Couples cruises to lead at Toshiba Classic

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03/06/2010 - Newport Beach, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fred Couples fired a seven-under 64 on Saturday to move to the top of the leaderboard after two rounds of the Toshiba Classic.

Couples finished 36 holes at 12-under 130 and missed Rodger Davis' 2003 and Jay Haas' 2007 tournament record by a stroke. Couples is two shots ahead at Newport Beach Country Club.

Tom Lehman had a six-under 65 on Saturday and is tied for second place with first-round co-leader Chien Soon Lu, who posted a four-under 67 on Saturday. The pair is knotted at 10-under 132.

There was a small weather delay on Saturday when a storm moved through and poured rain on Newport Beach Country Club. Everyone completed the second round on Saturday and it was someone becoming all too familiar with the top of the leaderboard that emerged on Saturday.

Couples parred the first, then wedged his approach at the second to inches to set up a tap-in birdie. From the left rough, Couples hooked his second to nine feet and rolled in the eagle putt to take the lead.

While Couples struggled hitting fairways, he was able to save par for the most part. He hit another wedge to inches for an easy birdie at seven, then found the right rough off the tee at nine. Couples hit a spectacular second shot to three feet and holed the short birdie putt.

An errant drive at the 10th finally cost Couples. He hit it in the left rough and near a tree. Couples had to pitch out in the fairway left-handed, but his third shot came up 25 feet short and he missed the par putt.

Couples was nine-under par, but still on top of the leaderboard, but with company. A birdied at the par-five 15th got him one ahead, then birdies at 16 and 18 gave him his two-shot cushion.

Couples has been very, very good so far this year on the Champions Tour. In two starts, he has a win and a runner-up and is first on both the money list and the Charles Schwab Cup race.

Loren Roberts and Ronnie Black both carded rounds of four-under 67 on Saturday and share fourth place at eight-under 134.

Mark Wiebe, one of the three first-round co-leaders, managed an even-par 71 and is tied for sixth place with John Cook (66), Bob Gilder (66) and defending champion Eduardo Romero (69). The group finished at six-under 136.

Bob Tway, the final first-round leader, struggled to a one-over 72 in round two and shares 10th with Corey Pavin (69), David Peoples (68) and Gary Hallberg (70) at minus-five.

NOTES: Hale Irwin, who has the most wins in Champions Tour history, shot a four-under 67 and is tied for 14th at minus-four...Bernhard Langer, who holed out from a bunker to win the Allianz Championship in a playoff, had a one-over 72 and fell to a tie for 40th at even-par 142...Andy Bean and Dave Stockton both withdrew.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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