In brief: Wagner leads Colonial after first-round 63
Johnson Wagner shot a 7-under-par 63 – matching his best score on the PGA Tour – for a two-stroke lead over No. 2-ranked Phil Mickelson after the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday.
Mickelson, the 2000 champion, is at Colonial for the first time in three years.
Five of the world’s top 10 players are in the field, the most at Colonial since 2004. Mickelson was the only one to start with a subpar round.
“Erica Blasberg shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-shot lead over Na On Min of South Korea and Karine Icher of France after the first round of the LPGA Corning Classic at Corning, N.Y.
Another shot back among seven players was surprising Australian rookie Anna Rawson in only her fifth LPGA event.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., was 3 under at 69. Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum was 3 over at 75.
“Jay Haas shot a 1-under 69 – the only subpar round – to take the lead at the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y.
Haas holds a one-shot lead over local favorite Jeff Sluman. There’s a group of nine, including Bernhard Langer, Scott Hoch and Ian Woosnam, two shots off the lead at 71. Greg Norman shot 72 in only his fourth tournament this year.
Basketball
Agent drops Mayo
Former USC star O.J. Mayo has been dropped by his agent ahead of the June 26 NBA draft because of the “overwhelming intensity” of allegations that Mayo illegally received cash and gifts.
Mayo had announced that Calvin Andrews of Bill Duffy Associates would represent him. But the Walnut Creek, Calif.-based sports management group issued a statement saying their association was over.
BDA Sports said it will ask the NBA Players Association to waive the standard 15-day cooling off period so Mayo could sign with a new agent.
“Nevada women’s coach Kim Gervasoni announced her resignation for personal reasons. She led the Wolf Pack to their first postseason bid in school history with a WNIT appearance in 2007.
miscellany
Granato new Avs coach
Denver Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere didn’t have to look far to find a new coach: Tony Granato was already aboard as an assistant and had been the head coach once before.
Granato led the team from 2002 to 2004, going 72-33-17-11 before he was replaced by Joel Quenneville in July 2004 and became an Avs assistant.
“New Orleans Saints defensive end Charles Grant posted $10,000 bond after his indictment on an involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from a February nightclub fight in which a woman died.
Also charged by the same grand jury was Laquient Macklin with felony murder and killing a fetus in the shooting of Korynda Reed, 23.
“Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti made $1.9 million for the 2007 season under a contract that was amended last fall, the Eugene Register-Guard reported.