Briefly: Rickie Fowler leads Phoenix Open after closing with run of birdies

Rickie Fowler closed with four consecutive birdies for a 6-under 65 on Friday, draining an 8-foot putt on the final hole to take a one-shot lead over Justin Thomas into the weekend at the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open.

Fowler and Thomas (66) are roommates this week.

"Getting to play with your buddies, those are the people you want to lose to the least," said Fowler, who was at 13-under 129 after opening with a 64. "I definitely don't want him out in front of me."

Branden Grace aced the 193-yard seventh hole and was two shots back along with Trey Mullinax. Both shot 64.

Phil Mickelson shot a 75 and finished 1 over, missing the cut for the fifth time in 30 starts at the Phoenix Open. He is a three-time champion.

Fowler made a 4-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 12th, then two-putted for birdie on No. 15. He made a 10-footer on No. 16, two-putted for birdie on the drivable par-4 17th and smoked a 344-yard drive on the closing hole, left his approach just behind the hole and made the 8-foot putt.

• Dustin Johnson shot a course-record 9-under 61 and took a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Saudi International, a European Tour event in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. The world's top three players were entered; Rose is No. 3. Top-ranked Justin Rose missed the cut at 2 over after shooting a 72. No. 2 Brooks Koepka was tied for 47th at 1 under after a 70.

Ivan Ukhov, the 2012 Olympic high jump champion, was among 12 Russian track and field athletes found guilty of taking part in "systemic doping," the Court of Arbitration for Sport said. Hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko, high jumper Svetlana Shkolina and triple jumper Lyukman Adams, all world champions, were among the dozen found guilty. Most were given four-year suspensions from competition.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said the track and field verdicts confirmed the worth of the investigation.

"It is vitally important now that the hard work continues for the good of all athletes across a range of sports," Niggli said.

Pitcher Danny Farquhar agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees after recovering from a ruptured aneurysm and brain hemorrhage he suffered while pitching for the Chicago White Sox last April.

Farquhar, 31, collapsed in the dugout April 20 after pitching in the sixth inning against Houston. He had surgery the next day and was hospitalized until May 7. He was not cleared to pitch again in 2018 and became a free agent in the offseason.

• The first salary arbitration decision of the year favored Washington, which will pay outfielder Michael Taylor $3.25 million for the coming season. He had requested $3.5 million. Taylor hit .227 with six homers and 28 RBI last season.

The United States' women's and mixed doubles teams remained in contention to reach the finals of the Curling World Cup.

The women's team, skipped by Cory Christensen of Duluth, lost a shootout Friday to Scotland in Stevens Point, Wis., but stands second in its group with two games remaining. The top team from each group makes Sunday's finals.

The mixed doubles team of siblings Becca and Matt Hamilton of McFarland, Wis., lost 10-6 to Norway but beat Russia 7-6. The team needs a victory over China on Saturday and help from other teams to qualify for the finals.

The U.S. men's team, skipped by Mark Fenner of Bemidji, Minn., lost to Switzerland and Sweden on Friday and can't reach the finals.

Club soccer: American defenders Andrew Gutman and Manny Perez signed three-year contracts with Celtic of the Premier League. Gutman, 22, won the Hermann Trophy at Indiana last season. Perez, 19, was a sophomore at North Carolina State. Both players were loaned to United Soccer League teams in the U.S.