GOLF

Harold Varner III snaked in a long birdie putt at TPC Scottsdale’s rowdy 16th hole, highlighting a 7-under 64 to tie Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas for the first-round lead in the Phoenix Open on Thursday at Scottsdale, Arizona.

Fowler and Thomas played bogey-free rounds in the morning.

Varner overcame a bogey on No. 2 with three straight birdies and set off the loudest roars of the day at No. 16 in the afternoon after his 31-foot putt dropped.

Martin Laird and J.T. Poston shot 65.

Defending champion Gary Woodland shot 68. Phil Mickelson also opened with a 68.

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EUROPEAN TOUR: Thomas Pieters shot 7-under 63 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round at the Saudi International, a new European Tour event being held amid scrutiny of the kingdom’s human-rights record and condemnation following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Pieters made seven birdies and was bogey-free around the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, where the world’s top three players – Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson – are playing.

None are within four shots of the lead.

SOCCER

COPA DEL REY: With another great performance by Karim Benzema, Real Madrid secured a comfortable 3-1 win in its visit to Girona to reach the semifinals for the first time in five years.

Madrid advanced 7-3 on aggregate having won the first leg 4-2 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium last week.

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Four players were suspended for their involvement in a brawl after the match between Valencia and Getafe this week.

Valencia’s French defender Mouctar Diakhaby and Getafe’s Bruno Gonzalez and Damian Suarez have been banned four matches each, and Getafe’s Mata Arnaiz received a two-game suspension.

Valencia’s fitness trainer was suspended for one match, and fines were handed out to both clubs.

ITALIAN CUP: Lazio beat Inter Milan on penalties in the quarterfinals.

Lautaro Martinez and Radja Nainggolan had spot kicks saved as Lazio won 4-3 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 following Mauro Icardi’s stoppage-time equalizer.

Lazio will next play AC Milan. Atalanta faces Fiorentina in the other two-legged semifinal.

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TENNIS

ST. PETERSBURG LADIES TROPHY: Kiki Bertens and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova are set for a rematch of their Australian Open encounter after both reached the quarterfinals in Russia.

Bertens beat qualifier Ysaline Bonaventure 6-4, 6-2 in their second-round match, and Pavlyuchenkova saved five of six break points on her way to a 6-4, 6-4 upset of former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

THAILAND OPEN: Australian Open doubles champion Zhang Shuai retired from her second-round singles against Chinese countrywoman Wang Yafan citing dizziness at Hua Hin, Thailand.

The fifth-seeded Zhang was trailing 4-1 when she retired against Wang in hot and humid conditions.


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