Golf roundup \ Thursday’s results


Viking Classic

SONOMA, Calif. — Phil Blackmar and Jeff Sluman shot 6-under 66s in breezy conditions to share the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. After winning the AT&T Championship last week in San Antonio to earn the last spot in the season finale, the 6-foot-7 Blackmar had six birdies in a bogey-free round at Sonoma Golf Club. Sluman was even par at the turn, then birdied three of his first four holes on the back nine, eagled the par-5 16th and birdied 17. Eduardo Romero was a stroke back at 67, and John Cook and Brad Bryant opened with 68s. Charles Schwab Cup points leader Loren Roberts had two eagles in a 70. Fred Funk, 165 points behind Roberts in second place in the race for the $1 million annuity, had a 71. Jay Haas, the 2008 points champion, also shot a 71.

Volvo World Match Play

CASARES, Spain — American Anthony Kim won two round-round robin matches in the Volvo World Match Play Championship, while fourth-ranked Paul Casey lost twice to drop out of contention for a semifinal spot. Kim topped the Seve Ballesteros Group with four points after beating Casey and Retief Goosen, both 3 and 2, at Finca Cortesin Golf Club. Scott Strange beat Casey, returning from a rib injury, 1-up. Goosen beat Strange 1-up. In the Mark McCormack Group, Oliver Wilson beat Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer, both 1-up, and Robert Allenby topped Kaymer 1-up and halved with Garcia. In Gustaf Larson Group play, Angel Cabrera beat Rory McIlroy 3 and 2, and Simon Dyson held off Henrik Stenson 3 and 2. In the Assar Gabrielsson Group, Jeev Milkha Singh topped Lee Westwood 5 and 4, and Ross Fisher edged Camilo Villegas 1-up.

Singapore Open

SINGAPORE — England’s Ian Poulter shot a 5-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over South Africa star Ernie Els and Taiwan’s Chan Yih-shin during the suspended first round of the Singapore Open. Play was halted by darkness following a three-hour suspension because of lightning on the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course. Second-ranked Phil Mickelson opened with a 69, while Padraig Harrington and Geoff Ogilvy were unable to finish the round.

Viking Classic

MADISON, Miss. — Play in the Viking Classic was postponed because of impending rain and wet conditions at Annandale Golf Club, pushing the event to a Monday finish.

Associated Press