Baddeley, Byrd share lead; Woods one back

Aaron Baddeley and Jonathan Byrd were on their way to the top of the leaderboard Friday at the BMW Championship in Lemont, Ill., when Tiger Woods figured he better get going if he didn’t want to be left behind.

That’s about the time he started losing his swing and finding his putter, which wasn’t a bad combination at Cog Hill.

Baddeley returned from a three-hour rain delay by making three consecutive birdies and finished strong for a six-under-par 65, giving him a share of the lead with Byrd (69) enter- ing the weekend of the third tournament in the PGA Tour playoffs.

Baddeley and Byrd, both of whom have won on the PGA Tour this year, were at nine-under 133.

But it was difficult to ignore Woods, who shot 67 to put him one shot behind along with Steve Stricker (66), Justin Rose (69) and Camilo Villegas (69).

Rookie Kristy McPherson shot a six-under 66 to share the clubhouse lead at the rain-soaked LPGA NW Arkansas Championship at Rogers. McPherson, Teresa Lu and Katherine Hull were all a stroke ahead of Sherri Turner.

They were among the few who finished the first round. Heavy rain fell during the morning, delaying the start of the 54-hole event by 4 1/2 hours.

Play was suspended because of darkness with 72 players not finishing.

The round will be completed this morning.

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MOTOR RACING

Kyle Busch wins

Busch Series race

Kyle Busch led for all but 25 laps at Richmond International Raceway in Virginia, earning the ninth NASCAR Busch Series victory of his career and second of the season.

Busch, who also won the pole earlier in the day, never gave up the lead for more than 17 laps and took it for good on Lap 160 of the Emerson Radio 250 when Matt Kenseth spun while avoiding an accident.

Carl Edwards, the runaway series points leader, finished second in a Ford to extend his margin to 733 points over Kevin Harvick with seven races left on the schedule.

Jimmie Johnson, who won the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at California Speedway last Sunday to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Cup, won the pole for tonight’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway with a fast lap of 126.298 mph in a Chevrolet.

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TRACK AND FIELD

Richards (49.36) runs

world best in 400

American Sanya Richards had a season-best time of 49.36 in the 400 meters at the Weltklasse Golden League meet in Zurich, Switzerland, staying in the race for the million-dollar jackpot.

World-championship bronze medalist Novlene Williams of Jamaica was second in 50.85, and Amy Mbacke Thiam of Senegal was third in 50.95.

The million-dollar jackpot is split among athletes who win their selected event in all six Golden League meets.

American Michelle Perry’s hopes of a share of the money ended when she finished third in the 100 hurdles.

But Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva -- fresh from repeating her world title at Osaka, Japan -- won with a height of 15-9.

She is the only other athlete still in the chase.

Susanna Kallur of Sweden won the 100 hurdles in 12.66. World bronze medalist Delloreen Ennis-London of Jamaica was second in 12.68. Perry finished third with the same time.

In the men’s 100, Francis Obikwelu of Portugal won in 10.17.

World champion Tyson Gay and silver medalist Derrick Atkins withdrew from the race, citing fatigue.

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BOXING

Marquez-Juarez

title fight is off

Juan Manuel Marquez’s first defense of the World Boxing Council super-featherweight belt he won in March has been canceled.

Marquez suffered a cut on his right hand that developed into an infection, Marquez’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, said. Marquez was set to defend his title Sept. 15 against Rocky Juarez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

No makeup date has been scheduled.

-- Lance Pugmire

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Miscellany

Argentina upsets France

in Rugby World Cup

Argentina upset France, 17-12, in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup at Paris to stun the host nation.

France must now worry about early elimination instead of chasing the title.

Ignacio Corleto scored on the first try and the only one of the game in which teammate Felipe Contepomi and French flyhalf David Skrela matched each other with four penalties.

Skrela and replacement Frederic Michalak each missed easy penalties and those six points would have given the French a one-point victory.

Russia remained unbeaten at the European Championships in Madrid with a 78-65 victory over Portugal. Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko led Russia (4-0) with 16 points.