Off the wire

GOLF

Howell builds lead

Charles Howell III was just as good on the tougher scoring course at Sea Island with another 64 to match the best 36-hole score of his career and build a three-shot lead in the RSM Classic at St. Simons Island, Ga. Howell was bogey-free for the second consecutive round. He ran off four birdies in five holes at the turn on the par-70 Seaside course and made two 20-foot birdie putts on the way in. He is at 14-under 128, three shots ahead of Cameron Champ and Jason Gore. Champ birdied his last four holes for a 7-under 63. Gore, who also had a 63 on Seaside, was planning to be at Pebble Beach until getting an exemption Sunday night to the final PGA Tour event of the calendar year.

Thompson by 3

Lexi Thompson -- still winless this year -- shot a 5-under 67 on Friday to move to 12 under for the week at the CME Group Tour Championship at Naples, Fla., three shots clear of first-round leader Amy Olson (72) and Brittany Lincicome (71). Thompson hit all 18 greens in regulation, and hasn't dropped a shot yet through two rounds. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 3-under 69 and is tied for 13th at 4-under 140 heading into the weekend. The tournament within the tournament this week is the conclusion of the Race to the CME Globe, with world No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn now in control of that again. She's one of five women who entered this week with the best chance of taking that trophy and a $1 million bonus. She shot a 71 and is 3 under.

Wallace leads in Dubai

Matt Wallace took his shots on time and took the lead at the World Tour Championship in Dubai. The 28-year-old Englishman, who was fined $3,800 for slow play in the first round, shot a 7-under 65 Friday for a one-stroke lead over Danny Willett (67), Jordan Smith (68) and Adrian Otaegui (68). Wallace was at 11-under 133 overall in the season-ending championship of the European Tour. Francesco Molinari (73) dropped outside the top 25 with three bogeys in his last six holes, giving Tommy Fleetwood a chance in the Race to Dubai for the European No. 1 title. Molinari was tied for 27th at 3 under, while Fleetwood (67) was at 8 under and tied for sixth. Patrick Reed, playing alongside Rory McIlroy, shot a 66 and improved to fifth place at 9 under. McIlroy shot a 67 and was tied for sixth alongside Fleetwood, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66) and Dean Burmester (65).

TENNIS

Zverev, Federer in semis

Alexander Zverev set up a semifinal meeting with Roger Federer at the ATP Finals in London by defeating John Isner 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Friday. The 21-year-old German is the youngest player to reach the semifinals at the season-ending tournament since 2009 and the first from his country since 2003. Both Isner and Marin Cilic, who played group winner Novak Djokovic in the late match, were eliminated by the result. Djokovic will face Kevin Anderson in today's other semifinal match.

BASEBALL

Pearce staying with Sox

World Series MVP Steve Pearce is staying with the Red Sox. Boston and the first baseman agreed Friday to a $6.25 million, one-year contract. Pearce was a free agent after completing a $12.5 million, two-year deal he agreed to with Toronto in December 2016. He earned an additional $150,000 bonus for his selection as World Series MVP. His new deal also includes award bonuses. A major league nomad of 12 teams, the 35-year-old was traded to Boston in late June. He played 50 games for the Red Sox, hitting 5 home runs against the New York Yankees, including 3 on Aug. 2. He hit .289 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI in the postseason.

Elias moves to Orioles

Houston Astros assistant general manager Mike Elias was hired Friday to rebuild the Baltimore Orioles, who traded many of their star players last season before finishing with the worst record in the majors. Elias will carry the title of executive vice president and general manager. He will "oversee all baseball operations for the club and have full autonomy to build his staff and make decisions on all baseball matters," the Orioles said in a statement. Elias will be introduced at a news conference in Baltimore on Monday. Elias, 35, comes to the Orioles after working as scouting director and assistant GM in Houston, where he helped transform a last-place team into 2017 World Series champions. Elias replaces executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, who was fired with manager Buck Showalter in October after Baltimore's 47-115 season.

FOOTBALL

Smoke postpones game

The annual Big Game between Stanford and California scheduled for today was postponed two weeks because of the unhealthy air quality in the Bay Area from a wildfire some 150 miles to the north. Cal announced Friday that the game would be played Dec. 1 with a noon kickoff local time at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. This is the just the second postponement of the Big Game between Cal (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12) and Stanford (6-4, 4-3). It was delayed one week in 1963 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The rival schools have been playing each year since 1892 with the exception of breaks during World Wars I and II.

Titans' starters return

The Tennessee Titans are getting two starters back for their trip to Indianapolis on Sunday. Right tackle Jack Conklin has been cleared from the concussion protocol after missing last week's win over the Patriots, while outside linebacker Derrick Morgan is set to return after practicing fully the past two days after missing the last three games with an injured shoulder. Wide receiver Taywan Taylor will be a game-time decision after missing last week's game with a left foot injured in Dallas. Taylor said he did some different mobility exercises and feels better. Only running back David Fluellen (knee) is ruled out against the Colts (4-5). Left guard Quinton Spain (ankle) and wide receiver Tajae Sharpe (ankle) also are questionable for the Titans (5-4).

GYMNASTICS

USA Gymnastics COO resigns

INDIANAPOLIS — Longtime USA Gymnastics chief operating officer Ron Galimore resigned Friday, the latest high-profile departure for the embattled organization in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal.

The move came as USA Gymnastics is facing decertification of its status as the national governing body for the sport amid concerns about its leadership and the way it handled complaints against Nassar. The former team doctor is now serving decades in prison for sexual assault and possession of child pornography.

Nassar is accused of sexually abusing hundreds of female athletes under the guise of treatment at both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State.

USA Gymnastics did not comment on Friday’s move beyond saying in a statement that its board accepted the resignation and wished Galimore “well in his future endeavors.”

The Indianapolis Star reported in May that an attorney hired by USA Gymnastics directed Galimore to come up with a false excuse to explain Nassar’s absence at major gymnastic events in the summer of 2015. The organization was looking into complaints against Nassar at the time.

“We’ll let Ron know to advise people that you weren’t feeling well and decided to stay home,” Scott Himsel, an attorney hired by USA Gymnastics, wrote in an email obtained by the newspaper.

USA Gymnastics is accused of covering up assault allegations. The group didn’t tell Michigan State or elite gymnastics clubs about complaints against Nassar in 2015. The organization said it did not disclose the complaints out of guidance from the FBI.

Galimore, a standout gymnast who was on the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympic team that boycotted the Moscow Games, joined USA Gymnastics in 1994, initially working with the men’s program before moving into other areas within the organization.

Sports on 11/17/2018

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