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St Jude Championship scores, Cameron Smith, LIV Golf, Aussies in action, latest, updates

St Jude Championship scores, Cameron Smith, LIV Golf, Aussies in action, latest, updates

JJ Spaun birdied two of the last three holes to shoot a two-under par 68 for a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the US PGA Tour’s St. Jude Championship.

Spaun tapped in to birdie the par-5 16th and holed a 17-foot birdie putt at the 17th then stood alone at the top after Austrian Sepp Straka missed a nine-foot par putt at the 18th at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

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The 31-year-old American stood on 13-under 197 through 54 holes with Straka on 198 after shooting 68.

British Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia fired 67 to share third on 199 with Americans Will Zalatoris and Trey Mullinax. Americans Tyler Duncan and Troy Merritt were another stroke adrift.

However, Smith had to cop some stick from fans as he walked the course.

The tournament opens the FedEx Cup playoffs, three season-ending events with a winner’s prize of $18 million.

Only 125 players qualified on season points and only the top 70 advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where the 30 qualifiers for the Tour Championship in Atlanta are decided.

‘Ready to cop some heat’ Smith talks LIV | 00:49

MORE COVERAGE

Aussie Smith on the charge in Tour playoffs despite dark LIV Golf cloud as world No. 1 misses cut

World No. 1 commits ultimate golfing sin on Smith … sparking storm about whether he meant it

‘Ready to cop some heat’: Cam Smith’s big admission over $140m PGA bombshell

Spaun won his first PGA title after 147 tour starts in April at the Texas Open while Straka, who missed six consecutive cuts coming into this week, won his first PGA title in February at the Honda Classic.

Spaun began with nine pars before a bogey at 10, but sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-3 11th and overtook Straka with his closing surge.

After a birdie-bogey start, Straka sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the fifth hole and another from just inside 12 feet at the sixth to seize the outright lead, but he fell back with a bogey at seven.

Straka took the lead alone with a 16-foot birdie putt at the 13th and grabbed a two-stroke lead by sinking a six-foot birdie putt at 15, setting the stage for Spaun’s run.

Zalatoris, still chasing his first PGA Tour victory, was a runner-up this year at the PGA Championship and US Open and last year in his Masters debut.

“I played on the biggest stages in three majors and I felt comfortable in those positions,” he said.

“I haven’t gotten a win out of it yet. Eventually we will and hopefully tomorrow is it.”

LIV golfers still welcome in Australia | 01:46

World number 14 Zalatoris, who turns 26 on Tuesday, has a PGA-high eight top-10 finishes without a victory this season.

“Today was awesome,” Zalatoris said of his 65.

“Tee to green was great and I rolled in a couple nice putts, so I just need to keep that going.”

Zalatoris split with caddy Ryan Goble last week and new caddy Joel Stock has read his putts the past 36 holes.

“It has been great,” Zalatoris said.

“He has been awesome. Obviously it has paid off. He’s doing a good job.”

Mullinax, who shot 66, won his first PGA title at last month’s Barbasol Championship.

He began the week 70th in points, the last spot to advance, but is in position to leap into the top 30.

“Been playing really well,” he said. “Just going out and sticking to the game plan.”

Duncan birdied four of the first six holes to shoot 67.

It has been 77 starts without a top-10 finish for Duncan since his lone PGA victory at the 2019 RSM Classic.

Rickie Fowler found water twice on the way to a quintuple-bogey nine on the 18th hole. He shot 72 to stand on 208, likely dooming his bid to advance in the playoffs.

LEADERBOARD (AFTER 3 ROUNDS)

1st: JJ Spaun -13

2nd: Sepp Staka -12

S3: Will Zalatoris -11

S3: Trey Mullinax – 11

S3: Cameron Smith -11

S6: Tyler Duncan -10

S6: Troy Merritt -10

AUSSIES IN ACTION

S3: Cameron Smith -11

S25: Adam Scott -7

T36: Cam Davis -5

69th: Marc Leishman +3

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Sports

Trade news, Kevin Durant future, trade options, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics trade Jaylen Brown

Trade news, Kevin Durant future, trade options, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics trade Jaylen Brown

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were initially listed as preferred landing spots for Kevin Durant but now two new contenders have emerged.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are also desirable destinations for the 12-time All-Star.

Of course, Durant has been heavily linked to Boston in recent weeks, with a potential trade package centered around Jaylen Brown.

