Off The Wire

Kevin Na holds the trophy after winning the Military Tribute PGA Tour Golf Tournament at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., Sunday, July 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Kevin Na holds the trophy after winning the Military Tribute PGA Tour Golf Tournament at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., Sunday, July 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

GOLF

Na steady at Greenbrier

Kevin Na rode a hot putter to halt a winless streak of nearly seven years on the PGA Tour. Na shot a 6-under 64 for a five-stroke victory at A Military Tribute at The Green-brier on Sunday. The 34-year-old Na’s only previous tour win came in Las Vegas in October 2011. Starting the final round one stroke behind Harold Varner and Kelly Kraft, Na birdied six of his first 10 holes to open a big lead on the Old White TPC, and he cruised from there. The only blemish on his card was a bogey on the par-4 11th after driving into the rough. Na finished at 19-under 261 and picked up the $1.31 million winner’s paycheck. Kraft shot 70 and finished second at 14 under. Brandt Snedeker (64) and Jason Kokrak (67) tied for third at 13 under. Each earned a place in the British Open as the leading four players from the top 12 not already eligible. The final spot went to Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks), who finished tied for fifth at 12 under. David Lingmerth (Razorbacks) ted for 11th at 10 under.

Kim sets LPGA mark

Sei Young Kim became the first player in LPGA Tour history to go lower than 30 under in a dominant performance in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in Oneida, Wis. She now has the tour scoring records all to herself. Kim closed with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a nine-shot victory, finishing at 31-under 257 to break by four shots to par the record Kim had shared with Annika Sorenstam. Kim won the 2016 Founders Cup at 27 under, while Sorenstam won the 2001 Standard Register Ping at 27 under, the tournament where Sorenstam shot 59. Kim also set the 72-hole scoring record at 257, finishing with three straight pars to break the mark by one shot. The only blemish for Kim all week at Thornberry Creek at Oneida was a double bogey in the second round Friday. She had 31 birdies and one eagle, another record for most subpar holes in a tournament. Kim hit 67 out of 72 greens in regulation. For all the birdies, Kim set the LPGA Tour record with a par on the final hole to finish at 257. Hee Young Park won a playoff after she and Angela Stanford each finished at 258 in the Manulife Classic in Canada in 2013 (par 71), while Karen Stupples (Arkansas State University) shot 258 at the Welch’s/ Fry’s Championship in Arizona in 2004 (par 70). Kim won for the first time this year and joined Brooke Henderson as the only players on the LPGA Tour with at least one victory in each of the past four seasons. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for 47th at 10 under.

Ledesma finds groove

Nelson Ledesma of Argentina seized control with three straight birdies at the turn, and he closed with a 5-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the Lecom Health Challenge for his first Web.comWeb. Tour victory. Ledesma had missed eight cuts in 15 starts in his first com Tour season, and his best finish was in Panama to start the season. The victory was worth $108,000 and moved him from 101st to 24th on the money list. The top 25 earn PGA Tour cards at the end of the season. He finished off a bogey-free final round to post a 22-under 266, two shots clear of Kyle Jones (69) and Sebastian Munoz, who birdied his last two holes to salvage a 70. Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for 27th at 11 under, while Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) tied for 41st at 8 under.

MOTOR SPORTS

Vettel prevails

Sebastian Vettel took advantage of a bad start and disastrous first lap for Lewis Hamilton to win the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, England, and extend his lead in the championship standings Sunday. Hamilton started in pole position but Vettel streaked ahead, and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen compounded Hamilton’s misfortune when he bumped into him, sending the British driver off the track and leaving him last. Hamilton managed to fight his way back to finish second after a Ferrari-Mercedes duel developed with Valtteri Bottas leading until Vettel hit the front again with five laps to go.

BASKETBALL

Booker reels in $158M

Devin Booker, the high-scoring guard at the heart of Phoenix’s rebuilding plans, signed a five-year, $158 million maximum contract with the Suns. Booker, 21, tweeted a photo of himself smiling as he signed the deal Saturday night, moments before the Suns announced the deal, which takes effect in the 2019-2020 season and makes him the highest-paid player in the franchise’s history. The 13th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Kentucky, Booker has averaged 19.8 points per game in his three NBA seasons. He averaged 24.9 points last season, shooting 38 percent from three-point range.

Bucks land Lopez

Brook Lopez agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the terms Sunday. The 30-year-old Lopez is going into his 11th NBA season. He averaged 13 points per game last season for the Los Angeles Lakers, and has averaged 17.9 points over his career.

BASEBALL

Rangers, Giants make deal

The Texas Rangers acquired right-handed pitchers Cory Gearrin and Jason Bahr, and outfielder Austin Jackson from the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitchers Tony Barnette (strained right lat) and Matt Bush (right elbow strain) have been transferred from the 10- to the 60-day disabled list. The Rangers, mired in last place in the AL West, announced the trade Sunday prior to a game at Detroit and said corresponding moves on the 25-man roster will be made once the players report. Gearrin, 32, has a 1-1 record with 1 save and a 4.20 ERA over 35 relief appearances for the Giants this season. Jackson, 31, who signed a two-year contract with the Giants in January, is batting .242 (36 for 149) with 13 RBI in 59 games. Bahr, 23, has been assigned to the Class-A Carolina League. He’s 8-4 record with a 2.55 ERA in 16 Class-A starts this season.

CYCLING

Sagan, sporting yellow, puts last year behind him

LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, France — A year after leaving the Tour de France in disgrace, Peter Sagan earned the race’s yellow jersey Sunday after doing what he does best: Powering past the competition to reach the finish line.

The three-time defending world champion took the overall lead of the Tour on Sunday after he bettered about a dozen other sprinters to win Stage 2.

The Slovakian rider’s ninth career victory at the Tour came just over a year since he was disqualified from cycling’s most prestigious event by race officials who ruled he had caused a crash that broke Mark Cavendish’s shoulder.

Sagan, however, said there was no revenge factor in mind, and that just wearing yellow was reason enough to celebrate.

“Revenge? I already forgot about last year,” Sagan said. “I’m just happy I can be in the Tour de France, the biggest race in the world.”

Defending champion Chris Froome, who fell into a ditch near the end of Saturday’s Stage 1, arrived safely with most of the peloton.

Sagan came up short in the opening stage’s sprint when he crossed second behind Fernando Gaviria, who won on his Tour debut. And the second stage looked like it would feature another duel between the veteran Sagan and new star Gaviria.

But Gaviria was involved in a group pileup and could do nothing to stop Sagan from claiming a six-second overall lead.

Sports on 07/09/2018

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