There’s special, then there’s leading your first event as a professional special.

Rose Zhang falls into the second category, carrying a two-shot lead into the final round of the LPGA’s Mizuho Americas Open just 12 days after capturing her second consecutive national championship for the Stanford Cardinal. She’s the only woman to win the individual national championship twice.

Despite breaking record after record throughout an illustrious amateur career, even Zhang is a little surprised to be in this position in her professional debut.

“I was expecting myself to scramble into the cut,” Zhang said. “That was the first priority for me. But I've been enjoying every moment. I feel like the weekend is something that I've been, I've experienced before but as an amateur, so obviously it is a little different.”

You wouldn’t know it’s any different from watching her play Saturday.

Zhang – who just turned 20 on May 24^th – opened with a birdie at Liberty National and never took her foot off the gas.

Three more birdies on the front nine sent the Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion out in 4-under 32, and she would add birdies at Nos. 14 and 16 to post a bogey-free 6-under 66.

“Today was pretty much what I expected,” Zhang said. “The golf course was playing a little more difficult, especially with the winds gusting up a little bit more and it's in a different direction. So there was nothing that I didn't anticipate when I went out here, and Jason and I, we just did a great job getting our numbers in. I was just committed to every single golf shot that I hit today, so I think all that allowed me to shoot the best score that I could.”

Zhang’s poise can’t be overstated.

From the outside looking in, it’s hard to tell whether she’s trying to win on the LPGA or playing with friends on a Tuesday.

The young star just continues to do what she’s always done.

“I do feel little small butterflies here and there,” Zhang said. “I've been pretty comfortable when I've been on the golf course. I've been able to tap into my zone and I've just been trying to think about how this is the sport that I've been playing for the last ten or so years. I'm just doing what I need to do and going back to what my body knows.”

As special as Saturday was, Sunday will be a different test.

A win would mean full LPGA membership, which would also make her eligible to represent the United States in the Solheim Cup this fall.

“I've been in this position before, but I haven't been in this position as a professional, since this is my first week, so I'm really just learning everything that I could,” Zhang said. “Tomorrow, I'll be just trying to figure out what it feels like to be in the final group, navigate my way through, and I'm sure by the end of the day I'll be able to, you know, just build my character more.”

If things go according to plan, she’ll be building a bigger trophy case, too.

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of highly rated Sporting CP defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte, sources have told ESPN.

Both the London side and French champions Paris Saint-Germain have offered to trigger the Uruguay international's release clause of €60 million. However, unlike the Parisians, Chelsea are adding solidarity payments and various bonuses which makes their proposition more attractive, sources said.

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Sporting are even encouraging and pushing Ugarte to choose Chelsea ahead of PSG, who are still hoping to convince him, sources added. The 22-year-old has not yet agreed to anything but, according to sources, a full agreement with Chelsea is now close.

New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to be a big fan of Ugarte, who will line up alongside British-record signing Enzo Fernandez in the Chelsea midfield next season if he decides to join the club.

Despite spending more than £600 million to sign 17 players over the past 12 months since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club, it is set to be another bust summer at Chelsea.

Much of that transformation looks set to focus on the team's midfield with both Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic close to departing.

Mount's existing deal expires next summer and Chelsea would rather cash in now than lose him for nothing in 2024 if no agreement over an extension can be reached, sources have told ESPN, with Manchester United in pole position for his signature.

Sources have also told ESPN that Manchester City are in talks to sign Croatia international Kovacic.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Much was expected of Rose Zhang when she turned professional last week, and she is already delivering.

The two-time NCAA champion moved into position to win in her pro debut, shooting a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Mizuho Americas Open.

"I've been in this position before, but I haven't been in this position as a professional, since this is my first week, so I'm really just learning everything that I could," Zhang said. "Tomorrow, I'll be just trying to figure out what it feels like to be in the final group, navigate my way through, and I'm sure by the end of the day I'll be able to, you know, just build my character more."

The former Stanford star had six birdies in a bogey-free round on a raw, overcast day at Liberty National in jumping to the top of the leaderboard. It's nothing new for the 20-year-old who won 12 of 20 events in her two years in college, with many viewing it as a sign of things to come.

Event 1 is certainly shaping up that way a day to go, and it could have been better. Zhang settled for a tap-in birdie at the driveable 16th hole after hitting her tee shot within about 5 feet.

Cheyenne Knight, who was tied with Minjee Lee for the halfway lead at 7 under, was tied for second with Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand and Aditi Ashok of India, who both shot 68s. Knight had a 69, making a bogey at No, 17 and missing a 10-footer for birdie on the final hole.

Lee (72) was 7 under in fifth place, a shot ahead of Jennifer Kupcho (69) rookie Hae Ran Ryu (66) and Eun-Hee Ji (70).

