pro Bowls.

"Shannon was the best at what he did, no question," said Mike Shanahan, who coached him with the Broncos. "He dominated. His work ethic was at the top. He played his best in big games, and he did it all over a long period of time."

Dent also was a low draft choice who had a long career (15 seasons) — and an even longer wait to make the hall. He retired in 1997 after one season as an Eagle. Dent spent 12 seasons with the Bears and one each with the 49ers and Colts.

He was the main pass rusher on the overpowering Chicago defense that rampaged through the NFL in 1985, winning Super Bowl MVP honors for his performance in the 46-10 victory over New England. An eighth-round choice from Tennessee State, Dent had 10 or more sacks in eight seasons and twice had 4½-sack games. He also was adept at stopping the run.

"The thing about Richard was he really made himself what he became," said Mike Ditka, the Bears coach in '85.

Nicknamed "The Hangman," Hanburger stood out for one violent move he practically patented in 14 seasons with Washington: the clothesline tackle, which eventually was outlawed.

Chosen by the senior committee, Hanburger left the game in 1978, never winning a championship. That doesn't mean he wasn't a standout, with coach George Allen allowing the linebacker to call defenses. And Allen had some intricate schemes.

"It was a lot of fun to control the game right there on the field," Hanburger said. "We could audiblize at any time and we could audiblize to any defense we had, whether we had practiced it or not. When you have mature players, it takes a lot of pressure off the coach."

Richter, also chosen by the senior committee, died last year. He played linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams from 1954-62. They traded 11 players for him and waited two years while he was in the military before he suited up. He made the wait worthwhile, going to eight straight Pro Bowls. He also was a center and kicker.

Sabol is the founder of NFL Films, an organization that has changed the way the game has been viewed. Considered a pioneer in use of multiple cameras and slow motion to depict the intensity, speed and violence of the sport, Sabol began his association with the NFL in 1962 when he filmed the league's championship game.

There will be no Hall of Fame game this year because of the recently concluded lockout. The lack of a game has hurt ticket sales for the inductions, with about 12,000 fans expected. Last year, there were more than 19,000.

Most people know one thing about rookie driver JR Hildebrand: He was winning the Indianapolis 500 before he hit the wall in turn four on the final lap of the race. But he is not only having a stellar season on the IndyCar circuit, he is clearly on pace to be named Rookie of the Year.

AP PhotoIndyCar driver JR Hildebrand crashes into the wall on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Lexington, Ohio -- Most people know one thing about rookie driver JR Hildebrand: He was winning the Indianapolis 500 before he hit the wall in turn four on the final lap of the race.

But he is not only having a stellar season on the IndyCar circuit, he is clearly on pace to be named Rookie of the Year.

Going into Sunday's Honda Indy 200 at the 2.5-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Hildebrand sits tied for 10th in the standings with veteran Helio Castroneves, just six points out of eighth. The next closest rookie is Charlie Kimball, 71 points back in 18th place.

“So far, we are having a pretty good season,” Hildebrand said. “We've had some high highs and low lows, obviously. Our biggest struggle in a general sense has been getting it together quickly on the road courses.”

Hildebrand took his Panther Racing entry to a top practice lap of 115.142 mph around the steamy Mid-Ohio circuit, well behind Graham Rahal's fast practice lap of 116.706 mph. There will be one more practice this morning for drivers to get their acts together, followed by qualifying in the afternoon.

“We're frequently good by the time the race rolls around, but we've been really inconsistent in qualifying [on road courses],” Hildebrand said. “We're focusing probably a little more heavily on qualifying now, getting maximum performance out of the car.”

The fact Hildebrand has continued to have a solid season is a clear sign he has put his Indianapolis 500 misfortunes behind him. He was sitting on one of the highest highs going into the last corner of the last lap, leading the Indianapolis 500, before the lowest low of crashing one corner from the checkered flag.

“There are times when you want to sit there and forget about it, and times when you come upon a highlight reel and say, 'You know what, I'll watch this,' ” Hildebrand said.

Holding a comfortable lead with Dan Wheldon more than one turn behind, Hildebrand seemingly could have shut his engine off and coasted to the yard of bricks ahead of the field to the Borg-Warner Trophy. But he came upon a lapped car and, well, from there nothing turned out right as he finished a heart-breaking second.

“I guess in the end, there are definitely some things I learned, and definitely some things I could have done a little bit different,” Hildebrand said. “But I'm quite satisfied with my decision to try to pass the 83 car around the outside of the corner rather than slowing down behind him and waiting until he got out of the way.

“Indianapolis is one of those races where you kind of got to go big, or go home.”

On that last lap, the track is at its trashiest, filled with the grit and spent rubber built up over 199 previous laps, and his challenge was compounded by running on tires that were at the end of their capacity.

“By the time I realized how slow the 83 car was going, I was going to have to jam on the brakes and go down a couple of gears,” Hildebrand said. “In the big scheme of things, at the time, I thought it was less risky to try to go around him. I don't kill my momentum, I don't run the risk of running into the back of him, having to slow down that much, on the entry to a corner on 40-lap tires. You risk spinning the thing out trying to do that. I think the fact I've got no real regret about what I did, based on the information I had at the time, makes it easy to move on.”

And the fact he still nearly won after crashing into the wall makes for a great video to watch and a great story to tell.

