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Saturday, March 26, 2011 – Daily News – 5B Tiger lurks behind Laird Cousins leads Kings Arnold Palmer Invitational ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Martin Laird loves when he can smash a driver, and that carried him a long way Friday at Bay Hill. Laird reached three of the par 5s in two shots, convert- ed one of them into an eagle and wound up with a 7- under 65 for a one-shot lead over K.J. Choi and Spencer Levin in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It wasn’t just the par 5s. Even without any wind in the afternoon, Laird hit dri- ver on the 384-yard fifth hole to set up a simple pitch and another birdie. He closed his round with a 321- yard tee shot on the ninth and a 12-foot birdie. Choi put in three hybrids to go with his driver and two fairway metals, all to get ready for the Masters. It paid dividends at Bay Hill with a tournament-best 64. Levin didn’t play his best in the morning, but his putting car- ried him to a 70. Levin made all four of his birdie putts outside 15 feet to stay atop the leaderboard until Laird’s late surge. Tiger Woods is still in the game, too. Woods raised his arm on the ninth green as his 20- foot birdie putt rolled in for a 4-under 68, leaving him six shots behind going into the weekend. Considering how so much of his year has gone, this would be consid- ered progress for the six- time winner at Bay Hill. Laird was at 9-under 135. ‘‘I’m driving the ball really well and putting really well,’’ Laird said. ‘‘Ask any pro — that’s a pretty good combination to have, espe- cially on a golf course this long where you have to drive the ball in the fair- way.’’ CIT Semifinals Friday’s result Santa Clara 72, SMU 55 Saturday’s game Iona at East Tennessee State, 11 a.m. Temperatures are expect- ed to soar on the weekend, and Saturday figures to sort out several players still in the mix. Charles Howell III, who needs a win to play his hometown tournament in two weeks at Augusta National, had a 65 and was three shots behind with Hunter Mahan and Steve Marino. Mahan turned his fortunes around quickly. He went out in 38 to fall seven shots behind, then ran off four straight birdies to start the back nine, and finished with a shot that hit the pin on the 18th for his seventh birdie in a round of 69. He was ‘‘My game didn’t go anywhere ... it just didn’t feel good,’’ Mahan said. ‘‘But it can change that quickly. So I knew that and I just had to trust that it was going to happen.’’ Choi has never shot bet- ter than 67 at Bay Hill, and he wasn’t expecting a low one Friday. Along with changing his bag to include the three hybrids — his irons begin with the 7-iron — he saw Pat O’Brien last month to help with his putting and realized his pos- ture was off. Choi then went back to his old putter, and it was a happy reunion. ‘‘I would never have thought that I would score 8 under today on a course like NIT Semifinals At Madison Square Garden New York Tuesday’s games Wichita State vs.Washington State, 4 p.m. Colorado vs. Alabama, 6:30 p.m. this,’’ Choi said. ‘‘I’m just happy that I’ve done that, and I just want to keep this rhythm going on for the last two days.’’ For a short time, it didn’t seem as though so many players would be in the mix. Levin walked off the sixth green during his morn- ing round and noticed that he already had a six-shot lead. He didn’t make his first bogey of the tournament until the 14th hole of the sec- ond round, then dropped another shot on the 17th. He wound up with a 70 and had a two-shot lead when he finished, then fell one behind to Laird. ‘‘I scored a lot better than I played today,’’ Levin said. Marino played with Levin and was far more crisp, especially a series of iron shots around the turn that left him easy birdie putts. Marino had a 67, giv- ing him yet another chance of that first PGA Tour victo- ry. Already this year he had a chance in the Sony Open and the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. ‘‘Every time I put myself in a position like that, it gives me more confidence,’’ Marino said. WOMENS Regional Semifinals Saturday’s games DAYTON REGIONAL Tennessee vs. Ohio State, 9 a.m., ESPN Oklahoma vs.Notre Dame, 11 a.m., ESPN SPOKANE REGIONAL Gonzaga vs. Louisville, 6 p.m., ESPN Stanford vs.North Carolina, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2 Sunday’s games PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL Connecticut vs.Georgetown, 9 a.m., ESPN DePaul vs. Duke, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2 DALLAS REGIONAL PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational At Bay Hill Club and Lodge Course Orlando, Fla. - Purse: $6 million Yardage: 7,419; Par: 72 (36-36) TV: 9:30 a.m, TGC; 11:30 a.m., NBC First Round Leaders Martin Laird Spencer Levin 66-70— 136 -8 K.J. Choi 70-65— 135 -9 72-64— 136 -8 CBI Best-of-3 Championship Series Monday Game 1 Oregon at Creighton, 3 p.m. NBA NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division WL OT Pts GF GA SHARKS 43 23 9 95 220 198 Phoenix 41 24 11 93 218 208 Kings 42 26 6 90 203 180 Ducks 41 28 5 87 212 216 Dallas 38 25 10 86 206 206 Central Division WL OT Pts GF GA Detroit 43 22 9 95 238 211 Nashville 40 25 10 90 198 177 Chicago 40 25 8 88 238 202 Columbus 33 30 11 77 199 226 St. Louis 33 32 9 75 206 216 Northwest Division WL OT Pts GF GA y-Vancouver49 17 9 107 243 174 Calgary 37 28 11 85 230 222 Minnesota 35 31 8 78 185 207 Colorado 28 37 8 64 206 258 Edmonton 23 41 10 56 176 244 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division WL OT Pts GF GA x-Philadelphia 44 19 10 98 233 197 Pittsburgh 44 23 8 96 216 182 N.Y.Rangers 40 30 5 85 217 181 New Jersey 34 35 5 73 155 187 N.Y.Islanders 29 34 12 70 209 237 Northeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA Boston 41 22 10 92 224 176 Montreal 40 28 7 87 200 194 Buffalo 37 28 9 83 220 210 Toronto 34 31 10 78 199 228 Ottawa 29 37 9 67 171 228 Southeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA x-Washington 43 22 10 96 203 182 Tampa Bay 39 24 11 89 219 226 Carolina 35 29 10 80 209 220 Atlanta 31 31 12 74 205 242 Florida 29 36 10 68 184 207 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division ————————————————— Friday’s results Buffalo 4, Florida 2 Carolina 4, Tampa Bay 3 Ottawa 2, Washington 0 Pittsburgh 1, New Jersey 0, SO Vancouver 3, Atlanta 1 Saturday’s games San Jose at Phoenix, 6 p.m.,CSNC N.Y. Rangers at Boston, 10 a.m. Colorado at Los Angeles, 1 p.m. New Jersey at Buffalo, 4 p.m. Philadelphia at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. Tampa Bay at Carolina, 4 p.m. Toronto at Detroit, 4 p.m. Washington at Montreal, 4 p.m., NHLN Dallas at Nashville, 5 p.m. St. Louis at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Anaheim at Chicago, 5:30 p.m. Calgary at Edmonton, 7 p.m. Sunday’s games Florida at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. Ottawa at Atlanta, 11 a.m. Vancouver at Columbus, 2 p.m. Boston at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., CSNC Thursday’s late results Los Angeles 4, San Jose 3,SO Phoenix 3, Columbus 0 WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division WL Pct GB y-Lakers 51 20 .718 — Phoenix 36 35 .507 15 WARRIORS 30 42 .417 21.5 Clippers 28 44 .389 23.5 KINGS 19 52 .268 32 Southwest Division WL Pct GB x-S. Antonio 57 15 .792 — x-Dallas 51 21 .708 6 New Orleans43 31 .581 15 Memphis 40 33 .548 17.5 Houston 38 34 .528 19 Northwest Division WL Pct GB