In brief: Mickelson holds off Els, wins HSBC

Golf: Phil Mickelson has won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai by rallying past a familiar foe, only it wasn’t Tiger Woods.

Mickelson made two clutch putts down the stretch today and closed with a 3-under 69 to overcome a late charge by Ernie Els, who was in the lead until hitting into the water on the last hole and making bogey.

Woods fell six shots behind on the front nine and did well to stay on the leaderboard the rest of the way. He closed with a 72 and finished five shots back.

•Bo Bae Song wins Mizuno Classic: South Korea’s Bo Bae Song won the Mizuno Classic at Shima, Japan, for her first LPGA Tour title, closing with a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory over Lorena Ochoa, Brittany Lang and Hee Young Park.

Song finished with a 15-under 201 total and earned $210,000 for the win.

Haye decisions Valuev for WBA title

Boxing: David Haye backed up weeks worth of boasting, winning the WBA heavyweight title with a majority decision over Nikolai Valuev at Nuremberg, Germany.

The brash British boxer used his superior quickness over the huge Russian, who came close to being knocked down for the first time in his 16-year pro career in the final round.

Haye won his third fight since moving up from cruiserweight. He fought Valuev, the heaviest champion in history, after antagonizing the other heavyweight titleholders, brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko.

•Dawson beats Johnson again to remain undefeated: Chad Dawson, fighting in his home state, won an unanimous decision over an older and slower Glen Johnson to remain undefeated and win the interim WBC light heavyweight title at Hartford, Conn.

The 27-year-old Dawson outboxed his 40-year-old opponent, who was never able to get close enough to land the hard punches that made their first fight in April 2008 so close.

Fire reach Eastern Conference final

Soccer: John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored as the Chicago Fire advanced to the Eastern Conference final with a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution at Bridgeview, Ill.

Chicago entered the match trailing in the two-game, total-goal semifinals series after a 2-1 defeat at New England last Sunday.

Thorrington scored in the 35th minute of Game 2 with Marco Pappa and Brandon Prideaux getting assists. Blanco sealed the win with six minutes remaining in regulation.

Putz, Pavano file for free agency

Baseball: Mets reliever J.J. Putz and Twins pitcher Carl Pavano have filed for free agency.

Putz became a free agent one day after New York declined his $9.1 million option and chose to pay a $1 million buyout.

A total of 120 players have filed for free agency since the World Series.

•Yomiuri Giants win Japan Series: Catcher Shinnosuke Abe drove in the game-winning run to help the Yomiuri Giants defeat the Nippon Ham Fighters 2-0 and win the Japan Series in six games.

It was the first Japan Series title in seven years for the Giants.

Islanders’ Martinek out for season

Hockey: Oft-injured New York Islanders defenseman Radek Martinek is out for the season with a knee injury.

The 33-year-old Martinek tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Friday night in the third period of a 2-1 loss at New Jersey, the Islanders said.

•Canada beats US women in Four Nations final: Canada rallied from a goal down to beat the United States 5-1 in the Four Nations Cup final at Tikkurila, Finland.

Jocelyne Lamoreux gave the U.S. women’s hockey team the lead midway through the first period before Canada took control.

The Canadians quickly took a 2-1 lead and then added three power-play goals in the last two periods to secure the win.

Emelianenko scores TKO over Rogers

Mixed Martial Arts: Fedor Emelianenko stopped Brett Rogers in the second round in a Strikeforce M-1 Global heavyweight bout at Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Emelianenko (31-1) landed a right hook that sent Rogers (10-1) down to the mat and Emelianenko followed with exchange of punches to the face of Rogers. Referee John McCarthy ended the fight at 1:48 in the second round.

Federer to play for Swiss Indoors title

Tennis: Roger Federer will play Novak Djokovic in the Swiss Indoors final in a bid for a fourth straight title in the tournament in his hometown of Basel, Switzerland.

Federer defeated childhood friend Marco Chiudinelli 7-6 (7), 6-3 in one semifinal. Earlier, Djokovic saved three match points in rallying to beat Radek Stepanek 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-2.

They’ve split four matches this year, with Federer winning the last meeting.