GOLF
Jaeger wins Knoxville
Stephan Jaeger birdied the final two holes for his second consecutive 7-under 64 and a three-stroke victory in the Web.com Tour's Knoxville Open. The 28-year-old PGA Tour player from Germany, a college star at Tennessee-Chattanooga, won his fourth career Web.com Tour title after failing to get into The Players Championship. He finished at 16-under 268. Money leader Sungjae Im was second after a 68. Wyndham Clark had a 65 to finish third at 12 under. Cameron Davis, Derek Ernst, Matt Harmon and Wes Roach were tied for fourth at 11 under. Taylor Moore (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) were tied at 4 under. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) was 2 over.
Lagergren wins playoff
Joakim Lagergren of Sweden won his first European Tour title with a dramatic playoff victory over Mike Lorenzo-Vera at the Sicilian Open on Sunday. Lagergren birdied the first extra hole at Verdura Golf Club after he and overnight leader Lorenzo-Vera had finished tied on 16 under par. Lorenzo-Vera began the day with a two-shot lead but he could only card a final round 70 and recorded his second consecutive runners-up finish after losing out in the final of GolfSixes alongside Romain Wattel last week. Lagergren made four birdies in his first nine holes to shoot 68 and finish level with the Frenchman. Australia's Lucas Herbert matched the lowest round of the week with a 63 to finish a shot behind in third alongside England's Andy Sullivan.
TENNIS
Zverev takes Madrid
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev beat fifth-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-4 to win the Madrid Open on Sunday, claiming his second title in a week. Zverev broke Thiem's opening service games in each set to win in 1 hour, 19 minutes. Zverev, 21, won his eighth career title and second of the season after also winning the Munich Open last weekend. Thiem lost his second consecutive final at the Caja Magica. He avenged last year's final loss to Rafael Nadal by beating him in Friday's quarterfinals for the Spaniard's first clay-court loss in a year. It was Zverev's second victory in six meetings with Thiem.
Wawrinka struggles
Stan Wawrinka is still struggling to regain his form following surgery on his left knee. Playing his first match since February, the three-time Grand Slam champion lost to 55th-ranked Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-4 Sunday in the first round of the Italian Open in Rome. Wawrinka committed 30 unforced errors to Johnson's 17, was broken once in each set and failed to take advantage of his only two break opportunities. Also on the red clay of the Foro Italico, Italian wild card Lorenzo Sonego had strong fan support as he came back from a set down to defeat Adrian Mannarino 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew from the tournament citing a muscular injury that occurred during a grueling three-set victory over Kiki Bertens in Saturday's Madrid Open final. The women's tournament at the Foro Italico begins today. It's the last Masters 100 event before the May 27-June 10 French Open.
MOTOR SPORTS
Hamilton victorious
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday by 20 seconds for his second consecutive Formula One victory, increasing his championship lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. Valtteri Bottas secured a one-two for Mercedes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while Max Verstappen completed the podium despite finishing the race with a broken front wing on his Red Bull. Vettel, who now trails Hamilton by 17 points in the drivers' standings, was only fourth after a slow pit stop. Daniel Ricciardo was fifth with Red Bull, ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas and the Spanish duo of Carlos Sainz of Renault and Fernando Alonso of McLaren. Charles Leclerc of Sauber and Sergio Perez of Force India closed out the top 10.
HORSE RACING
Magic in, Bolt out
Mother's Day weekend proved to be a tumultuous one for the 2018 Preakness field, with trainer Chad Brown committing Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic to a rematch with Justify while Bolt d'Oro's trainer-owner Mick Ruis pointed his contender to New York rather than Baltimore. Good Magic legitimately pushed Justify over the mud at Churchill Downs but could not ultimately make up ground on the big chestnut and lost by 2 1/2 lengths. Brown, who won the 2017 Preakness with Cloud Computing, said he did not think his horse could have caught Justify that day. But he had no plans to run Good Magic in the Belmont Stakes, and with the colt training well after the Derby, he figured an immediate rematch made the most sense. Good Magic will ship to Baltimore today and gallop at Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday morning. Ruis decided the Metropolitan Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard would be a better option for his horse than the Preakness. He had originally planned to ship Bolt d'Oro back to California for freshening immediately after the Derby. But after seeing how quickly his colt rebounded and analyzing how the mud at Churchill seemed to affect him, Ruis reconsidered the Preakness. He ultimately decided a longer rest and a shorter return race would be best for Bolt d'Oro.
FOOTBALL
Former NFL coach Chuck Knox dies
Chuck Knox, the former NFL coach who took the Los Angeles Rams to three consecutive NFC championship games and also led the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills, has died. He was 86.
The Rams and Seahawks said Sunday that Knox died Saturday night.
“He established a winning culture and a legacy that will never be forgotten, being the only coach to lead the Rams to five consecutive double-digit-win seasons,” the Rams said in a statement. “The memories and accomplishments that Coach Knox left behind will continue to inspire us and Rams fans. We hold his family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Called “Ground Chuck” for his run-first offenses, Knox was the NFL coach of the year in 1973, 1980 and 1984. He went 186-147-1 during 22 seasons as an NFL head coach, including two stints with the Rams. He won five consecutive NFC West titles from 1973-77, and returned in 1992 for the franchise’s final three seasons in Los Angeles before its move to St. Louis.
The Pennsylvania native left the Rams in 1978 for the Buffalo Bills. After five seasons, he took over the Seahawks in 1983 and immediately led the franchise to its first playoff berth and the AFC title game. He spent nine seasons with Seattle.
“His presence projected an external toughness, but merited instantaneous respect by the genuine care and concern he held for his players,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “He was one of the great influencers not only in football, but in life.”
Knox was a two-way tackle at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., serving as a captain on the school’s undefeated 1953 team. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Juniata. He was a high school assistant at Tyrone and then head coach at Ellwood City before moving on to Wake Forest and Kentucky.
Knox entered professional football in the AFL with the New York Jets as offensive line coach in 1963, and played a key role in the recruitment of quarterback Joe Namath. He remained with the Jets until 1966, and was then offensive line coach with the Detroit Lions from 1967-1972.
Sports on 05/14/2018