SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 SPORTS

BASKETBALL Fowles scores 25 as Lynx defeat Fever with WNBA record score

ST PAUL: Sylvia Fowles scored 25 points Minnesota’s previous game, a loss to added 15 points and 10 Sugar Rodgers added 13 points, Nayo Mystics (16-12) at bay. Camille Little and the shattered the Seattle on Wednesday night, because of assists. Ogwumike and Parker made Raincock-Ekunwe 12 and 11 added 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting, and WNBA record for margin of victory at 59 a sprained ankle. Renee Montgomery layups to open the second overtime and for the Liberty (16-12). They also Stephanie Talbot made all three of her 3- points, beating the Indiana Fever 111-52 added 20 points, and Jia Perkins had 15 help Los Angeles (21-8) pull away. snapped the Sun’s eight-game home point attempts and scored 12 points. on Friday night. The Lynx set another points and seven rebounds for the Ogwumike had a jumper with 33 sec- winning streak. The Liberty, with the Brittney Griner, playing in her second league record with a 37-0 run that league-leading Lynx (22-5). They hit onds in the first overtime to tie at 99. WNBA’s top field-goal defense, held the game after missing eight with injuries, began at 4:54 of the first quarter when exactly 100 points three times this sea- The Sky (11-17) rallied from 10 points Sun (18-10) to 34 percent. added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Minnesota led 22-9 and ended with son before Friday’s effort that fell three down with 2:38 left in regulation, with Alexis Jones’ layup for a 59-9 lead, also shy of the team record. hitting two 3-pointers in MERCURY 89, MYSTICS 79 STORM 79, STARS 78 at the 4:54 mark, in the second quarter. the final 11 seconds - the second with 3 Diana Taurasi scored 14 of her 25 had 22 points and Minnesota broke the margin record of SPARKS 115, SKY 106, 2OT seconds left to tie it at 88. points in the fourth quarter to help nine rebounds and Seattle escaped 46 set by Seattle in a 111-65 win over Nneka Ogwumike scored 32 points pull away against with a victory over San Antonio when Tulsa on Aug. 7, 2010. The Lynx, who and Candace Parker added 29 in Los LIBERTY 82, SUN 70 Washington. Taurasi hit a jumper with Kelsey Plum’s basket with 0.8 seconds were 20-2 two weeks ago, but 1-3 since Angeles’ double-overtime victory over Tina Charles had 24 points and seven five minutes to go to give Phoenix (15- left was ruled a 2-pointer after a review losing point guard Lindsay Whalen to a Chicago. Ogwumike added 10 rebounds and New York beat 13) the lead for good at 71-70. With the showed her toe on the 3-point line. hand injury, also played without for- rebounds, and Parker had 12. Chelsea Connecticutto extend its winning streak Mercury up 10, Taurasi added four free added 18 points for Seattle ward Rebekkah Brunson. She left Gray had 20 points and 10 assists, and to four and end the Sun’s run at six. throws in the final minute to keep the (13-16).— AP McIlroy to return for FedEx Cup playoffs

NEW YORK: Rory McIlroy has decided his the World Golf Championship at health is good enough for him to start the Bridgestone and then tied for 22nd at the FedEx Cup playoffs next week in New York. PGA. He revealed after his final round that McIlroy had said after he finished at the he has felt spasms the previous two weeks PGA Championship that he could feel a as he increased his practice. “It’s a tough back muscle spasm in recent weeks as he one because I go there and play and shoot practiced more to get ready for the final decent scores,” he said at Quail Hollow. “But major of the year. He said before leaving when I come off the course, I feel my left Quail Hollow he could return in a few rhomboid going into spasm. (The) inside of weeks or not until next year. my left arm goes numb.” His manager said in a text message that He was headed home to Northern McIlroy plans to play The Northern Trust, Ireland to meet with his trainer and decide which starts next Thursday at Glen Oaks on when or if he should play. It was not clear Long Island. Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s best how many playoff events McIlroy would friend from Northern Ireland, will remain as play. He was No. 41 in the FedEx Cup, and his caddie through the playoffs. the defending champion in two weeks at McIlroy won two playoff events last year, the TPC Boston. The top 30 after three including the Tour Championship, to cap- events make it to the Tour Championship. ture the FedEx Cup and its $10 million Asked at Quail Hollow why he would bonus. That was his last victory. He suffered consider playing, McIlroy said he already a hairline rib fracture in South Africa, his has missed a lot of time this year with the first tournament of 2017, and missed seven lingering injury. The Northern Trust would weeks to let it heal. But after getting mar- be his 12th start on the PGA Tour this sea- ried in April, he says he practiced too much son dating to last October. He has played too quickly to get ready for The Players only 13 times worldwide in 2017. He had Championship, and he wound up taking a said the “next big thing” on his radar was in five-week break to let it heal. April at the Masters, the only major keep- McIlroy plans to be at Yankee Stadium ing him from the career Grand Slam. on Tuesday to celebrate his FedEx Cup title “If I’m capable of playing, I feel like why and commemorate a $1 million donation in shouldn’t you?” he said after the PGA. “But MASON: Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, returns to Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tourna- his name to the St. Jude Children’s Research then at the same time, if you’re not capable ment, Friday, in Mason, Ohio. — AP Hospital. It includes him hitting golf balls of playing at your best, why should you from a suite to targets on the field. play? We’ll see what happens. Assess my The four-time major champion tied for options in the next few days and see where TENNIS fourth at the British Open, tied for fifth at we go from there.” —AP

