Off the wire

GOLF English takes 2-shot lead

A new year, and Harris English keeps right on rolling. English finished with a 10-foot birdie to cap off an ideal Friday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii, with a 6-under 67, giving him a two-shot lead over a quartet of players that includes defending champion Justin Thomas. Even with a lead, it feels as though the first PGA Tour event of the year is wide open. With virtually no wind, rare for the Plantation Course at Kapalua, scores remained low and several players were stacked up behind him. That includes Masters champion Dustin Johnson, who hit it close enough all round to make a few putts in his round of 65. English was at 14-under 132, two shots ahead of Thomas, PGA champion Collin Morikawa (65), Daniel Berger (65) and Ryan Palmer (67), another player who didn’t win in 2020. Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) is tied for 34th after a 71 on Friday. He is at 5 under for the tournament.

FOOTBALL Saints’ sack leader out

The New Orleans Saints have ruled out sack leader Trey Hendrickson and offensive guard Nick Easton for Sunday’s playoff game against Chicago. Hendrickson had a career-high 13½ sacks this season, which tied for second in the NFL. But he missed practice late this week because of a nagging neck injury that also sidelined him from New Orleans’ penultimate regular-season game. The Saints have depth at defensive end with Cam Jordan and Marcus Davenport, along with second-year reserve Carl Granderson, whose five sacks ranked fourth on the team. Easton has concussion symptoms. He has started nine games this season. Firstround draft choice Cesar Ruiz is likely to start in his place at right guard.

Harbaugh gets 5-year deal

Michigan has decided to stick with Coach Jim Harbaugh, finalizing a new five-year deal that cuts his guaranteed compensation but

gives him an opportunity to make up for the financial loss if he can start winning championships. The school will pay him $4 million in 2021 with a chance to make nearly $8 million in the fifth year of his contract, according to the memorandum of understanding signed by Harbaugh and Athletic Director Warde Manuel on Friday. Harbaugh can make $1 million for winning the Big Ten title and another $1 million for winning the national championship along with other bonuses he will earn if he can improve the team’s success on the field.

BASKETBALL Missouri pauses season

No. 13 Missouri has paused all men’s basketball activities as a result of covid-19 protocols and postponed tonight’s home game against LSU. The Tigers (7-1) did not disclose any details in Friday’s announcement and said the status of the Tuesday game against Vanderbilt and the Jan. 16 game at Texas A&M will be determined later. Missouri also said the game against LSU will be rescheduled. LSU will visit Mississippi tonight after both teams had their originally scheduled games postponed.

HOCKEY Stars delay season opener

The NHL said Friday that six Dallas Stars players and two staff members have tested positive for covid-19 in a development that will push back the opener for the defending Western Conference champions by nearly a week. The Columbus Blue Jackets also held a number of players off the ice “out of abundance of caution” in another reminder that the pandemic will likely play havoc with the season opening on Wednesday. Dallas had been set to open the season Jan. 14 at Florida. The NHL said it was “reviewing and revising” the Stars’ schedule and the opener was not likely to be any earlier than Jan. 19, currently a rematch in Tampa Bay against the Stanley Cup champion Lightning.

TENNIS Karlovic, 41, wins in Miami

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia became the oldest player to win an ATP Tour match in a quarter-century, hitting 27 aces Friday night to beat No. 7-seeded Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the first round of the Delray Beach Open in Miami. Karlovic, who turns 42 next month, is the oldest to win on the top men’s tour since Jimmy Connors at age 42 in 1995. The victory was the veteran’s first since February.

Kenin advances

Belgian tennis player Kirsten Flipkens injured her ankle when she landed on an advertising board during a match against Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Open on Friday and had to retire. Flipkens won the first set 7-5 and was trailing 5-4 in the second when she jumped to play a shot and landed on the advertising board behind the baseline. Her left ankle twisted underneath her. Kenin will next play 13th-seeded Yulia Putintseva. The Kazakhstani player beat Barbora Krejcikova 6-4, 7-5.