Sorenstam eagle gains Lexus Cup tie

Annika Sorenstam isn't quite finished.

Playing her second-to-last event before retiring, the Swedish star holed a 45-foot pitch for eagle on the par-5 18th hole to give herself and Suzann Pettersen a 1-up victory over Inbee Park and Eun Hee Ji on Saturday in the Lexus Cup.

"The timing was perfect," Sorenstam said. "Suzann played extraordinarily well. I was happy to have a chance to help on the last hole."

With the comeback victory in the opening best-ball match at Singapore Island Country Club, Sorenstam and Pettersen helped the International team match two-time defending champion Asia at six points entering the closing 12 singles matches.

Sorenstam, set to end her Hall of Fame career next week in the Ladies European Tour's Dubai Ladies Masters, is the International team's playing captain.

Today, Sorenstam will play Asian captain Se Ri Pak in the opening match, the first between the longtime stars.

"It's funny, you think all these years we've been out together, we've never been out head-to-head," Sorenstam said. "I'm looking forward to it."

AUSTRALIAN MASTERS: Robert Allenby holed a 3-wood shot for a double eagle on the par-5 seventh and finished with a 5-under 67 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead at Melbourne, Australia, with playing partner Michael Sim.

Sim shot a 68 to match Allenby at 10-under 206 on the Huntingdale course. Ashley Hall (68) was two strokes back. Australian players held five of the top six positions on the leaderboard.

Tim Clark, a former N.C. State golfer who led the first two rounds, shot a 76 on Saturday and dropped to 213, seven strokes back.

SKINS GAME: K.J. Choi rolled in a three-foot birdie putt worth $75,000 on the third hole Saturday, giving him the first-day lead in the 26th annual Skins Game at Indian Wells, Calif.

Phil Mickelson earned $25,000 with a spectacular eagle-3 on the fourth hole, while two-time defending champion Stephen Ames and Skins Game rookie Rocco Mediate were shut out on the first nine holes.

WORLD CUP OF GOLF: Brendan Jones made a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday, giving Australia a 9-under 63 and a share of the lead with Spain after the third round at Shenzhen, China.

Both teams were 22-under 194.

Curlin retires after parade lap around Churchill Downs

Horse of the Year Curlin closed out his record-setting career at Churchill Downs on Saturday during a parade on the final day of the track's Fall Meet.

The 4-year-old colt, whose career earnings of $10.5 million set a North American racing record, made his final bow in a procession from the barn of trainer Steve Asmussen to the paddock at Churchill, where he circled with the starters for the fifth race before appearing in a winner's circle retirement ceremony.

"It's very emotional," said Asmussen, who led Curlin to all but one of his 11 career victories. "The things he's done for us that we hadn't done, everything he's accomplished, leaves us with a great sense of pride."

Asmussen said Curlin will leave Churchill for Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Ky., today, where he will begin his stud career next year.

CIGAR MILE: Tale of Ekati won the $300,000 event on a disqualification Saturday at Aqueduct in New York. Harlem Rocker was first under the wire, a nose in front of Tale of Ekati. The result was reversed, with Harlem Rocker dropped into the place spot following a stewards' inquiry.

Italy's Fill takes World Cup downhill opener for first win

Italy's Peter Fill took advantage of an early start to win his first World Cup downhill Saturday at Lake Louise, Alberta.

Switzerland's Carlo Janka started way back in the field in 65th to finish a surprising second in the World Cup downhill opener. Bode Miller, who won two training runs this week, finished 16th.

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP: France's Tessa Worley overcame driving snow and poor visibility Saturday to win a giant slalom at the Aspen (Colo.) Winternational for her first World Cup victory. Lindsey Vonn of the United States was fourth, turning in a strong effort after her slalom victory in Finland despite banging her knee in training two weeks ago.

American goalkeeper Friedel sets Premier League record

U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel set a record with his 167th consecutive Premier League appearance Saturday in Aston Villa's 0-0 tie with Fulham in London.

Friedel, 37, who started the streak in August 2004 with Blackburn, overtook the previous record set by Portsmouth's David James in April.