Free admission for the newly sponsored First Tee Open

Professional sporting events aren't getting cheaper, unless you're a golf fan and like the Monterey Peninsula and the Champions Tour. Then the equation is free.

Tournament organizers have announced admission to the seventh annual First Tee Open, Aug. 31-Sept. 5 at Del Monte Golf Course and Pebble Beach Golf Links, site of the 2010 U.S. Open, will be free.

"We want to encourage the local community to come out to Pebble Beach and watch some amazing golf," Steve Worthy, President of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. "The Champions Tour players really embrace this tournament and the exceptional young people who make up junior field are inspiring. We hope locals will take advantage of this unique opportunity."

The free admission continues a recent trend on the Champions Tour. Tthe 3M Championship in Minnesota has offered free admission for two consecutive years. The year's Senior Player's Championship in Washington, D.C. the season's last major, will also offer free admission.

Two-time defending champ Jeff Sluman, Fred Couples, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, Fred Funk, Hale Irwin, Mark O'Meara and Fuzzy Zoeller will be in the field.

Home Care and Hospice is the tournament's new title sponsor, following Walmart's six-year tenure.

Martin Kaymer claims controversial PGA Championship in three-hole playoff against Bubba Watson

Martin Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson in a three-hole playoff and claimed the controversial 92nd PGA Championship on Sunday at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.

Kaymer, 25, of Germany, a fourth-year PGA Tour professional, finished the playoff in par-birdie-bogey. Watson finished the three holes in birdie-par-double bogey, giving Kaymer his first major title.

Third-round leader Nick Watney had a final-day 81 and fell out of contention.

The controversy occurred when Dustin Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty on the 18th hole when he was on his way to a win or to enter a playoff.

Instead, Johnson, who held a one-stroke lead on the 18th tee, pushed his drive into the gallery on the right. His ball landed in a small sandy patch and he grounded his club before pulling his shot well left of the green.

He pitched to seven feet and if he would have made it, he thought that would've been for the title. Johnson missed and thought he was headed to a playoff with Watson and Kaymer.

When Johnson walked off the green, he was greeted by a PGA official. Johnson and playing partner Nick Watney sat in the scorer's tent for several minutes before it was determined Johnson was getting a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club.

"If it was up to me, I wouldn't have thought I was in a bunker, but it's not up to me," Johnson said. "The only worse thing that could've happened is if I would have made that putt," Johnson said.

Johnson ended up with a one-over 73 and missed the playoff by two strokes.

Top 10 regulation scores and ties.  Martin Kaymer defeated Watson in a three-hole playoff.

1. USA Bubba Watson -11 68 71 70 68 277
T3. GER Martin Kaymer -11 72 68 67 70 277
T3. USA Zach Johnson -10 69 70 69 70 278
T3  NIR Rory McIlroy -10 71 68 67 72  278
T5 USA Jason Dufner -9 73 66 69 71 279
T5 AUS Steve Elkington -9 71 70 67 71 279
T5 USA Dustin Johnson -9 71 68 67 73 279
T8 COL Camilo Villegas -8 71 71 70 68 280
T8 CHN Wen-chong Liang -8 72 71 64 73 280
T10 USA Matt Kuchar -7 67 69 73 72 281
T10 AUS Jason Day -7 69 72 66 74 281

PGA Championship, 2010: 2nd round leaderboard from Whistling Straits

With weather the dominant factor for the second straight day and the second round postponed because of darkness until Saturday, Matt Kuchar and Nick Watney are the only two players to post consecutive rounds under 70 at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Kuchar shot a 3-under 69 on the Whistling Straits course in Kohler, Wis., to add to his opening-round 67 and has a one-stroke lead over Watney at 8-under 136.

Watney bettered his opening round 69 by one stroke in the second round and has a 137 total. Seven players have 5-under 139 totals.

Tiger Woods, who had a 1-under 71 opening round, remains 1 under through six holes of his second round.

Here are the top-10 scores with 78 players scheduled to complete their second rounds Saturday prior to the third round.

PGA Championship, 8/13/2010
Whistling Straits
par-72
7,507 yards

1. Matt Kuchar 67 69  -- F -8  136
2. Nick Watney 69 68 -- F -7  137
T3. Jason Dufner 73 66  F -5  139
T3. Bryce Molder 72 67 F -5  139
T3. Dustin Johnson 71 68  F -5  139
T3. Seung-yul Noh  68 71  F -5 139
T3. Rory McIlroy 71 68 F -5 139
T3. Zach Johnson 69 70 F -5  139
T3. Simon Khan 69 70 F  -5 139
T10. Chad Campbell 70 70 F -4 140
* T10. Martin Laird* 70 30  (-4) 100
* 10. Francesco Molinari 68  21 (-4) 89

(* Second round in progress.)

