Heard on the Range

Misty Bugg, the widow of former Nationwide tour player Jace Bugg,
who died last December after a 13-month battle with leukemia,
caddied for David Branshaw last week at the First Tee Arkansas
Classic in Hot Springs Village. Branshaw, a 2003 PGA Tour Q
school graduate and close friend of Jace, made the offer to Misty
as a way of honoring her husband, who won the event in '02. "Jace
is seeing this and he's smiling right now," said Misty, who
helped Branshaw to a 63rd-place finish.... On a 24-hour whirlwind
tour of New York City last Thursday and Friday, Phil Mickelson
taped appearances for the Late Show with David Letterman and On
the Record with Bob Costas, and he rang the opening bell at the
New York Stock Exchange. When he arrived at the Late Show's Ed
Sullivan Theater, about 40 fans chanted his name and waved copies
of SI with his picture on the cover. After the taping, autograph
seekers chased Mickelson's limo down 53rd Street, prompting Lefty
to stop and sign away until everyone was satisfied.... Candace
Curtis, wife of British Open champ Ben Curtis, who led the MCI
Heritage after 36 holes before finishing 25th, complains that her
husband is being unfairly compared to the best players in the
world after his surprise win at Royal St. George's last year.
"Ben is only in his second year on Tour," she told SI. "He's
still getting used to life out here."... Needing to earn $8,773
to remain exempt on the European tour for the remainder of the
year, Jean Van de Velde missed the cut at the Seville Open in
Spain, continuing a decline that began after he blew a
three-stroke lead on the 72nd hole of the 1999 British Open. The
37-year-old Frenchman must now rely on sponsor's exemptions to
fill his schedule. --J.G., Farrell Evans

COLOR PHOTO: MEL NUDELMAN/NYSE/AP (MICKELSON) FAIR TRADE Phil exchanged his green jacket for NYSE bell duty.