“It was one of those things, as soon as I hit the wall I kind of got the car back straight,” Hildebrand said. “I'm like, 'Oh [expletive], I'll make it to the end at least.' I was just flat on the gas, one wheel, trying to get to the end. I actually hit the turn one wall, after I crossed the start-finish line. I ended up halfway through turn one at the end.”

But not before Wheldon had crossed the finish line first.

Slow cookin': The heat wave continued in Ohio and camped out at Mid-Ohio. By 2 p.m. Friday, the temperature around the wooded road course was 92 degrees, which was cool compared to the 130 degrees on the track.

Say what?

Rumors of Danica Patrick's move to a full-time ride in NASCAR seem to pop up regularly, but nobody seems surprised by them as much as the open-wheel diva.

“I look at the Internet, and I'm like, 'Whoa! what's this?' ” she said of the many articles written and newscasts that become near viral on the Internet. “I'm as surprised as anybody [when I see these rumors]. There is nothing to report. I don't have that [story] for you. I'm sorry.”

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

Since everyone was sure we'd clinch on Sunday, Bill Veeck threw a gigantic press party Saturday night that encompassed the ballroom on the second floor of the old Hollenden Hotel. I got to drink champagne and shake hands with Joe DiMaggio and Cy Young, who was 81 at the time. I told him my name was Young and asked him if we might be related. He chuckled, gave me a wink and said, "Maybe."

View full sizePlain Dealer Historical CollectionCleveland Indians in the 1948 World Series. More than 86,000 were in attendance.

This spring, we asked readers to tell us their best memory at an Indians game. More than 600 responded. The five finalists and winner were featured during the week leading up to Opening Day. All season long, The Plain Dealer will publish other fan memories -- one each day the Indians are scheduled to play. Here is today's essay by Dale Young of Lakewood:

In 1948, when I was 19 and working as an announcer at WGL in Fort Wayne, Ind., I got a call from my dad, who was a newscaster at WHK in Cleveland, inviting me to the weekend World Series game. I had no car, but a friend at the station who had relatives in Cleveland drove me over.

You can imagine my excitement sitting right in front of the press box above home plate, as the Indians won Game 5, 2-1 (although poor Bob Feller didn't get the win), putting us up three games to one. I was sitting close to Van Patrick and feeling sorry for him because he was relegated to doing play-by-play for television, and maybe there were 43 sets in all of Cleveland.

Since everyone was sure we'd clinch on Sunday, Bill Veeck threw a gigantic press party Saturday night that encompassed the ballroom on the second floor of the old Hollenden Hotel. I got to drink champagne and shake hands with Joe DiMaggio and Cy Young, who was 81 at the time. I told him my name was Young and asked him if we might be related. He chuckled, gave me a wink and said, "Maybe."

I still have the program from the Sunday game, including my penciled-in box scores. I also have a notation that the attendance was 86,288, which may have been the largest crowd ever for the old Stadium.

Of course, the Braves creamed us, 11-5, and we had to go back to Boston to win Game 6.

I may be one of very few people in Cleveland who not only attended the last baseball championship we won, but also was there in 1964, shivering in 11 degrees, for the last football championship here.

If I should happen to win Mr. Jons' ball, it will be treasured and passed down to my children and grandchildren along with that '48 World Series program.

Tiger Woods tees off at 7 a.m., while the leaders will be on the course by 9 a.m. Get Twitter updates from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Akron, Ohio -- Tiger Woods will be in the first group on the course today, when he tees off at 7 a.m.

Woods is 7 strokes behind the leaders at -1. Keegan Bradley, Ryan Moore, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott share the lead at 8-under. They will tee off between 8:50-9 a.m.

Tee times were moved up to avoid the threat of rain.

Follow updates from The Plain Dealer on Twitter as reporters Tim Rogers, Bill Lubinger and the Starting Blocks team follow Tiger along with the rest of the field throughout the weekend, bringing you updates from almost every hole with some photos along the way.

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational coverage:

• Check the latest leaderboard

• Photo galleries from Firestone Country Club

• WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: What you need to know | More coverage »

Training camp moves to Cleveland Browns Stadium for the annual Family Day. The team will practice in full pads from 2-4 p.m. and sign autographs afterwards. Read our live tweets from the event here.

cleveland.comIt's back to the stadium for the Browns and fans today.

Training camp moves to Cleveland Browns Stadium for the annual Family Day today. The team will practice in full pads from 2-4 p.m. and sign autographs afterwards.

Fans can also enjoy live music, inflatables and giveaways starting at noon Tailgate Terrace, outside the stadium on the east patio. There will be a Browns Backers car show on Alfred Lerner Way from noon-2 p.m.

Today's practice, again, runs from 2-4 p.m. Training camp returns to Berea on Monday. Get the complete training camp schedule here.

• Cleveland Browns move Usama Young into starting lineup

• Browns training camp log: Day 7

• Pat Shurmer gets creative with Josh Cribbs on offense: Browns Insider

The 19-year-old sensation made six birdies and twice escaped trouble in the trees Saturday for a 6-under 64 that put him in the final group on Sunday.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerAt 19, Ryo Ishikawa is one shot out of the lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and could become the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in a century.

AKRON, Ohio -- Since its inception the World Golf Championships has prided itself on staging events of an international flavor.

Heading into Sunday's final round on the South Course at Firestone Country Club, the Bridgestone Invitational is a regular United Nations meeting. Minus the rhetoric and political correctness.

