Leading off today: Pittsford Mendon sophomore Gavin Hall's first taste of golf on the PGA Tour has to be rated a success even though he missed the cut.

   Hall, 15, shot a one-under-par 71 in the second round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship yesterday. Playing with a sponsor's exemption, he opened with a 78 on Thursday at Atunyote Golf Club in Verona.

   "Today was a good day," Hall told the Democrat and Chronicle. "I was just a little bummed from the day before, shooting such a high number after I had been playing so well. I stuck with it, and basically played my own game. I controlled my emotions and adrenaline. I stuck to my routine and my game."

   His second round consisted of four birdies, 11 pars and three bogeys.

   Hall, a quarterfinalist in the USGA Junior Amateur last month, will compete in the U.S. Amateur on Aug. 23-29 at Chambers Bay in suburban Seattle.

   Commitment list grows: Marcellus defensive end Joe Felicia has given a verbal commitment to the University at Buffalo, Scout.com reported.

   The 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior was also considering Bowling Green. He's coming off a 76-tackle season for Marcellus, including 7½ sacks.

   Felicia is at least the 13th New York senior to make a non-binding college football commitment thus far. Your can see the updated list on the RoadToSyracuse.com home page.

   What a mess: The University of Kentucky issued a statement yesterday threatening legal action over a Chicago Sun-Times story claiming that 6-foot-10 recruit Anthony Davis and his father sought six-figure payouts in exchange for his commitment to play basketball.

   The initial newspaper story posted online Wednesday, citing unidentified sources, said "The rumors/sources that have Davis choosing Kentucky are also alleging that the commitment cost $200,000. [Anthony] Davis Sr. has flat out denied everything."

   An attorney representing the player's father indicated he may file a suit next week, though he might have to wait in line based on the response from Kentucky.

   "The University of Kentucky is dismayed by the continued lack of professionalism and responsible journalism exhibited by Michael O'Brien and the Chicago Sun-Times in running yet another false and defamatory story on August 6, 2010, regarding the University's recruitment of a high school student-athlete," the statement read. "Both the father of this student-athlete

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and the University have repeatedly told Mr. O'Brien that these unsubstantiated 'rumors' are untrue. Neither the University of Kentucky nor any member of its Athletic Department has offered or paid any money or other illegal benefits to the student-athlete or his family."

   The statement goes on to say the university may initiate a lawsuit and supports whatever legal actions the Davis family might be considering.

   Though the initial story was removed from the web site, the paper stood by its story on Friday with a new report.

   "Sources from three separate universities told the Sun-Times that Davis Sr. asked for money in return for his son's commitment, with the amounts ranging from $125,000 to $150,000."

   Fighting alcohol abuse: The New Mexico Activities Association has launched its LifeOfAnAthlete.com web site to educate high school athletes about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

   The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed 86 percent of young adults consumed alcohol before they turned 21, and a 2007 University of Texas study concluded young athletes are more likely to use alcohol than non-athletes.

   According to the NMAA, nearly 60 percent of all seniors and close to 50 percent of all juniors report regular drinking activity. Studies from the American Athletic Institute confirm that alcohol directly relates to decreased athletic performance by decreasing speed, endurance, agility, strength, and concentration.