GOLF
Ko youngest No. 1
With a notable double prize not only within reach, but practically in her grip, teen star Lydia Ko had to settle for half of the spoils Saturday -- though it represented a significant piece of golf history, nonetheless. Though the New Zealander blew a late lead and had to settle for a share of second place at the LPGA Tour's season opener in Ocala, Fla., where she finished a shot behind Na Yeon Choi, the 17-year-old Ko became the youngest player of either gender to reach No. 1 in the world ranking. Ko, who held a four-shot lead on the front nine of the inaugural Coates Golf Classic, double-bogeyed the 17th hole during a wild closing stretch, but still eclipsed the mark as the youngest to reach the game's apex by nearly four years. Ko shot 1-under 71 to finish at 15 under after holing four birdie putts of 25 feet or longer in the final round at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club, including a momentum-stealing 60-footer on the 15th to briefly reclaim the lead over Choi, who three-putted the same green from 6 feet. Yet Choi, who topped the money list in 2010 but hadn't won since late 2012, took the lead for good when Ko double-bogeyed the 17th after slashing it around in the pine trees down the right side of the hole. Choi closed with a 68. For Ko, finishing in a tie for second was enough to claim the age distinction, though she had to salvage par from a bunker on the 72nd hole to secure it. Tiger Woods, previously the youngest player of either gender to reach No. 1, was 21 years, 5 months, 16 days when he reached the top in 1997. Ko made the apex in 17 years, 9 months, 7 days. Jessica Korda (66) and Ha Na Jang (70) matched Ko at 15 under. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) had two birdies and five bogeys for a 3-over 75, finishing at 7 under and tied with two others for eighth place.
• For all his birdies Saturday, two big pars kept Martin Laird in control at the Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. Laird made 10-footers for par on the 16th and 18th holes and had a 3-under 68, giving him a three-shot lead going into the final round over a new pair of the next generation. Hideki Matsuyama, the 22-year-old from Japan who already has seven worldwide victories, roared into contention with birdies on his last four holes for an 8-under 63, the low round of the tournament. Brooks Koepka, a 24-year-old who traveled the world to get back home to America, finally found some fairways and used his power to shoot 64. They were tied for second with Zach Johnson, who had a 67. Among the 15 players within five shots of the lead was Francesco Molinari of Italy, who made a hole-in-one before more than 15,000 rowdy fans on the par-3 16th hole. It was the first ace in the notorious arena on Saturday -- the biggest day at the Phoenix Open -- since Tiger Woods in 1997. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Jon Rahm of Spain, a junior at Arizona State playing this week on a sponsor's exemption. He got the gallery on his side early, especially by wearing a Sun Devils jersey when he teed off on the 16th, and shot 66. Rahm was at 9-under 204, along with Ryan Palmer (68) and 21-year-old Justin Thomas, who had four birdies over his last six holes to salvage a 69. Bryce Molder (Conway) had three birdies and three bogeys for an even-par round of 71 (213).
• Hao Tong Li shot a 5-under 65 Saturday and grabbed the lead at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City, the first stop on the Web.com Tour for 2015. Li, 19, managed seven birdies and a 9-under 201 after 54 holes. He is one stroke better than second-round leader Harold Varner III, who had a 71 on Saturday, and Mathew Goggin, the 2011 champion who had a 70. The day's best round went to Martin Piller, who had a 6-under 64. He moved to 7-under 203 and is tied for fourth place with Henrik Norlander, who had a 68. Glen Day (Little Rock) had one birdie for a 1-under 69 (211).
• Rory McIlroy extended his lead to four shots with a 6-under 66 in the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic on Saturday. The top-ranked McIlroy, who led by a stroke overnight, made just one birdie on the back nine of Emirates Golf Club's Majlis course after five birdies in his first eight holes. With an overall 20-under 196, McIlroy can challenge the tournament winning record of 22 under, set by Stephen Gallacher in 2013 and Thomas Bjorn in 2001. Denmark's Morten Orum Madsen, who shot a 9-under 63 on Friday, was second after a 66 with six birdies. England's Lee Westwood (69) was third at 14-under 202, six shots adrift of McIlroy. Defending champion Gallacher survived bogeys in the opening nine before hitting three birdies on the back nine. The Scot is tied for fourth at 203 alongside England's Andy Sullivan and Danny Willett and Austria's Bernd Wiesberger after all four shot 70.
BASEBALL
Angels, Richards do deal
A person with knowledge of the contract said the Los Angeles Angels have reached a $3.2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadn't been made. The Angels avoided potentially their trickiest arbitration case by signing Richards, who went 13-4 with a 2.61 ERA in his breakout season in 2014. Los Angeles agreed to a deal closer to the $3.8 million requested by Richards than the $2.4 million offered by the club. Richards appeared to be a serious contender for the AL Cy Young award until he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee while covering first base Aug. 20 in Boston, ending his season. With Richards playing a prominent role until his injury, the Angels finished with the majors' best regular-season record and won the AL West last season before getting swept by Kansas City in the division series. Although they'll be cautious with their prize right-hander in spring training, the Angels expect Richards to be a key part of their rotation again. He will begin running at full speed in Arizona next week, and he is expected to resume throwing off a mound shortly afterward, staying on track to be ready by opening day. Newly acquired outfielder Matt Joyce is the Angels' only unsigned arbitration-eligible player remaining. The longtime Tampa Bay outfielder asked for $5.2 million, and the Angels countered with $4.2 million. Los Angeles hasn't gone to an arbitration hearing since 2011. The Angels begin spring training Feb. 20 in Tempe, Arizona.
BASKETBALL
Rubio back Monday
Ricky Rubio is one game away from returning to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rubio has been cleared to play on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an announcement has not been made. Rubio has been out since severely injuring his left ankle Nov. 7. He will have missed 43 games because of the injury, and the Wolves sunk to the bottom of the league without him. They were 8-38 entering Saturday night's game against Cleveland. When he returns, the team plans to restrict his minutes until after the All-Star break while he sees how his ankle responds. Rubio signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension before the season and helped the Wolves get off to a promising start before going down with the first ankle injury of his career. The slick-passing point guard's return is the latest in a series of important developments on the injury front for the Timberwolves, following Nikola Pekovic's return from a 31-game absence due to foot and ankle issues on Jan. 21 and Kevin Martin's return on Wednesday from 34 games away with a fractured right wrist.
Sports on 02/01/2015