Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Johnson outlasts Casey to take BMW

Dustin Johnson celebrates his BMW Championship win.  (Associated Press)

Golf: In Lemont, Ill., Dustin Johnson won the BMW Championship and eased a summer of Sunday disappointments.

Playing in the final group for the fourth time since June, Johnson blasted a tee shot over the trees on the 17th hole at Cog Hill to set up a tap-in birdie and the outright lead. He closed with a 2-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Paul Casey.

It was the second victory this year for Johnson, a 26-year-old American who has quickly emerged as one of golf’s rising stars. And it helped ease the sting of lost chances in three other tournaments, including two majors.

He blew a three-shot lead at the U.S. Open. He made up a three-shot deficit at the PGA Championship, only to lose a one-shot lead on the final hole when he didn’t realize he was in a bunker and grounded his club.

Johnson moved to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings, giving him a clear shot at the $10 million bonus in two weeks at the Tour Championship.

• Tseng rallies past Wie: Taiwan’s Yani Tseng won the Northwest Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Ark., for her third victory of the year, shooting a 6-under 65 to rally past Michelle Wie.

Tseng, also the Kraft Nabisco and Women’s British Open winner this year, birdied four of five holes early on the back nine, then held on for a one-stroke victory over Wie with a birdie on No. 18. Tseng finished at 13 under.

Wie, three strokes ahead entering the final round, closed with a 69. Mika Miyazato (64) was third at 10 under.

• Cochan uses birdie to win playoff: Russ Cochran won the Songdo Championship in Incheon, South Korea, for his first Champions Tour victory, beating Fred Funk with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Cochran, the 51-year-old left-hander who won the 1991 Western Open for his lone PGA Tour title, closed with a 6-under 66 to match Funk (68) at 12 under at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. Tom Pernice Jr. (67) was third at 11 under.

The tournament was the 50-and-over tour’s first in Asia.

Keenum day to day after concussion

College Football: Houston quarterback Case Keenum is listed as day to day this week after showing symptoms of a concussion after taking a blow to the head on Friday against UTEP.

Houston coach Kevin Sumlin says that Keenum was “displaying symptoms of a mild concussion” on Friday. He added that his condition has “improved dramatically” since then. Sumlin says the team has followed its concussion management plan, but wouldn’t provide more details on the injury.

Keenum was injured when he tried to make a tackle after throwing an interception in Houston’s 54-24 win over the Miners.

Charles leads U.S. to rout of Spain

Women’s Basketball: Tina Charles had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the U.S. women’s national basketball team beat Spain 85-69 in an exhibition game in Hartford, Conn.

The Americans trailed 17-16 after the first quarter before Charles took over, scoring 12 points in the period. The WNBA rookie of the year scored the first six on easy layups for the U.S., which led 25-19 after a 3-pointer by Kara Lawson.

Miscellany: Fernando Alonso recovered from a poor start to win the Italian Grand Prix for home team Ferrari.

Alonso started from the pole and lost the lead to Jenson Button at the first corner but retook it after the pit stops to hold on for a 2.9-second victory over the McLaren driver in Monza, Italy.

Alonso’s victory in his Monza debut for Ferrari moved him back into Formula One’s points race, which is led by Mark Webber, who finished sixth. Lewis Hamilton crashed out on the first lap and trails Webber by five points – 187 to 182. Alonso has 166 points.

• Hatton ‘distraught’ after cocaine allegations: A spokesman for Ricky Hatton says the boxer is “distraught” after a newspaper published a photo that it says shows him snorting cocaine.

Publicist Max Clifford says people close to Hatton had been urging him to get help and they’re hoping the published photo “will bring him to his senses.”

• Australia’s Moffatt wins 2010 triathlon series: In Budapest, Hungary, Emma Moffatt of Australia successfully defended her triathlon world championship title, finishing second behind compatriot Emma Snowsill in the last race of the season.

Snowsill won in a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, 43 seconds, with Moffatt 1:42 behind.

Nicola Spirig of Switzerland was third, ahead of Sweden’s Lisa Norden.