HONOLULU [bar] Another teenager from Hawaii is turning pro.
Tadd Fujikawa, the 16-year-old who became the youngest player in more than 50 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour, said Thursday he was giving up his amateur status and would make his pro debut in three weeks at the Reno-Tahoe Open.
IN OTHER GOLF NEWS
Phil Mickelson shot a 6-under 65 Thursday to share the first-round lead in the Scottish Open in Luss, Scotland.
Neal Lancaster shot a 7-under 64 to grab a one-shot lead over Duffy Waldorf, Paul Stankowski, Kenny Perry, Scott Gutschewski and Jason Dufner after the first round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill.
Se Ri Pak shot an 8-under 63 to take the first-round lead at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio. Pak has won this tournament four times.
Andy Roberts, the 64th and lowest seed, reached the final eight in match play in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Cantigny Golf in Wheaton, Ill.
baseball
BALCO attorney gets prison term
SAN FRANCISCO [bar] An attorney who admitted leaking the confidential grand jury testimony of Barry Bonds and other athletes was sentenced Thursday to 2 years in prison, by far the harshest penalty to result from the government's steroids investigation.
Troy Ellerman, 44, pleaded guilty in February to allowing a San Francisco Chronicle reporter to view transcripts of testimony by Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and other athletes embroiled in the probe.
wells suspended for seven games
NEW YORK [bar] San Diego Padres pitcher David Wells was suspended for seven games and fined $3,000 Thursday by the commissioner's office for his animated argument with an umpire last weekend.
Wells was ejected by umpire Ed Hickox for questioning calls in the fourth inning of Saturday's 8-5 win over Atlanta after Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run homer.
The portly pitcher had to be restrained by San Diego manager Bud Black, two coaches and catcher Josh Bard, and Wells fired a ball at the backstop as he walked off the field.
Henderson Added As coach For Mets
NEW YORK [bar] Rickey Henderson will be the newest coach on the New York Mets staff - when he reaches New York.
Henderson was traveling Thursday as the Mets announced his hiring and the dismissal of hitting coach Rick Down.
It has not been decided whether Henderson or first-base coach Howard Johnson will replace Down.
IN OTHER BASEBALL NEWS
Julio Franco may have finally run out of at-bats. The New York Mets cut the 48-year-old utilityman Thursday, opting to give 22-year-old outfielder Lastings Milledge, a former Norfolk Tides player, another chance in the majors.
Travis Hafner and the Cleveland Indians agreed Thursday to a $57 million, four-year contract extension through the 2012 season.
David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop, shook off a back injury and came off the disabled list Thursday.
basketball
Magic, howard sign 5-year extension
ORLANDO, Fla. [bar] Only 21 years old, Dwight Howard already says he wants to retire in Orlando.
He committed to sticking around for a while longer Thursday, as the former No. 1 overall pick signed a five-year contract extension worth approximately $80 million.
IN OTHER BASKETBALL NEWS
Ronny Thompson has told Ball State he will resign after one season as head coach of the Cardinals.
Lindsey Harding, the No.1 pick in this year's WNBA draft, will miss the rest of her rookie season with the Minnesota Lynx with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
hockey
Sutter may soon take over devils
RED DEER, Alberta [bar] Brent Sutter resigned as coach and general manager of the Western Hockey League's Red Deer Rebels - a team he owns - on Thursday amid speculation he will soon be named coach of the New Jersey Devils.
IN OTHER HOCKEY NEWS
Sheldon Souray agreed to a five-year deal with the the Edmonton Oilers, which was looking for an impact player. Souray, an All-Star defenseman, posted career highs of 26 goals and 64 points last season with Montreal.
Mike Ribeiro and Joel Lundqvist, both centers, re-signed with the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
tennis
Williams replaced on fed cup team
STOWE, Vt. [bar] An injured Serena Williams was officially dropped from the U.S. roster Thursday, and Svetlana Kuznetsova was taken off Russia's team ahead of the Fed Cup semifinal this weekend.
Williams, who hurt her left thumb and calf at Wimbledon after being picked for the U.S. squad, was replaced by Meilen Tu.
in other news
Crystl Bustos and Kelly Kretschman hit two-run homers as the U.S. opened its title defense at the World Cup of Softball with a 9-1 win over Venezuela in Oklahoma City.
CAPTION(S):
Ellerman Howard
