Georgia sports in the news ....

Two UGA golfers advance in tourney .....

A couple of University of Georgia golfers, Adam Mitchell and Patrick Reed, have advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur golf tournament, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Mitchell rallied to defeat Charlie Holland 2 and 1 in one quarterfinal, and Reed defeated Graham Hill 4 and 3 to reach a semifinal matchup against 18-year-old Danny Lee. Lee, who hasn't needed more than 15 holes to win any of his four match-play rounds, beat Morgan Hoffmann 4 and 3. Mitchell will face Florida State's Drew Kittleson, who defeated former Louisville player Derek Fathauer 3 and 2. The semifinal winners will square off in a 36-hole final on Sunday at Pinehurst's renowned No. 2 course, which is playing at par 70. Mitchell, a senior at Georgia, trailed Holland by two before
winning three straight on Nos. 7-9 to take the lead for good. His 40-yard chip-in on the seventh started the decisive string. Reed is an 18-year-old Georgia freshman who barely advanced out of stroke play with a 4-over 144 and needed 23 holes to escape the third round. This time, he trailed Hill after one before overtaking him for good with a birdie on the par-5 fourth.

And, in Georgia football ....

Georgia is Number 1 in the nation, but quarterback Matthew Stafford has been no better than Number 2 in the Southeastern Conference, where Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow returns at Florida. Stafford has been working to change the pecking order of top SEC quarterbacks this season. Evidence of his commitment can be seen in his leaner body and more focused approach, and his teammates have noticed. Stafford no longer is thought of as the new kid in town. Instead, the junior is the Bulldogs' new leader. It's a role he seems eager to embrace, and it's a role his teammates are glad to see him assume. In a way, this has been Stafford's team since the midpoint of his 2006 freshman season, when he took the starting job for good. But as Stafford learned and earned the respect of teammates, other more experienced players, including running back Thomas Brown and offensive lineman Fernando Velasco, held leadership roles. Now it's Stafford's turn. He's a veteran of 21 starts and says he is ready to guide the team through a season of unprecedented expectations. Georgia, which finished No. 2 in last year's final poll, is No. 1 in the preseason polls for the first time. That brings new attention and responsibility to Stafford, and senior receiver Mohammed Massaquoi says the big quarterback is ready for the big challenge.

(The Associated Press)