PGA Championship, 2010: Watch live daily television, Internet coverage now

The PGA Championship, golf's final major of the season and featuring the full gamut of sub-plots — Tiger Woods' current recent demise to Phil Mickelson's arthritis — will be broadcast extensively on television and via the Internet.

Turner Network Television will showcase the event Thursday through Sunday, with its telecasts beginning at 1 p.m. (ET) on Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

CBS will also provide weekend coverage the championship's 92nd edition from Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, beginning at 11 a.m Saturday and Sunday.

Live text and video coverage of the event will also be available daily on PGATour.com.

Here's the network broadcast schedule (Eastern Times):

Thursday, August 12
PGA Championship, Round 1
1:00-8:00 p.m. TNT

Friday, August 13
PGA Championship, Round 2
1:00-8:00 p.m. TNT

Saturday, August 14
PGA Championship, Round 3
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. TNT

Saturday, August 14
PGA Championship, Round 3
2:00-7:00 p.m. CBS

Sunday, August 15
PGA Championship, Final Round
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. TNT

Sunday, August 15
PGA Championship, Final Round
2:00-7:00 p.m. CBS

NBC plans prime time U.S. Open broadcasts

Hoping to follow-up on CBS' success with The Masters, NBC will also broadcast the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach during prime time.

NBC will televise the third round of the tournament June 19 from 4:30-11 p.m (ET)  The fourth and final round June 20 next day until 9 p.m. ET.

The first two rounds of the tournament will also be broadcast live on ESPN from 1-3 p.m. June 17 and 5-10 p.m. June 18.

The tournament first aired in prime time two years ago. It earned the highest U.S. Open viewership in six years, and the third-best Sunday rating in U.S. Open history, according to ESPN.

NBC's ratings for the U.S. Open may not reach CBS' staggering viewership. Many viewers the Masters only to watch Tiger Woods' first return to golf.

LPGA beauty Erica Blasberg found dead in Nevada home

Erica Blasberg, 25, a six-year professional and member of the LPGA Tour, was found dead at her home Sunday in Henderson, Nevada, according to local police.

The cause of death has not been determined, but officials are conducting a "death investigation."

Blasberg was named Golfweek's 2003 College Player of the Year after finishing the season No. 1 in the rankings.

"At first glance, it looks like she might have taken her own life, but at second glance, something is very, very strange about it," Mel Blasberg, the golfer's father told the Riverside Press-Enterprise in California. "Either way, I lost her and it's impossible to deal with."

Blasberg, a two-time All-American from the University of Arizona, turned pro in 2005. She had played in one LPGA event this season and had packed and was scheduled to play in this week's LPGA event in Mobile, Ala.

Chase Callahan, Blasberg'a agent, released the following statement:

"We are devastated to learn of the passing of Erica Blasberg. To most of the world, Erica was known as a professional golfer, but she was more than that. She was a loving daughter to her parents and a compassionate and loyal friend. Erica had a good heart, was extremely kind and very thankful for what she had in her life."

"She lived out her dream of playing professional golf on the highest level on the LPGA Tour, allowing her to help inspire others. We are proud of Erica for everything she accomplished. This is a painful loss, we feel it in our hearts and we will miss her. Erica would want those close to her to celebrate the life she lived. We ask that you keep Erica and her family in your prayers."

U.S. Open at Pebble Beach attracts more than 9,000 entrants

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has accepted 9,052 entries for the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the second-most entries in the event's 110-year history and scheduled June 17-20 at the famed Monterey Peninsula course.

The USGA received entries from golfers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 68 foreign countries, including 783 applicants who listed foreign addresses. Nine past champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming championship. They are: Angel Cabrera (2007), Michael Campbell (2005), Ernie Els (1994, 1997), Jim Furyk (2003), Lucas Glover (2009), Retief Goosen (2001, 2004), Geoff Ogilvy (2006), Tom Watson (1982) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008).

The record for U.S. Open entries, 9, 086, was established for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park's Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.

The youngest golfer entered in the for 2010 U.S. Open is 10-year-old Mick Huffman of Maurice, La. The oldest applicant is Harris Moore Jr., 81, of Los Angeles.

Local qualifying will be played over 18 holes at 111 sites and take place between May 7-20. Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted at two sites (in Japan and England) on May 24 and 13 sites in the United States on June 7.

A total of 171 applicants chose an international site (43 Japan, 128 England). It is the sixth consecutive year that the USGA has offered two international sectional qualifiers.

Exempt golfers will increase with the inclusion of the top 50 players from the World Golf Ranking, the top 10 money leaders on the 2010 PGA Tour and the top-five money leaders on the 2010 European PGA Tour, all as of May 24.

The winner of The Players Championship (May 6-9) also receives an exemption, as does any multiple winner of official PGA Tour co-sponsored events between June 21, 2009, and June 13, 2010.