GOLF
Nelly Korda leads at LPGA
Nelly Korda competed last month in the PNC Championship alongside her father, former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, and said she did not have the offseason that many other players had. It shows. The start of 2022 has been a continuation of the monster season she put together a year ago. Korda, at 23 the No. 1 player in the women's game, shot 6-under 66 at Lake Nona on Friday to take a one-shot lead over Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Danielle Kang at the midway point of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Through two rounds, Korda is at 10-under 134. Her older sister and the defending champion, 28-year-old Jessica Korda, is two shots back. Lopez led after 18 holes and won this tournament two years ago. She overcame two late bogeys with a closing birdie of her own, chipping in at the par-4 18th for a 68. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) shot a 69 on Friday and is at 5-under 139.
Cantlay on top at La Quinta
Patrick Cantlay fought through gusting wind on his back nine Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend at The American Express in a bid to win for the third time in four starts. Tied for the first-round lead with Lee Hodges after a 10-under 62 at La Quinta Country Club, Cantlay shot a 68 on PGA West's Nicklaus Tournament Course to reach 14-under 130. Tom Hoge was second after a 66 on PGA West's Stadium Course. Joseph Bramlett, playing in the last group off the 10th tee at La Quinta, bogeyed the final two holes in strong wind for a 67 to drop into a five-man tie for third at 12 under. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) fired a 70 on Friday and is at 4-over after two rounds.
Three share Champions lead
Ernie Els was on his way to a big lead until a double bogey slowed his momentum Friday. He wound up with a 4-under 68 and was part of a three-way tie for the lead in the PGA Tour Champions season opener. Vijay Singh had a late birdie on the par-3 17th for a 67, while Stephen Ames birdied the last hole to join Els at the top in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Hawaii. And it's not just that trio, who were at 12-under 132. Eight players were separated by one shot going into the final round on the Big Island. Jim Furyk, who tuned up for the Champions opener by playing the Sony Open last week on the PGA Tour, began the back nine at Hualalai with four birdies in five holes. He shot a 66 along with Miguel Angel Jimenez and Brett Quigley. They were one shot behind, along with Retief Goosen and Steven Alker. John Daly (Dardanelle, Razorbacks) is at 3-under 141.
1968 Masters champ dies
Bob Goalby, who won the 1968 Masters without having to go to a playoff when Roberto De Vicenzo infamously signed for the wrong score, has died. He was 92. Goalby's death Wednesday in his hometown of Belleville, Ill., was confirmed by the PGA Tour and by Bill Haas, his great nephew. The Masters was among his 11 victories on the PGA Tour, and Goalby won twice on what is now the PGA Tour Champions. He is best remembered for how he was declared the Masters champion. Equally notable was the role he played in launching two tours. Goalby was among the players who boldly led the Tournament Players Division to break away from the PGA of America and become what now is the PGA Tour. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus delivered support that made it happen. Goalby was among those who initiated the move. Later, he joined Gardner Dickinson and Dan Sikes in 1980 to organize a tour for players 50 and older.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
UT-Arlington to join WAC
UT-Arlington has accepted an invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference beginning this summer, part of an expansion that will push the league to at least 15 schools. The move announced Friday will end a nine-year run in the Sun Belt Conference for the Mavericks, who spent one athletic season in the WAC in 2012-13 after nearly 50 years in the Southland Conference. UTA is set to join the WAC on July 1, in time for the 2022-23 athletic season, along with another Texas school in Incarnate Word as well as Southern Utah. With Chicago State's departure before the new schools join, the WAC will have 15 members, eight from Texas. The other schools from the Lone Star State are Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State and UT-Rio Grande Valley.
BASKETBALL
Nuggets sign Cousins
The Denver Nuggets signed four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract on Friday to back up Nikola Jokic. The 6-10 Cousins will be eligible to play in six games for the Nuggets. He's reuniting with Nuggets Coach Michael Malone, who coached Cousins in Sacramento for a season-plus until Malone was dismissed in Dec. 2014. Cousins averaged 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 17 games for Milwaukee, but was released this month as the Bucks wanted to open a roster spot.
HOCKEY
Minor leaguer suspended
The American Hockey League has suspended San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games for making a racial gesture toward Tucson Roadrunners forward Boko Imama during a recent game. Hrabik was suspended Friday for making the gesture during a Jan. 12 game in San Jose. Hrabik is white. Imama is Black. The Barracuda, the AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, immediately removed Hrabik from all team activities pending an investigation. Hrabik can apply for reinstatement on March 12, pending an evaluation of his progress in training provided by the NHL Player Inclusion Committee.