Sports Briefs December 5, 2011
Golf
Two years after his life and career came crashing down, Tiger Woods is a winner again.
One shot behind with two holes to play, Woods finally looked like the player who dominated golf for so much of his career. He birdied his last two holes Sunday, making a 6-foot putt on the 18th, to win the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif., by one shot over former Masters champion Zach Johnson.
Woods closed with a 3-under 69.
It was his 83rd win worldwide in tournaments that award ranking points, but his first since he won the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, 2009, back when he looked as though he would rule golf for as long as he played.
Football
Fresno State fired coach Pat Hill, a day after the Bulldogs went 4-9 and matched a school record for losses in the final game of his 15th season. Hill was 112-80 and went to 11 bowl games.
Hill built a reputation at Fresno State as a giant killer with the mantra of playing anybody, anywhere, anytime. But in recent years, the Bulldogs struggled both in conference play and in meetings against major teams and fans stopped packing Bulldog Stadium.
Baseball
The suddenly splurging Miami Marlins landed their second big free agent in a matter of days, agreeing Sunday night to a $106 million, six-year contract with All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
After adding All-Star closer Heath Bell for $27 million over three years, the Marlins gave the NL batting champion a deal that includes a club option for 2018 that would make the contract worth $120 million, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced.
Basketball
• TOP 25
No. 7 Baylor 69, Northwestern 41: At Evanston, Ill., Quincy Acy and Pierre Jackson both scored 16 points and the Bears (7-0) beat Northwestern (7-1).
Wichita St. 89, No. 18 UNLV 70: At Wichita, Kan., Joe Ragland scored 19 of his 31 points in the first half and Wichita State (5-2) cruised past the Runnin' Rebels (8-1).
San Diego St. 64, No. 24 California 63: Chase Tapley scored 25 points, including two free throws with 8.6 seconds left, and host San Diego State (8-2) beat California (6-2), the Aztecs' second win over the Golden Bears in as many seasons.
Hockey
Wild 5, Ducks 3: Nick Johnson scored the go-ahead goal with 5:31 left in the third to lead Minnesota at Anaheim.
Avalanche 4, Red Wings 2: At Denver, Ryan O'Reilly had two goals and Colorado beat Detroit to end the Red Wings' winning streak at seven games.
Canucks 5, Flames 1: Roberto Luongo made 21 saves and host Vancouver beat Calgary for its sixth victory in seven games.
• Spokane missed two penalty shots and a breakaway and the Chiefs were shut out for just the second time this season Sunday night, losing 1-0 at Lethbridge (Alberta) in Western Hockey League play before 2,831 at Enmax Centre.
Cam Braes scored the game's only goal at 12:02 of the third period for Lethbridge, in last place in the six-team Central Division.
Spokane (13-9-2-2, 30 points, third in the five-team U.S. Division) outshot the Hurricanes 38-18, including 17-4 in the first period.
Spokane, which went 2-2-1 on the swing through Alberta, wraps up its six-game road trip Friday at Everett.
Soccer
Teresa Noyola scored from point-blank range and the top-ranked Stanford Cardinal beat No. 3 Duke 1-0 for their first NCAA women's soccer title at the College Cup at Kennesaw, Ga.
Tennis
Rafael Nadal overcame a terrible start to beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (0) in Seville, Spain, to clinch Spain's third David Cup title in four years.
Skiing
Marcel Hirscher of Austria turned in a blazing final run to overtake Ted Ligety and win a World Cup giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colo.
• Lindsey Vonn won a super-G at Lake Louise, Alberta, for her third victory in three days at the Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup.
- The Associated Press