Kapur shares 1st-round lead at Perth International

PERTH, Australia – India’s Shiv Kapur and Romain Wattel of France shot 6-under 66s Thursday to share the early first-round lead at the Perth International.

Australian Brett Rumford and Northern Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin were among those two strokes behind after 68s on the Lake Karrinyup Country Club course.

Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion playing for the first time in Australia, shot 70. Defending champion Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark had a 71.

Thompson takes 1st-round lead at LPGA Thailand

CHONBURI, Thailand – Lexi Thompson had two eagles in an 8-under 64 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over Q Baek at the LPGA Tour’s Thailand tournament.

Amy Yang, the defending champion, shot 66 and was two strokes behind after the first round. Two golfers were tied for fourth after opening 68s – Azahara Munoz and Jenny Shin.

“Two eagles definitely helps out the scorecard,” Thompson said. “We couldn’t have asked for better conditions, weather-wise and golf course, so just happy to be out here.”

The 20-year-old Baek won her first and only LPGA title on home soil in South Korea in 2014. She had an eagle and five birdies in her round of 65.

MLB

Cubs, Fowler agree to 1-year contract

MESA, Ariz. – Outfielder Dexter Fowler agreed to stay with the Chicago Cubs, agreeing Thursday to a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2017.

The 29-year-old hit .250 in 156 games last year and set career highs in many offensive categories as the Cubs reached the NL Championship Series. He had 102 runs, 17 homers, 149 hits and 84 walks. The speedy, switch-hitting Fowler is a career .267 hitter over eight major league seasons.

Fowler had turned down a $15.8 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Cubs in November.

Oakland sends pitcher Brooks to Cubs

MESA, Ariz. – The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed pitcher Aaron Brooks from the Oakland Athletics for outfielder Chris Coghlan on Thursday.

The 30-year-old Coghlan batted .250 with 25 doubles, 16 home runs and 41 RBIs in 148 games for the Cubs last season.

The 25-year-old Brooks is 3-5 with an 8.38 ERA in 58 innings during 15 big league appearances, including 10 as a starter, over the past two seasons with Kansas City and Oakland. He made 20 appearances in Triple-A last season and went 7-5 with a 3.56 ERA along with 103 strikeouts.

Giants’ Cain has cyst cut out from pitching arm

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – San Francisco Giants right-hander Matt Cain has undergone a procedure to have a cyst removed from his upper right arm.

General manager Bobby Evans made the announcement Thursday, when Cain had the cyst removed from his throwing arm by team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki in San Francisco.

NFL

British lawmakers write to NFL about Redskins name

LONDON – Two British lawmakers have written to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to complain about the nickname of the Washington Redskins ahead of the team’s visit to London next season.

Ruth Smeeth and Ian Austin, who are members of the Labour Party, wrote in a letter dated Feb. 2 that the NFL “should consider changing the name of the Washington franchise or, at a minimum, send a different team to our country to represent the sport, one that does not promote a racial slur.”

Associated Press