LEMONT, Ill. — Rory Sabbatini ran off seven birdies on renovated Cog Hill for a 5-under-par 66 on Thursday, giving him a share of the lead with Steve Marino at the BMW International and hopes of making it to the FedEx Cup finale.
They had a one-shot lead over Bo Van Pelt and Marc Leishman, who qualified for the third playoff event by making an eagle on his final hole Monday at the TPC Boston.
Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington were among a group of six at 68. The top 30 finishers advance to the Tour Championship in two weeks with a chance to win the $10 million bonus.
• Soren Hansen shot a 7-under 65 for a one-stroke lead over Chris Wood after the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany.
Iverson signs with Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Guard Allen Iverson, who averaged a career- low 17.4 points in 54 games last season with the Detroit Pistons, signed a one-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
“It’s basically going to be my rookie season again,” Iverson said. “It hurts, but I turn the TV on, I read the paper, I listen to some of the things people say about me having the season that I had last year and me losing a step, things like that. They’re trying to put me in a rocking chair already.”
• NBA referees are prepared to be locked out for the start of the season after negotiations with the league on a new contract broke down this week when David Stern ended the latest bargaining session. No further talks are scheduled.
IAAF has gender test results on Semenya.
The IAAF has received the results of gender tests on Caster Semenya, winner of the women’s 800-meter world title last month, and will meet with the South African runner before completing its report.
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said he couldn’t confirm a story in Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald stating tests show Semenya has male and female sexual organs.
“We have received the results from Germany,” Davies said, “but they now need to be examined by a group of experts and we will not be in a position to speak to the athlete about them for at least a few weeks.”
Footnotes.
Bankruptcy judge Redfield T. Baum raised the possibility of rejecting both bids to buy the Phoenix Coyotes, calling the possibility “more than theoretical” as the two-day auction of the team began.
• The sale of the Montreal Canadiens to a group led by the Molson family is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
• Britain’s Mark Cavendish withdrew from the Tour of Missouri with an infection his team said had spread to his lungs.
• Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing plan to merge in 2010, with the four-car team running Fords under the RPM banner.
• Drimo Chavez hit a grand slam in the 11th inning as Venezuela defeated defending champion United States 13-9 at the baseball World Cup in Regensburg, Germany.
• Seton Hall basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez received a three- year contract extension through the 2014-15 season. The Associated Press
