PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland -- After dropping his final putt of the second round of the 148th Open Championship on Friday, Rory McIlroy took off his hat and waved it in the air, as the enormous gallery surrounding the 18th green at Royal Portrush Golf Club gave him a standing ovation.

It was a moment McIlroy had dreamed about for much of his life.

"I'm trying not to imagine what it was going to be like on a Sunday," McIlroy said. "It's a moment I have envisioned for the last few years; it just happened two days early."

The biggest story in the second round wasn't Irishman Shane Lowry holding a share of the 36-hole lead, Brooks Koepka contending for another major, or stars like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Gary Woodland missing the cut.

The biggest stir came from a player who started the day 13 shots behind co-leader J.B. Holmes, after taking a quadruple-bogey 8 on his very first hole of the season's final major.

Over five hours on Friday, though, McIlroy captured the imagination of his native Northern Ireland, as he nearly did the impossible: climbing out of a cavernous hole to make the cut and stick around for the weekend in the first Open played on Irish soil in 68 years.

In the end, McIlroy shot 6-under 65, 14 shots better than his opening 79, for a 36-hole total of 2 over. He missed the cut by 1 shot.

Needing a birdie on the 18th to make the number, he pulled his second shot to the left of the green and couldn't make magic with a wedge.

Along the way, thousands of fans followed him on the Dunluce Course, where he set a course record with a 61 as a 16-year-old.

"As much as I came here at the start of the week saying I wanted to do it for me, by the end of the round I was doing it just as much for them as much as I was for me," McIlroy said. "I wanted to be here for the weekend. Selfishly, I wanted to feel that support for two more days."

McIlroy, who grew up in nearby Holywood, nearly pulled it off. He had a 2-under 34 on the front nine, and then he had birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 12. He had a bogey on the par-3 13th hole, after hitting a 7-iron into the right greenside bunker and failing to get up and down.

McIlroy bounced back with another birdie on the par-4 14th with a 12-footer. He was able to get up and down out of another bunker to save par on the par-4 15.

Needing two birdies in the last three holes to make the cut, McIlroy got the first on the par-3 16th hole, known as "Calamity Corner." He hit a 5-iron about 230 yards, leaving himself a 10-footer. He drained it, sending the patrons into a frenzy.

McIlroy had another good birdie look on the 17th, but left a 20-footer on the low side and settled for par.

Then he came up short on 18 at the end.

Afterward, while speaking to reporters, McIlroy was asked to describe his emotions.

"There's a lot of them," he said. "Disappointment to not be here for the weekend. I'm unbelievably proud of how I handled myself today, coming back from what was a very challenging day [on Thursday], and just full of gratitude to every single one of the people that followed me to the very end and was willing me on."

After McIlroy's debacle on Thursday, when he drove his opening tee shot out of bounds en route to making 8 and also had double-bogey 5 on No. 16 and triple-bogey 7 on 17, he wasn't sure how the hometown patrons would respond.

His performance in the first round seemed to suck the air out of the first Open Championship at Royal Portrush since 1951.

"I didn't know how people were going to react to yesterday, how many people were going to be on the first tee. Is it just a lost cause?" McIlroy said. "To have that many people out there, following me and cheering my name, it meant the world to me. I'm glad to some degree I gave them something to cheer about today."

McIlroy lives in Florida and rarely gets back to Northern Ireland, where his parents still live.

"Over the last week, it has been an eye-opener for me," he said. "You're so far away you forget about all of the people that are cheering for you back home. And then you play in front of them, and it definitely hit me like a ton of bricks today."

McIlroy, who has won 25 times as a pro, including four major championships, only wished he could be around for the weekend to feel it again.

"Today was probably one of the most fun rounds of golf I've ever played," he said. "It's strange saying that and standing here having had a bit of success and [having] won this championship before, but to play in front of those crowds today and to feel that momentum, you really dig in.

"It's going to be a tough one to get over."