The 11 players holding the first 10 spots on the leaderboard represent seven countries. A guy from Down Under is alone on top. Another is tied for second, but he's married to an Ohioan. And, he is tied with a 19-year-old from Japan who gives money away as fast as he earns it.

What would a golf tournament be without at least one rep from the land where the game was born? A Scot, an Englishman and a Swede are in position to challenge and so, too, is an Irishman who won the U.S. Open.

Why, we even have a four Americans with a shot at winning. Is this a great country, or what? Is this a great tournament, or what? It's crowded near the top, as 12 players are within six shots of the lead.

After a so-so round on Friday that cost him sole possession of the lead, Australian Adam Scott shot a 4-under 66 on Saturday and has first place alone at 12-under 198, one shot in front.

• Third-round leaderboard at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Scott's countryman, Jason Day, whose wife is from a small town near Mansfield, also shot a 66 and shares second place with Ryo Ishikawa, a 19-year-old from Japan who has pledged to donate all his tournament winnings -- which would be $1.4 million if he should win -- plus $1,200 for each birdie to help the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan's Pacific coast. The pair are one shot behind.

All Ishikawa did was shoot a bogey-free 6-under 64, which shared daily honors with Englishman Luke Donald, the top-ranked player in the world rankings for the last nine weeks. Despite a bogey on the closing hole, Donald climbed from 21st to a tie for sixth with Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson, three shots behind. Jacobson, 36, is the oldest player among the leaders.

Scotland's Martin Laird shot a second straight 67 and third consecutive round in the 60s and is tied for fourth at 200 with American Keegan Bradley, the nephew of LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley. Americans Rickie Fowler (201), Zach Johnson (202) and Steve Stricker (203) join Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy (203) in rounding out the top 10.

Ishikawa, who has won 11 times overseas, does not turn 20 until Sept. 17. He could become the second-youngest ever to win a PGA Tour event behind Johnny McDermott, who won the 1911 U.S. Open at the age of 19 years, 10 months.

"I think it's a little too early to think about winning this whole thing as of now," Ishikawa said through interpreter Shingo Horie. "But, I do feel that I was able to play at a pretty good level, a pretty high level today."

Despite the language barrier, Ishikawa's personality shines through. Already regarded as the largest sports figure in Japan -- even ahead of Ichiro Suzuki -- he smiles frequently and even laughed at himself when asked what happened to the permed hair he used to wear.

"It's too hot here," he said. "I thought no one cared that much."

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerThird-round leader Adam Scott gets a drop on the 18th fairway Saturday -- with the helpful supervision of PGA Tour rules official Mickey Bradley, left -- and caddie Steve Williams after his ball was struck by the ball of Rickie Fowler. Scott parred the hole.

Paired with Nick Watney and South African Hennie Otto and trailing by three shots, Ishikawa only hit six of 14 fairways but still shot 64. He got his round off to a rousing start by rolling in a 30-foot putt for birdie on the first hole. Three holes later, he nailed a 27-footer and reached 8 under when his approach from 168 yards on the sixth stopped 26 inches from the hole.

Putts of nine, 14 and 11 feet on the back helped sooth an aching driver, which led to frequent plays from the rough.

Scott, making his ninth appearance at Firestone but his first with former Tiger Woods caddie Steve Williams on his bag, had three birdies over his final five holes. Scott adopted a 49-inch Scotty Cameron putter in February and it paid off down the stretch. He made putts of 17 and 29 feet on the 14th and 15th holes, respectively, and his 26 putts were the third fewest of the day.

Day, second in the Masters and the U.S. Open, began the day one shot behind the leaders and will start the final round in the same position. An eagle on the 525-yard second and four birdies -- three on the final four holes -- overcame back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th. The highlight came on the par-3 15th, when he canned a 35-foot putt.

"I kind of hit the brakes there a little bit on 10 and 11 and I needed something to happen in my round," he said. "Obviously, holing the putt on 15 kind of did that for me."

The Browns got great production out of tight end Evan Moore and receiver Greg Little during today's practice at the Stadium.

Lisa DeJong, The Plain DealerGreg Little caught two TD passes during the Stadium practice today and celebrated by dunking one of them over the goalpost.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns practiced in front of 11,965 fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium and got some great production out of tight end Evan Moore, who had four TD catches, and receiver Greg Little, who had two.

* Moore has become a favorite target of Colt McCoy since Moore began practicing on Thursday. Today, he caught four TD passes, including one in the back left corner of the end zone after McCoy scrambled left and a 46-yard catch and run. "Evan's provided a big spark for us offensively,'' said Colt McCoy. "He's a big body, a big target.'' Said Moore: "Sometimes opportunities come in bunches like they did today. I felt a little bit better today getting my legs back under me. I wanted to hit the ground running, but I was doing some things wrong at first.''

* Little who dropped several passes on Thursay, jumped up over two defenders to catch a TD pass from MCoy in the back left corner of the end zone in red zone team drills. He then caught another one on a post-route from Seneca Wallace, after which he dunked the ball over the goalpost at the Dawg Pound end. "Just having fun,'' said Little. "It is a practice, but fans come out and they want to see exciting plays and guys that can make plays. And I definitely wanted to better myself from Thursday's practice.''

* Coach Pat Shurmur and  McCoy were happy with the offense's progress over the first week of camp. McCoy said the team was running plays today that they've run only once before and that the offense still has plenty to install. "How far we've come in a week is crazy,'' said McCoy. "Early on in practice we were clicking. I think we're all pleased at this point.''

