Manny Ramirez formally charged with domestic violence

Florida prosecutors in Fort Lauderdale have formally charged former Dodger Manny Ramirez with domestic violence.

The Broward State Attorney’s office filed the misdemeanor charge Thursday.

The 39-year-old retired slugger was arrested Sept. 12 after his wife told deputies Ramirez slapped her in the face, which caused her to hit her head on the headboard. Authorities say Ramirez denied hitting his wife.

Ramirez was named MVP of the 2004 World Series, where he helped the Boston Red Sox end an 86-year title drought. He retired in April from the Tampa Bay Rays rather than face a 100-game suspension after testing positive a second time for a performance-enhancing substance.

Ramirez is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 14.

A telephone message left for Ramirez’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned.

GOLF

Vegas, Na, Wi share lead

Kevin Na and Charlie Wi joined first-round leader Jhonattan Vegas at 12-under 130 on Friday to share the lead after 36 holes of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at Las Vegas.

Play was suspended for 40 minutes because of lightning near the course and was halted again later with one player, Fran Quinn, having one hole to play. Quinn, who was three-under, was expected to resume play at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday and the cut would be determined then.

Vegas was tied with William McGirt at eight-under 63 after the opening round at TPC Summerlin in the first of four Fall Series events.

Na had a bogey-free 63 that featured eight birdies, seven of them in his final 10 holes. Wi, who was a stroke back after the first round, had a 66.

Brendan Steele, Kris Blanks and Tim Herron were one stroke behind the leaders.

Hunter Haas was at 132 after tying the course record with a 10-under 61.

Pavin up by one stroke in SAS

Corey Pavin shot a seven-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the SAS Championship at Cary, N.C.

Nick Price, Gary Hallberg, Kenny Perry and defending champion Russ Cochran were tied for second at the Champions Tour event held at the 7,137-yard Prestonwood Country Club.

J.L. Lewis, Peter Senior, Jeff Sluman and Rod Spittle each shot 67.

Fleetwood, Hoey lead Dunhill Links

Tommy Fleetwood and Michael Hoey shared the second-round lead at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

Fleetwood shot a nine-under 63 at Kingsbarns, the same course where first-round leader Hoey shot a second consecutive 66. They have 12-under totals of 132.

Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen was one shot back after a 67 at Carnoustie, and 2010 U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell was tied at 10 under with three others after shooting 67.

Defending champion Martin Kaymer shot 67 at Carnoustie and was another stroke back. Rory McIlroy and second-ranked Lee Westwood were seven under.

Top-ranked Luke Donald was four under after a 71.

Lexi Thompson gets LPGA Tour membership

Lexi Thompson proved she was good enough to play on the LPGA Tour as a 16-year-old when she beat a strong field by five shots two weeks ago. She was granted membership Friday based on more than birdies and bogeys.

LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan approved Thompson’s petition to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest member effective in January, impressed with how the Florida teen handled herself in all aspects of tour life.

Thompson filed a formal petition Thursday that the LPGA waive its policy of members being at least 18. Whan approved it one day later, although he described that more as a formality. The bigger decision came in June, when he allowed Thompson to compete in qualifying school.

The 6-foot teen won the first stage by 10 shots, then went to the LPGA Navistar Classic in Alabama and won by five shots against a field that included 45 of the top 50 players on the LPGA money list.

ETC.

Broken Dreams wins at Santa Anita

Broken Dreams rallied from fifth at the sixteenth pole to beat Givine by a half-length and win the $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes on Friday, the opening day of Santa Anita’s autumn meeting.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Broken Dreams ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:12.23 and paid $13.40, $5.40 and $6.80.

Givine returned $7.20 and $7.60, while Tanda was another nose back in third and earned $5.60 to show. Defending champion Unzip Me, the 4-5 favorite who had won five of her seven previous races on the turf course, was fourth. The large show payoffs were the result of Unzip Me finishing out of the money in the field of six.