third major on the Champions Tour schedule. Tom

PITTSBURGH -- John Huston shot a 5-under 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Senior Players Championship. Huston started on No. 10 and was even par halfway through his round before making a big move on the front nine at soggy Fox Chapel. Huston shot 5-under 30 coming in, including four birdies and an eagle on the short par-4 seventh. The 52-year-old Huston missed three months this season because of lower back problems. Fred Couples, Duffy Waldorf, Fred Funk and Russ Cochran were a stroke back in the third major on the Champions Tour schedule. Tom Pernice Jr. had three straight birdies to start his round and led a group of five players at 67. The start of play was delayed nearly five hours because of heavy rain. When the sky cleared the soft greens allowed players to be aggressive on the typically treacherous greens at the rolling course located a few miles up the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh. Nobody did more damage than Huston. The seven-time PGA Tour winner got his round going with a tap-in birdie on the par-5 18th, kickstarting a stretch where he made five birdies in a span of seven holes, including a 40-footer on No. 6. He capped the run by driving the green at the 295-yard par-4 seventh and sinking the 25-footer for eagle to vault him into the lead. The putts gave Huston a welcome confidence boost after spending three months getting treatment on his back. He returned last week and finished 32nd at the Encompass Championship then took a couple days off to rest up. He only found the fairway nine times but was bailed out by his putter. Huston came into the tournament ranked 54th on tour in putting average but had little trouble once things started falling. Couples, searching for his first victory of the season, put together three birdies on the back nine, including one on the 18th that pulled him within a shot of the lead. Couples finished fourth at Fox Chapel last year, faltering on the weekend to finish four shots behind winner Joe Daley. Points leader David Frost, who edged Couples by a shot at the Regions Tradition three weeks ago to capture the first major of his 32-year career, bounced around all day before joining a large group at 68. Newly minted Hall of Famer Colin Montgomerie began his Champions Tour career with a steady 1-under 69. The 31-time winner on the European Tour started a little shaky, flying his approach shot on the 10th hole over the green. He scrambled for par and missed just one more green the rest of the day. Montgomeries debut was pushed back several hours after strong overnight storms left portions of the 6,696-yard course under water. Twice players were told to warm up only to be notified of a delay before things got going just after noon. Officials sent players off both the first and 10th tees, invoked the lift, clean and place rule and moved the tees up on a handful of holes to speed things along. Even the little nudge forward didnt always help. Tee shots plugged into fairways and approach shots went nowhere, helping bunching the field. Over half of the 81-player field finished at even or better, creating little separation. Custom Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Custom Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.customjerseysbasketball.com/ . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Custom New York Knicks Jerseys . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Custom Dallas Mavericks Jerseys . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Players in the National Womens Hockey League will play at least one more game but want more information before agreeing to a 50 percent salary cut the commissioner says is necessary to save the season.Brant Feldman, an agent who represents numerous top NWHL players, said on Twitter Saturday that the Boston Pride will play at Buffalo on Sunday. Feldman called the decision to play a sign of good of faith and challenged the league to do the same in responding to player demands.Feldman said the players have been placed in a difficult position because the NWHL may cease operations if the games arent played. The other game Sunday features the Connecticut Whale at the New York Riveters.The four-team league is in its second season, and its future has been thrust into question a day after NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan announced the salary cuts. Rylan is the founder of the NWHL, whose business model is essentially a startup venture supported by investors and corporate sponsors.Last year, the NWHL became North Americas first womens hockey league to pay player salaries, which range from $10,000 to $26,000. The salary cuts represent as much as $540,000 in savings.On Saturday, several players said on Twitter they were willing to work with the league but sought more information and transparency. The players asked for proof of insurance, a third-party audit, the names of league investors and aan explanation for the revenue shortfall.ddddddddddddWithout specifically mentioning players concerns, Rylan said in a statement she hoped to continue a positive, constructive dialogue with the players over the next two weeks.The players have many concerns and disappointments, and I understand that completely, Rylan said. I deeply appreciate that, despite the emotions of the last two days, they have continued with their preparation for tomorrows games.On Friday, Rylan blamed the cash crunch on the league falling short of projections, including declining attendance a month into the season.Players will be required to sign an addendum to their contracts for the cuts to take effect. Its unclear if the players will do that before their games Sunday, and whether the NWHL will allow the games to be played if the restructured contracts arent signed.Riveters defenseman Ashley Johnston said players were surprised by the salary-cut announcement, and called the decision gut-wrenching.Feldman wrote that the players have been put in an impossible position because they do not know the leagues true financial health. He added that the players want the league to succeed, but there must be a true partnership.---AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen contributed to this report. ' ' '