GOLF-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Marquee trio set at PGA
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — The final major of the season is underway.
Play in the PGA Championship began with most the attention focused on one group for the opening two rounds.
No. 1-ranked Rory McIlroy, Masters and U.S. Open champ Jordan Spieth (speeth) and British Open winner Zach Johnson are playing together for the first two days. They tee off in the afternoon.
Defending champ McIlroy is playing his first competitive round in 53 days after suffering an ankle injury following a mishap while playing soccer with his pals.
Spieth has dominated the attention on tour with the two major wins among his four victories and two playoff losses. He also came within a shot of a playoff at St. Andrews last month.
That’s where Johnson picked up the second major championship title of his career.
Spieth could take over as No. 1 with a victory this weekend, if McIlroy doesn’t finish second. Spieth has failed to make the cut in two previous PGA Championships.
Four-time champ Tiger Woods is on the course.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Orioles are hitless in Seattle
UNDATED (AP) — The suddenly unbeatable Blue Jays find themselves on top of the AL East heading into today’s limited nine-game major league schedule.
Toronto is riding a 10-game winning streak that has vaulted them a game-and-a-half in front of the slumping Yankees for the division lead. The Jays got a break, when AL ERA leader Sonny Gray was scratched from the start with back spasms. Jesse Chavez starts in his place. Toronto goes with 12-game winner Mark Buehrle (BUR’-lee), who will be working on six days’ rest.
The Yankees will be trying to salvage the final game of their series in Cleveland tonight to snap a five-game losing streak. New York has 11-2 Nathan Eovaldi scheduled. His .846 winning percentage is tied for tops in the American League.
The Angels head into Kansas City to take on the NL Central leaders for a weekend series. Los Angeles has lost nine straight on the road, including a just-completed sweep by the White Sox. That’s helped drop them two games behind Houston for the AL West lead. The Royals will be trying to get back to their winning ways at Kaufmann Stadium, after seeing their eight-game home winning streak ended yesterday.
Over in the National League, the Cubs are hot. They have won six in a row heading into a meeting with Milwaukee at Wrigley Field this afternoon. That’s moved Chicago into the second NL wildcard spot. Jon Lester gets the call with a 7-8 record. The left-hander is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last four starts.
St. Louis hopes to put the finishing touches on a three-game sweep of NL Central rival Pittsburgh tonight. The Cardinals have opened a seven-game lead over the second-place Pirates. Pittsburgh’s scheduled starter Francisco Liriano has a 2.53 ERA in his last 13 starts but is just 6-2 during that stretch. Cardinals starter Lance Lynn has six of his nine wins at home with a 2.15 ERA.
Colorado will try to get on the scoreboard against the Mets this afternoon after suffering consecutive shutouts to extend their losing streak at Citi Field to nine games. The NL East-leading Mets, who have won 10 of 12, start rookie Noah Syndergaard. He is 6-1 with a 1.57 ERA in eight starts at home this season.
NFL-COLTS-HILTON
Colts give Hilton extension
ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton has agreed to a contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts. Terms of the deal were not announced.
Hilton could have become a free agent after this season.
Hilton has 214 receptions, 3,289 yards and 19 touchdowns in three seasons. Last season, he had 82 catches and seven TDs and set a career high with 1,345 yards.
LPGA-CAMBIA PORTLAND CLASSIC
Ko heads field
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Second-ranked Lydia Ko tops the field for the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic that gets underway today. The two-time winner this season is making her first appearance in the tournament.
Norway’s Suzann Pettersen s trying to win the event for a record-tying third time after victories in 2011 and 2013.
Austin Ernst is also in the field after her breakthrough victory at the event last year.
SKIING-VONN INJURED
Vonn injures ankle
QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand (AP) — Skiing champ Lindsey Vonn says she has fractured an ankle bone in a training crash in New Zealand.
It’s the latest setback for the 30-year-old, who returned from serious leg injuries to set the all-time women’s World Cup win record last season. She also won her seventh World Cup downhill title.
Vonn, who was in New Zealand for a second week for her first on-snow training ahead of the new season, did not say which ankle was damaged.
