GOLF

LIV TOUR: A group of Sept. 11 victims’ family members who have long accused Saudi Arabia of aiding the terrorists who carried out the attacks are condemning former President Donald Trump for hosting the Saudi-backed LIV golf tour at his New Jersey course later this month.

In a letter to Trump on Sunday, family members said they felt “extreme pain, frustration and anger” as a result of Trump’s decision to host the controversial Saudi-sponsored league at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey for three days starting July 29.

“The evidence against Saudi Arabia and its role in the attacks is more clear than ever and, despite knowing that, former President Trump has accepted their money and is allowing them to enter a state devastated by 9/11,” said Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice and the son of a World Trade Center attack victim.

Eagleson’s group has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Saudi Arabia of being complicit in the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001 and has sought the release of classified FBI documents related to the Saudis’ role in the attacks.

The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks. But the family members said Trump, a Republican, blamed the Saudis himself in a 2016 Fox News interview. “Who blew up the World Trade Center?” Trump said on “Fox & Friends.” “It wasn’t the Iraqis –- it was Saudi. Take a look at Saudi Arabia. Open the documents.”

TRACK AND FIELD

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia patiently tucked behind her Kenyan rival until late in the race before surging ahead and sprinting to the win in the women’s marathon at the world championships on Monday in Eugene, Ore.

Gebreslase’s finished the fast and flat course in a championship-record time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 11 seconds. She held off Judith Jeptum Korir, who did most of the work late in the race, by nine seconds. Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, the Kenyan-born runner who represents Israel, earned the bronze medal.

Sara Hall led a strong showing by the Americans with a fifth-place finish. The 39-year-old Hall got stronger and stronger throughout the race to finish in 2:22:10. Emma Bates took seventh, while American women’s marathon record holder Keira D’Amato was eighth.

Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic marathon winner, started the field on its way along along the three-loop course that proved to be extremely fast. It’s now back-to-back wins for Ethiopia in the world marathon on the streets of Eugene and Springfield. Tamirat Tola won the day before in a championship-record time as well.

• Except for a single, barely perceptible flinch, Sunday would’ve been a Perfect 10 for the U.S. track and field team. As it ended up, the Americans still won nine medals on home turf at world championships in what will go down as one of the most memorable days for the red, white and blue in its long, successful history. It was the best single medal day for a nation at worlds, according to meet organizers.

Hurdler Devon Allen’s false start kept the U.S. from a possible sweep in the 110-meter final and what could’ve been the 10th medal of the day. The speedster-slash-receiver will now take his talents to the football field, where he’ll attempt to make the roster for the Philadelphia Eagles.

BASKETBALL

NBA: Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton has signed a multiyear contract extension after scoring a career-high 9.9 points per game this past season.

The 29-year-old Connaughton played 26 minutes per game and made 2.2 3-pointers per game this past season to set career highs in both categories. He made 39.5% of his 3-point attempts. He also had 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

TENNIS

PALERMO OPEN: Third-seeded Zhang Shuai recovered from a scare early in the second set to advance to the second round of the Palermo (Sicily) Ladies Open on Monday.

Zhang was broken twice at the start of the second set before rallying to beat Rebeka Masarova of Spain 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7). The Chinese player will face Jasmine Paolini after the Italian eased past Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3, 6-1.

Fourth-seeded Sara Sorribes Tormo is also safely through to the round of 16, with the Spanish player recovering to beat Ana Bogdan 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. The match had to be halted three times, for a medical timeout apiece, and another one due to extreme heat in what was the first match of the day. Sorribes Tormo will next face Leolia Jeanjean, who beat Ylena In-Albon 6-2, 6-4.

HAMBURG OPEN: Karen Khachanov saved two match points as he won his first-round match at the Hamburg European Open on Monday, while Botic van de Zandschulp had a surprise loss and Barbora Krejcikova won her opener in the women’s draw.

The seventh-seeded Khachanov won against Jan-Lennard Struff 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) after twice saving match point at 6-5 down in the decider before forcing a tiebreak.

Van de Zandschulp, seeded fifth, was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who goes on to play Slovakian qualifier Jozef Kovalik.

In the women’s draw of the clay-court event, last year’s French Open champion Krejcikova, seeded third, broke Suzan Lamens’ serve four times in a 6-2, 6-4 win to set up a second-round match with Magdalena Frech.

Fourth-seeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich won against Nastasja Schunk 6-1, 6-4, while Anastasia Potapova upset sixth-seeded Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 6-3.

SOCCER

WOMEN’S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP: Belgium reached the quarterfinals of the Women’s European Championship for the first time after a 1-0 upset win over Italy also eliminated Iceland on Monday.

Midfielder Tine de Caigny scored in the 49th minute and Belgium clung on to win. After the final whistle, Belgium had to wait for confirmation as Iceland drew with already-qualified France 1-1 after 12 minutes of added time.

That sets up a quarterfinal for Belgium against Sweden on Friday.

France was already assured of winning the group and plays the defending champion Netherlands on Saturday.