Bubba Watson, momentarily distracted by a rare warning for taking too long to play a shot, recovered with a birdie on the 18th hole Friday for a 2-under 68 and a one-shot lead in the PGA Tour's The Barclays in Edison, N.J.
Meantime, Jordan Spieth lost out on a chance to play the weekend, and he also lost his No. 1 ranking. Trying to rally to make the cut, Spieth hit into a hazard on the 12th hole, and a bogey later became a double bogey when he was penalized one shot for stepping on his ball during the search. He had a 73, the first time since the Tour Championship last year that he had consecutive rounds over par. He missed the cut by five shots. That means Rory McIlroy, who isn't playing this week, returns to No. 1.
Watson is in good shape through 36 holes to claim his own No. 1 ranking — a victory in this FedEx playoff opening event would move him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings.
Watson was at 7-under 133.
British Open champion Zach Johnson made five birdies to go with four par-saving putts from outside 8 feet for a 65. He was one shot out of the lead, along with Henrik Stenson (66), Tony Finau (69) and Jason Dufner (68).
Tseng returns to prominence
Yani Tseng closed with an eagle and a birdie for an 8-under 64 and a one-stroke lead in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala. Ranked No. 1 in the world for 109 weeks, the 26-year-old Taiwanese player has slipped to 75th and is winless in 85 events since the 2012 Kia Classic.
• Gene Sauers shot a 6-under 66 to tie Paul Goydos for the first-round lead in the Champions Tour's Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y. John Huston, the tournament winner four years ago, was a stroke back along with Ian Woosnam. John Cook was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
NHL
Legendary Arbour dies
Al Arbour, the bespectacled gentleman of a coach who molded a young and talented New York Islanders franchise into an NHL dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cups in the early 1980s, has died. He was 82.
