No Longer Smoking, Cabrera Is 'Feeling Much Better'

SAN DIEGO, June 11 -- A year ago, Argentine Angel Cabrera chain-smoked his way to the U.S. Open championship at Oakmont and said afterward that "some people have sports psychologists. I smoke."

But Cabrera has kicked the habit this year and said the other day: "I'm feeling much better now. But my life goes on whether I smoke or not, so I really don't care much about it. Everything is still the same, just without the smoking."

If Cabrera does get the urge to light up this week, he'd be wise not to do it outside the ropes during the 108th U.S. Open. A San Diego city ordinance forbids smoking in a wide variety of public facilities, including Torrey Pines, a municipal course.

U.S. Golf Association officials did seek, and were eventually granted, an exemption for players, who will be allowed to smoke during competition inside the ropes and around the practice areas. Spectators still will not be able to smoke anywhere on the premises.

The ordinance will be enforced by local law enforcement officers on duty around the course, according to Jim Vernon, president of the USGA. "Our marshals have been told not to take any action if they see anyone smoking," he said. "If there are law enforcement people around, it's going to be up to them to do something about it. It's the law."

García Feels Ready to Win

Sergio García is getting tired of hearing himself described as the best golfer on the planet without a major championship, but he said his chances this week are better than ever because "I think my confidence with my short game is so much greater than it's probably ever been. That always helps."

García won the Players Championship, the so-called fifth major, last month in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and last week tied for fourth in Memphis, shooting 66 in the final round after an opening 68.

"I think I've always told myself the same thing at the majors," said García, who has 13 top-10 finishes in majors. "I try to ask myself to play well, to give myself chances and to try to win as many as possible. I've had my chances, so that's one goal accomplished. Now we have to try to get it to the next level and hopefully start winning.

"I think all these years have really made me mature and get to know myself even better as a golfer and as a person and kind of control myself even better down the stretch. The most important thing when you're down the stretch, you know you've done it before in a big event with a tough field on a difficult course. That definitely helps. I'm hoping to put that to good use in the near future."

Kortan 'Grateful' to Be Playing

In August 2006, Brian Kortan was playing in a tournament on the South Dakota tour until he went back to a friend's home, went to bed and had a heart attack that nearly killed him. He was airlifted to a hospital in Sioux Falls and spent eight days there, eventually needing surgery to have a defibrillator planted in his chest.

This week, he's playing in his first U.S. Open after qualifying in Littleton, Colo., as the medalist at Columbine Country Club, even if he estimates he has lost 40 to 50 percent of his heart function since his initial surgery.

"To be here, it's an experience I'm grateful for," said Kortan, 37, a PGA Tour player in 2004. "There were definitely some times over the last year and a half that I didn't know if I'd ever get to experience something like this. I don't know how many people have been sitting someplace and hoping to see the next sunrise, and that was kind of me for six, seven, eight days in the hospital."