Sports Digest: U.S. maintains big lead after Saturday split at Solheim Cup

GOLF

Alison Lee sparked a shirtless caddie celebration by spinning a wedge into the cup for eagle. Andrea Lee holed a bunker shot to set up Rose Zhang’s walk-off eagle one hole later. And Megan Khang paused for 10 seconds to let gravity help her out on a critical birdie putt.

The wait was worth it for the United States, which maintained a four-point lead over Europe in the Solheim Cup on Saturday in Gainesville, Virginia.

With top-ranked Nelly Korda getting an afternoon break after winning the leadoff point in three consecutive sessions of team matches, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis watched her role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy late-summer day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage.

Europe, which has captured the Solheim Cup the last three times, won the last two matches to conclude a 4-4 day. But the team in royal blue and yellow will need its largest comeback ever in Sunday singles to make it a record four in a row.

IRISH OPEN: Rory McIlroy delivered enough superb shots in strong wind to post a 2-under 69 in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, giving him a one-shot lead over Matteo Manassero as he tries to erase recent bad memories on home soil.

McIlroy, seeking a second Irish Open title, was at 6-under 207.

LIV: Jon Rahm shot a 6-under 64 in Bolingbrook, Illinois, giving the Spaniard a one-shot lead over Sergio Garcia in LIV Golf Chicago as he moves closer to winning the season points title.

Rahm and Joaquin Niemann of Chile are the only players who can win the points title and an $18 million bonus. Niemann (68) is three shots behind Rahm going into the final round.

PREP SCHOOLS

GIRLS’ SOCCER: Griffin Demers tallied two goals and Eliza Small also scored to help Berwick Academy to a 3-0 win over Wheeler School, in South Berwick.

Alexa Garcia setup Small in the 17th minute for the opening goal. Emma Rich assisted Demers on the final goal.

TENNIS

DAVIS CUP: The United States topped its group and ensured it will be seeded in the last eight of the Davis Cup by beating Germany 2-1 in Zhuhai, China.

The U.S. won both singles matches. Reilly Opelka rallied to beat Henri Squire, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 6-3, and Brandon Nakashima eased past Maximilian Marterer, 6-4, 6-2.

AUTO RACING

XFINITY: Teen sensation Connor Zilisch raced to a win in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International, saving enough fuel in a wreck-marred finish to take the first of what many in the industry expect to be many checkered flags.

Zilisch, who turned 18 in July, spent the majority of the race leading in the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports and was nowhere near the chaos in the back of the pack, but he was forced to stretch his fuel.

The race was red-flagged for about 20 minutes and the race was eventually went into double overtime – though there was never a real battle for the lead.

FORMULA ONE: Charles Leclerc qualified on pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and points leader Max Verstappen was sixth.

Ferrari’s Leclerc, who won the last race in Italy, was fastest by .321 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen’s closest challenger in the point standings, Lando Norris of McLaren, with start Sunday’s race from 16th position.

SOCCER

ENGLAND: A shocking 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League ended Arne Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool’s manager this season.

Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford. Erling Haaland scored both goals for City.

GERMANY: Jamal Musiala scored after 15 seconds and Harry Kane notched a hat trick as visiting Bayern Munich routed Holstein Kiel, 6-1.

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