golf
Wiebe outlasts Langer in playoff at Senior Open
SOUTHPORT, England – Bernhard Langer gave Mark Wiebe one too many chances at the Senior British Open.
Wiebe took advantage of Langer’s failure to close out the tournament, beating the German on the fifth playoff hole Monday at Royal Birkdale for his first senior major title.
The American used a superb approach shot from the rough to set up a two-putt for par, while Langer failed to get up and down, seeing his par putt stay out.
Langer led by two shots going into the final hole of regulation Sunday, only to settle for a double bogey when he struggled to get out of a bunker. The playoff was then halted after two holes because of darkness and resumed Monday, with Langer immediately missing another chance to win when his 12-foot putt wouldn’t drop.
Langer, who won the tournament in 2010, was up by three shots entering the fourth round. He looked certain to earn a second Senior British Open title when he teed off at the 72nd.
But his approach shot landed in a greenside bunker, and he needed two strokes just to get out of the sand. Wiebe, meanwhile, shot a 4-under 66 to match the German at 9-under 271.
This was the first time in the 27-year history of the Senior British Open the tournament finished on a Monday.
College Football
McQueary hits the stand in Penn State hearing
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Longtime Penn State head coach Joe Paterno said that the university mishandled its response to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, a former assistant coach testified Monday during a hearing for three top school officials accused of a cover-up.
Star witness Mike McQueary appeared in a courtroom for the third time since Sandusky’s November 2011 arrest and told the court that top school officials knew that he had seen Sandusky molesting a boy in a locker room shower.
But the former Penn State assistant coach and quarterback also delivered some unexpected testimony: that the late Hall of Fame coach had told him over the years that “Old Main screwed up” – referring to university administrators – in how it responded to McQueary’s allegation against Sandusky.
Pressed by defense lawyers on his discussions of the subject, McQueary brought up a specific exchange at football practice in the hours before Paterno’s firing on Nov. 9, 2011 – four days after Sandusky’s arrest.
He recalled the head coach saying the school would come down hard on McQueary and try to make him a scapegoat. Paterno also advised McQueary not to trust the administration or then-university counsel Cynthia Baldwin, the former assistant testified.
Former Penn State president Graham Spanier, retired university vice president Gary Schultz and ex-athletic director Tim Curley are accused of failing to tell police about a sexual abuse allegation involving Sandusky and then trying to cover up what they knew. The men say they are innocent.
soccer
Holden’s tough luck continues with torn ACL
CHICAGO – Stuart Holden’s run of major injuries just won’t stop.
The U.S. national team midfielder tore his right anterior cruciate ligament early in the Americans’ 1-0 victory over Panama in the Gold Cup final on Sunday.
Holden collided with Panama’s Alberto Quintero and took a knock on his left knee 18 minutes into the first half, but he grabbed his right knee after he hit the ground.
Trainers worked with him briefly on the field before he got off and walked to the sideline, where they continued to work on him. As Holden sat on the bench, his head buried in his hands, teammates patted him on the head and shoulders trying to console him.
He walked to the locker room a short time later, and was limping visibly when he rejoined his teammates for the victory ceremony.
Associated Press