Stephanie Kyriacoiu of Australia had the best round of the day, shooting a 65 that included an eagle, six birdies and an early bogey. The 22-year-old was at 5 under along with top-ranked Jin Young Ko (73) and fellow South Korean player Sei Young Kim (70).

They will all have to catch Zhang, who was the No. 1 women's amatuer for 141 weeks. She also is on a roll, having won the Augusta National Women's Amateur this year and her second straight NCAA title last month.

This has been a hectic week for Zhang. Not only did she turn pro, but she has shown a lot of composure on the course and off with the sheer volume of interview requests.

"I still think I'm human so I do feel little small butterflies here and there," the Irvine, California, resident said, "I've been pretty comfortable when I've been on the golf course. I've been able to tap into my zone and I've just been trying to think about how this is the sport that I've been playing for the last ten or so years. I'm just doing what I need to do and going back to what my body knows."

Seven women have won their first start as a pro on the LPGA Tour since 1992, with Hinako Shibuno of Japan the last in the 2019 Women's British Open.

Knight also has been in her zone looking for her second win on tour and first since 2019. She has been in the top 10 after 36 holes in her last four events.

"I'm excited, but, I mean, yeah, Minjee I think shot 8 under yesterday. Marina (Alex) did, too. It's out there," Knight said. "I'm excited to attack, and, yeah, just give myself some chances tomorrow and hopefully they drop."

Ashok has had only one bogey in three rounds in her search for her first win on this tour.

"I think this golf course especially makes you think a lot," said Ashok, who has had two top three finishes in recent weeks. "If you get the right angles and if you play it smart I think it's easier to not drop shots."

No. 3 ranked Lydia Ko, who was a shot behind the lead entering the round, and No. 8 ranked Brooke Henderson, who was two shots off the pace, finished at 1-under. Ko shot 77, and Henderson 76.

LAS VEGAS -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman remains bullish on finding a solution to keep the Coyotes in Arizona, saying the league is "hopeful" it won't lose the "terrific market."

Speaking before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, Bettman addressed the uncertain future of the Coyotes yet again, two weeks after the team's $2.1 billion Tempe arena plan was rejected by voters.

"The Coyotes are exploring their options in the greater Phoenix area, and our hope is that one of those options being explored will come to fruition," Bettman said.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the league has talked with Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who hopes to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City. Bettman said that expansion is currently not a top priority for the NHL, and he is hopeful to avoid relocation.

"We're in a better position to resist leaving than maybe we were 20 or 30 years ago," Bettman said, adding that he hasn't "prejudged any markets if we were going to add or relocate teams."

Bettman said he remains committed to keeping a team in Arizona because of how large and growing the market is, and he believes the team has been put in "unfortunate" situations, having also been a "victim to circumstance."

Newly appointed NHL Players' Association executive director Marty Walsh said he has met with Bettman to address players' many concerns about the situation, including subpar conditions at their temporary home at Arizona State University's Mullet Arena. The NHL has said the Coyotes will play at the 5,000-seat venue again in the 2023-24 season.

"I'd love to know, by beginning of the season, what the plan is for next year," Walsh said. "If we don't have in the near future a new location, we have to have a serious conversation. These players can't continue to play in a college hockey arena as NHL players. They just can't do it. It doesn't look right; it doesn't feel right."

Bettman broached several other topics, as well:

* Bettman said it is "likely" that the salary cap will only rise by $1 million this offseason as the players continue to pay off COVID-19 pandemic revenue losses. The NHLPA and Bettman met recently on the topic; players and teams were hopeful that the 2023-24 season could see a larger bump. However, the collective bargaining agreement signed by players in 2020 capped escrow at 6%. Walsh said the payers do not have an appetite to change the escrow, which will necessitate yet another small increase.

Bettman said the larger, more regular, increase is "overwhelmingly likely" for 2024-25. Bettman said there were "still beans to count" but the projections for hockey-related revenue for this season is $6 billion, which is encouraging but not enough to allow teams to increase spending significantly.

* There was no update on the Ottawa Senators sale. Bettman said all four groups that submitted bids on May 15 remain in the mix, and the league expects a "good outcome in the next few weeks."

"Buying a billion-dollar asset isn't the same as buying a new car," Bettman said in regard to why the process is still taking time.

* Bettman said former Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman have independently requested meetings to discuss re-instatement into the league. The commissioner said he will schedule them after the Stanley Cup final. Bettman said neither man is currently eligible to work for an NHL team following their involvement in the Blackhawks' handling of sexual assault allegations in 2010 from former player Kyle Beach against the team's video coach, Brad Aldrich.

