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Monday, November 16, 2020 SECTION B Paul Farmer . Sports Editor . 427.6926

Johnson wins Masters with record-setting score

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Dustin Johnson’s first words after the Masters trophy ceremony were an apology.

“I’m sorry,” he said, handing back the microphone that CBS had given him. “I couldn’t even talk.”

Always a man of few words, Johnson could find even fewer, getting as far as “It’s a dream come true – “before repeatedly wiping his eyes and taking deep breaths to gather himself.

The world’s No. 1 golfer, who grew up an hour’s drive northeast of Augusta National, had just won his second major championship in spectacular fashion. He was 20 under par after four rounds, breaking the tournament record by two strokes, and winning by five.

Though wobbly early with back-to-back bogeys on Holes 4 and 5, Johnson pulled away from the field down the stretch and had three birdies in a row – on 13, 14 and 15. His scores were 65-70-65-68.

“Just growing up so close to here, it’s always been a tournament that, since I’ve been on tour, since I played my first Masters, it’s been the tournament I wanted to win the most,” said the 36-year-old Johnson, who was raised in Columbia, S.C. “You know, being close the last couple years, finishing second last year to Tiger, this one was just something that I really wanted to do.”

A month ago, Johnson was out of commission, having tested positive for the coronavirus. He withdrew from the CJ Cup and had to quarantine in his Las Vegas hotel room for 11 days.

“You sit in the hotel room for two weeks, it doesn’t do a lot for the golf game,” said Johnson, who missed the Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club but decided to play the Vivant Houston Open the following week as a tuneup for Augusta.

In this weirdest of years, with the Masters postponed from April to November, and no spectators – here they’re referred to as “patrons” – the ending felt appropriately strange and anticlimactic, especially in light of Tiger Woods’ heart-rending victory 19 months earlier.

But behind the scenes, even Woods felt that surge of emotion after helping Johnson into his new green jacket. Woods stood at the edge of the green and watched the new champion receive the silver, clubhouse-shaped trophy.

“This is awesome,” Woods said in a stage whisper to no one in particular. Before Johnson, he was the last world No. 1 to win the Masters, his third of five in 2002.

Australia’s Cameron Smith and South Korea’s Sungjae Im, a Masters newcomer, finished tied for second at 15 under.

ESPN noted Johnson was just the fourth golfer in

See Masters, Page B8

Chris Graythen/Getty Images/TNS Driver Chase Elliott celebrates in victory lane after and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix winning the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale 500 Raceway, Nov. 8, in Avondale, Arizona. What covering NASCAR’s season like no other taught me:

This sport isn’t its stereotype

Alex Andrejev

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Chase Elliott entered Phoenix Raceway’s media center with a well-deserved beer in his hand. He took a swig after sitting down on stage, then placed the can at his feet before spending an hour on the evening of his first NASCAR Cup championship answering questions about his racing career and the feeling of winning and shouldering the pressure of being Bill Elliott’s son.

He looked relaxed and jubilant and reflective. There was little I could relate to in his answers or in his swagger in that moment, stressing about the stories I still had to file, until Elliott took a question: “What does it mean to get this win in ANALYSIS this very unusual year?”

“Certainly a strange year and a different outlook,” Elliott said. “I haven’t really thought a ton about how things are different because I don’t know it any other way, winning a championship.”

I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. I have no experience winning a NASCAR championship, but I know what it’s like to do something for the first time in 2020 at the age of 24.

I’ve been asked similar questions since March about what it’s like to cover NASCAR, a new sport for me, during the Covid-19 year. I’ve been interviewed about it four times, including on NPR, and at almost every turn I’ve been reminded by longtime industry members, “This is not normal.”

I wish I had something more insightful to offer, but I usually shrug and mimic what Elliott said: “I don’t know it any other way.” What option do you have besides rolling with the pandemic-sized punches and doing your job?

No infield access? OK. Source building via Zoom? Sure. New city? Protest coverage? Breaking news every other day? Let’s go.

Don’t get me wrong, this year was hard. It was really hard. I often felt stupid and frustrated for not knowing things, for not breaking stories or for asking a question that was obvious to everyone else while I was still learning. I spent the spring, like many, worried about job security and my family and when I would next see my friends in person or hangout somewhere besides my couch.

But I’ve lived through some personally tough times before. I’ve experienced the most depressing year of my life and it wasn’t this one, so maybe I was wellequipped for the obvious 2020 lesson that plans change. You roll with the punches.

I watched NASCAR do the same this year, adopting virtual racing, maneuvering its schedule to run a full season and requiring masks at races to protect people from a deadly virus. I watched the sport come together

See NASCAR, Page B8

49ers sloppy after solid start in 27-13 loss to Saints

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

The 49ers couldn’t have scripted a better start.

And the start of the second half also provided reason for optimism.

But not even their brilliant beginning and the absence of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees for the final two quarters could prevent a 27-13 loss to the Saints in the Superdome on Sunday.

