Tiger Woods acknowledges the gallery after putting on the 18th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Merion Golf Club, Saturday, June 15, 2013, in Ardmore, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Tiger Woods hits down the 18th hole during the fourth round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Merion Golf Club, Sunday, June 16, 2013, in Ardmore, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Woods matches worst score in a major

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) — This isn't the kind of record Tiger Woods had in mind at the U.S. Open.

Woods went out-of-bounds on his second tee shot of the final round at Merion and closed with a 4-over 74. That gave him his worst 72-hole score as a pro in the U.S. Open, and it tied for his high score in any major.

"I did a lot of things right," Woods said. "Unfortunately, I did a few things wrong, as well."

Woods finished at 13-over 293.

His previous high score in a U.S. Open was 290 at The Olympic Club in 1998 and Shinnecock Hills in 2004. Woods shot 294 at Oakland Hills in 1996 as an amateur.

Just two days ago, Woods was four shots out of the lead and very much in the hunt to end his five-year drought in the majors. Then, he went 76-74 for his worst weekend in a major championship. Just over two weeks ago, the world's No. 1 player had won three of his last four events on the PGA Tour and was starting to establish his dominance.

LaLa Anthony, left and husband Carmelo Anthony attend the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Skylight Soho in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

by Samantha Critchell
AP Fashion Writer

 
NEW YORK (AP) — Tall, trim and wearing catwalk clothes: Pro basketball stars have stepped up their style to become influential tastemakers.

On the court, of course, they're in uniform, with a lot of red and black donned by the Miami Heat, and silver and black on the San Antonio Spurs, during the NBA Finals. But actual play time is only 48 minutes, leaving a whole lot of time for a statement wardrobe.

And what statements they've been making of late: Capri pants, polka dots and floral prints, fedora hats and lens-less glasses are among the looks that have garnered them almost as much attention as their hard-court moves. Some of the top players now have stylists, and you'll find players like Dwyane Wade, Tyson Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire, Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook in the front row of fashion shows.

NBA star Tyson Chandler and his wife Kim Chandler are seen at the Fall 2013 Alexander Wang Runway Show, in New York.  (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, file)

In fact, Wade is already planning a trip to Milan Fashion week after his Miami Heat wrap up their attempt to defend their title in the NBA Finals (it remains to be seen whether he'll be going in a celebratory mood).

Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, who describes his own style as "a little edgy," is a fashion show front-row regular who finds that world intriguing.

"Fashion is a very different world than basketball. ... It all happens so quick," said Anthony, the league's leading scorer this season, in a recent interview. "There's all that time they put in for a three-minute fashion show."

The 6-foot-8 star, who gets many of his threads custom-made, came into the NBA already a fan of fashion. He doesn't consider all the attention and energy that goes into it a distraction: "I just like it, I like to look good and I feel good about myself."

The high-fashion, even nerd-fashion sported by the NBA's top athletes are a far cry from the hip-hop, baggy-pants street style that permeated the league in the 1990s, best exemplified by the likes of Allen Iverson.

The league frowned upon that look, and in 2005, instituted a dress code that demanded players dress in "business casual" attire when they were on league business.

But instead of wearing uniform suits, many NBA players have used the opportunity to showcase their individuality. Westbrook's shirts, which have ranged from leopard-print to bright cartoon designs, could hardly be described business-like, but they are certainly casual and unique.

President Barack Obama stands with a signed basketball from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and coach Erik Spoelstra as he welcomes the NBA basketball champion Miami Heat, to the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, file)

Wade took a lot of flak when he started down the more flamboyant route, says Calyann Barnett, Wade's stylist, but now it seems everyone else is nipping at his Christian Louboutin wingtip-sneaker heels.

Lang Whitaker, an editor for the NBA style blog, likes seeing someone such as Wade take a fashion risk, including the shrunken pants a la directional designer Thom Browne. "A lot of guys wouldn't have tried it, let alone pull it off. Dwyane knew he'd get made fun of on (TNT'S) 'Inside (the) NBA,' but he still wore it and wore it well," he said.

Barnett says there's a reason why basketball stars are becoming fashion trend-setters.

"Basketball is more fashionable than other sports," said Barnett. "First of all, you see their faces. You don't see a football player's face most of the time, they're wearing a helmet. And basketball players have the best bodies. They are tall, muscular and wear clothes well. A lot of football players get thick in the neck, and baseball players can get thick legs."

Cam Newton, quarterback for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, takes issue with that. He says all top-tier athletes should dress well to show respect for their fans and appreciation for their opportunities. First of all, he was raised that way, wearing a suit to church in Atlanta on Sundays, and, he says, his coaches have emphasized it.

But Newton allows that the NBA's overall look has nudged players in other sports to get their fashion game on.

"I don't think it's not manly to say, 'Wow, did you see that nice tuxedo that guy had on?' It makes me want to look better," says Newton, who is launching his own fashion label at the Southern department store chain Belk.

Of course, fashionable athletes didn't sprout up in the last decade. Back in the 1970s, players such as Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Julius "Dr. J" Irving prided themselves on their flashy looks. Now, Frazier says his style is as much a part of his persona as the legends of his playing days. "My brand is style and cool. That's why we're talking, right? The pressure is on me every time I go out."

