Accessibility links
Tom Goldman Tom Goldman is NPR's sports correspondent. His reports can be heard throughout NPR's news programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and NPR.org.
Tom Goldman
Stories By

Tom Goldman

Sports

South Korea's Birdie Kim Wins U.S. Women's Open

Birdie Kim, a 23-year-old South Korean, won the U.S. Women's Open golf championship Sunday with a one-under-par birdie on the final hole. The relatively unknown golfer stole the spotlight from the pre-tournament favorite, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden.

South Korea's Birdie Kim Wins U.S. Women's Open

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4719650/4719651" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Teen Phenoms Dominate at U.S. Women's Open

Golfer Annika Sorenstam is trying for her third major golf championship in a row, but she faces considerable, and considerably young, competition. Tied for first are 15-year-old Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, 17, and Karen Stupples, the old-timer at age 32. One stroke back is Paula Creamer, 18.

Teen Phenoms Dominate at U.S. Women's Open

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4719151/4719152" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Sorenstam's Grand Quest

Annika Sorenstam is trying to win her third major tournament of the year at the U.S. Women's Open. One of the things that makes her such a great player is her composure in the face trouble. It's a lesson that one fan took to heart as he watched Sorenstam navigate the difficult Open course near Denver.

Sorenstam's Grand Quest

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4717916/4717917" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Sorenstam Tees Off at the U.S. Women's Open

Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam is favored to win the U.S. Women's Open golf championship, which starts Thursday in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. Sorenstam already has won two of the four major women's professional tournaments this year.

Sorenstam Tees Off at the U.S. Women's Open

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4715213/4715214" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Funding U.S. Athletes in the Olympics

U.S. Olympic hopefuls say they're having trouble making ends meet because of dwindling support from sponsors. Shotputter and two-time silver medalist Adam Nelson went on eBay to find a new sponsor when he lost a couple of deals. Now that deal is about to run out and he needs to get creative again.

Funding U.S. Athletes in the Olympics

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4714610/4714611" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Phil Jackson Returns to Coach NBA's Lakers

Phil Jackson is back as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson and the Lakers parted ways a year ago after Jackson feuded publicly with star Kobe Bryant. Before that, Jackson won three NBA titles as Lakers' coach. But the team he inherits is not as strong as the one he left.

Phil Jackson Returns to Coach NBA's Lakers

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4704112/4704113" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sports

Checking on a Bid to Buy the NHL

A labor dispute wiped out the 2005 National Hockey League season and threatens the future of top-flight hockey in the United States. Two private equity companies propose a solution: they want to buy the entire NHL.

Checking on a Bid to Buy the NHL

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4680368/4680369" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sports

Javelin Dynasty Flies in Oregon

Javelin doesn't have a lot of cachet in the sports world. But high school athletes in the small town of Newberg, Oregon, have taken to the event in a big way. Under the tutelage of 70-year-old coach Joe Boutin, javelin throwers have won 10 state championships and earned many athletic scholarships to college.

Javelin Dynasty Flies in Oregon

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4658991/4658992" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Education

Education Dept. E-Mail Survey Sparks Title IX Debate

Advocates for women's sports say a new Education Department survey will harm Title IX legislation. The administration says the new e-mail survey will help schools gauge interest in women's sports and allocate resources. But critics worry the survey will be ineffective -- and do more harm than good.

Education Dept. E-Mail Survey Sparks Title IX Debate

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4635462/4635463" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sports

'Professor' Rules the School of Urban Street Ball

Basketball apparel company AND 1 markets the urban street ball phenomenon through slick highlight tapes of no-look passes and thundering dunks set to hip-hop. Its players have names like Hot Sauce and Main Event. Then, there's The Professor -- a ball-handling guard who's somewhat of a pioneer: He's white.

'Professor' Rules the School of Urban Street Ball

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4618837/4618860" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Changing Attitudes toward Gay Athletes

While there are no openly declared gay male athletes in the three major professional sports in the United States, attitudes toward homosexuality and athletics may be changing at the high school and college levels.

Changing Attitudes toward Gay Athletes

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4609468/4609469" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

Armstrong to Retire after 7th Tour de France Try

Cyclist Lance Armstrong announces that this year's Tour de France will be his last. After battling cancer, Armstrong won six consecutive tours, more than any other cyclist in the race's history.

Armstrong to Retire after 7th Tour de France Try

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4606112/4606113" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sports

UNC Wins Men's NCAA Basketball Championship

North Carolina beat Illinois Monday night 75-70 to capture the NCAA men's basketball championship in St. Louis. After trailing 40-27 at halftime, the top-ranked Fighting Illini rallied to tie, then faltered in the final minute. It's the first national title for UNC coach Roy Williams.

UNC Wins Men's NCAA Basketball Championship

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4576593/4576594" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">