BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Charley Hull made five birdies Friday for a 4-under 66 that gave her a two-shot lead and an extra day of her offseason holiday, along with a weekend date with Nelly Korda at The Annika.
Hull, who won in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago to end a two-year winless drought, pulled away with three birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine at Pelican Golf Club.
Korda, playing for the first time in nearly two months because of a minor neck injury, started with a bogey and finished with back-to-back birdies in her round of 68. She was two shots behind and will be in the final group with Hull.
As for that holiday?
Turns out Hull made a bet with her boyfriend that she could add one extra day to her vacation to Europe for every round she makes five birdies. She made seven birdies Thursday.
“I played pretty solid," Hull said. "It was quite windy, so quite tricky. Yeah, made five birdies today so extra day on holiday.”
Alexa Pano made nine birdies before her round ended with a double bogey. It still was good enough for a 64 that left her three shots behind, along with Jin Hee Im (65), Wichanee Meechai (66) and Mi Hyang Lee (68).
Pano is at No. 66 in the Race to CME Globe. This is the final tournament to be among the top 60 who qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship next week, where the winner of the season finale gets $4 million.
Lee is at No. 59 and took a big step toward making sure she is down the Gulf coast in Naples.
But the attention for the weekend is at the top — Hull, the carefree character from England who has found a big dose of confidence, and Korda, the best in women's golf who took time to join other athletes posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
“I always enjoy playing with Charley. She’s always a fun time. Hopefully, we give a good show,” Korda said.
Hull was at 10-under 130.
The wind was strong enough that Korda's main goal was to try to keep her shots pin-high. Add that to slick greens, and she did well for another 66.
“They're slick, yeah. It’s like putting on ice almost,” Korda said. “They’re doing a really good job with the golf course, especially with the wind and how slick the greens are. I feel like when the greens get that firm and fast the wind actually plays a bigger role in the putts because it seems to just kind of play with the putt a little bit more.”
Gabby Lopez of Mexico came into the week at No. 61 in the Race to CME Globe and posted a 66 to join the group in a tie for eighth at 5-under 135, five shots behind. Also at 135 was Carlota Ciganda, a Solheim Cup regular from Spain who is at No. 63.
Also at stake this week is keeping a full LPGA card for the 100. Yuri Yoshida came into the week at No. 100 and missed the cut. Also missing the cut was former major champion Hyo Joo Kim, who was at No. 58 on the points list and might not make it to the final week.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Nelly Korda watches her drive on the first hole during the first round of The Annika golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Belleair, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)
Charley Hull of England hits her tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the The Annika golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Belleair, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)
NEW YORK (AP) — Rudy Giuliani has relinquished dozens of watches and a Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall to two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment, according to his lawyer Friday.
Joseph Cammarata said in a letter filed late Friday in Manhattan federal court that the trove of watches and a ring were delivered by FedEx to a bank in Atlanta, Georgia, in the morning.
The 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 was turned over at an address in Hialeah, Florida, and an undisclosed amount of funds from Giuliani’s Citibank accounts were also surrendered to the two women who won the judgment, according to the letter.
But Cammarata argued that forcing Giuliani to relinquish his luxury vehicle was “wholly improper” as the car should have been appraised first.
If the value of the Mercedes turned out to be less than $5,500, then it should be exempt from the judgment under law, he argued in the letter.
If it’s determined to be worth more than that, then it should be auctioned off, with some of the proceeds going to the two women — Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.
“This is how the proper enforcement of these assets should work,” Cammarata wrote in bolded text. “Just ordering the vehicle to be turned over to the Plaintiffs without any appraisal has taken away Defendant’s statutory and constitutional rights.”
The letter also goes on to argue that some of Giuliani’s other possessions should also be exempt from the judgment under New York and Florida law.
That includes all apparel — even a shirt signed by New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio that's part of the judgment — and all household furniture as well as a refrigerator, radio receiver, television set, computer, cellphone, tableware and cooking utensils, the letter stated.
Cammarata noted there are also legal exemptions for jewelry with a value under $1,325 — meaning his watches and other items should also get appraised — and that there's exemptions for “tools of trade,” including “professional instruments, furniture and library” items that don’t exceed $4,075 in value.
It's not immediately clear what else Giuliani surrendered to meet Friday's deadline.
The former mayor's $5 million Upper East Side apartment was among the other big ticket items named in the judgment, along with the 26 watches, his 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 and the signed DiMaggio shirt.
Cammarata and other representatives for Giuliani didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Aaron Nathan, a lawyer for the two women, declined to comment.
On Thursday evening, Giuliani spokesperson Ted Goodman posted a video on the social platform X from a FedEx store in Florida, where he showed at least 18 watches and a ring laid out on a table that he said were being turned over.
“This right here folks, this is the accumulation of 60 years of hard work,” Goodman said as the video panned over the array of black, brown, gold and silver-banded timepieces. “Many of these watches hold great sentimental value and he’s being forced to turn all these over under court order.”
“What’s happening is wrong," he continued. "It’s shameful and we must restore the integrity of the U.S. justice system.”
Cammarata, in his Friday letter, also asked to delay Giuliani’s January trial over the disposition of some of his assets so that he can attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
He also confirmed that he has stepped in as Giuliani’s new legal counsel after the previous attorneys asked the court’s permission this week to stop representing Giuliani, citing disagreements with him.
Giuliani has claimed he was the victim of a “political vendetta” and that he expects to win on appeal and get all his possessions back.
“This is a case of political persecution,” he said last week following an appearance in Manhattan federal court. “There isn’t a person (who) doesn’t know the judgment is ridiculous.”
Representatives for Freeman and Moss said last week that they visited Giuliani’s Manhattan apartment only to discover it was cleared out well before the October deadline.
Giuliani was found liable for defamation for falsely accusing Freeman and Moss of ballot fraud as he pushed Trump’s unsubstantiated election fraud allegations during the 2020 campaign.
The women said they faced death threats after Giuliani accused them of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines.
Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks to the media as he leaves court in New York, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks to the members of the media as he leaves court in New York, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
