BRITISH OPEN
McIlroy widens lead
HOYLAKE, England (AP) β The second-round troubles that have plagued Rory McIlroy this year were nowhere to be found at the British Open.
The former No. 1 ranked player fired a second straight 6-under 66 to grab the halfway lead. After a bogey on the first hole, McIlroy bunched seven birdies into his round giving him 13 in the first two days of the tournament.
Prior to Friday’s play, McIlroy has put up a cumulative score of 15 over par in second-round action this year, compared with 55 under for the opening round, and 39 under on the weekend.
He holds a 4-shot lead over Dustin Johnson whose 65 was the low round of the day.
Among those that trail by six shots are Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 to leave him at even par.
Tiger Woods struggled to a 5-over 77 including a final-hole birdie that allowed him to just make the cut.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Baseball resumes
UNDATED (AP) β Fresh off their memorable All-Star game appearances, Mike Trout and Derek Jeter joined the rest of the major league players to resume the season with a full 15-game schedule tonight.
All-Star game MVP Trout and his Angels teammates take a five-game winning streak into the start of the second half as they open a home series against Seattle. That run has pulled Los Angeles to within 1 1-2 games of division leading Oakland in the AL West. Ten-game winner Jered Weaver is scheduled for the Angels against Hisashi Iwakuma, who is 3-0 with a 0.42 ERA, 25 strikeouts and no walks in his last three starts.
Jeter resumes his retirement tour at home when the Yankees host Cincinnati. New York is bobbing around at the .500 mark, 3 1-2 games back of Baltimore for the AL East lead.
The Orioles open a clash of division leaders on the road at Oakland.
A pair of National League division leaders do battle when Washington hosts Milwaukee. The Brewers retook sole possession of first in the Central Division from St. Louis just before the break but have lost 11 of 13. The Nationals are nursing a one-percentage-point lead at the top of the East, over Atlanta. Kyle Loshe (LOHSH) goes for his 10th win of the season for the Brewers against Stephen Strasburg.
The Cardinals open a home series against the NL West-leading Dodgers. Lance Lynn takes a 10-6 mark to the mound for St. Louis against Dan Haren, who’s 8-6. The Dodgers are holding onto a one-game lead over the Giants at the top of the division.
MLB-BRAVES-UGGLA
Braves cut Uggla
ATLANTA (AP) β Atlanta has requested unconditional release waivers for struggling second baseman Dan Uggla. It makes the end of his stay with the Braves, who still owe the former starter more than $18 million over the remainder of this year and next.
In his fourth season with the Braves, the 34-year-old Uggla was batting .162 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 48 games and 130 at-bats.
The Braves’ patience with Uggla appeared to wear thin last Sunday when he was suspended one game for reporting just 30 minutes before the start of a game in Chicago.
LPGA-MARATHON CLASSIC
Diaz on course with the lead
SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) β Laura Diaz rolls is early into her second round after posting an opening 9-under 62 at the Marathon Classic. She’s looking for her first LPGA victory since 2002.
Lydia Ko shot a second straight 67 to share the clubhouse lead at 8-under with Lee-Anne Pace, who had a 68.
NBA-LAKERS/BOOZER
Lakers land Boozer
UNDATED (AP) β The Lakers made the winning bid for Carlos Boozer, who was waived by the Chicago Bulls via the amnesty clause.
According to NBA rules, teams with room under the salary cap had to bid at least $1.4 million, the amount of the minimum salary for veterans next season.
The amnesty clause allows teams to waive one player in the first five years of the current collective bargaining agreement without his salary counting for cap and tax purposes. Boozer will still be paid the $16.8 million he is due next season in the final season of a contract he signed in 2010.
NBA-CAVALIERS-LEBRON-NUMBER
LeBron has a number quandary
CLEVELAND (AP) β LeBron James has to make another big decision now that he’s rejoined the Cavaliers.
He has turned to social media to help him choose which number he’ll wear next season. James wrote “6 or 23….” on his Twitter account and posted photos on Instagram of him wearing No. 6 and No. 23 wine and gold Cavs jerseys.
James wore No. 6 during his four seasons with Miami and also on the U.S. Olympic team. He used No. 23 in high school and during seven seasons in Cleveland.
NBA-PELICANS MOVES
Pelicans land two
METAIRIE, La. (AP) β The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to contract terms with guard Jimmer Fredette and forward Darius Miller, people familiar with the moves say.
The acquisitions provide the Pelicans perimeter shooters they needed after Anthony Morrow’s departure in free agency for Oklahoma City.
The 6-foot-2 Fredette shot nearly 48 percent from 3-point range last season. The 6-8 Miller re-joins New Orleans after testing the market.
NFL-UNDERCLASSMEN RESTRICTIONS
NFL adopts new rules for underclassmen
NEW YORK (AP) β The NFL will limit the number of underclassmen who can receive evaluations for the draft to five from a single school. However, special exceptions will be allowed.
Concerned about the record 107 underclassmen who applied for this year’s draft, the league’s College Advisory Committee developed new guidelines for players considering forfeiting their final years of eligibility.
Thirty-seven of those that applied for the draft were not selected.
Players will not be advised of their prospects for selection in the first two rounds, down from the first three rounds previously.
NFL-NFLPA LAWSUIT
Ex-players sue union over concussions
NEW YORK (AP) β Former NFL players Christian Ballard and Gregory Westbrooks are suing the union for not providing accurate information about the risk of head injuries.
Both claim the NFL Players Association withheld information about the risks of head injuries.
The union says the suit has no merit.
TOUR DE FRANCE
Nibali strengthens lead
CHAMROUSSE, France (AP) β Vincenzo Nibali has won Stage 13 of the Tour de France in the Alps solidifying his lead.
The 122-mile stage was the Italian’s third stage win. Since the race began, he has held the overall lead for all but two stages, winning three of the hardest climbing legs of the race this year.
