Spieth beats Cantlay with a playoff bunker shot to 7 inches
Jordan Spieth hit a 56-foot shot from a greenside bunker to 7 inches and beat Patrick Cantlay with the tap-in par putt on the first hole of a playoff in the RBC Heritage.
Playing four groups ahead of Cantlay, Spieth birdied Harbour Town’s par-4 18th lighthouse hole in regulation, holing a 10-footer for a 5-under 66 and 13-under 271 total. Cantlay parred the 18th in regulation for a 68.
When Spieth finished, he was a stroke behind Shane Lowry. But Lowry’s chip on the par-3 14th raced across the green and into the water, leading to double bogey. He finished a stroke back after a 69.
In the playoff, Cantlay also hit into the front bunker, with his lie looking like a fried egg. He blasted 35 feet past the cup and missed the par putt.
Three strokes behind Harold Varner III entering the round, Spieth eagled both front-nine par 5s to get into the mix.
Spieth won his 13th PGA Tour title and second straight on Easter Sunday after taking the Valero Texas Open a year ago to end a four-year drought.
Running
PERFECT SPRING WEATHER GREETS BOSTON MARATHON’S APRIL RETURN » The daffodils have sprouted, the fall foliage has all been raked away, and the Boston Marathon is back in the spring where it belongs.
The world’s most prestigious marathon will return to the streets from Hopkinton to Copley Square on Monday, three years after the last Patriots Day race and six months after its 125th edition was delayed, canceled and delayed again by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We went for a run this morning and I was like, ‘OK, this is what it’s supposed to
be. This feels normal,’” 2018 winner Des Linden said last week. “The energy feels right back where we left off. So that was a nice reminder.”
After a smaller and socially distanced field ran in October, more than 28,000 runners have signed up for Monday’s 26.2-mile slog, including 11 former champions and what could be the fastest field ever.
Basketball JOKIC, EMBIID, ANTETOKOUNMPO FINALISTS FOR NBA MVP HONORS »
Nikola Jokic is a finalist to win a second straight NBA MVP award, along with two-time winner Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
The NBA unveiled the top-three finishers in voting for its individual awards Sunday, with the expected names in the running for the marquee award.
Jokic, the Denver Nuggets center, ended Antetokounmpo’s two-year reign last season and was every bit as good this season. Embiid, hoping to join them in the MVP club, led the NBA in scoring.
The winners of the awards will be announced during the postseason.
Baseball
ANGELS’ MIKE TROUT HIT BY PITCH ON HAND, X-RAYS NEGATIVE
» The Los Angeles Angels say three-time AL MVP Mike Trout is day to day and X-rays were negative after he was hit on his left hand by a pitch Sunday.
Trout was struck by a 1-1 slider from Texas Rangers right-hander Spencer Patton leading off the fifth inning. Trout was seemingly handcuffed by the 81 mph pitch, lowering his hands to protect his midsection.
Trout jumped around and shook the hand in pain. He initially walked toward the visiting dugout, then marched about halfway down the first-base line, where he was met by trainer Mike Frostad and manager Joe Maddon. Frostad checked to see if Trout could squeeze the hand, then walked him off the field and back to the clubhouse.
Trout is hitting .267 this season with two home runs and two RBIs. He earlier doubled on a flair to short right field.
The 30-year-old Trout played only 36 games last season through May 17 because of a calf injury.
Trout had surgery in 2017 after tearing ligaments in his left thumb on a slide into second base. He hasn’t played more than 140 games in a season since 2016.