LONDON (AP) — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown was released on 5 million-pound ($6.7 million) bail Wednesday while facing allegations he beat and seriously injured a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.
The decision by a London judge to grant bail will allow Brown to launch a world tour next month that had been thrown into doubt last week when a district judge in Manchester ordered him into custody after he was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Judge Tony Baumgartner in Southwark Crown Court said that Brown could go on tour, including several stops in the U.K., but would have to pay the bail to guarantee his court appearance.
Brown, who was not in court for the hearing, was released in the late afternoon from a jail in Salford, outside Manchester, where he had been arrested at a hotel last week.
Brown was initially scheduled to return to court on June 13. Had he remained in custody, he would have missed the first two nights of his upcoming European tour, which starts next month.
Brown, 36, is accused of an unprovoked attack on producer Abe Diaw at a bar in the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in February 2023 while he was on his last tour.
Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said last week in Manchester Magistrates’ Court that Brown struck Diaw several times with a bottle and then punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people.
American musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name “Hoody Baby” and is a friend of Brown, was also charged in the assault.
Neither Brown nor Akinlolu have entered a plea yet. Both men were ordered to appear in court again on June 20.
Brown, who burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005, won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for “F.A.M.E.” and then earned his second in the same category for “11:11 (Deluxe)” earlier this year.
His hits include songs such as “Run It,” “Kiss Kiss” and “Without You.”
His tour is due to kick off June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July.
A vehicle believed to be carrying R&B singer Chris Brown leaves HMP Forest Bank in Salford, England, after he was freed on bail, Wednesday May 21, 2025. (James Speakman/PA via AP)
FILE - In this June 7, 2015 file photo, Chris Brown performs at the 2015 Hot 97 Summer Jam at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho made seven birdies on an unforgiving Riviera for a 5-under 66 and a one-shot lead over Sei Young Kim in the opening round of the 81st U.S. Women's Open on Thursday.
The 29-year-old Kupcho has four career LPGA Tour wins, but just one since 2022, when she earned her only major victory in The Chevron Championship at Mission Hills. She missed the cuts of her three previous U.S. Open starts, but charged ahead at Riviera with three straight birdies in her afternoon group before adding back-to-back birdies after the turn.
“I just really, really like the golf course,” Kupcho said. “It’s kind of a ball-striker’s paradise. Just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green and make the putts.”
Play began under a heavy cloud cover at the 100-year-old country club in Pacific Palisades just two miles from the ocean, but the sun broke through around lunchtime as wind picked up. The conditions weren’t oppressive at any point, but the players realized Riviera’s setup presents a formidable challenge in any weather, and the scores reflected it.
The entire field managed just one eagle in the first round — Allisen Corpuz holed out from 86 yards on the 17th.
Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan's Hinako Shibuno joined South Korea's Hyunjo Yoo, Ina Yoon and Minji Kang in the group at 68. Lopez made five birdies in her first eight holes and was the only player to get to 6 under, but she fell back with three bogeys.
Kupcho gained 4.27 strokes on her approach shots to lead the field in the first round, highlighted by a gorgeous 133-yard shot inside a foot on the second hole. She doesn't normally do extensive pre-tournament research on courses despite the encouragement of her parents, but she came down to Riviera on a scouting trip when the LPGA Tour stopped 13 miles away in Tarzana two months ago.
“When I showed up this week, it was just like I knew where everything was,” Kupcho said. “I knew what I was doing. So I think it actually helped. Parents are always right, right?”
The 33-year-old Kim has played pretty well in sprawling Los Angeles this season: At that JM Eagle LA Championship held at El Caballero in April, she led after the second and third rounds — leading by eight strokes at one point — before blowing a three-stroke lead over the final eight holes and losing a playoff to Australia’s Hannah Green.
“This course is really famous in the world, so I’m very happy to play here this week,” said Kim, who also got a head start on Riviera in practice last weekend. “Also, the course is not easy. Every hole is putting me to the test.”
Kim birdied her first two holes, but her round didn’t pick up steam until the final four holes, when she made three consecutive birdies — including two exceptional approach shots and a 29-foot birdie putt — before drilling another 29-foot par putt to end it.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda made a rough start at 2 over, struggling off the tee. She also couldn't get used to a new pair of shoes sent to her this week Nike and LeBron James, a Korda fan who is becoming an avid golfer himself.
Korda started the day in the new shoes, but changed playing the first six holes — although she said they didn't affect her play.
“It wasn’t a great day,” Korda said. “I hit it really good Monday through Wednesday, so I have honestly no idea where this came from. So I’m going to go to the range.”
Aphrodite Deng, a 16-year-old amateur, was in contention for the lead before playing two late holes at 3 over and carding a 70.
Deng was born in Canada to Chinese parents before growing up in New Jersey and eventually settling in Florida. A competitive child figure skater for several years before the COVID-19 pandemic, Deng took up golf only seven years ago, but won the U.S. Girls’ Junior last year.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/golf
Jennifer Kupcho hits off the 10th tee during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Grass hangs from the club of Nelly Korda on the 12th hole during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Sei Young Kim, of South Korea, watches her shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Jennifer Kupcho hits off the 11th tee the during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
