Ayaka Furue, of Japan, is in a group of five golfers one stroke behind the leaders after the the first round of the Evian Championship on Thursday. Associated Press

GOLF

LPGA: Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn and teenage American Yealimi Noh posted 6-under 65s to share the first-round lead at the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France on Thursday.

Noh’s day began perfectly when she carded an eagle on the first hole. Her momentum was checked by a bogey on No. 4 but she birdied holes 6 and 7 and three more on the back nine. The consistent Pajaree had three birdies on the way out and three on the way back to the clubhouse.

They hold a one-stroke lead over a group of five: Ayaka Furue of Japan, Lauren Stephenson of the U.S., Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, Jeongeun Lee6 of South Korea, and Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark. Australian Sarah Kemp, South Korean Hyo Joo Kim – the Women’s World Championship winner in May – and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn shot 67s.

New world No. 1 Nelly Korda endured a rough start to her bid for a second major title when she posted a 3-over 74.

CHAMPIONS: Darren Clarke shot a 5-under 65 at Sunningdale for a share of the Senior British Open lead with James Kingston at Berkshire, England.

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Clarke had six birdies and a bogey on the Old Course in the final senior major championship of the year.

Kingston, from South Africa, had a bogey-free round. He was recently hospitalized because of COVID-19.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer was a stroke back with Ricardo Gonzalez and Stephen Dodd.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Swedish newcomer Vincent Norrman continued his remarkable start to life as a professional golfer as he took a share of the lead after the first round at Newport, Wales.

Norrman turned professional in June but has already had a hole-in-one and a top five in the paid ranks and he was bogey free as he carded a 64 to get to 7 under at Celtic Manor.

hat left him alongside Spaniard Nacho Elvira at the top of the leaderboard, with England’s James Morrison leading the British challenge two shots back.

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PGA: Rickie Fowler shot a 7-under 64 for a share of the first-round lead in the 3M Open at Blaine, Minnesota.

Fowler set the opening-round pace with a bogey-free round later equaled by Jhonatton Vegas and Troy Merritt, who attended Spring Lake Park High School, about six miles south of the TPC Twin Cities.

Scott Stallings was trying to equal the course record of 62 before he double-bogeyed the 18th following more than a two-hour delay due to lightning in the area. Stallings was a stroke back at 65 with Adam Schenk and Roger Sloan. Sloan had two holes to play when play was suspended due to darkness with 11 players still on the course.

BASEBALL

NECBL: The Sanford Mainers hit three home runs in a 7-4 win over the Keene Swamp Bats at Keene, New Hampshire.

Ubaldo Lopez hit a two-run homer in the second inning, Shane Paradine added a two-run shot in the fourth and Freddy Rojas Jr. put Sanford (12-19) ahead to stay with a solo shot in a three-run sixth. Derek Smith and Calvin Hewett each hit a run-scoring single in the sixth.

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Trevor LaBonte (4-1) pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for the win, allowing a hit and a walk,e striking out three.

Noah Martinez homered for the Swamp Bats (20-12).

COLLEGES

FOOTBALL: Miami has suspended second-year freshman safety Avantae Williams after his arrest on battery charges.

The school issued a statement Thursday saying Williams is suspended from all team activities.

Williams was arrested Wednesday night on three counts of aggravated battery of a pregnant victim, according to Miami-Dade County arrest records. He was booked into an area jail on a $10,000 bond.

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According to a police report obtained by The Miami Herald, Williams’ arrest followed an argument with his child’s mother, who is also pregnant with his baby. The two had been living together.

After an argument about whether Williams was involved with someone else, Williams left and allegedly told her she should leave. When he returned, she was still there packing belongings, according to the report..

Williams allegedly grabbed the woman by her hair and threw her on a bed and then threw her out of the home according to the report. After a neighbor called 911, paramedics took her to a hospital and noted “multiple bruises to her arms,” a minor bruise on her neck and two broken fingernails.

AUTO RACING

INDYCAR: Helio Castroneves will race for a record fifth Indianapolis 500 in 2022 with Meyer Shank Racing.

Castroneves, who won his record-tying fourth Indy 500 in May, has agreed to a full season ride with Meyer Shank. Castroneves only has a partial schedule this season with Meyer Shank and has not raced since he joined A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears, his former mentor at Team Penske, as the only four-time winners of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He’s next scheduled to race in August at Nashville.

He’ll drive the No. 06 Honda in 2022.

“I am thrilled to get the chance to go for a fifth Indianapolis 500 win, and so excited to fight for the IndyCar championship again with a full season of races next year with Meyer Shank Racing,” Castroneves said.

MSR plans to add a second driver to its 2022 slate. The team will move on from current driver Jack Harvey.


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