Overtime

Amateur Golf

Clemson freshman leads at Palmetto

Clemson freshman Ben Martin continues to enjoy success at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken.

Martin, who won the Southern Cross high school tournament at the course in the spring, has the lead after the first round of the Palmetto Amateur.

Martin, of Greenwood, S.C., shot 6-under-par 65 to open the 72-hole event that draws amateurs from around the country.

Martin struck for seven birdies against one bogey. His birdies came on Nos. 2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15. He bogeyed the difficult par-4 fifth hole.

USC Aiken All-American Dane Burkhart and former South Carolina golfer Alex Hamilton fired 66s, as did Phillip Mollica of Anderson, S.C.

Burkhart's round was highlighted by a birdie on the fifth hole.

Defending champion Brian Duncan, of Clemson, shot 67, as did Jake Thompson, of Greenville, S.C.

Three players fired 68, including North Augusta's Scott Brown and Augusta's Sam Nicholson.

Augusta's Phillip McCormick is next with 69, which was matched by Columbia's Marshall Swails.

Burkhart and Hamilton are coming off strong finishes last week. Burkhart made it to the quarterfinals of the North and South Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C., and Hamilton tied for seventh place in defense of his South Carolina Amateur championship. He shot 72-70-73-70-285 at Daniel Island, S.C.

- In Pinehurst, N.C., Aiken's Whitney Simons lost in the third round of the North and South Women's Amateur Championship.

Simons, a South Carolina player, lost to Molly Birmingham of Cornelius, N.C., 4 and 3.

Earlier Thursday, in the second round, Simons defeated South Carolina teammate Laura McCaslin 7 and 5.

- In a U.S. Mid-Amateur sectional qualifier in Camden, S.C., Augusta's Doug Weiss won a playoff to be a second alternate for the tournament, scheduled Sept. 10-15 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Weiss shot 3-over-par 73, as did Augustans Jefferson Murray and Ralph Ireland III and two others. In a playoff for the second alternate spot, Weiss prevailed at Camden Country Club.

Bert Atkinson, of Charleston, S.C., and Steve Liebler, of Irmo, S.C., shared medalist honors with 70s.

Six other area golfers will go through a sectional qualifier Monday at Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta. They are John Gibbs III, Rusty Flanders, Les Perry, Tripp Kuhlke, Brad Jones and Wendell Akins.

- In Nakhabino, Russia, England's Tom Whitehouse overcame wrist pain to shoot 6-under-par 66 for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Russian Open.

Whitehouse, who won his first title at in Portugal in October, had seven birdies and a bogey.

Five players were at 67 at the Meridien Moscow Golf and Country Club, headed by England's Iain Pyman.

Tennis

Nadal's hopes are alive in Montreal

In Montreal, French Open champion Rafael Nadal overpowered Sebastien Grosjean, 6-4, 6-4, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Montreal Masters.

The grunting, fist-pumping Nadal is seeking his first hardcourt victory after posting eight wins on slower clay courts this year.

Nadal's next opponent will be the winner of a later match between Xavier Malisse and Mariano Puerta.

Sixth-seeded Gaston Gaudio beaAlso, Greg Rusedski made the most of his big serve and defeated Mario Ancic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; and Paul-Henri Mathieu, who upset 2003 champion Andy Roddick on Tuesday, beat Olivier Rochus, 6-1, 6-2.

Prep Football

Aiken County holds jamboree tonight

The Aiken County Jamboree will be held at 7 p.m. tonight at Midland Valley High School.

The 18-minute quarters will feature Ridge Spring-Monetta vs. Williston-Elko; Silver Bluff vs. Wagener-Salley; Aiken vs. South Aiken; and Midland Valley vs. North Augusta.

Tickets to the jamboree are $5.