Pat Magnuson of Valley Stream won a drawing that earned her a trip for two to the Masters next year.

Roberts is one of the top players on the Champions Tour, but had not won an event before in 2008. He pumped his fist when he made the final putt on the last hole. Later he told hundreds of people gathered around the green, "It's great to get a win in the No. 1 sports town in the world!" He received a loud ovation.

It might be the final Commerce Bank Championship because the event does not have a title sponsor for next year.

The problem was that Hickman qualified, too. As a part-time Champions Tour player, who gets in tournaments whenever he can and caddies when he doesn't, Hickman suddenly started hitting it solid on the Eisenhower Park White Course Tuesday and made the field.

And both Hickman and Jones shot 66s today, and will play in the final group with Loren Roberts (who shot 65) in the final group tomorrow.

Only on the Champions Tour can you get a story like this.

Roberts was having a decent round, but he got really hot toward the end and turned it into an outstanding round. He did that by hitting his drives and second shots so well that he had short putts for bitdies on the par-4 15th and the par-5 17th.

Then his putter stole the show, sinking a 42-foot, five-inch birdie bomb for a birdie 3 on No. 18.

He did this in the context of his golf trick shot show, which he has given more than 2,700 times across the country. Walters hits perfect drives with a putter, an old wooden driver, a driver with a shaft made from a fishing pole, a "wood" with a head made of a cell phone.

Most important, he does it from a seat attached to a golf cart. Walters explained in his show that he had dreamed of traveling the country, playing golf on tour, before he was in an accident 34 years ago that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Thirty-two years ago, he started giving exhibitions and offering golf tips and inspiration.

In fact, there has been talk about holding a Senior PGA Championship here at the Red.

"Not bad for a new course,' said Sebonack's founder and owner Michael Pascucci, who also owns Channel 55.

Ever since Sebonack opened--on a stunning piece of land adjacent to the National Golf Links of America and within view of Shinnecock Hills and the Southampton Golf Club--there has been talk of holding a tournament there. Nicklaus said at the official opening that it was ready "for anything you'd want to have here."

The USGA has been studying the course from the beginning. Its announcement today, in Minnesota, from the site of this year's Women's Open, which starts tomorrow, culminated the process. USGA officials certainly know that the area can handle logistics, having held three U.S. Opens there in the relatively recent past, 1986, 1995 and 2004 (as well as the second one ever in 1895).

Ernie Els, a two-time Open champion, prepared for the 2006 U.S. Open by practicing at Sebonack and gave it a strong review. The rest fo the country will have a chance to take in the natural beauty of the property. "With 13 holes that have a water view, it's going to show up well on television," Pascucci said.

Newsday reported on April 17 that the USGA and the relatively new club have been in discussions about holding a championship there. People familiar with the talks had expected an announcement about a future U;S. Women's Open to be made back in February, but nothing had been finalized. Sebonack's owner, Michael Pascucci, who also owns Channel 55, said last week that nothing still had been finalized.

But the USGA usually makes its announcements at its championships, so it wouldn't be surprising to hear today that the 2013 Women's Open will be held two doors down from the site of the 1986, 1995 and 2004 U.S. Men's Open, at Shinnecock Hills (you can see one course from the other, with National Golf Links in between).

If they don't it should be a five-figure fine. And if they keep missing, the fine should increase.

It is the only way to ensure the lifeblood of a loyal event such as the Commerce Bank Championship, which is tied for third for longevity on a tour that exists in tribute to longevity (you've got to be 50 to play). Sorry to repeat myself (I mentioned this at the end of the Commerce last year), but I feel strongly about it. This is the only regular pro golf event on Long Island every year and it deserves love from guys who are making a grand living on the Champions Tour.

Maybe it's too late for Long Island anyway. Commerce is not going to renew its sponsorship and there is no new title sponsor lined up. If organizers can't come up with a consortium of businesses to meet the $4 million required to host it for next year, the Long Island event will go the way of former Champions Tour events in Westchster and New Jersey. Those, you might notice, are extinct.

