MASTERS

Youth is no longer wasted on the young. Jordan Spieth is making good use of every minute of his tender years.

Spieth became the second youngest champion in Masters tournament history on Sunday, when he won the iconic event with a record-tying score and a record 26 birdies. Spieth is four months shy of 22; only Tiger Woods won the Masters at a younger age, back in 1997.

Spieth led the tournament from wire to wire and finished with an 18-under 270, beating Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose by four shots.

“It’s the most incredible week of my life,” Spieth said afterwards. “This is as great as it gets in our sport. … I’m still kind of in shock a little bit.”

He has been on quite a tear, one that has golf experts and fans proclaiming the rise of a new hero. Before winning the Masters, Spieth finished second in the Houston Open and the Texas Open and won the Valspar Championship.

Woods, in tournament action for the first time since early February when he injured his back, had his good moments and bad. He tied for 17^th.

NBA

Injuries slowed the San Antonio Spurs from the get-go, but now they’re rounding into playoff form with two games left in the regular season. Tim Duncan’s 22 points and 10 rebounds carried them to their 11^th straight win on Sunday night, 107-91 over the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have lost four straight and nine of 10. … On Saturday night, the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic combined for 15 points in the second quarter of their theoretical game. That was the lowest scoring quarter in NBA history. …

Russell Westbrook scored a career-high 54 points for Oklahoma City, but the Thunder still lost 116-104 to the Indiana Pacers. OKC is still chasing the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference but Westbrook may not eligible to play in Monday night’s game after picking up his 16^th technical foul of the season. The Thunder have dropped five of six.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .