Golf
Stenson feeling right at home at East Lake
ATLANTA – Getting back to East Lake is the challenge for Henrik Stenson. Playing the course was the easy part.
Two years after a dominant victory to capture the FedEx Cup, Stenson was unstoppable for 12 holes until he settled for a 7-under 63 for a two-shot lead over Paul Casey in the opening round of the Tour Championship.
Stenson is No. 4 in the FedEx Cup and only has to win this week to claim the $10 million bonus.
Rory McIlroy closed out the front nine with three straight birdies and wound up with a 66, along with British Open champion Zach Johnson.
Jason Day had a 69 in his first event as No. 1 in the world and was six shots behind. Jordan Spieth had a 68.
High School Football
Coach accused of instructing vicious referee hit resigns
ROUND ROCK, Texas – A Texas assistant football coach accused of instructing two players to hit a referee during a game has resigned, school officials said Thursday.
Members of Texas’ governing board of high school sports told John Jay head coach Gary Gutierrez on Thursday they might also consider probation against him, but the board adjourned a fact-finding hearing without taking action.
The principal and head football coach at John Jay High School in San Antonio told state officials Thursday they believe assistant Mack Breed told players to retaliate against an official in the closing minutes of a game earlier this month. The players told their coaches earlier in the game that referees had been directing racial slurs at them.
Robert Watts, the referee who was hit, denied using any racial slur. His attorney, Jay Downs, told the state governing board that his client didn’t tell the players earlier this month to “speak English, this is America.”
The two suspended students, Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, appeared Wednesday at separate disciplinary hearings.
MLB
Royals clinch Central for first time in 3 decades
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals clinched the AL Central for their first division title in 30 years, beating the Seattle Mariners 10-4.
Johnny Cueto picked up his first victory in nearly six weeks, and the win, coupled with the Minnesota Twins’ 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians, ensured a title. The Royals have dominated the division, leading by as many as 14 games.
It’s the Royals first division title since 1985, when they won the AL West en route to their only World Series championship.
The Kauffman Stadium announced crowd of 32,244 cheered when the Twins’ final score was shown on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth.
Kansas City became the first team to wrap up a division title this year. St. Louis and Pittsburgh have secured playoff berths in the NL.
NFL
Giants build lead and hold it, beat Redskins 32-21
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The New York Giants actually held onto a second-half lead, dominating the Washington Redskins and clinching a 32-21 victory against Washington on Thursday night on Odell Beckham Jr.’s 30-yard touchdown catch.
New York fell apart in the fourth quarter of losses to Dallas and Atlanta. This time, the Giants (1-2) stayed in front late in the game against the injury-plagued Redskins (1-2), who lost veteran cornerback DeAngelo Hall to a right leg injury that looked serious.
The Giants scored in nearly every way possible, beginning with Rashad Jennings blocking Tress Way’s punt for a safety on Washington’s opening series. Andre Williams scored on a 1-yard run, Josh Brown kicked three field goals, and Beckham toasted Bashaud Breeland to settle matters.
Associated Press
