Red-hot Korda shoots 60, nearly ties LPGA record

Danielle Kang played great, tying her career low with an 8-under 63 and protecting her lead Saturday in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

But Jessica Korda owned the day.

A sizzling 28 on the back nine -- 9-under par -at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando lifted Korda to an 11-under 60, just one shot off the LPGA Tour scoring mark.

Kang was at 21-under 192 through three bogeyfree rounds. Her total tied an LPGA mark for raw score through 54 holes (shared by three others) and shattered the tournament’s 54-hole record (200). She will take a twoshot lead over Korda into Sunday in what sets up as a terrific shootout for the LPGA’S season opener:

Kang leads Jessica Korda by two and Nelly Korda (67) by six.

Jessica Korda, 27, is the older of the LPGA’S ubertalented sisters -- younger sister Nelly, 22, is No. 4 in the women’s world ranking, just ahead of Kang.

Korda became the tour’s first player with a 60 since Pleasanton’s Paula Creamer shot a 60 in the 2008 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. Korda became the fifth LPGA player to ever shoot that number.

Korda’s round was just one shot off the record of 59 by Annika Sorenstam nearly 20 years ago in Phoenix. Sorenstam is at Diamond Resorts this week competing in the 53-player celebrity division.

THREE-WAY TIE AT PGA’S LA QUINTA STOP >> Max Homa has been tearing up the Stadium Course at The American Express for two days. If he can do it one more time Sunday, the Southern California native could be raising his second career PGA Tour trophy.

Homa made nine birdies and shrugged off a double bogey on the way to a 7-under 65 in the third round, joining Tony Finau and Si Woo Kim atop the leaderboard at 15-under 201.

Richy Werenski also shot a 65 and moved within a shot of the lead at PGA West near Palm Springs.

Scotland’s Russell Knox is at 13 under and shot the day’s low round with a 64 — one stroke off the course record.

First-round leader Brandon Hagy from Cal shot a 72 and was even with second-round leader Sungjae Im at 10 under.

Baseball

DODGERS LOSE HERNANDEZ TO BOSTON >> Free-agent infielder Enrique Hernandez is reportedly moving cross country, leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers after agreeing on a two-year, $14 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, according to sources.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have also reportedly agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with righthander Garrett Richards.

Hernandez spent the last six years in Los Angeles after coming over in a seven-player trade with the Miami Marlins back in December 2014. The 29-yearold hit .230 with five homers and 20 RBIS last season on the way to winning the World Series with the Dodgers in October.

Richards, a 10-year veteran with a history of injuries, appeared in 14 games (10 starts) for the San Diego Padres last season and was 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA, striking out 46 over 51 1/3 innings.

METS CONSIDERING TREVOR BAUER? >> The Mets, who lost out on free-agent George Springer, could be focusing in on adding Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer to their starstudded rotation. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported the Mets are considering signing Bauer, who had a career year with a 1.73 ERA, 0.79 WHIP over 73 innings with the Reds last season.

The Mets already have Jacob degrom, Marcus Stroman and will get Noah Syndergaard back from Tommy John surgery. BLUE JAYS ANNOUNCE SPRINGER DEAL >> The Toronto Blue Jays officially announced the signing of center fielder George Springer to a six-year, $150 million contract.

The deal, reported earlier this week, includes a $10 million signing bonus and allows the three-time All-star to block trades to eight teams.

Springer will earn $22 million in 2021, $28 million in 2022 and $22.5 million in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, per multiple reports.

Tennis

ANOTHER PLAYER WITHDRAWS FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN >> Portugal’s Joao Sousa, who has won three career singles titles, said he will not play in next month’s Australian Open, citing the country’s strict COVID-19 protocols.

The 31-year-old Sousa recently tested positive for COVID-19 and said he has since returned a negative test. But Sousa said on his Instagram account that he will not be traveling to Melbourne for the Grand Slam event.

Currently, 72 players are serving a mandatory 14day quarantine after arriving in Australia for the tournament that begins Feb. 8.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray also withdrew this week. Murray recently tested positive for COVID-19.