ELLIE MAE CLASSIC DAY 3: Yun holds onto slim lead

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Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle: Although eliminated from competition from Friday’s round Stephen Curry talks with the media after his second round of the Ellie Mae Classic golf tournament at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, Ca., on Fri. August 4, 2017. Curry finished the day at 8 over par for the tournament

By Jeremy Harness

 HAYWARD–Now that Steph Curry is out of the Ellie Mae Classic, the story now shifts to the guys who play the game of golf for a living, who rely on their performance in each tournament to improve their chances to get to the sport’s highest level.

 Stanford alum Andrew Yun is now 18 holes away from bettering his shot of getting his PGA Tour card for next season, as he leads this event by a single stroke after carding a 68 in the third round at TPC Stonebrae Saturday afternoon, as he heads into Sunday’s final round with an overall score of 15-under par.

 Yun is currently 12th on the Web.com Tour – considered the minor-league affiliate for the PGA Tour – and the top 25 players on this list at the end of the season get full exemption on the PGA Tour for the 2017-18 campaign.

 He exchanged two bogeys for a pair of birdies on the front nine, but he then played a tighter back nine to hold onto his lead. He parred the first three holes on the back side but then made back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14.

 As was the case on Friday, there are close followers waiting for Yun to slip up so that was they could grab the lead and have a chance to take home the trophy and move up the money list. One of those guys is Jim Knous, who went to college at the Colorado School of Mines and is currently 108th on the Web.com Tour.

 After a third-round 66, he only trails Yun by a shot. If he holds this position through Sunday, he is expected to jump 66 spots into the 42nd position with only a few events left in the regular season.

 Another player who can make a big jump and get close to the top 25 is Brandon Harkins, who is an alum of Las Lomas High School in nearby Walnut Creek and played his college golf at California State University, Chico. He shot a two-under 68 on Saturday and heads into the final round in a three-way tie for third and is only two shots off the lead.

 If his position stands, he would leap 14 spots to the 29th position and would stand an excellent chance to sneak into the top 25 and get his PGA Tour card for next season.

 He currently shares the third position with the likes of Lanto Griffin – who is named after a spiritual master (Lord Lanto) and Nate Lashley.

Parker wins it via walk-off in extras for 5-4 SF win

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San Francisco Giants’ Jarrett Parker watches the winning run score on his infield single while Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt waits on the late relay during the 10th inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, in San Francisco. The Giants won 5-4. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-On the night where Pablo Sandoval makes his return to the San Francisco Giants, the Giants won in dramatic fashion.

Jarrett Parker hit an infield single that scored Denard Span from third in the bottom of the 10th inning, as the Giants came back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 in 10 innings before a crowd of 39,532 at AT&T Park.

Span got the inning started with a double, then Kelby Tomlinson was intentionally walked; however, Brandon Crawford hit into a double play and then after Buster Posey also received an intentional walk and went to second on defensive indifference, Parker lashed a single up the middle and the throw to first base.

Things did not start well for the Giants, as the Diamondbacks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and then lengthened it to 4-0 before the Giants started their comeback.

The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning against Giants starting pitcher Chris Stratton.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly that David Peralta from third base, after Peralta led off the game with a single.

J.D. Martinez continued his hot hitting since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers, as he doubled to left field to score A.J. Pollock; however, on the play, Jake Lamb was thrown out at the plate on a great throw from Brandon Crawford at shortstop.

Crawford got a perfect throw from Jarett Parker before throwing to Nick Hundley, who tagged out Lamb.

Taijuan Walker pitched a great game for the Diamondbacks, as he went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while not walking a batter and striking out six and helped himself at the plate, as he singled and reached on a Brandon Crawford fielding error.

Walker scored the Diamondbacks third run of the game, as he crossed the plate on a Crawford fielding error off the bat of Pollock in the top of the fifth inning.

The Diamondbacks added a run in the top of the sixth inning, as Jeff Mathis scored on a Peralta single.

Sandoval got a huge seventh inning rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he led off the inning with a double and then scored on a Parker double and then Hunter Pence hit his ninth home run of the season and first at home to cut the Diamondbacks lead down to just one.

Stratton lasted just five innings, allowing three run (two earned) on five hits, while walking four and striking out four and like Walker, he took a no-decision.