GOLF Pliskova sweeps into US sweeps fourball matches, takes three-point lead Cincinnati s-finals WEST DES MOINES: The favored Ciganda and Emily Pedersen 6 and 5, and Americans found themselves trailing Kang and Michelle Wie topped Madelene MASON: Defending champion Karolina Pliskova won, but I’m sure she feels like it was a great Stephens also pulled off a two-win day to reach Europe after a sluggish start to the Solheim Sagstrom and 3 and 1. pulled off a doubleheader sweep Friday at the match as well, because it was a tough battle and the semifinals. She beat Ekaterina Makarova in Cup. The U.S. settled down on Friday after- In the other fourball matches, Brittany Western & Southern Open, reaching the semifi- very hot out there.” three sets, and then ate lunch, took a nap, woke noon, pulling away with a record-setting Lincicome and Brittany Lang beat Masson nals by winning a pair of matches with little rest Muguruza’s win came less than 24 hours after up and knocked off Julia Goerges in straight fourball performance. and Florentyna Parker 3 and 2, and Stacy in-between. Rafael Nadal couldn’t do the same. she spent 2 hours, 18 minutes on the court and sets. “The day is just like a blur,” Stephens said. The United States swept the afternoon Lewis and edged Pliskova completed a match that was suspended fought off three match points to beat Madison “I’m ready to get dinner and get in bed because fourball matches to take a 5 1/2-2 1/2 lead and 2 and 1. In the morning overnight because of rain, beating qualifier Keys in the round of 16. Muguruza has reached I’m so tired.” Today, she’ll face No. 2 Simona at Des Moines Golf and Country Club. foursomes, Americans Cristie Kerr and Lexi Camila Giorgi in three sets. After a quick turn- the semifinals of two of the three tournaments Halep, who beat Johanna Konta 6-4, 7-6 (1). Lizette Salas and US newcomer Danielle Thompson rallied to halve with Hull and around, she needed only 67 minutes to beat a she’s entered since winning Wimbledon. “I played the best match so far this tourna- Kang each won two matches, teaming to . For Europe, Hall and Anna rested Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 for a sweep “You know, I’m happy with the way I’m play- ment,” said Halep, who was slowed by a knee beat and Nordqvist beat Paula Creamer and Austin into the semis. “The first match helped me a little ing and the way I’m going through these tough injury earlier this season. “I could hit the ball. I 1 up for the Americans’ lone full point in Ernst 3 and 1, and and Catriona bit to have some rallies already today,” Pliskova matches because, you know, I’ve got to dig in could move well. So I feel the rhythm. It’s back. the morning foursomes, then leading the Matthew topped Lewis and Piller 1 up. said. “Physically it was not that tough, so I was and somehow win them,” she said. Sloan So I’m positive again.” —AP US to its first ever fourball sweep in the The U.S. would find a lot more success in warmed up enough.”Nadal got only halfway afternoon. fourball play - dominating so thoroughly there. He spent an hour and 37 minutes on court “This is the history we really don’t want. that it never trailed in any of the four in the afternoon while beating fellow Spaniard We want the history on Sunday night. We matches. Salas and the 18-year-old Yin set Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a match carried over Captain Smith banks on India want the Cup,” U.S. captain Juli Inkster said. the tone for the afternoon. Salas opened from the previous night. Five hours later, he was “We’ve got a lot of work (ahead). I know with three straight birdies to win those back on court against Nick Kyrgios, who had experience to beat Bangladesh (European captain) Annika (Sorenstam) is holes, and wins on consecutive par 5s won a three-set match earlier in the day. Nadal was sloppy at the outset and on the going to get that team fired up.” helped the duo end the match in 13 holes. DHAKA: Australia captain Steve Smith said years. Australia’s last visit to Dhaka was with defensive for much of a 6-2, 7-5 loss that lasted Salas and rookie Angel Yin routed The 6-and-5 win was the second-largest yesterday his team’s experience in India earlier Ricky Ponting’s team in 2006, six years after the an hour and 20 minutes. “No excuses, nothing at in Solheim history. “Everything kind of fell this year will help overcome the challenge of hosts were granted Test status. all,” Nadal said. “I didn’t play well.” Despite the together,” Salas said. Kang’s putting was sol- Bangladesh in the forthcoming two-Test series. Bangladesh have emerged from that 2-0 loss, Nadal will move back to No. 1 in the ATP id throughout the day - and back-to-back “I think Bangladesh have played some very series defeat as a decent side, winning their last rankings next week for the