L.A., Paris may both get Summer Games
The International Olympic Committee has moved closer toward picking both Los Angeles and Paris to host a Summer Games in an unprecedented double vote this year.
IOC President Thomas Bach has repeatedly hinted at picking both L.A. and Paris by awarding both the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games hosting rights at the IOC Session on Sept. 13. Only the 2024 Games are currently scheduled to be voted on in Lima, Peru.
“All the options are on the table, and this includes also the ’24-’28 procedure and vote,” Bach said Friday when announcing a working group to study changing the candidate process to allow the awarding of two bids. The IOC executive board asked its four vice presidents to “explore changes” in Olympic bidding and report back in July.
North Carolina State has hired UNC Wilmington’s Kevin Keatts to take over as head basketball coach, staying in its home state to find a coach who had spent time as an assistant to a Hall of Fame coach before leading his own NCAA tournament team.
The school announced Keatts’ hiring Friday night, one day after his Seahawks lost to Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The 44-year-old Keatts replaces Mark Gottfried, who was fired after his sixth season that saw the Wolfpack quickly unravel after four straight NCAA tournament trips.
Charley Hoffman wasn’t expecting to be at Bay Hill until he didn’t qualify for a World Golf Championship event that takes place next week. The change in plans has worked out nicely so far. He made seven birdies Friday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla., for a six-under 66 that gave him a one-shot lead over Emiliano Grillo of Argentina. Grillo shot a 68. Hoffman was at 10under 134. England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (69) was two shots behind.
Michelle Wie is healthy and confident again. And she’s in contention in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup in Phoenix. Wie shot a five-under 67 on a hot day at Desert Ridge to enter the weekend a stroke behind leaders Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn.
Lewis and Jutanugarn each followed an opening 64 with a 67 to reach 13 under in the tournament, which broke the LPGA Tour record for the lowest 36-hole cut, at five under. Jeong Eun Lee shot a 64 to join Wie, Mi Jung Hur (66) and Vicky Hurst (67) at 12 under.
Fred Couples shot an eightunder 65 in the Tucson Conquistadores Classic in Tucson, leaving playing partner Steve Stricker two strokes back is his PGA Tour Champions debut. Tom Lehman and Jeff Maggert shot 66, and Stephen Ames, Billy Mayfair and John Cook matched Stricker at 67.
Texas Rangers pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez has been diagnosed with a partial tear of a ligament in his right elbow and will not throw for at least six weeks. Team officials are hoping that a conservative approach can help the 25-year-old avoid surgery.