In brief: Furyk claims solo lead over Goosen, Donald

Golf: Jim Furyk headed to the first tee Saturday in the Tour Championship in Atlanta and heard his father and coach, Mike Furyk, give him a simple instruction to “just play golf.”

It’s a reminder he has uttered over the years not to get too caught up in mechanics or strive for the perfect swing, but to hit the ball, find it and get it in the hole as quickly as possible.

That might not be bad advice for today, either.

Just play golf. Don’t think about the $10 million at stake.

Furyk twice walked off a green happy to make bogey, made consecutive birdies late in his round that put him atop the leaderboard at East Lake and wound up with an even-par 70 for a one-shot lead over Retief Goosen and Luke Donald.

That set the stage for a FedEx Cup finale that has never had so many possibilities.

Furyk, Goosen and Donald all can win the FedEx Cup and its $10 million bonus by winning the Tour Championship, which comes with a $1.35 million prize of its own. So can Geoff Ogilvy, only three shots behind. Paul Casey and Charley Hoffman, both within five shots of the lead, can win golf’s biggest payoff without even winning the tournament.

Furyk was at 8-under 202, and a victory today could be a real breakthrough. He has never won three times in a season, and his third PGA Tour title this year might warrant strong consideration for player of the year.

Even so, Furyk is aware not only of how many players are behind, but how many possibilities exist.

A victory gives Furyk or Goosen the FedEx Cup as long as Casey isn’t the runner-up or Hoffman doesn’t finish third alone.

Donald can win the cup as long as Matt Kuchar, the top seed, doesn’t finish second. Kuchar shot 72 and was 10 shots behind.

Ogilvy, who shot a 72 was three shots behind at 5-under 205, can win the $10 million provided Casey isn’t second, Hoffman isn’t third and Kuchar doesn’t find a way to finish seventh.

It starts with playing well today, when the tee times will be early because rain is in the forecast that could dramatically change the fast, firm conditions of East Lake.

• Cochran increases Champions Tour lead: At Cary, N.C., Russ Cochran shot a 5-under 67 in the SAS Championship to increase his lead to four strokes, the largest 36-hole margin the history of the Champions Tour’s event.

Cochran birdied the final two holes at Prestonwood Country Club to finish at 13 under.

Ted Schulz (68) was second, and defending champion Tom Pernice Jr. (71) was 8 under along with John Cook (64) and Nick Price (69).

Cook played the back nine in a tournament-record 8-under 27, eagling the par-4 14th and par-5 17th.

Basketball: Even when the offense wasn’t clicking, the defense carried the U.S. women’s basketball team. The U.S. had only three points in the first 8 minutes against France, before pulling away for an 81-60 victory in the women’s basketball world championships at Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Candice Dupree and Tina Charles each added 10 points for the Americans (3-0).

The competition will get a bit tougher in the second round as the Americans will have to play Canada, Belarus and Australia – the defending world champion. Up first are the Canadians on Monday, who lost to Belarus.

• Lakers’ Bynum likely out until late November: Although Andrew Bynum has showed up on time for training camp with the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers, he’ll be back on the court even later than his coach expected.

The Lakers’ starting center said he won’t play until at least late November while recovering from surgery on his right knee.

Bynum had his knee drained twice during the playoffs and a third time after Los Angeles won its second straight title.

Mir knocks out Filipovic at UFC 119

Miscellany: Frank Mir waited for the right moment, then knocked out Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic with a hard knee to the face and a strike to the chin late in the third round of their heavyweight bout at UFC 119 in Indianapolis.

Mir earned an important victory in his quest to return to championship contention. He had been knocked out in his previous fight against Shane Carwin.

Ryan Bader remained unbeaten by dominating Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a light heavyweight bout. He won all three scorecards 30-27 by using superior striking and several takedowns to keep the Brazilian off balance.

Hometown fighter Chris “Lights Out” Lytle defeated Matt Serra by unanimous decision in the welterweight division.

• Apart easily wins Super Derby at Louisiana Downs: Apart used a strong stretch run to easily win the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

Apart, ridden by Jesse Campbell, was fourth at the final turn of the Grade II, $500,000 race for 3-year-olds. He then swung wide, charged to the lead and won going away ahead of runner up Distorted Economy. Hurricane Ike finished third.

• Shoemaker, Bennett win U.S. Triathlon elite titles: Olympians Jarrod Shoemaker and Laura Bennett overcame steamy conditions to win titles at the U.S. Triathlon Elite National Championship in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Shoemaker, of Maynard, Mass., finished the Olympic-distance course in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 13 seconds for his first U.S. triathlon elite title.

Bennett, of Boulder, Colo., captured her second career elite title with a time of 2:04:13 – more than 2 minutes clear of the field.

• Rangers waive defenseman Redden: The New York Rangers placed defenseman Wade Redden on waivers before their preseason game against the New Jersey Devils. Redden is in the third season of a six-year, $39 million contract.