Horschel, Bramlett lead Honda Classic after first round
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Billy Horschel has never won a PGA Tour event in his home state of Florida. His quest to change that is off to a fine start.
Horschel shot a 5under 65 on Thursday, tying him with Joseph Bramlett for the firstround lead in the Honda Classic at PGA National. Bramlett had a bogey-free round; Horschel had six birdies and one bogey.
“Just played really solid,” Horschel said. “Didn’t do anything special. Hit some quality iron shots here and there. I wouldn’t say everything was sort of automatic and it was easy. I had to just sort of work my way into making some good swings here and there. But overall, it was a really solid day of golf.”
The 65 was his best score in 33 rounds as a pro at PGA National. He’d shot 66 on two previous occasions.
Bramlett scrambled nicely when he had to. He missed six of 14 fairways and hit 13 of 18 greens.
“I definitely like when the conditions are difficult and guys have to really earn it,” said Bramlett, who has never won on the PGA Tour. “I think that’s historically always been in my favor.”
Pierceson Coody —a sponsor exemption playing his first PGA Tour event as a professional — finished the first round at 4 under, alongside Justin Suh. Coody has two wins in 15 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour since turning pro in June.
Play was suspended for darkness just past 6 p.m., and four groups were unable to finish.
Five-way tie at LPGA Thailand: Jennifer Kupcho of the United States fired a bogey-free 7-under 65 to share the lead alongside four other golfers after the opening round of the LPGA Thailand at Pattaya, Thailand.
Kupcho’s round was highlighted by a birdiebirdie finish and an eagle on the par-5 10th hole at Siam Country Club.
With her in the lead were 2014 champion Anna Nordquist of Sweden, six-time USLPGA Tour winner Nasa Hataoko of Japan, local hope and tour rookie Jaravee Boonchant, and last year’s runner-up, Lin Xiyu of China.
Paul on top at Indian Open: Yannik Paul birdied his last four holes to shoot 7-under 65 and take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Indian Open on the European tour.
TENNIS
Gauff, Swiatek in Dubai semis
Coco Gauff
set up a semifinals match against top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the Dubai Championships by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday.
Swiatek, who reached the last four in a walkover after Karolina Pliskova withdrew because of an illness, is 5-0 against Gauff and beat the 18-year-old American in last year’s French Open final. Gauff is yet to win a set against the three-time Grand Slam champion.
Barbora Krejcikova upset second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 0-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1. Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was on a 13-match winning streak and led 3-1 in the second set before Krejcikova’s comeback.
Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, will face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Murray reaches Doha semifinals: Andy Murray reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open by beating French qualifier Alexandre Muller 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 at Doha.
The 35-year-old Murray will next face Jiri Lehecka after the Czech player upset top-seeded Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.
NFL
Broncos hiring Joseph as DC
A person with knowledge of the hiring tells the Associated Press that
Sean Payton is bringing back ex-Broncos head coach Vance Joseph to Denver to serve as his defensive coordinator.
Joseph coached the Broncos from 2017-18, compiling an 11-21 record. He spent the past four seasons as the Arizona’s defensive coordinator.
Rams parting ways with Wagner: Linebacker Bobby Wagner is parting ways with the Los Angeles Rams after just one season, a person familiar with the decision said Thursday.
The 32-year-old Wagner was outstanding in his only season with his hometown Rams, who signed him as a free agent last March following a decade with the Seattle Seahawks. He started all 17 games at middle linebacker and made 140 tackles with a career-high six sacks.