Fed Ex Cup finale getting under way
ATLANTA (AP) — The top 30 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings are in Atlanta.
Round one of the Tour Championship is being played today at historic East Lake. It’s the course where Bobby Jones learned to play.
John Senden and Scott Piercy will be first to tee off. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and formerly top-ranked Tiger Woods bring up the rear. McIlroy is coming off back-to-back titles in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The top five in the standings, McIlroy, Woods, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker can take the $10 million FedEx Cup prize with a victory. Just about everyone else would have to win and get some help.
Busy afternoon around the major leagues
UNDATED (AP) — Two teams with postseason aspirations will be on the diamond in Detroit this afternoon. The host Tigers will be looking to complete a three-game sweep of Oakland by handing the Athletics a fourth straight loss. The Tiger begin play two games behind AL Central leader Chicago while the A’s currently hold the league’s second wild card by three and a-half games over the L.A. Angels.
American League play gets under way in Cleveland with a game between the Indians and Minnesota Twins.
Tonight, the White Sox are at Kansas City, the Angels host West leader Texas, East leader New York is home to Toronto and Boston plays at Tampa Bay.
Five of today’s seven National League games are scheduled for afternoon starts with Houston at St. Louis first up. The Cardinals hold the senior circuit’s second wild card, two games better than Los Angeles and two and a-half ahead of Milwaukee.
Also this afternoon, the Brewers play at fading Pittsburgh, Central leader Cincinnati can sew up a postseason berth with a win at Chicago, West-leading San Francisco brings a three-game winning streak into its home outing against Colorado and San Diego is at Arizona.
Tonight, Washington can nail down a berth in the playoffs with a victory over the visiting Dodgers and the New York Mets entertain surging Philadelphia.
Giants and Panthers kick off Week 3
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — It’s a banged up New York Giants team that’s in Carolina for tonight’s game against the Panthers. The Super Bowl champs will be without the services of wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon, as well as running back Ahmad Bradshaw and offensive tackle Dave Diehl.
But they still have Eli Manning, who engineered the 26th fourth-quarter comeback of his career last week. The Giants quarterback threw three TD passes in the final 15 minutes of a 41-34 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that got New York to 1-1 on the season.
Led by versatile quarterback Cam Newton, Carolina is also 1-1 following last week’s 35-27 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Under the lights on the blue turf
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise State and visiting BYU begin a lengthy relationship this evening when the 24th-ranked Broncos host the Cougars. It’s the first of a dozen meetings scheduled over the next 12 years.
Boise State is 1-1 after last week’s 39-12 victory over Miami of Ohio and favored by a touchdown.
BYU dropped to 2-1 and fell out of the AP Top 25 with last week’s 24-21 loss to Utah.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota at Cleveland 11:05 p.m.
Oakland at Detroit 12:05 p.m.
Toronto at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Boston at Tampa Bay 6:10 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Kansas City 7:10 p.m.
Texas at L.A. Angels 9:05 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Houston at St. Louis 12:45 p.m.
Cincinnati at Chi Cubs 1:20 p.m.
San Diego at Arizona 2:40 p.m.
Colorado at San Francisco 2:45 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE on ESPN Radio 1410)
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh 3:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at Washington 6:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at N-Y Mets 6:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at N-Y Mets 6:10 p.m.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
N-Y Giants at Carolina 7:20 p.m.
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Brigham Young at (24) Boise State 8:00 p.m.