DURBAN, South Africa -- Raphael Jacquelin shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 in extremely windy conditions on South Africas east coast to take the first-round lead at the Volvo Golf Champions on Thursday. Jacquelin was the only player in the 36-man field not to drop a shot around Durban Country Club for a one-stroke advantage over defending champion Louis Oosthuizen. Darren Clarke, whose last title was at the 2011 British Open, was tied for third on 69 alongside Victor Dubuisson. Race to Dubai leader Thomas Bjorn was last after a 7-over 79 which included two double bogeys on the back nine, giving last months big-money winner at Sun City a tough start on his return to South Africa. Jacquelin is competing in his first tournament in around six weeks but the Frenchman picked up shots at Nos. 6 and 8 and finished with three birdies in his last five holes to stay just ahead of Oosthuizen. "Im better when the conditions are difficult and I just seem to score better whether it is in the wind or in the rain, or if the course is difficult," Jacquelin said. "I also stayed focused all day long and when you manage to save par in these conditions you are always going to have a good round. Thats the way I like to play." Jacquelin qualified for the $4 million tournament by winning his fourth European Tour title at last years Spanish Open following a tour record nine-hole playoff. Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, came into the event following a frustrating 2013 marred by a nagging back complaint. However, the blustery coastal conditions played right into the hands of the South African. "I grew up in Mossel Bay where the wind was born and then goes out to the rest of the country," he said. "So the conditions today were very much like back home and what I have been used to most of my life ... Its just good to get the feel of playing and competing again after all the weeks off." Clarke and Dubuisson -- the reigning Turkish Airlines Open champion -- both returned 69s, with Clarke already showing the benefits of a new fitness regime. But only 16 of the 36 players managed to break par in the testing conditions, with Denmarks Bjorn, Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Africas former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel all struggling. Bjorn, who won the biggest check of his career at Sun City in his last tournament, bogeyed his first hole, added another two bogeys and two doubles and couldnt make a birdie. Three-time Hong Kong Open winner Jimenez also had two double bogeys in his 76 to sit joint second to last. Schwartzel had a double bogey and four bogeys in his 74 for a tie for 28th. John Elway Youth Jersey . Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., came back from a break down in the first set and won the hour-long opener in a tiebreak before taking control of the match. Raonic said he is noticing signs of improvement on court after struggling somewhat in his opening match, a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 win over Australian qualifier Nick Kyrgios. Andre Caldwell Youth Jersey . Paul, MN (SportsNetwork. http://www.nflbroncoslockroom.com/women-britton-colquitt-jersey/ . Blake Griffin dominated the paint with 20 points, Jamal Crawford scored 25 and the Clippers ended their nearly two-week journey away from Los Angeles with a 114-86 win Monday night over the Milwaukee Bucks. Ronnie Hillman Broncos Jersey . It was his first time he skated with teammates since injuring his groin in a game against the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 20. The 31-year-old is hoping to be back in uniform before the All-Star break, which is January 22-26. Peyton Manning Broncos Jersey . - The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Keith Appling and forward Jeremy Tyler, reducing their training camp roster to 17 players.ATLANTA -- Tre Mason struck a pose -- a Heisman Trophy pose. Theres something the Auburn Tigers running back wants even more than an individual award. A shot at the national title. Mason rushed for 304 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 3 Auburn to a wild 59-42 victory over No. 5 Missouri in a Southeastern Conference title showdown Saturday that looked more like a video game. Auburn (12-1) kept alive its hopes of playing for the national championship, though the Tigers would likely need either top-ranked Florida State or No. 2 Ohio State to lose in their respective conference title games, which began about the time Auburn was wrapping up the shootout at the Georgia Dome. "We won the SEC championship," receiver Sammie Coates said. "What else do you want us to do?" Added Mason: "We feel like we beat the best teams .... We feel like we deserve to be in the game." The Auburn players headed off to watch the games that could decide their fate, the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Charlotte, N.C., and the Big Ten title contest in Indianapolis. If Auburn misses out on the big game, it will head to the Sugar Bowl as the SEC champion. Missouri (11-2) should be in the mix for a New Years Day bowl, with the Capital One, Cotton and Outback games among the possible destinations. "Were playing our best football right now," said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, making his pitch for a trip to Pasadena. "I dont know if any other team can say that." Auburn is certainly playing its best offensively. The Tigers set an SEC championship record with 677 yards, including 545 on the ground. Mason had scoring runs of 7, 3 and 1 yards before bursting up the middle on a 13-yard TD that clinched the victory with 4:22 remaining. He carried the ball a staggering 46 times, an easy choice as the games MVP. He celebrated by breaking out the familiar Heisman pose, his longshot candidacy getting a huge boost. "Youre looking at one of the top running backs in college football," Malzahn said. "He was a warrior today. Unbelievable." In a game where neither team played a lick of defence, Auburn finally stopped Missouri on fourth-and-1 deep in its own territory, setting up Masons final score. Chris Davis broke up the pass, not quite as thrilling as his 109-yard return of a missed field goal to beat Alabama, but another huge play for the nations biggest turnaround team. Auburn, which was 3-9 a year ago and didnt win a game in the SEC, cclaimed the title in its first year under Malzahn.dddddddddddd The Tigers didnt even need a dramatic finish to do it, holding Missouri scoreless in the final quarter while Mason notched two more TDs to break open a game that was close most of the way. Missouri had its own impressive bounce-back after struggling its first year in the SEC. But coach Gary Pinkels team was denied a quick championship in its new league after leaving the Big 12, unable to slow -- must less stop -- Auburns dynamic offence. "Theres a real frustration that comes over you on defence when theyre coming after you over and over and over again," Pinkel said. "We had trouble stopping it, obviously, and couldnt get it fixed." James Franklin passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns, while Dorial Green-Beckham hauled in six passes for 144 yards and a couple of scores. Missouri piled up 534 yards -- the teams combined for 1,211 yards in a conference supposedly known for defence -- but it wasnt nearly enough against Auburns hurry-up spread. Coming into the game, Missouri was one of the top teams in the nation against the run and ranked second in the SEC behind Alabama. The most yards they had given up on the ground was 184 the previous week in a victory over 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. Mason had more yards than that in the first half, putting up 195 by the time he trotted to the locker room and just 6 yards off the SEC championship game record. He broke the mark set by LSUs Justin Vincent in 2003 on the second play of the second half -- and kept right on going from there. "Ive never had holes that big to run through," Mason said, crediting the guys in the trenches. "No one expected 300 yards. I didnt expect it." Quarterback Nick Marshall shook off two early fumbles, one of which Missouri returned for a touchdown. He ran for 101 yards and a touchdown and passed for 132 yards and another score. The lead changed hands seven times. Missouris last gasp was Franklins 5-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion, that closed the gap to 45-42 heading to the final period. But Auburn dominated the final 15 minutes behind the play of Mason. Late in the game, when Auburn had finally wrapped it up, Mason got a hug on the sideline from Auburns greatest back, Bo Jackson. "Hes one of the better players ever to wear an Auburn helmet," Malzahn said, referring to Mason, not Bo. "Thanks, coach," Mason said. cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys Ray Ban Outlet Michael Kors Outlet Michael Kors Sale Cheap Michael Kors ' ' '
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