NOTES: Jeff Samardzija takes the ball on Sunday afternoon, as he goes for his seventh win of the season. The Diamondbacks will send Patrick Corbin to the hill, as he looks for his ninth win.

Pence’s home run in the seventh inning against the Diamondbacks, the Giants homerless streak against the Diamondbacks at home is ended at 266. The last home run prior to Pence’s two-run home run by a Giants player was Grant Green against Robbie Ray on July 10, 2016.

George Kontos was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates on waivers, and he will report to the team

on Monday.

It just felt like six years of memories piled up on my shoulders real quick,” Kontos said while cleaning out his locker.”

Brandon Belt was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list, and his spot on the roster was taken by Stratton.

He’s been through this before,” Bruce Bochy said. “He did say he felt better in the early going than he has before. But these things are hard to figure out.”

Bochy added “He said last night, ‘I plan on being out seven days and coming right back.'”

Prior to the game, the Giants honored the 1997 team that won the National League West over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Players, coaches and executives from that team got together for a reunion and it was a treat to see them.

Rich Aurilia, Marvin Benard, Barry Bonds, Jacob Cruz, Shawn Estes, Mark Gardner, Brian Johnson, Jim Poole, Joe Roa, Rich Rodriguez, Kirk Rueter, J.T. Snow, Julian Tavarez, Jose Vizcaino and Stacey Beck, the wife of the late Rod Beck were all in attendance. Also in attendance, was former Assistant General Manager Ned Colletti, former Public Relations Director Bob Rose, then first base coach Carlos Alfonso and then third base coach Sonny Jackson.

MLB The Show Podcast with Matt Harrington: Don’t expect much from the Panda upon his Giant return; A’s Joyce faces discipline over gay slur

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In this photo taken Aug. 4, 2017, Oakland Athletics right fielder Matt Joyce smiles at fans as he walks back to the dugout after the bottom of the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif. The Athletics say they are in touch with the commissioner’s office a day after Joyce directed a gay slur toward a fan during Friday night’s game. Joyce has since apologized on Twitter. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

On the MLB The Show Podcast with Matt Harrington:

1 After his worst outing in giving up ten runs as a Texas Ranger Yu Darvish who was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers threw a 6-0 shutout for seven innings and struck out ten hitters in his Dodger debut

2  Minnesota Twins pitcher 44 year old Bartolo Colon threw a complete game against the Texas Rangers in a 8-4 win Friday night. Colon became the oldest pitcher to throw a nine inning shutout since Jamie Moyer who tossed one at age 47. The Rangers Nolan Ryan threw one at age 45.

3 San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval has been called up from Triple A Sacramento. Sandoval who was released by Boston was hitting .212 there in 32 games and .217 in Sacramento. Sandoval’s range was not like it was when he last played third for SF back in 2014 and neither is his hitting. Don’t expect much from Sandoval in this reunion coming to AT&T Park his return could be short lived.

4 Oakland A’s outfielder Matt Joyce who got into a jawing match with a fan and called him a gay slur and asked him to a fight after lining out to Angels first baseman CJ Cron. The conversation was overheard by AP photographer Mark J Terrill. “It’s just one of those things that fans kind of get into the game. Obviously, we’re pretty frustrated on our side and I had just hit a ball hard and Cron make a good play” Joyce said

Matt Harrington does the MLB The Show Podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

 

Categories MLB

A’s lose 8-6 in four run seventh-inning rally

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~ Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Troy Scribner sits on the ground after falling off the mound while pitching during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ ANAHEIM– Though Oakland held the lead for most of the game, the Los Angeles Angels’ chips finally felled the A’s, as the Angels rallied again with an 8-6 win Friday.

Pitching, walks, a stolen base and fielding all commingled to play a part in the loss. Oakland’s biggest lead was four runs.

Yunel Escobar’s 1,500th career hit led to the game-winning run. Jesse Chavez got the win, Bud Norris the save and Daniel Coulombe the loss.   

The A’s were able to fend off two previous rally attempts in the second and sixth. Starter Jharel Cotton and reliever Ryan Dull were able to get big men Mike Trout and Albert Pujols out when Los Angeles came within tying range.

