GOLF

Rain, wind shorten LPGA’s final major to three rounds

Rain and strong winds forced Thursday’s play to be scrapped at the final women’s golf major of the season, which will start afresh on Friday as a 54-hole event.

LPGA Tour Commissioner Michael Whan said what little play was achieved Thursday morning at the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France, is wiped from the record.

“Nobody even played half a round,” Whan said, adding that a 54-hole championship finishing Sunday offered the “cleanest, fairest, most competitive” option.

PGA: Marc Leishman had 10 birdies in his opening round of 9-under 62 and built a two-shot lead over Jason Day and Charley Hoffman in the BMW Championship at Lake Forest, Illinois.

Day is playing for the first time since using a high school friend as his caddie. After a rugged start, he was 7 under over his final 11 holes for a 64.

Jordan Spieth had a bogey-free 65, while Phil Mickelson shot 66.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Bernd Wiesberger and Richard Finch shot 5-under-par 66s to share the clubhouse lead after a rain-shortened opening round at the KLM Open in Spijk, Netherlands. The first round will resume early Friday.

U.S. SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR: Judith Kyrinis won the first all-Canadian final in USGA history, beating Terrill Samuel 4 and 3 at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

HOCKEY

ECHL: Portland’s yet-to-be-named team, operated by Portland Hockey LLC, will begin accepting season-ticket deposits at noon Sept. 19 for 2018-19, its inaugural season.

Portland Pirates 2015-16 season-ticket holders will have the first right of refusal to their original seats. Seat preferences will then be given based on the time of the deposit.

Fans may sign up at portlandmainehockey.com. The $50 deposit is fully refundable until seats are selected in January 2018.

NHL: Ottawa forward Clarke MacArthur failed his training camp physical examination.

MacArthur returned to the Senators in April after missing most of the past two seasons because of concussions. He played in four regular-season games, and added nine points in 19 playoff games.

MacArthur has been dealing with some discomfort in his neck since last spring.

• Winnipeg Jets forward Bryan Little agreed to a six-year contract extension, starting the next season. The deal has an average annual value of $5.29 million.

SKIING

MAINE HALL OF FAME: The Maine Ski Hall of Fame will induct eight members on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River in Newry.

This year’s class is made up of Karen Hunter Korn, Chip Cochrane, Ed Rock, Bruce Miles, Steve DeAngelis, David Chamberlain, Dick Taylor and Ralph Ostlund.

SOCCER

FIFA RANKINGS: The United States dropped two places to No. 28 as it struggles to qualify for the World Cup. In qualifiers this month, the U.S. lost 2-0 at home against Costa Rica and then tied 1-1 at Honduras.

Germany retook the top spot from Brazil.

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