Clark leads Canadian Open
Wyndham Clark started the week with a late charge to play his way into the U.S. Open in a qualifier, and then he stayed hot Thursday in the RBC Canadian Open for a 7-under 63 that was good for the first-round lead.
Clark opened with five birdies in nine holes and kept bogeys off his card at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto for the third round of his PGA Tour career at 63 or lower.
He led by one shot over Matt Fitzpatrick. Doug Ghim and Harold Varner III were tied for third after 65s.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy had six birdies in his round of 66 that left him in a four-way tie three shots back. McIlroy had to wait three years to defend his title because of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled golf’s fourth-oldest championship the last two years.
Clark didn’t break par over the final three rounds at the Memorial, and he wasn’t looking good in his 36-hole qualifier on Monday. But then he put together five birdies in an 11-hole stretch that allowed him to get into the U.S. Open next week at The Country Club outside Boston.
“It’s nice to see some putts go in,” Clark said. “I haven’t shot a low one in a while. I’ve had a lot of couple under par, 3-, 4-under pars in my last few events, but really felt like I left a lot of shots out there. This round I maximized pretty much everything out there.”
Clark putted for birdie on all but one hole.
MLB
Catcher Willson Contreras and the Chicago Cubs avoided an arbitration hearing scheduled for later in the day, agreeing Thursday to a one-year contract for $9.625 million.
The agreement was at the midpoint between the $10.25 million Contreras had asked for and the $9 million the Cubs had offered when figures were exchanged March 22.
Contreras, 30, hit .237 with 21 homers and 57 RBI in 128 games last season, leading National League catchers in assists for the third time.
Another deal: Catcher Gary Sánchez and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a $9 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration.
The agreement was at the midpoint of the $9.5 million Sánchez had asked for and the $8.5 million offered by the Twins when proposed salaries were exchanged. A hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday.
Sánchez, 29, hit .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBI last year for the New York Yankees, the second straight down season for the two-time all-star.
NFL
The day after Jack Del Rio referred to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building as a “dust-up,” the president of the NAACP called for the Washington Commanders defensive coordinator to step down or be dismissed.
In a statement released to media outlets, Derrick Johnson said, “His comments could not have been more offensive and ignorant . ... Downplaying the insurrection by comparing it to nationwide protests, which were in response to a public lynching, is twisted. You can’t coach a majority Black team while turning your back on the Black community.”
Del Rio had asked on Twitter why protests following the killing of George Floyd were not investigated as the attack on the Capitol was. Del Rio later issued an apology.
Kupp cashes in: Two days after awarding defensive lineman Aaron Donald a lucrative contract extension, the Los Angeles Rams handed out a longterm deal to wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Kupp and the Rams agreed to an extension that will pay him $110 million over the next five years, two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed. The deal places Kupp, 28, among the highest-paid receivers in the league.
Last season, Kupp racked up 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns receiving. He took home offensive player of the year honors and was then named Super Bowl MVP.
BOXING
A South African boxer who became disoriented during a fight and walked away from his opponent toward an empty corner of the ring while throwing punches has died of a brain injury.
Boxing South Africa said lightweight Simiso Buthelezi died on Tuesday night following the nationally televised bout against Siphesihle Mntungwa on Sunday in the eastern city of Durban. He died in the hospital after the brain injury caused internal bleeding, Boxing South Africa said. His age was not released.