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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 2019)
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2019 BAKER CITY HERALD — 7A PGA GOLF NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Luck shocks NFL by retiring By Michael Marot AP Sports Writer Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution-TNS Rory McIlroy tees off on the 14th hole with Brooks Koepka looking on during the fi nal round of the Tour Championship on Sunday. McIlroy rolls to FedEx Cup, wins record $15 million By Doug Ferguson AP Golf Writer ATLANTA — Rory McIlroy marched to the 18th green Sunday at East Lake with victory in hand and $15 mil- lion in the bank. Even better was what he saw — and heard — behind him. The scene was all too familiar. The gallery ducked under the ropes and rushed to encircle the green to watch the fi nish of a class perfor- mance in the Tour Champion- ship. Before long, the chants began to ring out: “Rory! Rory! Rory!” This time, McIlroy had the stage to himself. A mere bystander last year amid the chaotic celebration of Tiger Woods’ return to vic- tory, McIlroy soaked up the perfect ending to a solid year when he surged past Brooks Koepka, held off Xander Schauffele and captured the FedEx Cup and the richest payoff in golf. Turning to Harry Dia- mond, his caddie and best friend, McIlroy told him, “This walk is a little more pleasant than last year.” He closed with a 4-under 66 to fi nish four shots ahead of Schauffele, joining Woods as the only players to win the FedEx Cup twice. “Any time you can do something that only Tiger has done, you’re doing something right,” McIlroy said. There was so much more than $15 million — $14 million in cash, $1 million deferred — to this victory. Regardless of the new for- mat that gave some players a head start to par depending on their FedEx Cup ranking — McIlroy began fi ve shots behind before the tournament started — he wanted to post the lowest score of anyone in the 30-man fi eld. He shot 13-under 267, the best by three shots. And when he was paired with Koepka in the fi nal group Sunday, it was a chance for atonement. A month ago, McIlroy laid an egg in the fi nal group at a World Golf Championship, just like he did with Woods the year before at East Lake. “I thought a lot about that,” McIlroy said. “I thought about the fi nal group with Tiger last year, the fi nal group with Brooks in Memphis a few weeks ago, and I really wanted to go out there and play well and really take it to him, and I did that.” The fi nal round turned on the seventh hole with a three- shot swing — McIlroy made a 25-foot birdie, while Koepka lost his tee shot in the trees and made double bogey. There were consecutive two-shot swings on the back nine, and then it was a matter of hold- ing off Schauffele. McIlroy was four shots ahead until back-to-back bogeys, and he was on the verge of watching his lead shrink to one when he holed an 8-foot par putt on the 16th. Schauffele had to settle for pars, and McIlroy fi nished with a fl ourish. He was the only player to break par all four days. Schauffele closed with a 70 to fi nish alone in second, which paid out $5 million. INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck watched one last game from the side- line Saturday. Then he said goodbye to the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts quarterback heard boos as he walked away from the fi eld, then walked to the podium and made the surprise decision offi cial: The oft-injured star is retiring at age 29. “I’m in pain, I’m still in pain. It’s been four years of this pain, rehab cycle,” Luck said. “It’s a myriad of issues — calf strain, posterior ankle impinge- ment, high ankle sprain. Part of my journey going forward will be fi guring out how to feel better.” Luck wasn’t planning to make the announcement following Saturday’s 27- 17 loss to the Chicago Bears. But when ESPN fi rst reported the news during the fourth quarter, Luck changed the plan for a Sunday afternoon announce- ment. Instead, he held a 25-minute im- promptu news conference. At times he sounded wistful. At oth- ers, his voice cracked with emotion. One thing was clear: The endless barrage of injuries stripped away his joy for the game and prompted him to walk away so he could enjoy the life he wants. “There’s no doubt when you hear him talk about the cycle of pain and injury and rehab, you can hear that,” coach Frank Reich said. “There’s a say- ing in football that everyone knows and everybody lives by, it’s next man up and even though this situation is unique, no one is exempt.” That task now falls to Jacoby Bris- sett, a fourth-year player whom the Colts acquired in a cutdown weekend trade two years ago who has been prac- Bob Self / Florida Times-Union-TNS fi le photo Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) tries to elude Jackson- ville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) during a game on Dec. 2, 2018. ticing with the starters since April. He went 4-11 as a starter in the 2017 season after taking over for opening day starter Scott Tolzien. But the Colts had already been preparing for the possibility Luck might not be ready for the Sept. 8 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. Luck was diagnosed with a strained left calf in March and team offi cials kept him out of all of the team’s offseason workouts. He returned to limited action when training camp opened in late July. After three practices, though, the lingering pain near his ankle forced him back into rehab. He hadn’t practiced with the team since, though he did throw passes in pregame warmups before last week’s preseason game. “I had a thought that it might be my last time throwing at Lucas Oil as a current member of the Colts team,” Luck said. “And I wanted to make sure I could go out and enjoy it.” It wasn’t just the leg, though. He played with shoulder pain for most of 2015 and 2016, and his 2015 season ended when he suffered a lacer- ated kidney. He missed all of 2017 fol- lowing shoulder surgery and then the happy-go-lucky former Stanford star dealt with more pain and more endless months of rehab. The Colts bet big on Luck in 2012. They cut an injured Peyton Man- ning to take Luck with the top overall pick, fully believing he would be their franchise quarterback for the next 10 to 15 years. See Retire/Page 8A “You’ll love the work we do. I guarantee it.” - JR 225 H Street • East of I-84 • 541-523-3200 • grumpysrepair.com in Your Herald Get your 2019 Round-Up magazine FREE ($5 value) when you purchase the Sept. 4 edition of the Baker City Herald newspaper. See McIlroy/Page 8A To subscribe, call 1-541-523-3673 Mobile Service Any issue $40 fl at rate Call or Text 24/7 Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831 When your computer is in despair, call Outstanding Computer Repair! or log onto www.bakercityherald.com FRIDAY All credit cards accepted PERSPECTIVES: OUTDOORS, 1B August 16, 2019 IN THIS EDI TION: QUICK HITS Good Day Wish To A Subscribe r A special good day to Herald subscriber Harvey Crim of Baker City. Local, 2A www.outstandingcomputerrepair.com Refurbished Desktop & Laptops For Sale House calls (let me come to you!) Drop Offs & Remote Services are Available TRIP TO TWO PEA KS PROVIDES VAS TLY DIFFERENT Two North Powde r students have won top honors for their entries in a statewide contes sponsored by the t Oregon Mayors Association. BRIEFING Travel restricted over Hells Cany Dam Aug. 19-2 on 2 Travel across Hells Can- yon Dam will be limited Aug. 19-22 while crews do maintenance on the dam. This will limit access the Forest Service to ’s visitor center and boat launch below the dam. Idaho Power Co. crews will be installing large beams, called stop logs, which control water fl ow through the dam during maintenance. A large (37,0*$-(3160 594,0&( :%$- (3&,59+(3$.'& 1/ 1&$. : ($.5+ & Fitness : 65'1134 : Construction Affec ts Emergency Depa rtment TV Entrance At Sain t Alphonsus 142,5$. +6)).,0 * $1.50 Fog-shrouded Lakes Lookout near Anthony Lakes Skeeter scourge leads to fogging ■ Vector Control sprayed parts of west Baker City Thursday night By Jayson Jacob y jjacoby@bakercit yherald.com An infestation of mosquitoes promp ted the Baker Valley Vector Control District to bring in what amounts to its artillery Thursday heavy night in the northwestern part of Baker City. The District’s foggin g
