Daly tells police wife slashed his face
MEMPHIS, June 8 (UPI) -- John Daly appeared at the St. Jude Classic in Memphis Friday bearing bright red welts on his face, and issued a statement saying his wife had assaulted him.
Daly filed a complaint with Memphis police, saying his wife had attacked him with a knife. Police said when they went to the Daly home, near the course where this week's tournament is being played, neither Daly's wife nor his children were there.
Daly -- a two-time major championship winner whose life has been a soap opera of failed marriages, alcohol rehabilitation clinics and gambling losses -- played Friday and made the 36-hole cut despite bogeying the final two holes.
"While I slept at home last night, I was the victim of an assault by my wife," Daly said in the statement. "My only concern at this point is for the safety of my children and myself. We are working with local authorities and PGA Tour security to assure appropriate safeguards."
Daly has been married to his fourth wife, Sherrie, since 2001. She served a five-month jail term last year in Mississippi as part of a complex plea bargain that officials said involved a drug ring and illegal gambling.
Top-seeded Rice wins in NCAA baseball
HOUSTON, June 8 (UPI) -- Jordan Dodson singled in Danny Lehmann with two out in the 10th Friday night, giving Rice a 3-2 win over Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Rice captured the opener of what is one of eight best-of-three regional series taking place this weekend. The eight winners will advance to the College World Series.
The Owls -- the top seed remaining in the tournament -- rallied to tie Texas A&M in the ninth when Diego Seastrunk singled in Dodson.
Lehmann then reached on a bunt single with two away in the ninth, advanced to second on a walk to Joe Savery and came in when Seastrunk singled through the hole on the left side.
In the other series openers Friday, North Carolina was a 9-6 winner over South Carolina; Mississippi State rallied for an 8-6 decision over Clemson; and Louisville blanked Oklahoma State, 9-0.
Those series will continue Saturday, when the other four series -- Michigan at Oregon State; UCLA at California State-Fullerton; Mississippi at Arizona State; and California-Irvine at Wichita State -- will get under way.
Ryan Newman wins third straight pole
LONG POND, Pa., June 8 (UPI) -- Ryan Newman won his third straight Nextel Cup pole Friday, capturing the No. 1 starting position for Sunday's Pocono 500.
Newman turned a lap at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway in 52.922 seconds -- a speed of 170.062 mph.
It was Newman's fourth pole of the season and the 41st of his Nextel Cup career. He is tied for 11th with Mark Martin, who has been racing 21 years longer than Newman.
Denny Hamlin had the second-fastest time, 53.167. Hamlin won the pole at this event last year and went on to win the race.
The second row will be filled by Martin Truex Jr. (53.346) and Kyle Busch (53.527). Truex won last week's race at Dover by seven seconds -- the first Nextel Cup victory of his career.
Points leader Jeff Gordon will start 18th on Sunday.
Triple Crown season ends with Belmont
ELMONT, N.Y., June 8 (UPI) -- Preakness winner Curlin will leave the gate as the favorite Saturday when the Triple Crown season comes to an end with the running of the 139th Belmont Stakes.
There will again be no triple crown winner this year as Curlin nosed out Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
Street Sense will not run the Belmont, which will have a field of only seven to travel the 1 1/2-mile distance.
Hard Spun, third in the Preakness and second in Kentucky, is expected to be the chief challenger to Curlin.
"I think the race will be extremely competitive," said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Curlin. "Hard Spun is a very formidable horse who could be awfully hard to beat in the Belmont. Rags to Riches is very intriguing. She is just another quality horse in the race and Curlin is going to have to run extremely well to win."
