Major surprises

This year's golf majors were all about who didn't win.

On Sunday, Tiger Woods lost a major for the first time in 15 attempts when atop the leaderboard after the third round. Y.E. Yang, ranked 110th in the world, took advantage of some shoddy putting by the best golfer in the world to win for just the second time on the tour. He is the first Asian-born player to win a major.

The stunning comeback also marked Woods' first major-less year since 2004. So apparently he is human, though he's still won five of the 13 tournaments he's entered this year, and finished in the top 10 in three of the four majors.

Viewers probably should have expected the unexpected on Sunday given the way the year's first three majors ended.

First, 48-year-old Kenny Perry was on the verge of making history by becoming the oldest Masters champion, but folded up his tent a couple holes too early and lost to Angel Cabrera in a playoff. Phil Mickelson, not long after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, was on the cusp of winning the U.S. Open until Lucas Glover came out of nowhere to win it. And then, at the British Open, 59-year-old Tom Watson had a putt on 18 that would have won it, but he missed it and then lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

The majors were anything but foregone conclusions this year, and a sport that sometimes lacks drama has had plenty of it in 2009. Congrats, Y.E. Yang, and Tiger--pull it together!

Adding injury to injury


Because the Mets just didn't have enough players on the DL, David Wright was hit in the head with a 94 mph fastball on Saturday and could be out for the year.

It's scary when we're reminded of the true danger professional athletes are in while at work. A fastball to the head, a tackle that bends the neck the wrong way, landing awkwardly after a contested layup--you hate to see injuries that require a hospital instead of just a trainer. In fact, two others players were hit in the head Saturday; both Texas' Ian Kinsler and the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda are doing okay after their respective beanings (Kuroda was hit with a batted ball while on the mound).

Zambrano has been "lazy"

Carlos Zambrano says he's been lazy about his ab workouts, which doctors say has contributed to his recurring back problems. It's great that he owned up to his dilatoriness, but now he needs to do what he said he will and commit to working out the way a $91 million investment should.

Orton hears a boo

After getting booed during training camp, Kyle Orton threw three interceptions in the Broncos' first preseason game. I'm pretty sure Orton shaved his beard, an act that I assumed would immediately turn him into a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. We'll see what happens when the real season starts.