Paula Creamer made a 20-footer late Friday afternoon to give the United States a 4 1/2 -3 1/2 lead at the Solheim Cup, and make Juli Inkster the highest-scoring U.S. player in the event's history. The 49-year-old has scored 17 1/2 points, one more than Meg Mallon , now an assistant captain for the U.S. team.
"That just means I'm the oldest," Inkster cracked after her and Creamer's 2-and-1 foursome victory over Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie in Sugar Grove, Ill.
Only Europe's Annika Sorenstam (24 points) and Laura Davies (23) have scored more points than Inkster in Solheim Cup play.
Earlier, Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang picked up the first point for the United States with a 5-and-4 victory over Davies and Becky Brewerton , and Creamer and Cristie Kerr rallied to win their fourball match. Matthew made a clutch putt on 18 to halve her and Maria Hjorth 's match with Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie .
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The United States needs 14 points to win its third straight Solheim Cup. Europe, which has never won on U.S. soil, needs 14 1/2 . . . .
Chris Riley shot a season-best 63 to move to 11-under 129 and claim a share of the lead with Ryan Moore during an incomplete second round at the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. Sergio García had two eagles during his 64 and joined 18-hole leader Bill Haas (69) and Chez Reavie (67) at 131. . . .
In Sunriver, Ore., Brad Bryant had a one-stroke lead over defending champion Fred Funk after two rounds of the Jeld-Wen Tradition. Bryant carded an even-par 72 that gave him a 10-under 134 in the fourth of this year's five majors on the Champions Tour. . . .
Peter Hedblom shot a second straight 4-under 66 to share the lead with defending champion Darren Clarke at 8-under 132 halfway through the European Tour's KLM Open in Zandvoort, Netherlands.
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TENNIS
Murray, Federer Win
Defending champion Andy Murray lost the first set at the Cincinnati Masters and was down 0-2 in the second before winning a 53-shot rally to break Julien Benneteau en route to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 quarterfinal victory.
The second-ranked Murray will face No. 1 Roger Federer in Saturday's semifinal. Federer extended his winning streak against Lleyton Hewitt to 13 matches with a 6-3, 6-4 win. Also, third-ranked and second-seeded Rafael Nadal beat Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 7-5, setting up a semifinals match with Novak Djokovic, who posted a 6-4, 7-5 win over Gilles Simon. . . . In Toronto, Serena Williams reached the semifinals of the Rogers Cup with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lucie Safarova . Williams next plays Elena Dementieva , who posted a 6-7 (7-3), 6-1, 6-3 win over Samantha Stosur . Alisa Kleybanova reached the semis with a 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 win over Jelena Jankovic , and will play the winner of Friday's late match between Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova .
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SOCCER
U.S., Germans to Play
The U.S. women's national team will play at Germany on Oct. 29 in the newly constructed Impuls Arena in Augsburg, Germany. The stadium is one of nine venues that will host matches during the 2011 Women's World Cup. . . .
New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio has resigned and been replaced for the rest of the season by assistant Richie Williams , who played for D.C. United and the University of Virginia.
MISC.
New York Romps
Nick Pucciarelli homered and drove in four runs as Staten Island, N.Y., beat Mercer Island, Wash., 10-2 in the opening game of the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa. Later, Justin Jones homered twice as Warner Robbins, Ga., routed Urbandale, Iowa, 11-3. Also Friday, Taoyuan, Taiwan routed Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, 16-0. . . .
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The Portland Trail Blazers signed 6-foot-8 forward Dante Cunningham , the 33rd overall pick in the NBA draft out of Villanova, to a multiyear contract. . . .
Candace Parker had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the visiting Los Angeles Sparks to a 67-66 WNBA overtime win over the San Antonio Silver Stars. Noelle Quinn scored all four of the Sparks' points in overtime. . . . In New York, Janel McCarville had 22 points and 13 rebounds and made a layup with 8.2 seconds left in overtime to lift the Liberty to an 85-83 triumph over the Connecticut Sun.
-- From News Services