* Browns running Montario Hardesty (knee) was held out of the practice again, but said he hasn't had a setback. Shurmur said the goal is to try to get him back on the practice field sometime next week "I'm fine,'' said Hardesty. "I felt fine those first few days I practiced. I will be back out there. They just want to make sure I don't do too much.''

* Browns free safety Mike Adams, who's competing for a starting job with Usama Young, picked off a short pass from McCoy that glanced off Peyton Hillis' hands and returned it for a TD.

* Peyton Hillis ran hard and caught the bell well, making his way into the end zone several times.

* Browns kicker Phil Dawson had the distance, but was wide right on a 60-yard field goal attempt at the end of a two-minute drill.

* Seventh-round safety  Eric Hagg had a nice afternoon, almost picking off a deep ball intended for Brian Robiskie and batting down a pass to Ben Watson in the two-minute drill.

* Undrafted rookie cornerback James Dockery picked off McCoy in the two-minute today after dropping one in practice this week and getting mad at himself. He dropped and did pushups after the drop.

* Cornerback Sheldon Brown broke up a TD pass to Johnathan Haggerty in the end zone during red zone drills.

* Defensive end Marcus Benard came up limping after a one-on-one pass-rush drill against Branndon Braxton and wore an ice back on his right knee for awhile, but  it's not believed to be serious.

* Defensive lineman Jabari Fletcher, who was carted off the field this week after fellow lineman Ko Quaye fell on the side of his leg, wore a large brace and walked with a crutch today. But he said it's not as bad as it look, that it's a bruise and he'll be back.

Adam Scott has a putter he can trust and a caddie who knows how to win at Firestone, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

View full sizeMark Duncan, Associated Press"After a couple weeks, I was kind of over the thing of, 'I am going to use a long putter,'" Bridgestone Invitational third-round leader Adam Scott said Saturday afternoon. "I could care less. I just want to make putts and make the game a little easier for myself, so it didn't bother me too much."

AKRON, Ohio -- Adam Scott as the old man of the Bridgestone Invitational leaderboard is a reach.

Disclaimer: He's not that old. With long putter in hand, after all, he doesn't look a day over 61.

Scott, whose 12-under leads by a shot over 19-year-old Ryo Ishikawa and 23-year-old Jason Day at Firestone, put a different putter in his bag out of frustration and desperation after a February practice session in Australia.

"I was so uncomfortable with the short putter at the time that you could have given me anything to putt with and it would have been better," the 31-year-old Aussie said Saturday. "It turned a few heads in the locker room, but I think it's justified itself so far. I think a few people have taken notice of how I am putting."

Scott ranks fourth in total putting this week and fourth in perhaps the most accurate indicator: strokes gained putting. Loose translation of strokes gained putting: don't ask. It's complicated. Just know there's rhythm and ease in Scott's putting stroke where his nerves previously claimed squatter's rights. So much so it didn't take him long to overcome the stigma carrying around a 49-inch putter.

You don't see many on the PGA Tour. They're more fashionable among the seniors who have tried everything else and are looking for a lifeline.

The long stick looks especially foreign in the hands of a guy with Scott's matinee idol looks. Actress Kate Hudson might never have dated him if she knew it would come to this.

"After a couple weeks, I was kind of over the thing of, 'I am going to use a long putter,'" Scott said. "I could care less. I just want to make putts and make the game a little easier for myself, so it didn't bother me too much."

In April, Scott was close to becoming a pioneer of sorts -- the first player to win a major on the regular Tour while yielding a long putter. He finished tied for second at the Masters, two shots behind Charl Schwartzel. More recently, and perhaps more importantly as it pertains to this week, Scott found someone different to carry his bag -- Steve Williams, Tiger Woods' latest ex.

The pairing is a confidence boost heading into Sunday's final round. Williams carried the bag for all seven of Woods' victories at Firestone.

"I think that's helping a lot," Day, a fellow Aussie, said of Scott and Williams together. "And I think it's kind of kicking him in the right direction, which is nice."

Scott made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine to shoot 32 and 66 overall. Thursday, he shot 62, one off the course and tournament record. On No. 13 Saturday, Scott bombed a 326-yard drive -- 30 yards past his nearest playing partner, Ryan Moore. As Scott and Williams walked down the fairway, a golf fan yelled, "You da man ... Stevie."

With Woods missing the U.S. Open due to injury, Scott asked Williams to carry for him. Williams requested permission of Woods, who okayed it. No one has verified a version of the story that says Woods had second thoughts and asked Williams to reconsider but that Williams had already committed to Scott.

Last month, Woods dumped Williams. Playing here with childhood friend Bryon Bell on his bag, Woods is 1 over for the tournament and tied for 38th. So while Scott and Williams chase the $1.4 million winner's share, Woods goes out Sunday in a pairing with Hennie Otto. Yes, that Hennie Otto.

"[Williams] has seen some of the best golf ever played around this place," Scott said. "And I think he's got a very good understanding of this golf course and it certainly has helped me a few times when we're pulling clubs because he just understands how far the ball is traveling on certain holes and situations."

Scott is helping himself these days when Williams pulls the putter from his bag. It may be awkward looking in Scott's hand, but much less so if his other hand happens to be full of trophy.

