Major edge to Icher before wind delay
France’s Karine Icher shot a 5-under 67 to take an early lead before high winds shortened the opening day of the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Half of the field in the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year was still on the course when wild winds in the Coachella Valley forced an early halt to play. The first round will resume this morning.
Four players on the Dinah Shore Course were 1 shot behind Icher, including Michelle Wie and 17-year-old amateur Eun Jeong
Seong. ... Rickie Fowler shot an 8-underpar 64 for a 1-shot lead over Sung Kang after the first round of the Houston Open in Humble, Texas. Fowler had his best round in six appearances at the tournament, topping a previous low score of 68. Fowler overcame damp conditions and a chilly, breezy morning to jump to a hot start.
Kang is among the 115 players who need a victory to qualify for the Masters next week at Augusta National.
NFL: Newton has surgery
Cam Newton is at home recovering from surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.
Dr. Pat Connor performed the surgery on the Panthers quarterback’s throwing shoulder at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Newton suffered the injury last December in a win over the San Diego Chargers. The Panthers hoped that rest during the offseason would allow the shoulder to heal naturally, but when it didn’t respond as expected Newton decided to have surgery.
MLB: Odor inks 6-year deal
Rougned Odor and the Texas Rangers agreed to a new six-year contract that includes a club option for 2023 and guarantees the young second baseman at least $49.5 million. . . .
The San Francisco Giants informed veteran infielder Jimmy
Rollins he won’t make the team out of spring training and are waiting to hear back from him or his representatives about what options might be next. . . .
The Detroit Tigers released right-hander Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey was entering the second season of a $16 million, two-year deal. . . .
The Milwaukee Brewers say they will place starter Matt Garza on the 10-day disabled list to the start the season because of a strained right groin.
Misc.: FIFA eyes Cup play-in
FIFA wants to hold a new sixteam playoff round in the 2026 World Cup host country to complete the expanded 48-team tournament lineup.
The final two qualifying slots would be decided in the proposed mini-tournament played in the November before the World Cup as a test event, a move that puts the Confederations Cup’s long-term future at risk. ...
Fourth-seeded Roger Federer fought off two match points before
beating No. 10 Tomas Berdych 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (6) in a quarterfinal matchup at the Miami Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Caroline Wozniacki rallied with far less dramato beat second-seeded Karolina
Pliskova 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 and reach the women’s final for the first time in her 10 appearances at the tournament. . . .
Javier Fernandez led the men’s event at the figure skating world championships in Helsinki and eclipsed his personal best score from winning the European title in January. The two-time defending champion from Spain skated an immaculate short program for 109.05 points. Japanese skater Shoma Uno was second with 104.86 points, and three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada in third on 102.13.