DJ feels good in return
Six weeks away from competition didn’t keep Dustin Johnson from extending one streak yesterday, with hopes of adding to another.
Johnson showed more game than rust at the Wells Fargo Championship in Wilmington, N.C., where he missed only two greens — and plenty of putts — for a 2-under-par 70 that left him 4 shots behind leader Francesco Molinari at blustery Eagle Point Golf Club. It was Johnson’s 13th consecutive round at par or better. Johnson wasn’t as flawless as he looked while winning three straight tournaments, though he had few complaints under the circumstances. It was his first time playing since he slipped in his socks down the stairs at his rental house in Augusta, hurting his back and knocking him out of the Masters.
“Since I hadn’t played in so long, I’m happy with the way I played,” Johnson said. “I didn’t score that great, didn’t really hole that many putts, but other than that, I played really well. I think I hit 16 greens and I hit the ball great.” . . .
The Presidents Cup is returning to Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in 2019 for the third time. . . . Lydia Ko beat home favorite Ana Menendez, and the Jutanugarn sisters set up a second-round showdown at the Lorena Ochoa Match Play in Mexico City, the LPGA’s first match play event since 2012. The top-ranked Ko edged Menendez 3 and 2, while third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn beat
Amy Anderson 5 and 4, advancing to face her sister Moriya.
Names: Stevens sentenced
Former Bruins forward Kevin Stevens of Weymouth was sentenced to three years of probation and a $10,000 fine for his role in an oxycodone conspiracy. Stevens, 52, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. . . .
NASCAR penalized Joey Logano four days after his win at Richmond International Raceway, essentially stripping him of all benefits that came with the Monster Cup Series victory. The sanctioning body issued Logano and Team Penske an L1 penalty for a rear suspension violation. Logano cannot use the Richmond win as consideration for an automatic playoff spot. He will not appeal the ruling. . . .
Two riders from the Italian cycling team Bardiani CSF — Nicola Ruffoni and Stefano Pirazzi — were kicked out of the Giro d’Italia on the eve of their nation’s biggest race after testing positive for doping.
Colleges: Turner leaves BC
A.J. Turner is transferring to Northwestern from Boston College. The 6-foot-7 forward played two seasons for the Eagles. He averaged 8.4 points while shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from 3-point range last season. .
Florida State extended basketball coach Leonard Hamilton’s contract through the 2019-20 season. . . .
The University of Central Florida gave football coach Scott Frost a oneyear contract extension through 2021.
Tennis: BMW full of upsets
Defending champ Philipp Kohlschreiber and top-seeded Gael Monfils lost at the BMW Open in Munich. Kohlschreiber, seeking an unprecedented fourth title at the clay-court tournament, lost to Horacio Zeballos 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the second round. Monfils, who received a first-round bye, lost to Chung Hyeon 6-4, 6-2. . . .
Third-seeded Barbora Strycova overcame a second-set scare on the way to beating eighth-seeded Katerina
Siniakova 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in an all-Czech quarterfinal at the Prague Open.
Soccer: Messi appeal begins
Lionel Messi’s appeal against a fourmatch ban in World Cup qualifying for insulting a referee’s assistant was heard by FIFA. Messi, who testified by video, is not expected to get an immediate verdict. Messi already served one match of the ban imposed when the FIFA disciplinary committee gave its ruling hours before Argentina’s 2-0 loss in Bolivia in March. . . .
Marcus Rashford was decisive again, scoring on a free kick in the second half for Manchester United to beat Celta Vigo, 1-0, in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals in Vigo, Spain.