* Some NHL teams have expressed interest in staging a game in Mexico. The league has done "exploratory research" but Bettman doesn't think it will happen in the "very short term" because of logistical hurdles, including with facilities.

* The NHL is not investigating the incident regarding Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin. Daly said the league knows "exactly what happened" and believes it was handled "appropriately" by the Avalanche. Nichushkin left the team's playoff series in Seattle after a woman was found intoxicated in his hotel room and needed to be transported for medical attention.

* The NHL's independent investigator completed its investigation into the Canadian 2018 World Junior team. London, Ontario police are also investigation allegations that five members of that team -- some who are currently in the NHL -- sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room following a team gala. The NHL's independent investigator is preparing a report, which is expected in early summer.

The New Orleans Pelicans are hiring James Borrego as associate head coach, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday afternoon.

Borrego, who was the head coach for the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022, turned down several other opportunities to be a top assistant to take the job with the Pelicans, sources said.

The Pelicans will also retain assistant coach Jarron Collins, who was head coach Willie Green's top assistant the past two seasons, sources said. Collins was one of the final candidates for the head-coaching vacancy for the Detroit Pistons.

New Orleans had an open position on the coaching staff after assistant Ryan Pannone left earlier this spring to take a spot on the Alabama men's basketball coaching staff.

Borrego and Green, who just completed his second season as the Pelicans' head coach, have history together. Borrego spent two seasons as an assistant coach in New Orleans, from 2010 to 2012, when the team was still known as the Hornets. Green played for New Orleans in the 2010-11 season.

Following his stint in New Orleans, Borrego went to Orlando, where he spent 2012 to 2015 as an assistant for the Magic. During the 2014-15 season, Borrego served as the interim head coach. That season was also Green's only year playing for Orlando and his final season as a player.

The Pelicans are eager to incorporate Borrego's offensive philosophy into a lineup that will feature Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum next season. While injuries played a major part, the Pelicans finished 20th in offensive rating last season and were second to last in 3-pointers attempted per game.

During his final season in Charlotte, Borrego's Hornets were sixth in the league in 3s attempted, eighth in offensive rating and fifth in the league in pace.

Borrego led the Hornets to a 43-39 record in 2021-22 and back-to-back trips to the play-in tournament but was let go in April 2022.

Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is staying with the franchise on a new deal worth more than $2 million annually that'll make him the NBA's highest-paid assistant coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

The Suns were determined to keep Young on new coach Frank Vogel's staff and made a significant commitment to keep him from following former coach Monty Williams to the Detroit Pistons, sources said.

Young has become one of the league's top assistant coaches and was one of the three finalists for the job that Vogel eventually landed on Friday. Young has a strong relationship with Suns star Devin Booker and had a great deal of support within the organization to be retained with Vogel.

Vogel is finalizing a five-year deal to become the franchise's new head coach.

Young spent eight years coaching in the G League -- including head-coaching jobs with the Utah Flash, Iowa Energy and Delaware 87ers -- and gained momentum as a head-coaching candidate in openings this year, including with the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and Suns. Young previously interviewed for head-coaching jobs with the Sixers, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards in recent seasons.

NEW YORK -- Howard Johnson and Al Leiter were inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame prior to the team's game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Johnson played for New York from 1985 through 1993. He ranks third in team history with 202 stolen bases and fourth in homers (192) and RBIs (629). Leiter grew up a Mets fan in New Jersey before pitching for the team from 1998 through 2004.

The 62-year-old Johnson played his first big league game in 1982 for the Detroit Tigers and his last one with the Chicago Cubs in 1995.

"There's probably not a day goes by that you don't think about that -- being able to play the game that we did when we were 25, play at that level," Johnson said. "Every time you get out of bed is a reminder that was a long time ago. It's almost like two different people. And the older we get, that person goes further and further away."

Johnson and Leiter were joined in the 2023 class by broadcasters Gary Cohen and Howie Rose, who have called the team's games on radio and television since 1989 and 1995, respectively. Longtime media relations executive Jay Horwitz also was honored with a Hall of Fame achievement award.

Johnson had three seasons with the Mets with at least 30 homers and 30 steals, fourth-most all time behind Bobby Bonds, Barry Bonds and Alfonso Soriano.

"There are very few players in the history of the game who have been switch hitters with the power and speed that HoJo brought to the table," Cohen said. "To be a three-time 30/30 player is an extraordinary feat."

Leiter ranks sixth on the team lists for wins (95) and starts (213) and eighth in strikeouts (1,106). He started Games 1 and 5 of the 2000 Subway Series, throwing 142 pitches in the latter game and taking the loss when Luis Sojo hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to give the Yankees their third straight championship.

