Holmes leads by 1 stroke in Phoenix

J.B. Holmes roared through the fan-packed closing stretch at TPC Scottsdale on his opening nine Friday, then grabbed the lead on the mellower side of golf’s biggest party.

Six months after a finalround collapse and slowplay controversy at the British Open, Holmes took a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He shot a 6-under 65, a day after making a hole-in-one in an opening 64.

Holmes played a fivehole stretch on his first nine in 5 under with birdies on the par-5 13th and 15th and par-3 16th, and an eagle on the short par-4 17th. He made a 16-footer from the back fringe on the stadium 16th, then drove to 6 1/2 to set up the eagle on the 319-yard 17th.

Wyndham Clark was second, following a careerbest 61 with a 69. Bill Horschel was third at 11 under after rounds of 63 and 68.

Elsewhere: Stephen Ames shot a 3-under 69 to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the PGA Tour Champions’ Morocco Champions at Marrakech, Morocco. Hall of Famers Bernhard Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal were tied for second with Brett Quigley . ...

Victor Perez birdied four of his last six holes to shoot a second straight 5-under 65 and take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Saudi International at King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.

ETC.

MLB: Three-time AllStar outfielder Curtis Granderson is retiring after 16 seasons in the major leagues. Granderson played for seven teams. He was an All-Star for the Detroit Tigers in 2009. Last year Granderson batted .183 in 138 games for the Marlins . ... New Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker will be invited to lead the American League in the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium on July 14.

Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics on Thursday offered to pay $215 million to settle legal claims brought by athletes who say they were sexually abused by Larry Nassar, the disgraced former national team doctor. More than 300 plaintiffs, including Olympic gymnasts, have sued USA Gymnastics for failing to protect them from Nassar, who was sentenced in 2018 to 40 to 125 years in prison for abusing girls and women at a gymnastics facility under the guise of medical treatment.

College basketball: Reili Richardson made a three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in the third overtime and No. 19 Arizona State edged visiting Southern California 76-75 for coach Charli Turner Thorne’s 500th career victory . ... Terry Fair ,akey player on Georgia only men’s Final Four team in 1983, died Thursday of natural causes at 59, the school announced.