Injured Stewart to miss Daytona 500

Tony Stewart will miss the start of his f inal NASCAR season after fracturing his back in an accident on an all- terrain vehicle, Stewart- Haas Racing said.

The three- time NASCAR champion sustained a “burst fracture of the L1 vertebra” when he crashed on an ATV Sunday and he had surgery Wednesday, the team said. A timetable for Stewart’s return has not been determined, but SHR said he is expected to make a full recovery and race this year.

Drivers report to Daytona next week to begin preparations for the season- opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.

Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama shared the lead at six- under- par 65 in the suspended first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. After a frost delay at TPC Scottsdale, Fowler played the first six holes in five under.

Anirban Lahiri was a stroke back at 66, and Bryce Molder also was f ive under with two holes left when play was suspended. Phil

Mickelson settled for a 69 after dropping four strokes in a two- hole stretch.

Lydia Ko played enough golf Thursday to catch up to the lead. She just didn’t play enough to f inish the rain- delayed second round of the Coates Golf Championship at Ocala, Fla.

Ko was seven under for the tournament, tied with Ha Na Jang.

Jang, who opened with a 65, didn’t hit a shot Thursday before play was suspended.

Haru Nomura made seven birdies for a 66 and f inished two rounds at six- under 136.

Michelle Wie was in a large group at four under that included

Suzann Pettersen, U. S. Women’s

Open champion In Gee Chun, Lexi

Thompson and Juli Inkster. In the United Arab Emirates,

Rory McIlroy started the defense of his Dubai Desert Classic title with a bogey but battled back to post a four- under 68, leaving him two shots behind leader Alex No

ren of Sweden.

Ernie Els matched McIlroy’s 68. Four players were tied at fiveunder 67 — Sweden’s Peter Han

son, Spain’s Rafael Cabrera- Bello, Australia’s Brett Rumford and South African Trevor Fisher Jr.

Despite disturbing allegations that he struck his ex- girlfriend, troubled Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has not been charged with a crime and two Texas police departments have closed their cases on a possible assault.

Manziel, who will be released by the Browns next month, was investigated on suspicion of striking

Colleen Crowley last weekend. She told police in Fort Worth that Manziel struck her “several times” and that the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner acted “as if he were on some kind of drugs,” but she maintained he was not intoxicated.

Manziel told TMZ Sports on Thursday night that he didn’t strike Crowley and added that he was not a threat to her or himself.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew

Smyly has won baseball’s first salary arbitration case this year.

The 26- year- old left- hander asked for and got a raise from $ 2.65 million to $ 3.75 million during a hearing Wednesday. The Rays argued for $ 3.2 million. Smyly was 5- 2 with a 3.11 ERA in 12 starts last year.