on the SIDELINES

Georgia gets nod for SEC title game against LSU\nATLANTA -- Georgia secured its spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game Sunday, setting up a rematch with LSU next weekend.\nThe fifth-ranked Bulldogs tied for first in the East Division with Tennessee and Florida, bringing in the SEC's convoluted tiebreaker system. It's based on a combination of the BCS standings and head-to-head meetings.\nThe league announced Sunday afternoon that Georgia got the nod for the title game.\nThe Gators had an outside chance to sneak in, but that ended when they lost to Florida State 38-34 Saturday.\nThe Bulldogs (10-2) completed their regular season with a 34-17 victory over Georgia Tech, their third straight in the series.\nNo. 3 LSU (11-1) beat Georgia 17-10 back in September.\nSorenstam earns $225,000; Couples wins Skins Game\nLA QUINTA, Calif. -- Annika Sorenstam earned another $50,000 on Sunday but finished second to Fred Couples, the grand master of the Skins Game who won his record fourth championship.\nCouples won all but $25,000 of his $605,000 on the final day of the 18-hole, made-for-television event.\nSorenstam, the first woman to compete in the 21-year history of the game, earned $225,000. Phil Mickelson was third with $170,000. Mark O'Meara won nothing, one year after earning $405,000 to take the title.\nCouples birdied the 17th three times.\nFour playoff holes were needed to award the $200,000 "Super Skin," which initially was at stake on the par-5, 575-yard 18th. Couples clinched the title when he and Mickelson birdied the second playoff hole, the par-3 17th, and Sorenstam didn't.\nBut Couples and Mickelson needed two more playoff holes to end it. Couples' 20-footer for birdie, again on the 17th, added $200,000 to his day. His first time on the 17th, Couples won a $140,000 skin by sinking a 55-footer for birdie.\nGarcia beats Goosen in playoff\nSUN CITY, South Africa -- Sergio Garcia made a 15-foot birdie putt to beat Retief Goosen on the first playoff hole Sunday at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.\nIt is Garcia's first victory of 2003; his best performance this season had been a tie for fourth place in the Buick Classic.\nGarcia and Goosen finished the four rounds on the Gary Player Country Club at 14-under-par 274.\nVijay Singh was third at 11 under after closing with a 69. Darren Clarke was another shot back after a 67.