PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Rory McIlroy says he should have finished his second round at the Honda Classic, telling Sports Illustrated magazine that “it was not the right thing to do” to walk out after eight holes of his second round.
McIlroy was 7-over for the round and headed toward another missed cut when he hit his second shot into the water on the 18th and abruptly withdrew without finishing the hole.
“What I did was not good for the tournament, not good for the kids and the fans who were out there watching me. It was not the right thing to do,” McIlroy told the magazine in a telephone interview Sunday night
He is playing the Cadillac Championship at Doral this week and is to speak to the media today.
BASKETBALL
Canterbury junior wins weekly honor
Canterbury junior Kindell Fincher was named an IBCA girls Player of the Week. Fincher had 17 points and a record 19 rebounds as the Cavaliers beat Vincennes Rivet 42-35 in the state championship Saturday at Indiana State for their fifth state title in six years.
Celtics beat 76ers, continue climb
In Philadelphia, Paul Pierce had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Avery Bradley scored 22 points to lead Boston to a 109-101 win over Philadelphia. Kevin Garnett scored 18 points to help the Celtics continue their push up the Eastern Conference standings. Jrue Holiday had 18 points and 10 assists for the Sixers, and Thaddeus Young had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
NBA news
Aaron Brooks signed with Houston and will join a completely different lineup from when he left two years ago. … Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka was fined $25,000 by the NBA for striking Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers in the groin area during Sunday’s game.
Bluejays’ forward toast of MVC again
Creighton’s Doug McDermott is the Missouri Valley Conference’s player of the year for the second straight season. McDermott is joined on the all-conference first team by Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early, Illinois State’s Jackie Carmichael, Indiana State’s Jake Odum and Evansville’s Colt Ryan.
FOOTBALL
7 hall nominees have Indiana ties
Seven former players from Indiana were nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame by the National Football Foundation. Indiana University quarterback Antwaan Randle El and fullback Tom Nowatzke, Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable, receiver Raghib Ismail and offensive linemen Aaron Taylor and Purdue split end Larry Burton and defensive tackle Dave Butz were among the 77 players and five coaches up for induction. The Hall of Fame class will be announced May 7.
Illinois assistant bolts to Purdue
A person familiar with the decision says Illinois offensive line coach Jim Bridge is leaving to take a job at Purdue just more than a month after he was hired. He will become an assistant on first-year Purdue coach Darrell Hazell’s staff.
College roundup
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer began his second spring practice with the Buckeyes looking to fill huge departures on the defensive line and at linebacker. … Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner was granted an extra season of eligibility due to medical hardship.
Around the NFL
Green Bay declined to use its franchise tag on Greg Jennings, meaning the star wide receiver will become an unrestricted free agent next week. … Minnesota released wide receiver Michael Jenkins. … Buffalo linebacker Shawne Merriman announced on his website that he plans to retire.
LEGAL
Cheerleading not sport, judge rules
U.S. District Court Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Connecticut has again ruled that competitive cheerleading, despite some upgrades, is not a sport, and says Quinnipiac University must remain under an injunction that requires the school to keep its women’s volleyball team.
TELEVISION
Fox to launch sports network
Fox says its new sports cable network will launch Aug. 17. The network said that Fox Sports 1, converted from Speed TV, will be in 90 million homes. The company has rights to college basketball and football, NASCAR, soccer and UFC. Starting in 2014, FS1 will broadcast Major League Baseball games.