Dellavedova to make NBA return! | 00:32

But those reports were focused on a move that would work for the Nets. This one looks at just what Durant may be after and it looks like he is keen on the Celtics too.

Boston reportedly offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round pick but even that does not seem to be enough for Brooklyn, who want reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.

The Sixers, meanwhile, could offer an attractive package including Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and/or Matisse Thybulle and would see Durant reunite with James Harden.

Durant would be likely to accept a trade to Boston of Philadelphia, though his Brooklyn future is likely in the hands of Joe Tsai.

The 12-time All-Star made an ultimatum to the Nets owner, asking for GM Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash to be fired or be shipped out of town himself.

MORE KEVIN DURANT NEWS

Nets superstar’s true feelings revealed as ugly exit looms

Kevin Durant’s demands leave the Nets looking like an NBA joke once again

Durant told Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai that he must choose between keeping Durant or head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks. (Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
Durant told Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai that he must choose between keeping Durant or head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks. (Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)Source: AFP

Durant’s issues with the Nets and specifically Tsai go much deeper than his demand they fire Nash, a source close to the Nets and familiar with KD’s thinking told The New York Post.

“The ultimatum he made is not what really caused the deterioration. It’s not the ultimatum itself,” the source said.

Durant, among other things, was not consulted on the Nets’ firing of assistant coach and director of player development Adam Harrington when the season ended, the source believes.

“There are simple things that destroy a relationship. You fired someone he was close to and didn’t have a conversation about it,” the source said.

Last week, the popular Harrington attended a Liberty WNBA basketball game and was seen hugging current Nets players, according to a Reddit post.

“I would think there are so many things, it’s not one thing,” the source said. “I think KD wants to leave and it doesn’t matter what reasons he says.”

During a meeting this weekend with Tsai said, as he did last month, he wanted to be traded unless Nash was fired, The Post confirmed. There are also reports he wants general manager Sean Marks fired as well.

Marks was the main force behind hiring Nash, sources said.

Where will Kevin Durant end up? (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Durant believes “he traded away too many pieces,” the source said.

Tsai, after the reports Monday about the meeting with Durant, tweeted, “Our front office and coaching staff have my support. We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.”

All involved recognize Marks and Nash do not have autonomy and ultimately if the Nets blow up it is because of Tsai, the source said.

Tsai now has to decide whether to lower his high asking price and get a Durant trade done before training camp opens at the end of September as the 33-year-old star has requested.

“I don’t think anybody on the team is safe from being traded. Everyone is up for grabs,” the source said.

Durant signed a four-year, $198 million contract extension in 2021, so he has limited power in forcing a trade unless he refuses to play. A source told The Post this week that’s an unlikely scenario.

“I don’t think he’s not going to play,” they said.

This article first appeared on The New York Postand was reproduced with permission.

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Sports

Nick Kyrgios Washington Open, ATP results, scores, def Frances Tiafoe, Kyrgios vs Mikael Ymer, ranking

Nick Kyrgios Washington Open, ATP results, scores, def Frances Tiafoe, Kyrgios vs Mikael Ymer, ranking

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios and top seed Andrey Rublev each won twice on Friday (US time) to reach the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA Washington Open.

World number eight Rublev defeated 32nd-ranked Maxime Cressy 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) in one hour and 42 minutes then eliminated 99th-ranked wildcard JJ Wolf 6-2, 6-3 in 78 minutes.

“I didn’t spend much time in court,” Rublev said of his three-hour total. “That was the main key today.”

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Rain Thursday night forced double duty upon Rublev and several others but Friday storms provided everyone a timely rest break between matches.

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios fired 35 aces on his way to beating hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (14/12), 6-2 and reaching the other semi-final against Sweden’s 115th- ranked Mikael Ymer.

Australia’s 63rd-ranked Kyrgios, who won the most recent of his six ATP titles at Washington in 2019, needed only 14 minutes to complete an early win over US fourth seed Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7/1), 6-2.

Kyrgios then outlasted 27th-ranked Tiafoe after two and a half hours, yelling, “I want to go to bed,” in the third set of a match that ended at 1 in the morning.

Tiafoe won the last five points of the first-set tiebreaker, the last on his sixth ace, and had four match points in the second-set tiebreaker.

But Kyrgios answered with an ace, backhand winner, forehand volley winner and service return winner and forced a third set when Tiafoe sent a forehand long.

