GOLF
Lovemark, Vegas lead
Jamie Lovemark and Jhonattan Vegas shared the Zurich Classic lead at 11 under Friday when second-round play was suspended because of darkness. Lovemark had a 27-hole day at hot and humid TPC Louisiana at Avondale, La., completing a 5-under 67 in the first round and adding a 66 in the second in the event that fell behind schedule Thursday with a long rain delay. Vegas, from Venezuela, shot 64-69. He played 31 holes. None of the players in the afternoon wave finished the round. Brian Stuard, the overnight leader after a 64 on Thursday, was 10 under with six holes left. Top-ranked Jason Day was 5 under with eight holes left. Bryce Molder (Conway) was 3 under through 8 holes. Jordan Payne (West Memphis) was 4 over through 5. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 3-over 75 (2-under 142). Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an evenpar 72 (4-over 148). Matt Mabrey (Little Rock) shot a 1-under 71 (2-over 146).
Bhavik Patel was alone again at the top of the leaderboard Friday at the Web.com Tour’s United Leasing & Finance Championship at Newburgh, Ind. Patel shot a 3-under 69 for a two-round total of 10-under
- He’s two strokes ahead of Brandon Hagy, who had a 68 on Friday, and is 4 shots ahead of Sebastian Vazquez (63), who is alone in third place. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) had a 69 (141) and is tied for 13th. Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) also shot a 69 (142) and is tied for 17th. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks), Zack Fischer (Little Rock), Matt Atkins (Henderson State) and Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) did not make the cut.
Gerina Piller made herself right at home Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Texas Shootout at Irving, Texas, shooting a 6-under 65 to take the lead in the suspended second round. She birdied three of the final five holes in her bogey-free round to reach 10-under 132. Play was suspended because of rain just after 4 p.m. and called for the day because of lighting a little after 6 p.m. None of the afternoon starters were able to finish. The field will be cut to the low 70s and ties after the completion of the round this morning, then trimmed again to the low 50s and ties after the third round. South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji was a stroke back at 9 under after a 66. First-round leader Mi Jung Hur was 8 under with six holes left. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) was even through 15 holes. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) was 1 under through 11 holes.
Felipe Aguilar of Chile shot a 7-under 65 in the second round of the China Open to take a one-stroke lead before play was suspended because of a thunderstorm Friday. Aguilar, seeking his first European Tour victory in two years, fired seven birdies to be 11 under overall, one stroke ahead of Alex Noren of Sweden and Bernd Wiesberger of Austria. Noren has carded 67-67, while Wiesberger stayed in contention with a 69. South Korean Kim Taehoon recorded the second holein-one at the tournament on the par-3 13th,, which he birdied in the first round. His 64 tied him for fourth at 10 under along with Tyrrell Hatton of England (67) and Dane Bjerregaard of Denmark (67). Hennie Otto of South Africa, the overnight leader at 9 under, was playing to par on Friday with four holes to go.
BASKETBALL
Curry rehabs knee
Stephen Curry is rehabbing his injured right knee about three times a day, spending four to five hours at the Golden State Warriors’ practice facility to try to get back on the court for the defending NBA champions as soon as possible. Curry said Friday he considers himself fortunate he didn’t seriously damage the knee structurally when he slipped on a wet spot — “an unfortunate slip” — right before halftime in Sunday’s Game 4 playoffs victory at Houston, noting that it “could have been 10 times worse.” An MRI exam Monday revealed a Grade I sprain. The estimated time frame is that Curry will be sidelined for at least two weeks, so that would be at least the first three games of the second round. The Warriors were waiting on their next opponent, either the Los Angeles Clippers or Portland.
Vanderbilt has formed a search committee as it seeks a new women’s coach to replace Melanie Balcomb. Athletic Director David Williams announced Friday that deputy director of athletics and senior women’s administrator Candice Lee would chair the committee. Lee played women’s basketball for Vanderbilt from 1998-2002 when she was known as Candice Storey. Vanderbilt announced Wednesday that Balcomb had resigned, effective immediately. Balcomb went 310-149 with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances in 14 seasons, though Vanderbilt failed to earn an NCAA bid each of the past two years.
FOOTBALL
Tide assistant resigns
Alabama defensive line coach Bo Davis has resigned. Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban announced the resignation Friday in a two-sentence statement. He didn’t elaborate on reasons behind the decision. Davis began his second stint coaching the line for Saban in 2014 after three seasons at Texas. He also was Saban’s defensive line coach from 2007-2010. Davis’ line was one of the strengths of Alabama’s team during last season’s national championship run. It featured Jarran Reed, Jonathan Allen and A’Shawn Robinson, an All-American and Outland Trophy finalist.
TENNIS
Zverev advances
Alexander Zverev of Germany upset top seed David Goffin 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday to reach the BMW Open semifinals in Munich. Zverev, 19 — arguably Germany’s brightest prospect — next faces the third-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria, who earlier defeated Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the clay-court tournament. Another German, the fourth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber, advanced to the other semifinal with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of wild card Juan Martin del Potro. Kohlschreiber, who is bidding for his third tournament victory, will face Italian fifth-seed Fabio Fognini, who beat lucky loser Jozef Kovalik 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
HOCKEY
Ducks fire coach
The Anaheim Ducks have fired coach Bruce Boudreau after their first-round exit from the playoffs. Ducks General Manager Bob Murray announced the decision Friday. Boudreau had spectacular regular-season success with the Ducks, leading them to four consecutive Pacific Division titles while going 208-104-40 in nearly five seasons in charge. But the Ducks’ last four seasons have ended with a Game 7 loss on home ice in the playoffs.
BASKETBALL
Walton hired to rebuild Lakers
LOS ANGELES — Luke Walton is coming home to rebuild the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers reached an agreement Friday night with the Golden State assistant to become their head coach, dramatically choosing a leader for their new era after Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers grabbed Walton just five days after they fired Byron Scott, who led the 16-time NBA champions to the two worst seasons in franchise history.
Walton spent nine seasons with the Lakers, winning two championship rings. Now the 36-year-old Southern California native returns to become the 26th head coach in franchise history.
“We’re excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he’s going to start an outstanding coaching career,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “He’s one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he’ll be leading the on-court future of our team.”
Walton will join the Lakers after the Warriors’ playoff run. That could take several weeks, since Golden State is headed for the second round with designs on a second consecutive championship.
Walton became a top candidate for coaching jobs earlier this season when he led Golden State to a 39-4 record as the interim head coach while Steve Kerr was sidelined by a back injury. Walton coolly stepped in and coaching the Warriors to an NBA-record 24-0 start before ceding the job back to Kerr.
He won’t have nearly the same level of talent in Los Angeles, which is rebuilding after the retirement of Bryant, Walton’s longtime teammate.
The Lakers’ core consists of recent draft picks DAngelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson alongside a collection of veterans and young players. Los Angeles went 21-61 and 17-65 under Scott, the two worst seasons in franchise history.
But the lure of the Lakers apparently was strong to Walton, who was drafted by the Lakers in 2003. He was a depth forward on the Lakers’ championship teams in 2009 and 2010.