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ByAndrewDampf The Associated Press MONT VENTOUX, FRANCE On Bastille Day, fans created havoc at the Tour de France like never before. Storming the road on France's national day, the crowd prompted a crash involv- ing race leader Chris Froome and it wasn't until hours after the wacky 12th stage concluded that organizers decided the Brit- ish rider could keep the yellow jersey. "Mont Ventoux always throws up something different and to- day was no exception," Froome said. "You always have to expect the unexpected at the Tour." In a complete embarrassment for cycling's biggest race, Richie Porte crashed headfirst into a motorbike carrying a TV cam- era, and Froome, who was right behind his former teammate, also hit the pavement in the fi- nal kilometer on the wind-short- ened climb up legendary Mont Ventoux. "The crowd was just all on the road, and a motorbike stopped right in front of us and we had nowhere to go," Porte said. "The next minute, I went straight over the top of the motorbike. It was just a mess." Last week, Froome punched the face of a spectator who got too close to the race. "I agree that you come to the race, you have a good time, but you don't need to be running be- side the riders, you don't need to be hitting riders, pushing rid- ers," said Porte, who was being examined for possible injuries. "Things have got to change, and TOUR DE FRANCE On Bastille Day, rabid fans spark chaos Overall race leader Froome involved in crash prompted by crowd during wacky 12th stage BERNARDPAPON— POOLPHOTO Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, right, Netherlands' Bauke Mollema, center, and Australia's Richie Porte crash in the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday. By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press TROON, SCOTLAND Phil Mick- elson was 16 feet away from a place in history he wouldn't have to share with anyone. Fans watched from a rooftop balcony. Royal Troon members strained to see out the window from the clubhouse behind the 18th green. Jack Nicklaus usu- ally doesn't watch golf on TV, but he made an exception for this moment. In 436 majors held over the last 156 years, no one had ever shot 62. That's still the case. By a frac- tion of an inch. "I want to cry," Mickelson said. Mickelson pointed his putter toward the hole and was ready to step into history Thursday in the British Open when his birdie putt turned sharply to the right at the mouth of the hole, just enough to ride the edge around the back of the cup and sit there, teasing him. "You made a beautiful read and putt on that last hole but got absolutely stone-cold robbed," Nicklaus said in a message on Facebook. Mickelson plopped his hand on his forehead in disbelief. His caddie, Jim "Bones" Mackay, was so stunned that he fell over backward. "It was one of the best rounds I've ever played ... and yet I want to shed a tear right now," Mick- elson said. "That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical. I knew it, and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the center. I went to go get it. I had that surge of adrena- line that I had just shot 62, and then I had the heartbreak that I didn't." No tears were necessary at Royal Troon, not after a round of 63 that was brilliant even by Lefty's standards, and certainly not after building a three-shot lead over Patrick Reed and Mar- tin Kaymer on an ideal day by the Irish Sea. Mickelson seized the mo- ment with a birdie on the par-5 16th from a bunker short of the green, and a 4-iron to 15 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th to reach 8-under par. He knew no one had ever shot 62 in a major. He also knew he most likely would never get a chance like this. "That would have been really something special," he said. "So to have that putt lip out, that's going to sting for a while." Even with such a close call, Mickelson is in good company. Nicklaus missed a putt just inside 3 feet for a 62 in the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol. Greg Norman had to only two-putt from 30 feet for a 62 at Turn- berry in the 1986 British Open and took three putts. Tiger BRITISH OPEN GOLF Onthecuspofhistory, Mickelsonshoots63 'Le y' takes 3-shot lead over both Reed, Kaymer in opening round in Scotland MATT DUNHAM — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Phil Mickelson plays out of a bunker on the 16th green during the first round of the British Open Championship on Thursday. BEN CURTIS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Patrick Reed, of the United States, plays out of the heavy rough on the 12th fairway during the first round of the British Open Championship on Thursday. By Jimmy Golen The Associated Press FOXBOROUGH, MASS. Tom Brady is down to his last chance, and it's not a very good one. If the New England Patriots quarterback is to avoid a four- game suspension in the scandal known as "Deflategate," he will have to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to take his case. Only about 1 percent of the appeals submit- ted to the nation's highest court are accepted, and they tend to be about grand constitutional issues. Not, you know, deflated foot- balls. Brady's latest appeal was re- jected on Wednesday by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which turned away his request with a one-paragraph ruling. The NFL Players Association said it was disappointed but declined to say whether it planned to appeal. Here are some things to look for as "Deflategate" mercifully, winds down: Appeal Should Brady choose to appeal, he would ask the 2nd Circuit for a stay of the ruling and, if un- successful there, make the same NFL What now for Brady, Patriots on appeal Star QB needs Supreme Court to take his case ELISE AMENDOLA — ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on Wednesday had a federal appeals court reject his attempt to get a new hearing on his suspension. REED SAXON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS USC head coach Clay Helton talks about "juggling" several roles during his time at USC as he speaks to reporters at the Pac-12 football media day in Los Angeles on Thursday. By Greg Beacham The Associated Press LOS ANGELES The Pac-12 has no clear football favorite this fall, and the biggest reason is obvious at the conference's annual Holly- wood media days. Of the 24 players invited to rep- resent their schools from this fa- mously pass-happy league, just one is a quarterback. Most of the West Coast's usual powers still are uncertain who will be throwing the ball this fall. Stanford's Kevin Hogan, South- ern California's Cody Kessler, Or- egon's Vernon Adams, California's Jared Goff, Utah's Travis Wilson and Arizona State's Mike Bercov- ici are all gone. In fact, only four teams — UCLA, Washington, Colorado and Washington State — have clear re- turning starters. Arizona's Rich Rodriguez is among the coaches who believe a quarterback competition takes place every week, which is why the prolific Anu Solomon isn't guaranteed to be his starter. Other coaches, including USC's COLLEGE FOOTBALL Pac-12 parity rooted in QB changes at power schools GOLF PAGE 2 CYCLING PAGE 2 BRADY PAGE 2 PAC-12 PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, July 15, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1