Bettencourt, Tomasulo share Texas Open Lead Bettencourt, Tomasulo share Texas Open Lead ADVERTISING SAN ANTONIO — Matt Bettencourt looked more like the former PGA tour winner that he is Thursday than someone who’s 183rd on this year’s money list. Peter
Bettencourt, Tomasulo share Texas Open Lead
SAN ANTONIO — Matt Bettencourt looked more like the former PGA tour winner that he is Thursday than someone who’s 183rd on this year’s money list.
Peter Tomasulo looked like anything but a player fighting to keep his tour card.
Bettencourt and Tomasulo each shot 5-under par 67s Thursday to earn the surprising lead after the first round of the Texas Open, holding off a field that includes world No. 2 Rory McIlroy.
They took advantage of warmer and calmer afternoon conditions and held a one-stroke lead over a group of four players — including three-time major winner Padraig Harrington — at 4 under.
Harrington and Billy Horschel shared the lead following the morning tee times, battling chilly and windy conditions. They were joined by Bryce Molder and Harris English at 4 under in the afternoon.
McIlroy, who entered the tournament as a final opportunity to prep for next week’s Masters, opened with an even-par 72 and is tied for 45th.
Playing in the final group of the day, Tomasulo posted the only bogey-free round. Taking advantage of a medical exemption following a rib injury two years ago, he closed with a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
Bettencourt made the tournament as an alternate after Henrik Stenson withdrew. The former Reno-Tahoe Open winner needed only 25 putts while playing after the temperature warmed considerably and the wind eased off in the afternoon.
Williams sisters’ matches postponed
HARLESTON, S.C. — Matches for top-ranked Serena Williams and her sister, Venus, at the Family Circle Cup were postponed Thursday after a rain delay of nearly 7 1/2 hours.
The long wait wiped out most matches in the busy round of 16, including those of the Williams sisters.
Serena, riding an 11-match winning streak here, was scheduled to play American qualifier Mallory Burdette. Venus will take on Varvara Lepchenko for a spot in the quarterfinals. Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki moved on without hitting a ground-stroke when opponent Andrea Petkovic withdrew with a calf injury a few hours before their scheduled match.
The rain fell steadily at the Family Circle Tennis Center until dinner time when crews were finally able to start drying the large puddles on the gloppy, green clay surfaces.
Once play began, ninth-seeded Jelena Jankovic — the 2007 champion here — needed just 64 minutes to oust 19-year-old American Jessica Pegula in straight sets. Pegula, whose father Terry owns the Buffalo Sabres, won the first two professional matches of her career this week before falling to the former world No. 1, 6-0, 6-4.
Stefanie Voegele defeated 10th-seeded Julia Goerges, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Guy Lewis finally gets call from Hall of Fame
HOUSTON — Guy Lewis finally got the call from the hall.
Lewis, the coach of Houston’s Phi Slama Jama teams in the 1980s, was informed on Thursday that he’ll be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, his wife, Dena, told The Associated Press. The official announcement will come at the Final Four on Monday.
The 91-year-old Lewis won 592 games in a 30-year career at Houston. He got the word of his induction on the 30-year anniversary of his most famous loss — N.C. State’s 54-52 upset of his heavily favored Cougars in the 1983 NCAA championship.
The Houston Chronicle and KRIV-TV first reported that Lewis had been told of his induction.
Lewis was one of 12 finalists for the 2013 class, announced during All-Star Weekend in Houston in February. Many of his former players, including Clyde Drexler and Elvin Hayes, had lobbied for his induction for years. He was nominated each year from 2005-07, but didn’t receive enough votes. According to hall bylaws, if a candidate goes three straight years without passing through one of the initial screening committees, the candidate becomes ineligible for induction for the next five years.
Thieves steal $340K in jewelry, cash from Bosh home
MIAMI — While Miami Heat star Chris Bosh was out celebrating his birthday at a Morocco-themed party complete with live camels, police said Thursday that thieves made off with about $340,000 in jewelry and cash from the player’s nearby home.
Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said the department received a call about 12:30 a.m. after Bosh and his wife, Adrienne, returned from the well-publicized party at a bayside Miami nightspot. Hernandez said the couple noticed a jewelry drawer in their walk-in was open and numerous watches, rings, purses and cash were missing.
Bosh said he also noticed other things were not where they typically are, including some items on the closet floor.
There was no sign of forced entry at the waterfront, 12,368-square-foot home, which Bosh purchased in 2010 for $12.3 million. Hernandez also said easily traceable items such as Bosh’s Heat championship ring from last year’s NBA title were left undisturbed.
Michigan State student charged in post-game fires
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Police say a 22-year-old Michigan State student has been charged for his role in furniture fires in East Lansing following Michigan State’s loss to Duke in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
East Lansing police say they’ve identified four people believed to have been involved in the fires.
Capt. Jeff Murphy tells the Lansing State Journal that the 22-year-old faces two misdemeanor charges that can bring up to 90 days in jail. His name wasn’t released.
The game last Friday night ended Michigan State’s season. The off-campus fires and large parties dissipated after 2 a.m. Saturday and no injuries were reported.
American’s Jeff Jones named coach at Old Dominion
NORFOLK, Va. — American University basketball coach Jeff Jones was introduced Thursday as the new head coach at Old Dominion.
Wood Selig, athletic director at Old Dominion, announced the hiring of the former Virginia head coach and player.
Jones replaces Blaine Taylor, who was fired in February. Taylor’s 239 wins in 12 seasons were the most ever at Old Dominion, but the Monarchs were 2-20 when he was dismissed with eight games remaining this year.
Jones, 52, compiled a 212-182 record in 13 seasons at American. Four of his last six teams won at least 20 games, and his squad advanced to the 2009 NCAA Tournament as the Patriot League champion, but the Eagles slipped to 10-20 last season.
Jones previously was 146-104 in eight seasons at Virginia. He led the Cavaliers to six post-season appearances, winning the NIT championship in 1992 and advancing to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 in 1993 and Elite 8 in 1995.
Ducks sign college star Whitney to two-year deal
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks have signed high-scoring forward Steven Whitney to a two-year, entry-level contract.
The Ducks announced the deal Thursday with Whitney, who spent the past four seasons at Boston College.
Whitney was one of the nation’s best available undrafted free agents after scoring 45 points in 38 games for the Eagles this season, ranking second in the nation with 26 goals. He won the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England.
Boston College won two NCAA titles and all four Beanpot tournaments during Whitney’s career. The Massachusetts native scored 128 points in 160 career games.
Whitney is likely to start his pro career with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate in Norfolk.
Isner to face No. 1 Djokovic in Davis Cup in Boise
BOISE, Idaho — John Isner will play top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the first match Friday of the Davis Cup quarterfinal between the United States and Serbia.
Sam Querrey, the top-ranked American at No. 20, will face Viktor Troicki in the second match, based on the draw announced Thursday in Boise, Idaho.
The top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan will take on Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac on Saturday.
From wire sources