Free-agent guard Justin Holiday has agreed to a one-year, $4.8 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, a league source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Holiday, a defensive-minded wing, split time between the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies last season, averaging 10.5 points and 3.9 rebounds over 82 games.

In Indiana, Holiday will team with his brother Aaron, who has been with the Pacers since they chose him in the first round of the 2018 draft.

Their brother Jrue is with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Sacramento Kings have hired former Duke and WNBA star Lindsey Harding as an assistant coach.

"Lindsey is a rising star and I'm so excited to have her join our incredibly experienced team of coaches," Kings coach Luke Walton said. "Her basketball IQ and proven success on the court will be a valuable addition to our growing team as we work together to build a winning culture for many years to come."

Harding joins a growing group of female coaches on NBA benches, including Boston's Kara Lawson, San Antonio's Becky Hammon, Dallas' Jenny Boucek and Cleveland's Lindsay Gottlieb.

Harding, 35, was most recently a player development coach for the Philadelphia 76ers beginning in April. Prior to her promotion, she worked as the NBA's first African American female pro personnel scout for Philadelphia (2018-19) following a nine-year career in the WNBA. Harding averaged 9.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 28.7 minutes in 270 career games for Minnesota (2007-08), Washington (2009-10), Atlanta (2011-12), Los Angeles (2013-14), New York (2016) and Phoenix (2016).

Harding was selected first overall in the 2007 WNBA draft after playing four seasons for Duke. She earned the 2007 Naismith College Player of the Year award, had her No. 10 retired and was enshrined in the Duke Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018, becoming the third women's basketball student-athlete to be inducted.

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer said Friday he has an inflamed bursa sac in his back and received a cortisone shot on Tuesday to clear up inflammation.

Scherzer told reporters he won't pitch Sunday but is hopeful it won't be too much longer.

The injury was originally diagnosed as a back strain, but Scherzer said the current diagnosis is scapuolothoracic bursitis.

Scherzer was placed on the injured list last week, retroactive to July 10, meaning he was eligible to come off Saturday.

Scherzer was 7-0 with a 0.84 ERA in his past nine starts before the All-Star break, and he withdrew from the All-Star Game due to the ailing back.

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a deal with left-hander Drew Smyly pending a physical, manager Gabe Kapler confirmed to reporters Friday.

If it goes through, the 30-year-old Smyly would move into the starting rotation and pitch Sunday against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, Kapler said.

The Phillies do not have a left-hander in their rotation.

Smyly had Tommy John surgery in 2017 and didn't pitch in 2018. He started this season with the Texas Rangers and compiled a 1-5 record and a 8.42 ERA, giving up 19 home runs in 51 1/3 innings. He was released on June 25.

Milwaukee signed Smyly to a minor league deal July 1, and in 12 2/3 innings in Triple-A, he had 4.97 ERA. He opted out of that deal Thursday.

Smyly has a career record of 32-32 and a 4.13 ERA over six seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays and Rangers.

Nick Pivetta would move into the bullpen for the Phillies if the deal goes through, Kapler said.

Rick Shapiro, a longtime attorney for the Major League Baseball Players Association, has been let go by the union after being increasingly marginalized in recent months, according to sources.

Shapiro's departure comes at a time when the union is gearing up for what will be an important and perhaps contentious round of collective bargaining with Major League Baseball. The current agreement, negotiated in December of 2016, is set to expire after the 2021 season, and the two sides have agreed to begin discussions this summer -- although it's currently unclear whether there is hope of immediate progress.

Tony Clark, the head of the players association, has been outspoken in his dissatisfaction with recent trends in the game, particularly in the way that veteran players have fared in free agency.

Last summer, Clark brought on Bruce Meyer, who had served as counsel for the NHL Players Association.

Shapiro had been heavily involved with past CBA talks and the union's arbitration arguments.

Aaron Boone's "savage" rant has netted him a one-game suspension.

