Sports: In brief

In brief

Compiled from Times wires

More support for women at Augusta

In the strongest public statement to date by an Augusta National member, American Express chairman and CEO Kenneth I. Chenault on Tuesday said the club should open its membership to women.

"I believe women should be admitted as members of the Augusta National Golf Club," Chenault told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I have made my views known within the club because I believe that is the most effective and appropriate way to bring about a change in the membership policy."

A spokesman for Chenault said he had received a letter from the National Council of Women's Organizations and would be responding to it "along the same lines as the statement."

Chenault, 51, became the second African-American Augusta National member to support the women's group in the past two days. On Monday the New York Times reported Lloyd Ward, chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee, said in a letter to National Council chairwoman Martha Burk he is "committed to breaking down barriers which exclude women from membership at Augusta in the weeks and months ahead."

MORE GOLF: Ron Voller made a hole in one on the 14th green and $1-million at a charity event at New Port Richey's Timber Greens. ... Carol Semple Thompson set a USGA record for consecutive matches won in one event, 21, when she advanced to the quarterfinals of the Senior Women's Amateur at Southern Pines, N.C.

LITTLE LEAGUE: All managers, coaches and volunteers will be checked against their state's list of convicted sex offenders. Officials said their group is the first national youth sports organization to have such a requirement. President Stephen D. Keener said the high-profile sex-abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church and the ready availability of sex-offender registries prompted the move.

AUTOS: Rusty Wallace was penalized 25 points by NASCAR, which fined crew chief Billy Wilburn $25,000 because of an unapproved spoiler. Wallace is fifth in the Winston Cup standings, 172 behind leader Tony Stewart. Ben Leslie, crew chief for Mark Martin, was fined $1,000 for unapproved rear window straps. Mike Hillman, crew chief for Mike Wallace, and Thomas Klein, crew chief for Brett Bodine, were fined $1,000 each for unapproved suspension parts. ... Formula One's proposal to add extra weight to the fastest cars has met resistance from big-budget teams, like Ferrari and McLaren. Bernie Ecclestone, head of F1, and Max Mosley, president of FIA, the sport's governing body, are recommending a plan to handicap a car if its team builds an early points lead. Ferrari has won all but two races, and driver Michael Schumacher won his fifth title in July. The plan will be debated by the F1 Commission on Oct. 28.

BASEBALL: Prosecutors refiled charges of aggravated battery and mob action against a 15-year-old boy who attacked Royals coach Tom Gamboa last month. A judge objected to the technical wording of the original charges. ... Astros owner Drayton McLane had prostate cancer surgery and expects a full recovery. ... Toronto gave general manager J.P. Ricciardi a new five-year contract a week after denying the Red Sox permission to interview him. ... The Mets exercised their $8-million contract option on second baseman Roberto Alomar and waived pitcher Satoru Komiyama. ... Star Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, who defected last week, posted $2,000 bond Monday night in San Diego, where he was held by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

SOCCER: Landon Donovan was selected player of the year after leading the U.S. team to the World Cup quarterfinals. The 20-year-old forward/midfielder received 497 points, including 74 first-place votes, from 277 U.S. journalists. Brad Friedel finished second with 382, and Claudio Reyna, who won in 2000, was third with 274. Donovan, who plays for MLS' San Jose, scored six goals at the World Cup. ... Octavio Zambrano was fired as MetroStars coach, less than a month after the MLS team failed to make the playoffs. The club sent forward and team MVP Mamadou Diallo to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli on Monday.

COLLEGES: The South Florida men's golf team (305) was 13th after the first round of the Adams Cup in Newport, R.I. Virginia Tech led with 293. ... The Saint Leo men's soccer team beat visiting Eckerd 6-1. USF beat host Central Florida 3-1. ... Tampa's volleyball team beat visiting Eckerd 3-0. Florida Southern won 3-0 over visiting Saint Leo. TENNIS: Martina Hingis beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the Porsche Grand Prix in Filderstadt, Germany, where she tore ankle ligaments last year. ... Top-seeded Marat Safin and Gustavo Kuerten advanced to the second round of the Lyon Grand Prix in France. ... Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian lost to Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the CA Trophy in Vienna, Austria.

HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS: The accomplishments of black high school athletes and coaches will be added to the Georgia High School Association record books. The GHSA executive committee voted unanimously to list the 1947-70 state champions from the Georgia Interscholastic Association. GIA schools were forbidden by law to compete against white schools until 1967.

AMERICA'S CUP: Racing was called off a second day in Auckland, New Zealand, because of light wind. Only three of 12 challenger races have been completed the past three days.

ETC: Three athletes from Sri Lanka, seven from Nepal and one from Mongolia are missing from the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. Police think they are trying to find jobs as illegal immigrants.