MELBOURNE, Australia — Sergio Garcia put himself into the mix today at the Australian Masters with his lowest score of the year, a 6-under-par 65 that left him in range of the leaders going into the weekend.
The Spaniard played bogey-free on a course that was averaging nearly three shots over par because of the wind, and one of the few greens he missed, he holed a 40-foot birdie putt from off the green.
Daniel Gaunt, one of the three leaders after the opening round, shot a 72 and was the clubhouse leader at 5-under 137. Garcia was one shot back. Defending champion Tiger Woods, who opened with a 69, made birdie on the 257-yard first hole and was 3-under for the tournament after four holes.
• Cristie Kerr shot a tournament-record 8-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Lorena Ochoa opened with a 74 in her first LPGA Tour start since retiring in April. Michelle Wie withdrew after the round because of a back injury. She shot a 78.
• Chris Stroud shot a 10-under 62 in the opening round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, surging past Rickie Fowler by four strokes and taking the clubhouse lead after play was halted because of darkness in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
• Phil Mickelson, hoping to claim golf’s No. 1 ranking, opened with a 4-under 67 and is four strokes off the pace after the rain- soaked first round at the Singapore Open. Kim Bi-o and Chris Wood share the lead at 63.
Uggla says Marlins ended talks
MIAMI — Second baseman Dan Uggla said he hopes to reach an agreement on a long-term contract with the Florida Marlins, even though they’ve broken off negotiations.
“It has been the Marlins’ choice to stop negotiations,” he said. “My team is still wanting to negotiate.”
Uggla, who made $7.8 million this season, is eligible for salary arbitration before qualifying for free agency after the 2011 season.
• The Ricketts family, which bought the Chicago Cubs in 2009 for $845 million, wants Illinois to finance more than $200 million in renovations at 96-year-old Wrigley Field.
Footnotes.
The NCAA ruled freshman Enes Kanter ineligible to play basketball for Kentucky, though the school will appeal the decision. The center received benefits above his actual and necessary expenses while playing for a club team in Turkey.
• Minnesota guard Devoe Joseph was suspended indefinitely for a unspecified violation of team rules.
• Villanova freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston has been charged with two counts of simple assault and harassment and will be held out of games until the university’s review is completed.
• T.J. Oshie, one of the St. Louis Blues’ top forwards, is out indefinitely with a fractured left ankle.
• Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has a mild left ankle sprain and is expected to be out at least a week.
• San Antonio Spurs rookie James Anderson has a stress fracture in his right foot that is expected to keep him sidelined two months.
• Olympic bronze medalist Erin Pac retired, a surprising move that comes two weeks before the start of the World Cup bobsled season.
The Associated Press
