WEBCOM TOUR
Blayne Barber leads BMW Charity Pro-Am
GREER, S.C. (AP) — Blayne Barber shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Web.com Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am.
Coming off his first tour victory two weeks ago in the South Georgia Classic, the 24-year-old former Auburn player had 10 birdies and a bogey on Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer Course.
South Africa’s Dawie van der Walt was second after a 64, also at Greenville Country Club.
Skip Kendall, Kevin Kim, Cliff Kresge, Bill Lunde and Jonathan Randolph shot 65. Kendall, Kim and Kresge opened at Greenville Country Club, and Randolph and Lunde played The Reserve at Lake Keowee.
Kelly Kraft and Mike Miller shot 6-under 65 at the Thornblade Club, the site of the final round.
S CAROLINA-SPURRIER
Spurrier prepping for life after Clowney
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier says he’s not slowing down as he prepares for his 10th season at South Carolina and does not believe his successful program will slow down after losing No. 1 NFL draft pick Jadeveon Clowney.
The 69-year-old Spurrier spoke to The Associated Press this week and acknowledged he wasn’t sure how long he’d coach the Gamecocks when he arrived after the 2004 season. But after an up-and-down start, Spurrier has built the most successful program in school history — and he’s not ready to step away from that yet.
Spurrier also believes South Carolina won’t collapse after Clowney. The defensive end helped the Gamecocks go 33-6 the past three years. Clowney gave up his senior season and was taken the top pick overall last week by the Houston Texans.
PANTHERS-HARDY
Protective order request against Hardy dismissed
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A Charlotte District Court Judge has dismissed a protective order request by a woman who said Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy assaulted and threatened to kill her.
Judge Charlotte Brown dismissed the order after the accuser failed appear for the hearing Thursday.
Attorney Stephen Goodwin also announced as he left the courtroom that he’s no longer representing the accuser, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
Goodwin filed a motion on behalf of the accuser on Wednesday, accusing the Pro Bowl defensive end of throwing her on a bed full of guns and threatening to kill her if she went to the media.
Hardy wasn’t present in the courtroom Thursday.
While the protective order request has been dismissed, charges against Hardy remain.
His next court date is set for June 27.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE-O’CAIN
ETSU hires O’Cain as offensive coordinator
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — The relaunching of East Tennessee State’s football program continues to adopt a Tobacco Road flavor with the addition of former North Carolina State coach Mike O’Cain as offensive coordinator.
O’Cain coached North Carolina State from 1993-99 and posted a 41-40 record. He joins an East Tennessee State staff headed by Carl Torbush, who coached North Carolina from 1997-2000.
In a university release Thursday, Torbush said that “I have known since the day I got this job that Mike was the person I wanted as our offensive coordinator.”
Torbush was James Madison’s offensive coordinator last season after spending eight years as Virginia Tech’s quarterbacks coach.
ETSU announced in April 2013 it would bring back football after dropping the program for financial reasons in 2003. ETSU begins playing games again in 2015.
CHARLOTTE GRAND PRIX
Jaeger, Friis win on opening day at Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Connor Jaeger of the U.S. and Lotte Friis of Denmark won non-Olympic events on the opening day of the Arena Grand Prix at Charlotte.
Jaeger, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics, touched first Thursday in the men’s 800-meter freestyle with a time of 7 minutes, 58.59 seconds. Friis, a silver medalist at last year’s world championships, won the women’s 1,500 free in 16:07.14.
Another Olympian, Matt McLean, trailed Jaeger in 8:03.08, followed by Michael Klueh at 8:06.18. Friis led a sweep by teammates at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, beating 16-year-old Becca Mann (16:08.86) and Gillian Ryan (16:12.64).
The four-day meet continues Friday morning with preliminary heats. Michael Phelps is scheduled to compete in the 100 butterfly and 200 free.
PHELPS COMEBACK
Phelps trying new things, but still yearns to win
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Phelps is trying some new things: A more relaxed approach. A lighter workload. A willingness to accept that things aren’t going to be perfect every day.
He insists that one thing hasn’t changed at all.
His desire to win.
Phelps is preparing for the second meet in his comeback, entering two events at the Charlotte Grand Prix. He will swim the 100-meter butterfly and 200 freestyle on Friday.
For now, results aren’t that important. Phelps is mainly concerned with getting back into the peak physical condition that helped him become the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.
But he still yearns to touch the wall first, insisting it would be a mistake to think his desire to enjoy things more this time around means he cares less about winning.
