Kerr in front of Creamer by one stroke
Golf: Cristie Kerr strung together three birdies on the front nine in a round of 1-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead over Paula Creamer after two rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open at Bethlehem, Pa.
Kerr overcame a bout of lightheadedness at the start and had one of only six rounds under par on the tough Saucon Valley Country Club layout, offsetting four bogeys with five birdies. She stands at 3-under 139.
Creamer, looking for her first Women’s Open title, carded a 3-under 68 after an opening 72 and was alone in second at 2-under 140.
Futures Tour player Jean Reynolds is third after a 72 for a 1-under 141.
First-round leader Na Yeon Choi of South Korea shot a 3-over 74 and was tied with Giulia Sergas of Italy at even par. Sergas had the lowest round of the day, a 4-under 67.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa struggled to a round of 8-over 79 and stood at 6-over for the championship.
•John Deere rained out: A violent storm washed out the second round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen and Darron Stiles remained tied for the lead after shooting 7-under 64s on Thursday. J.J. Henry, Matt Bettencourt and Dean Wilson were still one stroke off the lead. And Perry (68), U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (69) and Zach Johnson (69) are in contention.
•Bean, Price tied for lead: Andy Bean and Nick Price each shot a 7-under 65 and are tied for the lead after the first round of the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn.
Cougs, Zags play well in FIBA games
Basketball: Both the United States and Australia, featuring Washington State University men’s basketball players, advanced to the semifinals as the U.S. (7-0) defeated Canada (3-4) 93-73, and Australia (7-0) slid by France (3-4) 79-73 in the quarterfinals at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
WSU sophomore Klay Thompson had nine points, two rebounds and an assist for the U.S. while incoming freshman Brock Motum of Brisbane, Australia, had 11 points, two rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot for Australia.
Two Gonzaga-bound players – Kelly Olynyk and Mangisto Arop – played well for Canada, scoring 14 and eight points, respectively.
•WSU senior Nikola Koprivica did not score for the Serbian men’s basketball team, which advanced to the championship of the University Games in Belgrade with a win over Israel. Serbia plays Russia, which defeated the U.S.
•Blazers extend McMillan: The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised their option on coach Nate McMillan’s contract, extending it through the 2010-11 season.
•Portland makes offer to Milsap: The Portland Trail Blazers have signed restricted free agent forward Paul Millsap to an offer sheet. The Utah Jazz have seven days to match the offer.
Gay runs fastest 100 meters of year
Miscellany: Tyson Gay gave notice to world record-holder Usain Bolt by running the fastest 100 meters of the year in 9.77 seconds at the Golden Gala in Rome.
Gay swept past previous record-holder Asafa Powell 40 meters from the finish in a time that would have been good enough to equal the world record less than two years ago.
Powell finished second in 9.88, and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake was third with 9.96.
Bolt didn’t race in Rome.
•Croatia leads U.S. in Davis Cup: Marin Cilic outlasted Mardy Fish in five sets to give Croatia a 2-0 lead over the United States after the opening singles of their Davis Cup quarterfinal in Porec, Croatia.
Cilic beat Fish 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-1, 8-6.
Earlier, Ivo Karlovic pounded 47 aces and rallied from two sets down to beat James Blake 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on an indoor clay court.
•Phelps sits out event: Michael Phelps withdrew from the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships in Indianapolis because of a sore neck.
The 100 free, in which Phelps owns the American record, was going to be his final event at nationals.
•Canadian college to join NCAA: Simon Fraser has been approved to join the NCAA, the first time membership has been granted to a college outside the United States.
The Canadian school located in Burnaby, British Columbia, will begin competing in Division II after a two-year transition period. All the school’s varsity teams are expected to compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
•WSU swimmer places ninth: Washington State University swimmer Micheala Ahlin finished ninth in the 200 butterfly at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.
•Women ski jumpers lose case: A group of female ski jumpers lost its case to be part of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The British Columbia Supreme Court said it doesn’t have the authority to force the International Olympic Committee to put the sport on the program.
The IOC maintains female ski jumpers are prevented from competing at the Games because they fail to meet Olympic criteria, not because of gender discrimination.