The 49ers, who arrived as 10-point underdogs who were thinned by injuries, had a 10-0 lead in the second quarter and didn’t have to face Brees after the future Hall of Famer exited at halftime with a rib injury.

However, the 49ers (4-6), playing with a host of spare parts occupying key spots, needed a nearly flawless performance to stun the Saints (7-2).

Instead, the 49ers committed four turnovers that led 14 points, allowed a 75-yard kickoff return that led to a field goal and couldn’t provide even a rumor of a running game with three of their top four backs sidelined.

They had 41 yards, averaged 2.0 yards per carry and their limitations were exposed on 4th-and-1 late in the second quarter: Jerick McKinnon was dropped for a 2-yard loss, a change of possession that set up a 57-yard drive that allowed the Saints to take a 17-10 lead before halftime.

Trailing 20-10 with about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 49ers’ third turnover extinguished their faint chances. Punt returner Richie James bobbled a punt – the 49ers’ second muffed punt – and the Saints recovered at the San Francisco 22. New Orleans took a 27-10 lead three plays later.

Before the sloppiness, the 49ers were scintillating.

They began the game with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took just more than seven minutes and included three third-down conversions. Quarterback Nick Mullens completed 6 of 7 passes for 47 yards and finished the drive with a 4-yard toss to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

The march set the tone for a dominating first quarter in which the 49ers had more than first downs (nine) than the Saints had total yards (8).

The 49ers ran 20 more plays (23-3) than the Saints, who had one three-and-out possession and a potential second possession that was erased by a muffed punt that led to a field goal by a 32-yard field goal by Robbie Gould that gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead one snap into the second quarter.

However, the Saints steadied themselves with their special teams.

First, Deonte Harris had a 75-yard kickoff return that led a 49-yard field goal by Will Lutz that trimmed New Orleans’ deficit to 10-3.

Four minutes later, the 49ers muffed a punt when Thomas

See 49ers, Page B8

Raiders force 5 turnovers, grind out win over Broncos

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The Raiders parlayed four interceptions and a fumble recovery and a big day by running back Josh Jacobs for a 37-12 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders improve to 6-3 going into a rematch against defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City next week in Las Vegas. The Broncos fell to 3-6.

Jacobs had touchdown runs of 5 and 11 yards, Daniel Carlson had field goals of 24, 52 and 22 yards, and Devontae Booker had fourth-quarter scoring runs of 7 and 23 yards to account for the Raiders scoring.

The Broncos managed field goals of 50 and 33 yards by Brandon McManus before finally getting their first touchdown trailing by 24 points with 6:55 left on a 7-yard touchdown from Drew Lock to DaeSean Hamilton.

Jacobs rushed for 112 yards on 21 carries, with Booker adding 81 on 16 attempts as the Raiders ran for 204 yards on 41 carries compared to 66 yards rushing for Denver.

Safety Jeff Heath had two interceptions of Lock, with defensive end Carl Nassib and Nick Kwiatkoski getting one each. Kwiatkoski’s one-handed pick of Lock came with 18 seconds left and closed off Denver’s last scoring opportunity.

Quarterback Derek Carr was 16 of 25 for 154 yards as the Raiders were content to run the ball and play field position on a day when they weren’t particularly sharp in the passing game. Included were a pair of dropped potential touchdowns from Nelson Agholor and Darren Waller.

The Raiders came in to the game with just five takeaways in eight games before Sunday’s avalanche.

Highs, lows and everything you need to know:

FUMMBLE!: Nevin Lawson forced and recovered a Hamilton fumble in the fourth quarter, which led to a Booker’s 7-yard touchdown run for a 30-6 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Booker joined the Raiders as a free agent after four seasons with the Broncos.

Double ejection: The Broncos Tim Patrick and the Raiders Isaiah Johnson were ejected early in the fourth quarter on a play in which Johnathan Abram gave Patrick a shove and Patrick threw a punch. Johnson then took a swing at Patrick.

Nassib with the pick: The Raiders went up 23-6 on a 22-yard Carlson field goal, set up by an interception and 23-yard return by Carl Nassib.

Nassib signed with the Raiders as a former 3-4 linebacker in part so he could put his hand down and rush the passer. On this play, however, he dropped into coverage and Lock threw him the ball when pressured by Nicholas Morrow.

The Raiders failed to convert the turnover into a touchdown, but did add three more points on Carlson’s third field goal.

Taking control: The Raiders went on an 11-play, 78-yard drive following a Broncos punt to take a 20-6 lead with 36 seconds left in the third quarter. Jacobs did the honors with a 5-yard run.

Included was a nice bit of improvisation by Carr for a 22-yard pass to Henry Ruggs III on third-and – 4, breaking to his left and lofting a pass that was caught for the first down. They overcame a holding penalty onDenzelle Goodwhich set up a second-and-18 with Carr hitting Jacobs for 13 yards out of the backfield and Darren Waller for five and the first