GOLF

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- Mark Wiebe's round might be remembered more for a shot he avoided than one he made.

Wiebe birdied four of his first five holes, then added two more on the back nine to shoot 67 on Friday. That gave him a share of the first-round lead at the Boeing Classic.

Wiebe was bogey-free until the par-5 18th when his third shot carried over the green and into the rough. Wiebe was unable to get up-and-down for par, and he dropped into a tie with Scott Simpson.

"I like my game. I like the way I'm playing," Wiebe said. "With a couple of exceptions today, for not knowing the golf course, I felt I did pretty well maneuvering my ball around. And to maneuver your ball around a golf course you don't know you have to have control. I felt like I did that pretty well."

While Wiebe was pleased with his round -- the exception being a 70-yard wedge that carried too far on 18 and led to his only bogey -- he was still noticeably irked well after his round about the 14th hole.

While Wiebe was lining up his putt on the drivable, dogleg par-4, Sandy Lyle's tee shot was pulled left across a deep, tree-filled ravine and toward the hole. The distance from tee to green was only 295 yards on Friday and Lyle's drive landed about 15-feet from Wiebe, somehow avoiding the three players and three caddies on the small green.

"I have nothing to say about that. Sorry," Wiebe said.

Wiebe is in his first full season on the Champions Tour and holds the distinction as one of 12 players in Tour history to win in his first start. Wiebe played on the Nationwide Tour at the beginning of last year to get prepared for joining the 50-plus circuit, then won the SAS Championship last September for his first victory in 21 years. He added a win at the Cap Cana Championship in April and has finished in the top 20 in four of six starts.

Wiebe birdied Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5, then dropped a 40-foot putt on No. 13 and made a short birdie on the 15th.

"The course was there for the taking," Wiebe said. "I played well most of the day."

• Stricker takes lead in Barclays title defense: At Paramus, N.J., Steve Stricker is right at home at Ridgewood Country Club -- and the top of The Barclays leaderboard.

A year after winning across the Hudson at Westchester Country Club, the Wisconsin player shot a 7-under 64 in perfect morning conditions Friday to take a three-stroke lead over Hunter Mahan in the FedEx Cup playoff opener.

"This reminds me of home to tell you the truth," Stricker said. "This looks like a course that could be very easily in the Midwest somewhere. It reminds me of Medinah a lot. The grasses are the same. We putt on poa annua greens a lot where I'm from. It's bentgrass fairways, bluegrass rough and everything reminds me of home."

BASEBALL

LLWS swag bags: new bats, cleats, trading pins

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Only one team gets a championship banner at the Little League World Series. The swag, well, all of the pint-sized competitors walk off with a slew of goodies.

From bats to caps to collectible pins -- even a Little League video game for the Nintendo Wii -- players who make it to South Williamsport are rewarded with plenty of cool items for their trip home.

"It's like Christmas in August for them around here," said Bruce McDonald, a coach for the White Rock, British Columbia team.

The final four teams were off Friday. Games resume today when Waipahu, Hawaii, plays Lake Charles, La., for the U.S. title and Tokyo meets Matamoros, Mexico, for the international crown. The World Series championship is Sunday.

Some of the new equipment given to all participants could get some use this weekend. Sponsors also set up shop under a tent a short walk away from the Little League dorms to give away items like new batting helmets. Catchers get their own catcher's gear.

Will he buy the game next year to see if he's in it?

"Definitely," the 13-year-old said.

• Owlz rock Casper: At Orem, The Owlz put up a dominating performance Friday night and dropped Casper rather easily 9-1.

Orem took advantage of a myriad of wild pitches thrown by Casper's Phill Hollingsworth and scored three times in the first.

Jayson Miller frustrated the Casper hitters all night, going six strong innings, striking out eight, and walking only one.

Louis Jimenez, Angel Castillo, and Roberto Lopez all homered for Orem.