Poston builds off strong start at John Deere Classic
J.T. Poston took a fourstroke lead into the weekend in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic, following an opening 9-under 62 with a 65 on Friday at TPC Deere Run.
Coming off a secondplace tie last week in Connecticut after also opening with a 62, Poston got to 15 under with a birdie on the par-4 13th and parred the final six holes in the afternoon round.
“I feel great,” Poston said. “My last few rounds out here have been great going back into last week, so just going to try and keep riding that momentum and doing what I'm doing. Don't change anything and just kind of take the good looks when they come. And when I don't have a good number or don't feel good over it, just be smart about it.”
Poston was a stroke off the tournament 36hole record set by Steve Stricker in his 2010 victory.
Denny McCarthy was second at 11 under after a 65, also playing in the afternoon after rain delayed play in the morning.
Christopher Gotterup, the former Rutgers player in the field on a sponsor exemption, had a 67 to match Matthias Schwab (65), Emiliano Grillo (64) and Chris Naegel (66) at 10 under.
JOHNSON, ORTIZ TIED FOR LEAD AT LIV EVENT >> The outcry that marked the start of the Saudi Arabiafunded LIV Golf series' first American stop quieted a bit on Friday, putting the focus on the play at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Modest crowds and mild temperatures in the mid-70s greeted the players on the upstart series — bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund — which is trying to shake up the PGA Tour. But there has been widespread criticism because of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses.
Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters winner, shared the lead with Carlos Ortiz of Mexico going into the final round of the 54-hole tournament Saturday. Johnson shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to reach 8 under.
“I'm really happy with the way I'm swinging it,” Johnson said. “Tomorrow, I just need to go and do the same thing, just drive in the fairway. I feel like I'm swinging my irons really good, so if I can get in the fairway I'm going to get a lot of good looks. And obviously I'm rolling it nice, too.”
Orrtiz birdied the final hole for a 69 to pull even with Johnson.
“I felt like I played really solid,” Ortiz said. “I put myself in a good position.”
A lone protestor was outside the gate at the club some 20 miles west of Portland, holding a sign that simply said “Fallon Smart 2000-2016.”
Smart was 15 when she was killed by a hit-andrun driver in Portland. A Saudi national attending school in Oregon was charged in her death, but removed a monitoring device before the start of his trial and vanished. U.S. officials believe the Saudi government helped spirit him away.
The mood inside Pumpkin Ridge was light, with jugglers and other entertainment, interactive fan activities and food carts offering an array of cuisines. Organizers did not announce attendance figures but said the final round Saturday was sold out.
Branden Grace was two shots behind the leaders at 6 under after a 69.
Hockey BRUINS HIRE NEW COACH
The Boston Bruins have hired Jim Montgomery as their new coach, giving the hockey lifer another chance at an NHL headcoaching job less than three years since he lost his first one.
Recently extended general manager Don Sweeney announced the hire Friday, filling one of the league's final high-profile coaching vacancies hours after the San Jose Sharks created another by firing their staff. Montgomery replaces Bruce Cassidy, who was fired after the team's loss in the first round of the playoffs.
“Jim has a winning history, and throughout the interview process he conveyed his ability to connect with all types of players while also demanding that his teams play with structure,” Sweeney said in a statement. “We are excited for Jim to begin to make his imprint on our team.”
Montgomery, 53, spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the St. Louis Blues. He was fired from his first NHL head job by the Dallas Stars in December 2019 with the team citing unprofessional conduct.
In early 2020, Montgomery called that decision “appropriate” and a “wake-up call” while announcing he was going to a rehab facility for alcohol abuse.
WNBA
GRINER IN COURT >> American basketball star Brittney Griner went on trial Friday, 4 1/2 months after her arrest on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for a Russian team, in a case that has unfolded amid tense relations between Moscow and Washington.
The initial session of the trial, which was adjourned until July 7, offered the most extensive public interaction between Griner and reporters since the Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist was arrested in February at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Griner, 31, was escorted into the courtroom in the capital's suburb of Khimki while handcuffed, carrying a water bottle and what appeared to be a magazine, and wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt.
Police have said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil when detained at the airport. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.