MORNING ROUNDUP
Thomas begins defense of CIMB Classic
Justin Thomas collected the Jack Nicklaus Award as the U.S. PGA Tour player of the year a couple of days before heading to Malaysia in a bid to win his third successive CIMB Classic.
Little wonder then the two-time defending champion was slightly off his game in the first round Thursday morning, managing only a 2-under-par 70 to sit six strokes behind leader Cameron Smith of Australia.
Smith opened with a blemish-free 8-under 64 and leads a U.S. PGA Tour event after the first round for the first time in 64 starts.
Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele and Poom Saksansin of Thailand were tied for second at 7 under.
Brendan Steele, coming off a victory last week at the Safeway Open, had an opening 67 to be three shots off the lead.
Hideki Matsuyama, the 2016 runner-up, faltered with two bogeys to sit with Thomas in a tie for 23rd place. The CIMB Classic continues throughout the weekend at unusually late times in the United States due to the time difference in Malaysia.
IndyCar returns to Oregon in change to 2018 schedule
Portland International Raceway is back on the IndyCar Series schedule in 2018.
The Sept. 2 race on the 1.967-mile permanent road course will be IndyCar's first trip to the Oregon track since races were held from 1984-2007 under CART and Champ Car sanction.
The race will be operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes the IndyCar events at St. Petersburg, Toronto and Mid-Ohio.
Portland replaces Watkins Glen, New York, on the schedule.
Auburn receives federal subpoena in bribery scandal
Auburn says it has received a federal grand jury subpoena in the bribery case against basketball associate head coach Chuck Person.
The university confirmed that in a statement Thursday in response to an open records request from The Associated Press. Auburn's statement said it won't yet release the documents because they are typically "sent with the understanding that they will be treated confidentially," including on whether they were received in the first place.
Oklahoma State provided AP and other media outlets with a copy of the subpoena it received in the widespread corruption case, prompting Auburn to acknowledge that it has also gotten one.
Person was suspended without pay after prosecutors said the former NBA player accepted about $91,500 in bribes to steer clients to a Pittsburghbased financial adviser when they reached the NBA.