Serbia won its first Davis Cup title, becoming only the second unseeded nation to win the trophy when Viktor Troicki beat Michael Llodra 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday for a 3-2 comeback win over France. Novak Djokovic kept the final alive for Serbia by beating Gael Monfils 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 to make it 2-2.
GOLF
THOUSAND OAKS, California (AP) _ U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to force a playoff in the Chevron World Challenge, then made another birdie putt from a little longer away to deny Tiger Woods a victory Sunday in his final tournament of the year.
Woods, despite losing a four-shot lead, was poised to end a turbulent year with a victory in his final event. Tied for the lead playing the 18th hole at Sherwood, he stuffed an 8-iron inside 3 feet for a sure birdie, but McDowell matched him to force the playoff.
McDowell closed with a 3-under 69 to join Woods (73) at 16 under. McDowell earned $1.2 million.
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) _ Sweden's Maria Hjorth won the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship on Sunday, finishing with an even-par 72 for a one-stroke victory over South Korea's Amy Yang.
Hjorth had a 5-under 283 total at Grand Cypress, the highest-winning score in relation to par all year except for Paula Creamer's 3-under victory in the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
Yani Tseng became the first player from Taiwan to win the player of the year award, and South Korea's Na Yeon Choi won the money title and Vare Trophy for the best scoring average.
SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) _ Top-ranked Lee Westwood won the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday, closing with a 4-under 68 for an eight-stroke victory. The English star earned $1.25 million.
SYDNEY (AP) _ Geoff Ogilvy won the Australian Open for his second professional victory in his home country, shooting a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a four-stroke victory.
BASEBALL
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) _ Free agent outfielder Jayson Werth and the Washington Nationals reached a megadeal Sunday, a startling $126 million, seven-year contract that seemed to catch most everyone by surprise at baseball's winter meetings.
Boston and San Diego also took care of business when the Padres agreed to trade first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity, pending the teams announcing the swap Monday.
The last-place Nationals got Werth, the 31-year-old All-Star right fielder from Philadelphia, just days after slugger Adam Dunn left for the Chicago White Sox.
The Yankees took care of lingering business over the weekend, reaching agreement with Derek Jeter on a $51 million, three-year deal.
SKIING
BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (AP) _ Ted Ligety conquered the Birds of Prey course to win a World Cup giant slalom, beating Norway's Kjetil Jansrud by 0.82 seconds.
On Saturday, Austria's Georg Streitberger won the super-G.
LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (AP) _ Lindsey Vonn won a women's World Cup super-G, beating Maria Riesch by more than three-quarters of a second Sunday after finishing second behind the German rival in both downhills.
BASKETBALL
NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ Hornets owner George Shinn has agreed to sell the club to the NBA and the transaction could be completed within a couple days, according to a person familiar with the decision.
The league has lined up New Orleans-born sports attorney Jac Sperling, vice chairman of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, to be the NBA's administrator of the team and oversee its sale to a more permanent owner, the person told The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because the move hasn't been publicly announced.
RODEO
LAS VEGAS (AP) _ Wyoming bull rider Kanin Asay won his second straight round in the National Finals Rodeo on Sunday night, scoring 88.5 points on Foolish Pride. Asay has earned $130,779 this season to move into second place in the world standings behind Wesley Silcox ($150,667).
