Sports in Brief: Issler, Smith share the lead in N.J. Open

Posted: July 12, 2012

Mark Issler of Toms River Golf Center and amateur Benjamin Smith of Little Mill shot 4-under 68s to share the first-round lead in the 92d New Jersey State Golf Association Open Championship in Brielle, N.J., on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Issler, whose father Bob won the state Open in 1981, had five birdies and a bogey in his round on the 6,845-yard Manasquan River Golf Club.

Smith, the runner-up in last year's New Jersey Amateur, had six birdies and a double bogey in his round, in taking a 1-stroke lead over amateurs Robert E. Cronheim and Brandon Dalinka.

Cronheim and Dalinka each had four birdies and a bogey.

The top 25 players from the Web.com Tour are assured of getting PGA Tour cards under a new system that does away with Q-school.

Starting in September 2013, the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour and the top 75 PGA Tour players who do not qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs will compete in three $1 million tournaments known as "The Finals." All players start from scratch and the top 50 earn their cards.

The Madrid Open has been removed from the European Tour's calendar because of a lack of funding. No sponsors for the Sept. 20-23 event were found to replace Bankia, the bailed-out Spanish bank that sponsored the tournament.

SOCCER: Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona was fired as manger of the United Arab Emirates side Al Wasl after a season in which the Dubai club finished in eighth place in a 12-team league and even failed to win a second-tier competition.

NHL: The St. Louis Blues signed Jamie Langenbrunner to a one-year contract and traded forward B.J. Crombeen, to Tampa Bay for future draft picks.

The New Jersey Devils signed free-agent forward Krys Barch to a two-year contract.

NBA: The Associated Press reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to terms on a deal with Russian guard Alexey Shved.

Free agent forward Rashard Lewis agreed to terms with the Miami Heat and is expected to sign Wednesday.

Guard JR Smith re-signed with the New York Knicks.

The Milwaukee Bucks signed first-round draft pick John Henson to a multiyear deal.

COLLEGES: Immaculata named Terrence Stewart as head men's basketball coach.

Iowa announced that head basketball coach Fran McCaffery has signed a seven-year deal.

HIGH SCHOOLS: Timber Creek senior running back Zaire Williams has committed to attend West Virginia on a football scholarship. Williams, a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, ran for 1,621 yards and 29 touchdowns last season at Cherokee before he transferred to Timber Creek.

La Salle teammates Sean Coleman, a senior midfielder, and Matt Rambo, a senior attack, along with Abington senior defender Austin Pifani, were among those selected by a panel of lacrosse experts and coaches for the 2012 ESPNHS Warrior 40 competition for the nation's elite players. The competition, which takes place August 13-15 in Commerce City, Colo., focuses on improving the skills and knowledge of the nation's elite high school players.

NASCAR: The U.S. Army will not return to Stewart-Haas Racing next season, citing a reallocation of its marketing budget.

- Staff and wire reports

|
|
|
|
|