Jiyai Shin wins Women’s British Open easily

Jiyai Shin avoided mistakes in miserable weather conditions Sunday to cruise to a record nine-stroke victory in the Women’s British Open at Hoylake, England.

In the 36-hole finish Sunday in the wind-delayed tournament, Shin took a three-shot lead into the final round after shooting a one-under-par 71 in the morning. She stayed calm while strong wind and heavy showers sent scores soaring at Royal Liverpool in the afternoon, closing with a 73 to finish at nine-under 279.

The 24-year-old South Korean player won the major championship for the second time in five years and also won for the second time in seven days on the LPGA Tour.

The 10-time LPGA Tour winner entered the day with a five-stroke lead after shooting a 64 — the lowest competitive round ever at Hoylake — on Saturday. She broke the record for margin of victory of five set by Karen Stupples in 2004 at Sunningdale.

South Korea’s Inbee Park was second, shooting 72-76.

::

Willie Wood took advantage of Bill Glasson’s back-nine collapse to win the inaugural Hawaii Championship at Kapolei for his second Champions Tour victory in the last three events.

The 51-year-old Wood birdied the last two holes for a six-under 66 and a one-stroke victory over Glasson. Wood played 54 holes without a bogey, finishing at 14-under 202.

Glasson, winless in 47 starts on the 50-and-over tour, shot a 72. He began the round with a four-stroke lead and increased his advantage to five Sunday but gave it away on the back nine. The seven-time PGA Tour winner had five bogeys and three birdies on the final eight holes.

Australia’s Peter Senior birdied the final four holes for a 69 to finish third at 12 under.

::

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano won the Italian Open for the second time, closing with an eight-under 64 for a two-stroke victory over South Africa’s Garth Mulroy at Fiano.

Fernandez-Castano, the 2007 winner at Castello di Tolcinasco, finished at 24-under 264 at Royal Park I Roveri.

ETC.

Spain eliminates U.S. from Davis Cup

John Isner and the U.S. Davis Cup team saw firsthand that Spain’s dominance isn’t limited to Rafael Nadal.

David Ferrer beat Isner, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, to give the five-time champions an insurmountable 3-1 lead at Gijon, Spain, and a shot at a fourth title in five years. They’ll face the Czech Republic on the road in the final.

Helped by Isner’s 70 unforced errors, the fifth-ranked Ferrer rallied to stay unbeaten on clay in the competition with his 16th straight win.

::

Shawn Langdon raced to the first top-fuel victory of his career, beating Tony Schumacher in the final of the rain-delayed O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Concord, N.C.

Langdon edged Schumacher with a 3.785-second run at 326.71 mph in the first event in the six-race NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. Schumacher finished in 3.808 at 322.27.

“To start the Countdown with a win is great for the team,” Langdon said. Ron Capps topped the funny car field, Jason Line won in pro stock, and Andrew Hines took the pro stock motorcycle competition.

::

Eleven-time Assn. of Surfing Professionals world champion Kelly Slater advanced to Round 3 of the Hurley Pro at Trestles event after a strong showing in the opening day of competition.

The event is the sixth stop on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour and the 40-year-old Slater, the defending world champion and current No. 4 on the ASP WCT rankings, is looking to win the Hurley Pro for the sixth time.

Also advancing was two-time ASP world champion Mick Fanning, who sits at No. 1 in the WCT rankings.

The event, held at San Onofre State Beach in San Clemente, will continue Monday through to Saturday’s final.

This year’s first-place prize has yet to be determined.

—Baxter Holmes