GOLF
Chalmers ahead by 2
Greg Chalmers birdied five of his last eight holes Friday to take a two-point lead in the Barracuda Championship at Reno, Nev., the PGA Tour's only modified Stableford scoring event. The 42-year-old Australian had a 10-point round to reach 24 points at Montreux in the scoring system that awards eight points for double eagle, five points for an eagle, two points for a birdie and deducts a point for a bogey and three points for a double bogey or worse. First-round leader Martin Laird of Scotland bogeyed three of his last six holes -- finishing with a three-putt on the par-4 ninth -- to drop into a tie for second with 2013 winner Gary Woodland. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had a 7 for a two-round total of 12. Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) had a 6 for a two-round total of 8. Bryce Molder (Conway) and Glen Day (Little Rock) did not make the cut.
McIlroy shares lead
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy roared back into contention at the French Open on Friday, sinking six birdies in a 5-under round of 66 to join a five-way share of the lead. The Northern Irishman could have taken the overall lead at the Le Golf National course -- which is hosting the 2018 Ryder Cup -- but a poor tee shot on the 18th hole led to a bogey. South Korea's Wang Jeung-hun matched McIlroy's 66, while Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand -- who was one stroke behind overnight leader Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark -- posted a 1-under 70 for a share of the lead. The other co-leaders, Mikko Ilonen of Finland and South African Brandon Stone, had 68s. Bjerregaard is three shots behind after four bogeys in a 74.
Pair share Classic lead
Defending champion Brooke Henderson and Sweden's Suzann Pettersen share the lead at 11-under 133 after Friday's second round of the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic at Portland, Ore. Pettersen shot the day's low score with an 8-under 64, while world No. 2 Henderson, 18, a Canadian who won her first LPGA Tour event last year in Portland, shot 68 at Columbia Edgewater. Pettersen and Henderson, who have combined to win three of the past five Portland Classics, lead by one stroke over Colombia's Mariajo Uribe, who shot 67. The No. 18 Pettersen, playing in the morning, had eight birdies on a bogey-free card. Henderson, playing in the afternoon, caught Pettersen when she rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4, 393-yard 18th. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 70 and Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) had a 72. Both are tied for 26th at 2-under 142.
Royal Troon: Ladies OK
Members of Royal Troon Golf Club voted overwhelmingly Friday to end the club's male-only membership policy, paving the way for the club to remain in the rotation to host the British Open. The club's top official, Martin Cheyne, released a statement on the club's website announcing the vote, saying it was "the right decision for the club today and for the generations of golfers that will follow." Royal Troon, which will host the British Open from July 14-17, was the only club in the tournament's rotation that still did not allow female members. Muirfield Golf Club, the site of 16 British Opens, was stripped of the right to stage the event in the future after members of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns and operates Muirfield, voted in May against allowing female members. Royal Troon, which is on the west coast of Scotland, has hosted the British Open on eight previous occasions, most recently in 2004.
FOOTBALL
Drug lawsuit to proceed
A federal judge in California refused to dismiss a lawsuit by 1,500 former NFL players claiming the teams and their training staffs routinely dispensed a range of powerful drugs, often without prescriptions, to mask pain and injuries and get players on the field without regard for their long-term health. The ruling by federal judge William Alsup for the Northern District of California allows the class-action lawsuit to proceed to the discovery phase. Alsup dismissed a similar lawsuit against the NFL in December 2014, writing that the collective bargaining agreement was the proper forum to resolve the players' claims. The NFL had asked the judge to dismiss the new lawsuit, which named all 32 clubs as defendants instead of the league and also contends the teams intentionally misled the players while dispensing the drugs.
Waller suspended
Baltimore Ravens tight end Darren Waller has been given a four-game suspension for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. Waller will miss the team's first four games of the 2016 season. He can return to the active roster after the Ravens face the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 2. Neither the Ravens nor the league released details of Waller's violation. Waller played for Georgia Tech before being selected by Baltimore in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. As a rookie, he caught two passes for 18 yards. Waller, 23, is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games this summer.
MOTOR SPORTS
Almirola declared winner
Aric Almirola was declared the winner of Friday night's Xfinity Series race when NASCAR determined he was the leader when the caution flag froze the field shortly before the finish line at Daytona International Speedway. The race had already been sent to a two-lap overtime shootout when a multi-car accident on the backstretch clouded the final running order. A four-car pack led by Almirola and Justin Allgaier hurtled toward the finish, but NASCAR had to freeze the field because of the accident that happened behind them. The cars were brought down pit road as NASCAR reviewed the running order, and Almirola was given the victory. It was Almirola's first Xfinity Series victory since 2007, and his first in any NASCAR series since he won the rain-shortened Sprint Cup race at Daytona in 2014.
HORSE RACING
Quarantine lifted in N.M.
A two-week quarantine of one barn at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico has been lifted. Officials at the track said one horse in that barn tested positive for EHV-1 on June 18 and was humanly euthanized. They said the stable was placed under quarantine and there have been no positive tests in that barn or any other stable at Ruidoso Downs since that incident. Officials said the strain confirmed in the horse was the neurotropic form of EHV-1, which can cause severe neurological problems in horses. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, EHV-1 is contagious and spread through contact -- either directly from horse to horse, or indirectly between horses via their human handlers, feed and water buckets, grooming gear, riding tack and trailers.
BASKETBALL
Private funeral held for Summitt
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — A private funeral service for former Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt was held Thursday.
Erin Freeman, who has been acting as a spokesman for the Summitt family this week, confirmed that the funeral took place Thursday in Clarksville, Tenn. When Summitt died Tuesday at age 64, her family issued a statement saying a private ceremony would be held in Middle Tennessee without disclosing a date or exact location.
Tennessee Coach Holly Warlick, who played for Summitt and worked as an assistant on her staff for 27 seasons, tweeted Thursday that “She has been laid to rest. … Godspeed Pat. … Godspeed. U r home.”
About 30 to 35 of Summitt’s former Tennessee players as well as many of her former assistant coaches attended the private ceremony. The group of former players included Michelle Marciniak and Chamique Holdsclaw, who discussed the service via social media.
Holdsclaw said in an Instagram post that the service was “so beautiful.”
“It was so good to see our Lady Vol family,” Holdsclaw wrote. “We are going to miss you in the physical, but we should all know we have an angel pulling for us 24/7. I’m going to miss the great hugs you give. Sleep in peace.”
Holdsclaw noted that Marciniak gave one of the eulogies. Marciniak tweeted that “eulogizing Pat Summitt today (was) made easier with LVFL (Lady Vol For Life) support. Pat told us, ‘Trust me,’ and we did.”
Summitt won eight national titles and a Division I record 1,098 games in 38 seasons at Tennessee before stepping down in 2012, one year after announcing she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.
A public ceremony to celebrate Summitt’s life is scheduled for July 14 at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tennessee’s campus. Thompson-Boling Arena includes the Lady Volunteers’ home court, which is named after Summitt.
Sports on 07/02/2016