SPRINT CAR DRIVER DAVID STEELE DIES IN SPEEDWAY CRASH
bradenton, fla.» Sprint car veteran David Steele died Saturday night after a crash in a race.
Desoto Speedway officials said in a Facebook post late Saturday night that track owners and staff were saddened by the crash. The statement said Steele was trying to win his 100th race in Florida.
A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report said Steele was driving a sprint car when his vehicle’s left front wheel struck the right rear wheel of another car, causing Steele’s vehicle to go up in the air, spin 180 degrees and hit the retaining wall.
Medics attempted to treat him but he was pronounced dead. He was 42.
NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne tweeted that Steele was “one of the best and such a good guy to hang out and have a beer with.”
Johnson wins in Match Play
B austin, texas» Dustin Johnson won the Match Play with more drama than he needed to cap off an otherwise dominant week that made him the first player to sweep the four World Golf Championships.
The scorecard will show Johnson never trailed in any of his seven matches over 112 holes, ending with a 1-up victory over Jon Rahm for his third straight victory that left no doubt who was No. 1 in the world.
The look of concern, especially as Rahm made a bold charge in the final hour, spoke to a long day.
Johnson was 4 up with six holes to play when the Spanish rookie with a big game and no fear hit driver over the water and onto the 13th green to win the hole with a birdie. He stuck a wedge close on the 15th for another birdie. Rahm hit a shot through the trees on the 16th and won the hole with a 30-foot birdie.
The rematch Rahm wanted against Johnson, who held him off in Mexico City three weeks ago, ended the same way. His big rally was a little short. • D.A. Points was never better at the start, and good enough at the end.
Points opened the final round of the Puerto Rico Open with five straight birdies, then overcame a rugged stretch by saving pars and piling up enough birdies for a 6-under-par 66 and a two-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau.
• Mirim Lee of South Korea shot a 7-under 65 to win the Kia Classic by six strokes and tie the tournament record of 20-under.
So Yeon Ryu of South Korea and Austin Ernst of Greenville, S.C., tied for second at 14-under.
Lee came into the final round with a one-shot lead over Mi Jung Hur.
• Casey Wittenberg won the Web.com Louisiana Open at 21-under 263 after a final round 69. He beat China’s Xin-jun Zhang by three strokes.
NFL hires medical officer
B phoenix» The NFL hired Dr. Allen Sills as its chief medical officer.
Sills is a neurosurgeon who has specialized in the treatment of athletes and will fill a new full-time position based in New York.
The 52-year-old will work with NFL team medical staffs, the NFL Players Association and its advisers, as well as experts on the league’s medical committees. He will guide the NFL’s health and research efforts.
Mammoth beats division leader.
Jeremy Noble scored four goals, Zach Greer and Callum Crawford each had three, and Chris Wardle tallied four assists as the Mammoth beat the West Division-leading Saskatchewan Rush 14-11 late Saturday night.
Colorado is one game behind Saskatchewan in the division.
Venus, Rafa roll in Miami Open
B key biscayne, fla.» Venus Williams beat qualifier Patricia Maria Tig 6-3, 6-0 to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 0-6, 6-2, 6-3. The match was the 1,000th for Nadal, who improved to 822-178.