U.S. Will Need to Rally to Win Solheim Cup

Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen denied the U.S. another rally Saturday, each making birdies on the final two holes for a 1-up victory over Laura Diaz and Kelly Robbins that gave Europe a three-point lead in the Solheim Cup at Loddekopinge, Sweden.

Their win gave the Europeans a split of the better-ball matches, and because they again dominated in the alternate-shot matches in the morning, they’ll take a 9 1/2-6 1/2 lead into today’s final round of 12 singles matches.

The U.S. has never won after trailing by more than two points going into the singles matches. The Americans were behind, 9-7, last year before getting 8 1/2 points to win at Interlachen in Minnesota.

The U.S. was set to win three of four better-ball matches, just as it had done Friday to keep the score close.

But it all unraveled on the final two holes.

With Diaz having already birdied the 17th, Sorenstam rolled in a 20-foot putt from the fringe.

With the match even going to the 18th, Diaz again came through, but only momentarily.

She hit her approach to four feet while Sorenstam followed with a shot within six feet. Pettersen was 15 feet away.

Robbins was on the other side of the green, 50 feet away, meaning it was the Americans’ turn to putt. They elected to have Diaz go first, hoping she would make the putt and apply pressure on Europe.

But Diaz badly pulled her putt. Pettersen started charging across the green before her putt even got to the hole. When it dropped, about 15,000 fans roared and Pettersen leapt into Sorenstam’s arms.

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The third round of the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill., was postponed by rain, and tournament officials hope to complete the PGA Tour event by playing 36 holes today.

Several groups were on the course when play was suspended Friday. They finished their second rounds Saturday morning and then play was postponed after more than half an inch of rain fell and up to another inch was forecast for later in the day.

Tournament officials adjusted the cut line from one over to even par Saturday, trimming the field to 66 for the final rounds. J.L. Lewis is the leader at 12-under 130 after successive 65s, two strokes ahead of Jonathan Byrd.

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Jim Dent, 64, moved into contention at the Constellation Energy Classic in Hunt Valley, Md., by nearly shooting his age.

Dent fired a 65, leaving him at six-under 138. He is tied with Des Smyth, one shot behind co-leaders Jay Sigel and Larry Nelson heading into today’s final round.

Motor Racing

Jimmy Spencer held off Carl Edwards, bouncing the rookie off the wall on the way to a victory in only his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

Edwards appeared to have a faster truck but was stuck behind Spencer, a Winston Cup Series regular, on a restart with 16 laps to go at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.

As they came off Turn 4 on Lap 185, Edwards moved up to the rear of Spencer’s Dodge and the two came together, sending Edwards banging off the concrete wall. Edwards kept his Ford under control and held off Bobby Hamilton to finish second.

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Formula One champion Michael Schumacher won the pole position for today’s Italian Grand Prix, driving his Ferrari around the 3.6-mile Monza circuit in 1 minute 20.963 seconds.

Juan Pablo Montoya of BMW-Williams was second in 1:21.014, and Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren Mercedes was fourth in 1:21.466. Schumacher’s Ferrari teammate, Rubens Barrichello, was third in 1:22.242.

Rip Michels won his second straight Jani-King Super Late Model Series title by winning the 75-lap feature at Irwindale Speedway in front of 4,302.

Michels earned the title by holding off Winston West Series driver David Gilliland and former series regular James Bruncati.

Tennis

Top-seeded Rainer Schuettler defeated defending champion and third-seeded Gustavo Kuerten, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, to advance to the finals of the Brasil Open at Costa do Sauipe, Brazil.

Schuettler will play second-seeded Sjeng Schalken, who won his semifinal when Gaston Etlis quit in the second set, citing exhaustion. Schalken was leading, 6-1, 2-0.

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Top-seeded Chanda Rubin defeated Saori Obata, 6-2, 7-5, to reach the final of the Wismilak International at Bali, Indonesia. She will face second-seeded Elena Dementieva, who beat Maria Vento-Kabchi, 6-4, 6-3.

Miscellany

Kelli White won the 200 meters at the inaugural World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo, her second race since her positive drug test at the World Championships. She won in 22.31 seconds, finishing 0.10 ahead of France’s Muriel Hurtis.

Bernard Williams won the 100 in 10.04, followed by John Capel in 10.05. Nigeria’s Uchenna Emedolu was third in 10.08.

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Rocky Juarez of Houstonnocked out David Murillo of Mexico with a left hook 26 seconds into the first round of their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula. allied from a late five-point deficit to beat France, 74-70, and advance to the finals of the European Basketball Championships in Stockholm. Tony Parker of NBA champion San Antonio scored 24 points for France. In the other semifinal, Spain defeated Italy, 81-79.

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Nine United States wrestlers qualified for the semifinals of the World Freestyle Championships at Madison Square Garden.

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The U.S. Olympic Committee cleared its reform plan with the IOC and will proceed with the changes even if no federal legislation is in place. The USOC’s board of directors will meet next month in Cleveland to vote on an in-house task force’s plan.