Matteson comes out top in play-off
Tuesday October 27 2009
Troy Matteson won his second PGA Tour title in a three-way play-off for the Arizona Open on Sunday after shrugging off a faltering finish to the final round.
The American, having bogeyed the last two holes for a closing two-under-par 68, sealed victory after hitting a spectacular six-iron approach to two feet at the second extra hole at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale.
The 29-year-old calmly knocked in a birdie putt to trump the pars recorded by compatriots Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark, who also finished the 72 regulation holes on 18-under 262.
PGA Tour rookies Fowler and Lovemark had each signed off with a 64, Lovemark coming from four shots behind overnight with a sizzling run of five birdies in the last eight holes.
The New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 on Sunday to win the American League Championship Series and advance to the World Series against National League champions Philadelphia.
The win gave New York a 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven ALCS and swept them into the Fall Classic for the first time in six years. Andy Pettitte pitched into the seventh for the win, a 16th career post-season victory that put him on top of Major League Baseball's all-time play-off list. He was aided by a two-run single from Johnny Damon in a three-run rally in the fourth that erased a 1-0 deficit.
Pitcher CC Sabathia -- who won two games in the series -- was named MVP. The Yankees, winners of a record 26 MLB championships, will host the Phillies in the opening game of the best-of-seven World Series tomorrow.
"This is a great time," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters under a spray of champagne in the team's clubhouse. "But we're not done yet."
The Arizona Cardinals intercepted New York Giants quarter-back Eli Manning three times and completed an upset 24-17 road victory on Sunday.
The Cardinals (4-2), who have seldom won at Giants Stadium, put together 17 consecutive points in the second and third quarters -- the final seven after Manning was intercepted -- to take a 24-14 lead with 2:32 left in the third quarter as they posted their third straight win.
New York (5-2) could muster only a field goal in the final quarter with its last two drives ending in a fumble and an interception.
"Our defence played great today. We made enough plays on offence to get a win," said Cardinals quarter-back Kurt Warner, who passed for 231 yards and a touchdown.
Arizona, the defending NFC champions, moved into first place in the West Division with the victory while New York remained top of the NFC East despite its second consecutive loss following an impressive 5-0 start.
- Golf Baseball Gridiron
Irish Independent
