Kenya’s Kipsang sets marathon world record
Kenya’s Kipsang sets marathon world record
BERLIN — Wilson Kipsang broke the men’s marathon world record in Berlin, becoming the third Kenyan to set the mark in the German capital in the past decade.
Kipsang, 31, completed the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 23 seconds on Sunday, taking 15 seconds off his countryman Patrick Makau’s time in the same race two years ago.
The past five men’s world marathon records have been set in Berlin, with Kenya’s Paul Tergat starting the streak in 2003. Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia produced back-to-back world marks there in 2007 and 2008.
Kenyan duo Eliud Kipchoge and Geoffrey Kipsang finished second and third in 2:04:05 and 2:06:26, respectively.
Florence Kiplagat of Kenya won the women’s race in 2:21:13, with countrywoman Sharon Cherop second and Irina Mikitenko of Germany third.
Rivera apologizes
for skipping
Houston series
HOUSTON — Mariano Rivera thanked the fans in Houston — just as he’s done in every other city that honored the retiring New York Yankees closer this year.
Then he threw in something a little different Sunday: an apology.
Rivera was honest about why he skipped the final three games of his career. It just couldn’t get any better than Thursday night in Yankee Stadium, when baseball’s career saves leader wept on the shoulder of Andy Pettitte — the left-hander and captain Derek Jeter came to the mound to take him out of a game for the last time.
Hadley wins Web.com tournament
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Chesson Hadley won the Web.com Tour Championship. John Peterson won a trip back to the TPC Sawgrass to play in a far bigger tournament.
Lee Williams felt like the biggest winner of them all Sunday.
Needing a birdie on the 18th hole to have any chance of a PGA Tour card, Williams rapped a 55-foot birdie putt over the ridge and into the cup for a 69.
Andres Gonzalez, playing in the same group, gave him a high-five and then missed a 12-foot birdie putt that would have knocked Williams out of the top 25 from a four-tournament money list that determines tour cards for next season.
The last hope for Gonzalez was for Andrew Loupe to make bogey on the final hole. Loupe ran his birdie attempt 5 feet past the hole, and made it coming back for par to join Peterson, his teammate at LSU, on the PGA Tour next month.
The tournament wrapped up the inaugural Web.com Tour Finals — four tournaments in which 25 cards were awarded based on the money list from those events.
The tournaments were for the top 75 on the Web.com Tour money list during the regular season, and Nos. 126-200 from the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour.
The top 25 from the Web.com regular season were assured their cards.
Hadley closed with a 1-under 69 for his second Web.com Tour win of the year. He finished No. 4 on the money list, so his card already was safe.
Peterson won the Web.com Finals money list by $567 over Hadley. Peterson didn’t finish outside the top five in any of the Web.com Finals events.
By winning the Web.com Finals money list, he has full status on the PGA Tour next year and a spot in The Players Championship, the richest tournament in golf.
Kirk Triplett wins again at Pebble Beach
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Kirk Triplett successfully defended his First Tee Open title at Pebble Beach, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over Doug Garwood and Dan Forsman.
Three strokes behind leader Tom Lehman entering the round, Triplett finished at 11-under 205 for his second career Champions Tour title. Last year, the three-time PGA Tour winner overcame a four-shot deficit.
Garwood, a Monday qualifier making his fourth career start on the 50-and-over tour, and Forsman each shot 69. Lehman was fourth at 8 under after a 74.
By wire sources