AP National Sports

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer Jon Rahm’s birdie on the final hole of the Tour Championship earned him a trophy. He is the winner of the points-based award as player of the year by the PGA of America. Players get 10 points for a win, 30 points if it’s a major. Rahm’s only victory

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Switching personnel mid-drive is commonplace in the NFL, with running backs shuttling in and out and teams switching from three-receiver sets to two-receiver formations all the time. The San Francisco 49ers could do it at quarterback this season with Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — This is the first time in U.S. Open history that no men or women from the host country has made it to the quarterfinals in singles. The man in charge of finding and grooming Grand Slam champions for the U.S. Tennis Association is trying to

By JAKE SEINER AP Baseball Writer On the eve of Marvin Miller’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, leaders of the current players association say his philosophies and strategies remain foundational pillars of the organization. Miller’s 16-year tenure as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association included three strikes and two lockouts,

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina tailback Kevin Harris is finally healthy and prepared for his follow up season after gaining 1,138 yards a year ago. Harris led the Southeastern Conference with 113 yards a game. He also had 15 touchdowns, trailing only Alabama’s Najee Harris. The Crimson Tide

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MADISON, Wis. (AP) — College football teams spent the opening week of the season getting reacquainted with an unfamiliar sound: Authentic crowd noise. The return of fans created some memorable scenes and allowed the return of some treasured traditions, including the “Jump Around” student frenzy at Wisconsin and players

By JOHN RABY AP Sports Writer West Virginia’s Neal Brown went into the season opener with cautious optimism and returned home with a mess. Now he needs to figure out why things went totally wrong for the Mountaineers in the second half of a 30-24 loss at Maryland on Saturday. The Mountaineers scored three touchdowns

By GARY B. GRAVES AP Sports Writer LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari says he contracted COVID-19 after being vaccinated, but points out that he is relieved the shot did its job in leaving him with mild symptoms. Other notable breakthrough cases have occurred in college football, with vaccinated players and

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Leylah Fernandez has beaten yet another seeded player at the U.S. Open to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. The 19-year-old from Canada is the youngest woman to get this far at Flushing Meadows since Maria Sharapova in 2005. Fernandez edged No. 5 Elina Svitolina

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seahawks, Sounders and Kraken say they will require proof of vaccination for all fans 12 or older attending the teams’ home games. The Mariners also say they will require proof of vaccination beginning in October should the team make the playoffs. The Seahawks and Sounders will accept proof of vaccination or

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Top European soccer clubs have been praised as a united family by their new Qatari leader after they met for the first time since the Super League crisis. Nine of 12 founders of the ill-fated Super League were welcomed back as members of the European Club

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer Disciplinary proceedings have been opened by FIFA against Argentina and Brazil over the chaos that led to their World Cup qualifier being suspended after Brazilian health officials stormed the field to question the quarantine status of players. FIFA cited ongoing legal procedures as the reason it could not

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Portugal has overcome the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo to comfortably defeat Azerbaijan 3-0 and take the lead in its World Cup qualifying group. Bernardo Silva, André Silva and Diogo Jota scored a goal each for visiting Portugal. The Portuguese have a two-point lead over Serbia in Group A. The Serbians conceded

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer Georgia has moved up three spots to No. 2 behind Alabama in The Associated Press Top 25 presented by Regions Bank. That gives the Southeastern Conference the top two teams in the country for the 30th time in history of the AP college football poll. The Crimson

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Hall of Famer Herb Magee will retire as the men’s basketball coach of the Jefferson University Rams at the end of the coming season. The Philadelphia-based Division II Rams did not play last season because of the pandemic. The 80-year-old Magee will coach this season before he hands over the reigns to

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Amid another lost year for the Kansas City Royals, Salvador Perez is giving fans a reason to pay attention. The veteran catcher is on a historic home run-hitting pace as the stretch run begins. The 31-year-old is setting his sights not only on the

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Julian Baumgartlinger is set to miss at least three months after undergoing another knee operation. The German club says the 33-year-old Austria international had surgery on Monday and could return in January following the Bundesliga’s winter break. Baumgartlinger was a regular for Leverkusen and captain of Austria before

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA playoff chase may come down to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19. Six teams have already clinched postseason spots, although where they will finish in the standings is still up for grabs. Connecticut, which remained the unanimous choice atop

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt will be available when the defending AFC North champions open the season in Buffalo. The three-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of his contract and negotiations on a possible extension are ongoing. Watt didn’t play during the preseason

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson starting safety Landen Zanders will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury suffered in loss to Georgia last week. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says Zanders needs surgery and won’t be able to return until next year. Swinney says Zanders will use this as a redshirt season and