Dodt leads with Scott lurking on Gold Coast

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Andrew Dodt hit a seven-under-par 65 to forge a two-shot lead before the opening round of the Australian PGA Championship was halted by Gold Coast lightning on Thursday after a late birdie blitz had propelled Adam Scott up the leaderboard.

Toronto to play Seattle in MLS final after beating Impact

TORONTO (The Sports Xchange) - Benoit Cheyrou and Tosaint Ricketts scored in extra time as Toronto FC beat Montreal Impact 5-2 in the second leg of the Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference final on Wednesday, sealing a 7-5 aggregate victory.

China to host UCI world tour cycling race starting in 2017: Wanda Group

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will host a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) world tour cycling race starting in 2017, Dalian Wanda Group said on Thursday in a press release.

Major League Baseball players and owners reach agreement

(Reuters) - Major League Baseball ensured five more years of labor peace by reaching agreement with the Players Association on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that runs through 2021, MLB.Com said on Wednesday, citing sources.

No shades but Woods 'ready' for long-awaited comeback

(Reuters) - Tiger Woods picked up a headache after forgetting his sunglasses in his final practice round on Wednesday but otherwise declared himself good to go as he prepared to bring an end to a 16-month absence from tournament golf.

Award for Penn State whistleblower in Sandusky scandal rises to $12 million

(Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge on Wednesday awarded $5 million to a former Penn State University assistant football coach who implicated Jerry Sandusky in the sexual assault of young boys, bringing to more than $12 million the amount owed to the former assistant.

LPGA announces four new tournaments for 2017

(Reuters) - The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) on Wednesday announced its 2017 schedule including four new tournaments and an increase of $4.35 million in official prize money.

Rangers top list of most valuable franchises: Forbes

(Reuters) - The New York Rangers, valued at $1.25 billion, were ranked as the National Hockey League's most valuable franchise for the second consecutive year, according to Forbes' list released on Wednesday.

Germany dropped from 2017 Formula One calendar

LONDON (Reuters) - The German Grand Prix was dropped formally from the 2017 Formula One calendar on Wednesday with the renamed Azerbaijan Grand Prix given a new date to avoid a clash with the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.

IAAF plans transparency amid new corruption claims

LONDON (Reuters) - Just as the IAAF is about to endorse wide-ranging changes to its governance aimed at making the organization more ethical, transparent and accountable, world athletics' governing body is being assailed by more claims of corruption.

F1 bosses vote Hamilton best driver, Rosberg third

LONDON (Reuters) - Formula One team bosses have voted Lewis Hamilton the sport's best driver, despite the Briton losing his title to Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg, in an annual Autosport magazine poll.

Hamilton one of the best, but no friend: Rosberg

WIESBADEN, Germany (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg hailed Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton as one of the greatest drivers of all time on Wednesday but ruled out forging any friendly ties with the Briton as long as they raced each other.

Swiss authorities carry out fresh house searches in FIFA case

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss authorities searched more houses as part of its criminal investigation into suspected corruption in world soccer and have added former FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi to its list of suspects, they said.