GOLF

Mickelson extends lead to six strokes in Phoenix

Phil Mickelson drew the loudest roars from the biggest crowd in golf history Saturday at the Phoenix Open, nearly acing the par-3 16th to set up a birdie on the rowdy stadium hole packed with nearly 20,000 screaming fans.

Estimated at 179,022, the third-round crowd broke the record of 173,210 set last year, also on a Saturday at fan-friendly TPC Scottsdale.

Mickelson birdied the final four holes and five of the last six for a 7-under 64 and a six-stroke lead over Brandt Snedeker at 24 under.

The 42-year-old former Arizona State star has led after each round, opening with a 60 and shooting a 65 on Friday. He fell a stroke short of the tour record for the first 54 holes, and matched the tournament mark set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Stephen Gallacher shot a 10-under 62 to grab a three-shot lead at the Dubai Desert Classic and break a three-round scoring record set by Tiger Woods 12 years ago.

The 111th-ranked Scotsman is looking for his first European Tour win since 2004. He was at 21-under 195, three strokes ahead of Richard Sterne.

TENNIS

DAVIS CUP: Brazil’s doubles team of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares upset the top-ranked Mike and Bob Bryan 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and kept the United States from clinching the first-round match in Jacksonville, Fla.

It was only the third time the Bryan brothers had dropped a Davis Cup match, and just the second time that they had dropped a five-set match in ATP competition. Their only other five-set defeat was in a 1999 match at Wimbledon.

The U.S. has a 2-1 edge heading into Sunday’s reverse singles.

OPEN GDF SUEZ: Top-seeded Sara Errani of Italy will play for her seventh career title against Mona Barthel of Germany in the Open GDF Suez final after comfortable semifinal wins in Paris.

Errani advanced when Kiki Bertens retired from their semifinal with back pains when trailing 5-0.

PATTAYA OPEN: Second-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia and fifth-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany advanced to the final with straight-set victories at Pattaya, Thailand.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TEXAS A&M: Defensive lineman Kirby Ennis was suspended after being arrested on a gun charge in College Station, Texas.

He was released on a $2,000 bond. There were no further details available on his arrest.

PURDUE: Wide receiver O.J. Ross was suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules.

Ross, who will be a senior next season, finished second on the team with 56 receptions despite missing two games.

TEXAS: The board of regents called a Sunday meeting to discuss, among other items, “legal issues concerning individual athletics personnel at UT Austin” and “legal issues related to inappropriate relationships between employees and students” following the disclosure that co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite took part in “inappropriate, consensual behavior with an adult student” at the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.

Women’s track coach Bev Kearney resigned in early January after acknowledging a consensual relationship with a student-athlete.

MUNSON AWARDS

Olympic gold-medal gymnast Aly Raisman and New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia will be among the honorees at the 33rd annual Thurman Munson awards dinner Feb. 5 in New York.

The Mets’ Ike Davis, the Giants’ Chris Canty and former Knick Greg Anthony also will be recognized for their athletic success and philanthropic work Feb. 5 in New York.

Yankees rookie pitcher David Phelps will receive the second annual “Rising Star” award.

The gala, which remembers the late Yankees catcher, benefits AHRC New York City Foundation.

SKIING

SKI JUMPING: France’s Coline Mattel earned her second World Cup victory of the season, upstaging local favorite and overall leader Sara Takanashi in Sapporo, Japan.

Mattel landed a jump of 93 meters for 120.2 points on her first attempt before the second round was canceled because of high winds.

Defending overall World Cup champion Sarah Hendrickson of the United States finished seventh.

— From news service reports