Kiwis kick off America’s Cup with two victories over Oracle

Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand survived two heartstopping moments to win the first two races of the 35th America’s Cup against Jimmy Spithill and two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA on the Great Sound in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Although they won twice, the Kiwis lead 1-0. Oracle won a bonus point for winning the qualifiers, which was a negative point for the Kiwis.

That means they need to win eight races to spirit the Auld Mug back to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, where it resided from 1995 until 2003. Oracle needs to win seven to keep the silver trophy in American software billionaire Larry Ellison’s hands.

Golf: At Grand Rapids, Mich., Lexi Thompson shot a 64 on the Blythefield layout reduced to a par of 69 because of flooding, giving her a 15-under 196 total and a onestroke lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic. Brooke Henderson (67), the leader after each of the first two rounds, is in a four-way tie for second.

Mixed martial arts: At Singapore, Holly Holm knocked out Bethe Correia in the third round of the UFC Fight Night 111 main event with a left kick to the head, snapping the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion’s three-fight losing streak.

Soccer: At St. Petersburg, Russia, Russia beat New Zealand 2-0 to open the Confederations Cup with a win that was all but demanded by President Vladimir Putin, who was in attendance and last week ordered the players to “perform like warriors.”

Tennis: At Stuttgart, Germany, fourthseeded Lucas Pouille downed fellow French player Benoit Paire 7-6 (5), 7-5, and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez beat sixth-seeded Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the Stuttgart Open semifinals.

Football: Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, the top pick in April’s NFL draft, has a sprained left foot but is expected to be ready for training camp next month.