Golf
McIlroy upstages Spieth with 1st-round 66
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy began 2016 with a masterful display of driving to set up a 6-under 66 at the Abu Dhabi Championship, upstaging top-ranked playing partner Jordan Spieth in the first round on Thursday.
McIlroy was one stroke behind early leader Henrik Stenson (65) after rolling in eight birdies in his first appearance after two months off, during which he underwent laser eye surgery.
Spieth scrambled well to shoot a 68 but was put in the shade by McIlroy on a warm, wind-free morning. Spieth, who was warned about slow play late in his round, said “it was the Rory that I have seen win majors. It was spectacular.”
McIlroy expects better game after eye surgery
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy expects his short game and putting to be better this year after undergoing laser eye surgery during his two-month break from competitive golf.
Speaking ahead of his first tournament of 2016 at the Abu Dhabi Championship, McIlroy says “it’s definitely made things just that little bit sharper, maybe within 50 meters or so.”
The four-time major champion says “I feel like I’ve always been a decent green reader, but maybe not quite as good as I could be. So that was one of the reasons why I took this step.”
McIlroy says the surgery hasn’t made a huge difference to his long-range sight.
The Northern Irishman hasn’t played competitively since winning the World Tour Championship in November in Dubai.
Mickelson, Stadium Course return strong
LA QUINTA, Calif. – Phil Mickelson returned from a long layoff with a big mid-round run. PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course came back strong, too, Thursday in the CareerBuilder Challenge.
Mickelson played a seven-hole stretch in 6 under at La Quinta Country Club, holing out for eagle on the par-4 eighth with a shot that spun back 15 feet. He chipped in on the next hole and added another birdie on 11, but made two late bogeys and finished with a 4-under 68 in his first start since the Presidents Cup in October.
Jason Dufner, Jerry Kelly, Jeff Overton and India’s Anirban Lahiri shared the lead at 64.
NBA
Gasol scores 27, Grizzlies hold off the Nuggets
DENVER – Marc Gasol had 27 points, including a go-ahead three-point play with 12.2 seconds left, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Denver Nuggets 102-101 on Thursday night.
Mike Conley had 20 points, as the Grizzlies won their fourth in a row in front of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
With Memphis trailing by one, Gasol hit a driving layup and was fouled. His free throw put Memphis ahead 100-98.
Danilo Gallinari, who led Denver with 17 points, missed a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left and Conley followed with two free throws.
Skiing
Poised to break record, Vonn leads Cortina training
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Poised to break the record for career downhill wins, Lindsey Vonn comfortably led the opening training session for a World Cup race in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Thursday.
Vonn clocked 1 minute, 39.12 seconds for a 0.60-second advantage ahead of overall World Cup leader Lara Gut.
Another training session is scheduled for Friday before the downhill race Saturday and a super-G on Sunday.
Vonn is tied with Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell with 36 downhill wins. Last year in Cortina, Vonn broke Moser-Proell’s record of overall wins with her 63rd victory.
Associated Press