On Trout Bobblehead Day, he was the first player to get on base.

The first two innings saw errors and runs by both teams.

With a walked runner on base and one out, Oakland’s Ryon Healy hit a ground ball which was at least one out, if not two. However, Escobar’s throw merely touched his teammate’s glove as the situation turned to two runners on base. After one more out, Matt Chapman brought all of the runners home with a three-run homer.

The A’s committed multiple errors in the bottom of the inning. The Angels responded well with a flurry of hits, starting with two straight. The second hit resulted in runners on the corner with no out when Jaycob Brugman misplayed the ball. Kole Calhoun was then able to score on a fly out from Ben Revere. Cotton had a wild pitch and then his next pitch hit Martin Maldonado on the back of his helmet, loading the bases. With two outs, Chapman also had a fielding error which made the score 3-2 and brought up Trout, but Cotton preserved the lead by inducing a fly out.

Brugman made a nice diving catch in the bottom of the fourth.

Opposing starter Troy Scribner fell after throwing a pitch in the top of the fifth. He was then replaced by Keynan Middleton after walking his second batter with no outs. Khris Davis eventually scored the two walked batters to make it 5-2. After an intentional walk, Middleton got the final two outs.  

It was a long sixth inning.

First, Oakland used two doubles an out apart to make it 6-2 in the sixth.

The A’s used three pitchers in the bottom of the inning as Los Angeles had their biggest threat of the game since the second. Cotton gave up a leadoff single and a walk, bringing in Liam Hendriks and signaling the rally monkey. C.J. Cron stole second base which allowed him and Andrelton Simmons to score when Cliff Pennington hit a single. Another single signaled in Dull to relieve Hendriks. Dull walked Trout to load the bases but then ended the threat when he got Pujols to pop out as Chapman traveled from third base to the other side of the left field foul line to catch the ball.

Oakland had a tougher start in the seventh inning. New pitcher Coulombe gave up two leadoff walks and went on a 2-0 count to Revere before walking him too.This brought in Blake Treinen. One out later, pinch hitter Luis Valbuena finally brought the Angels to a tie with a two-run single. Los Angeles then took the lead when Escobar bounced the ball to third and Chapman was unable to make a play. Trout made it 8-6. The four runs marked the highest scoring inning of the game.

Cotton had only given up one earned run until he left the game. He finished pitching five innings, giving up seven hits, four runs, three earned, one walk and two strikeouts on 83 pitches.

Scribner’s stat line in his first MLB start was four innings, two hits, five runs, two earned, four walks and three strikeouts on 74 pitches.

Game notes: The middle game of the series begins Saturday at 6:07pm  

ELLIE MAE CLASSIC: Curry bogeys twice drops shots in sixth and eighth holes to go four over 74

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HAYWARD, CA – AUGUST 03: Trying to look over a mound on the left side of the fairway, Stephen Curry prepares for his second shot on his first hole during the first round of the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, CA on Thursday, August 03, 2017. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

By Jeremy Harness

HAYWARD–Well, at least Steph Curry doesn’t have to go home having to worry about making a living as a professional golfer. He’s pretty good at the job that he has right now.

 A month and a half removed from winning his second NBA title in three years with the Warriors, the sharpshooter tried his hand at professional golf and, even though he came up plenty short of advancing into the weekend, he proved plenty of doubters wrong in the process.

 Starting on the 10th hole again on Friday, Curry got off to a nice start in parring the first four holes before recording a birdie at the 14th. He then sandwiched another birdie with two bogeys to finish his first nine at even-par for the round.

 However, things began to fall apart for him on the second nine. He bogeyed the second and third holes and then dropped a shot at the sixth and eighth holes to wrap up his round with a four-over 74.

 The two-time NBA MVP missed the cut by 11 shots, but by all accounts, he did very well given the odds he was facing and the amount of experience he was giving up to the rest of the field.

 Curry isn’t the first athlete from another sport to try and make his mark on the golf world at this event. Seven years ago, NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, an avid golfer in his own right, did not fare nearly as well.

 Rice struggled out of the gate with an opening-round of 83 before rebounding with a 76 the next day and, like Curry, missed the cut by a wide margin in what was called the Fresh Express Classic at the time.

