GOLF
Cejka wins in a playoff
Alex Cejka won the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday in only his third PGA Tour Champions start, beating defending champion Steve Stricker with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. The 50-year-old Cejka made a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 18 and Stricker missed a 9-footer with a chance to extend the playoff at Greystone Golf & Country Club. Cejka had turned a three-stroke deficit into a two-shot lead over the final nine holes for a 5-under 67. His winning putt was from a similar spot to the one Stricker made for birdie in regulation to force the playoff. Stricker, who won the last time the event was held in 2019, closed with a 68 to match Cejka at 18-under 270. Cejka got into the field as an alternate Monday when Jay Haas withdrew and left with full exemption. He made his first two PGA Tour Champions starts as a Monday qualifier, and tied for second at the Chubb Classic. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) closed the tournament with a 2-under 70. He finished in a tie for 10th at 7-under 281. Glen Day (Little Rock) turned in a 75 on Sunday and finished at 1-over 289. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 74 on Sunday and was 13 over.
Jutanugarn first at Honda
Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a 9-under 63 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by a stroke and become the first home winner in 14 years. Jutanugarn won her 11th LPGA Tour title and first since July 2018. She finished at 22-under 266 to edge fellow Thai Atthaya Thitikul, the 18-year-old who missed a 4-foot birdie putt to force a playoff. Patty Tavatanakit, the 54-hole leader and winner of the first LPGA Tour major of the year, closed with a 70 to tie for third. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) tied for ninth at 18-under 270. Lopez closed with a 70 on Sunday.
Higgo continues hot streak
Garrick Higgo of South Africa made a hole-in-one on the seventh hole and was never seriously challenged as he closed with a 7-under 64 for a six-shot victory in the Canary Islands Championship. The 21-year-old Higgo won for the second time in three weeks on the European Tour. Higgo finished at 27-under 257 for his third European Tour title. Former University of Central Arkansas golfer Pep Angles shot a 73 on Sunday and finished 4 under for the tournament.
Smotherman wins by three
Austin Smotherman won the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation for his first Korn Ferry Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a three-stroke victory. The 26-year-old former SMU player finished at 16-under 272 at The Grove in Tennessee. Carl Yuan (71) and Paul Haley II (70) tied for second. Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) finished in a tie for ninth. Moore shot a 69 on Sunday and finished at 9-under 279. Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) turned in a 74 on Sunday and finished at even-par 288.
U.S. secures Walker Cup
Austin Eckroat and Pierceson Coody got the United States off to a fast start, and Cole Hammer and Stewart Hagestad finished off Great Britain & Ireland in the Walker Cup in Juno Beach, Fla. Ricky Castillo won again, too, and the Americans took five of the 10 afternoon singles matches and tied another at Seminole Golf Club for a 14-12 victory. The Americans won for the third consecutive time to take a 38-9-1 lead in the biennial event first played in 1922.
TRACK & FIELD
Metcalf last in 100 heat
Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf couldn't catch the field in his heat of a 100-meter race at the USA Track and Field Golden Games on Sunday, finishing ninth out of nine but in a respectable time of 10.37 seconds. Although Metcalf didn't earn a spot in the final, he did pick up the respect of sprinters who were out to prove that track speed was far different from football fast. Wearing earrings and a gold necklace, Metcalf burst out of the blocks in fine fashion. He wasn't left behind either and pretty much kept in the mix until the finish line. The winner of his heat was Cravon Gillespie, who finished in 10.11 seconds to barely edge Mike Rodgers and went on to win the race. The 6-4 Metcalf ran 4.33 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine before the 2019 draft.
TENNIS
Zverev scores Madrid victory
Alexander Zverev continued his impressive form going into the French Open by winning his second Madrid Open title on Sunday. After beating top-seeded Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and fourth-ranked Dominic Thiem in the semifinals, Zverev rallied to defeat Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3 for his second title this season. The sixth-ranked German also won the Mexican Open in Acapulco in March. Zverev won his first Madrid title in 2018 in a final against Thiem. The win on Sunday gave him his fourth Masters 1000 title, and first in three years. Zverev will be trying to improve from his fourth-round appearance from last year at the French Open. The 10th-ranked Berrettini won the title in Belgrade last week and was trying to win his first Masters 1000 trophy.
MOTOR SPORTS
Hamilton wins Spanish GP
Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen in a thrilling duel to win the Spanish Grand Prix and increase his championship lead over his top rival Sunday. Verstappen's Red Bull edged the pole-sitting Hamilton to the first curve to snatch the early lead. But Mercedes' use of two pit stops to give Hamilton fresher tires down the final stretch paid off and allowed him to overtake the Dutchman with six laps remaining. Hamilton followed his 100th career pole Saturday by taking his 98th career win. He also tied Michael Schumacher's mark of six victories at the Spanish Grand Prix, including the last five in a row. Hamilton increased his lead to 14 points over Verstappen, who grabbed a bonus point for the fastest lap.
BASKETBALL
Pelicans' official fined $50K
The NBA fined New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin $50,000 on Sunday for publicly criticizing officiating over how star Zion Williamson is handled and making comments the league considered detrimental. The decision came two days after Griffin, the Pelicans' executive vice president of basketball operations, spoke out strongly about his concerns on the amount of contact NBA referees allow Williamson to endure. Williamson is currently out indefinitely with a broken left index finger, an injury that occurred on a play where he did not appear to be fouled. Griffin said the Pelicans have told league officials many times that they feared Williamson was being exposed to injury because of the way defenders are allowed to play against the 6-7, 284-pound forward.
HOCKEY
Coyotes fire head coach
Coach Rick Tocchet won't return for a fifth season with the Arizona Coyotes, the team announced Sunday, saying the sides "mutually agreed to part ways." The move comes after the Coyotes missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. Arizona was in playoff position heading into the final month of the 2020-21 season, holding the fourth spot in the West Division before losing 12 of 15 games to get eliminated.
