USC lost its 2003 Pacific 10 Conference men's track and field championship on Thursday after it was determined that the Trojans used an ineligible athlete during the league championship meet. After the Pac-10 took away the points the athlete earned in competition, USC fell behind new champion Oregon.
According to a Pac-10 release, the student-athlete, whose identity was not revealed because of student privacy laws, was ineligible to compete in the meet because of his failing to meet the minimum grade-point average. But the determination was not communicated to the student-athlete, the track coaches or the athletics department. The violation was self-reported by USC.
Paul Gutierrez
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Golf
Charles Howell III missed a chance for a share of the first-round lead in the Canadian Open at Hamilton, Canada, when he bogeyed the 18th hole, leaving him with a three-under 67, one stroke behind Hidemichi Tanaka.
Tanaka is a nine-time winner on the Japanese tour in his second full season on the PGA Tour.
Brad Faxon, Kelly Gibson, Tom Byrum and Glen Day were tied with Howell.
Canadian star Mike Weir opened with a 69.
Ernie Els shot a six-under-par 65 at the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, to share the first-round lead with defending champion Robert Karlsson of Sweden.
They were one stroke ahead of Eduardo Romero, Mark McNulty, Mark Farry, Henrik Bjornstad and Paul Eales.
Sergio Garcia and Michael Campbell were among 10 golfers two shots back in the first event of yearlong European qualifying for places on next year's European Ryder Cup team.
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College Basketball
Guard Wesley Washington, Minnesota's top freshman recruit, has not been admitted to the university and returned to his home in California, the school announced.
"He will not attend the University of Minnesota at least at this point," Athletic Director Joel Maturi said.
Washington was a two-time Division II player of the year at Santa Ana Mater Dei. He signed a national letter of intent to play for the Gophers more than nine months ago.
The letter of intent will be voided and Washington will be allowed to find another school and immediately be eligible.
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Auto Racing
Tony Stewart passed Ted Musgrave for the lead with 16 laps to go and got his second consecutive NASCAR truck series victory at Richmond International Raceway at Richmond, Va.
