Briefs | Golf: Jessica Korda wins LPGA Malaysia for 4th title

Jessica Korda won the LPGA Malaysia yesterday for her fourth tour title, closing with a 6-under 65 in sweltering conditions at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club for a four-stroke victory. After winning twice last season, the 22-year-old American entered the week with only one top-10 finish this year, a tie for second in January in Florida in the season-opening event. She made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch that ended on the 10th, dropped a stroke on the par-4 11th and sealed it with birdies on the par-3 15th and 17th. Second-ranked Lydia Ko, No. 3 Stacy Lewis and 2014 winner Shanshan Feng tied for second. She cried on the 18th green after her final putt.

Motor racing – Pedrosa claims Japanese MotoGP title, Rossi adds to lead

Dani Pedrosa won the Japanese MotoGP yesterday while championship leader Valentino Rossi extended his lead in the standings with a second-place finish. Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa came from sixth on the grid and crossed the finish line with an 8.573-second lead over Yamaha rider Rossi. Rossi’s Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo was third. Pedrosa took the lead for good on lap 17 and continued his record of winning at least one race in every season he has competed in MotoGP. With three races left, Rossi now has 283 points for an 18-point lead over Lorenzo. Defending world champion Marc Marquez is a distant third with 197 points. The next race will be held at Phillip Island, Australia, on Oct. 18.

Rugby – England thrashes Uruguay 60-3 in World Cup

England has beaten Uruguay 60-3 in their last Rugby World Cup Pool A match, grabbing 10 tries to add some gloss to an otherwise miserable campaign. After losing 33-13 to Australia at Twickenham last Saturday, a week after losing 28-25 to Wales at the same ground, England became the first tournament host to fail to reach the quarterfinals. Given that coach Stuart Lancaster’s side needs to build for the future, it was somewhat ironic that three of the tries came from Nick Easter, the 37-year-old No. 8 playing in his third World Cup. More encouragingly, left winger Jack Nowell also scored a hat trick of tries on his World Cup debut.