GOLF
NAPA, Calif. — Scott Piercy began the new PGA Tour season by pouring in putts and setting the course record at Silverado, a 10-under 62 for a two-shot lead Thursday in the Safeway Open.
Conditions were practically perfect in the morning, and Piercy took advantage. He made 12 birdies, only three of them from inside 10 feet, and he even missed a pair of birdie chances from inside 8 feet.
Paul Casey, coming off a pair of runner-up finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs that signaled a return to form, birdied his last three holes for a 64. Patton Kizzire also shot a 64.
WATFORD, England — Lee Westwood returned to form with a 4-under 67 in the first round at the British Masters to lie one shot off a four-way tie for the lead on Thursday.
Westwood failed to win any of his three matches in Europe’s heavy loss to the United States at the Ryder Cup, before missing the cut at the Dunhill Links Championship last week following a second-round 82.
However, the former No. 1 rolled in six birdies at The Grove — five coming in his first eight holes starting at No. 10 — and said it was “the best I’ve played in quite a while.”
Mikko Ilonen of Finland, Marc Warren of Scotland, Tommy Fleetwood of England and Richard Sterne of South Africa all shot 66s to take a share of the lead.
INCHEON, South Korea — Se Ri Pak ended her Hall of Fame career in tears Thursday in front of her adoring home fans in the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship.
Overcome at the end of the sunny afternoon at Sky 72, Pak cried nearly throughout a retirement ceremony on the 18th hole. The Little Angels children’s choir sang, players wore “SE RI” hats and farewell messages were played in a video montage.
It mattered little to the fans and players, many of them drawn to golf by Pak, that she shot an 8-over 80 and was tied for last — 15 strokes behind leader Alison Lee — before withdrawing.
NBA
AKRON, Ohio — LeBron James isn’t just helping kids afford college. He wants them to stay and leave with diplomas.
The Cavaliers superstar, whose foundation announced a partnership with the University of Akron last year to pay four year’s tuition for inner-city public high school graduates who meet certain criteria, has established an institute at the school to assist students.
The I PROMISE Institute will provide resources to support students pursuing four-year degrees. The institute will be constructed in a space inside InfoCision Stadium on campus. It will provide around-the-clock support to students.
NHL
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Kings have placed Jonathan Quick on injured reserve after the star goalie got hurt in the first period of their season opener.
Quick incurred an unspecified lower-body injury during Los Angeles’ opener at San Jose. He was replaced by Jeff Zatkoff for the final two periods of the Kings’ 2-1 loss.
Quick is among the NHL’s top goalies, backstopping the Kings to two Stanley Cup titles and winning the 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP.
Los Angeles didn’t immediately make a corresponding move, but NHL veteran Peter Budaj is on the roster of the Kings’ AHL affiliate in Ontario.
Associated Press
