Norman, three others break course record

Golf: Greg Norman looked like his old self Thursday at the U.S. Senior Open in Carmel, Ind.

There were the trademark drives, the string of birdies and those customary big crowds following his every move. He even rekindled an image he’d rather forget: a last-hole struggle.

Norman birdied four straight holes on the front nine, but a bogey on the final hole left him in a four-way tie with Joey Sindelar, Dan Forsman and amateur Tim Jackson at 6-under-par 66 after the first round at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Andy Bean and Fulton Allem are both one shot back at 67.

Jackson broke the record for low score by an amateur at this tournament, and he did it in his Senior Tour debut.

The course’s head pro, Tony Pancake, said the 66s were a competitive course record.

The suddenly rejuvenated Tom Watson delivered on his promise of playing conservatively because of an illness that limited him to one practice round. Watson, who lost the British Open in a playoff two weeks ago, finished with a 1-under 71.

•Stanford shares lead at Women’s British Open: Angela Stanford birdied the last hole with a 30-foot putt for a 2-under 70 and shared the first-round lead with Song-Hee Kim in the Women’s British Open at Lytham St. Annes, England.

Kim, one of 29 Koreans playing in the championship, holed out from 20 feet for birdie at the last hole.

Stanford and Kim were a shot ahead of Yuko Mitsuka of Japan and Hee Young Park of South Korea on a day when stiff winds on the back nine made scoring difficult.

Michelle Wie coped well to shoot a 1-over 73. Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa shot a 75 and LPGA Tour money leader Cristie Kerr had a 76.

Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., opened with an 81.

•Woods struggles, Lowery sizzles: Tiger Woods played a lot like the guy who didn’t make the cut at the British Open.

Woods shot a 1-under 71 at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc Township, Mich., his first tournament since disappointing at Turnberry.

He finished the first round tied for 128th on putts inside 10 feet and eight shots back of leader Steve Lowery.

Two weeks ago in the British Open, Woods was 7 over during a six-hole stretch and ended up missing a cut for the first time in three years.

Lowery took advantage of perfect conditions in the morning by tying a course record with a 29 on the front nine and finishing 9-under 63.

Vick claims he’s close to signing contract

NFL: The rejection notices for Michael Vick came from coaches Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears, Jeff Fisher of the Tennessee Titans and Tom Cable of the Oakland Raiders.

But New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn’t saying whether his team is interested in the quarterback.

The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served 18 months for running a dogfighting ring, said he is getting close to signing with a pro football team. Vick was conditionally reinstated Monday by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

•Brady battles through downpour: The only problems that got Tom Brady off the field were thunder and lightning.

The Patriots quarterback even kept playing through a torrential downpour at Foxborough, Mass., leading the offense through its paces.

Brady was back on the first day of New England’s training camp, taking snaps just as he did before he was knocked off the field for the 2008 season by a left knee injury in the first quarter of the opener.

•Pierce appears before grand jury: New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce appeared before the New York grand jury investigating gun charges against former teammate Plaxico Burress and was expected to return today.

Pierce did not comment as he left the courthouse. His lawyer, Michael Bachner, said, “We expect the grand jury testimony to continue tomorrow. At that point, after that, we’ll make a statement.”

Pierce was with Burress at The Latin Quarter club in Manhattan on Nov. 29 last year when the wide receiver shot himself in the leg.

World championships drown in records

Swimming: When in Rome, throw out the record book. No need for one at the fastest show on water.

Even with Michael Phelps sitting in the stands, seven more world records fell. For those who’ve lost count, that’s 29 over five days and there are still three days to go at the world championships.

At last summer’s Beijing Olympics, swimmers broke 25 records at the Water Cube, and the world thought that would be tough to beat.

Ryan Lochte got things rolling by breaking Phelps’ mark in the 200-meter individual medley, with the former record holder cheering him on.

KHL completes contract with Hudler

Hockey: Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League completed a contract with Detroit Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler.

The KHL registered Hudler’s two-year, $10 million contract in Moscow. A statement from the league cited two NHL teams’ pursuit of players under contract with KHL clubs and a lack of a player transfer agreement between the leagues as the impetus for the move.