Finau wins Northern Trust in playoff

Tony Finau ended his lengthy title drought in dramatic fashion Monday, winning the Northern Trust in a playoff with Australia’s Cameron Smith.

The tournament at Liberty National in Jersey City, N.J., was the opener of the PGA Tour’s Fedex Cup playoffs. The final round was delayed one day due to inclement weather.

Both Finau and Smith finished at 20-under-par 264 over 72 holes after Finau shot a 6-under 65 on Monday and Smith carded a 4-under 67.

On the first playoff hole, Smith knocked his drive out of bounds, and Finau took advance to win with a par on the par-4 18th hole.

Finau won the first time since the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, ending a winless stretch of 142 starts. He now owns two career titles in 189 starts.

Canada’s Corey Conners (70) tied for eighth place at 13-under.

The U.S. Open will offer total prize money of US$57.5 million this year, eclipsing the record payout of $57.2 million set in 2019, tournament organizers said on Monday.

The event was held without spectators last year, with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) lowering the prize money to $53.4 million due to lost revenue.

The U.S. Open, which will welcome back fans this year, starts on Aug. 30.

BIG TEN SETS FORFEIT PLAN

The Big Ten announced Monday that any school unable to field a team this upcoming season due to a COVID-19 outbreak will forfeit the game.

The policy is in line with the other Power 5 conferences, with subtle differences.

In the ACC, if both teams are affected by an outbreak, both teams take a loss in the standings. In the Big Ten and Big 12, if both are stricken with an outbreak and can’t play, it goes in the standings as a “no contest.” The game will not be rescheduled.

The league said it would finalize a policy closer to Week 1 games.

CRICKET PUSHES FOR OLYMPIC INCLUSION

Cricket’s short Twenty20 format is tailor-made for Olympics but the sport’s administrators will consider any format which would ensure the game’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, USA Cricket chief Paraag Marathe has said.

Cricket was last featured as a competition in the 1900 Paris Games.

“I am hopeful that it is very likely. For the first time ever 106 member nations of the ICC are supportive of getting cricket into the Olympics,” Marathe told the Sport Unlocked podcast.

Twenty20 cricket — which lasts about three hours as opposed to as long as five days for tests — has proved immensely successful, illustrated best by the sustained popularity of the cash-rich Indian Premier League.