PANTHERS-PASS RUSH
Panthers coach Rivera eager for a defensive end to emerge
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) β Panthers coach Ron Rivera is still hoping someone will step up and claim the team’s starting right defensive end spot once occupied by Greg Hardy.
Three weeks into training camp and with one preseason game in the books, nobody has shown they deserve the job.
Carolina’s first- and second-team defense failed to produce much pressure on the quarterback in a 25-24 preseason win over the Buffalo Bills on Friday night.
Rivera says the Panthers may need to resort to filling the spot “by committee,” although that is clearly not his first choice.
The coach says, “If one guy steps up and becomes the watermark, everybody competes to get more playing time. That’s what I’m hoping for as far as somebody stepping up at that position.”
S CAROLINA ST-PREVIEW
South Carolina St seeking step forward
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) β Some ties are worse than others. South Carolina State understands that all too well after last season.
The Bulldogs finished in a five-way tie for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title a year ago, but was not close to earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough still stings at what could have been with his team ahead 21-17 at Morgan State with less than a minute to go. That’s when Morgan State quarterback Moses Skillon scrambled for a 9-yard, game-winning TD that took control of the title and the Football Conference Subdivision playoffs out of the Bulldogs hands.
Pough said his players have worked hard during the offseason to make sure that will not happen again this fall.
US AMATEUR
Matt NeSmith leads US Amateur stroke-play qualifying
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) β South Carolina senior Matt NeSmith shot a 5-under 65 on Monday on Olympia Fields’ North Course to take the first-round lead in U.S. Amateur stroke-play qualifying.
NeSmith, from North Augusta, South Carolina, had six birdies and a bogey.
The top 64 after the second round Tuesday will advance to match play on the North Course.
Georgia senior Lee McCoy of Clarkesville, Georgia; former Iowa player Nathan Yankovich of Blacklick, Ohio; Australia’s Ryan Ruffels; and Japan’s Kenta Konishi were a stroke back. Ruffels and Konishi opened on the North Course, and McCoy and Yankovich played the South Course.
Defending champion Gunn Yang of South Korea was tied for 116th after a 73 on the North Course. Yang is a sophomore at San Diego State.
WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP-WOODS
Agent: Tiger to play this week’s Wyndham for 1st time
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) β Tiger Woods will play the Wyndham Championship for the first time.
In an email to The Associated Press on Monday, agent Mark Steinberg confirmed that Woods will play in Greensboro this week.
That ends a few days of uncertainty around Sedgefield County Club, the site of the final tournament of golf’s regular season.
Woods created a stir by entering the field just ahead of the deadline last Friday.
But after closing out a 73 and missing the cut at the PGA Championship in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he hedged a bit. He said he would “go through it with my team” to “see if that’s the right move or not.”
On Monday morning, Wyndham tournament director Mark Brazil sent out a brief tweet: “Bam! Tiger is coming!”
The first round begins Thursday.
BRAVES-PADRES
Rookie Rea wins 2nd straight start for Padres, 5-3 vs Braves
SAN DIEGO (AP) β Rookie Colin Rea won his second straight start and Will Venable hit a two-run single to help the San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Monday night.
Rea became the seventh starter in Padres history to begin his big league career 2-0. Odrisamer Despaigne did it last season.
Rea allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings while striking out four and walking one. His only big mistake was allowing a home run to former Padres outfielder Cameron Maybin leading off the fourth, his 10th.
Craig Kimbrel, obtained from the Braves the day before the season started, pitched a shaky ninth for his 34th save. He allowed one run on two hits and a walk.
Rea got all the backing he needed when the Padres scored three runs on four hits off William Perez (4-4) in the second inning.
