GOLF roundup

RBC HERITAGE

Sabbatini leads at 7-under par

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.

Rory Sabbatini shot a 7-under 64 for his lowest round ever at Harbour Town Golf Links and a two-stroke lead Thursday in the RBC Heritage, with top-ranked Dustin Johnson five shots behind.

The talk leading up to the tournament was of the return of Johnson, the South Carolina native who grew up about three hours northwest of here yet had not played in the Palmetto State’s lone PGA Tour stop since 2009. But it was Sabbatini who quickly moved to the top in perfect, windless conditions.

LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

Henderson takes leads with bogey-free round

KAPOLEI, HAWAII

Brooke Henderson remained bogey-free to take the Lotte Championship lead halfway through the second round Thursday.

Henderson shot a 6-under 66 in 15 mph morning wind at Ko Olina Golf Club to get to 10 under. Ranked 14th in the world, the 20-year-old Canadian won twice last year and has five career LPGA Tour victories.

SPANISH OPEN

Spain’s Jon Rahm one shot off the lead

MADRID

Home favorite Jon Rahm shot a 5-under 67 to finish one off the lead after the first round of the Spanish Open Thursday.

Marc Warren of Scotland and Paul Dunne of Ireland set the pace on 66 at the Centro Nacional de Golf.

Warren birdied five of his last seven holes and Dunne also finished strongly with a birdie three at the 16th and an eagle three at the 18th.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Firestone set to host seniors

AKRON

Firestone Country Club in Ohio is going from hosting the world’s best players to hosting the world’s best over 50.

The PGA Tour says Bridgestone will switch its title sponsorship at Firestone next year from a World Golf Championship to the Senior Players Championship, which the tour regards as one of the five majors on the PGA Tour Champions.

Firestone has been hosting golf tournaments since the 1950s, including the PGA Championship three times and the original World Series of Golf starting in 1962.

Associated Press