Okla. City 47 24 .662 — Denver 44 29 .603 4 Portland 42 30 .583 5.5 Utah 36 38 .486 12.5 Minnesota 17 57 .230 31.5 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division WL Pct GB y-Boston 50 21 .704 — Philadelphia37 35 .514 13.5 New York 35 37 .486 15.5 New Jersey 23 48 .324 27 Toronto 20 51 .282 30 Southeast Division WL Pct GB x-Miami 50 22 .694 — x-Orlando 47 26 .644 3.5 Atlanta 40 32 .556 10 Charlotte 29 42 .408 20.5 Washington 17 54 .239 32.5 Central Division WL Pct GB Chicago 52 19 .732 — Indiana 32 41 .438 21 Milwaukee 29 42 .408 23 Detroit 25 47 .347 27.5 Cleveland 14 57 .197 38 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division ————————————————— Friday’s results Sacramento 110, Indiana 93 Toronto at Golden State, late Charlotte 83, Boston 81 Chicago 99, Memphis 96 Cleveland 97, Detroit 91 Denver 114, Washington 94 Orlando 95, New Jersey 85 Miami 111, Philadelphia 99 Milwaukee 102, New York 96 New Orleans 106, Phoenix 100 Oklahoma City 111, Minnesota 103 Portland 98, San Antonio 96 L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers, late Saturday’s games New Jersey at Atlanta, 4 p.m., NBATV New York at Charlotte, 4 p.m. Indiana at Detroit, 4:30 p.m. Chicago at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m. Dallas at Utah, 6 p.m. Toronto at L.A. Clippers, 7:30 p.m. Sunday’s games Sacramento at Philadelphia,9 a.m.,CSNC Washington at Golden State,6 p.m.,CSNB San Antonio at Memphis, 3 p.m. Atlanta at Cleveland, 3 p.m. Houston at Miami, 3 p.m. Boston at Minnesota, 4 p.m. Portland at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m., ESPN New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 6:30 p.m. Dallas at Phoenix, 7:30 p.m., ESPN REGISTER NOW! Sign up today and avoid any future charges for e-edition access as long as you are a home delivery subscriber. It’s our way of saying THANK YOU for Subscribing to the Daily News print edition! • Access every page of the Daily News print edition from any computer, 24/7 • Access back editions to December, 2009 • Open, print, email and copy stories and ads! FREE REGISTRATION IS EASY! Just go to the online edition portal at www.redbluffdailynews.com or type this URL into your browser www.epageflip.net/title/5441 Not a home delivery subscriber? Go to the same location online for online-only subscription information Steve Marino 71-67— 138 -6 Charles Howell III 73-65— 138 -6 Hunter Mahan 69-69— 138 -6 Vaughn Taylor 70-68— 138 -6 Rickie Fowler 69-71— 140 -4 Jason Dufner 70-70— 140 -4 Tiger Woods 73-68— 141 -3 Sergio Garcia 73-68— 141 -3 David Toms 74-67— 141 -3 William McGirt 73-68— 141 -3 Bubba Watson 70-71— 141 -3 Ryan Moore 74-67— 141 -3 Chris Couch 70-71— 141 -3 Daily News Home Delivery Customers! Georgia vs.Texas A&M, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2 Baylor vs.Wis-Green Bay, 4 p.m., ESPN2 Kings 110 Indiana 93 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins had 18 points and 14 rebounds to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Indiana Pac- ers 110-93 on Friday night. Samuel Dalembert had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Francisco Garcia scored 16 points and Marcus Thornton added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who have won four of their last seven. Sacramento guard Tyreke Evans returned after missing 19 games with left foot plantar fasciitis and fin- ished with six points and eight assists in 17 minutes. