Bubba Watson is dominant in Match Play event

Bubba Watson overpowered two-time champion Geoff Ogilvy on Friday and rolled into the quarterfinals of the Match Play Championship with a performance so dominant that he has played only 43 holes in three days in Marana, Ariz. Ogilvy had little chance against Watson, who was seven under par through 13 holes and ended up with a six-and-four win.

Martin Kaymer of Germany had to rally against Hunter Mahan to reach the quarterfinals. He was two down with six holes remaining but then won two holes, pulled ahead with an eight-foot birdie on No. 16, then closed out the match when Mahan hit a poor chip on the 17th hole.

Rickie FowlerPhil Mickelson made a spirited rally against Matt Kuchar until losing on the 17th hole. Matteo Manassero’s run also ended when Luke Donald built a big lead against the 17-year-old Italian and closed him out on the 16th hole.

J.B. Holmes beat Jason Day on the 18th hole. Y.E. Yang defeated Graeme McDowell, three and two. Miguel Angel Jimenez routed Ben Crane, seven and six. Ryan Moore beat Nick Watney in 19 holes.

Chris Stroud made eight consecutive birdies — one off Mark Calcavecchia’s PGA Tour record — and shot eight-under 63 for a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Kevin Stadler (66), Cameron Percy (66) and Sunghoon Kang (67) were tied for second.

Chie Arimura shot six-under 66, extending her lead to two strokes over Karrie Webb (66) after the second round of the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s Champions at Singapore.Cristie KerrMichelle Wie

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

California men’s team placed on probation

The NCAA put the California men’s basketball program on two years of probation for making more than 300 impermissible recruiting phone calls. The Division I Committee on Infractions added only a few small penalties on top of what Cal had imposed. The school reported that Coach Mike Montgomery and his staff made the 365 calls shortly after they were hired in April 2008.

Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun apologized for rules violations that resulted in three years of probation and other punishments from the NCAA this week. He said in a statement that “the buck stops with me. No qualifications. No exceptions.”

ETC.

Mets say they got a loan from baseball

The New York Mets acknowledged they received a loan from Major League Baseball to help cover expenses in November. The team said in a statement it expected to have “a short-term liquidity” problem and was helped by the league. The New York Times and New York Daily News reported the amount was $25 million.

The Chicago Bears gave Coach Lovie Smith a two-year contract extension, signing him through 2013.

Novak Djokovic will put his unbeaten record in 2011 on the line against Roger Federer in the Dubai Championships final Saturday.

Vera Zvonareva defeated Jelena Jankovic, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, setting up a final against Caroline Wozniacki in the Qatar Ladies Open at Doha. Wozniacki beat Marion Bartoli 6-1, 6-1.

Kyle Busch led the final 107 laps and won a wreck-filled NASCAR trucks race at Avondale, Ariz.

Oxnard’s Brandon Rios (26-0-1, 18 knockouts) challenges for his first world title Saturday when he meets World Boxing Assn. lightweight champion Miguel Acosta (28-3-2, 22 KOs) in Las Vegas. Rios and Acosta both weighed in at 1341/2 pounds.

— Lance Pugmire

Jon Fitch of San Jose will fight B.J. Penn in UFC 127 at Sydney, Australia, on Saturday. The winner is expected to get a fight against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

Times columnist Bill Dwyre earned second- and third-place honors in the Golf Writers Assn. of America’s annual writing contest for his news reports from the Ryder Cup and British Open at St. Andrews.