Morning Briefing Feb. 16, 2010
Camilo Villegas tied the PGA’s Phoenix Open first-round record with a 9-under 62 to take a one-shot lead over former Florida teammate Matt Every at Scottsdale, Ariz.
Villegas regrouped with a bogey-free round Thursday after making the semifinals of the Match Play Championship last weekend, but missing a 3-foot putt that would have put him in the final. The 28-year-old Colombian beat Sergio Garcia in the third-place match.
Justin Rose, Mark Wilson, Ryuji Imada, Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez were three strokes back at 65 in perfect conditions at TPC Scottsdale.
Phil Mickelson and defending champion Kenny Perry were in a large group at 68. Match Play champion Ian Poulter struggled to a 72.
n Nike will continue to support Tiger Woods even though the world’s best player has taken an indefinite leave from golf to deal with personal issues.
Nike brand president Charlie Denson said he does not want Woods back on the course until he sorts out his private life, which has been in the public spotlight since a bizarre car crash outside his Florida home last November revealed allegations of marital infidelity.
Woods issued a public apology last week and has sought inpatient treatment.
Football
The Oakland Raiders placed the exclusive franchise tag on defensive lineman Richard Seymour.
Baseball
Seattle Mariners pitcher Yusmeiro Petit arrived at spring training, meaning the whole team is now in place.
Petit was handling personal matters in his native Venezuela. He is expected to throw at today’s workout.
Manager Don Wakamatsu said pitcher Cliff Lee feels fine, a day after his bullpen session Wednesday.
n The Mariners are replacing the 10-year-old incandescent lights in the out-of-town scoreboard at Safeco Field with LED light bundles.
The Mariners said the new lights will save energy and provide baseball fans with full color, animated displays about other games in progress.
n Mark McGwire said he’s saddened his estranged brother wrote a book that chronicles their use of performance-enhancing drugs and reiterated his claim that he only took them to heal from injuries.
McGwire said he’s so up set with his brother, Jay McGwire, that he doesn’t believe reconciliation is possible.
“I don’t plan on ever seeing him again,” said McGwire, the new hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The youngest of the five McGwire brothers and Mark’s junior by more than six years, Jay McGwire lived with Mark and was a frequent clubhouse visitor during McGwire’s time in Oakland. His book, “Mark and Me: Mark McGwire and the Truth Behind Baseball’s Worst-Kept Secret,” is scheduled for publication Monday by TriumphBooks.
Bucks 112, Pacers 110: At Indianapolis, John Salmons scored 20, leading Milwaukee past Indiana.
Cavaliers 108, Celtics 88: LeBron James scored 36, leading Cleveland at Boston.
Nuggets 127, Warriors 112: At Oakland, Calif., Chauncey Billups scored 37, leading Denver past Golden State.
Auto Racing
J.C. Elder, known as “Suitcase Jake” during his long tenure as a NASCAR crew chief with the likes of star drivers David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip, died. He was 73.
Elder died Wednesday of natural causes at Autumn Care of Statesville, N.C., the Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home said.
— The Associated Press