LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the city of stars, Wyndham Clark had his own script in mind in the U.S. Open. In front of him was Rory McIlroy, one of golf’s biggest talents who looked ready to end his perplexing nine-year drought in the majors. Next to him in the final group Sunday was Rickie Fowler, a Southern California native who returned from a three-year slump and was poised to finally win his first major. Clark carried a message from his late mother — “Play big,” she always told him — and the belief he could compete with anyone on any stage. No stage was bigger than a U.S. Open on the edge of Beverly Hills. That’s where Clark delivered clutch saves, a signature shot that gave him control and the steady nerves to hold off McIlroy and become a major champion. He won in only his seventh start in a major — his previous best was a tie for 75th — and it came six weeks after he captured his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow. The final act was two putts from 60 feet on the 18th hole at Los Angeles Country Club, and the 29-year-old Clark pumped his fist when it settled a foot away. He tapped that in for a par, maybe the easiest shot he had all day.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Having scored his first goal for the United States and won his first medal, Folarin Balogun looked to a future that includes a 2026 World Cup co-hosted by America. Balogun and Chris Richards scored their first international goals, both off assists from Gio Reyna, and the U.S. beat Canada 2-0 on Sunday night for the Americans’ second straight CONCACAF Nations League title. Richards scored in the 12th minute from Reyna’s corner kick, bouncing a header from 7 yards to the left of goalkeeper Milan Borjan for his first goal in 10 international appearances. Balogun, who debuted in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Mexico after choosing to play for the U.S. over England, doubled the lead in the 34th when he took a feed from Reyna and held off Scott Kennedy with his right arm to slot past Borjan.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves designated infielder Charlie Culberson for assignment hours before his father was set to throw out a ceremonial first pitch on Father’s Day. Culberson, a 34-year-old from Rome, Georgia, was cut before Sunday’s game against Colorado. He was brought up from Triple-A Gwinnett on May 19 but had not appeared in any games since his promotion. After Culberson was let go, the father of Braves outfielder Michael Harris II took care of the first pitch at Truist Park. Harris went 5 for 5 and scored three times for Atlanta in the 14-6 win. Culberson made his big league debut in 2012 with San Francisco. He is a .248 hitter with 30 homers and 145 RBIs in 589 games. He also played for Atlanta for parts of three seasons from 2018-2020, hitting a career-high 12 homers in 2018. Catcher Chadwick Tromp was recalled from Gwinnett. He is 2 for 16 in six games with the Braves this year.
MEMPHIS (AP) —The Memphis Grizzlies put their future and title hopes in the hands of Ja Morant. With Morant suspended, so are the franchise’s championship plans. The NBA has sidelined Morant for the first 25 games of the upcoming season. The suspension Friday of Memphis’ franchise player was not unexpected for an organization that has made headlines for players’ off-court issues and on-court antics. The association still is a league where the best players matter. Morant has been the Grizzlies’ biggest star; he was their first NBA Rookie of the Year in 2020 and the 2022 NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year. His No. 12 jersey ranked among the NBA’s top 10 best sellers on the league website the second half of this season, and Nike gave Morant a signature shoe deal. Off the court, there has been a slew of questionable decisions. Morant, 23, flashed a handgun not once, but twice between March 4 and May 13 all caught on social media video. The second came after an eight-game suspension in March that allowed Morant to be back for the playoffs.
SUNDAY'S MLB SCORES
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 6, New York 2 Game one
Boston 4, New York 1 Game two
Los Angeles 5, Kansas City 2
Detroit 6, Minnesota 4
Texas 11, Toronto 7
Seattle 5, Chicago 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta 14, Colorado 6
Miami 4, Washington 2
St. Louis 8, New York 7
Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 2
San Francisco 7, Los Angeles 3
INTERLEAGUE
Baltimore 6, Chicago Cubs 3
Cincinnati 9, Houston 7
Philadelphia 3, Oakland 2
Cleveland 12, Arizona 3
San Diego 5, Tampa Bay 4