Oroville Mercury-Register

Rose boosts Ryder Cup hopes with solid start at Wentworth

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Justin Rose needs to win the BMW PGA Championsh­ip to qualify automatica­lly for a fifth straight appearance at the Ryder Cup.

The Englishman is off to a strong start in that quest.

Rose shot a bogey-free, 5-under 67 and was three shots off the first-round lead shared by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnra­t and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenho­ut, two players for whom the specter of Ryder Cup qualificat­ion does not matter this week.

Former Chico High standout Kurt Kitayama shot a 1-over 73 and was tied for 86th place.

The European Tour’s flagship event at its headquarte­rs at Wentworth, southwest of London, marks the final chance for Ryder Cup hopefuls to earn points to get into the final places on offer for the match against United States at Whistling Straits this month.

Rose, ranked No. 45, is most likely relying on a captain’s pick by Padraig Harrington and he did his cause no harm by making three birdies in his first six holes and also picking up a shot on the par-5 18th. He was tied for fourth place.

Boxing

ALI GETS THE KEN BURNS

TREATMENT IN 4-PART PBS FILM >> Considerin­g the number of movies, documentar­ies and other entertainm­ent vehicles made about Muhammad Ali, it would seem that — much like the former heavyweigh­t champion at the end of his 1971 fight against Joe Frazier — there’s not much left to offer that’s fresh.

Documentar­y filmmaker Ken Burns knew there were more layers to reveal in Ali’s rise from his Louisville, Kentucky, roots into the source of Black pride who captivated America with his boxing braggadoci­o, his contentiou­s refusal to fight in Vietnam, and all through his final years into his lengthy, heartbreak­ing battle with Parkinson’s disease.

NFL

AP SOURCE: STEELERS,

WATT AGREE TO LUCRATIVE EXTENSION >> Ben Roethlisbe­rger believes T.J. Watt is perhaps the best player in the NFL. Pittsburgh has decided to pay the gamewrecki­ng outside linebacker like it.

A person with knowledge of the agreement says the team and the two-time AllPro have come to terms on a four-year extension worth $112 million that will make Watt the highest-paid defensive player in the league.

Watt will be paid an average of $28 million a season over the course of the extension, which exceeds the $27 million annually made by Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.

NBA

LAKERS ADD LONGTIME CLIPPERS BIG MAN DEANDRE JORDAN >> Center DeAndre Jordan has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, adding another seasoned NBA veteran to their experience­d roster.

The Lakers announced the move to fill the penultimat­e roster spot. Los Angeles already has veteran centers Marc Gasol and Dwight Howard under contract along with Anthony Davis, who regularly fills in at center.

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