AROUND SPORTS Reed moves into lead at The Northern Trust
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Patrick Reed handled the strong gusts and a Liberty National course starting to dry out with a 4-under-par 67 on Saturday that gave him a one-shot lead over Abraham Ancer of Mexico going into the final round of The Northern Trust.
Reed has not won since the 2018 Masters, though it has not been a lack of trying. He has played 41 times worldwide since his major victory, including a pair of team events. He said he is getting closer and just needs some good scores, and he has them this week.
“It’s close, and it feels good,” Reed said. “Feels like this has been coming for some time, and now it’s just go out and stick to the game plan tomorrow and hopefully we have a chance to win the golf tournament.”
Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, playing in the final group, faltered.
Johnson, twice a winner of this FedEx Cup playoffs opener, did not make a birdie until the 10th hole and then saw his round fall apart with four bogeys over the last six holes for a 74 that dropped him five shots behind.
Spieth began his round by hitting his tee shot into the water, lost ground and momentum with a sloppy double bogey — his first of the week — from the fairway on No. 7 and recorded only two birdies in his round of 74. It was his second consecutive Saturday swoon, and this one could be costly. He is No. 69 in the FedEx Cup, and a strong finish this week could help salvage his season with a trip to East Lake for the FedEx Cup finale.
Reed was at 14-under 199 and will be paired in the final group with Ancer (68).
In other golf news:
• Trying to follow her sister with a Ladies Scottish Open victory, Moriya Jutanugarn shot a 4under 67 to take a onestroke lead into the final round at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick. Ariya Jutanugarn won last year at Gullane. Moriya Jutanugarn is at 16under 197. South Korean players Jeongeun Lee6 (66) and Mi Jung Hur (70) were tied for second.
SOCCER
Penalty kick lifts Dash to road win
Rachel Daly converted a penalty kick in the 87th minute to propel the Dash to a 1-0 victory over the Pride in a National Women’s Soccer League match at Orlando, Fla.
The penalty capped a tumultuous sequence that started when Dash captain Kealia Ohai was brought down inside the penalty area by a Pride defender. As referee Reyna Fonseca consulted with her assistant referee near the sideline, Orlando forward Marta threw Daly to the turf as Daly stood over the ball, earning Marta an early exit from the match.
Daly then calmly stepped up and buried the penalty kick in the left-side netting of the goal to put the Dash ahead with just minutes remaining.
The Dash (6-7-4, 22 points) moved to fifth in the league standings and are four points behind fourth-place Seattle. The top four teams advance to the league playoffs.
MOTOR SPORTS Cindric prevails in Xfinity race
Austin Cindric raced to his second consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, holding off Christopher Bell at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington.
Cindric, 20, won for the first time in the series last week on the road course at Watkins Glen.
Driving the Team
Penske No. 22 Ford, Cindric finished 3.780 seconds ahead of Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. A.J. Allmendinger, driving a Chevy for the northeastOhio based Kaulig Racing was third, 10.290 seconds behind.
In other news:
• Austin Hill hopes that he is getting his groove back just in time to make a run at winning the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship. Hill held off Sheldon Creed to win at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., earning his second victory of the year and his first since the season-opening race at Daytona. The playoffs begin Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway with Hill, Brett Moffitt, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Ross Chastain, Johnny Sauter and Tyler Ankrum. Creed and Tyler Dippel finished behind Hill but missed making the eight-driver field. Both had a shot to earn a spot in the playoffs with a win at MIS. Creed came close, finishing just 0.125 seconds behind Hill.
TENNIS
Nadal, Medvedev in Rogers final
Top-seeded defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain advanced to the Rogers Cup final when Gael Monfils of France withdrew before their semifinal.
Nadal will face eighthseeded Daniil Medvedev, a 6-1, 7-6 (6) winner over sixth-seeded Karen Khachanov, in the all-Russian first semifinal Sunday at Montreal.
In women’s play at Toronto, teenager Bianca Andreescu advanced to the Rogers Cup title match with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over Sofia Kenin, becoming the first Canadian in 50 years to make the women’s final.
Andreescu, 19, will face Serena Williams on Sunday. Williams, 37, beat Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the second semifinal.
MISCELLANEOUS Skeeters coast past Somerset
Two-run doubles by Denis Phipps and Alberto Cordero paved the way for a six-run first inning as Sugar Land coasted to a 10-2 Atlantic League victory over Somerset at Bridgewater, N.J. Also in the inning, D.J. Peterson had a RBI single and Zach Borenstein drove in a run with a double. The Skeeters added two runs in the fourth on homers by Anthony Giansanti and Jason Martinson. Peterson also homered in a two-run ninth. … Alabama freshman running back Trey Sanders is “out indefinitely” after suffering a foot injury at practice, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. Saban said the injury will require surgery but did not provide details. Sanders was the nation’s No. 6 overall prospect and top running back in the 247Sports composite rankings. Saban also said linebacker Joshua McMillon suffered “a potential knee injury.”