Associated Press
CONOVER ó Jay Haas overcame a slow start to shoot a 7-under 65 on Sunday, winning his second Greater Hickory Classic by two shots over Russ Cochran and Andy Bean.
Haas, who also won the Champions Tour event in 2005, set a tournament-record of 18-under 198 at Rock Barn Golf and Spa’s Robert Trent Jones course. His three-day total broke the mark set by R.W. Eaks in 2007 by one shot.
It also made the 13-time winner on the 50-and-over tour the second repeat winner in the tournament’s seven-year history. Eaks won back-to-back titles in 2007 and ’08.
Cochran and Bean also shot 65 on Sunday, with Hal Sutton (65) and second-round co-leader Nick Price (68) tied for fourth at 15 under.
Haas, who had a 10-under 62 on Friday and was tied with Price at 11-under after Saturday’s round, didn’t make his first birdie Sunday until the fifth hole. He assumed command with birdies on five of the last six holes, including four straight between Nos. 13-16.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NEW YORK ó Southern California dropped nine spots and out of the top 10 in The Associated Press college football poll Sunday, and Washington moved into the rankings for the first time in six years.
A day after the Huskies upset the Trojans 16-13 on a late field goal, USC fell from No. 3 to No. 12 in the media poll. The Trojans became the second preseason top-five team to lose in the first three weeks of the season. Preseason No. 3 Oklahoma lost its opener to BYU.
Washington, ranked for the first time since Sept. 28, 2003, is No. 24.
No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Texas have held firm to their spots all season. No. 3 Alabama and No. 4 Mississippi moved up one spot in the latest poll. Penn State remained No. 5.
BYU dropped the farthest this week, from seventh to 19th after a 54-28 home loss to Florida State. The Seminoles moved back into the rankings at No. 18.
The rest of the top 10 was California at No. 6, followed by LSU, Boise State, Miami and Oklahoma.
Miami is in the top 10 for first time since the final regular-season poll of the 2005 season.
Ohio State is No. 13 in the new poll, followed by Cincinnati and TCU.
Oklahoma State, Houston, Florida State, BYU and Kansas round out the top 20. Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Washington and Nebraska are the final five.
– SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó Notre Dame will likely be without wide receiver Michael Floyd for the rest of the regular season. Floyd underwent surgery Sunday for a broken left collar bone.
NASCAR
LOUDON, N.H. ó Penske Racing crew chief Pat Tryson says he’s only welcome at the race for the once-weekly debrief meeting.
Because Tryson is moving to Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of this season, the team does not want him present during any preparations for 2010.
“They want me to focus on this year’s stuff and they’ve got stuff going on at the shop for next year, so they’re going to work on that,” Tryson said before Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “I’ll be communicating by e-mail and phones, and I’ll be in there for driver debrief on Tuesdays.”Tuesday is the only day I’m welcome.”
It could make things difficult as Tryson and driver Kurt Busch attempt to win the championship this season. But Tryson says he’s still committed to the No. 2 team, and can do a lot of his planning from home.
Busch starts the 10-race Chase for the championship on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway ranked seventh in the standings.
BASEBALL
ST. LOUIS ó The Chicago Cubs suspended volatile outfielder Milton Bradley for the rest of the season Sunday, one day after he criticized the team in a newspaper interview.
Bradley was disciplined for conduct detrimental to the team. General manager Jim Hendry said he decided to send Bradley home after learning of the player’s remarks in the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald of Illinois. Bradleywas quoted as saying “you understand why they haven’t won in 100 years here.”
Bradley has two years remaining on a three-year, $30 million contract that he signed as a free agent last offseason.
Hendry said he didn’t know if the relationship was “fixable.”
– ARLINGTON, Texas ó Texas right-hander Kevin Millwood expects to make his scheduled start today and have a chance to pitch the 41/3 innings needed to guarantee a $12 million contract next season.