In brief: Mark Rypien wins American Century Celebrity Golf Championship
Golf: After lightning storms delayed play for more than three hours in the final round of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, Spokane’s Mark Rypien beat out Jeremy Roenick and Annika Sorenstam to win the title for the first time since winning the inaugural event in 1990.
Rypien, who played quarterback at Washington State and won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins, ran away on his back nine, going 5-under for a record-breaking third-round total of 33 points and 76 throughout the three-day event at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada. After finishing in second place in the last two years, Rypien was finally able to break through with a win in the 25th anniversary of the tournament.
“In 25 years from now I’ll be 76. Do you think I could do that when I’m 76?” Rypien said. “It was a little bit of an advantage just from that standpoint that I’m accustomed to playing in inclement weather with golf and football and then that was kind of the way it was today. It was kind of uncomfortable for everybody but I felt fine.”
Roenick and Sorenstam tied for second with three-round totals of 65.
Iraq War veteran and amputee Chad Pfeifer, who had started the day in second place, earned only 17 points and tied for fifth with John Smoltz.Soap opera actor Jack Wagner, also a former champion of the event, made a strong push Sunday with 22 points to finish fourth.
Roenick and Rypien were tied for the lead with 64 Stableford points each through 15 holes when play was suspended due to lighting cells moving in from the lake.
But following the rain, Rypien began to distance himself from the rest of the field.
He amassed 12 points on the final three holes, including an eagle on 16 and birdies on 17 and 18.
Rypien won $125,000 of the total $600,000 purse.
• Ko claims Marathon Classic: Lydia Ko passed $1 million in career winnings after winning the Marathon Classic at 15-under 269 in Sylvania, Ohio. At 17, she became the youngest player to top $1 million in career earnings on the LPGA Tour.
Ko birdied the 72nd hole to take the lead. Later, So Yeon Ryu missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff.
Former University of Idaho golfer Kayla Mortellaro finished at 4-under 280 after a final-round 74 to tie for 42nd place.
Stopchargingmaria wins
Horse racing: Stopchargingmaria took command approaching the stretch and drew off impressively to capture the Grade 1 $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks by 5 lengths at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Mike Repole, Stopchargingmaria hit the wire in 1:49.80.
Unbridled Forever came from last to finish second and Miss Besilu placed third.
• Tom’s Tribute wins: Tom’s Tribute defeated Summer Front by 1 1/4 lengths to win the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar, California.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Tom’s Tribute ran 1 1/8 miles on the turf in 1:46.01. The 4-year-old colt is trained by Jim Cassidy.
Spring Up finished third.
Wozniacki rolls past Vinci
Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki overpowered second-seeded Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-1 to win the Istanbul Cup final in Istanbul and clinch her first WTA title of the year and 22nd overall. The match lasted just 67 minutes.
Wozniacki won 76 percent of points on her first serve and also saved all six break points against her at the Koza World of Sport Complex.
• Tomic upsets Karlovic: Wild-card entry Bernard Tomic denied Ivo Karlovic’s attempt to retain his Claro Open Colombia title, beating the second-seeded Croat 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (4) in the final in Bogota, Colombia.
The 21-year-old Australian won despite Karlovic firing 39 aces to 11 for Tomic.
• Mayer grabs first win: Leonardo Mayer upset top-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-7 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (4) in the Hamburg Open final in Hamburg, Germany. It is the Argentine’s first ATP title.
The 46th-ranked Mayer converted five of his seven break chances to beat Ferrer.