Swafford pads résumé with CareerBuilder win
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Hudson Swafford won the fittingly named CareerBuilder Challenge on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, following three consecutive birdies with a closing par for a one-stroke victory.
Swafford shot a 5-under-par 67 on the Stadium Course at PGA West to finish the pro-am event at 20-under 268. The 29-yearold former Georgia player earned $1,044,000 and his first spot in the Masters.
“They don’t give them away out here. It’s not easy,” Swafford said. “I’ve been close. I’ve been in the heat lately. Just keep putting myself in position, and this just feels unbelievable.”
Adam Hadwin came back with a 70 after his third-round 59 to finish second.
“I can’t help but be slightly disappointed,” Hadwin said. “I really wanted to come out here and kind of prove that yesterday was just kind of a continuation of some good play and kind of get it done today, but I got beat. I felt like I did all the right things. Just a couple shots here and there and who knows what could have happened. But an incredible week, my best finish ever.”
Brian Harman and Bud Cauley each shot 69 to tie for third at 18 under. In other golf news: • Tommy Fleetwood broke free from a pack of contenders including three major champions to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by one shot, ending the Englishman’s 3½-year wait for a second European Tour title. In a tense final round in which five players held the lead, Fleetwood, 26, chipped in for eagle from 20 yards at the par-5 10th hole to spark a back nine of 31. That helped him to a 5-under 67 and a 17-under total of 271.
Bryans retiring from Davis Cup
Bob and Mike Bryan are retiring from Davis Cup play after 14 years representing the United States.
The 38-year-old twin brothers made the announcement on their Instagram account, saying that clinching the 2007 Davis Cup final was “one of the greatest highlights of our career.”
The Bryans are continuing at the tour level and are through to the third round at the Australian Open, where they have won six of their record 16 Grand Slam doubles titles. They will play their next match Monday.
The Bryans have the most victories by any doubles team in U.S. Davis Cup history, going 24-5, including 4-0 in 2007 when the U.S. won the title.
The twins, who were born in Camarillo, Calif., also won the Olympic gold medal in London in 2012 and bronze at Beijing in 2008.
Vonn 9th as Gut takes super-G
Defending overall World Cup champion Lara Gut of Switzerland extended her perfect run in super-G this season with a comfortable victory at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; American Lindsey Vonn struggled to a ninth-place finish.
For her third consecutive super-G victory, Gut finished 0.67 seconds ahead of Stephanie Venier of Austria and 0.86 in front of Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein.
Vonn, who won a downhill Saturday in just the second race of her comeback from a knee injury and a broken arm, finished 1.65 seconds behind. In other news: • Marcel Hirscher used a stunning second run to win the slalom of the classic Hahnenkamm races at Kitzbuehel, Austria; Dave Ryding became the first British skier in 35 years to place second in a World Cup race.
Hirscher, who is the five-time overall champion, was in ninth place after the opening run and trailed leader Ryding by 1.09 seconds but finished the race 0.76 ahead to claim his 20th career slalom win and 42nd overall. Ryding matched the best World Cup result by a British skier, set by Konrad Bartelski, who finished runner-up in a downhill at Val Gardena, Italy, in December 1981. Alexander Khoroshilov of Russia was 1.11 seconds off the lead in third.
DUI arrest costly to Oregon coach
The University of Oregon said new co-offensive coordinator David Reaves will be fired after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, marking the latest problem for the team.
The school said Reaves, whose hiring was announced Tuesday, has been placed on administrative leave and the process to terminate his employment has started.
The move comes less than a week after the school suspended its football strength and conditioning coach for a month without pay following a series of intense workouts that sent three players to the hospital.
Police in Eugene, Ore., arrested Reaves early Sunday.
Reaves served as associate head coach and tight ends coach under new Oregon coach Willie Taggart at South Florida.
Ortiz prevails at Bellator 170
Tito Ortiz choked out Chael Sonnen midway through the first round at Bellator 170 in Inglewood, Calif., putting a remarkable finish on a two-decade mixed martial arts career.
Ortiz (19-12-1) had not fought since September 2015, and he claims this fight was his last. He stepped into the Forum cage two days before his 42nd birthday to face Sonnen (28-15-1), who made his Bellator debut after a 3½year absence from MMA.
After only 100 seconds of grappling, Ortiz escaped trouble and used a rear naked choke, forcing Sonnen to tap out 2:03 into the opening round. The victory was just the fourth in 10 years for Ortiz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion.