SPORTS digest

Finau tops local favorite Spieth at Colonial

FORT WORTH, Texas

Tony Finau shot a 6-under 64 to take a one-shot lead over local favorite Jordan Spieth and Roger Sloan at Colonial on Thursday.

Defending champion Justin Rose, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 3, shot 74 as all five of the top 10s playing Hogan’s Alley finished over par.

Finau hasn’t finished better than 60th in three tournaments since tying for fifth at the Masters. He had five birdies over seven holes and avoided a second bogey with a chip-in at the par-3 16th.

Spieth is trying to end a victory drought that’s approaching two years for the three-time major winner.

The 2016 Colonial champion kick-started his round by chipping in for birdie on the par-3 13th, his fourth hole. Spieth had seven birdies in a 10-hole span that included a double bogey.

At Pittsford, N.Y., Scott Parel took advantage of ideal scoring conditions Thursday morning to shoot a 4-under 66 and take the first-round lead in the weather-delayed Senior PGA Championship.

The gusting afternoon wind, which buffeted flags and shook hospitality tents across Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course, hadn’t yet fully arrived when Parel closed with birdies on the par-4 17th and 18th. Retief Goosen, Marco Dawson and Ken Tanigawa were a stroke back.

At Williamsburg, Va., Bronte Law chipped in for eagle on the par-5 third hole and shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday for a share of the lead in the Pure Silk Championship with Anna Nordqvist and Jennifer Song.

Law added a birdie on the par-4 seventh — the Englishwoman’s 16th hole in a bogey-free round at windy Kingsmill Resort.

Byron youngest to win Coca-Cola 600 pole

CONCORD, N.C.

The hometown kid is starting out front in NASCAR’s longest race.

Charlotte native William Byron became the youngest driver ever to capture the pole for the Coca-Cola 600. The 21-year-old Byron, who grew up a short drive from Charlotte Motor Speedway, turned a lap of 183.424 mph in his No. 24 Chevrolet on Thursday night.

Aric Almirola will start alongside Byron on the front row in his No. 10 Ford. It is one of six Fords starting in the top 10.

“I grew up in Charlotte and I came to this race every year, so it’s a dream come true to qualify on the pole,” Byron said. “This is pretty cool. I can’t think of a better way to start the weekend.”

Byron has six top-10 finishes in 49 career Cup Series starts, but is still looking for his first win. He’s hoping to follow in the footsteps of Kyle Busch, who won the Coca-Cola 600 last year starting from the pole.

Busch will start third this year, followed by 2017 winner Austin Dillon and 2011 and 2013 champion Kevin Harvick.

Bucks’ Antetokounmpo among All-NBA picks

NEW YORK

Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden got the most votes, and Damian Lillard and Kemba Walker also were big winners when the All-NBA teams were announced.

Those guards can cash in with supermax contracts based on their selections to one of the three All-NBA teams that were announced Thursday.

LeBron James also was voted to the third team, tying the NBA record with his 15th All-NBA selection.

Rounding out the first team were Stephen Curry, Paul George and Nikola Jokic, who was Denver’s first All-NBA selection since Carmelo Anthony in 2010.

Antetokounmpo and Harden were unanimous selections, receiving all 100 votes from a panel of writers and broadcasters who had to choose two guards, two forwards and one center for each of the three teams.

Walker was the final selection but all that matters is that he made it. By doing so, he became eligible to receive a five-year contract extension worth about $221 million from the Hornets if he opts to stay in Charlotte, a reward the NBA put in recently as further incentive to keep players with their current teams.

Associated Press