La Quinta, Calif. ? Pat Perez shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to become the first player in PGA Tour history to play a 36-hole stretch in a tournament in 20 under, keeping him two strokes in front in the Bob Hope Classic.

Former Kansas University golfer Gary Woodland shot a 2-under 70 in the second round and was 2 under par for the tournament.

Mark Calcavecchia was at 124 through two rounds of the 2001 Phoenix Open, but that was on a par-71 course. Perez had his opening 61 at the Palmer Course at PGA West, and followed it with the 63 on the Nicklaus Course at PGA West.

Briny Baird aced the par-3, 140-yard seventh at the Nicklaus Course with a 9-iron on the way to his second 63 and an 18-under 126 total.

GOLF

Three share Qatar lead

Doha, Qatar — Henrik Stenson, Andrew Coltart and Miguel Angel Jimenez shot 6-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the Qatar Masters. Lee Westwood, Robert Dinwiddie, Anders Hensen, Louis Oosthuizen and Brett Rumford opened with 67s on the Doha Golf Club course.

CYCLING

Armstrong back in pack

Adelaide, Australia — Lance Armstrong finished in the middle of the pack today in the fourth stage of the Tour Down Under. The seven-time Tour de France winner is competing in his comeback race after returning from a three-year retirement. Armstrong was 39th overall after the third stage, 29 seconds behind Allan Davis of Australia.

NBA

Grizzlies fire coach

New York — The Memphis Grizzlies have fired coach Marc Iavaroni after a lackluster 11-30 start. Team spokesman Dustin Krugel confirmed Iavaroni’s dismissal Thursday night but would not say who would coach the Grizzlies tonight against the Knicks.

NFL

Players’ union narrows list

The NFL players’ union has narrowed its list to five candidates to succeed the late Gene Upshaw as executive director. The list includes former NFLPA presidents Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong, The Associated Press learned Thursday. Vincent and Armstrong made the most recent cut this week, when the NFLPA pared its list from nine.

A person familiar with the list, but not authorized to reveal the names, said the other three candidates are former union executive and former Bears tackle Jim Covert; ex-NFL player Ben Utt; and attorney DeMaurice Smith.

Bucs name coordinator

Tampa, Fla. — New Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris made the first major addition to his staff on Thursday, hiring Jim Bates to replace him as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Giants receiver shot

Decatur, Ala. — New York Giants receiver Taye Biddle is recovering from gunshot wounds to his hand and leg after being shot while visiting family in his hometown. Decatur police said in a statement Thursday that Biddle was shot outside a residence and was treated and released from a hospital. Police said there was no evidence Biddle caused or provoked the shooting.

BASEBALL

Cubs’ new owner picked

Chicago — The billionaire Ricketts family has been selected by Tribune Co. as the winning bidder for the hard-luck Chicago Cubs. The bid is worth about $900 million, said Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for Tom Ricketts. The sale would include Wrigley Field and a 25 percent interest in a regional sports network.

Cardinals’ Glaus sidelined

St. Louis — Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus will be sidelined for about three months after arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder. Glaus will begin physical therapy next week following Wednesday’s surgery in Los Angeles.

Oldest ex-big leaguer dies

Charlotte, N.C. — Bill Werber, who was the oldest living ex-major leaguer and a former teammate of Babe Ruth, has died at age 100. A career .271 hitter, Werber led the American League in stolen bases three times.

Yankees to move today

New York — Today is moving day in the Bronx. Eighty-six years after moving in, the New York Yankees are moving out. The team’s front office will move across the street to the new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, which is nearing completion and scheduled to open in April.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ex-CU players sentenced

Boulder, Colo. — Two former Colorado football players were sentenced to at least a year in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to an apartment robbery. Bernard Jackson, a former starting quarterback, and Lionel Harris, a safety, pleaded guilty to burglary and menacing as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

TENNIS

Djokovic defeats Delic

Melbourne, Australia — Defending champion Novak Djokovic defeated Bosnian-born American Amer Delic, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the Australian Open today before crowd trouble flared outside. Moments after Djokovic and Delic embraced at the net, water bottles and plastic chairs were hurled back and forth between the Bosnian and Serb fans who had been watching the match live on a big TV screen next to the arena.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Kentucky coach charged

Louisville, Ky. — A Kentucky high school football coach was charged Thursday with reckless homicide in the death of one of his players who collapsed at practice on a hot day. A grand jury indicted David Jason Stinson in the death of Pleasure Ridge Park offensive lineman Max Gilpin. Stinson was directing practice Aug. 20, when the heat index reached 94 degrees in Louisville. The 15-year-old Gilpin collapsed and had trouble breathing.