Spieth in cliffhanger at Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Jordan Spieth put himself into the mix Saturday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am title in California, and he lived to tell about it.
Ona day when Seamus Power went backward to allow a half-dozen other players back in the tournament, Spieth went backward just to make sure he didn’t fall over a 60-foot cliff
Spieth had a 9-under 63, his career low at Pebble Beach, to go from 10 strokes behind Power to one shot behind the leading trio of Beau Hossler, Andrew Putnam and Tom Hoge.
“That was by far the most nerve-wracking shot I’ve ever hit in my life,” Spieth said after his shot went just left of the green.
His tee shot ran out through the fairway, short of going over the edge of the cliff. Keeping all the weight on his right leg, Spieth hit the shot and immediately backpedaled to level ground. From the rough, he chipped down the slippery green to 18 feet and made the par putt.
Hossler had a 65, narrowly missing a second eagle of the round on the 18th hole. He was the first to reach 15-under 200.
More golf
Leona Maguire became the first Irish winner in LPGA Tour history in Fort Meyers, Fla., closing with a 5-under 67 for a three-stroke victory in the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony. “It’s huge for Irish golf,” Maguire said. “There
was never an Irish player on the tour, let alone a winner. Hopefully, there is a lot of people watching at home tonight with big smiles on their faces and little girls watching knowing they can do that, too.” Tied with Marina Alex for the secondround lead Friday after a 65, Maguire had seven birdies and two bogeys for a 18-under 198.
• Nicolai Hojgaard shot an 8-under 64 to take a threestroke lead into the final round of the Ras al Khaimah Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The 20-yearold Dane, seeking his second DP World Tour title, birdied five of his final six for a 54hole total of 20-under 196, with David Law (69) his nearest rival at 17 under at Al Hamra Golf Club.
• Harold Varner III birdied the par-5 18th hole to shoot a 2-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead on Adri Arnaus into the final round of the Saudi International at King Abdullah Economic City. Defending champion Dustin Johnson was five strokes back at the Asian Tour event, which paid big appearance fees to lure PGA Tour and DP World Tour regulars.
Women’s basketball
TheAtlanta Dream traded ChennedyCarter and the rightsto Li Yueru to the Los AngelesSparks for Erica Wheeler,Los Angeles’ firstrounddraft choice next year andthe No. 15 pick this season.
Soccer
Cameroonproduced an epicfight-back from three downto finish at 3-3 before winningthe third-place matchagainst Burkina Faso ina 5-3 penalty shootout at theAfrican Cup of Nations in Aqunde,Cameroon.
College
ThePitt gymnastics team (2-3,1-2 EAGL) returns to FitzgeraldField House for its secondhome meet, playing hostto a quad meet at 2 p.m. Sundaywith N.C. State (6-1, 11EAGL), West Virginia (2-3, 0-2Big 12) and Alaska-Anchorage(0-3, 0-3 MPSF).