Clark out front at Phoenix Open
Wyndham Clark beat darkness – and everyone else Thursday at TPC Scottsdale (Arizona).
Playing in the secondto-last group off the 10th tee, Clark shot a careerbest 10-under 61 to take the first-round lead in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
He had eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch from
No. 12 to No. 3, added two more on Nos. 7 and 8 and putted out for par on No. 9 just after sunset.
“I hit a lot of fairways and I just gave myself a lot of looks and the putter was hot,” Clark said.
Clark was a stroke off the course record of 60 set by Grant Waite in 1996 and matched by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001 and Phil Mickelson in 2005 and 2013.
The 26-year-old former University of Oregon player is in his second full season on the tour. He missed the cuts the last two weeks, shooting 69-79 last week at Torrey Pines.
“I actually played really well the last two weeks,” Clark said. “I just wasn’t making putts. I wasn’t capitalizing.”
Billy Horschel was second, holing nearly 200 feet of putts in an afternoon 63.
Elsewhere: The
LPGA says it has canceled the Blue Bay LPGA event scheduled for the first week of March on Hainan Island in China, citing health concerns and travel restrictions due to the viral outbreak. In a statement Thursday, the LPGA said because of the coronavirus in China, the event scheduled March 5-8 will not be held this year. China has reported more than 7,700 cases of the virus and 170 deaths. The industrial hub of Wuhan and other Chinese cities are on lockdown.
ETC.
NFL: Greg Olsen’s playing days with the Carolina Panthers are over. The 34-year-old tight end announced on Twitter that he'll be leaving the team, calling it a mutual decision that followed a meeting with general manager Marty Hurney. Olsen, former University Miami standout, has one year remaining on his contract and is due to cost $11.675 million against the salary cap in 2020. If the Panthers release him, they would be on the hook for $3.7 million in dead cap money. If he retires, the team could recoup that money. The 13-year veteran ranks fifth among tight ends in receptions (718) and yards receiving (8,444). He had 6,463 yards receiving and caught 524 passes in nine years with Carolina, the most by any Panthers tight end.
Soccer: Barcelona halted its struggles under new coach Quique Setien by routing Leganes 5-0 and advancing to the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.
Baseball: The Mariners added a veteran arm to their bullpen, agreeing to a $1.6 million, one-year contract with Yoshihisa Hirano. Seattle also agreed to a minor league contract with left-hander
Wei-Yin Chen, a deal subject to a successful physical.
Women’s basketball: Mykea Gray scored 16 points to help rally the Miami Hurricanes (12-9, 4-6 Atlantic Coast Conrence) from an 18-point halftime deficit and to a 54-49 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (14-7, 5-5).