Following the trades of top prospects Adam White and Drew Pomeranz, is the cupboard bare of pitching prospects for the Indians? Here's a look at the top arms in the minors.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerDavid Huff's solid work in three spot starts in July have moved him to the top of the Indians' depth chart when assessing the team's minor-league pitching prospects.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The big prospects with the big arms have left the building.

Right-hander Alex White and left-hander Drew Pomeranz, projected to be No.1 or No.2 starters for the Indians in the near future, were traded a week ago to Colorado for right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who already is what Pomeranz and White are trying to become.

So what's left in the cookie jar? Who are the best of the rest pitchers in the Indians' farm system? Here's a look at the top 20:

1. LHP David Huff, 26, Class AAA Columbus: Coming off an impressive three-start performance in the big leagues. Revamped delivery has given him more command and velocity, touching 94 mph. Middle-of-rotation candidate.

2. RHP Jeanmar Gomez, 23, Columbus: Pitched in the big leagues in the last two seasons for the Tribe. Sinker/slider pitcher who puts the ball on the ground. Could be fourth or fifth starter.

3. LHP Nick Hagadone, 25, Columbus: Hard-throwing lefty is another bullpen prospect. Indians acquired him from Boston in the Victor Martinez deal.

4. RHP Zach McAllister, 23, Columbus: Made his big-league debut this year in an one-and-done performance. Big guy who can pitch a lot of innings. Projects to be middle to back-end of the rotation starter.

5. RHP Zach Putnam, 24, Columbus: Fifth-round pick in 2008. Has good stuff, needs to keep the ball down. Middle reliever/set-up man in the big leagues.

6. RHP Austin Adams, 24, Class AA Akron: He's as converted college shortstop who has hit 100 mph with a good breaking ball. Needs work on change-up and command, but is considered a major-league depth pitcher right now.

7. LHP Scott Barnes, 23, Columbus: Could be a starter or back-end reliever. Tough on lefties. Was 7-4 with 3.68 ERA when he injured his knee.

8. RHP Chen-Chang Lee, 24, Columbus: Bullpen prospect with good arm strength and a funky motion. Drew a lot of interest at the trade deadline. Is a combined 5-1 with 87 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings at Columbus and Class AA Akron.

9. RHP Josh Judy, 25, Columbus: He's already had two tours with the Tribe this year. He's closing at Columbus, striking out 51 in 41 1/3 innings. Set-up candidate in the big leagues.

10. LHP T.J. McFarland, 21, Akron: Sinker/slider pitcher, who is tough on lefties. Projects as fourth or fifth starter.

11. LHP Matt Packer, 23, Akron: Has four pitches and knows how to use them. Having good second half at Akron, increasing strikeouts with good command. Could be fourth or fifth starter. In Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis mold of lefties.

12. LHP Kelvin De La Cruz, 22, Akron: He's starting at Akron, but path to the big leagues in probably in the pen. He's tough against lefties.

13. LHP Mike Rayl, 22, Akron: He's similar to Packer. Made himself a prospect this year for the big-league rotation.

14. RHP Clayton Cook, 21, Class A Kinston: He's shown potential for three above-average pitches -- fastball, curve and change -- at Kinston. Ninth-round pick in 2008.

15. LHP Giovanni Soto, 20, Kinston: Acquired from Detroit last year in the Jhonny Peralta trade. He has 58 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings this year.

16. RHP Felix Sterling, 18, Class A Lake County: He's 6-2 and 240 pounds. He's 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in three starts at Lake County. Started the season in the Arizona Rookie League, going 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA in six game, including four starts.

17. RHP Michael Goodnight, 22, Lake County: The Tribe's 13th-round pick out of the University of Houston in 2010. He's 5-10 with 90 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings at Lake County.

18. LHP Elvis Araujo, 20, Arizona Rookie League: Araujo is 6-4 and 246 pounds. He's 5-1 with a 3.68 ERA in nine starts with 39 strikeouts and 14 walks in 44 innings.

19. RHP Rob Bryson, 23. Akron: Acquired from Milwaukee in CC Sabathia trade. Big arm, big strikeout totals, but has had trouble staying healthy.

20. RHP Tyler Sturdevant, 25, Akron: The Tribe's 27th-round pick out of New Mexico State in 2008. He's 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 41 innings. Has a WHIP (walks plus hits divided by innings) of 0.95.

Hector Rondon and Jason Knapp were not included because they've been injured much of the season.

After striking out four straight times, three of them against Tom Wakefield's knuckleball on Wednesday, catcher Carlos Santana has been on a tear.

Associated PressCarlos Santana homered and doubled in his first two at-bats Friday night against Texas to drive in five runs.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Carlos Santana was embarrassed.

"I'd never struck out four times in a game before," said Santana.

That was before he ran into knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on Wednesday at Fenway Park. Wakefield struck out Santana three straight times. No. 4 came courtesy of lefty Randy Williams in the eighth inning of the Indians' 3-2 loss.

Santana went to Fenway early on Thursday to try get things right. He hit early and made some adjustments. In a 7-3 victory that night, Santana went 3-for-4 with a tie-breaking two-run homer in the sixth. He drove in three runs.

In Friday's 8-7 loss to Texas in 11 innings, Santana hit a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the second to drive in a career-high five RBI. He has 17 homers and 55 RBI.

"That one bad game made me positive for the next game," said Santana. "I just said today is a new day. That bad game was in the past.

