Auto Racing
SAKHIR, Bahrain – Sebastian Vettel led a Ferrari one-two in the final practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.
Vettel set a time of 1 minute, 31.683 seconds at the Sakhir circuit, just four hundredths of a second faster than teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
The margin between the Mercedes teammates in third and fourth was almost as tight, as Nico Rosberg beat Lewis Hamilton by 0.05 seconds.
Rosberg’s time was 0.4 off Vettel, but his Friday time on a much cooler track was still the best of the race weekend.
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Scott Dixon dominated after taking the lead on a midrace caution and crossed the checkers under another yellow flag to win IndyCar’s first race at Phoenix International Raceway in 11 years on Saturday night.
Dixon started ninth and took advantage of tire trouble for Team Penske’s top two drivers to move within range of the lead on the fast mile oval. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver moved past Tony Kanaan out of the pits and led the final 155 laps of IndyCar’s first oval race of the season.
The win was Dixon’s 39th of his career, tying him with Al Unser for fourth on IndyCar’s all-time list.
Golf
HOUSTON – Jim Herman and Jamie Lovemark, two players who have never won a PGA Tour event or played in the Masters, shared the lead going into the final round of the Houston Open.
A win Sunday and they get to tee off at Augusta National next week.
The 38-year-old Herman shot a 5-under 67 Saturday to position himself for a breakthrough. Lovemark, 28 and a former NCAA champion at USC whose professional career was derailed by major back surgery, wasn’t able to build on his fast start, which saw him birdie three of the first four holes. He stayed in the hunt with a 70 after opening rounds of 67 and 68.
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Lexi Thompson made a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the ANA Inspiration.
Trying to win the major championship for the second time in three years, Thompson shot a 3-under 69 to reach 10 under at Mission Hills.
After struggling with her putting most of the day, Thompson hit to 2 feet on the par-4 15th and 16th holes to set up birdies. She missed a 6-foot birdie try on the par-3 17th, then hit a 207-yard, 5-iron approach pin-high to the left on 18 to set up the eagle putt..
MLB
PHOENIX – A.J. Pollock emerged as one of baseball’s best players a year ago. Now the Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star center fielder is out for the foreseeable future after fracturing his right elbow in a head-first slide at home plate in an exhibition game Friday night.
It wasn’t the slide that hurt the elbow, Pollock said, but pushing himself back to his feet with the arm afterward. He had missed most of spring training because of a sore elbow and had talked to doctors about what would happen if a more serious injury was to occur. It’s the second time he has broken that elbow.
Pollock hit .315 last season with 39 doubles, 20 home runs, 39 stolen bases, 111 runs scored and 192 hits – all career highs. His 192 hits led all major league outfielders. He earned his first All-Star berth, by players’ vote, and won his first Gold Glove.
Associated Press
