Local News

Stiefel leads Men's City Amateur golf

Tom Stiefel fired a 4-under-par 68 Friday and took the first-round lead at the 2013 Men's City Amateur golf tournament at Gardner.

Justin Pansegrau and Ryan Schrimper shot 3-under 69's are one shot behind Stiefel.

Chris James, Davis Sutton, Mark Fischer and Steve Koepke are tied for fourth place at 71. Brad Neuville, Brigham Stewart and Harrison Moore shot even-par 72 and are tied for eighth.

Dane Worley, the defending champion, shot a 3-over 75 Friday and is tied for 26th.

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Sweeney eyes Sept. 1 return to Cubs

No, Ryan Sweeney’s nickname is not “DL.’’ Sometimes it just seems so.

Yet another major-league season was interrupted by injury June 29 when Sweeney crashed into the centerfield wall at Safeco Field in Seattle, chasing down a Kendrys Morales fly ball. He was diagnosed with a fractured left rib and eventually placed on the 60-day disabled list.

It was the latest in a frustrating string of injuries Sweeney has suffered in his 8-year big league career. He had a torn pinkie tendon, bruised right hand, injured thumb and right knee surgery while in Oakland. In Boston, he suffered a concussion and broken hand.

Sweeney has played in 82 games or fewer three of the past four seasons. Now this.

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Worley on course for pro golf career

The confidence and maturity in Dane Worley’s voice belies his age. Lately, he’s demonstrated those traits on the golf course in a big way.

Worley, a 20-year-old Cedar Rapids Kennedy product, defends his Cedar Rapids City Amateur title this weekend after two straight runner-up finishes on the Iowa amateur circuit.

He finished second in both the Waterloo Open and Iowa Amateur, vaulting him to No.3 on the Iowa Golf Association Player of the Year rankings behind veteran Gene Elliott of West Des Moines and University of Iowa senior-to-be Steven Ihm.

“It’s been a really good spring and summer,’’ Worley said. “It’s kind of what I expected out of my game because I’ve spent a lot of time on it, putting the pieces together.

“What’s keeping me from winning, I think, is just making a few more putts. I didn’t lose the last two tournaments, I just got outplayed by some very good players.’’

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Shawn Johnson challenges kids to find own path

She has appeared in two “Dancing with the Stars” seasons, was a celebrity parade marshal at this year’s Indianapolis 500, and can practically take her pick of opportunities to capitalize on a superstar gymnastics career that culminated with gold and silver medals at the 2008 Olympics.

But Monday morning found Des Moines native Shawn Johnson in a less grandiose setting — chatting contentedly with people drinking coffee outside the clubhouse at the Elmcrest Country Club a couple of hours before the start of the Zach Johnson Foundation Classic golf tournament.

At 4-foot-9, Johnson could almost be mistaken for one of the kids hanging around waiting to see their golf heroes in action. Almost — except for that unmistakable million-dollar smile and her still-powerful gymnast’s build.

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