Frazier, a broadcaster for the New York Knicks, stays on top of trends — and hopes to make some.

"I go to fabric stores and take the fabric to my tailor. I've taken cow, leopard, tiger prints to him. And there's another guy who does my ties, and another guy who does my shoes. When I first started, I wore penny loafers and plain button-down collared shirts, but I live in the mecca of fashion and I've learned," he said.

As for today's fashion-forward players, Frazier said: "These guys are millionaires and should act like it.

"They stay in four-star hotels, go to the best restaurants, it's not appropriate to go to these places in a tracksuit. If they worked at that high a level for any other corporation in America, with their salaries, they'd have to wear a suit and tie. It's not too much to ask."

This Sept. 10, 1974 file photo, basketball player Walt “Clyde” Frazier of the New York Knicks models a black mink fur coat outside Manhattan's Plaza Hotel in New York. The coat was one of a number ofmink fashions displayed at the Annual Ben Kahn Fur Collection showing in New York. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis)

Michael Conley Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies doesn't mind. He says his clothes are a way to introduce more of his personality to fans.

"I realized that my appearance both on and off the court went hand-in- hand with the leadership role I was going to be taking on this year with the Memphis Grizzlies. I especially felt that off the court, it was important to improve and invest more time into my appearance, which would hopefully translate into a positive professional image," Conley wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

"It just comes down to knowing who you are and where you're going in your career and what you want to be known for."

Fashion is another way to have a little friendly competition, too.

"It is fun seeing all the guys showing off their style during the season and especially during the playoffs. It makes for good conversation and locker-room jokes," Conley says.

Whitaker recalls that when he first starting covering the NBA, it was a parade of jeans, sweatshirts and boots coming off the bus at each stop. "Now, they have to dress up," he says, "and it's about who can dress up best."

___

Follow Samantha Critchell at http://www.twitter.com/ap_fashion and http://www.twitter.com/sam_critchell
    

Pittsburgh - On a gorgeous night in Station Square, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Charleston Battery end in a 1-1 draw in front of a crowd of 3,464 at Highmark Stadium. Jose Angulo’s second-half goal leveled the score against the defending USL PRO Champions, extending the Riverhounds unbeaten streak to eight games.

From the opening whistle, the game was filled with excitement as both sides received multiple scoring opportunities throughout. The Riverhounds and Battery exchanged quality chances in the first five minutes, but neither side was able to find the back of the net.

The Riverhounds Seth C’deBaca rattled the crossbar when he struck a bouncing ball inside the Battery’s penalty area in the 17th minute. A combination between five Riverhounds players down the right flank found Kevin Kerr overlapping Matt Dallman. Kerr delivered a cross for a slashing Angulo at the near post, but his service deflected off of Angulo’s heel. Following the play at the near post, C’deBaca cleanly shot a right-footed half volley the whistled past Battery goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper, but his attempt was denied by the woodwork.

Twenty minutes later, a wonder-strike by Jose Cuevas would provide the visitors with the lead. Battery Captain Colin Falvey played a long-diagonal ball for Cuevas on the left flank. Taking a first touch inside past his closing marker, Cuevas provided himself with enough space to penetrate Riverhounds defensive third with speed. Picking his head up to gage his range, Cuevas bent his shot perfectly around Riverhounds goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap and into the top right corner of the goal.

Following the break, the Riverhounds elevated the pressure on the Battery, resulting in a flurry of chances. The pressure finally paid off in the 72nd minute off of back-to-back set pieces. Taking a corner from left-to-right, Matt Dallman picked out a streaking Angulo at the near post. Beating Cooper to the ball, Angulo flicked the ball past the keeper into the back of the empty net. With the goal, Angulo raised his team-leading tallies to seven and Dallman raised his league-leading assists to eight.

Both sides pushed forward to find the game winner, but neither side could find the back of the net in the final eighteen minutes.
The Riverhounds travel to Harrisburg next Friday night for the second-leg of the Keystone Derby. The game against the Harrisburg City Islanders is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. kick off at Skyline Sports Complex on City Island. The Battery travel overnight to meet the Rochester Rhinos at Sahlen’s Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Their game is slated for a 4:05 p.m. start.

The Riverhounds return to Highmark Stadium next Sunday, June 23, when they host the Antigua Barracuda FC for the second leg of the 2013 regular season. During the game, the Riverhounds are hosting the ‘Hounds Beach Bash’ to celebrate the start of summer. A variety of fun free activities will be available for kids in attendance. To purchase tickets, visit Riverhounds.com or call the Highmark Stadium Box Office at (412) 224-4900.

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, left, and LeBron James leave the floor after beating San Antonio Spurs at Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Thursday, June 13, 2013, in San Antonio. The Heat won 109-93. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
 

by Brian Mahoney
AP Basketball Writer

 
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Miami Heat owner Micky Arison had a message as he walked to the winning locker room.

"The death of the Big Three was overrated," he said.

Sure was. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, his three prized players, are just fine.

So are the Heat's championship hopes.