IN BRIEF

MOTOR SPORTS

Source: Patrick to unveil JR Motorsports deal

A person familiar with the plan said Monday that Danica Patrick has reached a deal to enter NASCAR with JR Motorsports.

Patrick will announce a partial Nationwide Series schedule at a news conference today in Phoenix, the person familiar with her plans tells The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because she has not officially announced her intentions.

Last week Patrick signed a three-year contract extension with Andretti Autosport to stay in the IndyCar series, but its schedule gives her enough time to also try NASCAR.

It's not clear yet how many races she will drive in NASCAR's second-tier series for team owners Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick.

GOLF

Merritt tops field in PGA Tour qualifying

Troy Merritt has never played in a PGA Tour event. That's about to change.

Even after making double bogey on the final hole, Merritt shot 3-under 69 to win the PGA Tour qualifying tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla. He finished the six-round event at 22-under 410, one shot ahead of PGA Tour veteran Jeff Maggert.

Matt Jones (66) was third at 19 under, with the top 25 finishers earning cards on the PGA Tour for 2010. Rickie Fowler made it comfortably, his final-round 70 leaving him tied for 15th.

Former UNLV standout Chris Riley, a 2004 Ryder Cup player for the U.S., also advanced by tying for 19th at 10-under 422.

Among the notables who did not qualify were major champions David Duval, Todd Hamilton and Shaun Micheel.

Also: Duke star Amanda Blumenherst easily passed her first big test as a pro when she closed with a 4-under 68 to win the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Blumenherst, who finished at 9-under 351, was one of 20 players to earn cards for next year.

Gerry James of Ponte Vedra, Fla., shot 68 to post a 133 total for a five-stroke victory in the Nevada Senior Open in Mesquite. Las Vegan Kim Dolan (144) was the top local finisher, tying for fifth.

MISCELLANEOUS

Longtime Red Wing McCarty opts to retire

Darren McCarty, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons who won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, officially announced his retirement.

The 37-year-old McCarty spent 13 seasons with the Red Wings. He appeared in 758 games overall, recording 127 goals, 288 points and 1,477 penalty minutes. He scored the title-winning goal in the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals against Philadelphia to end Detroit's 42-year Cup drought. He also helped the Red Wings hoist the Cup in 1998, 2002 and 2008.

Also: The Phoenix Suns sent rookie forward Taylor Griffin to the Iowa Energy of the NBA development league.

The 6-foot-7-inch forward was the Suns' second-round pick -- 48th overall -- out of Oklahoma. Griffin had appeared in two games for Phoenix. He is the brother of the draft's No. 1 overall pick, Blake Griffin, who was chosen by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Duke freshman basketball player Andre Dawkins has left the team to be with his family in Virginia after his sister's death in a weekend car wreck in West Virginia.

The Chicago Cubs said Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg will manage Triple-A Iowa next season. Sandberg managed the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in 2009. The 50-year-old Sandberg spent the previous two seasons managing Class A Peoria.