In brief

Weiss, Plushenko cruise through qualifying at worlds

WASHINGTON -- The power of hypnosis and hometown pride gave Michael Weiss the edge.

The three-time U.S. champion won his qualifying group Monday as the World Figure Skating Championships began. Weiss of McLean, Va., edged Japan's Takeshi Honda and fellow American Ryan Jahnke in Group B despite two-footing three jumps.

Hours later, favorite Evgeni Plushenko easily won the second qualifying session, nailing two quadruples and eight triples to beat American Tim Goebel. The top 15 from each group advanced to today's short program.

"It's always intense in competition," Weiss said. "It being your home crowd makes it more intense. But to me, it's just focus. If we can channel all that in the right direction, it works better for you."

Weiss had to work especially hard after needing only two mediocre performances to win at nationals in January. He is undergoing two daily sessions of hypnosis to "keep clear what I want to achieve."

In pairs, Russia's Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, undefeated this season, won the short program. None of the U.S. couples finished in the top 10.

GOLF: Mickelson out of TPC

Phil Mickelson will skip the Players Championship for the first time since 1994 after his wife gave birth to their third child, Evan Samuel, Sunday. "There were complications with the delivery for the mother and the baby, but both are doing well," Mickelson said in a statement.

WINTER SPORTS: Miller edged for title

Erik Schlopy rallied to win the giant slalom, denying Bode Miller a chance to become the first to capture four events at the U.S. Alpine Championships since 1959. Schlopy overcame a .10-second deficit and finished in 2 minutes, 24.64 seconds as the men's events closed at Whiteface Mountain in New York. Miller was .31 behind.

DUAL MOGULS: Olympic silver medalist and Cornell student Travis Mayer kept his turns tight to win his first national title at the U.S. Freestyle Championships in Missoula, Mont.

ET CETERA

CYCLING: Lance Armstrong finished with the pack in the first leg of the Catalan Week race at Lloret de Mar, Spain. Germany's Erik Zabel (3:25.14) won the 89-mile leg.

COLLEGE BASEBALL: Florida's Justin Hoyman was named SEC pitcher of the week after a complete game against Alabama in the Gators' 6-1 win.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Florida redshirt freshman Reggie Lewis injured his ankle at spring practice. Coach Ron Zook said he did not know the extent of Lewis' injury, but it was not serious. Lewis is competing for a starting spot at wide receiver. ... Florida Atlantic hired David Dunn as running backs coach and Eli Rasheed, a coach at Booker High in Sarasota, as defensive ends coach.

SAILING: St. Petersburg's Chris and Anttionette Klotz won the snipe class at Pan Am trials last weekend. Winds did not cooperate Friday and Sunday, resulting in three races completed. The Pan American Games will be held in the Dominican Republic.

OBITUARY: Bert Charles, a radio broadcaster for Ohio State football games for 33 years, died of cancer on Friday. He was 85.

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