Woodland tied for lead at Wells Fargo as Quail Hollow gets tough
Morning gusts gave way to a relentless wind in the afternoon in Charlotte, N.C., and had just about everyone trying to finish without too much damage. Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland had a 2-under 69 in the morning and shared the 36-hole lead with Matt Wallace (67) and Patrick Rodgers (68).
No one in the afternoon could catch them at 6-under 136.
Rory McIlroy will be playing on the weekend for the first time in two months. He shot a 66, and by the end of the day, that was good for a tie for fifth, two shots out of the lead.
As for Phil Mickelson? Never mind that he followed a 64 with a 75.
“I’m excited to be in contention heading into the weekend, and I know I’m playing well,” Mickelson said.
“The hardest conditions I’ve played in a while,” Justin Thomas said after a 73 that included a three-putt double bogey on the par-3 13th.
Mickelson was determined to put an end to a drought so severe that he hasn’t finished among the top 20 in nine months.
McIlroy started the second round outside the projected cut line. He has not made it to the weekend since Bay Hill two months ago.
Woodland was all smiles. He missed the cut badly last week at Innisbrook, called Butch Harmon and decided to go back to his previous coaches, Harmon and Pete Cowen. It didn’t take long for him to feel better.
Woodland still hasn’t figured out the final stretch, Nos. 16-18, playing them in 3 over through two rounds. But he likes where he’s headed.
“I’ve seen some shots this week that I just haven’t seen in a long time,” he said. “The golf swing feels so much better.”
DEFENDING CHAMP STRICKER JOINS 4-WAY REGIONS TRADITION TIE >> Defending champion Steve Stricker birdied the final hole for a 3-under 69 to move into a four-way tie for the lead halfway through the Regions Tradition.
Stricker joined Jerry Kelly, Alex Cejka and first-round leader Darren Clarke atop the leaderboard in the first of the PGA Tour Champions’ five majors at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Ala. TAVATANAKIT LEADS BY 3 AT LPGA THAILAND >> ANA Inspiration winner Patty Tavatanakit finished with an eagle to take a three-stroke lead over Atthaya Thitikul at the halfway stage of the LPGA Thailand. Tavatanakit, the Thai native, moved 16 under at Siam Country Club in Pattaya after back-toback 64s and leads Thitikul, another Thai native. Caroline Masson (66) is a stroke behind Thitikul in third.
Pac-12 athletics
CONFERENCE ON VERGE OF ELIMINAT
ING REDSHIRT RULE FOR TRANSFERS >> The Pac-12 has moved to the brink of a momentous change in its intraconference transfer regulations that could create even more roster turnover in football and basketball than currently exists.
During a series of meetings this week, the Pac-12 Council agreed to allow undergraduates to play immediately when they transfer within the conference, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The redshirt rule, which forces transfers to sit out one season, would be eliminated. University presidents and chancellors are expected to formally approve the change, which likely would apply only to first-time transfers, when they meet later this month.
Last month, the NCAA’s Board of Directors ratified legislation granting immediate eligibility for athletes the first time they transfer.
Tennis
ZVEREV BEATS NADAL IN STRAIGHT
SETS IN MADRID OPEN QUARTERS >> Alexander Zverev ended his winless streak on clay against Rafael Nadal, keeping the Spaniard from winning a sixth Madrid Open.
Zverev defeated Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, picking up his third consecutive win over the 20time grand slam champion — but first on clay. His previous two wins over Nadal were on indoor hard courts. Zverev will next face Dominic Thiem. Thiem defeated John Isner 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
STANFORD, CAL WOMEN ADVANCE >> Stanford earned a 4-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara, while Cal blanked San Jose State 4-0 in Berkeley in the first round of the NCAA women’s championships. Cal hosts Kentucky today, while the Cardinal faces host Pepperdine.
Business
COWBOYS TOP FORBES LIST OF MOST
VALUABLE SPORTS FRANCHISES >> The Dallas Cowboys top Forbes’ annual list of the world’s most valuable sports franchises at $5.7 billion, an increase of 43 percent in the past five years.
The Warriors, valued at $4.7 billion, landed at No. 6 on the list, ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers ($4.6 billion), New England Patriots ($4.4 billion), New York Giants ($4.3 billion) and Bayern Munich ($4.21 billion) in the top 10.
The Yankees ($5.3 billion), the Knicks ($5 billion) and European soccer clubs Barcelona ($4.76 billion) and Real Madrid ($4.75 billion) rounded out the top 5.
The 49ers ($3.8 billion) landed at No. 15 on the list. The Giants were No. 28 ($3.18 billion), one spot ahead of the Raiders ($3.1 billion).
Soccer
ENGLAND COULD HOST CL FINAL DUE
TO NEW TURKEY TRAVEL CURBS >> The all-English Champions League final could be played at home after Turkey was added to England’s “red list” of countries where all but essential travel is banned due to severe coronavirus outbreaks.
Chelsea and Manchester City are due to meet on May 29 in Istanbul and UEFA was hoping to allow around 10,000 fans into the biggest club game of the European football season.
But the British government on Friday warned supporters not to travel to Turkey after imposing the new travel restrictions, and said the English Football Association was in talks with Champions League organizer UEFA about staging the game in Britain, instead.