Off the wire

GOLF Cook tied for 3rd in Vegas

Patrick Cantlay picked up enough birdies on the back nine to catch up to Martin Laird, and they each had a 6-under 65 to share the lead going into the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.

It was another day of low scoring for just about everyone but U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau. He had a pair of double bogeys through six holes and went from one shot behind to barely inside the top 40. DeChambeau was 5 over through a fivehole stretch on the front nine. He rallied for an even-par 71, but that left him seven shots behind with 30 players ahead of him. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) is one of four golfers tied for third. Cook fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday for a three-day total of 195, two shots behind the leaders. Matthew Wolff, Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman are also at 195. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) also shot a 67 on Saturday and is at 199 after three days.

Kim nears major title

A 10-time LPGA Tour winner, Sei Young Kim has the unwanted title of winningest active player without a major championship. Kim, 27, went on another streaky run of birdies Saturday at Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pa., shooting a 3-under 67 to hold the lead and positioning herself to put that label to rest at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Kim sits at 7-under 203, two strokes ahead of Brooke Henderson and Anna Nordqvist, and will try to win it today on a rare early-morning tee time. The tournament was delayed three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, landing its final round on a packed sports today. The PGA of America had to get creative with the tee times with NBC having other programming commitments on the weekend. Kim, Henderson and Nordqvist tee off at 7:49 a.m. CDT. Kim was runner-up at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018. Kim held the 54-hole lead at a major once, at the 2015 ANA Inspiration, where she finished tied for fourth. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) is tied for sixth place after three rounds. Lopez shot a 2-under 68 on Saturday and is at 2-under 208 after three days. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) also shot a 68 on Saturday and is at 4-over 214. Maria Fassi turned in a 74 on Saturday and is at 9-over 219.

Three share SAS lead

Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie and Woody Austin are tied for the lead at the PGA Tour Champions SAS Championship in Cary, N.C. All three have a 9-under 135 after two rounds of the threeday event. Glen Day (Little Rock) fired a 3-under 69 on Saturday and is at 4-under 140 for the event. John Daly (Dardanelle, Razorbacks) also shot a 69 on Saturday and is at 3-under 141. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 75 on Saturday and is at 5-over 149.

Mullinax leads Korn Ferry

Trey Mullinax shot a 10-under 62 on Saturday to grab a three-shot lead at the Korn Ferry Tour Orange County National Championship in Winter Garden, Fla. Mullinax stands at 24-under 192 after three rounds. George Cunningham, Stephan Jaeger and Stephen Franken are all tied for second at 195. David Lingmerth (Razorbacks) turned in a 66 on Saturday and is at 14 under 202 heading into today’s final round.

MOTOR SPORTS Allmendinger wins Xfinity race

AJ Allmendinger splashed his way through a torrential rainstorm that turned Charlotte Motor Speedway into a slip-and-slide Saturday to win the Xfinity Series race on the hybrid road course-oval “Roval.” Allmendinger won for the second time this season in 10 starts for Kaulig Racing. He’s easily the most experienced NASCAR driver at both road course racing and driving in wet conditions — Allmendinger has a long career in multiple formulas, including sports cars and openwheel, which both race in the rain. Allmendinger’s victory in near darkness on a soaking wet track ended a sloppy race marred by multiple slides through standing water. It was an elimination race for the Xfinity Series playoffs, and Harrison Burton, Brandon Brown, Michael Annett and Riley Herbst were bounced from title contention.

FOOTBALL Jags’ top pass rusher out

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without their best pass rusher at Houston today. Defensive end Josh Allen, who has two of the team’s four sacks this season, was downgraded to out and did not make the trip Saturday. Allen made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season. Rookie K’Lavon Chaisson or Dawuane Smoot is expected to start in Allen’s place.

Bell returns for Jets

Le’Veon Bell will be back in the backfield for the New York Jets. The star running back was activated Saturday from the injured reserve list, and he will be eligible to play for the Jets today at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Bell spent the past three weeks on IR after injuring a hamstring in the season-opening loss at Buffalo. His return should boost a Jets offense that ranks last or nearly last in the NFL in several categories. Frank Gore has started in all four games at running back, but the 37-year-old veteran is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. Bell had 14 yards on 6 carries and 2 catches for 32 yards in the opener before being injured.

Bears put OL on covid list

The Chicago Bears moved offensive lineman Badara Traore from their practice squad to the reserve/ covid-19 list on Saturday. Players on the covid-19 list have tested positive for the coronavirus or are quarantining because they were in close contact with an infected person.

HOCKEY Labanc signs 4-year deal

More than a year after taking a team-friendly contract to help the San Jose Sharks, Kevin Labanc is finally cashing in. Labanc signed an $18.9 million, four-year deal Saturday that carries an annual salary cap hit of $4,725,000. That’s a significant raise from the $1 million he made last season after putting up a career-high 56 points.

Saad traded to Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche acquired rugged winger Brandon Saad in a multiplayer trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Colorado sent defensemen Nikita Zadorov and Anton Lindholm to Chicago for Saad and defenseman Dennis Gilbert. The Blackhawks also will retain $1 million of Saad’s $6 million salary for next season. Zadorov was a restricted free agent, but Chicago said he signed his qualifying offer of $3.2 million prior to the deal. Lindholm’s two-way contract has a salary-cap hit of $742,500, and it runs through the 2020-21 season.

Cook