Phoenix Rising opens playoffs at Swope Park Rangers FC
Phoenix Rising FC, in its fourth season competing in the United Soccer League, plays its first-ever playoff match on Saturday. Rising travels to the Swope Park Rangers FC in Kansas City. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Arizona time. It will be shown live on Yurview Arizona (Cox channels 4 and 1004). The team has also invited fans to attend the official watch party at the Thirsty Lion in Tempe Marketplace.
Prep recruit Quinerly retracts commitment to UA basketball
TUCSON - Top high school recruit Jahvon Quinerly has retracted his commitment to Arizona less than a month after a Wildcats assistant coach was arrested in a federal probe.
Quinerly said through his Twitter account Friday that he and his family determined it was in his best interest to withdraw his verbal commitment to Arizona.
Last month, Arizona assistant coach Emanuel Richardson was among 10 people arrested for allegedly taking bribes and using money to influence recruits.
Truex fastest for playoff elimination race at Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Martin Truex Jr. continued his winning ways at Kansas Speedway by capturing the pole for this weekend’s NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series playoff elimination race.
Truex was already assured of advancing to the round of eight after his win at Charlotte, but he now heads into Sunday’s race looking for his fourth straight victory on a 11⁄2-mile track.
He also earned the crucial first pit stall for next week’s race at Martinsville.
Truex was followed by playoff contenders Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch was eighth, Jamie McMurray was ninth and Brad Keselowski was 11th after winning last week at Talladega to punch his ticket to the next round.
Jimmie Johnson will start 13th, followed by Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the only driver who failed to advance from the first round and qualified 25th.
List fires 67 to take 1-stroke lead halfway through CJ Cup
JEJU, South Korea - Luke List fired a 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the CJ Cup, the first U.S. PGA Tour regular-season event in South Korea.
List carded five birdies, including one on the par-5 18th, to move to 9 under.
Lucas Glover offset a pair of bogeys with seven birdies for a 67 and is in a share of second with Scott Brown, who had a 70.
Shin fires 67 to share lead at Taiwan Championship
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Jenny Shin shot a 5under 67 for a share of the lead with EunHee Ji after the second round of the Taiwan Championship.
Shin offset a pair of bogeys with seven birdies at Miramar Resort and Country Club.
First-round leader Ji made a pair of bogeys and two birdies early, but birdied the par-5 18th for a 71.
The leaders are at 7-under 137, one ahead of Brittany Altomare, who carded a 68.
Luiten leads Andalucia Open after making an albatross
SOTOGRANDE, Spain - With the help of an albatross from 227 yards out, Joost Luiten shot a 1-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead over tournament host Sergio Garcia and two others at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.
The Dutchman holed out with a four iron from the fairway on the par-5 11th at Real Club Valderrama, making it after the ball hit the front of green and gently rolled into the cup for his second career albatross on the European Tour.
Luiten also had two birdies and four bogeys to get to 6-under for the tournament, ahead of Garcia, Scott Jamieson of Scotland and Robert Rock of England.
Langer birdies 18th for share of lead in playoff opener
RICHMOND, Va. - Bernhard Langer birdied the par-5 18th for a 5-under 67 and a share of the first-round lead in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.
Seeking an unprecedented fifth Schwab Cup and fourth in a row, the 60-year-old Langer leads the season standings and has a tour-high five victories this season.
Rocco Mediate, David Toms and Joe Durantmatched Langer atop the leaderboard at The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course. Jay Don Blake, Olin Browne and Glen Day were a stroke back.
Defending champion Scott McCarron, playing alongside Langer, bogeyed the 18th for a 72.
Baker gone as manager of Nationals after 2 NL East titles
WASHINGTON - The Washington Nationals say manager Dusty Baker won’t be back next season.
The team announced the move Friday. Baker led the Nationals to the NL East title in each of his two years with the club. But Washington lost its NL Division Series both times. His contract expired at the end of this season.