GOLF
Knox wins WGC championship
Russell Knox made an unexpected trip to Shanghai and left with a most surprising victory Sunday in the HSBC Champions. Knox, 30, became the first player to win a World Golf Championship in his debut when the Scot was flawless on the back nine of Sheshan International and closed with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory over Kevin Kisner. Knox only found out a week ago Friday that he was in the HSBC Champions as an alternate when J.B. Holmes withdrew. He was in Malaysia and had to scramble to get a Chinese visa, arriving in time for one practice round. Then, he held off a world-class field for his first PGA Tour victory. Li Haotong, the 20-year-old from China, faded quickly with a bogey-double bogey start. But he kept it entertaining the whole way around and at least achieved his goal of finishing in the top 10. Li saved par on the 18th hole for a 72 to tie for seventh, the highest finish ever by a Chinese player in a PGA Tour event. Jordan Spieth, 22, starting the final round three shots behind, never got anything going. Two birdies on the back nine at least allowed him to post a 70 and tie for seventh, enough for the Texan to return to No. 1 in the world. Kisner birdied the 18th for a 70 to finish alone in second. David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished in a tie for 72nd and won $41,375.
• Billy Andrade won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, beating Champions Tour points winner Bernhard Langer with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. Andrade two-putted from the back fringe on the par-5 18th, holing a 2 1/2-footer for his third victory of the year on the 50-and-over tour. Andrade, 51, closed with a 6-under 64 at Desert Mountain, making a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 to post at 14-under 266. Langer also won the money title for the record fourth consecutive year and record seventh time in eight years, finishing with $2,340,288.
• Roberto Castro clung to a one-stroke lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., after playing the first six holes in the suspended third round in 2-over par. Play was suspended because of darkness at the Country Club of Jackson and will resume this morning with the final round following immediately.
• Sun-Ju Ahn won the Toto Japan Classic for her first LPGA Tour victory and 20th Japan LPGA title, beating fellow South Korean player Ji-Hee Lee and American Angela Stanford with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. Ahn, 28, closed with a 5-under 67 at Kintetsu Kashikojima to match Stanford and Lee at 16-under 200. Stanford also shot 67, and Lee had a 66. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished in a tie for sixth place at 12 under and won $37,062.
• Former UALR golfer Daniel Fox (1999-01) earned his first victory on the PGA Tour of Australasia on Sunday, winning the Nexus Risk TSA Group Western Australia Open at Royal Fremantle. Fox, 39, started the final day with a one-stroke lead, but struggled early with bogeys on the third and sixth holes. He rebounded on the back nine with four birdies, including 25-footer on the 18th hole to give himself a three-shot lead. Fox finished the tournament at 11-under par.
BASKETBALL
Another ban for Southern Miss
Southern Mississippi says it is self-imposing a postseason ban for the basketball program for a second straight season because of an ongoing NCAA investigation regarding former coach Donnie Tyndall's tenure. Southern Miss received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA in July that alleged multiple violations, including academic fraud. Tyndall, who left Southern Miss for Tennessee in 2014, was fired by the Volunteers as a result of the NCAA's investigation into the Golden Eagles. Southern Miss Athletic Director Bill McGillis said Sunday he is "disappointed for the current members of our men's basketball team and coaching staff, none of whom were involved in any alleged violation of NCAA rules." McGillis said the decision was "appropriate given the findings of the recent university and NCAA review of our program."
MOTOR SPORTS
Rossi loses title, lashes out
Valentino Rossi went on a rant against Marc Marquez after falling short in his attempt to win another MotoGP title, accusing the Spaniard of ruining his championship chances by helping countryman Jorge Lorenzo in the final three races of the season. Lorenzo won Sunday's Valencia GP from pole position to clinch his third MotoGP title. Rossi needed to come second but couldn't manage more than a fourth-place finish after starting from the back of the grid because of a penalty for kicking Marquez in the previous race. While Lorenzo celebrated, Rossi was left complaining. The veteran Italian accused Marquez of not trying his best to compete with Lorenzo on Sunday, saying his behavior was "embarrassing" and the championship was not "won on the track."
TENNIS
Djokovic continues Paris Masters streak
PARIS -- Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-2, 6-4 to win the Paris Masters for the third consecutive year and a record fourth time overall, dominating the second-seeded Briton from the outset in a one-sided final.
The top-ranked Serb was largely untroubled clinching his 10th title of the season -- four ahead of Roger Federer and six more than Murray. It was the 58th title of his career and 26th in Masters events, two more than Federer and one behind leader Rafael Nadal.
"I am obviously very proud and very happy to win this title again," said Djokovic, 28. "It's a great tournament and all the best players in the world were here."
Djokovic also extended his winning streak to 22 matches, and will be the favorite to win the season-ending ATP finals for the fourth consecutive time when that tournament starts in London on Nov. 15.
Despite dropping only one set on the way to the final, Murray simply could not compete as Djokovic won his sixth Masters title of the year -- setting a new record.
"It's been an incredible year for him, well done," Murray said.
Serving for the match, Djokovic clenched his fist and yelled when Murray's return landed out to give him match point. When Murray's aggressive two-handed backhand went just wide, he turned and blew a kiss to his coach Boris Becker -- who has won this event three times.
In their 30th career meeting, Djokovic improve to 21-9 against Murray, a two-time Grand Slam winner who beat the Serb in the 2013 Wimbledon final.
But since then, Djokovic has won 10 of their 11 encounters. His only loss during that spell was in August, when Murray beat him in the Rogers Cup final in Montreal.
The second point of the match lasted 22 strokes, but that was about as competitive as it got.
Djokovic broke Murray at love in the third game, and the Briton had to save three break points in the fifth. Djokovic then held at love and broke again before serving out the set in 42 minutes.
Murray dropped his serve again to trail 2-1 in the second set but broke right back, only for Djokovic to get another break in the seventh game when the Briton's forehand sailed long.
Sports on 11/09/2015