first time since 2014, birdie putts sealed her and Wie’s win after good cricket and they won a Test match here Test at home and away, respectively against before a series of injuries affected his game. 17 holes. not very long ago. So we are seeing it as a big England and Sri Lanka. Smith said conditions “To be No. 1 after all the things I’ve been Lincicome and Lang improved to 3-0-0 challenge,” Smith said in his first press confer- would be the biggest challenge for them in the going through the last couple years is some- as a four-ball tandem, and Lewis made a ence in Dhaka since arriving here late Friday two Test matches. “The conditions are always thing unbelievable,” Nadal said. “For me, it’s an short birdie putt on No. 17 to complete the amid tight security. quite foreign to us when we come to the sub- amazing achievement.” After the match, Nadal sweep. “It was beautiful. Never seen any- “Hopefully we can learn a lot from what we continent. The wickets are always different than wore a ribbon honoring the victims of the attack thing prettier,” Lang said about seeing the did in India and bring them into the game here what we are used to back home. It’s definitely in Barcelona that left 13 people dead. “A leaderboard lit up in the Americans’ red col- and show some improvements,” he said. going to be a big challenge for us,” he said. tragedy,” he said. “The feeling that you’re not safe or. Thompson, fueled by a surge of adrena- Australia visited India from February to March The visitors are scheduled to play a warm- nowhere - that’s terrible. It’s very sad and I’m line provided by the pro-American crowd for four Test matches and despite a 2-1 loss in up match on August 22-23 before they take on very, very sorry about what happened. To all the singing songs and chanting “USA! USA!” the series Smith’s men were praised for putting Bangladesh in the first Test at Sher-e Bangla victims, the families, friends - all my support.” drilled her tee shot on the first hole to set up a good performance. National Stadium in Dhaka on August 27. The up Kerr’s 12-foot eagle putt to open the Smith led his side from the front scoring second Test will be played at the Zahur Ahmed KYRGIOS WILL FACE DAVID FERRER three-day, biennial event. three centuries to become the highest run-get- Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong from Kyrgios will face David Ferrer, who won his But the Americans stumbled, and they ter in the series with 499 runs at an average of September 4. The Aussies will leave Bangladesh only match of the day - 6-3, 6-3 over fourth- appeared to be finished after Hull’s long 71.28. Smith is now leading Australia for their on September 9 after the end of two-match seeded Dominic Thiem. At age 35, Ferrer is the birdie chip on No. 16. Thompson birdied first bilateral Test series in Bangladesh in 11 Test series. — AFP the next hole, and Kerr halved the match second-oldest semifinalist in Cincinnati during with another 12-footer on 18 - pumping the Open Era behind Ken Rosewall in 1970. No. 7 her fist in the air before the ball even Grigor Dimitrov is the top seed left in a men’s dropped in. field depleted by upsets and injuries - Roger “It was pretty much a you-know-what Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and sandwich out there,” Kerr said. “I’m glad it defending champion Marin Cilic missed the ended up the way it did.” Nordqvist dealt tournament because of injuries. Dimitrov need- with a case of mononucleosis this summer. ed only 52 minutes to beat Yuichi Sugita 6-2, 6-1. But she and Hall, playing in her first He’ll face John Isner, who beat wild-card Solheim Cup, cruised to the only point that Jared Donaldson 7-6 (4), 7-5. Isner won the only came easy for the Europeans. break point of the match to go ahead 6-5 in the Europe will likely need Nordqvist and second set. He closed it out with a 136 mph ace, Hall’s teammates to emulate those per- one of his 25 in the match. “I knew that a lot of formances if it hopes to pull closer to the the conditions and everything about this tour- surging Americans. “I would say that the nament, my schedule - a lot of things have spirit is still there, if not stronger,” worked in my favor this week,” Isner said. “So I Sorenstam said. “You get a little fired up hope to keep it going.” when you see an afternoon like this. We In the women’s bracket, Pliskova will face knew coming in here it was going to be a Garbine Mugaruza in the semifinals. The challenge. And I have fighters on the team, Wimbledon champion survived another tough and I believe in them. We’re just going to challenge on Friday, beating Svetlana WEST DES MOINES: Emily Pedersen of forget about this day. Tomorrow. New Kuznetsova 6-2, 5-7, 7-5. The match went 2 Team Europe looks at her putt during the points. Go out there and grab as many as hours, 45 minutes - her longest of the tourna- second day morning foursomes matches we can.” After more foursomes and four- ment. “I think it was one of the best matches of DHAKA: Australian cricket captain Steve Smith speaks during a news conference in of The Solheim Cup at Des Moines Golf balls, the event will closes with 12 singles the year,” Muguruza said. “I think we both played Dhaka, Bangladesh, yesterday. Australia is scheduled to play two Test matches against and Country Club. — AFP matches today. —AP very well, especially in the third set. I know I Bangladesh with the first Test beginning Aug 27 in Dhaka. — AP