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SHANGHAI -- Hideki Matsuyama arrived at the HSBC Champions as the first Japanese player in nearly two decades to reach the top 10 in the world ranking. His 19 birdies over 36 holes in biting chill and swirling wind helped explain how he got there.Even as the weather shifted dramatically Friday at Sheshan International, Matsuyama kept piling up the birdies. One last birdie on the par-5 18th gave him a 7-under 65 and a three-shot lead going into the weekend of the final World Golf Championships event of the year.He is playing very well, said Rory McIlroy, who was six shots behind. And hell be tough to catch.Matsuyama was at 13-under 131 and led by three shots over defending champion Russell Knox (68) and Bill Haas (67). He shouldnt have been surprised by the result because it was his eighth consecutive score in the 60s dating to the second round of the Tour Championship.What made this one so satisfying were the conditions.Rain the last two days gave way to a strong wind when Matsuyama was warming up, and the wind made the sharp dip of temperatures into the 50s feel even worse.I thought maybe just a couple under par would be a good score, Matsuyama said. So Im really happy with how it ended up today. It was windy and cold. The ball, its hard to control. It was tough out there today.It was plenty tough for Adam Scott, who had a pair of double bogeys on the par 5s on his way to an 80. Kevin Kisner, a runner-up at the HSBC Champions last year, made a 9 on the final hole for an 80.Fifteen players still managed to break 70 because of the rain-softened greens, and while Matsuyamas 65 was the best score of the second round, making it even more impressive was that he also had two bogeys. On Thursday, he had 10 birdies against four bogeys.Nineteen birdies ... thats really, really strong, Knox said.Matsuyama already is having his biggest year since he began playing regularly round the world in 2014. He overcame a two-shot deficit over the last two holes and beat Rickie Fowler in the Phoenix Open. He had another top 10 in the Masters. And while he went into a summer lull of poor putting -- Matsuyama missed the cut in the U.S. Open and British Open -- the 24-year-old returned to form at the PGA Championship with his best finish in a major (tie for fourth) and has been steady ever since.Two weeks ago, he won the Japan Open for his ninth victory worldwide. He was runner-up to Justin Thomas in Malaysia last week, pushing his PGA Tour earnings for the year to over $4.6 million and moving him to No. 10.The last Japanese player in the top 10 was Jumbo Ozaki during the week of the 1998 Masters.A better attitude has helped this week, too. Matsuyama doesnt have much of a record in the World Golf Championships, with his only top 10 at the Dell Match Play a year ago in San Francisco when he reached the quarterfinals, only to be blown out by McIlroy.In three previous appearances at the HSBC Champions, he withdrew twice and tied for 41st.I havent really played well here before, he said. So before coming here, I was a little bit nervous again thinking, `Well, maybe its not going to be a good week for me. But then I decided, `Lets just have fun this week. Its made a difference.It didnt look like much fun on Friday, particularly the final hour when the temperature dropped and a light rain fell.This felt like a cold day at Pebble Beach, said Daniel Berger, who had a 70 and was in the group five shots behind.McIlroy thrived, too, and at least got back into the mix going into the weekend at Sheshan. He figured a 66 would do the trick, and it might have felt even better if Matsuyama had not gone one better in the second round.McIlroys only blemish came at the reachable par-4 16th, when his tee shot was just right of the green and in a hazard. He found the ball in the bushes and thought for the longest time about playing it, constantly rehearsing a swing to see if the branches would allow him to make contact.A wiser head (and advice from his caddie) prevailed, McIlroy took a penalty drop and got out with a bogey. He made up for it with a birdie on the final hole for a 66 that at least has him range, though much depends on Matsuyama.Theres definitely some rust in the 71 yesterday. I feel like Ive shaken most of that off, McIlroy said. It should be a good weekend. Im just happy to be in the mix. 