Hunter Mahan made an astonishing run at the world’s most dominant golfer Sunday, shooting a 62 to end 12-under, but in the end, Tiger Woods prevailed, shooting a final-round 67 to edge Mahan by one stroke and Anthony Kim by four in the AT&T National in Bethesda, Md. The victory was Woods’ 68th career win. “Hopefully I can play like I did this week and continue to build next week,” Woods said. Kim actually broke the course record with his amazing 62 in the first round, but on Friday morning Woods snatched it all back with a 66 as Kim could muster up only a measly 70 in the afternoon. “I’m not out here to watch Tiger,” Kim said when asked about Woods’s round. “I didn’t pay $30 to come out. I know he’s obviously the best player in the world. We’re all out here trying to beat everyone’s brains out.” Strong words from a talented young player, but not powerful enough to fell the No. 1 player. On Sunday, Woods seemed to do everything right, rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole for the winning margin.

Tiger Woods, returning to professional play after an eight-month layoff, stormed back onto the golf scene this week at the Accenture Match Play Championship, but he didn’t have quite enough kick to upstage rival Tim Clark. Despite Woods’ amazing play in the first round of the tourney, the South African sent the world’s No. 1 player on his way with a 4-and-2 defeat in the second round at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Thursday. Woods, the defending champion and a three-time winner of the event, was appearing in his first tournament after surgery on his knee. It isn’t as if Woods didn’t play well in his return; it’s just that Clark was phenomenal, producing a bogey-free performance that included six birdies. “I knew I had to play out of my mind to beat him,” said Clark, who has zero PGA Tour victories to Woods’s 65. “It’s obviously a massive victory for me.” In other tournament upsets, Vijay Singh lost Thursday to the Englishman Luke Donald in 19 holes, following the first-round losers Sergio García and Padraig Harrington. “I just happened to catch Tim playing really well,” Woods said, “and I didn’t make enough birdies to answer him.”

Braves are angry over Furcal’s shenanigans. Atlanta Braves‘ shortstop Rafael Furcal reached a contract agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but just two days earlier the Braves had announced an agreement with star player, The Atlanta Constitution-Journal reports. Needless to say, the Braves were less than laudatory of Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer. “I think you have to be upset with the turn of events,” Braves General Manager Frank Wren said. “We usually don’t do business this way. You don’t expect people you have to deal with to do business that way.” Wren said he and Kinzer negotiated all contract details Monday night, and the Braves sent a term sheet to the agent’s office for Furcal to sign Tuesday morning. Term sheets are the final step, after an agreement is reached. However, the term sheet was never returned. “We were very surprised,” he said. “After reaching an agreement on Monday night, and being asked to produce a term sheet for signature on Tuesday morning, which we did, we were surprised that they didn’t return the term sheet. … All of a sudden, they said they needed to go back to the Dodgers.” The Braves’ offer was believed to be for three years and $30 million, with a fourth-year vesting option. Furcal got a three-year, $33 million contract with the Dodgers that includes a $13 million option for 2012 with a $3 million buyout, the Associated Press reported.

Woods says he’ll be back soon. Tiger Woods says expect to see him in the Masters Tournament in April. The 32-year-old golf superstar says that he’s ahead of schedule from knee surgery. “Right now, it feels great,” Woods said of the left knee he had repaired last June. “The leg has responded well. I’m actually stronger in my legs than I think I have ever been.” Speaking at a news conference to kick off the Chevron World Challenge in California, Woods said he began swing his clubs about two weeks ago. He wasn’t slated to return to full swing for at least another month. “It’s actually fun to get outside and start swinging again and working on my short game,” Woods said. “I’ve chipped and putted for a while, but as far as making bigger swings, I’ve actually just started.”

