U.S. Open adds rest day, increases purse
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Dec. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. Open officials said they're adding a rest day between the semifinals and finals for men and women and increasing the total purse in the 2013 tournament.
The Open, the tennis year's final major tournament, has had its semis and finals on consecutive days in the past.
A release Friday from the U.S. Tennis Association said the tournament would be scheduled to end with the men's singles final on Monday, Sept. 9, two days after the Saturday semifinals.
The women's singles semifinals are to both be on Friday, Sept. 6, with the finals set for two days later on Sunday.
"I'm pleased that the USTA has modified the U.S. Open schedule to include a day of rest between the semifinals and final," said 2012 men's champion Andy Murray. "Together with the prize money increase, it's good that they've taken onboard the players' concerns."
The total purse for the 2013 Open will be $29.5 million, $4 million more than 2012 and a $6 million increase over 2011.
Officials said the prize money in the singles' tournaments had been increased 34 percent in two years.
Murray and women's singles winner Serena Williams each collected $1.9 million for winning the 2012 titles.
Satterfield to coach Appalachian State
BOONE, N.C., Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Scott Satterfield has been named to replace longtime Appalachian State football Coach Jerry Moore, the school said Friday.
Satterfield, 39, played quarterback at Appalachian State and was an assistant coach at the school for 12 seasons. Satterfield played for Moore, who coached the Mountaineers for 24 seasons.
School officials said this month that Moore's contract wouldn't be renewed and Satterfield was installed as interim head coach.
"It is with great pride that we announce that Coach Satterfield has agreed to lead Appalachian State's football program into a new era," Appalachian State Athletic Director Charlie Cobb said.
"Scott has been successful in every role that he has filled during his 15-year coaching career and obviously has great familiarity and love for Appalachian State."
Appalachian State was 8-4 this season and won at least a share of the Southern Conference title in seven of the last eight years. It was after a second-round playoff loss this month that Moore was told he wouldn't be asked to return.
Moore, 73, built a 215-87 record at Appalachian State. He previously coached at North Texas and Texas Tech.
Satterfield was an all-Southern Conference selection as a senior when the Moore-led Mountaineers went 12-1. He played from 1992-95. He was an Appalachian State assistant from 1998-2008 and left for stints at Toledo and Florida International before return to Appalachian State before the 2012 season.
Lara Gut wins downhill, Vonn hits fence
VAL D'ISERE, France, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Lara Gut of Switzerland won Friday's World Cup women's downhill in France after American Lindsey Vonn took a spill on her run.
Gut notched her first win in the downhill in a time of 1 minute, 19.75 seconds, just 0.16 seconds ahead of U.S. skier Leanne Smith, who reached the podium for the first time in her young World Cup career.
"Today was my day," said Smith, one of four U.S. finishers in the top 10. "I skied as hard as I could."
Nadja Kamer of Switzerland came in third in 1:20.25 and Slovenia's Tina Maze, the overall points leader, placed 12th.
Vonn skied off the wind-shortened course at Val d'Isere under her own power after a scary wipeout early in her run. Vonn lost her footing on a turn and wound up in the safety netting.
U.S. coach Alex Hoedelmoeser said he expected Vonn, who leads the World Cup downhill standings, to be recovered in time for Sunday's super-G event.
"She hit the fence hard so she's going to be sore, but in general she's OK," he said. "We'll see how she's feeling tomorrow but I expect her to race."
Schwartzel, Bourdy tied for Dunhill lead
MALELANE, South Africa, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Charl Schwartzel shot 8-under-par 64 Friday and pulled into a tie with Gregory Bourdy at the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.
Schwartzel, coming off an 11-stroke victory in Thailand last week, had six birdies and an eagle at the par-5, 541-yard 18th hole. Bourdy, the first-round leader, had an eagle but also his first bogey of the tournament en route to a 7-under 65.
The two players are tied at 13-under 131 after 36 holes.
They are four strokes ahead of Darren Fichardt, who had a 68 that left him alone in third at 9-under. Louis De Jager and Steve Webster, who each were 3-under 69 in the second round, are tied for fourth at 8-under.
Bourdy played the second nine of the Leonard Creek Golf Course first and was 2-under at the turn. He opened his second nine with back-to-back birdies but had a bogey at the third hole.
Bourdy had consecutive 2s -- a birdie at the par-3 fifth hole and a chip-in eagle at the 319-yard, par-4 sixth -- and a birdie at No. 8.
Schwartzel, also beginning on the 10th hole, was 2-under through seven holes. He then was 5-under over the next four holes, with a birdie at 17, an 18th-hole eagle and birdies at Nos. 1 and 2. A birdie at the fifth hole got him a share of the lead.
