GOLF-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Rains halts early play
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β The second round of the PGA Championship is off to a soggy start and a sudden stop.
A steady rain forced officials to suspend the round for 45 minutes early in the day because of too much water on the putting surfaces. Work crews used squeegees on the greens when a burst of showers hit Valhalla.
Play was halted 45 minutes before Rory McIlroy was to tee off, and as Ryan Palmer was playing the first hole. Second round play has resumed.
McIlroy starts the day one shot back of co-leaders Palmer, Lee Westwood and Kevin Chappell, who opened with 6-under 65s. Palmer was the only one from that group who played in the morning, which typically has easier conditions.
Rain was in the forecast for most of Friday.
Phil Mickelson is in striking distance starting the day. He’s just four shots back.
Tiger Woods will be playing to hang around for the weekend after his opening 74 left him nine off the pace.
LPGA-MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC
Gal in the lead
BELMONT, Mich. (AP) β Germany’s Sandra Gal takes a one-shot lead into the second round of the Meijer (MAY’-ur) LPGA Classic in Michigan. She’s looking to end a winless drought that dates back to 2011 when she captured her only tour victory. Inbee Park holds down second place.
Among those four back are No. 2-ranked Lydia Ko, who’s coming off a win. Top-ranked Stacy Lewis is five off the pace.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Slumping Braves back at it
UNDATED (AP) β The Braves are hoping yesterday’s day off helps.
Atlanta will try to regroup after losing eight in a row when it opens a home series against Washington tonight. And despite the skid, if the Braves can turn it around this weekend, they’ll be right back in the thick of a battle with the Nationals for the NL East lead. Washington is a season-best 4 1-2 game lead over the Braves heading into tonight’s game.
Milwaukee hosts the Dodgers in the start of a weekend series between National League Division leaders. The Brewers go with 11-game winner Kyle Lohse (LOHSH). He got shelled for nine runs on nine hits in four innings his last time out. The Dodgers go with 6-8 Roberto Hernandez, who was picked up in a trade with Philadelphia yesterday.
St. Louis is still a game back of the Brewers in the NL Central standings. The Cardinals start a series against the AL East-leading Orioles in Baltimore tonight.
The Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and Milwaukee’s Wily (WIHL’-ee) Peralta earned their 14th wins of the season yesterday. San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner tries to join them tonight. The Giants left-hander takes his 13-8 record into tonight’s start at Kansas City. He’s coming off a sharp two-hit, 10-strikeout shutout his last time out in which he threw just 98 pitches.
All 30 major league teams are in action, including a day game at Wrigley between the Rays and the Cubs.
POLE VALUT-SUHR INJURED
Olympic gold medalist injured
RIGA, N.Y. (AP) β Olympic pole vault champion Jenn Suhr has injured her hand, torso and neck after her pole snapped during a practice session at her western New York training facility.
The 32-year-old Suhr was working out Wednesday at her home when her pole shattered halfway into her ascent while attempting to clear 15 feet. She slammed into the protective padding and injured her left wrist and hand, ribs, neck and left shoulder. X-rays revealed no broken bones.
She’s expected to miss competitions later this month in London and Switzerland, and Morocco in early September.
PISTORIUS TRIAL
Verdict due next month
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) β The judge in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius says she will give a verdict on Sept. 11, ending a televised trial that stretched for five months and transfixed South Africans and others around the world.
The announcement came after the prosecution and the defense ended final arguments in the murder case against the double-amputee athlete, who fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius said he mistakenly shot Steenkamp through the closed door of a toilet cubicle, thinking there was an intruder in his home. The prosecution alleges the Olympic runner intentionally killed her after an argument on Valentine’s Day last year.
