Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — GOLF

Mickelson increases lead

Phil Mickelson drew the loudest roars from the biggest crowd in golf history Saturday at the Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. Mickelson nearly aced the par-3 16th, hitting a 9-iron to a foot to set up a birdie on the rowdy stadium hole packed with nearly 20,000 screaming fans. Estimated at 179,022, the third-round crowd broke the record of 173,210 set last year, also on a Saturday at TPC Scottsdale. The event has drawn 467,030 for the week and is in position to break the mark of 538,356 set in 2008. Mickelson birdied the final four holes and five of the last six for a 7-under-par 64 and a six-stroke lead at 189 over Brandt Snedeker. The 42-year-old former Arizona State star has led after each round, opening with a 60 and shooting a 65 Friday. He fell a stroke short of the tour record for the first 54 holes, and matched the tournament mark set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001. Snedeker had a 65 to reach 18 under. Padraig Harrington and Ryan Moore were tied for third at 16 under. Harrington, making his first appearance in the event, shot a 63, and Moore had a 65. Bryce Molder (Conway) shot his third consecutive 67, with four birdies and no bogeys, for a 201. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) slipped to 206 after a 71 with four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

Stephen Gallacher of Scotland shot a 10-under-par 62 Saturday to take a three-shot lead at the Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Desert Classic and break a three-round scoring record set by Tiger Woods 12 years ago. The 111th-ranked Gallacher holed a 25-yard bunker shot on the 18th for an eagle to finish with a 21-under 195 in rare rainy conditions in the desert. That improved on Woods’ tournament mark by a shot and just missed tying the course record of 61 set in 1994 by Ernie Els. Overnight leader Richard Sterne (66), who also shot 62 in the opening round Thursday, tried to keep pace with long birdie putts on eight and 11 and a 45-footer on No. 15.

Thorbjorn Olesen (67) finished five shots back in third place.

Sixteen-year-old Australian amateur Oh Su-hyun and 17-year-old Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn shared the second-round lead Saturday at the Australian Ladies Masters in Gold Coast. Oh shot an 8-underpar 64 on the soggy Royal Pines course hit by more than 16 inches of rain in the past week, while Ariya had a 65. They had two-round totals of 10-under 134 and a one-stroke lead heading into the final round today of the European Ladies Tour’s opening event of the season. Australian Stacey Keating, who shot 67, and last year’s Australian Open winner American Jessica Korda (68) were tied for third.

FOOTBALL Arians coach of year

Bruce Arians has become the first interim coach to win the top NFL award from The Associated Press, taking the 2012 Coach of the Year honors for his work with the Indianapolis Colts. Arians now is head coach in Arizona. Arians took charge of the Colts in late September after Coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia. The Colts, 2-14 the previous season, went 9-3 under Arians and made the playoffs. Other AP award recipients were Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson (Offensive Player of the Year), Houston defensive end J.J. Watt (Defensive Player of the Year), Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III (Offensive Rookie of the Year), Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly (Defensive Rookie of the Year) and Denver quarterback Peyton Manning (Comeback Player of the Year). Peterson also was named NFL MVP.

Texas A&M defensive lineman Kirby Ennis has been suspended from the team after being arrested on a gun charge. According to Brazos County, Texas, jail records, Ennis was arrested Friday night by the College Station police department and charged with disorderly conduct, discharge or display of a firearm. He was released on a $2,000 bond early Saturday morning. There were no further details available on his arrest. Ennis had 24 tackles, including two tackles for losses and a sack, in 13 games last season.

BASKETBALL Hawks re-sign Pargo

The Atlanta Hawks have signed former Arkansas Razorbacks guard Jannero Pargo to a second 10-day contract. In five games since signing with the team Jan. 21, Pargo has averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 assists. The Hawks announced the second 10-day deal before Saturday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls. Pargo played seven games earlier this season with Washington.

BASEBALL

1971 NL Rookie of Year dies

Earl Williams, the 1971 National League Rookie of the Year, died earlier this week at home in Somerset, N.J., of acute myeloid leukemia. He was 64. Williams earned the 1971 rookie award after hitting 33 home runs with Atlanta. He hit 28 home runs the next year, then was traded to Baltimore after the 1972 season in a multi-player deal that sent Davey Johnson to the Braves. The big catcher spent two years with the Orioles, often arguing with Manager Earl Weaver, and later played for Montreal and Oakland. His final season in the majors was 1977 at age 29. Williams hit 138 career home runs with 457 RBI and batted .247.

TENNIS Bryan brothers upset

Brazil’s doubles team of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares upset the top-ranked Mike and Bob Bryan 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and kept the United States from clinching the first-round Davis Cup match in Jacksonville, Fla. It was only the third time the Bryan brothers had dropped a Davis Cup match. The United States has a 2-1 advantage heading into today’s reverse singles.

FOOTBALL

Parcells, Sapp, Carter among 7 Hall inductees

NEW ORLEANS- Bill Parcells was a winner everywhere he coached. Time and time again, he took over struggling franchises and showed them what it takes to be a success, including two Super Bowl titles with the New York Giants.

Parcells pulled off another victory Saturday - election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Getting in on his fourth try, Parcells led an induction class that also included mouthy defensive lineman Warren Sapp, prolific receiver Cris Carter and two stalwarts from the trenches, offensive linemen Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen.

The class of 2013 also included two senior selections, Curley Culp and Dave Robinson. The announcement was made inNew Orleans, site of today’s Super Bowl.

Almost as noteworthy were the finalists who didn’t get in, including running back Jerome Bettis and owners Art Modell and Edward DeBartolo Jr. Players and coaches from the Baltimore Ravens, who will face the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, spent all week lobbying for Modell, their former owner who died last year, to claim a place in the hall.

In addition to Bettis, four other players failed to get in on the final vote: Charles Haley, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan and Aeneas Williams. Earlier in the day, the selection committee eliminated DeBartolo and Modell, as well as ex-players Tim Brown, Kevin Greene and Will Shields.