 As for the rest of the field that made the cut, which was at three-under, they are all looking up at Andrew Yun at this point. The Stanford grad shot a 65 on Thursday to keep within striking distance and then fired an eight-under 62 in Friday’s second round to take the lead by two shots.

 Yun dropped a shot on his ninth hole after making two birdies on his first nine but really caught fire on his second nine. He went seven-under on that particular nine including a pair of eagles on both of the par-fives to go along with three birdies.

 Two shots behind him is Bay Area native Brandon Harkins, who carded a 65 after shooting a six-under 64 in the first round. He has plenty of company, too, as there is a seven-way tie for third at 10-under.

 

D-Backs Goldschmidt does it again in 2-1 win

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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt, right, hits an RBI-single in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Paul Goldschmidt just loves to hit against the San Francisco Giants, especially at AT&T Park.

Goldschmidt hit a hard single off the left field wall in the top of the sixth inning, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-1 victory over the Giants before a crowd of 38,967 at AT&T Park.

The Goldschmidt single scored David Peralta, who doubled to lead off the inning against Madison Bumgarner.

It was the second run batted in of the game for Goldschmidt, who drove in the first run of the game for the Diamondbacks when he tripled to centerfield in the top of the fourth inning to score A.J. Pollock, who singled with one out in the frame.

Anthony Banda picked up his first major league win, as he went six innings, allowing one run on just three hits, while walking four and striking out seven.

Bumgarner pitched deep into the night for the second straight start, as he pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out seven.

The Giants tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Brandon Crawford drew a bases loaded walk that scored Kelby Tomlinson from third base. Tomlinson led off the inning, as he laid a perfect bunt down the third base line for the Giants first hit of the evening.

There was a scary moment in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Banda hit Brandon Belt on the helmet and he immediately went to the ground holding his head.

Giants trainer Dave Groeschner and manager Bruce Bochy raced out of the dugout immediately to check on Belt, who also suffered two concussions in college and one in the major leagues.

According to Bochy, Belt is suffering from concussion like symptoms and will be re-evaluated on Saturday.

NOTES: Chris Stratton looks for his first win of the season on Saturday night, as he takes the mound for the Giants, while Taijuan Walker goes for his seventh win of the season for the Diamondbacks.

Once again, the Giants were held without a home run by Diamondbacks pitching, and it raises the homerless streak up to 242 at-bats, the longest active streak against the divisional opponent in the major leagues. The last Giants player to hit a home run versus the Diamondbacks was Grant Green against Robbie Ray on July 10, 2016, (STATS INC.)

NFL Headline News Podcast with London Marq: Dolphins express interest in Kaepernick after Tannehill goes down; Pats QB Brady feels great at 40; plus more NFL News

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Miami Dolphins NFL football player quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) prepares to pass during practice at the Dolphins training facility in Davie, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. (Taimy Alvarez/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

On the NFL Headline News Podcast with London:

1 The Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill who injured himself by dropping back to pass hyper extended his left leg. Tannehill needed left knee surgery from last season and planted his right leg on the play forcing his left leg to extend. Tannehill put off knee surgery and came into camp and Tannehill is reportedly considering having the knee surgery done while recouping from the extended leg.

2 San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon a rookie known in the NCAA for his unorthodox ways of tackling when he played at Colorado got a taste of the NFL in practice this week when the 49ers running back Carlos Hyde carried a six yarder in practice and knocked Witherspoon down at the goal line. It was Hyde’s way of seeing if Witherspoon can do the same thing in the NFL that he did in college ball. The 49ers defensive coaches said he’ll get a pass and will watch Witherspoon during this pre season month. Witherspoon is 30 pounds lighter than Hyde by the way.

3 New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady who is 40 is ready, feels good, and says he feels in good physical shape as he heads into camp . 40 seems to be the magic number for someone’s down hill for their career in football but if last season was any indication Brady actually might end up schooling a lot of opponents this season.

4 A report from ESPN has Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti denying quarterback Colin Kaepernick to sign with the Ravens especially after Ravens general manger Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh let it be known that they wanted Kapernick on the team. Bisciotti has said he never denied Kaepernick a chance to join the team. As of right now Kaepernick has not signed with the Ravens or anyone else.