"I truly gave everything on every pitch," said Leiter, who ended his acceptance speech by referencing "Meet The Mets," the team's famous rally song. "I wasn't the best, but I gave you my best."

Rose and Cohen each grew up in Queens as Mets fans attending games at Shea Stadium and watching and listening to the team's original broadcasters -- Bob Murphy, Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner.

"Well, the whole thing is more than just a little bit surreal," Rose said.

Cohen was Murphy's radio partner from 1989 through 2003, when Murphy retired and was replaced by Rose, who moved over from the television booth.

"I am just a kid from Queens," Cohen said during his acceptance speech. "I got lucky. I am one of you."

MIAMI -- Luis Arraez had a career-high five hits and five RBIs and the Miami Marlins beat the Oakland Athletics 12-1 on Saturday.

The major leagues' leading hitter, Arraez hit three doubles and two singles to raise his average to .390. He joins Justin Turner in 2017 as the only players over the past 10 years to be batting .390 or better at least 200 at-bats into a season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Turner, who was batting .390 through 205 at-bats, finished that season with a .294 average.

A day after going 0-for-4 in the series opener, Arraez also became the first player in franchise history with five hits and five RBIs in a game.

"When I was a kid yes, but I've never had five hits," Arraez said.

In addition to going hitless Friday, Arraez had additional motivation. Arraez and his wife, who is expecting the couple's third child, learned in a gender revealing that they will have their third girl.

"It's emotional and because of that I have to play well," Arraez said. "I'm going to do everything possible that my girls have beautiful lives."

Joey Wendle doubled twice and singled for the Marlins, who finished with 14 hits.

The A's dropped to a major league-worst 12-48 and lost their 13th straight on the road.

Rookie Eury Perez threw five scoreless innings of four-hit ball in his fifth major league start. The 20-year-old Perez (3-1) struck out five and walked one. George Soriano got the last nine outs for his first major league save.

"I feel very confident when I am in the game and the support I get from my teammates also helps a lot," Perez said. "It gives me a lot of energy to go out on the mound and perform."

The Marlins struck early against Oakland starter Luis Medina with a four-run second. Jonathan Davis hit a two-run double and scored on Arraez's single. Jorge Soler's single advanced Arraez to third before Bryan De La Cruz had a sacrifice fly to right.

Consecutive walks to Jean Segura and Nick Fortes in the third ended Medina's outing. Wendle followed with a single against reliever Sam Long to load the bases. Arraez's one-out double to left-center cleared the bases and put Miami ahead 7-0.

"I feel like I keep saying that but it's freaking June already and he's still doing it," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said of Arraez. "It's surprising I guess because it's already June and he's hitting like .390 but with the work he puts in, it's not surprising because of how relentless he is."

Medina (0-5) gave up six runs and six hits, walked four and struck out two.

Arraez's RBI double and De La Cruz's second sacrifice fly in the fifth padded the lead.

Shea Langeliers' RBI single in the eighth put Oakland on the board and snapped an 18-inning scoreless string.

"Offensively, we don't string hits together consistently," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "Later in the game, I thought we had better at bats than we did earlier. You focus on those better at bats and prepare for [Sunday]."

With the lopsided lead, the Marlins pinch-hit for Arraez with Garrett Hampson in the eighth.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Lionel Messi's final game for Paris Saint-Germain ended in a shock 3-2 home defeat to Clermont Foot amid boos directed in his direction from some home fans at the Parc des Princes.

PSG confirmed before kick-off that Messi would not extend his two-season stay at the club beyond this campaign, making this his farewell to supporters.

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The Paris club sealed the Ligue 11 title last weekend but the season has been a disappointment following a round of 16 exit in the Champions League for a second successive season and the club's fans have made their displeasure known in recent weeks.

Sergio Ramos opened the scoring in what was also his final game for PSG when he headed in a deep cross from Vitinha, before Kylian Mbappe made it 2-0 from the penalty spot for his 29th goal of the season that helped him secure the Golden Boot.

Clermont, who had a Grejohn Kyei goal disallowed for handball when the score was 0-0, struck back through Johan Gastien, but the unfortunate Kyei then put a penalty wide.

Clermont did have their equaliser on the stroke of half-time though when the ball rebounded kindly to Mehdi Zeffane and he tapped home.

Messi had a golden chance to put PSG back in front after beating set up by Mbappe but the World Cup winner skied his shot high over the bar when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The miss was followed by audible boos and whistles from the club's supporters.

Kyei then finally got his goal with a close-range finish just past the hour-mark to give Clermont the win.

It was an emotional night in Paris where players from both sides paid tribute to PSG goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who remains in intensive care following a horse-riding accident in Spain last weekend.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.