Sports

J.J. Spaun handles tough Oakmont with the putter for a 66 and early US Open lead

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — J.J. Spaun has set the early pace at the U.S. Open. He tamed the tough test of Oakmont with his putter and shot a 66. Most remarkable is not having a bogey on his card. It’s only the second bogey-free round in the last three U.S. Opens at Oakmont. Thriston Lawrence was another shot behind. Five players broke par from the morning groups. Rory McIlroy looked like he might be one of them until a 41 on his back nine for 74. Xander Schauffele had to birdie his last two holes for a 72. Scottie Scheffler played in the afternoon.

At the US Open, Patrick Reed hits the rarest of shots — an albatross

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Patrick Reed made only the fourth double-eagle since the U.S. Open started keeping records some four decades ago, dunking in his second shot from 286 yards on the par-5 fourth hole at Oakmont. The so-called albatross is considered the rarest shot in golf, with only a few hundred being made a year across the world, compared to more than 30,000 holes-in-one. The 2018 Masters champion joins T.C. Chen (1985 at Oakland Hills), Shaun Micheel (2010 at Pebble Beach) and Nick Watney (2012 at Olympic) as the only players to make an albatross at the U.S. Open since the event started keeping records in 1983.

Wimbledon announces record $73M prize fund and $4M for singles champions

LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon’s prize money will rise to a record 53.5 million pounds (about $73 million) and the singles champions will each earn three million pounds ($4 million). The total amount is 7% more than last year. That’s twice the pot handed out to competitors at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament 10 years ago. The 2025 winners’ checks represent an 11.1% jump on last year’s prizes for the men’s and women’s singles champions. There’s a growing clamor from players for a bigger share of Grand Slam profits. Players who lose in the first round of singles will get 66,000 pounds, up 10% year on year. Wimbledon starts on June 30.

Democrats criticize latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports as setback for athletes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest effort by Congress to regulate college sports is generating predictable partisan outrage. Democrats say Republican-led draft legislation would claw back freedoms won by athletes through years of litigation against the NCAA. Three House committees are considering legislation that would create a national standard for name, image and likeness payments to athletes and protect the NCAA against future lawsuits. NCAA President Charlie Baker has said he supports the draft legislation. But there was little indication that any bill advanced by the House would generate enough Democratic support to surpass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

New York Rangers trade veteran winger Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks

Veteran winger Chris Kreider is heading to the Anaheim Ducks as part of a trade from the New York Rangers. The Rangers received center prospect Carey Terrance and a third-round pick from the Ducks for Kreider and a fourth-round pick. The 34-year-old Kreider agreed earlier in the day to waive his no-trade clause to accept the move. He joins former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in Anaheim. New York general manager Chris Drury says “we want to thank Chris Kreider for all of his contributions to the Rangers organization over his stellar career.”

NASCAR’s Mexico City race: Daniel Suarez balances racing at home with uncertainty over contract

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Daniel Suarez has become the unofficial tour guide for all things Mexico City as NASCAR prepares to race internationally this Sunday for the first international points-paying Cup Series event of the modern era. Suarez is juggling a very difficult balancing act. He’s elated to be racing in front of a home crowd but at the same time tremendously concerned about his NASCAR future. Suarez is in a contract year with Trackhouse Racing and he heads into Sunday ranked 28th in the standings. A win on home turf could expediate a contract extension.

McConnell, Mathurin lead Pacers’ bench charge in Game 3, fueling 2-1 NBA Finals lead over Thunder

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — TJ McConnell stole inbounds passes not once, not twice, but three times in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. He waved his arms, pumped his fists and shouted at an already delirious crowd to make more noise. Bennedict Mathurin made just about every shot, calm and cool, always coming up with the bucket that Indiana needed. Separately, they couldn’t seem more different. Together, they were a two-man bench wrecking crew for the Pacers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals — two of the biggest reasons why Indiana has a 2-1 lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the title series.

Panthers can move to the verge of winning the Stanley Cup again if they beat the Oilers in Game 4

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers have the chance to move to the verge of winning the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive year. Up 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final, they can do that by beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 at home Thursday night. The Panthers were upbeat and relaxed at their final full practice before the potential swing game, with players downplaying the hype despite the high stakes. After splitting in Edmonton, Florida won Game 3 by a score of 6-1 to take control of the series.

PSG aims for Club World Cup glory after historic Champions League win

Just weeks after winning the Champions League for the first time in its history, Paris Saint-Germain’s eyes are now on FIFA’s shiny new Club World Cup. The newly-crowned European champion can add the world title to a trophy haul that also included a French league and cup double this season. But it must come through an exacting test against some of the best teams in the world from Europe, Latin America, Asia and beyond – as well as a Lionel Messi-inspired Inter Miami.

Grand Slam Track scraps LA event, leaving 2028 Olympic host without a major track meet this summer

Grand Slam Track has canceled the final meet of its first season, in Los Angeles, leaving the host of the 2028 Olympics and the country’s second-largest city without a major track meet this summer. The news about the abrupt scrubbing of the meet, scheduled for the last weekend in June, combines with USA Track and Field’s earlier decision to take the LA Grand Prix off the calendar. USATF CEO Max Siegel tells The Associated Press that the federation pulled its event because it was not viable to hold two major track meets in LA in the span of three weeks.