Off the wire

GOLF

Spieth, Palmer share lead Jordan Spieth showed off his stellar short game and Ryan Palmer made key putts as they posted a 6-under 66 in foursomes for a share of the lead Thursday in the Zurich Classic at Avondale, La., the first team event on the PGA Tour in 36 years. Spieth hit a bump-and-run from 100 feet to set up a birdie on the par-5 11th, he chipped in for birdie on the 14th and closed out the round with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th at the TPC Louisiana. They were tied with 18-yearold Ryan Ruffels and Kyle Stanley. Nick Watney made a 60-foot eagle putt from off the 18th green for eagle as he and Charley Hoffman were among four teams at 67 in alternate shot. David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Danny Lee had an even-par 72. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) and Chad Collins shot a 1-over 73.

Hur leads Shootout Lexi Thompson shot a 2-under 69 on Thursday in her first LPGA Tour round since a rules violation cost her a likely victory in the first major LPGA tournament of the year, leaving her four strokes behind leader M.J. Hur in the North Texas Shootout at Irving. Hur had a bogey-free 65 on a blustery, sunny day at Las Colinas Country Club. Ariya Jutanugarn and Michelle Wie were a stroke back along with Katherine Kirk, Jennifer Song, Sung Hyun Park, Sandra Changkija and Marina Alex. Topranked Lydia Ko, who turned 20 on Monday, shot a 70. Defending champion Jenny Shin bogeyed two of her three last holes for a 71. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 2-under 69. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) had an even-par 71.

Pair out front Sebastian Munoz and Rob Oppenheim shared the early lead Thursday evening at the El Bosque Mexico Championship at Guanajuato, Mexico. Each had a 7-under 65. Tyler Duncan, Scott Harrington and Taylor Moore (Arkansas Razorbacks) were one stroke behind. Ryan Yip, Adam Svensson, Puma Dominguez, Ken Looper and Abraham Ancer were tied at 5 under. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) and 12 others were tied at 4 under. Zack Fischer (Little Rock) was even after 17 holes. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) was 1 over. Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) was 2 over. Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) was 7 over after 16 holes.

Levy ahead by 1 Alexander Levy shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to take a onestroke lead after the first round of the China Open in Beijing. The Frenchman, who won the China Open in 2014, carded nine birdies in a bogey-free round at the Topwin Golf and Country Club to finish one stroke ahead of Pablo Larrazabal. Peter Hanson and James Morrison both shot 67 and were tied at 5 under with Raphael Jacquelin, Dean Burmester and George Coetzee. Jorge Campillo and Yi Cao were among a group of golfers a further shot back. Bernd Wiesberger, who won last week’s Shenzhen International, was six strokes off the pace after a 69, tied at 3 under with defending champion Li Haotong. Pep Angles (Central Arkansas) shot a 2-under 70.

TENNIS

Nadal, Murray advance Defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open while Andy Murray struggled to join him on Thursday. Murray had his hands full getting past Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4. Nadal, a nine-time champion in Barcelona, will next face qualifier Hyeon Chung of South Korea, who defeated eighth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-1, 6-4. Murray will play the quarterfinal against Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who defeated fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Karen Khachanov of Russia defeated fifth-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4 to play the quarterfinal against Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, who topped Benoit Paire of France 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3). In other third-round matches, fourth-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria defeated Daniel Evans of Britain 7-6 (5), 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal against lucky loser Yuichi Sugita of Japan, who beat seventh-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 6-3, 6-3.

Sharapova wins again Maria Sharapova won again Thursday to reach the Porsche Grand Prix quarterfinals in Stuttgart, Germany, while another major obstacle to a deep run departed. Two-time defending champion Angelique Kerber, who was against Sharapova receiving a wild-card entry, was upset by Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-2, 7-5. Sharapova advanced earlier by beating fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 7-5, 6-1 in her second match after a 15-month doping ban. The fivetime Grand Slam champion and former No. 1, who lost her ranking due to the suspension and entered the event on a wild card, will play 73rd-ranked Anett Kontaveit of Estonia for a place in the semifinals. Mladenovic next takes on Carla Suarez-Navarro, who beat another Russian, Elena Vesnina, 6-2, 6-4. Also, the second-seeded Karolina Pliskova beat CoCo Vandeweghe 7-6 (2), 6-4 and will play Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals. The finalist from last year defeated 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3. Anastasija Sevastova beat sixth-seeded Johanna Konta 6-3, 7-5 to set up a quarterfinal against Simona Halep.

BASKETBALL

Noah has surgery Joakim Noah underwent surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday to repair his rotator cuff, the New York Knicks announced Thursday morning. No timetable was given for his return, but Knicks Coach Jeff Hornacek said before the team’s final game that the rehab process is five months. Noah could be back for training camp, which starts in late September. Knicks doctors recommended surgery two weeks ago on the issue that had bothered Noah since January. But the veteran center was still mulling whether to have it. Hornacek said he was hoping Noah would make the decision sooner than later because of how long the recovery time is. It was a disappointing season for Noah after team President Phil Jackson gave him a four-year, $72 million contract. Brought in to be an inspirational leader and defensive anchor, Noah played in just 46 games and averaged 5 points and 8.7 rebounds. The Knicks finished 31-51 and were one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Noah had an injury-plagued season that ultimately ended with him being suspended for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug policy. He was suspended 20 games for taking a banned supplement. Noah served eight games at the end of the season. He will be suspended the first 12 games in 201718. He also was slowed by a hamstring injury and had his left knee scoped in late February. Noah, 32, has had several injuries the last few seasons. He played just 29 games the prior season with the Bulls when he needed surgery to repair a dislocated left shoulder.

HOCKEY

Sold on Cassidy Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney was quick to remove head Coach Bruce Cassidy’s interim tag, making the move days after the team lost its first-round playoff series to the Ottawa Senators. The Bruins went 18-8-1 after Cassidy replaced Claude Julien on Feb. 7. Boston reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and every game in the series was decided by one goal, including four overtime games. Julien led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 2011.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Suit back in state court A judge has granted a motion by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to dismiss a lawsuit tied to its multiyear academic scandal from federal court, sending the matter back to state court. U.S. District Court Judge Loretta C. Biggs ruled Wednesday that the university has 11th Amendment immunity as an arm of the state, preventing the school from being sued in federal court. Ex-football player Devon Ramsay and former women’s basketball player Rashanda McCants filed the lawsuit in 2015. Biggs made a similar immunity ruling last month in a separate lawsuit filed by two other former North Carolina athletes amid the scandal tied to irregular courses in an academic department. Both North Carolina spokesman Joanne Peters and Ramsay-McCants attorney Robert F. Orr said they look forward to presenting their cases in state court.