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College Football
WACO, Texas – Baylor University’s board of regents says it will fire football coach Art Briles and re-assign university President Kenneth Starr in response to questions about its handling of sexual assault complaints against players.
The university said in a statement Thursday that it had suspended Briles “with intent to terminate.” Starr will leave the position of president on May 31, but the school says he will serve as chancellor.
The university also placed athletic director Ian McCaw on probation.
Baylor asked a law firm last year to conduct a review of its handling of sexual assault cases following allegations that the football program mishandled several cases of players attacking women.
GOLF
FORT WORTH, Texas – Bryce Molder birdied six of his last nine holes for a 6-under 64 and a one-stroke lead Thursday after the first round of the Dean & Deluca Invitational at Colonial.
Molder was in the first group of the day off the 10th tee, and was on the 16th green when play was stopped for 75 minutes because of rain and lightning. He completed his seventh of nine consecutive pars when play resumed, then had all of those birdies on the front nine.
Patrick Reed, Anirban Lahiri and Webb Simpson shot 65.
Colonial member Ryan Palmer was among four player tied for fifth at 66. Jordan Spieth, the world’s No. 2 ranked player, had a 67 even after missing the first six fairways.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Christina Kim took advantage of favorable conditions Thursday morning, shooting an 8-under 64 to top the leaderboard in the inaugural Volvik Championship.
Ariya Jutanugarn, coming off consecutive wins on the LPGA Tour, was a shot back after her morning round at Travis Pointe. The 20-year-old Jutanugarn is coming off a victory at the Kingsmill Championship after becoming the first Thai winner in tour history in Alabama.
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – Rocco Mediate played the first 13 holes in 9 under and closed with five pars for a 62 to match the Senior PGA Championship and Harbor Shore records Thursday.
Taking advantage of greens softened by overnight rain, Mediate matched the marks set by Kenny Perry in the 2012 final round.
The 53-year-old Mediate capped a front-nine 29 with an eagle on the par-5 ninth and added birdies on the par-3 11th and 13th holes at Jack Nicklaus-designed Harbor Shores.
Soccer
CHICAGO – The U.S. women’s national team will play South Africa on July 9 in Chicago in the first of two send-off matches before the Rio Olympics.
The second match has not yet been announced.
The U.S. and South Africa are in the field for the Olympic tournament in August. July’s game will be the first meeting between the two.
Coming off a win in the Women’s World Cup last summer, the U.S. team is seeking its fourth straight gold medal, and fifth overall.
The United States opens the Olympics against New Zealand on Aug. 3 at Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte. South Africa opens with Sweden the same day at Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelang in Rio de Janeiro.
Associated Press