"I came to the park early and worked on my approach," said Santana. "I hit in the cage and hit early. I just want to stay positive and help the team win."

Santana is hitting .333 (14-for-42) with four doubles, one triple and two homers in his last 11 games. He's still hitting only .235 (86-for-366), but he's on pace to hit 25 homers and drive in 81 runs.

Defensively, Santana is still learning behind the plate and at first base.

"You have to remember this guy has only been catching for four years," said first-base coach Sandy Alomar, who coaches the catchers. "He has a lot on his plate. He's hitting in the middle of the lineup. On top of that, he's learning how to catch in his first full year in the big leagues for a contending team.

"I'm pretty pleased. I would like to see more improvement on his transfer (getting the ball from his glove to his right hand when he's throwing to the bases) and blocking balls in the dirt. But he's handled himself pretty good, especially coming back from such a severe injury as he had last year."

Santana injured his left knee last year on Aug. 2 on a play at the plate and missed the rest of the season.

Tonight's lineups:

Indians (55-55): CF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), DH Travis Hafner (L), 1B Carlos Santana (S), (R), RF Kosuke Fukudome (L), LF Shelley Duncan (R), 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (L), RHP Fausto Carmona (5-11, 5.31). 

Rangers (63-50): 2B Ian Kinsler (R), SS Elvis Andrus (R), LF Josh Hamilton (L), 3B Michael Young (R), RF Nelson Cruz (R), DH Mike Napoli (R), 1B Mitch Moreland (L), C Yorvit Torrealba (R), LF David Murphy (L), LHP C.J. Wilson (10-5, 3.38).

Lineup notes: Brantley is back in the lineup after missing three starts with a sore right wrist. He was a defensive replacement in the ninth inning on Friday night and singled in one at-bat. Hafner is back as well after getting the night off Friday.

Him vs. me: Rangers have big numbers against Carmona: Josh Hamilton .417 (7-for-17) with four doubles and five RBI, Cruz .385 (5-for-13) with three homers and five RBI, Elvis Andrus .500 (4-for-8).

Hafner is hitting .250 (2-for-8) with a double against Wilson.

Lefty-righty: Lefties are hitting .279 (76-for-272) with nine homers and righties are hitting .257 (55-for-214) with nine homers against Carmona. Texas has six right-handers in the lineup.

Lefties are hitting .273 (33-for-121) with two homers and righties are hitting .232 (105-for-452) with eight homers against Wilson. The Indians have five lefties and two switch-hitters in the lineup.

Quote of the day: "You don't face (Nolan) Ryan without your rest. He's the only guy I go against that makes me go to bed before midnight," Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson talking about facing Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

Umpires: H Derryl Cousins, 1B D.J. Reyburn, 2B Angel Campos, 3B Jim Wolf. Cousins is the crew chief.

Next: RHP Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.16) will face RHP Colby Lewis (10-8, 4.00) on Sunday night. STO/WTAM AM/1100 will carry the game.

A drive measured at 415 yards helped the big lefty set up a 243-yard 4-iron on the par-5.

AKRON, Ohio -- Bubba Watson has the kind of stuff that people come to see. He didn't let them down Saturday during the third round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.

Watson, second on the PGA Tour in driving distance with an average of 313.1 yards, unloaded on Firestone's famed 16th hole, which played to 662 yards. It took the long-hitting left-hander just two shots to get to the green. Shotlink, the device used by the PGA to measure such things, said Watson's drive traveled 415 yards. His second shot, with a 4-iron, went 243 yards and came to rest a little more than 13 feet from the hole.

"I hit two good drives earlier in the week and it hasn't rolled out like that," Watson said of the 16th's fairway. "Today, I guess it's a little bit downwind, so it just pushed it and it rolled pretty far."

Watson, who was given a rousing ovation when he reached the green, missed the eagle putt but tapped in for birdie. Watson guessed his drive went 299 yards. When told it measured out at 415 he said, "Nice, as long as I out-drove [playing partner] Tiger [Woods]."

Youth week: The list of players winning WGC events before they turned 28 is short. Woods holds the top seven positions on the list.

He was 23 years, seven months when he won his first Bridgestone title in 1999, for the youngest win. Francesco Molinari, who won the HSBC Champions in 2010 when he was 27 years, 11 months, 30 days, is the only other name on the list. Several players have a shot at joining the list today. Ryo Ishikawa will turn 20 Sept. 17. Jason Day will be 24 in November. Keegan Bradley is 25 and Rickie Fowler is 22. U.S. Open champ Rory McIlroy is 21.

Jacuzzi nights: Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champ, said he was still feeling a little lucky after being involved in an accident near the golf course on Tuesday. The car driven by his caddie was struck by a driver who ran a stop sign.

"It's one of those things," Oosthuizen said. "You look back and you can quickly see how it could have been a lot worse. If we were a bit faster they would have caught us on the side."

Oosthuizen said he was still feeling the after-effects. He shot even-par Saturday and is 2-over for the tournament.

"It's more of just a few muscles that are just really stiff," he said. "I might struggle on a few shots but I don't feel it all. I'm in the jacuzzi all the time at night just to get the muscles relaxed."

Moving day: The biggest move on Saturday belonged to Matt Kuchar, who jumped 25 places from 39th to a tie for 14th after shooting a 5-under 65. Six-under 64s were the magic number for three others -- Ishikawa went from 10th place to second, a stroke behind leader Adam Scott. Luke Donald, the No. 1 player in the world, moved from 21st to sixth. Zach Johnson moved from 27th to ninth. The three shared low round honors.

