Michelle Wie shot a two-under-par 70 to begin the LPGA sectional qualifying tournament Tuesday, putting her in solid position in the 164-player field.
The 18-year-old Wie made her debut in the qualifying process with five birdies and three bogeys on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, where she has finished in the top 10 in three of her four starts in the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Wie's 70 put her four shots behind Sun-Ju Ahn of South Korea. Ahn had six birdies and no bogeys in her round and is three shots ahead of a group of six players at 69.
The low 30 players and ties from the 72-hole event advance to the final qualifying event in December.
TENNIS
Bob Bryan to miss Davis Cup semifinal
Doubles star Bob Bryan will miss this weekend's Davis Cup semifinal against Spain in Madrid because of a shoulder injury. He was replaced on the U.S. team by Mardy Fish.
Bryan is recovering after receiving a cortisone shot for an inflamed left shoulder that has bothered him since Wimbledon. This will be the first time in 16 Davis Cup matches that Bryan and his twin brother, Mike, won't play together. The Bryans, who are 14-2 since debuting in 2003, helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup last year.
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Roger Federer's part-time coach, Jose Higueras, was hired by the U.S. Tennis Assn. as director of coaching for elite player development, a program that aims to identify future champions.
SOCCER
Gerrard leads Liverpool over Marseille, 2-1
Steven Gerrard scored two goals for Liverpool in a 2-1 win over Marseille in France in its opening Group D game in the European Champions League.
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Amantino Mancini and Adriano scored for Inter Milan in a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in Athens in Coach Jose Mourinho's first Champions League game in charge of the Italian club.
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Frank Lampard scored the first goal and set up two more as Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 victory over Bordeaux in London to kick off its Champions League campaign.
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FC Barcelona beat Sporting Lisbon, 3-1, in Spain in Group C of the Champions League on goals from Rafael Marquez and Xavi Hernandez and a penalty kick by Samuel Eto'o.
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CFR Cluj pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory in Rome over AS Roma in its Champions League debut, thanks to two goals from Argentine midfielder Juan Culio.
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