Quick Hitters
Clemson is 1, Alabama is 2 in preseason coaches’ poll
Clemson is No. 1 in the USA Today preseason coaches’ poll for the first time, followed by Alabama at No. 2.
The defending champion Tigers received 59 of a possible 65 firstplace votes and the Crimson Tide got the rest in the poll released Thursday. The Associated Press preseason Top 25 will be released Aug. 19.
Clemson beat Alabama 44-16 in the College Football Playoff championship game in January. It was the fourth straight year the Tigers and Tide met in the playoff and third time they played for the national championship. Clemson and Alabama have alternated winning the last four championships.
Georgia was No. 3 in the coaches’ poll, followed by Oklahoma and Ohio State. No. 6 LSU and No. 8 Florida gave the Southeastern Conference four top-10 teams.
An, Im share lead at 62 after 1st round of Wyndham
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Byeong Hun An and Sungjae Im each shot 8-under 62 on Thursday to share the lead after one round at the Wyndham Championship.
Mackenzie Hughes, Rory Sabbatini, Patrick Rodgers and Johnson Wagner were a stroke back behind the South Korean leaders in the final PGA Tour event before the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Former Wyndham winners Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson joined Jordan Spieth among the nine players at 64.
Both co-leaders shot the best rounds of their PGA Tour careers. An, a 27-year-old South Korean seeking his first career victory on tour, closed with birdies on four of his final six holes and a sand save on the par-4 18th.
Buhai leads by 1 over Kang, Shibuno at Women’s British
MILTON KEYNES, England — Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of the Women’s British Open on Thursday.
Buhai finished just ahead of Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and American Danielle Kang, who each had a bogey in rounds of 66.
“In my last few tournaments I’ve had three good rounds and one not so good round, so I’m hoping this is the week I can do four good rounds,” said Buhai, whose best finish this year is a tie for 11th. “The last few weeks I have been just trying to stay mellow and keep everything in check, and it seems to be helping.”
Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, seeking her third major title of the year after winning last week’s Evian Championship in France, was well positioned after a 68.
Buhai, who has never won on the LPGA Tour, made her only bogey on the par-5 11th but responded with three straight birdies on Nos. 14-16. Her best previous British Open finish was a tie for 30th in 2017.
Playing on her home Marquess Course at Woburn Golf Club, Charley Hull delighted fans with a bogey-free 67. Hull, who suffered from food poisoning at last week’s Evian Championship, showed no lingering ill effects.
Kang, who won the Women’s PGA Championship two years ago for her only major, missed the cut last week at the Evian Championship, allowing her to arrive early for the second of back-to-back majors.
Joining Hull at 5 under were second-ranked Sung Hyun Park, Moriya Jutanugarn and Megan Khang.
U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 and Ariya Jutanugarn shot 68 along with Ko. Defending champion Georgia Hall opened with a 69.
Lexi Thompson, whose wayward passport after the Evian Championship caused a delay for a van carrying golf bags for nearly 40 players to Woburn, opened with a 71.