Off the wire
GOLF Park wins Texas Classic
Sung Hyun Park sprinted to the finish in the weather-abbreviated LPGA Texas Classic on Sunday, chipping in for birdie on the final hole to close out a 5-under 66 in the second and final round, good for a one-shot victory over Lindy Duncan. Park ended up needing that chip to drop to survive a late charge by Duncan, who birdied her final three holes for a 64, the low round of the tournament at The Colony, Texas. Park finished with a two-round total of 11-under 131 for her third LPGA Tour victory and first since last season. Rookie Yu Liu closed with a 66 and finished third, two shots back. Ariya Jutanugarn (66) and Sei Young Kim (67) were another shot behind. The event was reduced from 72 holes to 36 after Thursday’s round was canceled and Friday’s play was delayed by 8½ hours because of rain.
Langer victorious
Bernhard Langer won his first PGA Tour Champions event of the year when he saved par on the final hole for a 2-under 70 and a one-shot victory in the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands, Texas. Langer had to rally from as many as four shots behind in the final round at the TPC Woodlands. He birdied two consecutive holes around the turn, added birdies on both par 5s on the back nine and then had to scramble for par. Paul Goydos (68) led for much of the back nine until a bogey on the 18th hole. He tied for second with Jeff Maggert and Bart Bryant, who each had a 69. Langer, 60, won for the 37th time on the PGA Tour Champions, which trails only Hale Irwin’s 45. It was Langer’s fourth victory at the Insperity Invitational.
TENNIS Zverev prevails in Munich
Alexander Zverev defeated three-time former champion Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-3 to defend his Munich Open title on Sunday. Zverev, the world No. 3, hit four aces and converted four of his six break chances to win the final in 1 hour and 11 minutes. It is the 21-year-old’s first title of the year and seventh altogether. Kohlschreiber, 34, who won here in 2007, 2012 and 2016, was playing in his sixth final at the clay-court tournament. It was the first all-German men’s singles final since Florian Mayer beat Zverev to win the Gerry Weber Open in 2016.
Halep, Wozniacki advance
Two-time defending champion
Simona Halep brushed aside Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-0 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Sunday. The top-seeded Halep recorded her 13th consecutive victory on Madrid’s clay courts. Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki likewise had little trouble dispensing with Daria Gavrilova 6-3, 6-1. The Australian Open winner is playing a week after she withdrew from the Istanbul Cup due to an abdominal injury. Also, Samantha Stosur outlasted Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-3, Sorana Cirstea defeated Czech Katerina Siniakova, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, and Carla Suarez beat Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-3. Third-seeded and home favorite Garbine Muguruza also advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Shuai Peng, hitting five aces and breaking Peng’s serve four times. Maria Sharapova beat Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-4, 6-1 for her first clay-court victory of the season. Petra Kvitova brushed aside Leisa Tsurenko 6-1, 6-2, and Sloane Stephens beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-3, 6-2. In the men’s event, Richard Gasquet beat Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2.
Sousa downs Tiafoe
Joao Sousa beat Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-4 in the Estoril Open final on Sunday to become the first Portuguese-born player to win an ATP tour event on home soil. Sousa had four aces and broke his American opponent’s serve four times on the outdoor clay court. It was the 29-year-old Sousa’s third career title and his first since 2015. Tiafoe, 20, was seeking his second career title after winning the Delray Beach Open in February.
BASEBALL Molina has surgery
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina underwent emergency surgery Saturday evening after being hit in his groin area by a foul ball in that afternoon’s game at Busch Stadium, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. Molina will be sidelined for at least a month, Mozeliak said Sunday morning. Molina sustained a traumatic hematoma that needed immediate medical attention. Carson Kelly was added to the active roster early Sunday morning, and Molina has been placed on the disabled list. In the ninth inning of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs, Kris Bryant nicked a 102-mph fastball from Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks that drilled Molina in his groin area. The Cardinals catcher doubled over, and it took several minutes for him to regain his breath.