■GOLF
Woods sets course record
Tiger Woods stumbled out of the gate but then roared to a course record nine-under 62 on Saturday to take a commanding seven-shot lead into the final round of the BMW Championship in Lemont, Illinois. For the second consecutive day, the world No. 1 opened his round with a bogey at the first but was error-free the rest of the way, leaving the field in his dust and bettering the Cog Hill course record of 63 he had shared with six others. American Brandt Snedeker (66) and Australian PGA Tour rookie Marc Leishman (68) are Woods’ nearest challengers.
■GOLF
Hanson takes one-shot lead
Peter Hanson opened up a one-shot lead after three rounds of the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany, on Saturday as he looked to keep the title in Swedish hands following Robert Karlsson’s triumph last year. Hanson, 31, is 11 under for the tournament after a round of 67 and leads England’s Simon Dyson, winner of the Dutch Open three weeks ago, Denmark’s Soren Hansen and South Africa’s James Kingston by one shot. Overnight leaders, England’s Chris Wood and Australian Scott Strange, fell back after shooting disappointing rounds of 73 and 74 respectively.
■CYCLING
Chicchi sprints to win stage
Francesco Chicchi of Italy bolted clear of his rivals in a sprint finish to claim the sixth stage of the Tour of Missouri on Saturday. Chicchi nosed out Norway’s Thor Hushovd of Norway and Argentine Lucas Sebastian Heado to win the 177.4km Chillicothe to St Joseph stage in three hours 41 minutes, 41 seconds at an average speed of 47.85kph, the fastest of the week-long event. American David Zabriskie finished well back in the pack in 66th position but retained his overall lead heading into the last day.
■CYCLING
Goss takes classic
Australia’s Matthew Goss, of Saxo Bank, won the Paris-Brussels classic on Saturday, succeeding compatriot Robbie McEwen as champion. Goss finished ahead of fellow Australian Allan Davis and Belgium’s Kristof Goddaert as he proved the stronger in a mass sprint finish. It was 23-year-old Goss’s fifth win of the season and his third in Belgium after two stage triumphs on the Tour of the Walloon during the summer. “It was a difficult sprint especially towards the end when it was vital not to go too early,” Goss said. Saxo Bank team sports director Dan Frost added: “We knew that Matthew was the guy to put us in a great position and he fulfilled our hopes in style. He is in perfect condition and last night he said he wanted to make a big result.”
■CYCLING
Colombian’s parents die
One of Colombia’s leading cyclists has pulled out of a race after receiving the stunning news that his father had died — followed by his mother one hour later. Israel Ochoa wept when told of their deaths Saturday in the middle of the Clasica de Cundinamarca race. “I am destroyed,” he said. Jairo Enrique Rodriguez, spokesman for Colombia’s cycling federation, says Ochoa’s father, 71-year-old Israel Antonio, died of cancer and his mother, 69-year-old Maria de Jesus, passed away from a stoke an hour later. The 45-year-old Ochoa won the Boyaca Classic last week. He also won stages and the title of mountain champion in races in Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. He won gold medals in Colombia’s National Games in 2000, 2004 and last year.
■BOXING
Italy, Russia grab two golds
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