Mediate/Sluman win CVS Charity Classic

Rocco Mediate gave Billy Andrade fair warning.

``I told him if he let Slu (Jeff Sluman) and I play together, the tournament was over. Whenever we play together in something like this we play well. Even when we're paired together (in a tour event) we usually both play well,'' Mediate said, relating a conversation he had recently with Andrade, who, along with fellow Rhode Island native Brad Faxon, hosts the $1.2 million CVS Charity Classic at Rhode Island Country Club.

Andrade just smiled and verified the conversation after Sluman made seven birdies and an eagle and Mediate added five birdies in a single-round, record-tying 14-under-par 57 in yesterday's final round of the 36-hole, best-ball event contested by 10 two-man teams of noted tour players.

Sluman and Mediate added the 57 to Monday's first-round 63 for a 36-hole total of 22-under-par 120, good for a 1-shot win over Faxon and Andrade (63-58-121) and a split of $230,000. Faxon and Andrade shared $170,000. Chris DiMarco and Dudley Hart (63-59-122) finished third and split $135,000, while the Rhode Island tandem of Champions Tour player Dana Quigley and nephew Brett Quigley birdied every hole on the back side for a 26 en route to a 61 and a 123 total good for a share of $110,000.

Sluman, who shot 65 in the final round of the 1988 PGA Championship at Oak Tree in Oklahoma to win, had an even hotter day yesterday.

``It was one of those days when it just seemed easy,'' Sluman said. ``It was fun. We don't have enough fun rounds on the tour anymore. Even Tuesdays (which used to be big money-match practice days) are a grind now because the courses are so long.

``I come back every year because Brad and Billy are dear friends and I know Tom Ryan (CVS CEO). (The tournament) raised more than a million dollars (for charity) the last two days. This is also fun. If you don't want to be a part of this you better check to see if you've got a heart.''

Mediate said the duo's plan was to get as close to 36 birdie putts yesterday as possible (both hitting every green). They putted for birdies 34 times.

Sluman, who won the first CVS Charity Classic with Stuart Appleby, had the option of choosing his partner for this one, the fifth annual CVS. His choice paid off.

While the winners tied Stewart Cink and David Toms for the single-round record (last year's second round), they missed the tournament 36-hole record of 119 set by Mark Calcavecchia and Nick Price and Faxon and Gary Player (both in 2001, when Price & Calcavecchia won in a playoff).

There was also a skins game worth $25,000 each day. Yesterday there was only a single skin when Calcavecchia and Len Mattiace took the pot on Mattiace's only birdie of the day, a 15-footer on the 382-yard, par-4 first.

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