For more than a decade, the top pro golf tour in men’s golf has not featured a Minnesotan on a full-time basis.

That streak will end in January when Frankie Capan III tees it up on the PGA Tour as a fully-exempt cardholder.

The North Oaks’ product effectively sealed his card weeks ago, but he hit the point threshold to make it official with his tie for 12th place over the weekend at the Simmons Bank Open in Franklin, Tennessee. Capan carded a 6-under, 64 on Sunday to get to 15-under for the tournament.

The top-30 players on the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-long points list earn the promotion to the PGA Tour. Capan is 14th with two playoff events to play. It’s mathematically impossible for the 24-year-old to fall out of the top 30, which is why the tour declared him to be officially “Tour Bound” on Sunday.

Capan is believed to be the first Minnesota native to be fully exempt on the PGA Tour since Minnetonka native Donald Constable had status in 2013.

Capan is a fast riser in professional golf. The 2024 campaign was just his second as a pro. He used a memorable run through qualifying school in the fall of 2022 to go from no status on any tour to the Korn Ferry Tour — the PGA Tour’s primary feeder tour — last year. Capan played well enough to maintain his status heading into this season, and logged a pair of top-two finishes to cement himself inside the top 30.

— Jace Frederick

U.S. wins its first Solheim Cup since 2017

The Solheim Cup is back in the hands of the Americans.

The final score: United States 15 1/2, Europe 12 1/2, the biggest margin in this tightrope walk of a team competition since the Americans won by five points seven years ago in Iowa.

The U.S. improved its overall record to 11-7-1 in the Solheim Cup, which began in 1990 with financial backing from Ping golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim and his wife, Louise.

Kizzire ends drought with 5-stroke victory

Patton Kizzire ended a long victory drought Sunday in the Procore Championship, closing with a scrambling 2-under 70 for a tournament-record, five-stroke victory in the FedEx Cup Fall opener.

Kizzire had gone 176 events without a victory after winning events in Mexico and Hawaii in a two-month span in late 2017 and early 2018.

The 38-year-old former Auburn player earned a PGA Tour card for the next two years after entering the event 132nd in the fight to earn a card with a top-125 finish in standings.

baseball

Saints lose final road game of season

The road portion of the St. Paul Saints 2024 schedule ended in disappointing fashion.

St. Paul lost 5-2 at Columbus on Sunday, the fifth straight loss for the Saints, who end 35-41 on the road this season. St. Paul hosts Indianapolis for a six-game series starting Tuesday to end the regular season.

Sunday started off well for the Saints as Payton Eeles hit the first pitch of the game for his sixth home run of the season. St. Paul made it 2-0 an inning later as Jair Camargo’s RBI single plated Carson McCusker.

But the Clippers rallied against Saints starter Randy Dobnak (12-7). Dobnak allowed three runs on two hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He had four strikeouts.

College football

Longhorns take over at No. 1 in AP Top 25

Texas is No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time in 16 years, replacing Georgia on Sunday after the Bulldogs struggled to remain unbeaten.

The Longhorns moved up a spot from No. 2 and received 35 first-place votes and 1,540 points. The Bulldogs, who have been No. 1 since the preseason poll, received 23 first-place votes and 1,518 points.

Ohio State received five first-place votes and stayed at No. 3 during an off week. No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Mississippi held their places and Tennessee moved up a spot to No. 6, flip-flopping with Southeastern Conference rival Missouri.

nascar

Buescher plays spoiler at Watkins Glen

With championship contenders succumbing to late wrecks, shredded tires, and aggressive driving, Chris Buescher played spoiler and won Sunday at Watkins Glen International, leading a string of five non-playoff drivers to the finish.

The chaos on the 2.45-mile course at The Glen — in the playoffs for the first time before it returns to an August date next year — shook up the playoff standings heading into the cutoff race.

Buescher held off Shane van Gisbergen in the thrilling two final overtime laps and won for the first time this season for RFK Racing. The 31-year-old Texan, who started 24th, has six career victories.

BRIEFLY

Golf >> Jon Rahm ended his first year in the LIV Golf League by closing with a 4-under 66 to win the final individual event Sunday and the season points title with its $18 million bonus.

golf >> Steve Stricker ended a four-hole playoff with a shot out of the rough that banged into the pin and set up a tap-in birdie Sunday, his third straight Sanford International victory and his first PGA Tour Champions title of the year.

INdycar >> Alex Palou easily drove to his third IndyCar championship in four years when challenger Will Power’s seatbelt came loose minutes into the season-deciding finale Sunday.

NFL >> Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will see a neurologist this week after suffering his fourth diagnosed concussion in five years and his third while in the NFL.

— From news services