BASKETBALL
Hornets rehire Clifford
Steve Clifford is heading back to Charlotte. Clifford has agreed to a multiyear contract to return as head coach of the NBA's Hornets four years after being fired by team owner Michael Jordan, the team announced Friday night. Charlotte previously agreed to terms on a four-year contract with Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson to become head coach, but Atkinson later informed the team he was not taking the job citing family reasons. The 60-year-old Clifford spent five seasons coaching the Hornets from 2013-18, compiling a 196-214 record with a team that included Kemba Walker. He led the Hornets to two playoff appearances prior to being dismissed in 2018 when Kupchak arrived as general manager. Clifford coached the Orlando Magic from 2018-21, reaching the playoffs twice. He spent last season as a coaching consultant for the Brooklyn Nets. Clifford is 292-345 in eight seasons as an NBA coach.
BASEBALL
Judge takes $19M offer
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees avoided an arbitration hearing Friday by agreeing to a $19 million, one-year contract, a deal that leaves the slugger on track to become a free agent after the World Series. Unable to agree to a long-term deal in talks that ended on opening day, the sides split the difference between the proposed arbitration figures they exchanged on March 22: $21 million by Judge and $17 million by the Yankees. Judge can make an additional $500,000 in award bonuses: $250,000 for MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP.
Blue Jays coach suspended
Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martinez was suspended for five games and fined by Major League Baseball on Friday for a confrontation with umpire Doug Eddings. Martinez was discplined by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill for making contact with Eddings and what MLB termed unsportsmanlike conduct during the lineup cards exchange before Wednesday's game at the Chicago White Sox. The 37-year-old Martinez began serving the suspension when the Blue Jays played at Milwaukee on Friday night.
Florida State hires ND coach
Link Jarrett, who led Notre Dame to the College World Series for the first time in 20 years, is Florida State's new coach. Florida State announced the hiring Friday, three days after the Irish's season ended in the CWS. Jarrett, voted national coach of the year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, will be introduced at a news conference Monday. The move was anticipated. Jarrett is a Tallahassee native, FSU graduate and two-time All-America shortstop for the Seminoles (1993-94), and a former assistant (2003). Florida State fired Mike Martin Jr. on June 10 after the Seminoles failed to advance out of the NCAA regionals for a second consecutive year. Martin went 77-54 overall in three seasons. Jarrett went 86-32 in three seasons at Notre Dame, a .729 winning percentage that was second-best in the country.
GOLF
Harrington leads Senior Open
Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker are going at it again on a big stage, and this time they have more say over the outcome at the U.S. Senior Open. The two Ryder Cup captains from Whistling Straits last September will be in the final group going into the weekend at Saucon Valley after Harrington birdied three of his last six holes for a 6-under 65 to take a one-shot lead. Stricker, whose U.S. team of stars throttled Europe in the Ryder Cup, did some nifty work of his own to overcome a sloppy start. He birdied his last three holes for a 69. Little Rock's Glen Day posted a 74 on Friday and is at 2-over 144. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) is at 3-over 145 after a 72 on Friday. Clark Dennis (Razorbacks) turned in a 70 on Friday and is at 1-over 143 overall.
Schauffele goes 63 again
Xander Schauffele shot his second consecutive 7-under 63 on Friday to take a five-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn. The Olympic champion shot a 31 on the front nine at TPC River Highlands with four birdies, then had a 32 on the back, making birdies on 11, 14 and 17. He has hit 33 of 36 greens in regulation and is the only player in the tournament without a bogey. His closest call came close at the par-3 16th, where he hit his tee shot found the rough behind a greenside bunker. Former University of Arkansas golfer Taylor Moore shot a 68 for the second day in a row and is at 4-under 136. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) fired a 65 on Friday and is at 3-under 137.
Li in front in Munich
Li Haotong kept his one-stroke lead at the BMW International Open in Munich as Ryan Fox moved up to second with a strong round of 8-under 64 on Friday. Li's 5-under 67 wasn't quite the spectacular 10 under from the day before. It still came with plenty of drama, including an eagle on the par-five sixth for the second day in a row, plus four birdies and two bogeys on the other holes of the front nine. Fox completed his bogey-free round after a three-hour interruption because of lightning. Former University of Central Arkansas golfer Pep Angles shot a 74 on Friday and missed the cut.
Coody takes Maine lead
Pierceson Coody shot a 9-under 62 on Friday to grab the lead at the Korn Ferry Tour's Live and Work in Maine tournament in Falmouth, Maine. Coody, who had an opening-round 69, is one stroke in front of John VanDerLaan (10-under 132). Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) shot a 3-under 68 on Friday and is at 4-under 138 overall. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) shot a 72 for the second day in a row and missed the cut.
SWIMMING
Ledecky grabs another gold
Katie Ledecky extended her record haul of medals and Australia set a world record in the mixed 4x100 meters freestyle final at the world swimming championships on Friday in Budapest, Hungary. American star Ledecky won the 800 freestyle final for the fifth time at the worlds to seal her fourth consecutive 400/800/1,500 triple at the event. She clocked 8 minutes, 8.04 seconds to finish more than 10 seconds ahead of her rivals. Australia's Kiah Melverton was 10.73 behind in second and Italy's Simona Quadarella 10.96 behind for third. It's Ledecky's 19th gold at a worlds and her fourth this week including the 4x200 freestyle relay. Her 22 medals are the most for a female swimmer in world championships history. Only Michael Phelps, who won 26, has more.
TENNIS
Serena draws No. 113 Tan
Serena Williams walked out on Centre Court under a closed retractable roof on Friday afternoon, taking advantage of Wimbledon's new policy of allowing players to practice there and at No. 1 Court before the tournament begins next week. Williams followed No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek into the main stadium and went through about 45 minutes of training, from groundstrokes to volleys and overheads to her best-in-the-game serve. The scene played out a few hours after the draw determined that Williams will begin her Wimbledon comeback by facing Harmony Tan, a 24-year-old from France who is ranked 113th and owns a 2-6 career record in Grand Slam matches. Because of her lack of activity over the past 12 months, Williams is outside the WTA's top 1,200 and could have ended up anywhere in the field. She only returned to the tour this week by playing two doubles matches at a tune-up event in England. While the 40-year-old American's track record would merit a seeding, the All England Club adheres strictly to the rankings for seeds. Williams has won seven Wimbledon championships, part of her total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a record for the professional era. Tan, meanwhile, will be making her debut at the grass-court tournament.
Kaylee Mckeown of Australia competes to win the women's 200m backstroke final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Kristof Milak of Hungary smiles after winning the men's 100m butterfly final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Kaylee Mckeown of Australia celebrates after winning the women's 200m backstroke final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Kristof Milak of Hungary competes in the Men 100m Butterfly final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi)
Kristof Milak of Hungary reacts after the Men 100m Butterfly final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi)
Katie Ledecky of the United States reacts after the Women 800m Freestyle final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi)
Bronze medalist team of the United States celebrates after the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi)
Silver medalist team of Canada poses with their medals after the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi)
Bronze medalist Simona Quadarella of Italy poses with her medal after the Women 800m Freestyle final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)