Hughes takes early lead at Travelers
CROMWELL, CONN » Mackenzie Hughes shot a career-low 60 to take the early lead at the Travelers Championship as the PGA Tour tried to switch its focus back to golf amid growing concerns about the coronavirus.
Hughes, a 29-year-old Canadian, had a chance to shoot the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, but his 40-foot birdie attempt on his final hole came up short. Jim Furyk shot a 12-under 58 on the same par70 TPC River Highlands course four years ago, the lowest score in a tour event.
It was good enough for a threestroke lead over top-ranked Rory McIlroy on a morning of low scoring. Phil Mickelson, paired with McIlroy in his first competitive round since turning 50, was one of five players to shoot 64. Bryson DeChambeau’s 65 was the worst score in the marquee threesome.
MICKELSON MAKES U.S. OPEN WITHOUT QUALIFYING » Phil Mickelson will get another shot to complete the career Grand Slam thanks to an adjusted exemption criteria for this year’s U.S. Open that was announced by the USGA.
Mickelson, a runner-up at the U.S. Open a record six times, was in danger of missing the Sept. 1720 tournament at Winged Foot in New York but made it into the field as the COVID-19 outbreak led to a change in the exemption categories.
Among the changes announced by the USGA, which eliminated all qualifying for the event, were to include the top 70 players in the world ranking as of March 15 — when the PGA Tour went into three-month a COVID-19 hiatus — instead of the usual 60. Mickelson was 61st at the time.
Soccer
LIVERPOOL CLINCHES EPL TITLE, ENDS 30-YEAR DROUGHT » The 30-year wait is over. Liverpool is champion of England again.
Liverpool clinched its first league title since 1990, ending an agonizing title drought without the players even having to take the field.
Instead, the Premier League crown was secured when Chelsea beat second-place Manchester City 2-1, a result that means City can no longer catch Liverpool with seven games remaining.