In brief: Bernhard Langer, Jeff Maggert share lead after 3rd round of US Senior Open
GOLF: Bernhard Langer and Jeff Maggert shared the lead over a bunched field heading into the final round of the U.S. Senior Open at Sacramento, California.
Langer shot a 2-under 68, and Maggert had a 70 on Saturday. They were at 5-under 205 for the championship at delightful Del Paso Country Club, where conditions cooled off after consecutive days above 100 degrees.
But the competition remained hot, with eight players within a shot of the lead. That includes Tom Watson, Kenny Perry and defending champion Colin Montgomerie.
The 65-year-old Watson, who was tied with Maggert and Peter Fowler through 36 holes, salvaged a tough round with a 71. Perry shot a 64 to surge into contention, and Montgomerie had a 70.
Fowler shot a 72 and was among six players at 3 under.
• Na Yeon Choi leads NW Arkansas Championship: Na Yeon Choi matched her LPGA Tour career low with an 8-under 63 to surge to the top of the leaderboard at 13 under in the NW Arkansas Championship at Rogers, Arkansas.
Choi, the South Korean player who won the season-opening Coates Championship for her eighth LPGA Tour title, made a 45-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole for a back-nine 29 at Pinnacle Country Club.
She finished her rain-delayed first round with a 66 early Saturday morning, and took the lead with her final putt of the second round.
• Brian Harmon leads Travelers: Brian Harmon birdied the 18th hole for a 5-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over fellow Georgia left-hander Bubba Watson and Canadian Graham DeLaet in the Travelers Championship at Cromwell, Connecticut.
Looking for his second PGA Tour victory, Harmon had a bogey-free round to take a 14-under 196 total into the final round at TPC River Highlands.
Watson, two strokes ahead after the second round, shot a 68. DeLeat had a 64.
Brandt Snedeker, Paul Casey and Zach Johnson were 11 under. Snedeker had a 63 to match the best round of the day, and Casey and Johnson shot 64.
Pierce opts out of contract with Wizards
NBA: Paul Pierce is opting out of the final year of his contract with the Wizards and will become a free agent Wednesday.
The veteran small forward signed a two-year deal with Washington last summer that included a reported $5.5 million player option for the 2015-16 season.
Pierce told The Player’s Tribune website of his decision, and the Wizards confirmed his move Saturday.
The Wizards reached the Eastern Conference semifinals in Pierce’s first season with the team. Washington went 46-36, the franchise’s most victories since 1978-79, then swept the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Atlanta Hawks in six games.
Pierce starred during the postseason with several clutch moments, including a jumper at the buzzer to beat the Hawks in Game 3. He appeared to have made a game-tying 3-pointer in the final second of Game 6, but replay revealed the shot came after the buzzer.
Pierce averaged 11.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 73 starts during the regular season.
Lynx beat Mercury in Griner’s return 71-56
WNBA: Brittney Griner had 14 points and 11 rebounds in her season debut after serving a suspension for domestic violence, but it wasn’t enough as the Phoenix Mercury lost to the Minnesota Lynx at Minneapolis 71-56 behind Maya Moore’s 21 points.
Griner made 5 of 9 from the field for the Mercury (3-5), who shot just 33 percent for the game and turned the ball over 20 times. DeWanna Bonner and Monique Currie combined to shoot 7 for 27.
Rebekkah Brunson had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks and Lindsay Whalen scored 21 points for the Lynx (7-2).
Griner missed the first seven games of the season while serving her suspension for an altercation with then-fiancee Glory Johnson at their home in April. Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, agreeing to undergo 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. If she completes it, the charges will be dismissed.
Russia fails to qualify in women’s basketball
OLYMPICS: For the first time since boycotting the 1984 Olympics, Russia won’t have a women’s basketball team playing in the Olympics.
Russia finished in sixth place at the EuroBasket tournament, losing to Turkey in overtime 68-66. The winner of the tournament gets an automatic bid to the 2016 Rio Olympics. The next four teams receive bids to a last-chance qualifying tournament next year.
The Russians are the only other team besides the United States to win a gold medal in women’s basketball at the Olympics.
Istomin wins Nottingham Open
TENNIS: Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan beat Sam Querrey of the United States 7-6 (1), 7-6 (6) in the final of the grass-court Nottingham Open at Nottingham, England to win his first ATP title.
The No. 92-ranked Istomin dropped to his knees with a scream after winning his first title match in a battle of big servers at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament.
Querrey recovered from 5-2 down in the second set by breaking twice to take it to a tiebreaker, which he led 4-1.
The American was looking to end a three-year wait for a title, having last won in Los Angeles in 2012, and was the only seeded player – at No. 12 – to reach the semifinals in a tournament of upsets.
• Bencic wins Eastbourne final: Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic won her first title by beating Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 in the Eastbourne final at Eastbourne, England, enhancing her burgeoning reputation ahead of Wimbledon, which starts Monday.
The 18-year-old Bencic won on grass in windy conditions on the south coast to deny the ninth-seeded Radwanska a second title at Eastbourne, after 2008.
Watched by compatriot and mentor Martina Hingis, Bencic covered her face in her hands after driving a forehand winner past Radwanska on the first match point to end a third set that lasted just 24 minutes.
Rossi takes tight duel to win Assen MotoGP
MOTORCYCLE RACING: Valentino Rossi won a tight duel with reigning world champion Marco Marquez to win the Motul TT Assen at Assen, Netherlands, and stretch his lead atop the MotoGP standings.
Marquez tried to overtake the Italian nine-time champion on the final chicane of the race and the pair appeared to touch, forcing Marquez to slow down and sending Rossi through the gravel before he crossed the line in 40 minutes, 54.037 seconds, 1.242 seconds ahead of Marquez.