Golf
TROON, Scotland – Tiger Woods is out of the British Open, the first time he has sat out three consecutive majors.
The R&A announcement was not a surprise. Woods has not played in nearly a year as he recovers from two back surgeries. He has given little indication when he will be healthy enough to return.
This will be only the second time Woods has missed the British Open. He had knee surgery in the summer of 2008 and missed Royal Birkdale, and he missed the Open at Royal St. George’s in 2011 while recovering from leg injuries.
AKRON, Ohio – Jason Day made a pair of late birdies on a windy afternoon at Firestone for a 1-under 69 and a one-shot lead in the Bridgestone Invitational.
Day’s objective was to get in the lead and expand it. He took care of the first part Friday, though the world’s No. 1 player lost a chance at some separation with a three-putt bogey on the final hole.
He was at 4-under 136 going into the weekend of this World Golf Championship, one shot ahead of David Lingmerth, who had a 67.
NHL
DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche signed a crop of players that includes forward Joe Colborne.
The 26-year-old Colborne agreed to a two-year deal as he leaves Calgary after a season in which he set a career high in goals (19) and assists (25).
Colorado also signed veteran defenseman Fedor Tyutin to a one-year contract. The 32-year-old Tyutin has 251 points and 510 penalty minutes in a dozen seasons with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets. He spent the last eight years with Columbus and his 553 games are the most by a defenseman in Blue Jackets history.
On top of that, the Avs signed forwards Reid Petryk and Trent Vogelhuber to two-year contracts. Defenseman Ryan Stanton, goaltender Jeremy Smith and forwards Jim O’Brien, Turner Elson, Mike Sislo and Joe Whitney agreed to one-year deals.
Soccer
LILLE, France – Wales stormed back from a goal down to beat Belgium 3-1 in a pulsating quarterfinal on Friday at the European Championship.
This time Wales did not need to rely on its star player Gareth Bale, as it fought back from trailing in the 13th minute to secure its first ever berth in a semifinal of a major tournament.
Unheralded forwards Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes settled the game with goals in the 55th and 85th minutes. In Robson-Kanu’s career-best moment, he deceived two defenders with a `Cruyff turn’ and placed a shot past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Track & Field
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaican officials said Usain Bolt withdrew from his country’s National Senior Championships, citing an unspecified injury that casts doubt on whether he will appear at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next month.
The national meet serves as the Olympic trials. Bolt had qualified for the 100-meter final on Friday night, and was scheduled to compete in the 200-meter events Saturday and Sunday. He could apply for a medical exemption and still run in Rio.
Bolt won Olympic gold in the 100 in both Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. No one has ever won the 100-meter race at the Olympics three times.
Associated Press