Tiafoe, who won a third set earlier to defeat Dutch eighth seed Botic van de Zandschulp, hit a crosscourt forehand wide to hand Kyrgios a break to open the third set and missed a backhand to drop a break in the seventh before Kyrgios held to advance.

The Aussie hit 60 winners and saved five match points in all.

The Washington Post’s Ella Brockway tweeted: “This Kyrgios-Tiafoe match is absolutely bonkers.

“There are few things in sports quite like The Nick Kyrgios Experience.”

Kyrgios wins hearts with gift for fan | 00:37

Ymer, who lost his only ATP final last August at Winston-Salem, beat 54th-ranked American Sebastian Korda 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 after two hours and 27 minutes.

Rublev, whose only other two-win day was at Washington in 2018, rolled through the first set against Wolf in 28 minutes, then broke to lead 2-1 and cruised from there.

Next in Rublev’s path is Japan’s 96th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka, who outlasted British 16th seed Daniel Evans 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5 after three hours and 35 minutes.

“Rather than to spend two matches like me than one match like him,” Rublev said.

Nishioka improved to 5-0 all-time against the 40th-ranked Englishman in the rain-interrupted affair to reach his first ATP semi-final since 2020 at Delray Beach. His only ATP title came at Shenzhen in 2018.

“I never gave up and that’s the way I think I won,” Nishioka said. “I just focused on making a lot of balls and to play long rallies. I knew he didn’t want to because he was getting tired.”

Rublev seeks his 12th career crown and fourth title of the season after Marseilles, Dubai and Belgrade to match Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz for the most ATP trophies this year.

Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-3 to reach a semi-final against Aussie Daria Saville, who beat Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino 6-1, 7-5.

It’s Saville’s first semi-final since 2018 at Acapulco while Kanepi, her age and world rank at 37, seeks her fifth career WTA title but first since the 2013 Brussels Open.

World number 20 Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, won her first match over Czech Tereza Martincova 7-6 (9/7), 6-2, but her double bid was spoiled by 21-year-old Chinese lucky loser Wang Xiyu.

Wang, seeking her first WTA title, rolled over 33-year-old Azarenka 6-1, 6-3. The 95th-ranked left-hander reached her first WTA semi-final in June at Valencia.

Wang next plays 60th-ranked Liudmila Samsonova, who upset 10th-ranked reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu 7-6 (8/6), 6-1. The 19-year-old British second seed was seeking her first semi-final since her Grand Slam triumph,

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Sports

NBA 2022: LeBron James, Bronny James, NBL, where will Bronny play? Los Angeles Lakers

NBA 2022: LeBron James, Bronny James, NBL, where will Bronny play? Los Angeles Lakers

The NBL welcomed the Ball show, and now could have a realistic shot at the Bronny show.

According to a report from The Athletic, LeBron James’ eldest son, Bronny, will choose between college, the G League Ignite, and Australia’s NBL for the 2023 season after high school.

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While LeBron plots the final few years of his career, eligible for an extension in Los Angeles, the one thing that’s become clear is that the future Hall of Famer wants — more than anything — to play with his son in the NBA.

Bronny, 17, will become draft eligible in 2024, leaving the door open to be drafted by whichever team LeBron is playing on, or a brave franchise willing to go against the King’s wishes.

In discussing LeBron’s future, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon referenced Bronny’s options, including the NBL in a sneaky nugget that will have Australian basketball fans excited.

“Bronny, in the fall of 2023, will either be in college, with G League Ignite or in Australia … or wherever Rich Paul places him,” Vardon wrote.

Bronny is a 6’3 point guard, ranked 39th on ESPN’s top 100 recruitment rankings.

“There’s only one city that’s big enough for LeBron and Bronny, and that’s Sydney,” Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith told the Sydney Morning Herald in March.

“We’d fill 18,000 seats every week.”

With LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey, among others, proving Australia can provide the perfect platform for the NBA, the NBL will likely be mapping out a plan to convince Bronny and LeBron that it’s the right move in his development.

James, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers, met with team vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka to discuss his future with Los Angeles, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

The two sides had what was ended as a productive discussion, James’ agent and CEO of Klutch Sports Rich Paul told ESPN. A new deal has yet to be reached, however.

— with the New York Post.

Originally published as NBL a shock option for Bronny James in LeBron master plan

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