Sports Briefs October 18, 2010
Spain's Beatriz Recari won the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge in Danville, Calif., on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, overcoming soggy conditions and a late bogey for a one-stroke victory over France's Gwladys Nocera.
The 23-year-old Recari, a tour rookie who made cuts in only three of her first 13 stroke-play events this season, rebounded from a bogey on the No. 17 with a par on the 18th for a 2-under 70 and a 14-under 274 total on the Blackhawk Country Club course. Nocera birdied the final hole for a 70.
Michele Redman (76) and Karine Icher (70) tied for third at 12 under.
• Rocco Mediate holed out for eagle for the fourth straight day, hitting a pitching wedge approach from 116 yards that spun back into the cup on the par-4 17th en route to a one-stroke victory over Bo Van Pelt and Spokane native Alex Prugh in the Frys.com Open in San Martin, Calif.
The 47-year-old Mediate won his sixth PGA Tour title and first since 2002, finishing with a 2-over 73 for a 15-under 269 total on the CordeValle course. He had a hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole Thursday, holed out from 160 yards Friday on the par-4 fourth, and holed out from 111 yards Saturday on the par-5 15th hole.
Prugh shot a 69, and Van Pelt closed with a 71.
Football
Known for its ever-changing, often outrageous uniforms and a point-a-minute offense, Oregon now has a new distinction: No. 1 team in the country.
The Ducks climbed to the top spot for the first time, moving up one position during an off week after previously top-ranked Ohio State lost 31-18 at Wisconsin on Saturday night. The Buckeyes plummeted 10 spots to 11th.
Boise State is now second, followed by Oklahoma, TCU, Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Michigan State, Utah and the Badgers.
Oregon becomes the 43rd team to hold the No. 1 ranking in the poll, which dates to 1936. The last time a team was No. 1 for the first time was almost 20 years ago to the day, when Virginia rose to No. 1 on Oct. 14, 1990.
• Tim Brewster arrived at Minnesota in 2007 promising to bring the Golden Gophers back to the Rose Bowl, to heights not seen on campus in more than a generation.
He leaves with fan apathy nearing an all-time low, having failed to capitalize on the momentum from a beautiful new stadium and joining a long list of coaches who haven't been able to get it done at Minnesota.
Brewster was fired one day after the Golden Gophers lost to Purdue to fall to 1-6 in his fourth season on the sideline. Brewster went 15-30 at Minnesota, including 6-21 in the Big Ten, and the Gophers' 28-17 loss to the Boilermakers was their sixth straight defeat.
He was 0-10 in trophy games and never beat chief rivals Wisconsin or Iowa.
• Bryant Moniz threw three touchdowns, Mana Silva intercepted a late pass and Hawaii held on to upset No. 19 Nevada 27-21 late Saturday night in Honolulu to spoil the Wolf Pack's (6-1, 1-1 Western Athletic Conference) perfect season.
The surging Warriors (5-2, 3-0) have won four straight to emerge as the top challenger to powerhouse Boise State for the WAC title.
Hockey
Ducks 3, Coyotes 2: At Anaheim, Calif., Corey Perry deflected Ryan Getzlaf's centering feed past Jason LaBarbera with 5:37 left, and Jonas Hiller made 36 saves in Anaheim's win over Phoenix.
Cam Fowler scored his first NHL goal, Toni Lydman also scored, Perry added an assist, and Bobby Ryan had three assistsfor the Ducks.
Canucks 5, Hurricanes 1: Mason Raymond scored twice and added an assist, and rookie backup Cory Schneider made 32 saves to lift host Vancouver past Carolina.
Tennis
Andy Murray defeated an error-prone Roger Federer 6-3, 6-2 in Shanghai to win the Shanghai Masters for his second title of the year.
• Ana Ivanovic routed Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-2 in the final of the Generali Ladies in Linz, Austria, to win her first WTA Tour title in two years and ninth overall.
- The Associated Press