Thompson wins in style at Indy
Lexi Thompson celebrated in the most traditional Indy style. She sipped some milk, poured the rest over her head and, of course, sealed it with a kiss of the bricks.
The 22-year-old Florida player earned it.
After dazzling fans with two days of almost errorfree golf, Thompson overcame some late bobbles for a four-shot victory over Lydia Ko on Saturday in the inaugural Indy Women in Tech Championship in Indianapolis.
Thompson closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 19-under 197 at Brickyard Crossing, the Pete and Alice Dye-designed course that weaves around and inside the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Kind of regretting it now because I feel really gross,” Thompson said, referring to the first milk bath by a female champion in Indy history. “Then I went around the track in a Corvette Stingray, which I also have one there at home. It was just an amazing experience. That made my day right there.”
Shortly after collecting the Waterford crystal trophy and the champions’ wreath on the 18th green, Thompson was driven to the track’s start-finish line where she kneeled down in front of cameras and kissed the bricks. Then, after taking a quick sip, the slightly hesitant player doused herself in almond milk.
The only items that were salvaged were the shoes she wanted for this The Evian Championship, the final major of the season next week in France, and her sunglasses that she handed to someone.
“Here goes this outfit,” Thompson said with a laugh before posing for more photos with a streak of milk running down her nose.
Thompson won her ninth career LPGA Tour title and became the fourth player and first American with multiple wins this season.
MCCARRON ON A ROLL >> Scott McCarron was in a familiar spot at the top of a PGA Tour Champions leader board in his first trip to Japan, with Kevin Sutherland close behind. Coming off his third victory in the last six tournaments, the 52-year-old McCarron shot his second straight 6-under 66 on at Narita Golf Club in Chiba, Japan, to take a onestroke lead over Sutherland in the Japan Airlines Championship the senior tour’s first event in Japan. BAY AREA GOLFERS SHINE >> Cal’s Collin Morikawa and Stanford’s Maverick McNealy won their singles matches and teamed up with their partners to win morning foursomes to help the United States take an 8-4 lead over Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Los Angeles Country Club. The United States needs 13½ points to regain the cup. The matches conclude Sunday.
Soccer
TIMBERS IN FIRST >> Diego Valeri scored in his seventh straight game to tie the MLS record and help the visiting Portland Timbers beat New York City FC 1-0. The Timbers (129-8) took first place in the Western Conference, moving two points ahead of the Seattle Sounders.
CHICAGO EARNS DRAW >> Nemanja Nikolic tied it in the 66th minute for Chicago in the 1-1- draw against New York. Bradley Wright-Phillips volleyed home Sacha Kljestan’s header pass in the eighth minute to open the scoring for the Red Bulls. Wright-Phillips has 15 goals this season to join Robbie Keane as the only MLS players with four 15plus goal seasons. RARE WIN ON ROAD FOR RAPIDS >> Dominique Badji scored in the 93rd minute, and the Colorado Rapids ended a nine-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo. The result was Colorado’s first road win of the season and the first points for interim head coach Steve Cooke. It was the first home loss of the season for Houston (10-9-8).
Cycling
FROOME A LOCK TO WIN
FIRST TOUR OF SPAIN >> Chris Froome is poised to break his streak of runner-up finishes at the Spanish Vuelta after the Tour de France champion maintained his overall lead on the final competitive stage of the grand tour. Froome increased his advantage over Vincenzo Nibali through the rainy 73mile mountainous ride in Stage 20 from Corvera de Asturias to a grueling summit finish at the Alto de l’Angliru.
Under race tradition, the top riders do not challenge each other in the professional final stage. Dominant at the Tour in recent years, Froome has finished the Vuelta as runner-up on three occasions. He came in behind Juanjo Cobo in 2011, Alberto Contador in 2014, and Nairo Quintana last year.
Barring a mishap in Madrid, Froome will become only the third rider to complete the Tour-Vuelta double in the same season. Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) achieved the feat.