London Marq is filling in for Tony Renteria for NFL Headline News this week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Categories NFL

Bridge-ing the gap…for now: Giant’s get the last blow in with a 11-2 laugher over the A’s

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San Francisco Giants’ Jarrett Parker, center, celebrates with teammates after a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in San Francisco, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. The Giants won 11-2. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–When it’s all about next season for both, downtrodden Bay Area baseball teams, it’s still competition.

So on Thursday, the Giants dialed up a response to Wednesday’s embarrassing 6-1 loss to the A’s. Call it, we see your Daniel Gossett and Ryon Healy, and will raise you a Ty Blach and a Ryder Jones.

Nothing resonates when your 35 games out of first place in August, but young, promising faces come the closest. Jones and Jarrett Parker combined for five hits and four RBI.  Blach pitched eight innings, won for the seventh time, and hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

“I think he surprised us all, how far he hit that ball,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It was the Ty Blach show tonight.”

Kendall Graveman was a washout for Oakland, lasting just two innings and departing with the Giants leading 7-0 on their way to a 11-2 win. Graveman hadn’t pitched since May due to a shoulder issue that sidelined him, and he looked healed, but out of sync.

The Giants didn’t ease up when Graveman departed. Blach’s three-run shot came in the fifth, and it was the first Giants’ round tripper with two aboard all season at AT&T Park. It also put the Giants up 11-1 through five innings, a lead so rare it might wind up in a Smithsonian exhibit at some point.

The four-game set didn’t quite produce a competitive game, the first, an 8-5 win for the A’s came closest. But this is what last place clubs do, look good one minute, and dreadful the next. The goal for both the Giants and the A’s is to build on what appears promising, and get a preview during this season-closing stretch.

To that point, the Giants announced that Chris Stratton will replace Matt Cain in the starting rotation, and veteran Denard Span will play extensively in left field as the club prepares for a younger outfielder–maybe Jones, Parker or the injured Austin Slater–to take the reins in center.

Brandon Belt homered in the second, his team-leading 18th of the season. The Giants had 13 hits, one night after they managed just two hits opposite Oakland’s 6-1 lead in the fifth.  Blach threw at least six innings in a start for the sixth, consecutive outing.

The Giants continue their home stand Friday night with Madison Bumgarner facing Arizona’s Anthony Banda at 715pm.

 

Giants behind Blach’s pitching and hitting, crush the A’s 11-2 and earn a split the four-game series

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San Francisco Giants’ Ty Blach, left, is congratulated by third base coach Phil Nevin (16) after hitting a three-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

by Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO– The San Francisco Giants pounded the A’s Thursday night winning the game 11-2. Kendall Graveman, the A’s starter, came off the 10-day DL and made his first start since May 19th. Graveman did not pitch well as he lasted just two innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits. The Giants’ starter, Ty Blach, handled the A’s quite easily. Not only did Blach pitch well, but he also hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning. It was the first three-run homer hit by a Giants at home this season.

The A’s Kendall Graveman had a very rocky first inning. The Giants sent eight men to the plate as they scored four times on five hits. With one out, Ryder Jones singled. Brandon Belt doubled to send  Jones to third. Buster Posey singled to drive in Jones with the Giants’ first run. Brandon Crawford singled to drive in Belt. Graveman retired Hunter Pence for the second out but gave up a double to Jarrett Parker that plated Posey and Crawford to give the Giants a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.

The Giants continued to treat Graveman as if it was batting practice.  Denard Span started the rally going in the second with a  leadoff double. Ryder Jones singled to drive in Span. It was Jones’ second hit of the game. Brandon Belt followed with his eighteenth homer of the year to give the Giants a commanding 7-0 lead.

The A’s put one on the board in the fourth. Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Healy popped out, and Blach struck out Chad Pinder looking. Matt Chapman, with the count 3-2 and Lowrie and Davis running on the pitch, blooped a single to right. Lowrie scored, but Davis was not able to score. Blach retired Bruce Maxwell to end the inning.

