A dream-come-true week for Nepal's No. 1 female golfer, Pratima Sherpa, as she meets her golf idol while on a world-wind trip to the U.S.

The team environment of the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and now the Zurich Classic has led to some great celebrations over the years, like Tiger and Matt Kuchar's “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” handshake in 2013:
Or, Phil Mickelson and Kevin Kisner's “Three Amigos” dance from last fall's Presidents Cup:
At the Ryder Cup, the celebrations are a little more serious, because, let's be honest, it's a more serious event. Jeff Overton's “BOOM BABY” in 2010 is all the evidence you need to prove that fact. While all of these celebrations were unique in their own right, we can confidently say that Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar's birdie celebration this week at the Zurich Classic is the most unique one we've ever seen. No, it's not some sort of lame high five or awkward dance. They are literally slapping each other in the face. Not kidding:
https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/989651737056239616
During Thursday's best-ball format, the duo made five birdies..

Brad Marchand is the NHL's creepy uncle— a mosquito on skates whose chosen method of annoyance is to squeeze, lick, kiss, and otherwise harass fellow players at their place of work. In case you haven't been keeping up with the news, that shit doesn't fly anymore, and now NHL HR is putting their foot down, telling Marchand to please knock it the heck off, eh (because Canada).
All of this was came about after an incident in game 1 of the Bruins first round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs in which Marchand slipped Leafs defenseman Leo Komarov some tongue in the middle of a damn game:
As for Marchand's response to the incident? Well let's just say this dude definitely owns a windowless van…
https://twitter.com/m_b_dunphy/status/984614504649711616
In the end, we hope this convinces Marchand to keep his grubby mits and disease ridden lips to himself, but if the world has taught us anything, he'll probably just get better at hiding it. Meanwhile, in NBA ne..

BEIJING (AP) Matt Wallace shot a 2-under 70 Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the third round of the China Open golf tournament.

The Englishman had a two-round total of 9-under 135 on the Topwin Golf and Country Club course.

Tied for second in the European PGA Tour event were American Kim Sihwan (66), Nacho Elvira of Spain (67) and Australian Jason Scrivener (69).

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DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) Lydia Ko was back on top at Lake Merced.

Ko shot a 4-under 68 on a chilly Thursday morning at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship for a share of the first-round lead. Jessica Korda, Caroline Hedwall, In-Kyung Kim and Su Oh joined Ko atop the leaderboard in the LPGA Tour’s return to Lake Merced after a year away.

”This is a golf course where you need to drive the ball well and putt well,” said Ko, the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic winner at the course in 2014 and 2015.

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Ko eagled the par-5 fifth and had four birdies and a bogey. The New Zealander has 14 LPGA Tour wins, the last in July 2016.

”It’s nice to come back to a place where you feel super-welcomed,” Ko said. ”It just brings back a lot of great memories. … My family and friends are here this week, so I’m hoping that I’m going to continue the solid play.”

She turned 21 on Tuesday.

”I don’t think I feel a huge difference, but I know turning 21 is a huge thing in the U.S.,” Ko said,..

DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) Stacy Lewis is expecting her first child.

The 33-year-old LPGA Tour star and husband Gerrod Chadwell announced the pregnancy and Nov. 3 due date in an interview with Golfweek. She plans to play through the Marathon Classic in July and return for a full season next year.

”Golf has never gotten in the way of anything in my personal life,” said Lewis. ”Family is important to me. It’s more important than any golf tournament I’m going to play in. I thought about it a little bit from the golf side, but on the other hand, it’s like what did we want for our family.”

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Lewis opened play Thursday with a 2-over 74 in the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship at chilly Lake Merced. The two-time major champion won the Portland Classic last year for her 12th LPGA Tour title.

Chadwell is the women’s golf coach at the University of Houston.

U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Gerina Piller is expecting her first child in a week, and Suzann Pettersen is away from the t..

AVONDALE, La. (AP) Chez Reavie had quite a few good moments at TPC Louisiana on Thursday. So did teammate Lucas Glover.

In best-ball format, the most important thing was those moments came on different holes.

Reavie and Glover teamed to shoot a 12-under 60 for a share of the Zurich Classic lead with China’s Zhang Xinjun and Dou Zecheng.

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”Chez started well and I picked it up in the middle of the back nine,” Glover said. ”He closed it off and then we both played really well on the front. Just kind of ham and egged it, I guess, as they would say.”

Reavie and Glover each had six birdies in the best-ball format, pushing through soggy weather early in the round before conditions cleared at TPC Louisiana. Six teams are two shots back in a tie for third after shooting 62.

”We were just rolling,” Reavie said. ”I think we’re comfortable. We like to laugh and have a good time when we’re playing golf, and it definitely helps.”

Zhang and Dou birdied four of their ..

AVONDALE, La. (AP) Chez Reavie had quite a few good moments at TPC Louisiana on Thursday. So did teammate Lucas Glover.

In best-ball format, the most important thing was those moments came on different holes.

Reavie and Glover teamed to shoot a 12-under 60 for a share of the Zurich Classic lead with China’s Zhang Xinjun and Dou Zecheng.

Article continues below …

”Chez started well and I picked it up in the middle of the back nine,” Glover said. ”He closed it off and then we both played really well on the front. Just kind of ham and egged it, I guess, as they would say.”

Reavie and Glover each had six birdies in the best-ball format, pushing through soggy weather early in the round before conditions cleared at TPC Louisiana. Six teams are two shots back in a tie for third after shooting 62.

”We were just rolling,” Reavie said. ”I think we’re comfortable. We like to laugh and have a good time when we’re playing golf, and it definitely helps.”

Zhang and Dou birdied four of their ..

DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) Lydia Ko was back on top at Lake Merced.

Ko shot a 4-under 68 on a chilly Thursday morning at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship for a share of the lead halfway through the first round. Jessica Korda, Caroline Hedwall and In-Kyung Kim joined Ko atop the leaderboard in the LPGA Tour’s return to Lake Merced after a year away.

The Swinging Skirts LPGA winner at the course in 2014 and 2015, Ko eagled the par-5 fifth and had four birdies and a bogey. The 21-year-old from New Zealand has 14 LPGA Tour wins, the last in July 2016.

Article continues below …

Korda, playing alongside Kim a group ahead of Ko, also eagled the fifth and had four birdies and a bogey. Korda won in Thailand in February in her return from reconstructive jaw surgery.

Hedwall and Kim each had five birdies and a bogey.

Sei Young Kim, Charley Hull and Celine Herbin shot 69.

Michelle Wie had a 74, and ANA Inspiration winner Pernilla Lindberg shot 79.

Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson, Shanshan Feng, Broo..

DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) Lydia Ko was back on top at Lake Merced.

Ko shot a 4-under 68 on a chilly Thursday morning at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship for a share of the first-round lead. Jessica Korda, Caroline Hedwall, In-Kyung Kim and Su Oh joined Ko atop the leaderboard in the LPGA Tour’s return to Lake Merced after a year away.

”This is a golf course where you need to drive the ball well and putt well,” said Ko, the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic winner at the course in 2014 and 2015.

Article continues below …

Ko eagled the par-5 fifth and had four birdies and a bogey. The New Zealander has 14 LPGA Tour wins, the last in July 2016.

”It’s nice to come back to a place where you feel super-welcomed,” Ko said. ”It just brings back a lot of great memories. … My family and friends are here this week, so I’m hoping that I’m going to continue the solid play.”

She turned 21 on Tuesday.

”I don’t think I feel a huge difference, but I know turning 21 is a huge thing in the U.S.,” Ko said,..