PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Dustin Johnson is powering his way around the Monterey Peninsula. Paul Goydos is poking along. And they’re tied for the lead going into today’s final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Johnson, one of the biggest hitters in golf, made two eagles and had a chance to tie the course record at Spyglass Hill until a three-putt bogey on his final hole gave him a 64 on Saturday. Goydos birdied two of his last three holes for a 64 at Pebble Beach on one of the most splendid days in years at America’s fabled seaside course.
They were at 18-under 196 and will be in the final group today at Pebble Beach.
• Dan Forsman and Fred Couples were tied for the lead after the weather-delayed first round of the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla.
• England’s Richard Bland and Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed both shot 66s in the third round to join a seven-way tie at 11-under 205 atop the leaderboard at the Avantha Masters in Gurgaon, India.
Closing in on America’s Cup
VALENCIA, Spain — Software tycoon Larry Ellison‘s crew needs to beat two-time defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland once more to deliver the America’s Cup to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club.
It took just one race in the weather-delayed 33rd America’s Cup for challenger BMW Oracle Racing to show that the radical wing sail on its monster trimaran is a game- changer. Race 2 is scheduled for today over a triangle course.
Dementieva reaches GDF final
PARIS — Top-seeded Elena Dementieva rallied to defeat Melanie Oudin 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 and reach the final of the Open GDF Suez for the second straight year.
Dementieva will face Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, who upset second-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
• Robin Soderling will face Mikhail Youzhny in today’s final of the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Soderling defeated second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 7-6, (3) 6-4, and Youzhny upset top-seeded Novak Djokovic 7-6 (5) 7-6 (6).
• Fernando Verdasco reached the final by beating Denis Istomin 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 at the SAP Open in San Jose, Calif. Verdasco will meet top-seeded Andy Roddick, who beat No. 7 Sam Querrey, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).
Footnotes.
Tampa Bay has defeated outfielder B.J. Upton during salary arbitration, leaving the Rays 5-0 in cases that have gone to hearings.
Upton received a raise from $435,000 to $3 million this year rather than his request for $3.3 million.
• Detroit’s Tomas Holmstrom left the Red Wings’ game against Ottawa because of a left knee injury, leaving him questionable to play for Sweden in the Olympics.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs have claimed Jamie Lundmark off waivers from the Calgary Flames.
• FC Dallas released defender Aziz Ansah of Ghana.
• Former Abilene Christian basketball coach Willard Tate has died after a long illness. He was 74.
