Cal’s Murphy wins 50 backstroke in record fashion

Cal swim star Ryan Murphy set an American record in winning the men’s 50-meter backstroke Friday at the U.S. national championships in Irvine.

Murphy, double Olympic backstroke champion in Rio de Janeiro, won in 24.24 seconds, breaking the 10-year-old American record of 24.33 set by Randall Bal. NC State’s Justin Ress finished second in 24.31 while Cal sophomores Daniel Carr and Bryce Mefford finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

It was Murphy’s second win of the meet, and he swims for the backstroke sweep today in the 100.

Caeleb Dressel won for the first time in three events, taking the 100 butterfly. Dressel, winner of seven golds at last year’s world championships, powered to the wall in 50.50, fastest in the world this year.

Motorsports

FORCE HAS FAST START >> Courtney Force picked up a full two-hundredths of a second to earn the provisional Funny Car No. 1 qualifier spot on the back of a 3.91-second blast at Sonoma Raceway on the first day of time trials at the NHRA Toyota Nationals. She carried the entire John Force Racing operation on her back as teammate Robert Hight suffered an explosion in the second qualifying stanza. Jack Beckman (3.929) and Bob Tasca III (3.95) followed Force to pick up the rest of the bonus points.

Clay Millican annihilated the field with a 3.801-second run to score three points and head to the top of the Top Fuel heap. He got past Toyota drivers Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta, who both ran 3.855 sideby-side.

NBA

CAPELA RETURNS TO ROCKETS >> Center Clint Capela has signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Houston Rockets. Capela, who was a restricted free agent, averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks all career-highs last season. The 24-yearold had 42 double-doubles last season, and Houston was 25-2 when he scored 15 or more points.

RILEY HAS PLAN FOR WADE >> Heat president Pat Riley said that he will have talks with managing general partner Micky Arison in the coming days about Dwyane Wade’s future. Realistically, there’s only two contract options for Miami to present Wade — the $5.3 million exception, or the $2.4 million veteran minimum. The potential luxury tax implications Miami could face next year would rise in either case.

College football

SABAN GETS NEW DEAL, RAISE >> Alabama coach Nick Saban has received a new eight-year deal worth at least $74 million. The agreement runs through the 2025 season. Saban gets a one-year extension with a sizable raise for the 66-yearold coach, who has led the Crimson Tide to five national championships over the past nine seasons.

Saban’s salary will increase to $7.5 million this season and go up by another $400,000 in each subsequent year.

FOOTBALL PLAYERS ACQUITTED >> Two former University of Tennessee football players were acquitted of the aggravated rape charges they had been indicted on nearly 3 years ago. A jury of seven women and five men foound A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams not guilty on all counts.

Golf

EAGLES SOAR FOR BRADLEY IN CANADA >> Keegan Bradley played the last four holes in 6 under, making two of his three eagles, to pull within a shot of the lead in the RBC Canadian Open. Playing alongside leader Kevin Tway at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario, Bradley closed birdie-eaglebirdie-eagle for a 9-under 63. He also eagled the par-5 second hole. Tway birdied the final hole for a 65 to get to 13 under. Whee Kim had a 65 to match Bradley at 12 under.

Johnson Wagner (65) and Byeong Hun An (67) were 11 under, and top-ranked Dustin Johnson (66), Zac Blair (67), Joaquin Niemann (67) and Aaron Baddeley (6) followed at 10 under. JIMENEZ, AMES SHARE LEAD >> Miguel Angel Jimenez and Stephen Ames were sharing the lead on 9-under when darkness ended play early in the second round of the Senior British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Ames is among 18 players who must return this morning to complete their rounds. The Canadian golfer has one hole to go.

Jimenez fired a 5-under 67 for a total of 135, one better than American pair Jeff Sluman (68) and Kirk Triplett (71) and defending champion Bernhard Langer (69).

Among three players in the clubhouse on 137 was three-time winner Tom Watson, who remarkably shot his age by posting a 68. JOH SHOOTS 67 TO RETAIN SCOTTISH OPEN LEAD >> Tiffany Joh, who is chasing a maiden LPGA Tour victory, shot a 4-under 67 to stay in front after the second round of the Ladies Scottish Open at Gullane Golf Club. The 31-year-old American closed at 13-under 129. U.S. Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn produced a joint best-of-the-day 65 to get within three strokes of the lead on 132, along with Amy Yang (66) of South Korea. LATE BIRDIE BLITZ KEEPS

DECHAMBEAU IN FRONT >> Bryson DeChambeau reeled off four birdies in the last seven holes to shoot a 4-under 68 and remain top of the leader board after the second round of the European Open in Hamburg, Germany.

The 24-year-old American, who led overnight, finished with a 10-under total of 134. He is one stroke ahead of Richard McEvoy

of England (65) and Matthias Schwab (67) of Austria. U.S. Masters champion Patrick Reed (66) shared fourth at 8 under.

STANFORD’S SALINDA WINS PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR >> Senior Isaiah Salinda secured the biggest victory of his career by winning the 52nd Pacific Amateur Championship on the Lake Course at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Salinda, who started the final round with a three-stroke advantage, closed with a 72. A South San Francisco native, Salinda (71-67-62-72) finished at 12-under 272, edging Austin Eckroat at 11-under 273. Cardinal senior Brandon Wu, of Danville, was third at 9-under 275

Tennis

ISNER GETS INTO ATLANTA SEMIFINALS >> John Isner advanced to the BB&T Atlanta Open semifinals for the ninth straight year, beating Germany’s Mischa Zverev 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 on Friday. Seeking his fifth victory in Atlantic in the past six years, the top-seeded Isner set up a match against fourth-seeded Matthew Ebden of Australia. Ebden beat Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-2. Ryan Harrison will face Cameron Norrie in the other semifinal.

Track and field

RUSSIA NEARS REINSTATEMENT >> Russia could be provisionally reinstated to worldwide track and field competition in December if it meets certain conditions, the International Association of Athletics Federations announced.

NHL

CAPS FINALIZE DEAL WITH WILSON >> The Washington Capitals have re-signed right winger Tom Wilson to a $31.02 million, six-year deal. Signing Wilson was the final need on the Stanley Cup champions’ offseason checklist. The 24-yearold was their final restricted free agent. Wilson had 14 goals and 21 assists last season.