■GOLF
Four players lead after 64s
Irishman Padraig Harrington, fresh off a tie for 22nd place at last week’s US Open, fired seven birdies to grab a share of the lead at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut on Thursday. Briton Justin Rose went out with the late groups and had a run of five consecutive birdies on the back nine to join Harrington and two others atop the leaderboard. The only blemish on Harrington’s scorecard was a bogey at the par-four 14th en route to an opening round six-under 64 at the TPC River Highlands. Joining Harrington and Rose atop the leaderboard were Australia’s Matthew Goggin and South Korea’s Charlie Wi, each of whom carded bogey-free opening rounds.
■GOLF
Dredge, Whiteford lead
European Tour journeymen Bradley Dredge and Peter Whiteford upstaged some of the world’s top players to share the BMW International first-round lead at Eichenried in Germany on Thursday. The British pair fired eight-under 64s, chalking up one eagle and six birdies on unblemished cards, to leave the likes of Ernie Els, Paul Casey and Martin Kaymer trailing. Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, Argentine Ariel Canete, Jeppe Huldahl of Denmark and experienced Briton Phillip Price were in joint third place on 65. World No. 8 Casey was the best of the high profile players after a 68.
■SOFTBALL
US, Japan grab victories
Natasha Watley’s RBI single in the top of the seventh inning led the US to a 1-0 victory over China in both teams’ opener at the women’s world softball championship in Caracas on Thursday. Ashley Hansen scored the winning run from third. Winning pitcher Cat Osterman recorded a complete game for the US, with 11 strikeouts. In relief, losing pitcher Li Qui gave up only one hit in two-and-a-third innings, but suffered from errors by her defense. Also on Thursday, Japan won their second game in two days, defeating Taiwan 5-0.
■FORMULA ONE
USF1 team fined, barred
The USF1 Formula One team was fined and barred on Thursday from ever competing in Formula One for not taking part in this year’s world championship. The World Motor Sport Council said the US team had “infringed the FIA international sporting code [and] the sporting regulations of the 2010 FIA Formula One world championship.” The Council said it was fining the team US$382,000 plus legal costs and banned the team from taking part in “any competition.” USF1, whose primary investor is YouTube founder Chad Hurley, was granted an entry for this season, but withdrew in February because it was unable to develop its cars in time.
■FORMULA ONE
Alonso fastest in practice
Improvements to Ferrari’s car paid off as Fernando Alonso completed the fastest lap on the first day of practice ahead of tomorrow’s European Grand Prix. The Spanish driver posted a lap of 1 minute, 39.283 seconds in the second session on Friday at the 5.5km Valencia street circuit, as Ferrari’s vaunted aerodynamic improvements took effect. The Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were second and third fastest respectively. Vettel was 0.056 seconds behind in the second session and Webber 0.144 seconds behind. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was fifth-fastest, with teammate Jenson Button ninth. Earlier, Nico Rosberg of Mercedes set the pace in the first session with a lap of 1 minute, 41.175 seconds.
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
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