Tiger opens with a 72 at Torrey Pines
SAN DIEGO — The best score belonged to Stewart Cink. The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didn’t come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Cink ran off three straight birdies late in his round on the easier North Course at Torrey Pines for an 8-under 64. That gave him a one-shot lead over Gary Woodland. Perez had a 67 on the South Course, which is by far the tougher track. The South Course, which hosted a U.S. Open, played nearly four shots harder.
In his 2014 debut, Woods opened with a 72 on the South. He failed to birdie any of the par 5s. It was the first time in his career he failed to break par in the first round of this tournament.
Ko tied for lead in Bahamas LPGA Classic
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Lydia Ko took a share of the lead in her first start as an LPGA Tour member, matching Meena Lee with a 5-under 68 on Thursday in the season-opening Bahamas LPGA Classic.
The 16-year-old Ko turned pro late last year. She won the Canadian Women’s Open the last two years as an amateur and closed last season with a victory in a non-tour event in Taiwan in her second pro start.
Ranked No. 4 in the world, the South Korean-born New Zealander had six birdies and a bogey on Atlantis Resort’s Ocean Club course.
Lee, from South Korea, eagled the par-4 13th and had four birdies and a bogey.
Michelle Wie of Honolulu shot 72.
Defending champion Ilhee Lee opened with a 74. Last May, the inaugural event was reduced to three 12-hole rounds because of flooding.
Cabrera-Bello up by 2 at Qatar Masters
DOHA, Qatar — Rafa Cabrera-Bello birdied four of his last five holes for a 7-under 65 Thursday to take a two-shot lead after the second round of the Qatar Masters.
The Spaniard had three straight birdies from the 14th and then rolled in another at 18 for a 13-under total of 131. The late charge meant he overtook first-round leader George Coetzee of South Africa, who carded a 69 earlier in the day at the Doha Golf Club course.
Cabrera-Bello said, “I got on a very hot streak on my back nine with the putter, so that was very good.”
Canada seeks 2026 World Cup
TORONTO — Canada plans to bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
“We’re the only G-8 nation to not host the World Cup,” Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani said Thursday. “We’ve hosted almost every other event. … I think it’s time for Canada to step up to the plate.”
Canada has hosted FIFA youth tournaments and will stage next year’s Women’s World Cup.
CONCACAF has not hosted the cup since 1994 in the U.S.
Canada made its only World Cup appearance in 1986 and is ranked 111th in the world, between Bahrain and Guatemala.
World Cup song to feature J-Lo and Pitbull
RIO DE JANEIRO — FIFA says Jennifer Lopez will team with rapper Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte to perform the official World Cup song for this year’s tournament.
Soccer’s governing body made the announcement Thursday but didn’t say when “We Are One (Ole Ola)” will be released.
The song was written and co-produced by Pitbull. Leitte said she is looking forward to “dancing samba with Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez in Brazil.”
Lopez was not in Rio for the announcement.
Shakira wrote “Waka Waka” for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
By wire sources