The New York Yankees manager was disciplined a day after being ejected from Thursday's 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boone was also fined an undisclosed amount for "inappropriate actions, including contact with the home plate umpire" during a tirade in which he called his own players "f---ing savages" and told umpire Brennan Miller, "Tighten it up right now, OK?" Boone was ejected for his outburst.

Boone, along with players Brett Gardner and DJ LeMahieu, was upset with some of Miller's strike calls. Miller is an International League crew chief who made his big league debut April 20 as a call-up umpire and was behind the plate for the fifth time in the majors.

The manager will miss the opener of the Yankees' home series against the Colorado Rockies.

His rant was met with raves from his players, with slugger Luke Voit saying Thursday, "Not a lot of coaches I think would back it up and use that type of word, but I think we appreciate it -- and we are a bunch of savages."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

BROWNSBURG, Ind. – Despite Mother Nature’s attempt to ruin all possibility for a 2019 edition of the Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic, Attica Raceway Park officials and event promoter, Brad Doty, have put into action a new plan that allowed the 31-year event to return to the schedule.

Now a multi-day showstopper in northwest Ohio, the Brad Doty Classic has transformed into a two-day, Labor Day weekend program, welcoming Tony Stewart’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 to headline both days of competition.

Set Aug. 30-31, Brad Doty Classic Weekend will award a total winner’s share equalling $15,000; $5,000 during Friday’s preliminary and $10,000 during Saturday’s Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic presented by Racing Optics finale.

“This is an exciting time for the Brad Doty Classic. I’m thrilled we were able to put this plan together and in such a short amount of time. I want to thank everyone involved including the entire All Star staff, all of those from Attica Raceway Park, and of course Ohio Logistics, Racing Optics, and all of the Brad Doty Classic partners for working together and making this event a reality after all,” Brad Doty explained. “It’s going to be a fantastic weekend.”

In addition, Brad Doty Classic Weekend will kick-off a massive, four-day stretch for Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions. Following their visit to Attica Raceway Park, the series will move east and visit Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, on Sept. 1-2.

Like Attica Raceway Park, the two-day visit to Wayne County will award a total winner’s share equalling $15,000; $10,000 during the annual Pete Jacobs Memorial on Sunday, followed by a $5,000-to-win program on Monday.

NEWTON, Iowa – On an extremely warm and muggy day in eastern Iowa, Chandler Smith led the way in ARCA Menards Series practice for Friday’s Fans with Benefits 150 at Iowa Speedway.

Smith’s fast lap came with three minutes remaining in the 90-minute session.

With temperatures already in the upper 80s and expected to climb into the upper 90s, drivers were expected to deal with a lack of grip on the 14-year-old Iowa Speedway pavement. Smith’s 24.399 second/129.104 mile per hour lap narrowly eclipsed teammate Michael Self, who led the session briefly before Smith’s fast lap. Self’s lap of 24.431 seconds/128.935 mph was good for second fastest.

Bret Holmes set the fastest lap in the opening moments of the session and stayed there throughout the next 85 minutes, but for most of that time Holmes was in the garage area. He made significant contact with the turn four wall about 20 minutes into the session, seriously damaging the right side of his car. Holmes and team are busy unloading their backup car in hopes of making a lap during General Tire Pole Qualifying.

Corey Heim was fourth at 24.499 seconds/128.577 mph and Ty Gibbs was fifth at 24.668 seconds/127.696 mph.

Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Kaden Honeycutt, Travis Braden and Colby Howard rounded out the top-10.

In addition to the incident involving Holmes, the session was slowed four other times for incidents. The first caution of the day was for Rick Clifton, who’s car dropped fluid on the speedway. After the green came out following a lengthy clean-up the caution immediately came out again when Dick Doheny spun into the infield on the frontstretch. Howard spun off turn two shortly after the Holmes incident. Jason Miles also spun off turn two in the final half hour of the session.