Tom Watson celebrated his one-year anniversary from left hip surgery by shooting a 6-under 64 and building a four-stroke lead yesterday at the Senior Players Championship. Watson, 60, bidding to become the oldest major winner on the Champions Tour, attacked the Baltimore Country Club course and put together a bogey-free round—he’s made only one during the tournament—with six birdies to finish at 12-under 198 and four shots clear of Loren Roberts (65), John Cook (65) and Mark Wiebe (66).

The other Bird did it again, this time in the $1 million Travers Stakes. Summer Bird splashed his way to a 3½-length victory over 17-1 long shot Hold Me Back in the 1 1/4-mile Travers yesterday, adding the Midsummer Derby to his Belmont Stakes win over Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. After the Belmont, Summer Bird finished second to superstar filly Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2. Trainer Tim Ice said all week his colt was ready for a big race at Saratoga Race Course. And even though it rained all day, Summer Bird delivered under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Virginia-bred Quality Road, who would have been the Derby favorite if a hoof injury hadn’t kept him out of the Triple Crown, was made the 8-5 morning-line choice yesterday for Saturday’s Travers Stakes. A winner of four races in five starts, including the Florida Derby, Quality Road returned to competition with a Saratoga track record for 6½ furlongs in winning the Amsterdam Stakes on Aug. 3. Between those races, owner Edward P. Evans moved the colt from trainer Jimmy Jerkens’ barn to Todd Pletcher’s.

The Richmond Volleyball Club announced plans to develop a new volleyball facility. In an effort to expand the organization’s reach to adults and youth, RVC plans to consolidate its current facilities into a renovated building dedicated to volleyball. Renovation plans are expected to be completed in December. The new location is on Byrdhill Road, in the former Brown Distributing building.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference’s football championship game is moving back to prime-time television. The ACC said yesterday this year’s game will kick off at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. ESPN will broadcast the game. It’s the first prime-time kickoff for the ACC title game since the inaugural contest in 2005. The game has started at 1 p.m. in each of the past three seasons. ABC televised the first four title games.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Clemson coach Oliver Purnell has agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Tigers through 2016 - and keep him the school’s highest-paid coach. While the deal hasn’t been signed, Purnell, a former Old Dominion coach, and Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips have signed a memoradum of understanding dated June 1 that outlines the improved package.

Quality Road missed a final workout today at Belmont Park and was declared out of Saturday’s Run for the Roses.

NEW YORK—Quality Road has another hoof problem that could knock him out of the Kentucky Derby. Considered one of the top Derby contenders, Quality Road developed a quarter crack on the inside of his right front hoof—a few days after the same injury to the right hind hoof was declared healed by hoof specialist Ian McKinlay. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he first noticed the latest quarter crack Thursday after Quality Road, foaled in Fauquier County, returned from a gallop at Belmont Park.

Considered one of the top Derby contenders, Quality Road developed a quarter crack on the inside of his right front hoof—a few days after the same injury to the right hind hoof was declared healed by hoof specialist Ian McKinley.