PITTSFORD, N.Y. - Being a fan who had never seen a pro golf event in person, the PGA Championship sure was a sweet way to start. I had tickets to Fridays second round for the better part of a year and traveled to Oak Hill Country Club with the simple goal of soaking it all in - see the course, watch the players up close, and hopefully, see Tiger and Phil in person. How did I do? Ten things come to mind. 1. Rain, baby. Despite rain never being in the forecast it had started overnight and was in full downpour mode when we arrived at the course at about 9am. Luckily play was never delayed but the deluge was pretty consistent for about three hours. It didnt take long for the gallery areas around Oak Hill to become mudpits - it wasnt very country club-like, but at least I wore old (and comfortable) shoes. 2. Major Sighting. We entered the course through a gate near the 11th hole. As we found our bearings and walked to the 12th, I cashed in on one of my goals right away - the years major winners were playing through. The pairing of British Open winner Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and Masters champion Adam Scott had a huge gallery following them and there was electricity in the crowd as each hit their approach shots. 3. Seriously, no photos. The spectator guide that was sent to us said that taking photos was not allowed. And yet, cellphone calls and texting from the course was allowed in designated areas. So I figured that people would be trying to sneak shots here and there when they could. Well guess what? There were staff at the course in green marshal shirts marked "Mobile Device Enforcement" scanning the crowds for those brave enough to try. And it worked. I heard "Put it away, please" several times. Seriously, no photos. 4. The Range. Having seen the Canadian Open several times, my travel mates swore that this was the place to be to get the best up-close look at the players. And boy were they right. While the crowds on the course were four and five-deep trying to track approach shots, the practice area was relatively lightly attended. But it was truly something to see. In the space of about 90 minutes we saw Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Brandt Snedeker, Luke Donald, Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, and many more. Matt Kuchar and Padraig Harrington walked right past me to an elevated tee area. Martin Kaymer launched rockets alongside fellow former PGA champions Rich Beem and Shaun Micheel. And later, Miguel Angel Jimenez showed up after his round smoking his trademark cigar. Fantastic. 5. "These guys are good". Thats an old PGA Tour ad promo but its absolutely true. Watching these guys hit in person shows why they are the best in the world. Players start with sand wedges and hit short bounce-bounce-stop shots that are nothing short of trickery. Bounce-bounce-stop. One after another. Irons are hit for accuracy, distance, and with unbelievable arc. Drivers are belted so far that you lose track of them for a second or two before they re-appear on a bounce more than 300 yards away. Thats the part you cant truly appreciate on television. 6. The Dufner Dips. Ten guys from Ottawa made the trip with bright red custom-made t-shirts and called themselves the Dufner Dips. Their goal was to find fan favourite Jason Dufner and give him his own red shirt for luck. For the thousands of fans who attended, they were the only ones I saw all day who dressed alike in support of a player. I stood next to them on the range while they did interview after interview with the media. One fellow said they had been interviewed nine times that day. When Dufner appeared at the other end of the range they went to track him down - I can only imagine he was thrilled to accept their gift. 7. Out of the sky. Walking the par-4 10th hole, a golf ball, literally, dropped out of the sky in front of us. Sergio Garcia had whipped his tee shot right and into the trees - it hit a branch above us and fell into the muddy gallery area. We never even heard "fore!". We circled the ball and Garcia showed up minutes later to take stock of the situation. He summoned a rules official, who determined that Garcia could take relief of one club because the ball lay in "damaged grounds" because of the gallery. After taking a drop he asked us to remain "very quiet please", then calmly hit an iron off the mud, over the trees in front and up near the green. Unbelievable shot. From there he got up and down to save an unlikely par. And it all happened from about six feet in front of me. 8. Ticket Envy. All spectators at the event were asked to wear their hanging tickets at all times. Mine said "Grounds" but I quickly learned that there were plenty of other kinds. "Wannamaker Club" looked good. "Clubhouse" was pretty solid. But I have to admit that "Mercedes Box" or "American Express Club" had me at hello. Still, "Grounds" got me around the course just fine. But without free snacks. 