DORAL, Fla. — All three of Hunter Mahan‘s PGA Tour victories have been of the come-from-behind variety. Now comes the chance to prove his mettle as a front-runner.
And the new world No. 1 player is applying the pressure.
Leading the Cadillac Championship by as many as four strokes at one point, Mahan stumbled with two bogeys down the stretch in a 1-under-par 71 Friday that left him with just a one-shot cushion over Martin Kaymer, who fired a bogey-free 70 in his first start since ascending to No. 1 two weeks ago.
“He’s just been playing amazing,” said Mahan, who’s never faced having to sleep on a second- or third- round lead. “He seems mentally tough, and I think that’s what separates him.”
Italy’s Francesco Molinari used his second consecutive 68 to pull alongside Kaymer at 8-under 136, with Rory McIlroy (69), Matt Kuchar (69), Nick Watney (70) and former Colorado State star Martin Laird (70) another shot back.
• Nick Price matched the lowest round in Champions Tour history, eagling two of the final four holes for a career-best 11-under 60 in the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach, Calif. Price had a five-stroke lead over Bernhard Langer, Mark O’Meara, Mark Wiebe and Brad Bryant.
• Chris Tidland shot a 9-under 63 for a share of the second-round lead in the Puerto Rico Open with James Driscoll (71—134) and Troy Matteson (67).
Auburn football players arrested
AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn football coach Gene Chizik dismissed four players from the national champions after they were arrested on robbery and other charges.
Auburn police said Mike McNeil, Antonio Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens and Dakota Mosley were each charged with five counts of first-degree robbery, one count of first-degree burglary and one count of third-degree theft of property.
According to police, McNeil, Goodwin and Kitchens entered a residence three miles from campus, displayed a handgun and stole property before driving away in a car driven by Mosley. The four were arrested shortly thereafter.
• Michigan State football players Max Bullough and Brian Linthicum were arrested for fighting in an Aspen bar and then trying to flee from officers.
• The NCAA threw out more than 30 Arkansas State victories in football and basketball from the 2005-07 seasons, saying the school used ineligible players. The NCAA also cut one football and one basketball scholarship for two years.
Footnotes.
New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul (concussion) went through a full scrimmage without restrictions and afterward said he hoped to be in tonight’s lineup against the Sacramento Kings.
• Oklahoma Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (knee) returned to practice but remains day to day.
• The Toronto Blue Jays named left-hander Ricky Romero starter for their April 1 season opener.
• Southern California basketball coach Kevin O’Neill was suspended for the rest of the Pac-10 Tournament after getting into a verbal confrontation with an Arizona booster Thursday night at the team’s hotel.
