SOGGY DAY FOR FOURSOMES AT WORLD CUP OF GOLF
» Steady rain MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA showers, gusty winds and cool temperatures made conditions difficult for the opening foursomes at the World Cup of Golf on Friday.
After fourballs (best ball) were played on Thursday, the foursomes Friday will feature alternate shots from each of the two team members. The tournament returns to fourballs on Saturday and then foursomes for the final round Sunday.
Australia, South Korea and England were tied for the lead after the first round with 10-under 62s. Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton of England were scheduled to tee off in the final group with Byeong Hun An and Si Woo Kim of South Korea.
Just before that, the host country’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith were set to play with Gavin Green and Ben Leong of Malaysia, one of three countries one stroke behind the leaders. Belgium and defending champion Denmark were the others a stroke behind.
The U.S. team of Kyle Stanley and Matt Kuchar was in a large group tied for 13th among 28 teams after a 66.
3 in lead in Hong Kong as 2019 European Tour begins.
The 2019 European Tour got underway on Thursday with Aaron Rai, Jason Scrivener and Yusaku Miyazato shooting 5-under 65s to share the lead after the first round of the Hong Kong Open.
They were already 10 strokes ahead of Masters champion Patrick Reed, who made four bogeys and a double bogey in a 75 — a week after contending at the World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum plans for renovation.
INDIANAPOLIS» The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is being prepped for a multi-million dollar overhaul that could include adding a 3-D theater, racing simulators and other interactive displays for racing fans.
Museum officials hope the renovation will make the facility more engaging and better equipped to tell stories about the area, The Indianapolis Business Journal reported .
Details of the project are still in the early stages, but preliminary plans call for the addition of two wings and a partial third floor. The renovation may also include the installation of see-through flooring so visitors can get a peek at the secretive collection that’s in the building’s vault-like basement.
Canadian scientist names beetle after Bautista.
Jose Bautista has a new namesake buzzing around.
Entomologist Bob Anderson of the Canadian Museum of Nature has dubbed a newly discovered species of beetle Sicoderus bautistai after the former Toronto Blue Jays star.
Anderson decided to name the insect — known as a weevil for its long snout — after Bautista because of the bat-flip home run that propelled Toronto to the 2015 American League Championship Series.
“It was one of those moments in Toronto baseball sort of lore where he hit this big home run,” Anderson said Thursday. “And I thought what a great way to kind of recognize his contributions to Blue Jay baseball and to Canadian baseball, really, as a whole.”
Penguins put goalie Murray on injured reserve.
PITTSBURGH
» The Pittsburgh Penguins placed goaltender Matt Murray on injured reserve Thursday because of a lower-body injury.
Coach Mike Sullivan said Murray had been dealing with the injury “for a couple weeks.” Team doctors decided rest was the best course of action for the 24-year-old Murray, who helped the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 but has struggled this season.
Murray is 4-5-1 with a 4.08 goalsagainst average and .877 save percentage in 11 games.