Cristie Kerr tees off on the 14th hole. Kerr shot a final-round 66 on Sunday to seal her victory at the LPGA Championship in Pittsford, N.Y.

Pittsford, N.Y. ? Cristie Kerr cruised to a 12-stroke victory in the LPGA Championship on Sunday in one of the most lopsided victories at a major, leaving her in position to become the first American ranked No. 1.

Kerr, the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open champion, closed with a 6-under 66 for a 19-under 269 total. She led wire-to-wire, opening with rounds of 68, 66 and 69.

Kerr broke the tournament record for victory margin of 11 set by Betsy King in 1992 and matched the second-biggest victory in a major. Louise Suggs set the record of 14 in the 1949 U.S. Women’s Open, and Babe Zaharias won the 1954 U.S. Open by 12 strokes.

By winning at Locust Hill, Kerr will overtake Japan’s Ai Miyazato when the world rankings are released today. Miyazato, who needed to finish second to remain No. 1, shot a 66 to tie for third at 5 under.

Kerr, a 14-time tour winner who also won the State Farm Classic two weeks ago, will become the fifth player to hold the No. 1 spot since the rankings started in 2006.

Song-Hee Kim (69) was second, and Jiyai Shin (71) matched Miyazato at 5 under.

Golf

Bubba’s the best in 2-hole playoff

Cromwell, Conn. — Bubba Watson won the Travelers Championship for his first PGA Tour title, overcoming a six-stroke deficit and beating Scott Verplank with a three-foot par putt on the second playoff hole.

Watson, the long-hitting left-hander from the Florida Panhandle, closed with a 4-under 66 to match Verplank (64) and Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin (66) at 14 under. The 50-year-old Pavin dropped out on the first extra hole at TPC River Highlands.

Watson almost won on the first extra hole, hitting a sand wedge to an inch from 128 yards, but Verplank made an eight-foot birdie putt. Watson had the largest comeback on the tour since Padraig Harrington also came from six back to win the 2007 British Open. Justin Rose had a three-stroke lead entering the round, but shot a 75 to tie for ninth at 11 under.

Late birdie propels Roberts to title

Endicott, N.Y. — Loren Roberts birdied the final hole for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke victory over Fred Funk in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

Roberts hit a pitching wedge to six feet to set up the winning birdie at En-Joie Golf Club. He finished at 15-under 201 for his 12th Champions Tour title. Funk also closed with a 65. Local favorite Wayne Levi (69) tied for third at 13 under with Nick Price (68) and Dan Forsman (71). Mark Calcavecchia had a 69 to tie for sixth at 12 under in the Champions Tour debut.

Soccer

U.S. Cup loss a smash hit on TV

Johannesburg — The United States’ 2-1 loss to Ghana, which eliminated the Americans from the tournament in South Africa, was the most-watched men’s World Cup game in both households and viewers.

Saturday’s game received an 8.2 national rating, ESPN said. It was seen in 9,455,000 households and by 14,863,000 viewers. Only the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, featuring the United States and China, averaged more households (11,307,000) and viewers (17,975,000) for a soccer game.

The U.S.-Ghana game was also the third highest-rated men’s World Cup game on record, behind only the 1994 final between Italy and Brazil (9.5 rating) and the round of 16 game that same year between the United States and Brazil (9.3 rating).

Softball

U.S. stays unbeaten at worlds

Caracas, Venezuela — Cat Osterman struck out 10 in a complete game, and Alissa Haber drove in four runs as the United States defeated Australia, 9-2, on Sunday to remain unbeaten at the world softball championship. The U.S. and Japan are each 5-0.

Auto racing

Vettel first at European GP

Valencia, Spain — Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel won the European Grand Prix on Sunday, dominating from the pole in a race marked by teammate Mark Webber’s spectacular crash.

Vettel won his second grand prix of the season, completing 57 laps of the Valencia street circuit ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Webber emerged unhurt after his car went airborne early in the race following a collision with Heikki Kovalainen.

Hamilton leads the standings with 127 points, ahead of defending champion Button, who has 121.

NBA

Jackson seeks clean bill of health

Whitefish, Mont. — Seeing Denver Nuggets coach George Karl sidelined last season with cancer will influence Phil Jackson’s upcoming decision on whether to return as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jackson said Sunday.

Jackson said he’s waiting to hear from doctors on whether he’s healthy enough to make it through another 82-game regular season.

The 64-year-old said he wouldn’t want to leave his squad without a coach in the middle of the season, as Karl was forced to do earlier this year while undergoing chemotherapy.?