Scheffler holds WM Phoenix Open lead in bid to repeat
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> Scottie Scheffler held onto the lead Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open in a bid to successfully defend his title and regain the No. 1 spot in the world.
The second-ranked Scheffler shot a 3-under 68 in front of some 200,000 fans at TPC Scottsdale to get to 13 under, two strokes ahead of third-ranked Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor.
Rahm also had a 68, holing a curling 40-footer for birdie on the stadium 16th for his third birdie in four holes. Taylor shot 67.
Scheffler would take the No. 1 spot from Rory McIlroy — tied for 28th at 3 under after a 70 — with a victory, as long as McIlroy finishes worse than solo third. Scheffler also could get to No. 1 by finishing solo second if McIlroy is 36th or worse and Rahm doesn't win.
Rahm, the former Arizona State star from Spain, would go to No. 1 with a victory if McIlroy finishes worse than a three-way tie for second, or by finishing solo second if McIlroy finishes worse than solo 47th and Scheffler doesn't win.
College Basketball
NO. 14 BAYLOR RALLIES TO BEAT NO. 17 TCU >> Adam Flagler scored 28 points, with 16 in a row for 14th-ranked Baylor during the stretch when the Bears overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half and then held on to beat No. 17 TCU 72-68 on Saturday.
LJ Cryer had 23 points for the Bears (19-6, 8-4 Big 12), who on Jan. 4 at home against TCU blew a 17-point lead in an 88-87 loss. They have won nine of their last 10 games.
TCU (17-8, 6-6) had a chance to tie or take the lead after a turnover by Flagler with 8.1 seconds left, when surrounded by Damion Baugh and Shahada
Wells in front of the Horned Frogs bench. Officials initially gave the ball to Baylor, but reversed that call after an extended review and discussion.
Baugh, who finished with 16 points and 10 assists, then missed a jumper with three seconds left. Flagler then hit two free throws after being fouled in the aftermath of the missed shot.
Jakobe Coles had 15 points and Emanuel Miller 10 for the Horned Frogs, who played their fourth game in a row without top scorer Mike Miles Jr. and were also without injured big man Eddie Lampkin Jr. They have lost four of five. CREIGHTON HOLDS OFF UCONN FOR 8TH WIN IN ROW >> Trey Alexander scored 17 points to lead No. 23 Creighton, UConn had what would have been a tying 3-pointer erased on video review in the final seconds, and the Bluejays held off the 21st-ranked Huskies 56-53 on Saturday.
Creighton (17-8, 11-3) is a half-game behind Big Eastleading Marquette with its eighth straight win. The Huskies (19-7, 8-7) lost for the first time in four games.
Alexander, who went to the bench after committing his fourth foul with 7:08 to play, returned four minutes later with his team ahead 52-49. Alexander scored inside to make it a five-point game, but Jordan Hawkins' second-chance basket pulled the Huskies within three with a minute left.
Baseball
A'S ACQUIRE BLEDAY FROM MARLINS IN TRADE FOR LEFTY PUK >> The Oakland A's acquired lefty-hitting outfielder JJ Bleday from Miami, sending left-hander A.J. Puk to the Marlins.
The 25-year-old Bleday made his major league debut last year, hitting .167 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 65 games. He made 27 starts in center field.
Picked fourth overall in the 2019 draft, Bleday hit .228 with 20 homers and 52 RBIs in 85 games for Triple-A Jacksonville last year.
The 27-year-old Puk went 4-3 with a 3.12 ERA and four saves in 62 relief outings last season. He had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and a shoulder operation two years later, costing him two seasons — one being the virus-shortened 60game 2020 campaign.
The A's drafted the 6-foot-7 in the first round in 2016 and he's spent time as both a starter and reliever. RELIEVER JASON ADAMS BEATS RAYS IN SALARY ARBITRATION >> Reliever Jason Adam beat Tampa Bay in the first of four arbitration cases involving the Rays and will get $1.775 million instead of the team's offer of $1.55 million.
Adam was 2-3 with a career-low 1.56 ERA and a career-best eight saves in 67 relief appearances last season, striking out 75 and walking 17 in 63 1/3 innings. The right-hander earned $1.15 million.
Arbitrators Jasbir Parmar, Margaret Brogan and Stephen Raymond made the decision on Saturday, a day after hearing arguments.
Tampa Bay also is awaiting decisions in the cases of relievers Ryan Thompson ($1.2 million vs. $1 million) and Colin Poche ($1.3 million vs. $1.175 million) and outfielder Harold Ramirez ($2.2 million vs. $1.9 million). Those decisions are being held for cases involving other players to be argued or settled next week.