Rahm shoots 62, takes CareerBuilder Challenge lead
AUTO RACING: Danica Patrick has secured the money needed to race in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. GoDaddy reunited with Patrick for the final two races of her career, even though she still has to close deals with teams to make it happen.
BASEBALL: A person familiar with the decision tells the AP the players’ association has rejected Major League Baseball’s proposal to institute 20-second pitch clocks and limits on mound visits . ... The Pirates finalized a four-year, $22 million contract with LHP Felipe Rivero, who converted 21 saves after becoming the team’s full-time closer last season . ... A month after he was released by the Braves from a contract that guaranteed him $21.5 million this season, veteran 1B Adrian Gonzalez finalized a one-year deal with the Mets for the $545,000 major-league minimum . ... OF Howie Kendrick finalized a two-year, $7 million contract with the Nationals . ... Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas has been accused of reckless driving and criminal speeding after his car was clocked at 105 mph on a metro Phoenix freeway. Authorities say Tomas could be facing up to 30 days in jail and a fine up to $500 on the criminal speeding charge, while a reckless driving charge could lead to a suspended license.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield was named the 2017 Manning Award winner after a season in which he passed for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns. Mayfield is the first Sooner and first former walk-on to win the Manning Award, which is given to the nation’s top college quarterback.
GYMNASTICS: USA Gymnastics has terminated its agreement with Karolyi Ranch as its national training center. The decision came three days after Olympic champion Simone Biles expressed dismay at having to attend camps there, where Biles says she was sexually abused by a former national team doctor Larry Nassar.
NFL: Patriots QB Tom Brady missed practice with a right hand injury a day after being limited by the same issue as the team prepared for its AFC championship game matchup with the Jaguars. Brady was present and wore a glove on the injured hand Thursday during the stretching portion of practice open to reporters. Brady, 40, has never missed a playoff start during his 18-year career . ... Vikings S Andrew Sendejo was limited in practice as he works his way back from a concussion that forced him out of the previous game . ... The Titans kicked off their coaching search by interviewing Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel. Mike Mularkey was fired Monday after he went 21-22 and won the Titans’ first playoff game in 14 years . ... Steve Sarkisian will return as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator despite a decline in production in his debut season. After leading the league in scoring in 2016, the Falcons fell to 15th this season . ... The Steelers promoted QBs coach Randy Fichtner as offensive coordinator to replace Todd Haley . ... The Raiders hired former head coach Tom Cable as offensive line coach . ... Jaguars LB Telvin Smith was fined $10,000 for taunting Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell during his fumble return for a touchdown last week.
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Jon Rahm shot a 10-under 62 on Thursday in perfect conditions at La Quinta Country Club to take the first-round lead in the CareerBuilder Challenge.
The top-ranked player in the field at No. 3 in the world, Rahm eagled the par-5 fifth — hitting a 5-iron from 215 yards to 5 feet — and played the first six holes in 6 under. The 23-year-old Spaniard had the lowest score of his PGA Tour career, topping a 64 two years ago at Congressional in his first round as a professional.
Austin Cook, Jason Kokrak and Andrew Landry were a stroke back. Cook played PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, and Kokrak and Landry opened at La Quinta. Nick Watney and Grayson Murray each shot 65 to top the players at PGA West’s Stadium Course.
Phil Mickelson had a 70 at La Quinta in his first tournament round since late October.
Rory McIlroy’s patience was tested on his comeback in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and he needed three late birdies to register a 3-under 69 that left him three strokes behind first-round leaders Tommy Fleetwood and Hideto Tanihara at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Starting on the 10th hole, McIlroy made 11 straight pars, which included a three-putt par on the par-5 18th.
Fleetwood, the defending Abu Dhabi champion and last year’s European Tour money-list winner, continued his excellent form by hitting all 18 greens in regulation.
There was a five-way tie for third place with Fabrizio Zanotti, Ross Fisher, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger and Sam Brazel shooting 67s.
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson drove his ball into a lake at the ninth, his closing hole, to finish with a 72. Matt Kuchar was also on level-par while Justin Rose went one better with a 71.
McIlroy, who hit 17 greens in regulation, collected his first birdie of the day by making an uphill 15-foot putt at the third and made further birdies at the seventh and eighth.
“First competitive round in over 100 days so it’s a little bit different,” said McIlroy, who last played at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland on Oct. 8. “But I did well. I stayed patient.
Sergio Garcia opened his season with a 5-under 66 and a share of the clubhouse lead in the first round of the weather-interrupted Singapore Open.
Playing his first tournament of the year, the Masters champion rebounded after making an early bogey to collect four birdies and an eagle at the Sentosa Golf Club.
He was later joined by American qualifier Kurt Kitayama in the clubhouse lead. Still on the course, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit was at 6 under through 16 holes when play was suspended for the day because of the threat of lightning.