9. Parking. Several homes around the course were selling lawn space for fans to park on. And these were not small homes - they were beautiful houses with massive lawns. We parked on a lawn for $30 that could probably accommodate 30 cars. Quick calculation: $900 per day for four days, $3,600 plus whatever they made earlier in the week for the practice rounds. Sweet gig - too bad the PGA is played at Oak Hill only every decade or so. 10. Ah yes, Tiger Woods. The worlds No. 1 golfer arrived about an hour before his tee time and you could hear the buzz in the crowd before you saw the man. He did an interview and then proceeded to the practice area, where I was able to watch him hit for about a half hour from 50 feet away. He was hitting alongside Love and Stewart Cink, but to the gallery the two former major winners were practically invisible. Tiger didnt say a word. He barely acknowledged the crowd. He was dialed in, preparing for his round. I watched him hit drive after drive, thinking about all the things that have made him one of the biggest celebrities on the planet. Was I star struck? I have to admit that I was. And from 50 feet away, I could only think about how I was fortunate to cross off one of the bucket list moments of just about any golf fan - to see Tiger live. Doug Gilmour Jersey . The Argentina striker has not played for the Premier League leaders since September when he refused to warm up during a Champions League match and only returned last week from a three-month unauthorized absence at home. 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Japan, on the other hand, struck first in its match with Ivory Coast, with Keisuke Honda putting his side into the lead in the 16th minute.PITTSBURGH -- Tony Sanchez thought he was going to get the opportunity to catch a no-hitter in his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Thats how well Francisco Liriano was pitching Sunday. "I thought there was a chance," Sanchez said. "His ball was really moving, particularly the slider, was moving all over the place." Liriano took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before faltering in his first no-decision this season, and pinch-hitter Justin Morneau singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth to lead the Pirates over the Chicago Cubs 3-2. Pittsburgh remained tied with St. Louis for the NL Central lead, took three of four from the last-place Cubs and won for the sixth time in seven games. The Cardinals beat Seattle 12-2. Morneau, acquired from Minnesota on Aug. 31, drove in his first run for the Pirates. The 2006 AL MVP is batting .279 (12 for 43) with Pittsburgh. "It was perfect timing for the first RBI, thats for sure," Morneau said. "I wish it would have happened a week-and-a-half ago, but Im glad it happened when it did. Its just nice to contribute." With the score 2-2 in the eighth, Andrew McCutchen was hit by a pitch from Pedro Strop (2-2), took second on Marlon Byrds bloop single to centre and scored on Morneaus single. "Its funny how things turn out in this game," Morneau said. "You hit some balls hard and have nothing to show for it then I get a broken-bat hit that ends being the game-winner." Kyle Farnsworth (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Mark Melancon completed a three-hitter with a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances. Liriano didnt allow a hit until Junior Lake singled into the hole between third base and shortstop leading off the seventh. Shortstop Jordy Mercer made a diving effort and stopped the ball on the outfield grass, but Lake easily beat the throw. Welington Castillo followed with a tying, two-run homer into the bleachers in left-centre. Castillos seventh homer of the season stopped Lirianos streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings at PNC Park. "You knew it was going to be tough and thats how you scorre against Liriano -- you get somebody on and pop a home run," Chicago manager Dale Sveum said.dddddddddddd Liriano allowed two runs, three hits and four walks in six-plus innings. At 16-7, he became the first Pirates pitcher with a decision in his first 23 starts since Larry French opened with 24 in a row in 1930, according to STATS. "He was on the edges of the plate and then he was just off of them," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "The pitch count got up higher than he wanted it to be but he got outs and he had a no-hitter through six innings. He battles and he competes." Liriano, who was unavailable for comment after the game, threw 99 pitches through six innings, and Hurdle said it was doubtful he would have made it to the ninth. "Franciscos a pro and he realizes it wouldnt benefit anyone for him to throw 130 pitches on Sept. 15," Hurdle said. Cubs starter Travis Wood gave up two runs, five hits and two walks in six innings. "Obviously, Lirianos very good so they matched each other evenly, pitch-for-pitch," Sveum said. "A couple bloopers there in the last inning cost us the win there." Jose Tabata led off the first inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch, and Sanchez doubled the lead when he homered in the fourth. NOTES: Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte, who has not had a plate appearance since Aug. 18 because of a bruised right hand, is to take batting practice Monday and could be in the lineup Tuesday against San Diego. ... Cubs RHP Scott Baker is slated to make his final start of the season Friday against Atlanta. Manager Dale Sveum has decided not to tinker with his six-man rotation, even though Baker has allowed only one run, five hits and one walk in 11 innings in his first two starts since returning from elbow ligament surgery. ... The Pirates open a four-game home series Monday night against San Diego, while the Cubs open a four-game series at Milwaukee against the Brewers. Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett will start against RHP Andrew Cashner (9-8, 3.40). Chicago RHP Edwin Jackson (8-15, 4.76) faces RHP Wily Peralta (9-15, 4.49). ' ' '