Im takes PGA lead with second-round 65

Although Sungjae Im hasn’t been on the PGA Tour for very long, the 22-year-old South Korean already feels awfully comfortable on the generous desert courses at the American Express.

So do plenty of other pros, and that’s why the leaderboard is so crowded heading to the weekend.

Im shot a 7-under 65 on Friday at the American Express to take a 1-stroke lead over first-round leader, former Cal star Brandon Hagy, and four others.

Im, the tour’s rookie of the year in 2019, had seven birdies in a bogeyfree round on the Stadium Course at PGA West, highlighted by three in four holes around the turn.

Hagy was in position to join Im at 11 under, but he bogeyed his final hole to finish his 70.

Canada’s Nick Taylor (66), South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (68), Tony Finau (66) and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (65) also were 10 under.

KANG TAKES LPGA LEAD INTO WEEKEND >> Danielle Kang continued to sail along at the LPGA Tour’s seasonopening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, with a 6-under 65 to stretch her lead to two shots.

A five-time LPGA Tour winner, Kang had a 13-under 129 total at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.

Nelly Korda, at No. 4 the top-ranked player in the 25-woman, winners-only field, was second after a 66.

Television

NBC SPORTS NETWORK TO SHUT DOWN >> The announcement that NBC Sports Network plans to shut down at the end of the year raised questions about the network’s regional cable sports channels.

More specifically in this market, the ones in the Bay Area.

What happens to broadcasts of Giants, A’s, Warriors and Sharks games, among other things, on the local NBC cable channels?

Turns out, nothing.

“NBC Sports Bay Area/ California and the NBC Sports Regional Networks will not be impacted by the NBCSN scenario,” Jeff Nuich, an NBC Sports Regional Networks spokesman, said in an email to the Bay Area News Group.

In a memo Friday, NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua announced that NBCSN will completely shut down by the end of 2021 and that Stanley Cup playoff games and NASCAR races would be moving to USA Network this year, the Associated Press reported.

Baseball

PROFAR GETS $21 MILLION DEAL WITH PADRES >> Former A’s infielder Jurickson Profar is staying with the San Diego Padres, agreeing to a $21 million, three-year contract.

Profar, who turns 28 on Feb. 20, was acquired by San Diego from Oakland and hit a career-best .278 in the pandemic-shortened season with seven homers and 25 RBIs.

DAVEY JOHNSON BATTLING COVID-19 >> Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson is in a Florida hospital with COVID-19, according to former Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz.

Johnson, 77, was a fourtime All-Star second baseman and managed the Mets to their last World Series title in 1986.