Frankie Capan III clinched his PGA Tour card for next season just last week. He’s logged three top-fives on the Korn Ferry Tour this season.

But there’s one final box he has yet to check: a Korn Ferry Tour victory.

In the season’s penultimate event, the North Oaks native is on the brink of putting that notch in his belt.

Capan shot a 5-under round of 66 Saturday in the third round of the Nationwide Children’s Championship at Ohio State University Golf Club in Columbus to get to 12-under for the week and carry a one-shot lead into the final round.

“Yeah, it’s really important for me (to get a win). Obviously I would like to knock off a W before I move on up next year,” Capan said. “Really just trying to take advantage of the moment. Been playing some nice golf, so just looking forward to tomorrow.”

A win would move Capan from 14th in the current season-long points race up to fourth heading into the tour’s final event of the season. That matters in terms of priority for getting into PGA Tour events next season.

— Jace Frederick

Thitikul expands her lead to 2 shots in LPGA

Jeeno Thitikul had a rocky closing stretch but did enough to expand her lead over Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, finishing with a birdie for a 4-under 68 on Saturday and a two-shot advantage in the Kroger Queen City Championship.

Thitikul holed a 20-footer from the fringe for birdie on the par-4 15th hole to reach 5 under for the day and 17 under for the tournament, four shots ahead of Ko, before dropping shots on the next two holes. She closed with a birdie on the par-5 18th at TPC River’s Bend for a 54-hole total of 16-under 200.

Ko shot 69. Yan Liu (68) was three shots behind, and Albane Valenzuela (68) and Haeran Ryu (70) were four back.

Top-ranked Nelly Korda couldn’t make a charge. She shot 69 and was part of a big group at 10 under.

Lee beats DeChambeau to deny his LIV team title

Danny Lee took control of a back-and-forth match against U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau by holing a hard-breaking birdie putt on the 16th hole to lead his Iron Heads past DeChambeau’s defending champion Crushers in the LIV Golf Team Championship on Saturday.

Iron Heads joined Legion XIII, Ripper and 4Aces in Sunday’s stroke-play finals.

Lee closed out his 2-up win over DeChambeau with an eagle on the par-5 18th at Maridoe Golf Club.

Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, who won the LIV individual title last week, did not play because of severe flu symptoms. His replacement, John Catlin, lost in 20 holes to Cameron Tringale, but Tyrell Hatton beat Andy Ogletree 5 and 4, and Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent teamed in alternate shot to beat Phil Mickelson and Brendan Steele, 4 and 3, and eliminate Mickelson’s HyFlyers.

football

Texans RB Mixon out against Vikings

The Houston Texans will be without running back Joe Mixon Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings because of an ankle injury.

The team made the announcement Saturday, saying he would not travel with the team to Minnesota.

Mixon was injured early in the third quarter of Houston’s win over Chicago last Sunday night. He returned for two plays after the injury but did not practice all week and was listed as doubtful on Friday.

Mixon, who spent his first seven seasons with Cincinnati, had a great game in his debut with the Texans in Week 1, running for 159 yards and a touchdown to win AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Houston will also be missing backup running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) for a second straight game, leaving third-stringer Cam Akers as the starter. Akers played for the Vikings last year before sustaining a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in November.

The team also announced Saturday that offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson also wouldn’t travel to Minnesota because of a calf injury.

Kittle ruled out for 49ers

All-Pro tight end George Kittle will miss the San Francisco 49ers’ game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury.

Kittle was initially listed as doubtful for the game but was downgraded to out on Saturday before the team left for Los Angeles.

Kittle reported feeling sore following practice on Wednesday and missed the final two practices of the week. San Francisco is already without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who went on injured reserve last week with Achilles tendinitis, and star receiver Deebo Samuel, who strained his calf last week.

Baseball

Keirsey Jr. sets hit record as Saints lose to Indians

DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s is capping off his big season in style — record style.

Keirsey, who recently returned to the St. Paul Saints after a short stint in the majors with the Minnesota Twins, had three hits on Saturday as St. Paul lost at home to Indianapolis 8-7.

But the Saints’ center fielder had three hits in the game, setting the franchise record for most hits in a season since the team joined Triple-A. Keirsey has 133 hits this season. He also drove in two runs on Saturday and will begin the final game of the season on Sunday with 81 RBIs, two more than Yunior Severino for the most in a singe season in franchise history.

Randy Dobnak started and allowed seven runs on six hits and four walks in four innings. With the Saints rallying, reliever Travis Adams (0-2) took the loss while giving up a run in three innings in relief of Dobnak.

BRIEFLY

NFL >> The Pittsburgh Steelers placed rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu on injured reserve Saturday with a knee injury. The 20th overall pick in the draft practiced most of the week before injuring the knee on Friday, less than 48 hours before the Steelers face the Los Angeles Chargers in a meeting of 2-0 teams.

NFL >> Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Malcolm Koonce, who injured a knee shortly before the season opener, will miss the rest of the season, two people close to the situation told The Associated Press.

— From news services