Golf
One Woods hot, the other not in opening rounds
DUBLIN, Ohio – Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama ran off four consecutive birdies on the back nine for an 8-under 64 and shared the lead at the Memorial on Thursday with rejuvenated Bo Van Pelt.
Tiger Woods felt he was hitting the ball well Wednesday. When the tournament started, he was all over Muirfield Village. Only a scrambling finish – bogey-free for a 33 on the front nine – kept it from being worse. Woods had a 73 and was nine shots behind.
CAMBRIDGE, Ontario – Rookie Cheyenne Woods tied a course record with a 9-under 63 as she took the early lead at the Manulife LPGA Classic on Thursday.
The niece of PGA star Tiger Woods shares the record at Whistle Bear Golf Club with Matt Bettencourt and Jon Mills, who both shot 63 at the Canadian PGA Championship in 2005.
Woods birdied eight holes – including five of the last nine – and had an eagle and one bogey.
Horse Racing
Distance, rivals challenge Pharoah’s Triple try
NEW YORK – All that separates American Pharoah from ending the longest drought in horse racing history – 37 years without a Triple Crown winner – is 1½ miles and seven rivals determined to make him earn a victory in the Belmont Stakes.
Twelve horses before him have tried to complete the sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont and failed since 1978.
The bay colt appears to have come through the Derby and Preakness with energy to spare.
American Pharoah galloped around the big Belmont oval Thursday before visiting the paddock where he will be saddled on race day. He will take to the track again Friday for his final tuneup.
MLB
Cousin of Yankees’ A-Rod sentenced to prison time
MIAMI – A cousin of New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez who was the star’s longtime personal assistant was sentenced to seven months in prison after pleading guilty on federal drug charges stemming from baseball’s South Florida steroids scandal.
Sucart is the last of eight people to plead guilty for roles in providing steroids to Rodriguez and other athletes through the Biogenesis of America clinic owned by Anthony Bosch.
NFL
Son of Bowlen arrested for domestic violence charge
ENGLEWOOD – John Bowlen, the 29-year-old son of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, was placed on indefinite leave following his arrest on domestic violence charges.
The younger Bowlen was arrested Wednesday night in Glendale on suspicion of third-degree assault and harassment after allegedly pushing his girlfriend up against a bathroom wall, police said.
Bowlen is a candidate to take over the team from his father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Pat Bowlen relinquished his duties almost a year ago.
Team president and CEO Joe Ellis said last month that the transfer of ownership to one of Bowlen’s seven children was still a ways off.
Soccer
U.S. holds 1st World Cup training session in Canada
WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Alex Morgan was back for the U.S. national team’s first practice in Canada in preparation for the Women’s World Cup.
Morgan had been limited in practice and held out of the team’s last three matches as a precaution because of a bone bruise in her left knee. During the brief part of training open to the media Wednesday afternoon, Morgan appeared agile.
The United States will need her proven scoring ability as the team tries to win its third World Cup title and first since 1999.
Associated Press