Hennie Otto of South Africa was moving in the opposite direction. Otto, paired with Woods for the final round, started the day tied for 10th. He shot 75 and fell 27 spots.

Bob Migra contributed to this report.

Hardesty, who could be back on the field sometime this week, says he felt no discomfort and had no swelling following the first two days of practice last week

John Kuntz | The Plain DealerMontario Hardesty could be worked back into practice as early as this week

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns running back Montario Hardesty promised today that he's had no setback in his recovery from surgery despite sitting out practice after the first two days.

"No, I'm fine,'' said Hardesty. "(Fans) will see me back in practice. They'll see me back in games. I'm just going with the plan.''

Hardesty, who could be back on the field sometime this week according to coach Pat Shurmur, said he felt no discomfort and had no swelling following the first two days of practice last week, both without pads. He's been held out since then, including today's Family Fun Day at the Stadium.

"No, nothing at all,'' he said. "I felt good when I was out there practicing. It was great. I got back on the football field with the guys. I'm just waiting to get back out (again).''

Hardesty ran sprints with the trainers during yesterday's workout and looked fine doing them.

 "They want to make sure I get my legs up under me before they throw me back out there,'' he said. "With the lockout, they didn't get to see me for four or five months. They want to make sure everything's good when I get back on the field.''

Hardesty, who recovered from a torn right ACL in 2005, said he knew when he got here that he'd be taking it slow. "So it's not hard to be patient,'' he said.

Private Cause made her first victory at important one, taking the $50,000 Kindergarten Stakes for two-year-old Ohio-breds at Thistledown on Saturday afternoon.

 Private Cause made her first victory at important one, taking the $50,000 Kindergarten Stakes for two-year-old Ohio-breds at Thistledown on Saturday afternoon.

 With a five-horse entry in the field of 11, the race was a sweep for trainer Tim Hamm of THE Blazing Meadow Farm in North Jackson, Ohio. Hamm's Private Cause with Hector Rosario Jr. aboard, held off stablemate Monetary Reward, ridden by Kris Fox, by a length at the wire. Hamm's Operation Bling, ridden by Yamil Rosario, was only another neck back in third.

The payoff in the 6-furlong test was an easy one, with Hamm's youngsters a combined entry that paid $4., $3.60, $2.40. 

 Private Cause and Monetary Reward are co-owned by Bruce Ryan. In her only other start, Private Cause finished fourth in a June outing at Calder Race Track in Miami Gardens, Fla. Hamm felt she had talent after that race, and pointed her toward the Kindergarten Stakes.

The sprint went the filly's way, as Mr Sox grabbed the early lead and Private Cause settled in behind him after coming out of the No. 10 slot in the starting gate. After a 22.6-second quarter mile, Private Cause grabbed the lead en route to a 46.3 half-mile, then won the stretch dual with Monetary Reward with a 1:13.1 clocking.
 Monetary Reward was impressive at the end, coming from last to challenge at the wire.

Hamm said he'll most likely send Private Cause out in the Miss Ohio Stakes at Thistledown on Aug. 27, a 6-furlong dash for Ohio-bred fillies.

The No. 1-ranked player in the world had nine one-putt greens Saturday, as his 64 tied Zach Johnson and Ryo Ishikawa for low round of the day.

View full sizeMark Duncan, Associated PressLuke Donald had plenty of reason to acknowledge fans' applause Saturday, as a brilliant putting round put him squarely in contention for the Bridgestone Invitational title.

Bob Migra

Special to The Plain Dealer

AKRON, Ohio -- If you think the origin of the universe is a mystery, you are obviously not a golfer. The really big mystery is why some days the hole looks as big as a peach basket when you are putting and other days it looks like a quarter.

Luke Donald had one of those peach basket days Saturday at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Donald, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, had nine one-putt greens in shooting a 6-under 64. The score tied Zach Johnson and Ryo Ishikawa for low round of the day. He briefly moved into a first-place tie with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes, when he got to 10 under. An errant tee shot on the 18th hole led to a bogie and a tie for sixth place, three shots behind Adam Scott.

His putter was working from the start. Donald rolled in a 22-foot putt from the fringe for birdie on the first hole. He followed it up with birdies on the second and fourth holes.

"Something I haven't been doing this week is holing putts," Donald said. "It's amazing what holing a few putts can do for your confidence. I'm very happy with the way I played today. I did a lot of good things."

Donald is having a big year, with a victory at the Accenture Match Play Championship in the U.S. and European victories at the BMW PGA Championship and the Barclays Scottish Open. Despite the success, his putter has been letting him down recently. He needed 31 putts in Thursday's first round and 30 putts in the second.

"I haven't putted that well for the last month or so," he said. "It was nice to get it going today. It wasn't anything mechanical, I just thought less today. I just tried to let it happen."

Despite his ranking, Donald has not a won a stroke-play tournament in the U.S. since the 2006 Honda Classic. He is hoping to put that streak behind him Sunday.

"I would love to win here," the Hemel Hempstead, England native said. "The goal is always to win and this would be another big one."

A win would also erase some recent bad memories at Firestone. He finished tied for 46th last year and 45th in 2009. His best finish was a tie for sixth in 2005. Donald is not a big bomber and he doesn't show a flashy or fiery personality. His relative anonymity among casual fans in the U.S. does not faze him.

