Off the wire

GOLF

Ex-Hog shares lead

Zach Johnson birdied the par-5 18th Saturday at the PGA Tour's Texas Open at San Antonio for a share of the third-round lead with former Arkansas Razorback Andrew Landry, a stroke ahead of record-setting Trey Mullinax. Johnson shot a 4-under 68, holing a 10-footer on 18 to match Landry at 13-under 203 at TPC San Antonio. Landry birdied the 16th and 17th in a 67. Johnson won the tournament in 2008 and 2009, the last two times it was played at LaCantera. The 42-year-old Iowan won the 2015 British Open for the last of his 12 PGA Tour titles. Landry, 30, is winless on the tour. Mullinax had a course-record 62. He played the AT&T Oaks back nine in 7-under 29, going 6 under on the last five with eagles on the par-5 14th and 18th and birdies on 16 and 17. He also birdied Nos. 10 and 12 and bogeyed 11. Ryan Moore was two strokes back at 11 under after a 70. Sean O'Hair had a 65 to join 2015 champion Jimmy Walker (67), Chris Kirk (68) and 2013 winner Martin Laird (69) at 9 under.

Singh, Franco out front

Defending champions Vijay Singh and Carlos Franco took the third-round lead Saturday in the windy PGA Champions Tour's Legends of Golf at Ridgedale, Mo. Singh and Franco shot a 7-under 47 in wind gusting to 20 mph on the Top of the Rock par-3 course to get to 19-under 145, a stroke ahead of the teams of David Toms-Steve Flesch and Paul Broadhurst-Kirk Triplett. Toms and Flesch also shot 47, and Broadhurst and Triplett had a 33 on the 13-hole Mountain Top par-3 course. John Daly and Michael Allen, the second-round leaders after a 46 at Top of the Rock, had a 37 at Mountain Top to drop into a tie for seventh at 15 under. Wind and rain are expected today when the teams finish at Top of the Rock, again playing the front nine in alternate shot and the back nine in better ball. Tom Lehman and Bernhard Langer had a 34 at Mountain Top to join Spanish stars Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal at 17 under. Jimenez and Olazabal had a 33 at Mountain Top.

Jutanugarn ties Ko

Moriya Jutanugarn overcame a poor start and birdied the 18th for a hard-earned 1-under 70 to tie Jin Young Ko at 9 under going into the final round of the LPGA's LA Open. Ko shot a 66 at Wilshire Country Club on Saturday in her bid to become the year's first two-time winner on the tour. She won the Women's Australian Open in February, her first victory as an official tour member. Jutanugarn is trying to match younger sister Ariya as a tour champion. Seven-time winner Ariya was tied for 27th after a 72 in the third round. Inbee Park was two shots back in third after a 69. Moriya Jutanugarn's round included a double bogey on the par-4 first hole and a bogey on the par-4 sixth. She eagled the par-4 14th. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) missed the cut.

TENNIS

Nadal tops Dimitrov

Rafael Nadal remained on course for a record 31st Masters title after beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-1 in the Monte Carlo semifinals on Saturday. Nadal shares the Masters record with Novak Djokovic, whose 30 victories include two at Monte Carlo. The top-ranked Nadal will face Kei Nishikori, who beat No. 4-ranked Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Nishikori won on his first match point when Zverev scooped a backhand wide. The German player looked jaded, having finished a long and grueling quarterfinal at 9 p.m. Friday local time. Nishikori has never won a Masters and last reached a final two years ago in Montreal. He trails 9-2 against Nadal in head-to-heads. Nishikori won their last encounter two years ago to take the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Nadal never looked in trouble Saturday as he beat No. 5 Dimitrov for the 11th time in 12 career meetings. If Nadal wins today's final, he will earn a 76th career title and keep his No. 1 ranking. Should he lose, Roger Federer will reclaim the top spot.

Belgium takes 2-0 lead

Belgium is firmly in control of its Fed Cup World Group playoff against Italy after Elise Mertens and Alison van Uytvanck gave it a 2-0 lead in Genoa on Saturday. Mertens eased past Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-5. Paolini, who had never faced a top-20 player before, gained confidence as the match wore on and Mertens had to save a set point. It was more difficult for Van Uytvanck in the second singles rubber, but she prevailed against Sara Errani 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-2. Errani struggled with her serve, hitting 17 double faults to Van Uytvanck's four, and at one point was given a time violation warning from the umpire after catching three service tosses in succession. Errani managed to stave off match point to take the second set but Van Uytvanck ultimately clinched her 12th Fed Cup singles victory in her past 13 matches.

BASKETBALL

Curry cleared to play

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been cleared to take part in modified practices but will be out at least one more week with a left knee injury. The Warriors said Curry was examined by the team's medical staff Friday and is making progress in recovering from the grade 2 left MCL sprain that has sidelined him since March 23. Curry will be allowed to take part in modified practices beginning Saturday and increase his on-court rehabilitation. He will be re-evaluated again in one week. The Warriors lead San Antonio 3-0 in their first-round series. If they advance today, the second round could start as early as April 28.

Brothers Morris fined

The NBA has fined Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris and his twin brother Marcus Morris of the Boston Celtics for their roles in separate incidents during playoff games. Markieff Morris has been fined $25,000 by the NBA on Saturday for attempting to escalate an altercation and pushing an official during a game against Toronto on Friday night. Morris shoved official Ken Mauer aside when Morris and Toronto's OG Anunoby had to be separated after a near-fight that drew other players less than three minutes into the Wizards' 122-103 victory. Meanwhile, Marcus Morris was also docked $15,000 for criticizing officials after the Celtics' 116-92 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He was called for a technical foul in the third and was critical of the officiating after the game.

Pop won't coach today

Gregg Popovich won't coach the San Antonio Spurs in their possible series finale against the Golden State Warriors as he grieves the death of his wife. Spurs assistant Ettore Messina coached San Antonio in Game 3 and will again this afternoon. Erin Popovich passed away Wednesday from a long-term illness. Gregg and Erin were married four decades and have two children and two grandchildren. "You know how important Pop is, not only for us players, but the whole organization and the whole NBA," Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili said after practice Saturday. "We probably are in a better situation emotionally and hopefully it fuels us. But it's hard to tell how a team is going to react." Golden State won 110-97 on Thursday night for a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

Durant will play today

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant will play in Game 4 of the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs today after rolling his left ankle toward the end of Game 3 on Thursday. The Warriors listed reserve guard Shaun Livingston as probable after he sprained his left ankle at the end of Game 3. "I'm good," Durant said. Livingston said the same thing, though Warriors Coach Steve Kerr conceded that Livingston's ankle is "a little worse" than Durant's. Nonetheless, both Durant and Livingston both participated in Saturday's practice without any restrictions. Durant suffered his injury after Spurs guard Patty Mills forced a turnover and caused Durant to fall with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter. Livingston rolled his ankle shortly after Mills collided into him near half court.

Sports on 04/22/2018

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