Off the wire

GOLF Goydos, Petrovic lead

Paul Goydos and Tim Petrovic shot 8-under 63 on Thursday to share the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, leaving points leader Bernhard Langer seven strokes back in the PGA Tour Champions’ season finale. Scott Parel, No. 2 in the standings after winning two weeks ago at Sherwood, made a double bogey on 18 for a 71. Along with Langer and Parel, Scott McCarron topped six contenders for the $1 million annuity, closing with an eagle for a 65. Jerry Kelly had a 68, and Miguel Angel Jimenez and David Toms shot 69. Glen Day (Little Rock) shot 66, and defending champion Kevin Sutherland was at 67 with Vijay Singh, Joe Durant, Billy Mayfair, Lee Janzen, Kent Jones and Jeff Maggert.

Three at the top

Matt Kuchar decided at the last minute to play the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, and made it look like a wise decision Thursday with a 7-under 64 for a share of the lead with Dominic Bozzelli and PGA Tour rookie Kramer Hickok. Kuchar, who has gone more than four years since his last victory on the PGA Tour, missed only two fairways at El Camaleon and was bogey-free for his lowest opening round since a 64 in the 2017 Phoenix Open. The large group at 65 included defending champion Patton Kizzire, who had back-to-back eagles, and Abraham Ancer, who this week reached No. 98 to become the first Mexican golfer to crack the top 100 in the world ranking. Jordan Spieth, playing his final event as a bachelor, shot 71.

Jutanugarn ahead by 4

Top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn shot a 4-under 68 to take a fourstroke lead at the halfway point of the Blue Bay LPGA tournament. Jutanugarn had birdies on the final two holes — and four of the closing seven — on Thursday to take command over the rest of the field at 7-under 137. Jennifer Song, Moriya Jutanugarn, and Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 71s and were in a tie for second at 3-under. First-round leader Thidapa Suwannapura carded a 75 and fell six strokes behind the leader.

BASEBALL All-Stars win warm-up

J.T. Realmuto and Amed Rosario drove in two runs each to lead the MLB All-Stars over the Yomiuri Giants 9-6 on Thursday in Tokyo in a warm-up game ahead of their six-game exhibition series against Japan’s national team. Juan Soto hit a double off the roof of the Tokyo Dome in the third inning that scored Yadier Molina from second to give the MLB team a 4-0 lead. Realmuto then doubled in a run and Rosario added two more on a single as the MLB squad scored five runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead. Realmuto also hit an opposite-field solo home run in the fifth to make it 8-3. The series begins today with three games on consecutive nights in Tokyo followed by one game in Hiroshima on Tuesday and two games in Nagoya on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mariners trade for Smith

Speedy outfielder and leadoff hitter Mallex Smith has been acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia as part of a five-player deal. The deal was announced Thursday at the baseball general managers’ meetings at Carlsbad, Calif. Smith, 25, stole a career-best 40 bases this year and was caught 12 times. He hit .296, tied for the major league lead with 10 triples and had 40 RBI. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season. He signed with San Diego in 2012, was traded to Atlanta in December 2014 and was dealt to the Mariners in January 2017 and sent to the Rays on the same day in a swap that sent lefthander Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) to Seattle.

Kang sticks with Pirates

Jung Ho Kang is staying with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh and the third baseman agreed Thursday to a $3 million, one-year contract that includes $2.5 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $625,000 each for 200, 300, 400 and 500. The deal was announced a week after Pittsburgh declined a $5.5 million club option for Kang, triggering a $250,000 buyout. Kang was a star in his native South Korea when the Pirates signed him to an $11 million, four-year deal in January 2015. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting after hitting 15 homers and driving in 58 runs in 2015, when Pittsburgh won 98 games. It would be the high point of Kang’s time with the Pirates. Kang, 31, didn’t play in the U.S. between September 2016 and June 2018 because of visa issues connected to three DUI arrests in South Korea. He made it back to the majors with Pittsburgh in September and went 2 for 6 during the final weekend of the season. As in Kang’s previous deal, the Pirates must allow him to become a free agent at the end of the contract.

FOOTBALL Darnold won’t start

Sam Darnold will not start for the Jets on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, New York Coach Todd Bowles told reporters Thursday, but the rookie quarterback has not been ruled out altogether. Josh McCown will start for the Jets on Sunday. The Jets also have former Giants third-round pick Davis Webb on the practice squad and would promote him to be their game-day backup if Darnold is ruled out entirely. Darnold, who is dealing with a right foot strain, did not practice for the second consecutive day and again was seen in a walking boot. Bowles told reporters after Thursday’s practice that Darnold will be the Jets’ starting quarterback when he returns to full health, even if McCown has the Jets on a win streak.