Briefly

McCurdy, Park advance to final of U.S. Amateur golf tournament

Amanda McCurdy, playing in her first U.S. Women’s Amateur golf tournament, dominated a struggling and more experienced Paula Creamer 6 and 4 on Saturday to advance to today’s final at Erie, Pa.

McCurdy will face last year’s runner-up, Jane Park, 17, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Park defeated Sarah Huarte, 22, of Shingle Springs, Calif., in a match in which Huarte three-putted the 18th.

McCurdy, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Arkansas, said that after making the semifinals she had 24 voice messages on her cell phone from family and friends.

“Nobody really knew who I was and everybody knew the marquee names, so I really did have nothing to lose,” said McCurdy, the only semifinalist who wasn’t on the U.S. Curtis Cup team.

Creamer, 18, of Pleasanton, Calif., had made short shots all week to reach the semifinals for the second consecutive year. But she had six bogeys in the semifinal and hit only five of 14 greens.

McCurdy went 1-up on the third hole when Creamer bogeyed the 152-yard par-3, and she never lost the lead. Creamer was frustrated heading into the back nine, where McCurdy had widened her lead to 3-up.

“That was ridiculous,” Creamer said, shaking her head and stunned after she three-putted on the 10th hole.

Meanwhile, Park had been down to Huarte during much of the match. Huarte was 2-up after the par-4 13th hole, a 384-yard dogleg left. But she bogeyed the par-5 14th and the par-3 15th, evening the match heading to the par-4 16th.

Park bogeyed No. 16 but won the hole after Huarte three-putted for a double bogey. Huarte again three-putted on the 18th, losing the match.

College football

Huskers QB faces serious surgery

University of Nebraska quarterback Jordan Adams will undergo surgery to remove his spleen, sidelining the junior college transfer for at least a month.

“The doctors feel as though they can go in there in a couple of weeks and remove the spleen surgically, and then we’ll get him back two weeks after that,” said Huskers coach Bill Callahan.

Adams was diagnosed in December with mononucleosis, an illness characterized by fever and swollen lymph glands. Earlier this summer, his spleen ruptured because of complications from the disease.

He was considered a contender for the starting spot until he became ill.

Callahan said with Adams sidelined, sophomore Joe Dailey has the edge for the starting role when the Cornhuskers open the season on Sept. 4 against Western Illinois.

•Colorado receiver Jeremy Bloom will join the U.S. ski team in Chile for training while he waits to hear whether the NCAA will allow him to play football while accepting ski endorsements.

Bloom will head to Santiago, Chile, today, but said he would return to Boulder if the NCAA rules in his favor.

Horse racing

Kicken Kris wins after protest

Kicken Kris was declared the winner of the Arlington Million at Arlington Heights, Ill., when Powerscourt was disqualified for interference in the stretch.

As Powerscourt took the lead, Kicken Kris tried to make a move on the inside but was bumped into the rail by Epalo, who was between the horses.

•Better Talk Now closed steadily to win the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational by 1 1/2 lengths at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Miscellany

Canada into U-18 final

Canada’s Under-18 hockey team downed the United States, 4-0, in the world championships in Slovakia and will face the unbeaten Czech Republic in today’s final.

•The Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League signed center Daymond Langkow to a one-year contract worth $2.95 million, avoiding arbitration.

•Italy’s Flavia Pennetta won the Idea Prokom Open for her first WTA Tour title, beating Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 at Sopot, Poland.