Saunders rules racquetball court

BROSSARD, Que. -- Mike Green of Burlington, Ont., and Winnipeg's Jennifer Saunders successfully defended their singles titles on Saturday at the 2012 Canadian racquetball championships.

Green won for the third consecutive time and eighth overall, and Saunders her fourth straight title and sixth overall.

In the men's final, Green defeated Montreal's Vincent Gagnon 15-2, 15-8.

Saunders had a tougher go of it against Montreal's Frederique Lambert. Lambert won game one before Saunders came back and won the match in a tie-breaker, 11-15, 15-1, 11-7.

By reaching the finals, all four players have solidified their place on Canada's team for the 2012 World Championships that will be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in August.

Donald up two shots

at BMW in England

VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Luke Donald moved to the brink of a second successive BMW PGA Championship title and reclaiming the top ranking by shooting a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round on Saturday.

Donald overcame tough, windy conditions at Wentworth to be one of only three players to break 70 on a day of high scoring that led course designer Ernie Els to criticize European Tour officials for the state of the greens.

Donald's fellow Englishman Justin Rose (69) was alone in second at 9 under while Peter Lawrie of Ireland (72) was two shots further back at 7 under.

Hodgson, England open with victory

OSLO, Norway -- Ashley Young gave Roy Hodgson a winning start as England coach on Saturday, clinching a 1-0 victory over Norway in the team's first European Championship warmup match.

Young combined with Andy Carroll after nine minutes, scoring in his fourth consecutive international to provide Hodgson with a potential striking partnership for the Euro 2012 opener against France on June 11 when Wayne Rooney is suspended.

"I think he and Carroll have proved they can do that job," Hodgson told British broadcaster ITV. "Both of them were really very good."

But two weeks after taking permanent charge of an England side rocked by Fabio Capello's resignation in February, Hodgson had his first setback.

Gareth Barry, who replaced captain Steven Gerrard at halftime, limped off in the 73rd with a groin injury and the midfielder will undergo scans before the UEFA squad deadline on Tuesday.

Toronto FC finally snaps losing streak

TORONTO -- Winning its fourth straight Canadian championship allowed Toronto FC to escape the hysteria surrounding its humiliating 0-9-0 Major League Soccer record, if only for a short while.

"It is always important when you get a good result, a tie or a victory," head coach Aron Winter said after his club defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 on Wednesday. "It gives you more confidence."

So it was on Saturday afternoon, that the Reds were back in action with newfound aplomb, on the same pitch where only days earlier they had hoisted the Voyageurs Cup, trying to slay the dragon and end their record-setting MLS losing streak. And the Philadelphia Union, owners of the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 2-6-2 coming in, fortunately obliged, falling to the Reds 1-0 in front 18,227 fans at BMO Field.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 27, 2012 B12