Ai Miyazato takes third-round lead in Tres Marias Championship

Ai Miyazato moved into position for her third victory of the season, shooting a two-under-par 71 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over long-hitting playing partners Michelle Wie and Brittany Lincicome in the Tres Marias Championship at Morelia, Mexico.

Miyazato, the Japanese star who won the season-opening events in Thailand and Singapore, had a 13-under 206 total at Tres Marias Country Club.

Wie, a stroke ahead after two rounds, shot a 73, and Lincicome had a 72 in windy conditions on the mountainside course. Wie won her lone LPGA Tour title 51/2 months ago in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Ochoa’s hometown of Guadalajara.

Ochoa, the top-ranked star retiring after the tournament to raise a family and work on her charity foundation, was sixth at 10 under after a 70. She finished at 25 under last year to win the event for the second straight year and third time in four seasons.

David Frost shot a six-under 66 to equal the course record and join Brad Bryant and David Eger atop the Champions Tour leaderboard for the inaugural Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at Saucier.

Bryant, who had a one-shot lead heading to the final hole, bogeyed 18 for his second consecutive 68. Eger also shot a 68 in the second round at Fallen Oak Golf Club.

Jay Haas was in fourth, two shots off the pace, and Tom Kite, Joey Sindelar, Rod Spittle and Tommy Armour III were at five under. Haas also had a 68.

TENNIS

Nadal reaches final in Rome

Rafael Nadal withstood a serious test from Ernests Gulbis before finally wearing down his 40th-ranked opponent to pull out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win in the semifinals of the Rome Masters.

It was the first time in nine matches on clay this year that Nadal dropped a set.

Nadal will be aiming for his fifth Rome title in six years when he meets David Ferrer in Sunday’s title match. His fellow Spaniard beat a sluggish Fernando Verdasco, 7-5, 6-3, to advance to the first Masters Series final of his career.

Justine Henin beat Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-3, 6-2, at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, advancing to her third final in five tournaments since coming out of retirement in January.

Henin will play in the final against Samantha Stosur of Australia, who defeated qualifier Anna Lapushchenkova, 7-5, 6-3, in the Russian’s first WTA Tour-level tournament.

ETC.

USC tops UCLA in track and field

The USC men’s track and field team defeated UCLA in a dual meet, 96-67, the Trojans’ first win at Drake Stadium since 1977.

The victory, along with USC’s wins Saturday over UCLA in women’s rowing and women’s track and field, helped the Trojans clinch the 2009-10 version of the Crosstown Gauntlet Trophy.

It’s an unprecedented third consecutive win for USC in the head-to-head all-sports competition with its crosstown rival.

Juan Manuel Marquez has agreed to a lightweight rematch with Juan Diaz on July 31, securing a sequel to one of 2009’s best fights.

Marquez stopped Diaz in the ninth round when they met in February 2009 in Houston, Diaz’s hometown.

Marquez-Diaz II will be held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and seen on HBO pay-per-view.

No. 1 Stanford def. No. 3 Cal State Northridge, 30-24, 30-28, 30-17, to win the Moutain Pacific Sports Federation men’s volleyball championship.

Stanford earns an automatic NCAA tournament berth while Cal State Northridge will wait until Sunday to see if it receives an NCAA at-large berth.