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 20 points. Indiana missed an oppor- tunity to strengthen its grip on the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers entered the contest with a three-game lead over Milwaukee and Charlotte. Indiana shot 35 percent from the field and made just 4 of 25 3-point attempts NCAA Regional Semifinals Friday’s results EAST REGIONAL Kentucky 62, Ohio State 60 North Carolina 81, Marquette 63 SOUTHWEST REGIONAL Kansas 77, Richmond 57 Virginia Commonwealth 72, Florida St.71, OT Regional Finals Saturday’s games SOUTHEAST REGIONAL Florida vs. Butler, 1:30 p.m., CBS WEST REGIONAL Connecticut vs.Arizona, 4:05 p.m., CBS Sunday’s games SOUTHWEST REGIONAL Kansas vs VCU, CBS, 11:25 a.m., CBS EAST REGIONAL Kentucky vs.North Carolina, 2:05 p.m., CBS against the Kings, who have the fourth-worst record in the league. The Pacers were coming off road wins against New Jersey and Charlotte and had won five of seven. The game was competi- tive before Sacramento took control in the second quar- ter. A three-point play by Garcia gave the Kings a 47- 30 lead. The Kings outrebounded the Pacers 38-23 in the first half and held Indiana to 25 percent shooting to take 55- 37 lead at halftime. Cousins had 12 points and 10 rebounds before the break. The Kings led 65-46 when Garcia was called for a technical foul for arguing with an official. Granger, who had been held in check by Garcia up to that point, immediately became a fac- tor. He hit a 3-pointer to ignite a 16-6 surge that cut MLS WESTERN CONFERENCE WL T Pts GF GA Galaxy 1 0 1 4 2 1 Vancouver 1 0 0 3 4 2 Colorado 1 0 0 3 3 1 Salt Lake 1 0 0 3 1 0 FC Dallas 0 0 1 1 1 1 Seattle 0 2 1 1 1 3 Chivas USA 0 1 0 0 2 3 QUAKES 01 0 0 0 1 Portland 0 1 0 0 1 3 EASTERN CONFERENCE WL T Pts GF GA D.C. 1 0 0 3 3 1 Kansas City 1 0 0 3 3 2 Philadelphia 1 0 0 3 1 0 New York 1 0 0 3 1 0 Chicago 0 0 1 1 1 1 Houston 0 1 1 1 1 2 New England 0 0 1 1 1 1 Toronto FC 0 1 0 0 2 4 Columbus 0 1 0 0 1 3 ————————————————— Friday’s result Seattle FC 1, Houston 1, tie Saturday’s games San Jose at FC Dallas, 6 p.m. Portland at Toronto FC, 11 a.m. New York at Columbus, 1 p.m. Sporting Kansas City at Chicago, 1 p.m. Vancouver at Philadelphia, 1 p.m. D.C. United at New England, 1:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Real Salt Lake, 6 p.m. Colorado at Chivas USA, 7:30 p.m. Sacramento’s lead to 71-62 and forced the Kings to call a timeout. The Kings regrouped and led 85-68 at the end of the quarter. Indiana made a final surge. Paul George’s dunk cut Sacramento’s lead to 99- 86 with 3:47 to play, but back-to-back turnovers by the Pacers led to baskets by the Kings and ended the threat. Notes: The teams shot a combined 14 for 51 in the first quarter. ... Evans entered the game with 4:40 left in the first quarter. ... Butler’s mascot, an English Bulldog named Butler Blue II, made an appearance dur- ing a break in the second quarter. ARENA NATIONALCONFERENCE West Division Arizona 2 0 0 1.000117 83 Utah WL T Pct PF PA 1 0 0 1.000 72 36 CATS 21 0 .667 177 159 Spokane 0 3 0 .000 145 180 Central Division WL T Pct PF PA Chicago 3 0 0 1.000165 110 Dallas Iowa Kansas City 0 2 0 .000 103 113 Tulsa 0 2 0 .000 87 117 AMERICAN CONFERENCE South Division WL T Pct PF PA Orlando 1 0 0 1.000 47 34 Jacksonville 1 1 0 .500 123 112 Tampa Bay 1 1 0 .500 82 112 Georgia 1 1 0 .500 110 118 New Orleans0 2 0 .000 74 93 Eastern Division WL T Pct PF PA Cleveland 1 0 0 1.000 61 55 Philadelphia 1 1 0 .500 86 114 Pittsburgh 1 1 0 .500 110 86 Milwaukee 0 2 0 .000 72 111 ————————————————— Friday’s results Chicago 54, San Jose 41 Iowa 43, Spokane 42 Saturday’s games New Orleans at Jacksonville, 4 p.m. Utah at Orlando, 4:30 p.m. Sunday’s game Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m. Monday’s games Arizona at Tulsa, 4 p.m. Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 4:30 p.m. 2 0 0 1.000117 86 1 1 0 .500 71 100 D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY THE VOICE OF TEHAMA COUNT Y SINCE 1885 ONLINE E-EDITION IS subscription to the Your FREE