It would help if the tour could make sure big names came to town once in a while. Too bad if players don't like coming to New York. Tough it out and show up once in four years. It's inexcusable that Tom Watson has made zero career appearances in this event, considering he has made a fortune on this tour. It's pathetic that Fuzzy Zoeller once flew in for an appearance and got out of town before the tournament started.

Guys like those two owe it to the tour to support the sponsors, organizers, officials, volunteers and fans who keep their business going.

White Course at Eisenhower Park
6.907 yards

Qualifiers

Gary Hallberg 65
Boonchu Ruangkit 66
Bill Britton 66
Jim Chancey 66
Gene Jones 67
Craig Marseilles 67
David Ogrin 67
Dave Rummells 67
Ronnie Black 68
Greg Hickman 68
Rick Vershure 68 1st Alternate

Failed to Qualify

Steve Thomas 69
John Ross 69
Mitch Adams 69
Jim Woodward 69
Dick Mast 69
Rod Spittle 70
James Mason 70
Tim Conley 70
Kirk Hanefeld 70
Gary Trivisonno 70
Marak Pfeil 70
Jeff Roth 70
Grant Turner 70
Rick Karbowski 70
Kenny Knox 71
TC Chen 71
George DeSear 71
Mark Balen 71
Clarence Rose 71
Thomas Herzan 72
Mike Lawrence 72
Ron Schroeder 72
Yvan Beauchemin 72
Donny Hammond 72
John DeForest 73
Mike San Filippo 73
John Adams 74
Jimmy Powell 75
Bobby Heins 75
Graham Banister 75
Adam Adams 76
Mike Donald 77
George Burns III 78
Jim Nelford 78
Bob Menne 78
Mark Morrison 79
Jack Ferenz NC

That's what Andy Bean said when he was here at the Eisenhower Park Red Course for the Commerce Bank Championship, where he has had a tie for second (2004) and tie for third (2006). Bean is back this year. "Don't you know I"ve got another one?"

Another daughter, another wedding this year. Good thing for him he cashed $255,000 for winning the Regions Charity Classic last month.

* * * *
Jay Haas is not in the field this week because he, too, has a daughter's wedding to prepare for, a Champions Tour spokesman said...Jeff Sluman is entered and looking for a quinella. He won this past Sunday at the Bank of America Championship outside Boston. Sluman still is 50 and in his first full year on the Champions Tour. Others appearing here are Fulton Allem, Phil Blackmar, John Cook, Wayne Grady, Scott Hoch, Mike Hulbert and Mark Wiebe.
* * *
The Commerce tournament, formerly under the auspices of title sponsors Northville and Lightpath, is tied for third as the longest-running Champions Tour event. Its first year as an official tour event was 1988, having been an unsanctioned invitational (won by Gary Player) in 1987.
* * *
As distinct and experienced as the field is--five members of the golf Hall of Fame are here and four other players who have won major championships--there is an equally distinct and experienced staff. Heading the operation in the media center are Marino Parascenzo and Bev Norwood, veteran golf reporters who have covered dozens of majors between them and have followed the heydays of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods and everyone in between.

Milbury had defended hockey's honor by firing back at golf's greatest icon, who had made a joking reference about nobody watching hockey any more. Woods' original comment was kind of surprising because he normally bends over backwards to avoid saying anything remotely negative or controversial about anything. Odd that he would decide to start with hockey.

Hockey commentators in Canada--and Milbury does analysis up there as well as on NBC--took exception. As usual, nobody was as memorably outspoken as the former Islanders coach and GM, who said he personally was going to start calling him Tiger Wuss because he needed two months to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery, as opposed to Penguins forward Ryan Malone, whose face was mashed by a flying puck but returned later the same game.

