companies say ticket revenue compared to last year has dropped 9.2 percent

LAS VEGAS -- Rod Pampling followed an opening 11-under 60 with a 68 on Friday to keep the lead in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.The 47-year-old Australian rebounded from two early bogeys to get to 14-under 128 at TPC Summerlin. He won the last of his two PGA Tour titles in 2006 at Bay Hill.The hole looked really big yesterday, Pampling said. I started out today and I didnt think theyd cut them (the greens) early on. I changed ball markers, and I knew I was playing good, so I just kind of threw out a new vibe, and it started to work. I knew it wasnt bad, its just like it happened, so just let it go. Corrected myself and played nice after that.Brooks Koepka had two eagles in a 67 to pull within a stroke. He won the Phoenix Open last year for his first tour title and was 3-1 in the United States Ryder Cup victory over Europe.The ball seems to be finding the hole once we get it on the green, so just get it on the green as quickly as possible, Koepka said.Aaron Wise, the NCAA champion last season for Oregon, was two shot back at 12 under with four holes left when play was suspended because of darkness. He eagled the par-5 13th and 16th on his front nine.Pampling bogeyed two of his first five holes, failing to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the par-4 11th and from the rough over the green on the par-3 14th. He rebounded with birdies on four of the next seven holes, birdied the par-4 seventh, three-putted the par-3 eighth for bogey and two-putted for a closing birdie on the par-5 ninth.Youve just got to trust yourself that youre playing well, Pampling said. I knew I had been, not just yesterday, the form had been good before that. I was confident in myself. I didnt panic. You can easily panic out there, and you shoot 2, 3 over, and at the end of the day youre just scratching your head. I just relaxed. I knew it was good, so I let it come to me, and it thankfully did.Koepka eagled the par-5 ninth and 16th, and had five birdies and five bogeys -- the last a three-putt from the fringe on the par-4 18th to drop out of the lead.It was kind of sloppy at points, but I felt like I played pretty well, Koepka said. The putter was hot, but just got to clean a few things up.Chez Reavie had the round of the day to make the cut, shooting a 61 after opening with a 76. He had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch that ended on the par-4 10th, added birdies on 13 and 15 and chipped in from 60 feet for eagle on 16.The biggest challenge for me was just to mentally be in a position to even have a chance of playing well today, Reavie said. Fortunately, I was. I was positive and just said I was going to go try and shoot as low as I can and see what happens.Chris Kirk was 11 under after a 66.Kind of felt better and better as the day went on and was able to roll a few in there on the back nine, Kirk said.Keegan Bradley had a 65 to join James Hahn (66) and Pat Perez (66) at 10 under.My game feels really good, Bradley said. Ive been playing good for a while now. Its nice to see some results.Defending champion Smylie Kaufman was 4 under after a 67. Fifty-two-year-old Davis Love III also was 4 under after a 70. Cheap Mike Bibby Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Cheap John Collins Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. http://www.cheaphawksjerseys.com/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Cheap Swingman Hawks Jerseys . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Cheap Vince Carter Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. FORT WORTH, Texas -- NASCAR had hoped to have a sponsor for its premier series signed by now, and there are plenty of nervous people in the garage awaiting any news.If NASCAR chief operating officer Brent Dewar is feeling the heat, he isnt showing it. He said NASCAR has talked to several companies, and negotiations continue as it seeks to replace Sprint after its 13-year run.? NASCAR has known since December 2014 that Sprint would leave after this year.We are in advanced discussions still with a number of companies for the entitlement of our series, Dewar said Friday. Ive got nothing [final] to report today. Were working hard on it.Dewar wouldnt talk about any companies NASCAR has entered that advanced stage of discussions. When asked about a timeline, Dewar said it is important to find the right partner.Some of the firms were talking to can move pretty fast, Dewar said. Some maybe not as fast.With some companies already done with the budgeting process for next year, among the worries within the industry is whether NASCAR can find a company still willing to spend the money -- probably at least $20 million or maybe much more, depending on the television and marketing commitments -- this late in the game. Sprint reportedly was spending $50 million the past few years.Dewar said there is time to get the deal done and begin activating the sponsorship with the Daytona 500 in February. He said companies have various deadlines to make decisions and it is just the naturee of the business that negotiations have stretched into November.ddddddddddddnother issue that NASCAR must battle when finding a sponsor is the decrease in attendance and television ratings. The public companies say ticket revenue compared to last year has dropped 9.2 percent since the Daytona 500.Eight of the past nine Cup races have seen 10 percent drops in television ratings, and NASCAR has seen an overall seven percent drop for the year.NASCAR points to digital and social numbers that show significant consumption of its events. On race days, Fox had streams up 44 percent and minutes streamed up 49 percent while NBC also has seen an increase in minutes streamed for every race. On Facebook and Twitter, NASCAR has had an 80 percent increase in total engagements.Were very proud of our consumption metrics, Dewar said. Were still a big sport. We still have big numbers. We never are satisfied. ... There are changing consumption metrics -- social and digital are exploding. TV is still very important and were trying to find the right balance.NASCAR also stresses that its various councils are a way to show that the industry is working together to try to improve the sport.If you havent been around NASCAR the last three or four years, you really havent been around NASCAR, Dewar said. We are going through a major sea change, and its positive. ' ' '