High Drama in Woods’ Victory

In a phenomenal display of power between golf’s two biggest sluggers, Tiger Woods outlasted John Daly in the American Express Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco because of a three-foot putt.

Woods made up two shots over the last three holes Sunday to force a playoff, then won on the second extra hole when Daly three-putted for bogey from 15 feet on the 16th, badly pulling his short par putt.

“I just played that second putt straight, and it went left,” Daly said. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

It was a somber end to a riveting afternoon along the shores of Lake Merced, where about 20,000 fans crammed along the fairways and amid the cypress trees were treated to 350-yard drives and drama rarely seen this side of a major.

Woods closed with a three-under-par 67 and won the American Express Championship for the fourth time in six starts. He extended his dominance in these World Golf Championships, winning his 10th in 19 events.

It was his sixth victory of the year, and given a swing he couldn’t trust until the end and sore ribs that required treatment, this was as impressive as any.

Daly shot 69 and had two chances to win. He missed a 16-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation, then had a birdie putt from 15 feet on the second extra hole that just grazed the left side of the cup.

“I feel so bad for J.D.,” Woods said. “You never, ever want to win a golf tournament like that.”

Nicole Perrot earned her first LPGA Tour victory, rallying from a two-shot deficit to win the Longs Drugs Challenge at Auburn, Calif.

Perrot, 21, the 2001 U.S. Girls champion, offset three bogeys on the front nine at the Ridge Golf Course with three birdies on the back in an even-par 71. She finished at 14-under 270, one shot ahead of South Korea’s Hee-Won Han (69).

Jay Haas rallied with a seven-under 65 to win the Greater Hickory Classic at Conover, N.H., for his first Champions Tour victory.

The 51-year-old Haas, who splits time between the PGA Tour and the 50-and-over tour, finished with a tournament-record 16-under 200 at Rock Barn Golf and Spa’s Jones Course.

MOTOR RACING

Martin Bounces Back to Win at Kansas City

Mark Martin bounced back from a costly crash at Talladega last week with a dominating victory at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, keeping the veteran racer’s slim championship hopes alive.

But to get the 35th victory of his career and stay in the hunt for the Nextel Cup, Martin had to hold off his teammates.

Martin and teammate Greg Biffle led Roush Racing’s sweep of the top three spots, and Roush cars took four of the top five. It was the 46-year-old Martin’s first win since Dover in June 2004.

But the last laugh might belong to Tony Stewart, who finished fourth and extended his Chase lead from four points to 75. It was Stewart’s 15th top-10 finish in the last 16 races.

Kimi Raikkonen passed Giancarlo Fisichella entering the final lap to claim a stunning win in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Raikkonen charged from the back of the starting grid in his McLaren to take his seventh victory of the season with a daring move just before the first turn.

John Force reclaimed the funny car points lead after Frank Pedregon broke on the starting line in the final at the O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis. Force drove his Ford Mustang to a 4.797-second finish at 324.05 mph. He holds a 36-point lead over Gary Scelzi.

BASEBALL

Athletics Will Consider Geren, Washington

Oakland General Manager Billy Beane will interview two members of the Athletics’ coaching staff this week for the team’s managerial vacancy.

Bullpen coach Bob Geren, considered a front-runner to replace Ken Macha, will meet with Beane on Tuesday in Phoenix. Third base coach Ron Washington will follow Wednesday, also in Phoenix, where the A’s have their minor league complex and hold spring training.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Peterson Figures to Play Saturday

Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson is expected to play this week at Kansas, Coach Bob Stoops said one day after the tailback was limited because of a sprained right ankle in a loss to Texas.

Stoops said Peterson did not play enough during the 45-12 loss to the second-ranked Longhorns to make the injury worse and should be closer to full speed on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

TENNIS

Davenport Rolls to 50th Title of Career

Lindsay Davenport earned the 50th title of her career with a 6-2, 6-4 victory against Amelie Mauresmo in the Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany.

The American became the 10th player to reach that milestone, relying on her big serve for her 10th consecutive win against Mauresmo.

“I was really, really excited to get 50 titles and get it so quickly,” Davenport, 29, after winning her fifth title of the year.

Wesley Moodie recovered from an unsteady start to claim the Japan Open title with a 1-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 win over fifth-seeded Mario Ancic at Tokyo.

In the women’s final, second-seeded Nicole Vaidisova defeated third-seeded Tatiana Golovin, 7-6 (4), 3-2, after she was forced to retire midway through the second set because of soreness in her left Achilles’ tendon.

Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek won her first WTA title, beating local favorite Akgul Amanmuradova, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, in the final of the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan.... Third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic beat sixth-seeded Gael Monfils, 7-6 (7), 6-0, to win the Open de Moselle at Metz, France.

MISCELLANY

American Kastor Wins Chicago Marathon

American Deena Kastor got her first victory, and Kenyans dominated the men’s race at the Chicago Marathon. Kastor finished in 2 hours 21 minutes 25 seconds.

Kenyans occupied the top 10 spots among the men, with Felix Limo leading the way at 2:07:02.

Intercontinental, the 4-5 favorite, remained unbeaten at Keeneland, leading throughout to win the $400,000 WinStar Galaxy.

Jerry Bailey rode the 5-year-old daughter of Danehill for Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bobby Frankel as she won for the 12th time in 21 starts. She is three for three at Keeneland.

Two races later, 7-1 shot Pampered Princess and jockey Eddie Castro won the $500,000 Spinster, the first Grade I victory for the 5-year-old Indian Charlie mare. She is owned by Martin Cherry and trained by Marty Wolfson.

At Santa Anita, Direct Connect and red-hot jockey Garrett Gomez won the $75,000-added Cavonnier Stakes, rallying from last in the field of five. A 2-year-old General Meeting gelding owned by Omar Aldabbagh and trained by Paul Aguirre, Direct Connect won in 1:23.32 for the seven furlongs.

Apolo Anton Ohno won two gold medals at a World Cup short track speedskating meet in Seoul. The American won with times of 1 minute 27.452 seconds in the 1,000 meters, and 5:38.465 in the 3,000 final.

PASSINGS

Blue Jay Broadcaster Cheek Dies at 66

Tom Cheek, who called every game in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays until last year, died of brain cancer. He was 66.