With the news about Woods' season-ending injury, it seems that maybe he's a little tougher than Mike gave him credit for. But here's hoping Mike doesn't stop being one of the most honest people in sports when it comes to expressing his feelings.

Tournament officials have allowed me, your humble host at this site, to choose one of the Honorary Observers for the Champions Tour event, and have access that you couldn't get in any other pro sporting event anywhere. The 50-and-over circuit has been hosting Honorary Observers for a few years and it has been so well received that the PGA Tour has picked up on the concept occasionally.

Anyway, here's what you do: Make your case. If you're 17 or older (a tournament requirement for the Observers), tell me why you'd like to do this and why you would be a worthy Observer. Don't be afraid to be bold and creative in talking about your love of golf, especially golf on Long Island.

Just write your entry in the comments section below. If you really want to be certain, you can reinforce it with a fax to my attention, Mark Herrmann at Newsday, at (631) 454-6892. And if you want more general information on the tournament, visit its Web site, www.commercebankchampionship.com.

Deadline for entries is Thursday, June 19. I'll be announcing the winner on June 22. Good luck, and hope to hear from you.

She is one of the greatest in her realm. A few years back, you could say she was more dominant than any other women's golfer ever had been. She never has been flashy, but she always is classy. So it was with admiration and some sadness that we saw her this afternoon annoucning she will retire at the end of the season.

It was a shocker, considering she had worked so hard to come back last year from a neck injury. She isn't No. 1 any more, not even close. Lorena Ochoa is as dominant as Annika was three years ago. Then again, Sorenstam did win the Michelob Ultra Open by seven shots Sunday, and Ochoa was in the field.

Maybe Sorenstam, 37, has just enough left to win one more major, make one more run at being No. 1. "I'm a huge competitor," she said at her news conference at Upper Montclair Country Club, site of the Sybase Classic this week. "I'm second on the money list and people who know me know I don't settle for second."

She used to happily settle for second. When she was a skinny kid, she used to three-putt on purpose so she would be the runnerup and not the winner. Why? The winner would have to make a speech. Her coach caught on and decided that the top two finishers would be speaking, so Sorenstam said she might as well aim for the top.

It was hard to imagine then that she could reflect so candidly the way she did today on her career, her life and her dreams (such as the second marriage set to start in January and, finally, the start of a family). It was hard to see her become such a physical force. She was at the forefront of the physical fitness movement on the LPGA Tour, becoming a rock of strength.

Her 72 career wins have her in sight of Kathy Whitworth's record of 88. Sorenstam said she doesn't care. She is proud of what she has done: 10 majors, a competitive round of 59, eight-time player of the year, six-time scoring average leader. She has even won three times in eight starts this season.

She was tough as nails when she had to be. Michelle Wie bailed out of the tournament Sorenstam hosted, citing an injury (but we skeptics believe it was because she was on the verge of a score so bad that it would have disqualified her for more tournaments later in the year). Sorenstam didn't let the then-phenom slide. She waited for an apology that never came and said Wie showed a lack of respect and class.

Sorenstam never lacks those qualities. Charisma might not be her strong suit, but she has respect and class to spare. Also guts.

Unlike Wie, who played in men's PGA Tour events as a marketing sideshow, Sorenstam played in the 2003 Colonial to see how she would fare in the crucible, to put herself on the anvil and become sharper. She handled herself magnificently, never had any inclination to do it again, and became a better player. Six of her 10 major titles occurrred after that week, in which she failed to make the cut.

I still have a copy of GolfWorld magazine from the following week, in which there was a two-page photo spread of Sorenstam walking to her final green (I kept it because I'm visible a few feet away, inside the ropes). Much more vivid was the memory of her first swing. Reporters got to the first tee an hour in advance to be able to get a spot to watch it. I'll never forget seeing how she was humble enough to exaggeratedly stumble off the tee as if she were having a breakdown. She also was good enough to stripe one right down the middle.