Clarke holds lead at Senior British
Darren Clarke isn’t getting ahead of himself after two good rounds at the Senior British Open in Sunningdale, England.
The Northern Irishman shota 3-under 67 Friday after posting an opening 65 and holds a one-shot lead after 36 holes.
Clarke won the British Openin 2011 at Royal St. George’s and could become just the fourth player to win both tournaments.
“Certainly, I would love to have this trophy sitting behind the claret jug,” said Clarke, who is at 8-under 132 inthe final senior major championship of the year.
Ofcourse, he’s only halfway there.
“We’re all long enough in the tooth to know that this is only two rounds,” Clarke said.
Jerry Kelly (66) was a stroke back with defending champion Bernhard Langer (67).Langer, 63, who eagled thefirst hole, won in 2019 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes for his fourth victory in the event. The 2020 tournament was canceled because of the corona virus pandemic.
Kelly, who leads the Schwab Cup, has yet to post a top 10in this three Senior British Open appearances.
Paul Broadhurst eagled the firstand was 5 under on the day ,two shots back overall with Ernie Els, a two-time British Open champion who carded his second 67. Broadhurst won in 2016 and was runner-upin 2019.
LikeClarke, Els also has a chanceto become the fourth player to win both events. Els,
51,of South Africa, said he’s “fighting hard” to stay close to playing partner Clarke.
More golf
South Korean golfer Jeongeun Lee tied the men’s and women’s major record for the lowest round when she cardeda 10-under-par 61 at the Ev ian Championship in France.Her 36-hole score of 127is also the lowest total in men’s or women’s major history, beating the 128 by Brooks Koepka at the 2019 U.S.PGA Championship. Lee 6 had the clubhouse lead at 15under after her 10 birdies in thesecond round.
•Adam Hadwin missed the weekend cuts in his last three tournaments, continuing a disappointing stretch as he dropped to 120th in the FedEx
Cupstandings. The 33-yearold Canadian has put himself inposition to get back in contentionfor the playoffs with a strong run at the 3M Open in Blaine, Minn. Hadwin shot a 6-under65 for a share of the lead with Ryan Armour (65) at 10-under132. Armour shot 65.
Soccer
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC got goals from Hugh Alexander Dixon (10th minute), Russell Cicerone (52nd) and Albert Dikwa (62nd)in a 3-1 victory against thehost New York Red Bulls II. Dixon was credited with an assist on Dikwa’s goal.
College
Conference re alignment is backon the table in college sports just as three Power
Five conferences are breaking in relatively new commissioners. While the Big 12 is trying to keep Oklahoma and Texas from being poached by the Southeastern Conference, the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC couldbe challenged to respond should veteran SEC commissioner Greg Sankey makea bold move. Texas and Oklahoma reportedly will inform the Big 12 in the next few days that they are leaving, though neither school has issued any statements beyond non-denial references to rumors. A 16-team SEC with the Longhorns and Sooners has the potential to make what is already the strongest conference in college football even more dominant and wealthy.
•The two-year probation imposed on Connecticut men’s basketball for NCAA violation sunder former coach Kevin Ollie has ended. The governing body informed the school it has met all NCAA regulations.
Tennis
Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania reached her second consecutive WTA semifinals asa qualifier at the Palermo Ladies Open in Italy. She made the final four after beating Lucia Bronzetti of Italy, 64,7-5. She faces sixth-seeded Oceane Dodin of France Saturday. Do din double faulted 16 times and still overcame Ja que line Cristian of Romania,6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4.
Baseball
The Washington Wild Things split a doubleheader with thehost New York Boulders, winning the first, 6-3; losing the nightcap, 2-1.