Thompson grabs lead in LPGA’s season finale
With brother Curtis back at her side at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., Lexi Thompson shot a 7underpar 65 on Thursday to take the firstround lead in the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship.
Curtis, a Korn Ferry Tour player, also caddied for his sister in 2018 when she won the seasonending event.
“If we’re both home we are always playing golf together and joking around,” Thompson said. “It’s great to have him out here. I really appreciate him helping me out and keeping me loose out there. Whether I play good or bad, he always keeps a smile on my face.”
On Thursday after morning rain, Thompson birdied five of the first seven holes in pursuit of the $ 1.1 million winner’s prize, down from $ 1.5 million last year but still the richest in women’s golf.
She played the next nine in even par with a birdie and a bogey, then birdied the final two holes. The 11time LPGA Tour winner had her lowest score of the year a week after missing the cut in the U. S. Women’s Open.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark was a stroke back after a bogeyfree round.
Colleges: A bill introduced by four Democratic lawmakers would grant college athletes rights to compensation, including a share of revenue, and create a federal commission to oversee college athletics. The bill also would set health and safety standards, create a medical trust fund, guarantee scholarships for as long as it takes to graduate and ban influence in academic decisions by coaches and staff. It also would end transfer restrictions and penalties and make athletic departments disclose revenues and expenditures, including salaries.
Baseball: The Chicago Cubs signed reliever Jonathan Holder to oneyear, nonguaranteed deal that would pay $ 750,000 if he makes the team. Holder, 27, who pitched parts of the past five seasons for the New York Yankees, is 106 with a 4.38 ERA in 157 majorleague games, averaging 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Soccer: Poland’s Robert Lewandowski was named men’s soccer player of the year by FIFA after his 55goal season lifted Bayern Munich to a sweep of international and domestic trophies. Lewandowski topped a three-player short list that included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He joined Luka Modric as the only players in 13 years to deny both Messi and Ronaldo the victory.
England’s Lucy Bronze was named the world’s best women’s player by FIFA, ahead of former Lyon teammate Wendi Renard and Pernille Harder, who helped Wolfsburg to the Champions League final.
Horse racing: The owner of Los Alamitos Race Course in Orange County said the track will stop racing, a decision made before the California Horse Racing Board voted to grant the track a sixmonth license instead of a full year in light of horse deaths.
Olympics: Russian officials found loopholes in the decision to ban the country from using its name, flag and anthem at two Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling, which halved a fouryear ban to two, left Russia in control of its roster and scrapped a plan to exclude athletes suspected of benefiting from doping coverups. Russian teams won’t be called Russian but “Russia” will be on uniforms.
NHL: AllStar wing Anthony Duclair, 25, agreed to join the Florida Panthers on a oneyear contract, the team said. He had a careerhigh 23 goals and 17 assists for Ottawa last season.
Washington Capitals goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who signed with the team in October, said he will miss next season because of a heart condition. Lundqvist, 38, played all 15 of his NHL seasons for the New York Rangers.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ new CEO said the team will not change its name. The team has banned fans wearing Native Americanstyle headdresses and doing war chants.
Rugby: World Rugby and two of the sport’s major national governing bodies learned they are being solicited for restitution by former players for negligence over brain injuries. World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, who retired at age of 29 because of concussions, insisted “safeguards in rugby are in place” and player welfare will always be his No. 1 priority.