GOLF
Bae outlasts field
Bae Sang-moon built a big lead and was steady enough on the back nine at Silverado to win the Frys.com Open on Sunday in the first event of the new PGA Tour season. Bae missed a short birdie putt on the 18th that only affected the margin. He closed with a 1-over 73, the first player on the PGA Tour since Ben Crane at the St. Jude Classic in June to win with a final round over par. Bae won by two shots over Steven Bowditch, who closed with a 67 on a dry, hot day in the Napa Valley. Hunter Mahan, one of four players in the field who were in the Ryder Cup two weeks ago, looked as if he might make a run when he holed out from 91 yards on the 13th hole for eagle to get within two shots of the lead. But he hit a poor chip on the 15th that led to bogey, and he barely got out of the bunker on the par-5 16th that kept him from a birdie. Mahan closed with a 70 and wound up in a tie for third with Retief Goosen, Hideki Matsuyama, Martin Laird and Bryce Molder (Conway). David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished at 9 under and in a tie for 17th place with Scott Langley.
• China's Shanshan Feng rallied to win the LPGA Malaysia for her fourth LPGA Tour title, playing a six-hole stretch on the back nine in 6 under. The 25-year-old Feng, four strokes behind Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum entering the round, closed with a bogey-free 8-under 63 for a three-stroke victory over Phatlum. Feng parred the last two holes to finish at 18-under 266 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Lydia Ko missed a chance to take the No. 1 ranking from Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks). The 17-year-old New Zealander needed to win and have Lewis tie for 12th or worse. Instead, Ko closed with a 70 to tie for eighth at 11 under. Lewis had a 69 to tie for 21st at 7 under.
• Kirk Triplett won the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C. for his second victory of the year and fourth in three seasons on the Champions Tour. Triplett, 52, closed with a 3-under 69 for a three-stroke victory over Tom Lehman. Triplett finished at 14-under 202 at Prestonwood Country Club. Triplett followed each of his three bogeys with birdies. The three-time PGA Tour champion also won the ACE Group Classic in February. Bernhard Langer and Kenny Perry tied for third at 10 under. Langer, the 2012 winner, finished with a 68. Perry, the 2011 champion, had a 67.
• France's Alexander Levy of France won the shortened Portugal Masters after the third and final round was washed out because of further bad weather. Thunderstorms and water-logged greens had already led to the event being reduced to 54 holes Friday, and more rain Sunday forced European Tour officials to cut it to 36 holes.
HORSE RACING
La Tie wins close one
La Tia won in a dramatic finish Sunday in the $200,000 Athenia Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf at Belmont Park. Three horses hit the wire together, with La Tia a neck better than Byrama. Overheard was a nose behind Byrama. Joel Rosario and La Tia set the pace over the yielding course, opening almost a three-length lead at the top of the stretch. That margin steadily dwindled as Byrama and Overheard launched their bids. Trained by Armando De la Cerda, La Tia got her ninth win in 22 starts. The time was 1:43.36 for 1 1/16 miles. La Tia paid $8.70, $5 and $3.60. Byrama returned $10.20 and $5.90, and Overheard paid $3.50 to show.
MARATHON
Kenyans 1-2-3 in Chicago
Eliud Kipchoge won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday to lead a 1-2-3 finish for Kenyan men. Kipchoge pulled away over the last two miles for his first major marathon victory, finishing in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 11 seconds. He was followed by Sammy Kitwara in 2:04:28 and Dickson Chumba in 2:04:32. Ideal conditions -- sunny skies and 46-degree temperatures -- greeted the runners at the start. The men's pack stayed together for about 20 miles before Kipchoge, Kitwara and Chumba drew away. Kipchoge and Kitwara were side by side with Chumba right behind after 24 miles. But Kipchoge made it look easy down the stretch. He made a quick burst and was in command as he headed toward the finish at Grant Park. Rita Jeptoo repeated as the women's winner in 2:24:35. Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:25:37) was second and Florence Kiplagat of Kenya (2:25:57) was third.
TENNIS
Stosur champion in Japan
Defending champion Sam Stosur of Australia won her third Japan Women's Open title Sunday, defeating Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. Stosur didn't drop a set all week in capturing her first WTA title of the season. The top-seeded Australian was broken by her fifth-seeded opponent in the first game of a tight opening set before drawing on her power and experience to pull away.
• Roger Federer defeated France's Gilles Simon 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to capture his fourth title of the year at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday. The Swiss star nearly exited the tournament in his opening match when he had to save five match points against Leonardo Mayer. But he rebounded from that poor start to beat No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and then Simon for his first title in Shanghai. It's been a banner year for Federer despite the fact he's fallen just short at the majors. He leads the tour in match victories (61), top-10 victories (13) and final appearances (nine). Federer will leap past Rafael Nadal to No. 2 in the rankings today for the first time in more than a year.
MOTOR SPORTS
Hamilton cruises in Russia
Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the inaugural Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes that clinched its first constructors' title. Nico Rosberg placed second despite having to pit early in the race but now trails his teammate by 17 points in the drivers' standings, with three races remaining. Hamilton won his fourth consecutive race and his ninth of the season. The Briton lost the pole when Rosberg cut a corner and pushed past at the start of the race but Rosberg braked hard in the second turn and had to come in for a set of new tires. They lasted him until the end as he fought his way from the back of the pack. Valtteri Bottas was third.
GYMNASTICS
Two more golds for Biles
Simone Biles of the United States capped her dominance at the gymnastics world championships on Sunday, winning gold medals on the balance beam and the floor exercise on the final day of competition. Biles earned 15.100 points for a solid routine on the beam that opened with a well-controlled double squat turn and included three back handsprings. Bai Yawen of China won silver with 15.033 points while Aliya Mustafina of Russia claimed bronze with 14.166. Biles won her fourth gold of the meet with a powerful routine on the floor that received 15.333 points. Larisa Iordache of Romania was second with 14.800 followed by Mustafina with 14.733. Biles previously won gold medals in the team event and the all-around competition where she defended the 2013 title won in Antwerp, Belgium.
Sports on 10/13/2014