FOOTBALL

Buckeyes to kick off title defense minus four suspended players, including star

Defending national champion Ohio State dropped a bombshell on the morning of Big Ten media days, announcing that star defensive end Joey Bosa is among four players suspended for the opener at Virginia Tech, the only team that beat the Buckeyes in 2014.

The others suspended for “violating Department of Athletics policy” are halfbacks Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson, and receiver Corey Smith. Marshall and Wilson are dynamic performers, and Smith caught 20 passes for 255 yards last season.

ESPN reported that the suspensions were due to “marijuana and academics.”

HOCKEY

NHL: The Montreal Canadiens and restricted free-agent Alex Galchenyuk agreed to terms on a two-year contract.

Galchenyuk had career highs with 20 goals and 46 points last season.

BASKETBALL

NBA: Hawks forward Mike Scott faces felony drug charges following his arrest after a high-speed chase outside of Atlanta.

Authorities said the vehicle failed to yield for two miles, with speeds reaching 98 mph, before it finally pulled over, with marijuana and MDNA, commonly called Molly, inside.

• The New York Knicks signed first-round draft picks Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant.

TENNIS

ATLANTA OPEN: Two-time defending champion John Isner beat Radek Stepanek 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7) in his opening match.

SWISS OPEN: Top-seeded David Goffin of Belgium needed only 45 minutes to win 6-1, 6-1 against Horacio Zeballos of Argentina and advance to the quarterfinals.

HAMBURG OPEN: Top-seeded Rafael Nadal beat Jiri Vesely 6-4, 7-6 (2) to reach the quarterfinals.

GOLF

PGA: Tiger Woods bogeyed three of his first four holes in the Quicken Loans National in Gainesville, Virginia, then ran off five birdies in six holes around the turn for a 3-under 68, leaving him five shots back of leaders Retief Goosen and Ryo Ishikawa at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

LPGA: Donald Trump’s show-stealing arrival at the Women’s British Open upstaged Hyo-Joo Kim’s latest strong start in a major championship.

The 18-year-old South Korean was midway through a 7-under 65 in the first round when Trump landed in a helicopter at his Turnberry resort in western Scotland.

EUROPEAN: Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie beat France’s Romain Wattel 5 and 4 to advance to the second round of the match play event he is hosting in Aberdeen, Scotland.

• Spain’s Antonio Hortal shot a 9-under 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Madeira Islands Open.

BASEBALL

NECBL: Blake Morgan pitched seven innings, striking out six and holding Vermont scoreless on two hits and a walk as the host Sanford Mainers beat the Mountaineers 5-0 in a clash between the Northern Division’s top teams.

NCBL: Jameil Orozco drove in the winning run in the ninth as the host Old Orchard Beach Surge defeated the visiting Newburgh Newts, 7-6.

– From staff and news reports