Sports Briefs

GOLFTournament of Champions

title goes to Byrd in playoff

Jonathan Byrd opened the PGA Tour season Sunday by closing with a 6-under-par 67 and winning a sudden-death playoff in the Tournament of Champions when Robert Garrigus missed a 3-foot par putt on the second extra hole in Kapalua, Hawaii.

Byrd qualified for Kapalua by making a hole-in-one in near darkness to win a three-man playoff in Las Vegas. He won this playoff under far more different circumstances.

He nearly holed a 50-foot birdie putt on the opening hole on the Plantation Course, leaving him a tap-in par. Byrd stood off to the side of the green, waiting to go to the next hole, when Garrigus three-putted by missing a 3-foot par putt. It gave Byrd his fifth career win, which earned him an automatic invitation to the Masters, and with his second win in the last two months, he is exempt for the U.S. Open.

Graeme McDowell nearly joined them in the playoff. The U.S. Open champion tied the Plantation Course record with a 62 and finished one shot behind. Byrd and Garrigus finished at 24-under 268.

COLLEGE HOOPSNo. 1 Duke, No. 2 Ohio St.,

No. 3 Kansas stay unbeaten

Kyle Singler had 25 points as No. 1 Duke beat visiting Maryland, 71-64, to extend its winning streak to 25. The Blue Devils (15-0, 2-0 ACC) are off to their best start since 2005-06. Jordan Williams had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Terrapins (10-5, 0-2), the last team to beat Duke.

David Lighty scored 19 points and No. 2 Ohio State survived a scare when Austin Hollins' three-pointer came up short in the final seconds, allowing the host Buckeyes (16-0, 13-0 Big Ten) to pull out a 67-64 win over Minnesota . . . Marcus Morris had 22 points and No. 3 Kansas (15-0) outlasted host Michigan, 67-60, in overtime . . . Corey Fisher scored 21 points as No. 7 Villanova handed No. 24 Cincinnati (15-2, 2-1 Big East) its first loss, 72-61. The Wildcats (14-1, 3-0) extended their winning streak at The Pavilion, their on-campus arena, to 45 . . . Preston Knowles had nine points in the final 3:35 as Louisville (13-3, 2-0) held off South Florida, 86-77.

NHL6-game ban for Kostopoulos

The NHL suspended Flames forward Tom Kostopoulos for six games for his head shot on Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart Friday night. Stuart is expected to miss at least six weeks.

Devils beat Lightning

Jason Arnott scored the go-ahead goal during a five-goal third period to lead the last-place Devils to a 6-3 victory over the Lightning.

NBAVarejao's season likely over

Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao probably will miss the rest of the season because of a torn tendon in his right ankle.

BASEBALLSon of Hall of Famer dies

Former major-league pitcher David Sisler, who was the last surviving child of Hall of Fame first baseman George Sisler, died at 79 in St. Louis. David Sisler pitched for the Red Sox, Tigers, Senators and Reds from 1956-62.