SPORTS EDITOR Lou Babiarz [email protected] 715-845-0700 Sports WI-5001765107 brodydesigns.com TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014 WWW.STEVENSPOINTJOURNAL.COM 1B

Rory McIlroy poses with the Claret Jug after winning the 143rd Open Championship at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club on Sunday. STEVE FLYNN/USA TODAY SPORTS McIlroy should emerge even stronger

By Doug Ferguson Associated Press

HOYLAKE, England — The celebration began long before Rory McIl- roy had a chance to drink out of the claret jug. McIlroy was upstairs in the clubhouse at Royal Liverpool for the tradi- tional toast with the Clinton-Dix, Hyde R&A, unable to ignore the chants below from club members waiting provide talent for a glimpse of the Brit- ish Open champion. “Rory! Rory! Rory!” opposite Burnett It was a raucous scene for a club that By Pete Dougherty starts with “Royal,” but Gannett Wisconsin Media such is the personality of Liverpool. The members REEN BAY — In practice all booed anyone who came offseason, Micah Hyde took down the stairs who did the first snap of Green Bay not have curly brown Packers team drills as the hair, freckles and a clar- starting safety opposite Mor- et jug. And their cheers gan Burnett. shook the brick club- That’s a sign the team is house when Boy Wonder giving Hyde a serious look at a new position finally descended with G after he played strictly cornerback last year. the oldest trophy in golf. But make no mistake, general manager Ted The scene was so Thompson selected Ha Ha Clinton-Dix with the much different a year No. 21 pick overall in this year’s draft to imme- safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ago. diately shore up what’s been a weak link at the participates during minicamp practice on June 19 at McIlroy stood on a po- back end of the defense since Nick Collins’ Field. GANNETT WISCONSIN MEDIA FILE PHOTO dium in a makeshift tent career-ending neck injury in Week 2 of the 2011 outside Muirfield, speak- season. stuff he’s had to do and learn because of their ing to reporters with a That puts the smart money on Clinton-Dix system there carries over well for him coming vacant look in those starting at safety in the NFL’s Thursday night in and learning our system.” brown eyes. He had just regular-season opener Sept. 4 at Seattle. The The Packers tried to make-do at safety after opened with a 79, his Packers need more playmaking on the defen- Collins’ injury with marginal-at-best NFL play- worst start ever in a ma- sive side of the ball after their scoring defense ers in in 2011, and M.D. Jennings jor in what was shaping has finished 19th, 11th and tied for 24th in the and Jerron McMillian the past two years. Last up as a year to forget. past three seasons, and their two most notable season, the safeties bottomed out with no in- He had no idea what was personnel changes this year are signing outside terceptions, the first time the Packers have wrong with him or his pass rusher Julius Peppers in free agency and been -less at safety for as far back game. drafting Clinton-Dix in the first round. as the position can be easily identified in their “Sometimes I feel like “Obviously, you pick a guy No. 1 you hope media guide, which is 1952. I’m walking around out he’s going to help you be a better defense,” said Assuming Clinton-Dix beats out Hyde, the there and I’m uncon- , the Packers’ defensive coordina- Packers will have two relatively tall, rangy scious,” he said that day. tor. “He’s played really the highest level of (col- starters. Their height is identical — Clinton-Dix 3 “I just need to try to lege) competiton. and Burnett measured 6-1 ⁄8 at their respective think more. I’m trying to “He’s played a defensive system that I’m NFL scouting combines — and they’re essential- focus and trying to con- certainly familiar with, I coordinated (coach) ly equal in weight (Clinton-Dix was 208 pounds centrate but, yeah, I Nick (Saban’s) defense in 2006 at Miami. His at the combine, and Burnett remains listed at can’t really fathom it at defensive coordinator (at Alabama) was a sec- the minute. ondary coach for me in 2006. The volume of See PACKERS, Page 2B “I’m definitely under thinking on the golf course. Maybe over- thinking off it.”

See MCILROY, Page 2B Peralta sharp, Brewers beat sloppy Reds Associated Press Peralta (11-6) allowed tried to reach for the ball strike on a checked three hits, including Billy as it bounced over the swing. MILWAUKEE — Milwau- Hamilton’s solo homer. wall, and Jean Segura Peralta, a right-hander kee scored three runs on Francisco Rodriguez scored from second on a with a fastball in the two misjudged balls in the threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his play that could have got- high-90s, overcame an outfield by Chris Heisey, 29th save. ten Latos out of the in- early bout of wildness to and Wily Peralta pitched Cincinnati’s Mat Latos ning. win his second straight seven strong innings in (2-2) gave up four earned Gomez then scored on decision. the Brewers’ 5-2 victory runs and eight hits in sev- an error by Donald Lutz, NOTES: Reds OF Jay over the Cincinnati Reds en innings. subbing for the injured Bruce, in an 0-for-15 on Monday night. It could have been a Joey Votto at first base. slump, got the night off. … Ryan Braun hit a two- much closer game had An errant relay throw by The last four homers hit run double in the third on Heisey made those two second baseman Ramon by Hamilton have come which Heisey took a cou- plays in left. The lights Santiago allowed a run to against the Brewers. … A ple of steps in before re- were on at Miller Park for score in the third. kitchen fire at a Miller treating as the high liner an evening game that The Reds lost again af- Park restaurant early went over his head. The started under overcast ter resuming the season Monday morning left the four-year veteran with skies, though Heisey with a three-game sweep restaurant, escalators, el- 134 career starts in left seemed to be most both- by the New York Yankees. evators and a few other field apparently lost Car- ered by the conditions. Manager Bryan Price was areas in left field unus- los Gomez’s high fly ball Arms turned upward ejected Monday in the able because of water to the warning track in near his waist, Heisey sixth inning by home damage. … Cincinnati’s the fourth inning that looked lost as the fly ball plate umpire David Rack- Homer Bailey (8-5) op- Cincinnati's Ramon Santiago can't handle the throw as turned into an RBI by Gomez bounced a cou- ley after Devin Mesoraco poses Milwaukee’s Jim- Milwaukee’s Scooter Gennett steals second during the ground-rule double that ple of feet away on the got into a heated argu- my Nelson (1-1) on Tues- Brewers 5-2 win Monday at Miller Park in the opener of made it 4-0. warning track. Heisey ment over a called third day night. aseven-game homestand.MORRY GASH/AP