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Oosthuizen moves into British Open lead

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland, July 16 (UPI) -- Louis Oosthuizen shot 5-under-par 67 early Friday before the weather took over at St. Andrews, Scotland, and owns the lead halfway through the British Open.

Oosthuizen was among the first groups off Friday and was able to complete a round with seven birdies and two bogeys to move to 12-under-par 132 after 36 holes, which was good enough for a 5-stroke lead.

Not long after he left the course Friday, the wind arrived. Conditions were such that tournament officials halted play for 66 minutes because of steady winds of more than 40 mph. Even when play resumed, the wind was a consistent 30 mph.

Because of the delay, some players were unable to finish their second rounds and will be out early Saturday.

Rory McIlroy had the advantage of an early start Thursday and posted a 9-under 63 but Friday he was playing in the wind and turned in an 8-over 80 for a 36-hole total of 143, which is tied for 38th.

Oosthuizen opened Friday's play with four pars but ran off three consecutive birdies and passed McIlroy for the lead. He had three birdies and two bogeys in the first five holes of the back nine and capped his round with a birdie at No. 18.

Mark Calcavecchia, who was among the early starters Friday, matched Oosthuizen's 67 and is in second place, five strokes off the pace at 7-under 137. Paul Casey had a second consecutive 69 and is tied for third with Lee Westwood (71) at 6-under. Steven Tiley is also at 6-under but he's only completed 10 holes of his second round.

Contador cuts into Schleck's tour lead

MENDE, France, July 16 (UPI) -- Joaquin Oliver Rodriguez pushed past Alberto Contador in the final yards of Friday's leg of the Tour de France and won his first tour stage.

Rodriquez and Contador pulled away from other lead riders during the Category 2 climb near the end of Stage 12, a 126.3-mile run from Bourg-de-Peage to Mende in southern France.

Contador, second in the overall tour standings, was looking to make up time on leader Andy Schleck and led much of the final half mile of the stage. But Rodriguez stayed with him up the final climb and pulled past for the stage win with Contador right behind. Both were clocked in 4 hours, 58 minutes, 26 seconds.

Alexandre Vinokourov was third, 4 seconds back, while Schleck was in a group of five riders timed 10 seconds behind Rodriguez and Contador.

That allowed Schleck to keep the leader's yellow jersey but Contador cut the lead to 31 seconds. No other rider is within 2 1/2 minutes of the lead.

Saturday's stage -- the 13th of the 2,200-mile tour that ends July 25 in Paris -- is a 117.6-mile route from Rodez to Revel in southern France. The course has few flat areas, as indicated by the three Category 4 and two Category 3 climbs as the riders advanced toward the Pyrenees.

MLB: Chicago Cubs 4, Philadelphia 3

CHICAGO, July 16 (UPI) -- Aramis Ramirez hit an eighth-inning home run and scored two other runs Friday in helping the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ramirez's 11th home run of the year broke a 3-3 tie and handed a loss to Ryan Madson (2-1).

Ramirez also had a fifth-inning single and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk and doubled with two outs in the sixth ahead of Marlon Byrd's 10th home run off the year.

Chicago starter Ted Lilly allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 over seven innings but Sean Marshall (6-2) got the win with one inning of perfect relief. Carlos Marmol pitched the ninth and got his 17th save.

The Phillies opened the scoring in the fourth when Shane Victorino connected for his 15th home run of the year. Two innings later Ryan Howard hit a two-run home run -- his 20th homer of the season -- that put Philadelphia up 3-1 before Byrd's home run.

Packers' Jolly suspended by NFL

NEW YORK, July 16 (UPI) -- Green Bay defensive back Johnny Jolly was suspended indefinitely Friday by the NFL for substance abuse policy violations.

The disciplinary action takes effect immediately and Jolly, 27, will miss at least the entire 2010 season. His first opportunity to apply for reinstatement would be after the Super Bowl in February.

Jolly is facing trial in Houston this month on a 2008 arrest for allegedly having 200 grams of codeine. He could be sentenced to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

Jolly had 39 tackles, one sack and an interception last season when he started all 16 games for Green Bay. In four NFL seasons he has a total of 113 tackles.

The Packers issued a statement saying: "Johnny is a good player that loves everything about the game of football. We appreciate the contributions he has made to the Packers the past four seasons. His focus and priorities now lie elsewhere -- our thoughts are with him during this difficult personal time."