Alabama signee shoots 57 at junior event

MOBILE, Ala. --- Alabama teenager Bobby Wyatt shot 57 at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship on Wednesday.

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The University of Alabama-bound golfer, who turns 18 this weekend, had 12 birdies, an eagle and five pars on the par-71, 6,628-yard course at the Country Club of Mobile. His birdie putt hung on the lip on the 18th hole and he had to settle for par.

Wyatt needed 23 putts total and shot 9-under 26 on the front nine.

The previous low round in the State Junior was 61 by Glenn Northcutt in 2004 on a par-70 layout which measured just more than 5,000 yards.

Wyatt has won the state's junior championship the past three years.

Ryo Ishikawa's 58 in the final round of The Crowns tournament on the Japan Tour on May 2 is the lowest score on a major tour.

Alabama coach Jay Seawell, a University of South Carolina graduate who coached at Augusta State from 1998-2002, was among the swelling crowds watching Wyatt's round.

WOODS TO DEFEND TITLE: Defending champion Tiger Woods has entered the Bridgestone Invitational next week at Firestone, where he is a seven-time winner of the World Golf Championship.

Woods has won every year at Firestone since 2005, except for when he missed the second half of the 2008 season following knee surgery.

Anthony Kim also entered the tournament that begins Aug. 5.

HOMETOWN HERO: Fred Couples walked off the 12th green Wednesday leaving caddie Joe LaCava holding a putter that wasn't to be used on this hole.

There was a gallery waiting and autographs to sign, a scenario that plays out during nearly every momentary break Couples gets at Sahalee Country Club.

Consider it the price of coming home. Couples arrived at the U.S. Senior Open this week as a tournament favorite and a hometown hero.

The Seattle native is trying for his first USGA title at any level.

"To win here, it would rank right up there as any other tournaments probably besides Augusta," Couples said.

HERITAGE SUPPORT: Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County could provide a total of $2 million for the Heritage PGA Tour tournament in South Carolina, which is without a corporate sponsor.

The Island Packet, of Hilton Head, reported Wednesday both the town and the county councils are expected to consider providing grants if a title sponsor isn't found.