Cink holds lead after three rounds at RBC Heritage

Stewart Cink maintained his five-stroke lead and set another scoring mark at the RBC Heritage with a 2-under 69 on Saturday, moving closer to his third victory at Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Cink, 47, cooled off from his pace in the first two rounds, when he shot a pair of 63s for his lowest career 36-hole score and shattered the event’s halfway scoring mark shared by Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson.

Cink scrambled his way to 18-under 195, also a tournament mark for lowest 54hole score. PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa was at 13 under after a 67. Emiliano Grillo of Argentina had a 69 and was another shot behind in third.

Matt Wallace of England and Sung-jae Im of South Korea were tied at 11 under. Wallace shot 65 and Im 69.

Corey Conners began the day five shots behind Cink and finished with a 72. He was in a group of four at 10 under that included defending champ Webb Simpson.

Simpson, who set the scoring mark of 22 under last June, had the round’s lowest score at 64. COUPLES, KARLSSON TIED FOR LEAD AT CHUBB CLASSIC >> Fred Couples took 11 holes before making a birdie and then made birdie on his last two holes for a 3-under 69 and a share of the lead with Robert Karlsson (66) in the Chubb Classic in Naples, Fla. They were at 12-under 132.

Tennis TSITSIPAS, RUBLEV WILL SQUARE OFF IN MONTE CARLO MASTERS FINAL >>

Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas swatted aside unseeded Dan Evans 6-2, 6-1 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters final for the first time and stay on course for a first title this year.

The big-serving Greek’s opponent will be sixthseeded Russian Andrey Rublev, who beat unseeded Norwegian Casper Ruud 6-3, 7-5. Rublev aims for his second title of the year, his first at Masters level and ninth overall in his career.

They are level at 3-3 heading into their seventh meeting, including 1-1 on clay. Tsitsipas beat him in the quarterfinals at last year’s French Open.

Motorsports

NEMECHEK OUTRUNS BOSS TO WIN NASCAR TRUCK RACE AT RICHMOND >> John Hunter Nemechek passed teammate Chandler Smith with 17 laps to go and outran team owner Kyle Busch to win the NASCAR Truck Series race at Richmond (Virginia) Raceway.

Nemechek, already the series points leader, gave Kyle Busch Motorsports its fourth consecutive victory in the series but deprived Busch of a victory at the only track where he hasn’t won in the Truck Series. Busch also was trying to become the only driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s top series on the 0.75mile, D-shaped oval. HAMILTON TAKES POLE FOR EMILIA-ROMAGNA GP >> World champion Lewis Hamilton edged out the Red Bull duo to claim pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy.

Hamilton edged Red Bull drivers Sergio Perez by .039 seconds and Max Verstappen by .087 seconds.

Soccer

LAFC SPOILS MLS DEBUT OF AUSTIN FC >> Newcomer Corey Baird stepped up to help Los Angeles FC’s attack, breaking a scoreless game in the 61st minute as the hosts defeated expansion Austin FC 2-0 in the Major League Soccer opener for both teams.

Jose Cifuentes scored in second-half stoppage time for LAFC, tapping a pass from Kwadwo Opoku.

LAFC’s Carlos Vela, who set a league-record with 34 goals in 2019, was subbed out in the 22nd minute after tweaking his right knee while lunging for a pass from Baird.

MESSI NETS 2, BARCELONA WINS COPA DEL REY >> Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 4-0 to win the Copa del Rey final, giving Ronald Koeman his first title as coach of the Catalan club. It is Barcelona’s first title since winning the Spanish league in 2019. Koeman, a former Barcelona defender, returned to coach the club last summer after Barcelona finished last season without a title for the first time since 2008.

Television

JOE BUCK TO TAKE TURN AS GUEST HOST ON ‘JEOPARDY!’ >> Joe Buck will be the latest celebrity from the sports world to try his hand as the host of “Jeopardy!”

The New York Post reported Saturday that episodes featuring Buck, who calls NFL and MLB games and other events for Fox Sports, will air this summer.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ 10-episode run as guest host ended Friday.