Auto Racing
Harvick to start on pole after qualifying canceled
JOLIET, Ill. – Rain washed out qualifying for the opening race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Kevin Harvick will start his title defense from the pole Sunday. The reigning Sprint Cup champion was fastest Friday in practice and, when a heavy downpour at Chicagoland Speedway washed out the qualifying session, the field was set by practice speeds.
Joey Logano will start second and Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski will start third.
Martin Truex Jr. will start fourth as four of the 16 Chase drivers were the fourth fastest in practice.
Denny Hamlin had a tough practice session and will start 30th, last of the Chase drivers.
Cycling
Former champion Cavendish to miss cycling worlds
LONDON – British sprint specialist Mark Cavendish will miss the cycling world championships in Richmond, Virginia, after failing to recover from a shoulder injury.
Cavendish, who won the road race world title in 2011, injured his left shoulder when he crashed during stage six of the Tour of Britain on Sept. 11.
Cavendish tweeted Friday that he was “Absolutely devastated to have to pull out.”
The 30-year-old sprinter was among the title contenders for the men’s road event.
The worlds will be held in the Richmond area from Sept. 20-27.
Golf
Only thing Day misses at BMW is some history
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – A long day for Jason Day ended even better than it began, thanks to an eagle putt at the 18th that extended his lead to five shots at the BMW Championship.
He shot an 8-under 63 to set a 36-hole tournament record at 18 under. Day’s closest pursuers were rookie Daniel Berger and Brendon Todd. Todd finished off Friday’s round of 63 by holing out an 81-yard wedge shot at No. 18. Berger made his move with four birdies in a five-hole stretch en route to a 30 on the front nine.
Day returned to the course early Friday to finish his rain-delayed first round. With a chance to make history – he needed to hole a 44-yard wedge shot for eagle and a PGA Tour record-tying 59 – Day made par instead, narrowly missing a birdie putt and carding a 61.
Tiger Woods back on the operating table for back
Tiger Woods had a second microdiscectomy surgery on his back this week.
Woods said Friday on his website that he had surgery Wednesday in Park City, Utah.
Woods said: “This is certainly disappointing, but I’m a fighter. I’ve been told I can make a full recovery, and I have no doubt that I will.”
Dr. Charles Rich performed the operation and also the first procedure in March 2014.
Rich said: “With the upcoming offseason, the decision was made to remove a small disc fragment that was pinching his nerve. The microsurgery was a complete success, and he was discharged Thursday night.”
Winless this season, Woods failed to qualify for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. He’s had committed to play in the season-opening Frys.com Open on Oct. 15-18 at Silverado in California, but the surgery will force him to skip the event.
Europe leads U.S. 4-2 at Solheim Cup in Germany
ST. LEON-ROT, Germany – Spain’s Carlota Ciganda hit an eagle to level her match, as Europe led the United States 4-2 Friday on the opening day of the Solheim Cup.
Ciganda holed a nine iron from 135 yards to win the 17th hole as she and Melissa Reid of England came from 2 down to draw level with Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson with one hole left before play was suspended because of bad light.
Associated Press
