Cycling
Age is nothing but a number: Horner captures Vuelta
MADRID – American veteran Christopher Horner completed the biggest victory of his career Sunday, winning the Spanish Vuelta at 41 to become the oldest champion of one of cycling’s three-week grand tours.
Horner successfully navigated the final flat stage to arrive in Madrid with his RadioShack-Leopard teammates after effectively clinching the race in the mountains over the last three days.
Vincenzo Nibali of Italy and Alejandro Valverde of Spain – both former winners – were second and third, respectively.
The previous oldest winner for one of the three grand tours – the Vuelta, Tour de France and Giro d’Italia – was Fermin Lambot, who won the 1922 Tour at 36.
boxing
Mayweather outpoints Alvarez, takes decision
LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez proved nothing more than easy money for Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather turned one of the richest fights ever into just another $41.5 million payday Saturday night, dominating Alvarez from the opening bell and winning a majority decision in a masterful performance that left no doubt who the best fighter of his era is.
Mayweather was favored 117-111 and 116-112 on two ringside scorecards while a third had the fight 114-114.
golf
Rain causes Furyk’s drought to last at least one more day
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jim Furyk will have to wait one more day to try to end three years without a victory on the PGA Tour.
The final round of the BMW Championship was suspended Sunday because of rain that left too much water on Conway Farms. Furyk had a one-shot lead over Steve Stricker. He was about three hours from even teeing off when play was stopped for the first time by rain for 3½ hours. It resumed for an hour before more showers led to another stoppage in play.
Furyk was among 22 players who had yet to tee off. That included Tiger Woods, who was four shots behind.
Pettersen grabs the year’s fifth and final major title
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Suzann Pettersen barely had time to hug her caddie before the champagne started flowing in her direction.
In the first women’s major played in Europe, Pettersen beat teenage star Lydia Ko of New Zealand by two shots to win the Evian Championship on Sunday and clinch the second major title of her career.
The Norwegian calmly rolled in her par putt to seal the title. Pettersen then leaned back and held her head in her hands, hugged her caddie and laughed as she was surrounded by friends spraying her with champagne.
It was her first major since the LPGA Championship in 2007 and her second consecutive tournament win after the Safeway Classic this month.
Pettersen shot a 3-under 68 to finish with a 10-under total of 203 after the tournament was reduced to three rounds when Thursday’s play was rained out.
College football
Nebraska tumbles from rankings, Alabama still No. 1
Nebraska dropped out of The Associated Press college football poll after its latest humbling loss, and the top of the poll was unchanged after No. 1 Alabama passed its first big test of the season.
The Cornhuskers, No. 23 last week, are unranked the day after UCLA won in Lincoln, Neb., 41-21. The Bruins scored the final 38 points. Since Nebraska’s record streak of 348 consecutive poll appearances ended in September 2002, there have been only two seasons (2010, ’11) in which the Huskers have been ranked every week, starting in the preseason.
The Tide received all but one of 60 first-place votes from the media panel after beating Texas A&M 49-42. The Aggies are 10th. The rest of the top five is Oregon, Clemson, Ohio State and Stanford.
Associated Press