"I'm just trying to play well and do what I can to control myself getting better as a golfer and hopefully pick up some wins," Donald said.

Donald was reminded that he had never broken 70 in all four rounds at Firestone. He shot 68-69 in the first two rounds.

"That's a good goal for Sunday, then," he said.

And a realistic one, if those putts keep falling.

Bob Migra is a freelance writer in Westlake.

Indians DH has been battling a sore foot for much of the season.

View full sizeAP photoTravis Hafner was getting a complete day off on Friday, and wasn't available for late-game pinch-hitting duty, said manager Manny Acta.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Clubhouse confidential: When asked after Friday night's 8-7 loss to Texas in 11 innings why Travis Hafner didn't pinch hit for Shelley Duncan in the 10th against right-hander Neftali Feliz with two on and one out, manager Manny Acta said, "It was a complete day off for Travis. Hafner shouldn't even have been a temptation in the 10th. We should have won it in the ninth."

Closer Chris Perez, with a 7-5 lead and two out in the ninth, gave up a game-tying homer to Michael Young.

When Hafner was asked about the possibility of pinch-hitting, he said, "So how are you enjoying Texas so far?"

Hafner has had a sore right foot since late April.

Home away from home: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco, serving a six-game suspension, can work out with the Indians before the game, but can't be in uniform or at the ballpark during it. Asked what he does when the games start, Carrasco said, "I go back to the hotel."

After this series, the Indians will start Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez and Fausto Carmona against first-place Detroit at Progressive Field in a series that starts Tuesday. Carrasco is not expected to pitch until the weekend against Minnesota.

Stat of the day: The Indians entered Saturday night's game against Texas having lost seven straight to the Rangers. They are 0-5 against them this year.

Woods drove the front nine at Firestone Country Club like a grandma steers her Buick. First right and then left and then left and then right.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerOff the tee, Tiger Woods didn't give himself many good scoring opportunities throughout Saturday's third round at the Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio -- Tiger Woods drove the front nine at Firestone Country Club like a grandma steers her Buick. First right and then left and then left and then right.

From one rough to another, recovering enough to bounce between 1 under and 1 over, but not really giving himself a chance to gain ground on the course that's historically been so kind to him. Finally, on No. 11, using a 3-wood, he pounded a dead-on drive and dropped his second shot within eight feet.

If the "old Tiger" was going to make an appearance -- and make a run at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron -- this was it.

Instead, Woods just missed the slightly downhill birdie putt, lipping out as his putter failed him time and again Saturday. It left him 2 over for the day and 1 over after three rounds at a course where he's won seven championships and remains, for many, the people's champion.

"C'mon, Tiger, you're OK," a little boy encouraged him after a bogey on 16.

"The reassuring words of a 7-year-old," muttered a fan.

"We've got tomorrow, big guy!" yelled Andrew McLean, dressed in a full-body yellow and black-striped tiger suit with a can of Budweiser in each paw. He and three buddies made the eight-hour trek from Toronto the night before to make the 7 a.m. tee-off. Tournament officials had moved up starting times and grouped golfers in threes to beat expected thunderstorms. Woods played with Bubba Watson (3 under, tied for 20th) and Ian Poulter (10 over, tied for 70th) in the first group off the front nine.

"Come on!" Woods said as his day started with two straight drives sailing right.

"Some folks aren't morning people," lamented the security guard assigned to Woods when he plays Firestone.

Woods also had a defender in the gallery.

"Hi, Tiger! Hi Bubba! ... Who's that third guy," shouted Johnny Brann of Grand Rapids, Mich., as the trio walked single file down the sixth fairway. Ian Poulter looked his way, laughing.

"What's so funny, Poulter?" Brann shouted.

This spring, Poulter predicted Woods wouldn't finish in the top five at the Masters because of his erratic play. (Woods finished tied for fourth.)

"I don't care for him," Brann said. "He ripped on Tiger two or three times."

On No. 6 Saturday, Woods' errant drive was saved by a torso. The ball, driven right once again, bounced off the ribs of 20-year-old Bethel College golfer Brady Klotz and bounced back into play.

"Sorry about that, man, but thanks for helping me out," said Woods, shaking the Nappanee, Ind., fan's hand.

"He gave me a signed glove and a bruise," Klotz said.

Woods, back from injury after 11 weeks, said he felt he had corrected his tee shots later in the round, and his irons were on all day. But on the green, Rust-Oleum and a half-inch here or there would have helped.

"Only difference is I didn't putt well again today," he said after the round. "Two horseshoes [putts that spun around the cup], three-putted 18, and then, obviously, made a bogey with a sand wedge there on 16. That's four shots I just threw away right there."

Woods, with two birdies and four bogeys, finished the day tied for 38th. He started the round in a tie for 36th.

"Absolutely," Woods said, when asked if he was having fun. Last year at this time, he floundered badly. He said golf like that wasn't fun.

What was fun about this?

"Just competing," he said. "I haven't done it in a while."

Pre-tournament, Woods insisted he was back to win, not just compete. By Saturday, his perspective had changed. Maybe it was more about testing his knee and Achilles.

"I've just got to put together a good round and let it build," he said. "That's something I haven't done yet. I've only played three rounds. Unfortunately, I'm not there battling with a chance to win, but I can still post a good round tomorrow."