Golfer’s injury aids Europeans in competition. Though his presence in the competition has led Europeans to victories four out of the last five times that he played, Tiger Woods’ absence has been felt at the Ryder Cup tournament. The competition that began this week and concludes on Sept. 21 is missing Woods as he recovers from knee surgery. Team USA captain Paul Azinger says that Woods’ absence is a handicap, despite his losing record against Team Europe. “I can’t imagine how you can argue a team would be better off without…potentially the greatest player who has ever lived,” says Azinger. The tournament is underway in Louisville and combines teams of golfers in the traditionally individual sport.

Braylon Edwards skated on ticket, chief says. Cleveland Browns player Braylon Edwards has drawn a flag, but this one happened off the football field. The NFL receiver was reportedly stopped in suburban Cleveland on Aug. 29 while driving 120 miles per hour in his Bentley. But an officer who stopped Edwards apparently recognized him and let him go. A spokesman for the Avon, Ohio police chief says Edwards has since been served the ticket. He was let go after the officer determined that Edwards hadn’t been drinking and that a sick passenger was in the vehicle.

Gary Sheffield belts league benchmark

The Tigers’ Gary Sheffield has hit the Major Leagues’ 250,000th home run. The score, which totaled the number of homers by all players since the establishment of the pros, occurred during a Monday Detroit win against the Athletics. Sheffield’s grand slam, his second homer of the game, also leaves him just four shy of 500 career home runs. Starting with the National League, the first homer recorded occurred on May 2, 1876.

Golfer wins water war with 129,000 gallons per month

How huge would a crib have to be to use 129,000 gallons of water a month? Tiger Woods knows. The Orlando Sentinel reports that while an average home uses 10,000 gallons monthly, Woods’ house on Jupiter Island near Palm Beach soaks up over 10 times the norm. Fellow Floridian athletes Grant Hill and Dwight Howard put out eye-popping numbers, too: Hill reportedly used 263,000 gallons in May alone, Howard, 189,000 gallons in July. Sounds like plenty of pool parties or lots of toilet flushing – or maybe both.

Golfer could defend Dubai Desert Classic title

Tiger Woods says he could be back in action in time for late January’s Dubai Desert Classic title, following knee surgery. Woods is still recovering, but told media at a recent appearance in Dubai that he could be ready. “I don’t know my schedule for next year… I will be hitting golf balls at the beginning of the year,” Woods said. The star spoke at the launch of a billion-dollar golf project that he designed in Dubai this week. The Desert Classic begins Jan. 27, 2009.

“Boundary calls” will be up for review. The debate among baseball purists and those arguing that the sport use technology to its advantage has ended. Major League stadiums that recently installed video monitoring equipment have officially enacted the use of instant replay. Partly inspired by questionable homerun calls from on the field, the review will be used selectively, officials say. “Boundary calls,” not balls and strikes, will be the plays that are subject to determination by replay, in addition to umpires, says Commissioner Bud Selig.

Tiger’s niece signs on to play golf at Wake Forest
Two-time Arizona state high school golf champ Cheyenne Woods has moved closer to a possible pro career like that of her uncle. She’ll play at Wake Forest University. The daughter of Tiger Woods’ half-brother tells the Charlotte Observer newspaper: “When I first started playing, my relationship was no big deal because everyone around home knew about it. But when I started going to national tournaments, I was answering a lot of questions. …Golf is at the center of my world. But I don’t want it to be my entire world.”

Kevin Faulk allegedly brought weed to rap concert
NFL running back Kevin Faulk will serve a five-month suspended sentence, community service and a year of probation after allegedly taking four joints to a Lil’ Wayne concert this year. Faulk was summoned on a misdemeanor after a routine search in the February incident at the Cajundome. He pleaded no contest this week and will have to present anti-drug messages to Louisiana high school and middle school students. Faulk will also undergo 20 hours of substance abuse treatment.

Dennis Rodman allegedly owes 400 K
Former on-court rebounder and off-court spectacle Dennis Rodman faces a $400,000 tax debt. The ex-player has been served notice of unpaid liens and an apparent bill to the IRS. Rodman’s reps say the debt results from a misunderstanding with his ex-business manager. He’ll have a “very small balance” to pay after the matter is sorted out, Rodman’s handlers say.