Sports

Yuka Saso Shines Through 36 Holes at The Amundi Evian Championship – LPGA

Published

1 year ago

July 28, 2023

Major champion Yuka Saso currently sits 6-under through 36 holes at The Amundi Evian Championship, carding rounds of 67 and 69 on days one and two to put herself in the mix heading into the weekend. The Japan native fired a bogey-free 4-under 67 on Thursday, making three birdies in her last nine holes to tie her lowest first-round score of the 2023 season. She then grounded out an impressive 2-under 69 on Friday after opening with a double bogey and a bogey on her first two holes of the day. Saso made two more bogeys throughout the round but ultimately carded seven birdies to remedy her slow start, including back-to-back birdies on holes 6 and 7 as well as 16 and 17.

It’s the first time that the 22-year-old has opened with two rounds in the 60s since the Honda LPGA Thailand in February, and it’s only the second time she has recorded back-to-back rounds in the 60s this season, with the last time being at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship where Saso finished solo second. The 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion said that keeping a level head after a poor start was the key to her Friday bounce-back and is looking forward to another shot at a second LPGA Tour title this weekend in Evian-les-Bains.

“First two holes I was already 3-over. Not the start that I was hoping for,” Saso said. “I knew that’s going to be a tough day, especially with the wind getting stronger in the afternoon and switching completely opposite compared to the first day. So just try to be patient and try to have fun. I’m playing with two great players, and I was able to do that and finish good. Happy where I am and rest a little bit and try to get ready for the weekend.”

This is Saso’s second start at the Amundi Evian Championship and her 13th event of the 2023 season. She missed the cut in this event last year, and this year, she has earned five top-10 finishes, three of which have come in her previous four starts at the Mizuho Americas Open (T7), KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (2) and Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (T3), where Saso played alongside Celine Boutier. While she’s been playing incredibly solid golf this summer, Saso said that last week, in particular, was a good boost heading into the challenge of a major championship. Considering that Boutier is also playing well so far this week, it looks like Team “Eiffel Power” will be at least two of the players duking it out for the Amundi Evian Championship title over the weekend.

“I don’t know if (Celine is) happy. I don’t know. But me, yes, I’m very happy,” Saso said. “I really enjoy playing with her and obviously she’s a multiple LPGA winner and just a very nice person. I hang out with her sometimes. Yeah, I think (the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational) was a good week for me.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Sports

Cavaliers and free agent forward Isaac Okoro agree to 3-year, $38 million deal, AP source says

Published

15 hours ago

September 14, 2024

Anne Joseph

CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.

ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.

The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.

The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.

Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.

His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.

Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.

___

AP NBA:

Source link

Sports

Canada’s Marina Stakusic falls in Guadalajara Open quarterfinals

Published

1 day ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.

The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.

Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.

In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.

The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Source link

Sports

Kirk’s walk-off single in 11th inning lifts Blue Jays past Cardinals 4-3

Published

1 day ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.

Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.

Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.

He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.

The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.

Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.

He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.

George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.

Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.

In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.

St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

ON DECK

Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.

The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Source link