Rodman’s North Korea trip still on for next week
Dennis Rodman plans to travel to North Korea next week to train its basketball team, a trip unaffected by the execution of leader Kim Jong Un’s uncle.
Jang Song Thaek’s execution, announced early Friday in Pyongyang, marked an unprecedented fall from grace of one of the most powerful figures in the country as well as its most serious political upheaval in decades. Jang was North Korea’s No. 2 official — behind only Kim.
Rodman considers Kim a close friend and has a long-scheduled trip that starts Monday to train the national team. Rodman also has organized an exhibition game in January in Pyongyang to celebrate Kim’s birthday. Rodman could reveal the roster next week. He says former professional basketball players have committed to the game, though he declined to reveal names.
Rodman, known as much for his piercings, tattoos and bad behavior as he was for basketball, was the highest-profile American to meet Kim since Kim inherited power from father Kim Jong Il in 2011. He traveled to the secretive state for the first time in February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by New York-based VICE television.
“Yes, I’m going to North Korea to train the basketball team,” he told The Associated Press by phone. “I’m going to bring American players over there. Yes I am. I’m going to be the most famous person in the world when you see American people holding hands and hoping the doors can be opened. If they can. If they can. If they can. I’m going. I’m going back for his birthday. Special.”
Rodman has been criticized for not talking about North Korea’s human rights record, described as one of the world’s worst by activists, the U.S. State Department and North Korean defectors. The defectors have repeatedly testified about the government’s alleged use of indiscriminate killings, rapes, beatings and prison camps holding as many as 120,000 people deemed opponents of authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un, the third generation of his family to rule.
Authority OKs Detroit sports arena management deal
DETROIT — A management deal for a planned sports arena and entertainment complex just outside downtown Detroit also says the state will pay for the demolition of aging Joe Louis Arena.
The Detroit Downtown Development Authority approved the deal Friday with Olympia Development.
The state says it will tear down the 32-year-old Joe Louis Arena after the NHL’s Red Wings move to the new complex. Olympia Development is owned by the Ilitch family, which also owns the hockey team.
The new facility would seat 18,000 for hockey and other events.
City officials still have to approve expanding the development authority district boundaries.
The Michigan Strategic Fund would issue $450 million in bonds to build the events center. The bonds would be repaid over 30 years from public and private money.
Defending champions Perry, O’Hair share Templeton lead
NAPLES, Fla. — Defending champions Kenny Perry and Sean O’Hair shot an 8-under 64 in modified alternate-shot play Friday for a share of the first-round lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
The teams of Matt Kuchar-Harris English and Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard also shot 64 on the Ritz Carlton Resort’s Tiburon course. The 24 teams will play better ball Saturday and finish with a scramble Sunday.
After playing the front nine in 3 under, Perry and O’Hair birdied Nos. 13-16.
Howell and Leonard birdied the final three holes on the front nine and added birdies at Nos. 10, 12, 13, 17 and 18. Kuchar and English birdied Nos. 12-14 and eagled No. 17.
Retief Goosen and Fredik Jacobson shot 67, and Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson matched Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel at 68. Tournament host Greg Norman and Jonas Blixt had a 72.
Rain affects Mandela Championship record scores
DURBAN, South Africa — Two players shot a 59 in the second round of the rain-affected Nelson Mandela Championship, although it won’t count as a European Tour record because players were allowed preferred lies on the soaked layout.
Jorge Campillo of Spain and Colin Nel of South Africa both reached what is seen as golf’s magic number. But their 59s come with asterisks because of the preferred lies, and the Mount Edgecombe course was reduced by one stroke to a par 70.
Campillo’s round with two eagles and seven birdies gave him a share of the clubhouse lead at 11-under 129 with England’s Matthew Baldwin (62).
Nel had an eagle and nine birdies to move into a share of 27th, with several players set to complete their round on Saturday.
The event was reduced to 54 holes after long weather delays on the first three days.
Garcia shoots hole-in-one at Thailand Championship
CHONBURI, Thailand — Propelled by a hole-in-one, Sergio Garcia carded a 7-under 65 Friday to share the lead with Justin Rose halfway through the Thailand Championship.
Garcia, who finished fourth last year, had a bogey-free round that included an ace on the 236-yard eighth hole.
Rose, the U.S. Open champion, followed a birdie on the second hole with a bogey on the third, and came back to sink two birdies and then eagle the 11th for a 68 at Amata Spring Country Club.
Their two-round tally was at 11-under 133, two strokes ahead of Anirban Lahiri (64), Alexander Levy (65) and Alex Cejka (71).
Rickie Fowler was another shot behind at 8 under, and Henrik Stenson is in a group of four at 7 under.
By wire sources