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The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. ATLANTA -- This was merely an annoyance for Alabama, a chance to add another trophy to its overflowing cases. The Crimson Tide did just enough things wrong to give Nick Saban something to complain about over the next month, but in the end it was another dominating victory for the nations top-ranked team.Florida coach Jim McElwain was certainly impressed after his No. 15 Gators took a 54-16 whipping in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday. He called it Sabans best team yet in a dynasty that shows no signs of stumbling.I dont see a lot of weaknesses, marveled McElwain, Sabans offensive coordinator from 2008-11. Theyve really accumulated a lot of speed at some spots where they were always big.Alabama (13-0, No. 1 CFP) unleashed all its weapons against the overmatched Gators, scoring off an interception and a blocked punt in the first half, snuffing out their last gasp with a goal-line stand, and wearing down Florida at the end with a dominant running game.The Tide now heads to the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row, most likely returning to Atlanta for a semifinal game on Dec. 31. Alabama will be seeking its second straight national title and its fifth crown in the last nine years. Saban already has five national titles , counting his first at LSU, and is one shy of Bear Bryants record for the most by any coach.Challenging his players, Saban said they have a chance to do something to create a legacy for this team. Thats something they should think about, how important that is, what they are willing to do to do it. Because all the teams you play from here on out are really, really good.The Crimson Tide bolted to a 16-9 lead in the first quarter, despite being held to minus-7 yards and no first downs. Minkah Fitzpatrick returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown, and Josh Jacobs went 27 yards for a score with a blocked punt. A field goal was set up by another pick -- one of three thrown by Florida quarterback Austin Appleby in the first half.The Tide led 33-16 at halftime and iced the victory with scoring drives of 98 and 91 yards, sparked by a goal-line stand that finished off the last gasp by the Gators (8-4, No. 15 CFP). It was most points surrendered by Florida since a 62-24 loss to Nebraska in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl.A 24-point underdog , the Gators marched the length of the field on their opening possession, the first touchdown given up by the Tide in more than 17 quarters. They had another long TD drive near the end of the first half to give themselves a glimmerr of hope.ddddddddddddIt wasnt perfect, said Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, who was named the games MVP. We had to persevere, overcome some hard times.The last of those hard times came when Florida drove to the Crimson Tide 1 in the third quarter. Jordan Scarlett attempted to leap over the line on third-and-goal, but he never got off the ground. Rashaan Evans, who took over after Shaun Dion Hamilton went out with a likely season-ending knee injury, blew by his blocker and slammed the running back for a 1-yard loss.Appleby then threw incomplete in the back of the end zone on fourth down, giving the Tide all the momentum.Alabama finished with 174 yards rushing in the second half. The bulk of the carries went to bruising sophomore Bo Scarbrough, who had two short touchdown runs and finished with 91 yards on 11 carries.We just wanted to do what we do best, and thats run the ball, Scarbrough said.THE TAKEAWAYAlabama: Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts wasnt all that sharp, completing 11 of 20 passes for 138 yards, and the Tide will want to clean up some busted plays that led to big losses. But thats merely nitpicking. This team is the clear favorite heading into the playoff.Florida: The Gators must address their offensive woes after another shaky performance. Developing a quarterback is McElwains top priority. Thats something weve got to do, sooner than later, he said.BLOCK PARTYDuring a wild sequence in the first quarter, each team scored off blocked kicks on back-to-back plays.Jacobs TD came after Derrick Gore blocked a punt, giving Alabama a 16-7 lead. But when Adam Griffiths extra-point attempt was swatted down by Jabari Zuniga, David Reese scooped up the ball and went the length of the field to give the Gators a 2-point conversion.POLL IMPLICATIONSAlabama will remain No. 1 in The Associated Press poll, as well as the College Football Playoff rankings. Florida can expect to drop at least four or five spots.UP NEXTAlabama: Projected to meet the No. 4-ranked CFP team in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.Florida: Two straight blowout losses probably cost the Gators a shot at the Sugar Bowl. More likely, they will settle for either the Dec. 31 Citrus Bowl or the Jan. 2 Outback Bowl.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---For more AP college football coverage: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '