Brooke Henderson gave herself some breathing room in her bid for a breakthrough victory. The 17-year-old Canadian opened a five-stroke lead Saturday in the Cambia Portland Classic, shooting a 7-under 65 at Columbia Edgewater in Portland, Ore. She's trying to join Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson as the only players to win an LPGA Tour title before turning 18. On a warm, calm day, Henderson made seven birdies in her bogey-free round. Henderson, who turns 18 in September, tied the tournament 54-hole record of 18-under 198 set by Yani Tseng in 2013. The five-stroke margin is the largest third-round lead on the LPGA Tour this year. Morgan Pressel was second after a 65. A victory today would assure Henderson of finishing among the tour's top 40 on the money list, giving her an LPGA Tour card for next season. LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan denied Henderson's age petition last year, preventing her from playing Q-school. She earned a spot in the Portland Classic field in Monday qualifying. German players Sandra Gal (65) and Caroline Masson (70) were tied for third at 12 under. Jaye Marie Green had a 63 -- the best round of the week -- to move into a tie for ninth at 9 under. Ko was tied for 53rd after after a 72. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 70 and a 3-round total of 6-under 210.
• Dawie vander Walt shot a 7-under 65 Saturday, leaving him alone in first place at the Web.com Tour's Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo. His 23-under 193 was 4 strokes better than Smylie Kaufman and Martin Piller, who were tied for second at 19 under. Sebastian Vazquez was alone in fourth place at 17 under after a 6-under 66 on Saturday. Glen Day (Little Rock) had a 5-under 67 (202). Zack Fischer (Little Rock) and Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) were tied at 13-under 203 for three rounds. Fischer had a 6-under 66 and Ridings had a 3-under 69 on Saturday. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) shot a 3-under 69 (207). Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) did not make the cut.
HORSE RACING
Pizza Man wins
The Pizza Man won the Arlington Million on Saturday, beating Big Blue Kitten by a half-length for his third consecutive victory. Ridden by Florent Geroux, The Pizza Man moved through the middle of the field in the last quarter-mile in the 1 1/4-mile turf race, taking the lead with a sixteenth to go and crossing the line in 2:02.20. Big Blue Kitten, saving space on the rail, grabbed the lead from Shining Copper at the top of the stretch, only to see The Pizza Man speed by on the outside. Shining Copper was third in the Grade 1 stakes, followed by Up With The Birds and Wake Forest. The 6-year-old winner paid $13.60, $6.60 and $4.60. Big Blue Kitten returned $4 and $3.20, and Shining Copper paid $11.40 to show. Owned by Chicagoan Richard Papiese and trained by Roger Brueggemann, The Pizza Man had been cross-entered in Saturday's American St. Leger, which he won last year, but Papiese decided to run him in the biggest race of Chicago's racing season. It paid off in a $600,000 purse, plus an enhanced resume for The Pizza Man in his 15th victory, 13 of which have come at Arlington International Racecourse. Irish-based horses swept the other graded stakes. Watsdachances edged Stephanie's Kitten by a neck in the Grade 1 Beverly D for fillies after Secret Gesture, the first horse to finish, was disqualified for interfering with Stephanie's Kitten in the stretch. Watsdachances had come from off the pace in the final quarter-mile of the 1 3/16-mile race. Secret Gesture was moved back to third. Highland Reel ran away to a 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes. Closing Bell was second by a head over Force The Pass, which broke from the gate slowly in the 1 1/4-mile turf test. It was Highland Reel's second consecutive victory and first in the U.S. Lucky Speed took the lead with a sixteenth remaining to capture the Grade 3 1 11/16-mile American St. Leger by three-quarters of a length over Britain's Panama Hat.
• Grand Arch held off Ironicus by a neck in the Grade 2 $500,000 Fourstardave on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. After stalking King Kreesa for six furlongs, Grand Arch steadily gained ground on the stubborn pacesetter through the stretch and had enough left to turn back late-running Ironicus for his first graded stakes victory in more than a year. Ridden by Luis Saez and trained by Brian Lynch, Grand Arch ran a mile in 1:34.65 over a firm inner turf course and paid $18.20, $7.60 and $4.90. Ironicus returned $4.30 and $3 for second, a neck ahead of defending Fourstardave champion Seek Again, who paid $9.20. In the co-feature, Ron Winchell's Just Wicked emerged from a stretch duel with favored Tonasah for a 1 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies. Ridden by Jose Ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen, Just Wicked ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.61 over a fast main track in her third career start and first in a stakes. She paid $8.70, $3.50 and $2.60. Tonasah returned $3.20 and $2.40, and Delicate Lady paid $3.
BASKETBALL
Embiid surgery set
Fans of the Philadelphia 76ers finally know when Joel Embiid will have foot surgery. Yahoo Sports reported Saturday that Embiid will undergo surgery Tuesday. A source confirmed the Sixers' rookie center has acknowledged that date. This will be the second surgery on his right foot. Embiid will have bone graft surgery similar to the one Kevin Durant had in May. He is expected to miss all of next season, the team announced July 11. In June, the team announced Embiid had a setback in his recovery. He missed what would have been his rookie season after undergoing surgery last June to repair a stress fracture in the navicular bone in his right foot. A routine checkup two months ago revealed Embiid's foot was in worse condition than it had been in his previous evaluation. The bone wasn't as mended as it had been before. The Sixers stated that Embiid's surgery would take place in seven to 10 days in their July 11 announcement. That time passed and Embiid didn't have the procedure. But the 21-year-old remains pain-free and is outwardly jovial.
• Jason Richardson, a 13-year NBA veteran, will sign a non-guaranteed contract with the Atlanta Hawks and come to training camp next month, according to a person familiar with the situation. He is expected to sign the contract Monday. Richardson, 34, played 34 games with the 76ers last season. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 21.9 minutes. Richardson did not play in 2013-14 as he battled foot and knee injuries. He had microfracture surgery on his left knee in March 2014. He missed a total of 764 days when he appeared in a game with the 76ers on Feb. 20 and had 7 points and 7 rebounds in 18 minutes. The guard/forward was a first-round pick of the Warriors (No. 5 overall) in 2001 out of Michigan State. He played six seasons with the Warriors and averaged 18.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. He also played with the Hornets, Suns and Magic and has career averages of 17.1 points and 5.0 rebounds. Richardson is known for winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest in back-to-back years in 2002-03. The addition of Richardson gives the Hawks 17 players on the training-camp roster, including partially guaranteed contracts of Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway. The Hawks open training camp Sept. 28.
• The New Orleans Pelicans have decided to hold part of their training camp at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, which this summer is hosting its second consecutive New Orleans Saints training camp. The decision, announced Saturday night, comes after a trip Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps and Coach Alvin Gentry made to the resort about a week ago. Both the Saints and Pelicans are owned by Tom Benson, 88, a New Orleans billionaire who bought the NBA team in 2012. The Greenbrier has no permanent basketball courts, but has indoor spaces large enough to accommodate temporary courts, such as a tennis facility near its golf course clubhouse. The club plans to practice at the resort from its first day of camp on Sept. 29 through Oct. 2.
Sports on 08/16/2015