Sports in brief

April 15, 2011

GOLF

Rory McIlroy is rebounding quite nicely after his collapse in the final round of the Masters. He shot an 8-under 64 in the rain-shortened second round of the Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur and shares the lead with Alexander Noren of Sweden at 11-under 133. McIlroy entered the final round of the Masters with a four-stroke lead and shot 80, then flew to Malaysia where his clubs were delayed in transit.

Thorpe returns to Champions Tour

Jim Thorpe, the Champions Tour player who twice won the senior tour event on Long Island, played his first tournament since being released from an Alabama prison Jan. 17 on tax charges. Thorpe shot a one-over-par 72 in the first round of the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Tampa. Russ Cochran leads with a 64.

Beem shares lead at Texas Open

Rich Beem, who hasn't made a cut this season in six tournaments, shot a two-under-par 70 to share the 36-hole lead at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

CYCLING

Official: Banned doc met with Armstrong

Lance Armstrong and a banned Italian physician have met repeatedly in Europe since severing formal ties in 2004, including as recently as last year before Armstrong's final Tour de France, a high-ranking Italian law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Michele Ferrari was cleared in 2006 of criminal charges accusing him of distributing doping products to athletes, but he remains barred for life by the Italian Cycling Federation. Italian authorities suspect Ferrari of continuing to work with 20 to 30 top level cyclists despite his ban, including Armstrong, and are actively pursuing that line of investigation.

TENNIS

Melzer ousts Federer in Monte Carlo

Roger Federer fell 6-4, 6-4 to Jurgen Melzer in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, his earliest loss in a tournament since Wimbledon last year. -- AP

1m read