European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday january 14, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 21elkington wins toc in playoff by Bob Green Carlsbad Calif. A Steve Elkington won a Golf tournament on sunday. Perhaps More importantly he also cleared a mental Barrier. Elkington an australian now living in the United states dropped a,10-foot Birdie putt on the first extra Hole to beat Brad Faxon in a playoff and win the elite tournament of champions. A i jumped a mental hurdle today a Elkington said after head watched a two stroke Lead disappear and his game become suspect before a late rally brought him the Victory. Elkington a resident of Houston and a protege of old Champion Jack Burke said his Mentor has hammered into him the need for Calm and patience. A i kept it slow and Calm today just like he told me to. I did no to get fast. I kept my Becker opens Australia open with easy win by Steve wilste1n Melbourne Australia apr Boris Becker dealt out 25 aces to begin defense of his australian open title and Jennifer Capriati completed her Royal round of Center court debuts in grand slam championships with an equally sizzling show. T Becker returning to the stage where he briefly reached no. 1 in the world last year gunned Down Jan Gunnarsson 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 on monday with a display of precise serving volleying and ground strokes. _ Capriati seeking to go beyond her semifinal finishes at the . Open Wimbledon and the French open walloped Natalia Medvedeva 6-2,6-0 in 44 minutes and won More than a standing ovation from the crowd. Whistles and shouts punctuated the 15-year-old floridians first match in the years first grand slam event As the fans rallied behind her from the Start. A i thought the crowd was Cool a said the fifth seeded Capriati who made equally auspicious Center court debuts at the other grand slam events. A they were into it. The atmosphere was  pummelling shots from the Baseline and Only occasionally venturing to the net Capriati with the Bill of her White baseball Cap flipped up took control at 2-2 m the first set. She won 13 of the next 14 Points and the final 10 games of the match. Serving in the 100 Mph Range Capriati aced Medvedeva seven times five in the second set. Medvedeva a ukrainian ranked no. 82, seemed overwhelmed by the experience double faulting five times in the first set and making 40 unforced errors to Capriati a 23. # Patrick Mcenroe the quiet one who Shook up the australian open by reaching the semifinals a year ago in his fiery brother a absence stirred excitement again. Stuck this time on the same Side of the draw As his older brother John Patrick joined two time Champion Ivan Lendl As an easy straight sets Winner. A a it a definitely great to be Back Here the younger Mac said after beating Italy a Massimo Cerro 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. A i have fond memories of last year. I love the courts and the  patience. In a proud of that a Elkington said. And in the end it brought him the third Victory of his career. After a double bogey on the fifth Hole and a bogey on the eighth a i was two behind and going the wrong Way a Elkington said. But he got one Back on the ninth went Back in front with another Birdie on the 12th and went in front again with a 30-footer on the 14th. A couple of critical saves on the next two holes kept him in the Lead. Faxon however tied him with 10-foot Birdie putt on the 17th. Elkington missed an 8-footer to win it outright on the 18th and they finished in a tie for the Lead at 9-under-Par 279. Elkington had a closing 72, Faxon a 70. On the first playoff Hole Elkington put his 7-Iron approach 10 feet below the cup and Faxon trying to get it close watched his second shot Drift some 40 feet away. After Faxon missed Elkington ran his putt into the cup for the title in the opening event on the Long pea tour schedule. The Victory was Worth $144,000 from the total purse of $800,000. Fred couples Rocco mediate and Billy Andrade missed the playoff by a single stroke at 280. Couples who now has finished sixth or better in 14 of his last 17 world wide starts shot a 70. Mediate and Andrade each had a 71 in the final round of the tournament that brought together Only the winners of 1991 pea tour events. Paul Azinger who was assessed a 2-shot penalty Friday when his Ball moved after head picked up a Loose impediment was alone at 282 after a 70. In a separate but simultaneous Competition for winners from the senior pea tour a1 Geiberger held on for a 3-stroke Victory. Geiberger needed Only a final round of 1-Over 73 to turn Back Chi Chi Rodriguez and Bruce Crampton who tied for second. A i just kept telling myself a its your tournament. Done to let them take it away a Geiberger said after finishing at 282. Rodriguez once closed to a single stroke but Geiberger dropped a 15-foot Birdie putt on the 13th Hole and Rodriguez three putted for bogey on the next. The Victory Griberg cry a seventh in his senior career was Worth $52,500. Rodriguez and Crampton the defending Champion tied for second at 285. Rodriguez had a closing 73 and Crampton shot a 70. After laments behind his 32-year-old brother. Lendl perhaps the hardest working player on the menus tour continues at 30 to be a Strong contender for another title Here. The Winner in i989 Anaf 990�?T runner up to Boris Becker last year the fifth seeded Lendl donned his desert Cap again m the 90-degree stadium court heat and beat australian Richard from Berg 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. A i feel like in a not playing particularly Well but in a easily and that a confuse fusing to me a winning matches e Lendl said. The Mash unit at the australian open was getting crowded even before the $4.7 million tournament began. There was Stefan Edberg with an aching Arm Pete Sampras with a strained shoulder Michael Stich and Guy forget with inflamed elbows David Wheaton with a sore leg and Goran Ivanisevic with a foot bus or and sprained ankle. Devils Valeri Zel Pukin front and Kings Larry Robinson collide during sundays nil confrontation. Sabres skate by rangers by the associated press Buffalo . A Pat Lafontaine had two goals and an assist As the Buffalo sabres extended their Home game unbeaten skein to eight games with a 6-3 Victory Over the new York rangers. The sabres 6-0-2 in their last eight games at the Aud scored two goals in each of the second and third periods. Lafontaine blasted in a 40-foot Power play goal on a screen shot to give Buffalo a 2-2 tie at 1532 of the second period. He later scored at 1 35 of the third to give the sabres 4-3 Lead. Other Buffalo goals came from Randy Wood Dale Hawer Chuk Alexander Mogiln and Donald Audette. John Ogrodnick Mike Gartner and Tim Kerr scored for the rangers. In other games sunday devils 5, Kings 2 East Rutherford . Chris Terreri stopped 39 shots for Only his second Victory in two months As new Jersey Defeated los Angeles. The devils had Quick starts in each of the first two periods in winning for the fifth time in six games. Blackhawk 4, capitals 2 Chicago a Brent Sutter had two goals and an assist and Chicago a special teams shut Down Washington a league leading Power play All seven times As the Blackhawk Defeated the capitals. The Blackhawk out shot the capitals 33-18 Overall. Sutter with goals in each of the first two periods National hockey league helped the Blackhawk win for the fourth time in five games. Flyers 4, islanders 3 Philadelphia Kevin Dineen scored two of Philadelphia a four first period goals and Mark Pederson assisted on three to Lead the flyers Over new York. The win was the flyers 600th Home Victory. Penguins 4, canucks 3 Vancouver British Columbia a Joe Mullen Kevin Stevens and Jaromir jagr All scored in less than four minutes of the second period As Pittsburgh rallied to beat Vancouver. The penguins trailed 2-1 in the second period before the goals by Mullen and Stevens the latter on the Power play put Pittsburgh ahead for Good. Jagr added the clincher. Pavel Bure Cliff Ronning and Lorn Fergus scored for the canucks. Sharks 4, jets 3 Winnipeg Manitoba a Pat Falloon scored with eight seconds left As san Jose won for Only the second time on the Road this season with a 4-3 decision Over Winnipeg. The Sharks Are 2-21-1 on the Road in their initial season. Tony Hrkac Ken Hammond and Doug Wilson also scored for san Jose. Pat a Lynnik had two goals and Phil Housley scored the other for the jets