Off the wire
GOLF Couples returns to form
Fred Couples won the Chubb Classic for his 12th PGA Tour Champions title and first since 2014, rallying to beat Miguel Angel Jimenez at TwinEagles in Naples, Fla. Couples, 57, shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 to finish at 16-under 200 on the Talon Course, three strokes ahead of second-round leader Jimenez. Also the 2010 event winner at The Quarry, Couples won for the first time since the 2014 Shaw Charity Classic in Alberta. The Hall of Famer, long hampered by back problems, won 15 times on the PGA Tour. Couples had three frontnine birdies and matched Jimenez’s birdies on the par-4 14th and par5 17th. Jimenez, a stroke ahead of playing partners Couples and Kevin Sutherland entering the round, shot a 71. Jerry Kelly closed with a 66 to tie for third at 11 under in his senior debut. The three-time PGA Tour winner turned 50 in November. Jeff Sluman (68) and Canada’s Rod Spittle (69) also were 11 under. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 3-under 69 and finished tied for 30th, winning $11,307. Glen Day (Little Rock) tied for 47th and won $5,440. Jang finishes strong Ha Na Jang had an eagle and three birdies in the last six holes to pull away for a three-shot victory in the Women’s Australian Open at Royal Adelaide. The South Korean player closed with a 4-under 69 to finish at 10-under 282 at Royal Adelaide. She won for the fourth time on the LPGA Tour. Nanna Madsen of Denmark was second after a 73. Haru Nomura, the Japanese player who won the 2016 tournament, closed with a 73 to tie for third place at 6 under with second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (71), Minjee Lee (70) and Sarah Jane Smith (75). Top-ranked Lydia Ko, with a new coach and new clubs, finished well off the pace at 2 over with rounds of 71, 75, 73 and 75. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished tied for 62nd and won $3,188. Putnam closes out playoff Andrew Putnam won the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City for his second Web.com Tour title, beating Chris Baker with an 18-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff. Putnam closed with a 2-under 68 to match Baker (66) at
13-under 267 at Panama Golf Club. The former Pepperdine player earned $112,500 to take the money lead with $171,100. The top 25 at the end of the regular season will earn PGA Tour cards for next season. Putnam also won the 2014 WNB Golf Classic. He finished in the top 11 in his first three starts this season, tying for eighth and 11th in the Bahamas and finishing fifth last week in Colombia. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) won $10,625 for his tie for 14th. Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for 19th and won $7,312. Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) and Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) were in a six-way tie for 46th and pocketed $1,870 apiece.
TENNIS Top seed falls in Argentina
Top-seeded Kei Nishikori was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-4 by Alexandr Dolgopolov on Sunday in the final of the clay-court Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. Dolgopolov won his third ATP singles title and his first in five years. It also was the Ukrainian’s first victory over his Japanese opponent after losing their previous five head-to-head matches. Nishikori, who is No. 5 in the ATP singles rankings, has won 11 singles titles, but only two on clay.
Harrison captures Memphis
Ryan Harrison served up the ace that won him his first career ATP World Tour title, then stuck both hands over his head pointing index fingers skyward in celebration. Harrison beat Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday to win the Memphis Open at The Racquet Club. Harrison, 24, took the first set in 27 minutes before fighting off 10 break points in the second to win the match in 1 hour, 16 minutes. For the match, Harrison saved all 12 break points faced. He took home the winner’s check of $114,595 and 250 points.
Tsonga wins 13th title
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga clinched his 13th career title Sunday, rallying from a set down to beat David
Goffin of Belgium 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The sixth-seeded Frenchman hit 10 aces and, although he dropped his serve twice, he broke the third-seeded Goffin’s serve four times. Tsonga, ranked 14, lost the final here in Rotterdam six years ago. His previous title also came on indoor hardcourts in Metz, France, two years ago.
BASKETBALL
Georgia’s Maten out
Yante Maten, Georgia’s leading scorer, is out indefinitely with a sprained right knee. Bulldogs Coach
Mark Fox updated Maten’s condition Sunday. Fox said he did not know when Maten could return, but it appeared surgery was not necessary and the 6-foot-8 junior would make a full recovery “in time.” Maten hurt himself about two minutes into Georgia’s 82-77 loss to No. 13 Kentucky on Saturday while defending a layup by the Wildcats’ Isaiah Briscoe. Maten rose to his feet but was unable to put weight on the leg. Maten has averaged 18.7 points this season, tops on the Bulldogs and third-best in the SEC. He leads Georgia with 24 double-digit scoring games this season. Georgia (15-12, 6-8 SEC) plays at Alabama on Thursday night.
FOOTBALL Ex-Lions cornerback arrested
Police say they have arrested a former NFL player after he tried to force his way into an Oregon home and then took his clothes off. Police went to the Woodburn home on Saturday after being told someone was making alarming statements. The homeowner told authorities that former Detroit Lions cornerback Stanley Wilson II was acting erratically and tried to get into the house. Arriving officers say Wilson emerged from a backyard shed and was naked. He was taken to Marion County jail. Police spokesman Jason Horton said he didn’t know if Wilson had a lawyer. No lawyer was included on his jail listing and the prosecutor’s office was closed Sunday. Police say Wilson had been shot by a homeowner in June in a similar incident in Portland and was arrested in January when he was found naked outside a residence in Portland.