Golf
PHIL MICKELSON LEADS AT MASTERS
Phil Mickelson broke his own course-record for a lefthander today,
shooting a 7-under-par 65 to take the lead at the Masters in Augusta,
Georgia. Mickelson topped the 6-under 66 he shot in the opening round
at Augusta National in 1995. He holds a one-shot lead over Greg Norman.
The 25-year-old Mickelson has won twice already this year. He captured the
Nortel Open and Phoenix Open in January. Mickelson birdied six of his
last eight holes and shot a 30 on the back nine. There are no clear
favorites in the field this year. But Norman, who has come closer than
anyone in recent years, should always be considered at the tournament
he prizes above all the others.
Golf
NORMAN'S 16TH BID FOR GREEN JACKET?
The US Masters starts at Augusta National in Georgia tomorrow with the
trio of Greg Norman, Steve Elkington, and Ian Baker-Finch making up
the smallest Austrialian contingent for many years. Norman, who tied
for third with Jay Haas behind Ben Crenshaw and Davis Love III last
year, has been installed as 9/1 second favorite by the bookies behind
American Fred Couples who is rated an 8/1 chance. Elkington is being
offered at 20/1by the National Sportsbook in Melbourne while Baker-Finch,
still trying to find the form that deserted him after he won the 1991
British Open, is not listed but would be available at long odds, while
defending champion Crenshaw is also given little hope at 50/1.
Sports Illustrated
TWINS TO UPDATE PUCKETT'S CONDITION FRIDAY
The Minnesota Twins will update the condition of 10-time All-Star
outfielder Kirby Puckett at a Friday news briefing in Baltimore. The
Twins will begin a weekend series in Baltimore Friday night. The news
briefing is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. EDT. Puckett began
experiencing blurred vision in his right eye on March 28th and was
placed on the disabled list before the start of the season. Puckett,
his agent Ron Shapiro, and attending physician Doctor Bert Glaser of the
Retina Institute of Baltimore will be present at the news briefing. Twins
team physician Doctor Len Michienzi doubts the vision problem is related
to the severe beaning Puckett suffered last September 28th on a pitch
by Dennis Martinez of Cleveland. Puckett suffered a fractured upper
maxillary sinus, lacerations on the inside of the mouth and two loosened
teeth after he was hit by the pitch and missed the last three games of
the 1995 season.
Sports Illustrated
RANGERS IF SPIKE OWEN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Veteran infielder Spike Owen, who had been in the minor-league system
of the Texas Rangers in hopes of returning to the major leagues,
announced his retirement today. Owen, who turns 35 next Friday, signed
a contract with Class AAA Oklahoma City on March 25th. The Rangers would
have been his sixth major-league team in a career that began in 1983
with the Seattle Mariners. Owen, a Texas native, batted .246 with 46
homers and 439 R-B-I in 1,544 games. He began with Seattle and was traded
to Boston in 1986, helping the Red Sox reach the World Series that year
as their starting shortstop. He hit .429 in the American League
Championship Series and .300 in the World Series. Owen was traded to
Montreal prior to the 1989 season and spent four years with the Expos.
He was signed as a free agent by the New York Yankees after the 1992
season and spent one year with them before he was traded to the
California Angels. Owen appeared in two games with Oklahoma City,
going 0-for-4. He started at shortstop on Tuesday night against Omaha.
Sports Illustrated
STEELERS SIGN FREE AGENT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BERNARD DAFNEY
The Pittsburgh Steelers today signed unrestricted free agent offensive
lineman Bernard Dafney. Terms were not disclosed. Dafney played in 11
games for the Arizona Cardinals, including eight starts last season.
He was picked up by the Cardinals after being released by Minnesota after
Week Three. Dafney played both tackle positions in 1992 and 1993 and
started 16 games at right guard in 1994. The 28-year-old Dafney, who
played at Tennessee, was a ninth-round pick by the Houston Oilers in
1992. He joined the Vikings as a practice squad player during the first
week of the 1992 season.