The Giants continued the rout as they scored four times in the fifth to blow open the game. Chris Smith was on the hill for Oakland. He retired the first two hitters. However, the Giants scored a run on back to back doubles by Pence and Parker. The A’s issued Joe Panik his second intentional walk of the night to pitch to Ty Blach. The strategy backfired as Blach unloaded his first home run of his career. The ball was hit over the 399-foot marker in center field.The Giants’s fans were ecstatic as the the guys in Orange and Black were pounding the A’s 11-1 with four more innings to go.

The A’s Rajai Davis hit a solo homer in the eighth to make it an 11-2 game.  Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy removed Blach after the eighth inning, and he replaced him with Cory Gearrin.  Gearrin was able to retire the A’s in the ninth to preserve the win for the Giants and Ty Blach. The Giants win 11-2, and Tony Bennett serenaded the crowd with his famous rendition of “I left my heart in San Francisco.” as the fans headed home.

Game Notes- The Giants’ had lots of highlights in the game. Jarrett Parker just off the 60-day DL had two doubles and a single and drove in three runs. Ryder Jones just recalled from Sacramento, singled his first two plate appearances. Brandon Belt had a double and a home run. The star of the game was Ty Blach. Blach went eight innings and allowed two runs and just six hits. Blach also hit a three-run homer.

Bob Melvin didn’t have much to say about Graveman’s performance other than this:”his velocity was down.”

The A’s Rajai Davis hit a solo homer in the eighth, and Simon Castro retired all six hitters he faced in his two innings of work. Chris Smith pitched the last four innings of the game for the A’s.

The A’s travel to LA to play a three-game series with the Angels starting on Friday. Jharel Cotton will go for Oakland, and Troy Scribner will pitch for LA.

Time of game was two hours and thirty-eight minutes and 39,883 fans were on hand to see the Giants split the four game series with the A’s

ELLIE MAE CLASSIC: Curry holds his own with 74

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Golden State Warriors NBA basketball player Stephen Curry hits his approach shot from the eighth fairway as his caddie, Jonnie West, left, looks on during the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, in Hayward, Calif. Curry shot a 4-over-par 74. West is the son of basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

By Jeremy Harness

 HAYWARD–The Ellie Mae Classic, held at Hayward’s TPC Stonebrae, has a field of elite golfers. However, the one with the least amount of experience is getting most – if not all – of the attention this week.

 And apparently, that is perfectly fine with everyone involved.

 Warriors star guard Stephen Curry, who has gotten his golf game down to a scratch handicap, drew large crowds at the first round and is expected to draw even bigger ones for Friday’s second round.

 However, chances are that he won’t make it into the weekend, meaning that the crowds would slim down at that point. Here’s an idea of the long odds that Curry is facing this week, given he makes the cut: A bet of $1,000 on Curry winning the tournament would pay out an amount of $250 million

 With that said, Curry gave a very nice showing in the first round of this tournament in Thursday’s first round. Starting on the 10th hole, he got off to a shaky start, bogeying three of the first five holes for a score of three-over par.

 However, he got things back together with a birdie at the par-5 15th and ran off four straight pars before having to settle for a bogey at the second hole. He then sandwiched a double bogey at the par-4 fifth a pair of birdies before finishing his round with a bogey at the par-5 ninth.

 After all was said and done, the two-time NBA MVP, who on Thursday played with defending tournament champion Stephan Jaeger, who set a PGA Tour record last year in this tournament with a first-round 59, finished with a four-over score of 74 and a tie for 145th.

 “I would obviously like to make the cut and see if that’s in the cards,” Curry said. “It would probably require me to play two of the best rounds I’ve probably played in my life. But why not take advantage of the opportunity that I got right now?”

 Here’s what Curry has to go up against.

 Nicholas Thompson grabbed the lead by one stroke with an opening-round, bogey-free score of 63. He got off to a hot start, as he tore through his first nine holes by going five-under and then ran off two more birdies on the second nine to grab the lead as Friday rolls around.

 Right behind Thompson are five players who are tied for second, all of whom shot rounds of 64 on Thursday. Meanwhile, there are six more players who are just one stroke behind them with five-under rounds.

 Jaeger, who won this tournament last year, did not blister this course like he did in 2016, but he is still in the hunt after shooting a three-under 67. He finished his first nine at even-par after exchanging a bogey with a birdie, but he came alive on the back nine, running off four birdies in a seven-hole span before taking a bogey on his final hole.