GOLF
Chawrasia extends lead
S.S.P. Chawrasia extended his lead at the Hong Kong Open to two strokes Friday after a 4-under 66 in the second round. Chawrasia, who had led by one at the Hong Kong Golf Club, is at 9-under 131 overall and took as much as a five-stroke lead at one point. Thomas Aiken (64) is second, followed by Alexander Bjork (66), Joakim Lagergren (66), Poom Saksansin (68) and Julian Suri (67) at 5 under 135. Aiken's round was the lowest of the tournament. Justin Rose (69) had 6 birdies, but 3 bogeys and 1 double-bogey at the par 3 12th kept him at 3 under for the tournament. Masters champion Sergio Garcia (71), playing for the first time in Hong Kong, was at even par, as was defending champion Sam Brazel (71) and 2014 champion Scott Hend (67).
Herbert out front
Jason Day had four consecutive birdies on the back nine, including a 30-footer, for a 3-under 68 that left him a stroke out of the second-round lead at the Australian Open at Sydney. Australian Lucas Herbert, who shot 66, is in front with a 9-under total of 133 on The Australian course. First-round leader Cameron Davis, who shot 72 Friday, is another stroke behind in third. Defending champion Jordan Spieth earlier failed to take advantage of ideal morning scoring conditions and had a 71 to fall further behind the leaders -- eight strokes behind Herbert and tied for 19th place with 10 others.
FOOTBALL
Saints' top CBs out
The New Orleans Saints have ruled out both of their top two cornerbacks for Sunday's road game against the Los Angeles Rams. Marshon Lattimore, the top cornerback selected in last spring's NFL draft at 11th overall, has not practiced since twisting his left ankle during a victory over the Washington Redskins last Sunday. Ken Crawley, a second-year-pro, also has not practiced this week. He has an abdominal injury. Lattimore often has covered opponents' top receivers, rarely giving up catches. He has two interceptions, nine passes defended, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Crawley has one interception to go with eight pass breakups. The decision to scratch Lattimore and Crawley leaves P.J. Williams, DeVante Harris and recently reacquired free agent Sterling Moore as the top cornerbacks on the Saints' roster.
Dolphins QB to sit
Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler was ruled out of Sunday's game at New England because of a concussion, and backup Matt Moore will make his second start of the season. Cutler practiced Friday, but remains in the concussion protocol. He threw three interceptions in Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay before he left at halftime because of his injury. Moore threw for 282 yards and a score in the second half. He started for an injured Cutler three weeks ago at Baltimore and Miami lost 40-0. Guard Jermon Bushrod (foot) and defensive end William Hayes (back) were also ruled out. The Dolphins (4-6) take a four-game losing streak to New England.
Ex-Hog fined
Not only did backup quarterback Ryan Mallett earn the scorn of the Ravens' coaching staff for getting a penalty in Sunday's victory over the Green Bay Packers, he also took a hit to his wallet. The NFL fined Mallett, a former Arkansas Razorback, $12,154 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he was penalized for verbally abusing an official from the sideline during a Ravens punt late in the third quarter. Mallett was protesting the previous play, in which the game's officials picked up a flag after a low hit on starting quarterback Joe Flacco. Referee Jeff Triplette ruled that Packers outside linebacker Nick Perry, who had hit Flacco below the waist, had been pushed into him, nullifying the penalty. Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that Mallett also will be disciplined internally.
OLYMPICS
Sentence increased
The prison sentence of Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius has been increased to 13 years and five months by South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal. The court on Friday upheld an appeal by prosecutors, who challenged Pistorius' original six-year jail sentence, saying it was too lenient for his conviction of murder in the shooting of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Pistorius has served just over a year of that six-year sentence. Pistorius shot Steenkamp in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day 2013. He was initially convicted of manslaughter, but that conviction was overturned and replaced with a murder conviction by the Supreme Court.
SKIING
Theaux fastest Friday
Frenchman Adrien Theaux had the fastest run Friday in training for the season-opening World Cup downhill today at Lake Louise, Alberta. Theaux finished in 1 minute, 51.54 seconds. The racers finally hit the course after the first two scheduled practice sessions were wiped out Wednesday and Thursday because of weather and poor snow conditions. Austria's Matthias Mayer was second in 1:51.89, and Norway's Kjetil Jansrud third in 1:52.23. Racers from all countries wore heart-shaped stickers on their helmets with the initials "D.P." in memory of David Poisson, the French skier who died in a training accident last week at Nakiska. A super-G is set for Sunday. Last year's men's World Cup at Lake Louise was canceled because it wasn't cold enough to make snow in the days before the races. Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal swept the downhill and super-G in 2015.
BASKETBALL
Rose leaves Cavs to attend to ‘personal matter’
CLEVELAND — Derrick Rose’s injuries may have pushed him to a breaking point.
The former league MVP, who has been trying to revive his career with the Cavaliers, left the team earlier this week to handle a personal matter. A team spokesman said Friday that Rose has been excused since Wednesday and there is no timetable for his return.
The team did not offer any other details about Rose’s absence.
ESPN reported that Rose is taking personal time “to evaluate his future in the NBA.” A team source told ESPN that Rose’s numerous injuries are “taking a toll on him mentally.”
Rose’s agent, B.J. Armstrong, did not immediately return messages from the AP seeking comment.
Cavs Coach Tyronn Lue said he expects Rose to return to the team.
“We want him to take his time — just know the team, the coaches, the organization, we all have his back and wish him well,” Lue said before the Cavs, who have won six consecutive, hosted the Charlotte Hornets. “We expect to have him back. I reached out to him and texted him and told him that we support him. We know he’s going through a tough time right now.”
Rose has played in just seven of Cleveland’s 18 games this season because of a left ankle injury the point guard sustained while driving to the basket on Oct. 20 in Milwaukee. He’s averaging 14.3 points per game in his first season with Cleveland.
Rose’s career has been slowed by knee injuries, which have required surgeries. He sat out the entire 2012-13 season in Chicago and played only 10 games the following year due to injury.
The medical issues have taken an understandable toll on Rose.
“He has been through injury after injury for the last few years,” Hornets Coach Steve Clifford said. “When you’ve played at an MVP level like he has, I’m sure that’s hard to take. Listen, he’s still playing at a high level. I think he averaged 18 points last year with New York and was playing well when he got hurt this month. They always say the toughest thing for the great ones is when you lose a step.”
Rose, 29, had been excited about a new start with Cleveland after spending last season with the New York Knicks. He signed a one-year, $2.1 million free agent contract this summer with the Cavs and was expected to be the team’s backup point guard behind Isaiah Thomas.
Sports on 11/25/2017