Nicholas Thompson took advantage of heavy overnight rain to shoot an 8-under-par 64 and take the lead at the 84 Lumber Classic on Thursday, while Michelle Wie struggled against the men again, shooting a 77.
Thompson, a qualifying school graduate last year who is 181st on the US tour money list, capitalized on an early starting time to record the tournament's lowest round since Vijay Singh's opening-round 64 in 2004 and claim a two-stroke lead.
While there were numerous scores in the 60s, Wie appeared headed to miss the cut in a US PGA Tour event for a sixth straight time.
PHOTOS: AP
Thompson hopes to follow Singh and last year's champion Jason Gore by turning at least a share of the first-round lead into a title.
"Had it not rained and the scores had been this low, I would have been surprised," Thompson said. "Due to the rain, it softened up the greens" and allowed golfers to aggressively go for greens they knew would hold their approach shots.
Thompson, a former US Walker Cup team member, had a two-shot lead over a crowded group of six at 66 that included Rory Sabbatini and Reno-Tahoe champion Will MacKenzie. Six more were at 67.
Sabbatini, a speedy player, was paired with Ben Crane for the first time since becoming so upset with Crane's overly deliberate play in last year Booz Allen Classic that he intentionally played out of order to show his unhappiness. Crane had a 73.
Wie also played relatively slowly. She started with three consecutive pars after starting at No. 10. But her round began getting away when she missed a short par putt on the par-4 13th, starting a stretch of three consecutive bogeys that was aided by a drive she pulled into a gully far left of the fairway on the par-4 15th.
Playing in the last group of the day, she never had a chance after that despite being repeatedly encouraged by a gallery that appeared to include most of the spectators on the course. Her best chance for the birdie she never got came on the par-4 No. 4, but she missed a 6-footer.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at