Viktor Hovland was steady amid a wild Saturday of charges and collapses at the Valspar Championship, leaving him in a three-way tie for the lead at Innisbrook with two dozen players still very much in the mix.

Jacob Bridgeman showed plenty of mettle in his first time as the 36-hole leader, falling four shots behind at the turn and rallying for a 1-under 70 to share the lead with Hovland (69) and Nico Echavarria (66).

They were at 7-under 206 with seemingly everyone on their heels. That includes Justin Thomas, who left on Friday hopeful he would make the cut. He shot 30 on the back nine for a 65, his lowest round ever on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook, to finish two behind.

Jordan Spieth was entertaining as ever, twice making birdie from deep in the woods, and along with missing a pair of short par putts, and having to settle for a 67. He still was only four shots behind going into a Sunday in which 23 players were separated by four shots.

Byeong Hun An was the only player to reach 9 under with a birdie on the 11th hole, only to make five bogeys over the final seven holes for a 72. Even so, he was only three back.

Hovland came into the week in search of his swing, returning to another coach and being willing to take as much time as he needed to figure out where the ball is going. It’s working out in his favor so far.

NHL

Stanley Cup champion Maroon retiring

Three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Maroon said he is retiring after this season.

Maroon, who turns 37 next month, made the announcement in a pregame television interview before he and the Chicago Blackhawks played at his hometown St. Louis Blues.

“I’ve done everything I could in this league,” an emotional Maroon said discussing his decision after St. Louis defeated Chicago 4-1 Saturday. “I have no regrets.”

Maroon has played 1,002 regular-season and playoff games with Anaheim, Edmonton, New Jersey, St. Louis, Minnesota, Boston and Chicago after getting drafted in the sixth round in 2007 by Philadelphia.

COLLEGE WRESTLING

Gophers bring their All-Americans total to 3

Two more Gophers joined Gable Steveson as All-Americans after standout performances on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Max McEnelly, a redshirt freshman at 184 pounds, placed third. Redshirt junior Vance VomBaur, at 141 pounds, finished eighth.

Minnesota is in fifth place in the team standings, with 51.5 pounts.

COLLEGE gymnastics

Minnesota takes third at Big Ten Championships

The U’s gymnastics team took third place at the Big Ten Championships, earning a combined score of 197.425.

They followed UCLA, first with 198.450, and Michigan State, with 198.150.

Minnesota was respresented on the Big Ten All-Championships Team by Jordyn Lyden, who tied Frida Esparza of UCLA for the bars event title.

The team made their season-best beam score, 49.525, with season-best performances by Ava Stewart and Sarah Moraw, at 9.925.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Arizona State tabs Grand Canyon coach Miller

Arizona State is hiring Grand Canyon’s Molly Miller as its next women’s basketball coach.

Miller replaces Natasha Adair, who was fired earlier this month after going 29-62 in three seasons.

Miller had a successful run across town at GCU, leading the Lopes to their first Western Athletic Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance this season. Grand Canyon took a 30-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament before losing to Baylor in the first round.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S HOCKEY

U’s Murphy named a 2nd team All-American

U senior Abbey Murphy made the 2024-25 CCM Second Team All-American list from the American Hockey Coaches Association.

It’s Murphy’s first time with the honor, after she finished the season with 65 points, the fourth highest in the nation. Her seven game winning goals and 242 shots are highest in the nation.Her 33 goals are second nationally.

She was also named a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.

The last Gopher to be honored with the All-American title were Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle in 2022-23.

Wisconsin’s O’Brien wins Patty Kazmaier Award

Wisconsin forward Casey O’Brien has been named the winner of the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top player in women’s Division I college hockey.

The award was announced as part of the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four.

O’Brien, 23, is the sixth player from the school to win the Kazmaier. She is by far the nation’s leading scorer, with 88 points on 26 goals and 62 assists through her first 40 games this season.

The Milton, Massachusetts, native has led the Badgers to a third consecutive trip to the championship game — all against Ohio State. She and Wisconsin are 37-1-2 and are one win away from their third title in five years.

SKIING

Italian pair win downhill titles at World Cup finals

Italian ski racer Federica Brignone and Marco Odermatt of Switzerland earned season-long downhill titles Saturday after the races at World Cup finals were canceled due to high wind.

The events were delayed several times throughout the day — first by early morning snow conditions and later because of the gusty conditions along the course. The sun was shining when the announcement was made.

Neither race will be made up, meaning Odermatt captures his second straight downhill discipline crown and Brignone the first of her career in the event.

Briefly

College men’s basketball >> VCU coach Ryan Odom, whose father was a Cavaliers assistant, will be Virginia’s full-time replacement to Tony Bennett.

College men’s basketball >> McNeese coach Will Wade has a signed six-year deal to take over as N.C. State’s next coach,

— Staff and news services