GOLF
Woods has 4th surgery
Two days after Tiger Woods said his back was progressing, he announced on his website he has had a fourth back surgery to alleviate his pain. The surgery was performed at the Texas Back Institute outside Dallas. Typical recovery is six months, meaning Woods is likely to go another full year without playing a major. Woods first had surgery a week before the 2014 Masters. He had two more back operations after the 2015 PGA Tour season and did not play again for 15 months. His last competition was Feb. 3 in the Dubai Desert Classic, where he shot 77 and withdrew because of back spasms. Woods said he looks forward to getting back to a normal life that includes playing with his two kids and competing in golf tournaments. He has started just 19 events worldwide since his first back surgery, and he has completed 72 holes in just nine of them. His best finish was a tie for 10th in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015, a month before his second back surgery. With so many injuries and inactivity, Woods now is No. 788 in the world ranking.
Grace leads by 1
South African Branden Grace had a 6-under 66 and leads by a stroke after the opening round of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio on Thursday. Grace had a season-best 11th-place finish last week in defense of his RBC Heritage title. He leads the 5-under 67s of Steven Alker, Stewart Cink, John Huh and Will MacKenzie at TPC San Antonio. Alker, a journeyman New Zealander who played in the final group of the day, birdied the final three holes. There are 13 players packed two shots back at 4 under. That includes 2010 U.S. Open champion Graham McDowell and 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup member Brooks Koepka. Bryce Molder (Conway) and Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) each shot a 4-under 68. Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an even-par 72.
Trio tied at top
Abraham Ancer, Kyle Thompson and Ryan Yip were tied at 4 under on Thursday after the first round of the United Leasing and Finance Championship in Newburgh, Ind., was suspended due to darkness. They were one stroke ahead of Nate Lashley and Zach Wright and two strokes ahead of a group of six. Taylor Moore (Arkansas Razorbacks) was tied for 12th place at 1 under. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) was at even par. Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) was 2 over. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) was 3 over. Zack Fischer (Little Rock) was 4 over. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) was 5 over and Sebastien Cappelen (Razorbacks) was 9 over.
FOOTBALL
Browns release ex-Hog
Offensive lineman Alvin Bailey (Arkansas Razorbacks) has been released by the Cleveland Browns after one season. Bailey made five starts -- two at right guard, three at left guard -- and appeared in 14 games for Cleveland last season. He also served a two-game NFL suspension following his arrest and conviction for operating a motor vehicle impaired in September. Bailey signed as a free agent with Cleveland before last season after spending three years with Seattle. He started for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl in 2014. The team also waived defensive backs Tracy Howard and Trae Elston. Howard played in 15 games, mostly on special teams, and made three starts at free safety after being signed as an undrafted rookie from the University of Miami. Elston was inactive for two games and spent the final two weeks of the 2016 season on the Browns' practice squad.
Hayes sentenced to 25 years
The man who killed retired New Orleans Saints star Will Smith and wounded his wife after colliding in traffic last year was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for manslaughter, far less than the maximum prosecutors had called for. Cardell Hayes faced up to 60 years if given consecutive maximum terms for manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. Instead, Judge Camille Buras gave him 15 years for shooting Racquel Smith in the legs, to be served at the same time. Hayes, 29, will get a year of credit for the time he's already served since shooting one of the city's sports heroes in April 2016. State law requires him to serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for good-behavior release, meaning he could be freed in roughly 20 years. Racquel Smith said she is "extremely disappointed" at what she called the leniency of the sentence, given the violence of the crime and her family's pain and loss.
HOCKEY
Sabres fire GM, coach
The Buffalo Sabres cleaned house Thursday, firing general manager Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma after the youthful team missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. Owner Terry Pegula made the announcement after he spent the past two days holding season-ending meetings. Murray had completed his third full season as GM, and was responsible for overseeing a top-to-bottom rebuilding project in Buffalo. Bylsma completed his second season. Both had three years left on their respective contracts. After finishing 35-36-11 last season, the Sabres took a step back this past year. They went 33-37-1, finished last in the Atlantic Division standings and will now turn to searching for their fifth coach since Lindy Ruff was fired in February 2013. Bylsma is out of a job for the second time in three years. He was part of a front-office purge in Pittsburgh in the spring of 2014, when the Penguins also fired GM Ray Shero. Bylsma is most noted for taking over the Penguins in February 2009 and leading them to win the Stanley Cup four months later. Murray was hired in January 2014 to oversee a team overhaul that included purging high-priced veterans and rebuilding through youth.
Calder finalists named
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and Winnipeg Jets winger Patrik Laine are the finalists for the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year. The league announced the top three in voting Thursday night. Matthews is the front-runner after scoring 40 goals and leading all rookies with 69 points. He was the best rookie on a young Maple Leafs team that also had Calder contenders William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Laine missed nine games with a concussion but still finished with 36 goals and 28 assists. Werenski led all rookie defensemen with 47 points on 11 goals and 36 assists. The winner will be announced at the NHL awards show June 21 in Las Vegas.
Sports on 04/21/2017