July 1, 2013
Ceci Ferrara
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
Photos: DC Spotlight Wendy Thompson
Last Thursday, some of the world’s top golfers descended on the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD for the 2013 AT&T National. Ironically, the event’s host and last year’s winner, Tiger Woods, was unable to play. Woods withdrew before the start of the tournament with an injured elbow.
“I listened to my docs and not touching a club,” he told the press on Wednesday. “We’re treating it, and eventually I’ll start the strengthening process of it. Then start hitting balls to get up to speed for the British.”
Woods was not the only golfer to withdraw from the tournament. Justin Rose, who won the U.S. Open a few weeks ago, as well as the AT&T National in 2010, also withdrew, citing fatigue. “I’m extremely disappointed to withdraw from the AT&T National, but the last three weeks have been extremely demanding both mentally and physically,” the English golfer said in a statement. 
Established in 2007, the AT&T National is always held around the Fourth of July and benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. 
28-year old American golfer Roberto Castro led after the first round of the tournament, shooting 5-under-66. Billy Horschel, Bud Cauley and Graham DeLaet were all tied for second, shooting 3-under-68. After a rain delay suspended play Friday afternoon, the second round was completed Saturday morning, with Castro still leading at 66, seven under par. However, the rest of the leader board looked a little different, with Jordan Spieth (7-under-69), and Andres Romero (6-under-70), rounding out the top three.
Castro carried his lead through the first three days, but by the end of the third round, Bill Haas had emerged as a contender. Haas entered the final round in a four-way tie with Castro, Romero and James Driscoll, all of them shooting seven under par.
With the threat of rain above, the leaders began to fall away. Romero had a double bogey on the fourth hole and finished at 75, while Driscoll didn’t make a single birdie. Castro had only one mistake, 
bogeying on the first hole. He remained within one shot of the lead, but when Haas had birdies on holes 8, 9 and 10, he couldn’t catch up. Haas finished at 5-under-66 for the round, three strokes ahead of Castro, who finished 2-under-69.
The win was Haas’ first AT&T National win, and his fifth tour title. “As many times as I’ve choked and hit bad shots, and I’ve been nervous and it hasn’t worked out, I was feeling all those things today, and to hit good quality golf shots down the stretch is such a good feeling,” he said afterwards.
Woods, who handed out the trophy, had nothing but praise for the 31-year old golfer. “He played beautifully,” he said. “He handled his business through the tougher stretch of holes and pulled away.”
After Haas and Castro, the top 10 finalists at Congressional were: D.H. Lee and Jason Kokrak who tied for third (8-under-276), Stewart Cink (7-under-277), Jordan Spieth (6-under-278), Charlie Wi (5-under-279), and Brian Davis, Graham DeLaet and Morgan Hoffman who tied for eighth with 4-under-280.
Nationals
As the Nationals hit the midway point in the season, it’s hard to gauge if, and when, the team will hit their stride. At 41-40, the Nats keep flirting with .500, struggling to stay above the mark. With two weeks before the All Star Break, the Nationals are still second place in the NL East but trail the Braves by 6 ½ games.
On Sunday, they finally provided a performance worthy of their 2012 NL East title. After dropping Saturday’s game 1-5, the Nationals came together Sunday afternoon in an impressive 13-2 blowout of the New York Mets. Gio Gonzalez pitched seven shutout innings, while the anemic offense came alive against rookie Zack Wheeler.
Adam LaRoche started the second inning with a walk-off homerun, while Ian Desmond and Denard Span each produced RBI doubles. Catcher Kurt Suzuki added an RBI single in the four-run inning. Jayson Werth homered in the third to put the Nats up 5-0.
The assault on Wheeler continued in the eighth, when a homerun by Suzuki and doubles by Roger Beradina and Anthony Rendon added six runs to the Nationals lead. The rookie was relieved in the ninth, and replaced by catcher Anthony Recker.
Despite the poor home debut for the young pitcher, the Nationals didn’t dismiss him. “He looked pretty good,” LaRoche said. “Got to work on that control a little bit. He’s got a live arm, he’s got some really good potential.”
A two-run homer by John Buck in the ninth kept the Mets from getting shutout.
As the Nats head home after scoring a season-high 13 runs, their offense will get another boost as Bryce Harper is scheduled to return to the lineup Monday.
Suzuki is one teammate looking forward to Harper’s return. “Anytime you can add a guy like that to your lineup, offensively and defensively, you’re in good shape,” the catcher said.
