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LAS VEGAS — Sam Burns won the Sanderson Farms Championship last week and is trying to put it behind him. He’s playing as though it never ended.

Burns made a pair of 6-foot par putts on the only two greens he missed in regulation and ran off eight birdies in the morning for an 8-under 63 that left him a shot behind Sungjae Im and Chad Ramey on Friday in the Shriners Children’s Open.

Not only has Burns won twice in the last six months, he also lost in a playoff at a World Golf Championship and finished one shot out of a playoff at Riviera this year. The 25-year-old is comfortable at the top, and it’s showing.

The key to this week was not to let last week linger.

“What we tried to do is just last week is last week,” Burns said. “This week is Shriners and preparing for this week, trying to make sure Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday that we are giving ourselves the best opportunity to play well this week.

“Obviously, [incredibly] honored that I won last week and such a fun time, but just trying to kind of leave that there.”

Im and Ramey each closed their afternoon rounds with birdies on the par-5 ninth, with Ramey making a 13-footer after hitting his approach into the right greenside bunker.

They were at 14-under 128 at the TPC Summerlin, each opening 63-65 on a course that was doused with rain.

Im won the Honda Classic last year for his first PGA Tour title.

“There’s two days left to play, so I like to try to keep focused on my game and try to take it one shot at a time,” the 23-year-old South Korean player said. “It’s going to be difficult if it’s windy. I have to be more strategic to the course management.”

Ramey is making his third start of the year and fifth in his PGA Tour career. The 29-year-old former Mississippi State player earned his tour card this year through the Korn Kerry Tour.

“The first tournament of the year I didn’t drive it very good and didn’t putt it very good,” Ramsey said. “So, the last few weeks I’ve kind of been hitting those points pretty hard, and I’ve kind of feel like I got it back under myself a little better right now. I hit it really well off the tee and I’m making putts. You can’t ask for much more.”

Adam Schenk had a 65 to match Burns at 13 under. Aaron Wise was another stroke back after a 62.

Matthew Wolff (67), who lost in a playoff last year, was 11 under with Honda Classic winner Matt Jones (67), Adam Hadwin (64), Andrew Putnam (64), Slovakian silver medalist Rory Sabbatini (66), Harry Hall (65) and Talor Gooch (67).

Sung Kang followed an opening 61 with a 73 to fall six shots back at 8 under. Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka shot a 67 to get to 7 under.

While Burns remained hot, that wasn’t the case with some others who contended last week at the Country Club of Jackson. Cameron Young, a runner-up last week, and 54-hole leader Sahith Theegala missed cut by a stroke, each shooting 70-68.

They had company. Rickie Fowler managed a 66, but also fell a stroke short of the weekend as he tries to find his game. Scottie Scheffler, unbeaten in three matches in his Ryder Cup debut two weeks ago, also dropped out.

Burns played well in the opening round too, except for the par-3 17th when he slightly pulled his tee shot into the water and made double bogey. There were no such issues in the second round. He was efficient as ever and remained dialed in with his irons.

Only two of his eight birdies were outside about 6 feet. He two-putted his final hole, the par-5 ninth, from 35 feet.

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Ohtani has shoulder surgery after dislocation

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Ohtani has shoulder surgery after dislocation

Shohei Ohtani had surgery Tuesday to repair his shoulder after partially dislocating it during the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced.

The arthroscopic procedure was to repair a labrum tear and was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, the team said.

Ohtani dislocated his left shoulder while attempting to steal in Game 2 against the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers said he is expected to be recovered by spring training.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Knight’s Choice salutes in Melbourne Cup boilover

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Knight's Choice salutes in Melbourne Cup boilover

Knight’s Choice has won the 2024 Melbourne Cup, defeating Warp Speed and Okita Soushi in a thrilling finish at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon.

The massive outsider saluted for Irish-born jockey Robbie Dolan, who claimed victory in what was his first ever ride in the “race that stops a nation”.

In what was a gripping 164th staging of Australia’s most-watched thoroughbred race, Knight’s Choice proved too strong in a sprint to the finish, pulling over the top of Okita Soushi and holding off Warp Speed by the barest of margins.

Trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon on the Sunshine Coast, Knight’s Choice was well down the betting across all markets. It was Laxon’s second Melbourne Cup triumph after she trained Ethereal to victory 23 years ago.

“This is the pinnacle of all pinnacles, this is the Melbourne Cup,” Symons said.

Zardozi rounded out the first four.

As the field approached the final few hundred metres it appeared as though Jamie Kah, aboard Okita Soushi, would become just the second woman to ride the winner in the Melbourne Cup. But Okita Soushi was swallowed up as the winning post neared, with Knight’s Choice beating Warp Speed to the line after a peach of a ride from Dolan.

“We’ll be singing tonight after a few beers,” Dolan, who was a contestant on the 2022 edition of “The Voice”, told Channel 9.

“It is amazing and a lot of people doubted this little horse. Doubt me now.”

Laxon was more than happy with the ride, with Dolan threading his way through the field from near last on the bend.

“He started the race, and he knew how to ride him. We didn’t give him instructions, he knew what to do,” she said.

“I love it being down for the Australians. The Australian horse has done it, and Robbie is Australian now as well, so I’m thrilled to win the Cup, and it is the people’s Cup, and that’s what it is all about.”

Knight’s Choice is just the sixth Australian-bred horse to win since 1993, and the first since Vow and Declare back in 2019.

The five-year-old gelding carried only 51kg to victory and was making its first start over the 3200m trip. It had most recently come off a fifth-placed finish in the Bendigo Cup, but had showed sparing little form this preparation otherwise.

“I watched every Melbourne Cup for the last 40 years. I thought my best chance was to get him to stay the trip and, hopefully, he can run home and do the quick sectionals he can on a good track and he proved everybody wrong,” Dolan said.

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Brewers’ Montas, Rea headed to free agency

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Brewers' Montas, Rea headed to free agency

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers‘ starting rotation could have a new look next season with right-handers Frankie Montas and Colin Rea heading into free agency.

The Brewers announced Monday that Montas had declined his part of a $20 million mutual option for 2025. The Brewers turned down the $5.5 million club option on Rea’s contract.

Montas receives a $2 million buyout and Rea gets a $1 million buyout.

In other moves Monday, right-hander Kevin Herget was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets, and left-hander Rob Zastryzny was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs. First baseman Jake Bauers and right-hander Bryse Wilson cleared waivers and were sent outright to Triple-A Nashville.

Montas, 31, had a combined 7-11 record with a 4.84 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 150⅔ innings in 30 starts for the Cincinnati Reds and Brewers this season. He was 3-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 starts for the Brewers, who acquired him just before the trade deadline.

Rea, 34, was 12-6 with a 4.28 ERA this season in 32 appearances, including 27 starts. He struck out 135 in 167⅔ innings. Rea had an 8.31 ERA in September and was left off the Brewers’ NL Wild Card Series roster.

Herget, 33, had no record with one save and a 1.59 ERA in seven appearances with Milwaukee this year. He was 5-1 with four saves and a 2.27 ERA in 38 relief outings with Triple-A Nashville.

Zastryzny, 32, was 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in nine appearances with Milwaukee. He pitched in 30 games with Nashville and went 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA.

The 29-year-old Bauers batted .199 with a .301 on-base percentage, 12 homers and 43 RBIs in 116 games this season. He also hit a seventh-inning homer that broke a scoreless tie in the decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card Series with the Mets, who rallied in the ninth to win 4-2.

Wilson, who turns 27 on Dec. 20, went 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA in 34 appearances, including nine starts.

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