Golf

Francis Marion University scored the game's final 10 points in overtime to erase a six-point deficit and beat local-rival Coker 72-68 on Friday in the opening game of the UNC Pembroke Classic. FMU improves to 4-0 for the second straight year and ups its all-time series lead over the Cobras to 42-11, including three straight wins. Junior forward Robert Faulkner led the Patriots with 16 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots before fouling out.  

Idaho at North Dakota State, 2 p.m.; Whitworth vs. UC Santa Cruz at UPS Tip-Off in Tacoma, 4; Eastern Washington at UT Arlington, Salt Lake at North Idaho, both 5. College women: Whitworth vs. Macalester at Whitman Classic in Walla Walla, CC Spokane vs. Lane at Shoreline Shootout in Seattle, both 2 p.m.; Corban at Eastern Washington, 2:05; Salt Lake at North Idaho, 3. Non-league: Post Falls JV at Bonners Ferry, 1:45 p.m.; Moscow vs. Lapwai at Bengal Shootout (Lewiston), 3; Lakeland vs. Lewiston at Bengal Shootout, 5; Coeur d'Alene JV at St. Maries, 5:30.  

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. D.A. Points shot a 2-under 70 at Del Monte, and Matt Bettencourt had a 71 in wind and rain at Spyglass Hill to share the second-round lead Friday in the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational. Points, 66th on the PGA Tour money list this season, had a scrambling round with two eagles, three birdies, two bogeys and a triple bogey.

It was very windy and nasty   -Matt Bettencourt

 

Zachary Maher knows a things or two about keeping up with the pack. The senior at NYU will be running in the Division III national cross country championship on Saturday at Highland Park Golf Course outside Cleveland, hoping to help the seventh-ranked Violets run off with an NCAA title. And when the race is over, he'll be keeping tabs on some former teammates.  

Mother Nature can be a wretched old witch when she chooses to rear her ugly head. But for more than 60 players in the LPGA Tour Championship, Mother Nature could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. On Thursday, half of the players in the 72-hole event were able to play their first round in near-perfect 70-degree weather, while the other half of the field had to battle blustery winds in the afternoon.  

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson climbed within two shots of overnight leader Lorena Ochoa at the LPGA Tour Championship on Friday as rain wreaked havoc on the second round. Rain drenched the Houstonian Golf and Country Club before dawn and the start of the second round was pushed back six hours. A couple of hours after play began, light rain began to fall, and darkness stopped play before Ochoa, who led the first round with a 66, even made it to the first tee.  

The Sacramento Monarchs folded Friday, a shocking and disappointing development for the WNBA and one of its original eight franchises. The Maloof family, owners of the NBA's Sacramento Kings , also owned the Monarchs. Former University of Oklahoma star Courtney Paris was the Monarchs' top draft pick this year and just completed her rookie season.  

Add Eric Liquigan to the roll of elite golfers to win a club championship at the Dirab Golf & Country Club. On a warm sunny day the Filipino hotshot fired one of his best rounds in tournament play, a 1-over 73, to win the 2009 Dirab Stroke Play Club Championship & Etihad Golf Challenge on Friday. Richard Gaas made it a Filipino 1-2 in the Best Gross category when he carded a 2-over 75 at the flat but challenging 6,905-yard layout nestled on the Tawfiq valley. Swede Robert Ruuth took third place on 71.  

Tampa Bay Downs plans to give its patrons the red-carpet treatment again this year. And this time, it extends outdoors. Race fans going to the thorough­bred track for opening day on Dec. 12 will travel an improved Race Track Road, which for the first time in 84 years is not alongside the oval.