SYDNEY — Dustin Johnson led a small group of Americans who got off to a good start today in the Australian Open as their tuneup for the Presidents Cup.
Jarrod Lyle of Australia had a 7-under-par 65 to take the lead among the early starters at The Lakes. He had a one-shot lead over Johnson, who overcame a sloppy start by running off five straight birdies.
“I was a little rusty,” Johnson said. “It was my first time in competition for about six weeks.”
U.S. captain Fred Couples, who played the Champion Tour’s final event last week in San Francisco, played in the group behind Johnson and birdied his final hole, the par-3 ninth, for a 67.
Greg Norman, the International captain next week at Royal Melbourne, had a 71. Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy had a 70. Tiger Woods was among the late starters on a day that featured rain in the morning and the threat of more bad weather in the afternoon.
U.S. skier Nyman out for season with injury
COPPER MOUNTAIN — Two-time Olympian Steven Nyman, who has a victory in a downhill event on the World Cup circuit, tore his left Achilles tendon in training and will miss the 2011-12 season.
Soon after discovering the extent of the injury Tuesday, the 29-year-old Nyman tweeted: “Blown Achilles tendon (equals) no ski season for me this year. Time to mend, I will be back.”
Central Florida AD resigns amid scandal
ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida athletic director Keith Tribble and football assistant David Kelly resigned after the school was hit with more NCAA violations, this time for involvement with runners for sports agents and cash payments and gifts to recruits.
• Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong will not play Saturday against Florida State as school officials are checking to see if he broke NCAA rules by having dinner with someone who owns a public-relations firm that works with professional athletes.
Footnotes.
St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin, who had prostate cancer surgery Oct. 6, made a surprise appearance on the Red Storm bench and watched his team overcome a 14-point second-half deficit for a 78-73 victory over Lehigh in New York.
• Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger is back after missing six games with a right eye injury.
• New York Rangers forward Mike Rupp is expected to miss four to six weeks after having surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee.
• Omar Gonzalez of the MLS Cup finalist Los Angeles Galaxy was voted the league’s defender of the year.
• Pius Heinz, a 22-year-old German, won the World Series of Poker main event and $8.72 million, capturing the title with an ace high.
• Marko Cheseto, an All-American cross country runner from the University of Alaska Anchorage who disappeared over the weekend just as two snowstorms moved into the city, was found alive with severe hypothermia. The Associated Press
