By FRANK PASTOR, Times wires
Published June 16, 2004
HEATHROW - Teenagers In-Bee Park and Brittany Lincicome and LPGA Tour veteran Michelle Estill secured spots in the U.S. Women's Open on Tuesday in section qualifying.
Park, a 15-year-old from Eustis, and Lincicome, 18, from Seminole, shared medal honors at The Country Club at Heathrow, finishing 36 holes at 1-over 145.
Estill made a 9-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Maru Martinez and claim the final qualifying spot for the Open on July 1-4 at The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass.
SJGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Thomas Hugghins bounced back from a double bogey on his first hole to tie Ash Alstadt for the first-round lead in St. Simons Island, Ga. Hugghins of Ponte Vedra Beach had four birdies in his round and finished even-par 70.
HORSES: Smarty to retire in 2005
Smarty Jones probably will be retired for breeding after running three more races this year, the son of the horse's owners said . Mike Chapman said the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner will race in the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park on Sept.6, the Jockey Club Gold Cup at New York's Belmont Park on Oct.2 and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Oct.30. Chapman said his parents, Roy and Patricia, are leaning toward retiring the 3-year-old colt after the Breeders' Cup because it would cost more than $1-million to insure him if he kept running next year.
PRO FOOTBALL: Former Redskin to rehab
Former Redskins tackle George Starke pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges and agreed to enter a rehabilitation program. D.C. police stopped Starke on May 14 when an officer noticed he was not wearing his seat belt, according to charging documents. Starke also was charged with driving on a suspended license, and a search of the car revealed 7 grams of cocaine, prosecutors said. He denied the allegations, and his attorney said Starke entered the guilty plea to save himself the time and expense of a trial.
ARENA LEAGUE: Orlando defensive specialist Kenny McEntyre was voted defensive player of the year for the third time. He also received the honor in 2000 and 2001. McEntyre tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, giving him a league-record 55 for his career.
TENNIS: Dokic falls to 6-7
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic struggled again, losing to Tina Pisnik 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament in England. Dokic committed nine double faults in her 49-minute loss. Her singles record this year dropped to 6-7.
NOTTINGHAM OPEN: Defending champion Greg Rusedski saved match point in the second set and beat Karol Kucera 2-6, 7-6 (6-4), 6-3 in the first round of the English grass-court tournament. Top-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan downed Gilles Elseneer 6-3, 7-5.
ORDINA OPEN: Top-seede d Guillermo Coria, the French Open runnerup, picked up his first win on grass this season, beating Karol Beck 6-3, 6-3 in Den Bosch, Netherlands. No.2 Rainer Schuettler lost to Raemon Sluiter 3-6, 7-6 (6-2), 6-3, while No.3 Sjeng Schalken, the two-time defending champion, was beaten by Mario Ancic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
ET CETERA
AUTOS: Dave Blaney will replace rookie Johnny Sauter in the Nextel Cup series. Sauter remains under contract with Richard Childress Racing and still could drive for the team this season.
OLYMPICS: Athens' new tram had a successful first test run, moving from central Athens to the southern seaside suburbs where two major complexes are located. The $380-million project had been so delayed the IOC was concerned it would not be ready for the Aug.13-29 Games.
