Shin plays like a million in season finale

Ji-Yai Shin held off Karrie Webb and an ailing Paula Creamer to win the LPGA Tour's season-ending ADT Championship yesterday at West Palm Beach, Fla., with a final-round 2-under-par 70. Shin captured the $1 million winner's prize, by far the biggest on tour, after a four-birdie, two-bogey day. In her country's currency, Shin collected 1.493 billion - yes, billion - South Korean won. "A really special year for me," said Shin, who isn't a full member of the tour but won three times, including the Women's British Open. Webb finished one shot back and Creamer, who spent Saturday night in the hospital because of an inflamed abdominal wall, finished tied for third with Seon Hwa Lee after 74s. Eun-Hee Ji was alone in fifth with a 75 . . . Defending champion Tommy Armour made a 36-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Scott Simpson (70) and Brock MacKenzie (67) to win the Pebble Beach (Calif.) Invitational. Armour, 49, finished with a 4-over 76 (10-under total) . . . Lin Wen-tang sank a 1-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Rory McIlroy and win the European/Asian tours' Hong Kong Open. Francesco Molinari was third after being knocked out on the first playoff hole. Lin had a 3-under 67 in the final round, with McIlroy and Molinari shooting 65s to leave them tied at 15-under 165. John Daly shot a bogey-free 62, one off the course record, and tied for 17th.

Even without top-ranked Rafael Nadal, Spain won its third Davis Cup by beating Argentina, 3-1, thanks to Fernando Verdasco's five-set victory over Jose Acasuso at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Verdasco outlasted Acasuso, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, before a boisterous crowd at Islas Malvinas Stadium. "It's the most exciting victory of my life," Verdasco said. It was Spain's first Cup championship on the road, adding to wins over Australia in 2000 and the United States in 2004. Verdasco, replacing David Ferrer in the reverse singles, overcame nine double faults to beat Acasuso.

Four former NFL Players Association presidents as well as Fred Nance, a sports law attorney who represents NBA star LeBron James, are among the list of candidates being considered to replace the late Gene Upshaw as the union's executive director, a person with knowledge of the search process told the Associated Press. Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong - two of the union's most recent former presidents - made the latest cut after the NFLPA narrowed the list of candidates to about 14 from 25 last week. Two other former union presidents also made the list: Mike Kenn, a former Falcons offensive lineman, and George Martin, the former Giants defensive end. Nance is a Cleveland-based lawyer who was one of five finalists for the commissioner's job two years ago . . . Sandro DeAngelis led Calgary to its sixth Grey Cup championship, kicking five field goals in the Stampeders' 22-14 victory over the Alouettes at Montreal in the Canadian Football League title game . . . Former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, 69, told school officials that he will return to coach the Wildcats. Snyder retired three years ago after turning around Kansas State's program.

The hypnotic free dance of Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski sent the Russian couple past defending champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin to win the gold medal at the Cup of Russia in Moscow. American pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White produced the top technical display to take the bronze in an impressive comeback from Saturday's error-riddled original dance . . . Petter Northug anchored Norway to victory in the World Cup cross-country ski relays opener at Gallivare, Sweden, edging the host country by .2 seconds in the men's 4 x 10 kilometer mixed-style event. The United States used the relay as a training opportunity with Andy Newell of Shaftsbury, Vt., and Chris Cook of Rhinelander, Wis., skiing the first two legs . . . Claudia Pechstein of Germany won the 1,500-meter race in Moscow for her second consecutive speedskating World Cup victory. Dutchman Bob de Jong won the 10,000 ahead of Hevard Bokko of Norway. Pechstein, who dominated the 5,000 Saturday, won in 1:55.96. The four-time Olympic champ edged Christine Nesbitt of Canada by .44 seconds.

Steve Asmussen broke his record for wins in a year when Prophesy won the first race at Remington Park in Oklahoma City to give the trainer victory No. 556. Asmussen, who trains reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, set the previous mark in 2004 . . . Ukrainian Andriy Toptun captured the Philadelphia Marathon in 2 hours 19 minutes 58 seconds. American Fred Kieser was second in 2:22.45. In the women's race, Vera Ovcharuk, also of Ukraine, won in her marathon debut, clocking 2:44.03 in cold, windy conditions. Abby Dean of Philadelphia was runner-up in 2:48.52 . . . Vladimir Sobotka struck for a pair of goals to power the Providence Bruins to a 6-3 victory over the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack in AHL play.