Twistity Sports Exclusive WEEKEND IN REVIEW: A major victory, a loss on the track

 
Sports brings glory. Sports brings tragedy. Those are the kinds of days we look back on in this Weekend in Review.

MAJOR VICTORY: Rory McIlroy is the new superstar in golf. If that wasn’t clear before the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, it surely is now. McIlroy won his second consecutive major and became just the fourth player in the last century of golf to win four majors by the age of 25 or younger. The others: Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods.

McIlroy overcame a slow start on Sunday to shoot a 3-under-par 68 and finish ahead of Phil Mickelson and the closing darkness. The tournament was delayed two hours by rain. McIlroy has won his third consecutive tournament. Mickelson finished second in a major for the ninth time. Woods, bothered by back pain, failed to make the cut.

DRIVER DIES: Kevin Ward Jr., a sprint car racer, died Saturday night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York in an odd accident on the track. He was hit, while walking on the track, by another driver, three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. Stewart and Ward had a bit of a bump that spun Ward’s car out. Not unusual. But then Ward, 20, left his car and walked back onto the track, not entirely visible in his black fire suit and helmet. Stewart’s car fishtailed and hit Ward, who was gesturing and pointing at Stewart’s car. Stewart was interviewed twice by police but no charges have been filed. He elected not to race on Sunday at Watkins Glen and was described as “visibly shaken” by the accident.

ELSEWHERE: The Boston Red Sox and California Angels started a game on Saturday night and finished it Sunday morning. The 19 innings ate up six hours and 31 minutes. Eighteen pitchers threw to 127 batters. Finally, Albert Pujols of the Angels, facing a full count, hit a walk-off home run (or is that wakeup home run?) for a 5-4 win. … The Washington Wizards hired an assistant coach named Roy Rogers. New sheriff in town? … ESPN television and radio host Dan Le Batard returns on Monday from a two-day suspension for paying for billboards critical of LeBron James in Cleveland. Le Batard, based in Miami, was upset that James did not thank Miami fans when he left the Heat as a free agent for the Cavaliers. … Johnny Manziel made his debut for the Cleveland Browns in their preseason-opening loss to the Detroit Lions. He had a nice 16-yard run but produced no touchdowns. He may get the start in the Browns’ second outing.

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Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .