In brief: Baird makes leap up leaderboard
Briny Baird made a huge move up the leaderboard, with a eight-birdie, one-bogey effort through 15 holes getting him to 14-under-par and within two shots of leaders Bob Estes and Daniel Chopra during the suspended third round at the Ginn sur Mer Classic in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
“Denis Watson shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Jim Thorpe into the final round of the Champion Tour’s Charles Schwab Championship in Sonoma, Calif.
“Suzann Pettersen left everyone else behind in the Honda LPGA Thailand in Pattaya, Thailand, birdieing five of the last seven holes for a bogey-free 9-under 63.
Baseball
N.Y. has offer
The Yankees are preparing to offer Alex Rodriguez a contract extension that probably will run for four or five years and have an average yearly salary of $25 million to $30 million.
New York has attempted to set up a meeting with Rodriguez, but the slugger’s agent, Scott Boras, hasn’t committed to a face-to-face session.
“Longtime Houston Astro Craig Biggio won the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to a major league player who combines community service with excellence on the field.
Figure skating
Lysacek falls short
Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi was outpointed in the free skate by U.S. champion Evan Lysacek, yet still won Skate America in Reading, Pa., thanks to his overwhelming margin from the short program.
Takahashi fell twice and also tired toward the end of the routine. But his lead of more than 12 points from Friday was enough to hold off Lysacek.
Miscellany
Myers honored
Olympic swimming hopeful Whitney Myers, who set 14 school records at the University of Arizona, is the NCAA Woman of the Year.
Myers, a science education major from Oxford, Ohio, received the honor at a dinner in Indianapolis. She was selected from an initial field of 128 nominees.
“Former Tri-Cities Fever coach Tony Wells had one of his two outstanding warrants dropped.
A fraud charge from Boone County, Ky., was dismissed just three days after Fever owner Doug MacGregor fired Wells.
“Denise Karbon of Italy won the World Cup season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, her first victory in four years, and Olympic champion Julia Mancuso finished runner-up.
“The U.S. women’s select team lost to CSKA Moscow 75-65 in the final of the FIBA World League tournament in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
“Second-seeded Andy Murray beat third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (1) to advance to the final of the St. Petersburg Open in St. Petersburg, Russia. Murray will face Fernando Verdasco.
“Top-ranked Roger Federer defeated Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) to move into the final of the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel, Switzerland. He will play Jarkko Nieminen.
“Second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova beat Nicole Vaidisova 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3) to advance to the final of the Generali Ladies in Linz, Austria. She will face Patty Schnyder.