ROGERS, Ark. (AP) Since its first year on the LPGA Tour in 2007, the crowds at the NW Arkansas Championship have belonged to Stacy Lewis.

Another former University of Arkansas star staked her claim as the hometown favorite Friday when Gaby Lopez shot a career-low 8-under 63 to take the first-round lead at Pinnacle Country Club.

Like Lewis, the two-time winner of the tournament, Lopez starred as a three-time All-American for the Razorbacks before joining the LPGA Tour in 2016. Despite flashes of potential, Lopez had yet to join Lewis among the ranks of the world’s best – missing the cut in her last two tournaments and entering this week ranked 136th in the world.

Article continues below …

For a day, at least, the Mexican standout felt right at home atop the leaderboard in her adopted home state.

”I feel like home,” Lopez said. ”I feel so, so comfortable out here, because I feel that everyone and every single person out here is just rooting for us.”

Moriya Jutanugarn was a stroke..

MADISON, Wis. (AP) Steve Stricker made himself at home at the top of the leaderboard on a rainy and breezy Friday at the American Family Insurance Championship.

The hometown star and tournament host shot an 8-under 64 at University Ridge to take a one-stroke lead over 63-year-old Brad Bryant in the PGA Tour Champions event. Stricker birdied five of the first eight holes, bogeyed the par-5 ninth, and birdied Nos. 11, 12, 13 and 16.

”The wind was out of the northeast, which is a wind that we don’t see very much of this time of year,” Stricker said. ”So there were some holes to start with that played pretty tough and I got through those holes in good shape. Then just kept giving myself a few opportunities. A little hiccup on No. 9, but other than that it was a good round today.”

Article continues below …

Because of the wet conditions, the players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairways.

”It’s the same for everybody,” Stricker said. ”It’s a little wet ..

PULHEIM, Germany (AP) Australia’s Scott Hend shot a 5-under 67 to lead by one stroke after the second round of the BMW International Open on Friday.

Hend had four birdies and atoned for a bogey on the 10th hole with an eagle on the 15th as he finished on 6-under 138, one ahead of Chile’s Nico Geyger and Sweden’s Henric Sturehed.

”I just played conservatively,” Hend said. ”Just trying to play on to the fairways and keep out of the long brown stuff.”

Article continues below …

Aaron Rai had a hole-in-one on the 16th. The English player carded a 71 to join German pair Martin Kaymer and Maximilian Kieffer, France’s Sebastien Gros and Australia’s Nick Cullen on 4-under.

Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen were on 3-under. Defending champion Andres Romero was 2-over after a 75.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) Brian Harman shot a 4-under 66 on Friday to move to 10-under par and watched that hold up for the second-round lead in the Travelers Championship, thanks in part to a 10-second rule.

Harman finished a stroke ahead of Matt Jones and first round co-leader Zach Johnson, who lost a stroke during his round of 68 when his birdie putt hung on the lip of the cup at the third hole for longer than the maximum allowed 10 seconds before falling in, giving him a par.

”After 10 seconds, the ball was moving and at that point even if the ball is moving, It’s deemed to be at rest, because it’s on the lip,” Johnson said. ”Don’t ask me why, but that’s just the way it is.”

Article continues below …

Harman had his short game working for the second consecutive day, taking 26 putts after needing only 23 during the first round.

”The putter has been really good so far, but I’ve been in position a lot,” he said. ”I’ve had a lot of good looks at it. I’m just able to put a little press..

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) Brian Harman shot a 66 on Friday to move to 10-under par and into first place after the morning rounds at the Travelers Championship.

Harman had his short game working again, putting just 26 times on the second round after needing just 23 on the first round. He finished two shots ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, who also shot a 4-under 66, and Paul Casey, who was 3-under par for the day.

Two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson, who was at even par coming into Friday, shot a 63 to move into contention heading into the weekend, three shots behind the leader.

Article continues below …

Defending champion Jordan Spieth, who was tied for the lead after a first-round 63, shot a 73 on Friday, which included an eight on the par-5 13th hole.

Thursday’s other co-leader, Zach Johnson, was on the course Friday afternoon.

Poincenot visits XTRA 1360 FSSD to talk about his life and overcoming adversity on his way to being the world's top blind golfer.

Our weekly pre-tournament ranking (with current Vegas odds) of the best bets to win the 2018 British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links.

Ramon Padilla had lost a part of himself when he was injured at war. Then he found golf.

When the schedule comes out for the 2018-19 NBA season, Dallas vs. Golden State is going to be an unexpected game you might want to circle. That's because as soon as the Mavericks landed Luka Doncic in Thursday's NBA Draft, Warriors star Andre Iguodala made it known that he's a fan of the 19-year-old. A fan of his mom, that is.
RELATED: Luka Doncic wants to date Jennifer Aniston & buy a tiger
Moments after Doncic was taken with the third pick (his rights were dealt to Dallas by Atlanta for Trae Young and a future 1st-round pick), Iguodala hit send on this not-so-subtle tweet:
https://twitter.com/andre/status/1009946354246807552
This is especially funny to us because Iguodala's previous tweet was “Did DJ just hit a draw??” Iggy is a big golf guy. Love it.
But back to the tweet in question, to be fair, Iguodala was merely saying what a lot of people watching were as well (And it's not like he tweeted “Luka's mom has got it going on” with music note emojis). ..

For all the crap the modern NBA player takes for surfing the waters of free agency, the Thursday tale of Mikal Bridges is proof that the league, like all sports, remains a cruel business.
Bridges was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 10th overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. Bridges was as popular a pick as possible. Not only had Bridges led the Villanova Wildcats to two national championships, the All-American grew up in Philly and his mom worked for the Sixers as VP of Human Resources. When Bridges named was called, it seemed like a match in hoops heaven.
“It’s a great feeling to get picked by the Sixers,” Bridges said Thursday night. “Just watching them, especially this year, growing up watching them, going to games when I was young, it’s a blessing. My mom working there, went to Villanova right around the corner, played in Wells Fargo throughout the whole year this year. It’s just truly a blessing.”
It truly was…for the entire hour Bridges was a Sixer.
https://twit..