Sports in brief: Singh fights off sickness to lead at Bay Hill
Weakened by a stomach virus that caused him to lose 18 pounds in five days, Vijay Singh recovered in time to make a strong defense of his Bay Hill title by chipping in twice Friday on his way to a 5-under-par 65 and a two-shot lead over Carl Pettersson at Orlando, Fla.
“I’ve got a very heavy shirt on. I can see my ribs,” said Singh, who was at 9-under 131. “I thought I was going to pull out of this tournament, but on Friday, I just started to hit a few (balls). And that was it.”
What he couldn’t see on the leaderboard was Tiger Woods, who hasn’t been this far out of the lead since the British Open.
The world’s No. 1 player also looked sick, but only after watching putts come up short on shoddy greens. Woods, trying to continue a winning streak that stretches all the way back to September, had to settle for nine straight pars to close out a 2-under 68. He was seven shots behind going into the weekend.
Former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk, coming off an unproductive West Coast swing, birdied the last hole for 67, leaving him in the group at 134 that included Lee Westwood (68) and Ken Duke (67).
“Nick Price birdied the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead over defending champion Tom Purtzer after the first round of the Champions Tour’s AT&T Champions Classic in Santa Clarita, Calif.
“Lorena Ochoa shot a 4-over 76 – her highest score in nearly a year – in the LPGA MasterCard Classic at Huixquilucan, Mexico, leaving the top-ranked Mexican star nine strokes behind first-round leader Jill McGill.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., opened with a 72 and Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum a 77.
Football
LSU’s Miles lands huge contract
LSU will make Les Miles the highest-paid head football coach in the Southeastern Conference under a renegotiated five-year contract agreement.
Miles will earn at least $3.75 million plus $1,000 a year in a deal that nudges him ahead of Alabama coach Nick Saban and makes Miles one of the nation’s top-paid college football coaches.
“Montana State could be playing home games on artificial turf this fall, school officials in Helena said.
The MSU Foundation has raised the estimated $900,000 needed to install turf at Bobcat Stadium, said Connie Talbott, president and chief executive officer of the foundation.
“Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter was granted a medical hardship year for last season and can play for the Beavers this season, the Pacific-10 Conference announced.
“Oft-injured Derrick Ward re-signed with the New York Giants after a season in which he was part of a group of running backs who did an outstanding job replacing Tiki Barber.
“The Oakland Raiders signed free-agent defensive tackle William Joseph, who missed all of last season with the Giants with a back injury.
Miscellany
Vonn wins overall to complete U.S. sweep
Lindsey Vonn Vonn had the fastest run in the second leg of the slalom, completing the first American sweep of the overall World Cup titles in 25 years at Bormio, Italy.
Bode Miller did his part a day earlier by winning his second overall crown. He and Vonn are the first Americans to win the overall in the same year since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney in 1983.
“Longtime Rice men’s basketball coach Willis Wilson was fired, two days after the Owls finished 3-27 overall and 0-16 in Conference USA.
“Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao both easily made weight before their rematch bout for tonight’s WBC super featherweight boxing title in Las Vegas.