Sports Illustrated
SPORTSLINE USA UNVEILS $1 MILLION PRO FOOTBALL DRAFT CONTEST
SportsLine USA -- the Official Online Service of the National Football
League Players -- Wednesday announced a $1 million contest, Million
Dollar Draft, centered on the upcoming draft of collegiate players
by the NFL. Any online sports fan who correctly predicts the first
30 picks of the draft will win the Grand Prize. The Million Dollar
Draft is open for entry from Friday, April 12, until Friday, April 19,
11:59 p.m. (EDT), and is accessible at no charge from SportsLine's Home
Page, http://www.sportsline.com. SportsLine is also offering runner-up
prizes, including: an exclusive trip to the NFL PLAYERS INC. 1996
Rookie Photo Shoot in Orlando, Fla., as a first prize, three autographed
Joe Namath footballs as second prizes, 10 official rookie jerseys as
third prizes, and 25 team SportsLine football T-shirts as fourth prizes.
Sports Illustrated
NETS G KENDALL GILL OUT FOR SEASON
New Jersey Nets guard Kendall Gill, who has been on the injured list
since suffering a fractured left hand on February 14th, will miss the
remainder of the season. Gill was examined Monday by Doctor Charles
Melone, who determined that Gill's strength is not 100 percent. The
hand is not fully functional and if he played, it could cause damage
to the healing process. "We are disappointed, especially for Kendall
that he will not be able to play before the season ends," Nets general
manager Willis Reed said. "But we feel this is a proper decision. Kendall
has an excellent prognosis for full recovery and the risks to his career
are too great to have him suffer any setbacks." Gill suffered an unstable
fracture of the left index metacarpal bone in a game against Indiana when
the elbow of Pacers guard Reggie Miller landed on Gill's hand. He had
surgery on February 16th.
Sports Illustrated
SAMPRAS AND CHANG ADVANCE AT SALEM OPEN IN HONG KONG
Top-seeded Americans Pete Sampras and Michael Chang advanced today in
second round play at the $303,000 Salem Open in Hong Kong. Sampras
defeated Patrick Rafter of Australia, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1), while Chang
halted Germany's Hendrik Dreekmann, 7-5, 6-3. In other second round
action, Shuzo Matsuoka of Japan ousted third seed Mark Woodforde of
Australia, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; fourth seed Richard Krajicek of the Czech
Republic downed Alexander Volkov, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; fifth seed Jan
Siemerink of the Netherlands defeated Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark, 6-3,
6-4; sixth seed Todd Woodbridge of Australia bested Sweden's Thomas
Johansson, 6-1, 6-2, and eighth seed David Prinosil of Germany defeated
Wayne Arthurs of Australia, 6-4, 6-4. In a match involving unseeded
players, Martin Damm of Czechoslovakia defeated Italy's Gianluca
Pozzi, 6-3, 6-2. First prize is $43,000.
Sports Illustrated
MARTINEZ, SANCHEZ VICARIO ADVANCE AT BAUSCH & LOMB TENNIS
Top-seeds and fellow Spaniards Conchita Martinez and Arantxa Sanchez
Vicario advanced today in third round action at the $450,000
Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida. Martinez rolled
past Janette Husarova of Slovakia, 6-0, 6-0, while Sanchez Vicario
rallied to defeat Tatyana Jecmenica of Yugoslavia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Sanchez Vicario is seeking her third career Bausch & Lomb championship.
In other third round action, Sabine Hack of Germany eliminated
fourth-seeded American Chanda Rubin, 6-1, 6-0; sixth seed Mary Jo
Fernandez of the United States downed Paola Suarez of
Argentina, 7-6, (7-5), 6-3; eighth seed Irina Spirlea of Romania
defeated Virginia Ruano-Pascual of Spain, 7-5, 6-0 and number 13
Meredith McGrath of the United States breezed past Wiltrud Probst of
Germany, 6-2, 6-1. Also, in a match involving unseeded players,
Barbara Schett of Australia downed Veronika Martinek of Germany,
6-2, 6-3. Seventh seed Mary Pierce of France will take on American
Anne Miller in a night match. First prize is $79,000.