ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Jay Haas withstood wet, bone-chilling and eventually windy conditions by shooting the only sub-par round Thursday to take the lead at the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Haas finished the first round with a 1-under-par 69 to hold a one-shot lead over Jeff Sluman and Bill Britton.
• Johnson Wagner fired a 7-under 63 for a two-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson and Brett Wetterich after the first round of Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.
• 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 (N.Y.) Classic.
• Paul McGinley’s 7-under 65 was good for a one-stroke lead over Robert Karlsson after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England.
Vigneault agrees to extension
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, who has compiled an 88-59-17 record over two seasons, agreed to a contract extension through the 2009-10 season.
• Stars co-general managers Brett Hull and Les Jackson signed three-year contracts, removing the interim tag they shared when team owner Tom Hicks made the unusual move to hire both in November.
Injury might force Hamm out of nationals
HOUSTON — Paul Hamm said he might not compete Saturday after injuring a hand in the last few seconds of his parallel bars routine at the U.S. gymnastics championships.
“This is not something that will make me sit out of the Olympics, but it might make me sit for Saturday,” said Hamm, who will have X-rays today.
The Olympic trials are June 19-22 in Philadelphia, and Hamm is considered the only lock to make the team.
Five-time U.S. champion Blaine Wilson’s comeback, meanwhile, is over. Wilson, who was trying to make his fourth Olympic team at 33 and after a three-year layoff, withdrew after two events and said he is retiring.
Footnotes.
Quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo is returning to Oakland after spending a year with the Jets, giving the Raiders the veteran backup they were looking for to help JaMarcus Russell.
• Kyle Busch turned in a lap of 185.433 mph to edge Kasey Kahne (185.300) and win the pole position for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C.
• Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean dismissed forward Brandon McGee because of academic and team violations.
• Dwain Williams, who averaged 11 points and 2.3 assists in 21 games for Providence last season, is transferring to Long Beach State.
• Jack Mildren, a former lieutenant governor and the first quarterback in the University of Oklahoma’s vaunted wishbone offense, died in Oklahoma City. Mildren, who had been undergoing treatment for stomach cancer, was 58.
• The United States lost 2-0 to Sweden, which advanced to the World Team Cup final in the Red Group in Duesseldorf, Germany.
• Daniele Bennati won the 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia in a sprint finish, while Giovanni Visconti held the overall lead.
Denver Post wire services
