Brief Sports News

SOCCER

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi put his penalty kick over the crossbar, grabbed his shirt, clenched his teeth and covered his face with both hands.

A few minutes later he walked off the field, a dazed, pained look on his bearded face. The greatest player of his generation, perhaps soccer’s best ever, he was still without a title on Argentina’s national team – one he says may never come.

”The national team is over for me,” he told the Argentine network TyC Sports after Chile beat the Albiceleste on Sunday night for the Copa America title.

Chile beat Argentina in the final for the second straight year, 4-2 in the shootout following a 0-0 tie that ended an expanded 16-nation Copa in the United States to mark the championship’s 100th anniversary.

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SWIMMING

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Ryan Lochte powered out to a big lead in the event he won four years ago at the London Olympics, his powerful arms churning through the water, looking very much like a lock for another trip to the games.

Actually, he was trying to hide the pain. By the end, it was apparent to everyone.

In a stunner on the very first night of the U.S. swimming trials, an ailing Lochte was denied a chance to defend his Olympic title in the 400-meter individual medley, finishing third Sunday behind a pair of college teammates who raced right by him on the closing laps.

Lochte appeared to be swimming in molasses on the breaststroke and freestyle legs, allowing Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland to claim the two spots on the U.S. team for Rio. Actually, the 11-time Olympic medalist was hindered by a groin injury sustained in the morning preliminaries.

Lochte is entered in five more events in Omaha, giving the 31-year-old plenty of chances to make his fourth Olympic team.

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GYMNASTICS

ST. LOUIS (AP) – The national titles are starting to run together for Simone Biles, a three-year blur of near flawlessly executed routines and carry-on cases full of medals.

If Biles is being honest, the fourth straight all-around championship she cruised to on Sunday night wasn’t so much a competition as an exhibition and one more thing for Biles to scratch off her checklist before the next real test, the one that in some ways will help define her legacy: Rio de Janeiro and the Summer Olympics.

It’s a destination Biles is finally allowing herself to think after putting up a two-day total of 125.00 – the highest during her historic run at the top – to beat three-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman by nearly four points. Only next week’s Olympic Trials, a mere formality, stand between the 19-year-old Texan and the global stage.

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DIVING

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – David Boudia and Kassidy Cook couldn’t wait to share their Olympic moments Sunday.

So Boudia walked calmly to the stands and grabbed his toddler daughter from his wife, holding her up so she could celebrate with him.

Cook hugged everyone in sight.

Now the defending Olympic champion in men’s 10-meter and America’s comeback kid in women’s 3-meter will head to Rio as teammates after winning the final events at this year’s U.S. Olympic diving trials.

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PAT SUMMITT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Pat Summitt’s family said Sunday that the last few days have been difficult for the former Tennessee women’s basketball coach as her Alzheimer’s disease progresses.

Amid reports of Summitt’s failing health, her family issued a statement asking for prayers and saying that the 64-year-old Summitt is surrounded by the people who mean the most to her. It also asked for privacy.

The statement was posted on the Pat Summitt Foundation’s website and was issued by Erin Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Summitt family.

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GOLF

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) – Billy Hurley III held the club in his left hand and fist pumped with his right. Not far from his Annapolis home and the Naval Academy he graduated from, he became a champion.

Hurley shot a 2-under 69 on Sunday to win his hometown Quicken Loans National at Congressional for his first PGA Tour victory. He finished at 17 under in Tiger Woods’ annual tournament, three strokes ahead of three-time major champion Vijay Singh.

Singh closed with a 65. Jon Rahm, the 21-year-old former Arizona State star from Spain, wrapped up his professional debut with a 70 to tie for third with Bill Haas (68) at 13 under. Ernie Els was fifth at 12 under after a 72

ROGERS, Ark. (AP) – Top-ranked Lydia Ko won the NW Arkansas Championship for her third LPGA Tour victory of the year, closing with a 3-under 68 for a tournament-record 17-under total and a three-stroke victory.

The 19-year-old New Zealander has 13 career LPGA Tour victories, also winning the Kia Classic and major ANA Inspiration in consecutive weeks in Southern California. She broke the previous tournament record by two strokes.

Ko has finished sixth or better in each of her four appearances at Pinnacle Country Club, and she has shot under par in all 12 rounds.

Morgan Pressel, tied for the lead with Ko at 14 under entering the day, had a 71 to tie for second with Candie Kung (69).

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Kirk Triplett rallied to win the inaugural American Family Insurance Championship for his fifth PGA Tou

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AUTO RACING

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) – Tony Stewart returned to victory lane for the first time in three years in vintage fashion – refusing to let Denny Hamlin steal a win at Sonoma Raceway away fror Champions title, making four straight birdies in front of another large crowd at University Ridge.

The 54-year-old Triplett shot a 7-under 65 to finish at 17-under 199, two strokes ahead of Bart Bryant and Mike Goodes on the course softened by 2 inches of overnight rain. Because of the wet conditions, players were allowed to use preferred lies in the fairways.m him on the final lap Sunday.

Now he’s probably got a shot to run for a fourth NASCAR championship in his final season before retirement.

Stewart, mired in an 84-race losing streak dating to 2013, finally won to stop a slide of poor performances, injuries and personal turmoil that has tarnished the end of his career.

Hamlin made it interesting by pouncing on a Stewart mistake to snatch the lead away from Stewart in the seventh turn of the final lap. Stewart grabbed it back in tricky Turn 11, where he dove to the inside of Hamlin and as the two raced side-by-side, Stewart pushed Hamlin toward the wall.

Stewart got past Hamlin and charged to the checkered flag with the entire side of his car crumpled and his tires slightly smoking from the contact with Hamlin.