Ex-Twin Kirby Puckett Charged with Sexual Assault
Former Minnesota Twins star and Baseball Hall of Fame member Kirby Puckett was charged on Friday with allegedly fondling a woman after pushing her into a men's restroom.
( Reuters, 10/18/2002 02:08 PM EDT)

Els Sets New Wentworth Mark with 12-Under-Par 60
Ernie Els fired a record 12-under-par 60 in the World Match Play Championship quarter-finals on Friday, improving on the event's previous mark by a shot.
( BY MARK LAMPORT-STOKES, Reuters, 10/18/2002 02:07 PM EDT)

DiMarco Takes Early Second Round Lead at Disney
Chris DiMarco shot a nine-under-par 63 to be the early second-round leader at the Walt Disney Golf Classic on Friday. DiMarco, who has only two top-10 finishes since winning in late January, was the clubhouse leader at 17-under-par after a birdie-free round that included an eagle at the par-five 14th.
( Reuters, 10/18/2002 02:00 PM EDT)

Early Woosnam Exit but Els, Singh and Garcia Win
Ernie Els stayed on course for a fourth World Match Play Championship title on Friday but defending champion Ian Woosnam crashed out of the tournament, losing 3 & 2 to New Zealand's Michael Campbell.
( BY MARK LAMPORT-STOKES, Reuters, 10/18/2002 01:48 PM EDT)

Defending Champion Davenport Overcomes Clijsters
Lindsay Davenport overcame Belgium's Kim Clijsters to keep alive her hopes of a successful defense of her title at the Swisscom Challenge Friday. The 26-year-old former world number one clinched her place in the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-6 victory as her teenage opponent failed to lift her game consistently.
( BY TIMOTHY COLLINGS, Reuters, 10/18/2002 01:44 PM EDT)

Campbell 'Elated' After Beating Faldo and Woosnam
New Zealand's Michael Campbell was delighted to beat two of the European Tour's "elder statesmen" in the World Match Play Championship Friday to earn himself a semi-final clash with Sergio Garcia.
( BY MARK LAMPORT-STOKES, Reuters, 10/18/2002 01:22 PM EDT)

Agassi, Grosjean Through to Madrid Semifinals
Andre Agassi produced a confident display to beat Spanish favorite Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3 6-2 in a one-sided baseline battle and reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters on Friday.
( BY KEVIN FYLAN, Reuters, 10/18/2002 01:09 PM EDT)

Ralf Schumacher Wants Williams to Take More Risks
Ralf Schumacher believes controversial and eye-catching proposals to liven up Formula One next season will come to nothing. The German hopes instead that his Williams team will take steps of their own and roll out a more adventurous 2003 car to take the fight to dominant Ferrari and his older brother Michael.
( BY ALAN BALDWIN, Reuters, 10/18/2002 12:51 PM EDT)

Angels and Giants Set for Wild World Series
Baseball purists may be appalled at the thought of two wildcard teams, both unable to win their divisions, competing in the World Series. But the San Francisco Giants, powered by the greatest home run hitter of his era in Barry Bonds, and the Anaheim Angels bring all the necessary skill and storylines to the plate for what could be a truly memorable Fall Classic.
( BY STEVE KEATING, Reuters, 10/18/2002 12:32 PM EDT)

Stocks Cut Losses
Stocks erased opening losses and edged into positive territory at mid-morning on Friday on momentum from a hefty rally that has driven the blue-chip Dow up almost 1,000 points since it scraped out 5-year lows last week.
( BY DENISE DUCLAUX, Reuters, 10/18/2002 11:09 AM EDT)

Red Wings Celebrations Cut Short by Canadiens
The Red Wings were celebrating before the game as they raised their championship banner, but they were not too happy after as they conceded two third-period goals to tumble 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in NHL action Thursday.
( Reuters, 10/18/2002 08:46 AM EDT)

Campbell Edges Out Faldo in Wentworth Marathon
New Zealand's Michael Campbell sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the 43rd hole on Friday to beat Nick Faldo in the longest match in World Match Play Championship history.
( Reuters, 10/18/2002 04:06 AM EDT)

Els Heads Field at Sun City for Golf's Richest Prize
British Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa heads the field for the Nedbank Challenge to be played at the Gary Player country club at Sun City at the end of November.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 07:29 PM EDT)

Sao Paulo, Santos Still Feuding over Goal Celebration
Brazilian teams Sao Paulo and Santos were still feuding Thursday over a goal celebration during their stormy derby the night before. Seventeen-year-old Santos midfielder Diego celebrated his team's second goal, scored from a twice-taken penalty, by jumping onto a giant Sao Paulo club emblem which lies by the side of the pitch at the Morumbi stadium.
( BY BRIAN HOMEWOOD, Reuters, 10/17/2002 07:26 PM EDT)

De La Rosa Wants Rid of Jaguar Teammate Irvine
Spanish Formula One driver Pedro de la Rosa has attacked the attitude of Jaguar team mate Eddie Irvine and has said he hopes the fiery Ulsterman will leave the team before next season.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 07:25 PM EDT)

Agassi Sets Up Quarterfinal Clash with Ferrero
Andre Agassi won a late night battle of wills to see off Spanish wildcard Feliciano Lopez 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 at the Madrid Masters Thursday and set up a quarter-final meeting with Juan Carlos Ferrero.
( BY KEVIN FYLAN, Reuters, 10/17/2002 07:24 PM EDT)

Dokic Upset by Stevenson, Schnyder Goes Through
Fifth seeded Yugoslav teen-ager Jelena Dokic joined the list of seeds making an early exit from the Swisscom Challenge Thursday when she was upset in three sets by big-serving American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson.
( BY TIMOTHY COLLINGS, Reuters, 10/17/2002 06:22 PM EDT)

World Series Adds Luster to Angels Sales Talk
With baseball's Anaheim Angels starting their first-ever World Series Saturday, their surprise success has given the team's owner, Walt Disney Co., a divine moment to get out of what it says has become a profit-free purgatory.
( BY GINA KEATING, Reuters, 10/17/2002 05:42 PM EDT)

Blair Challenges IRA Amid N.Irish Impasse
British Prime Minister Tony Blair threw down the gauntlet on Thursday to the IRA guerrilla movement to disarm as a pre-requisite for pressing forward with Northern Ireland's stalled peace process.
( BY ANDREW CAWTHORNE, Reuters, 10/17/2002 03:04 PM EDT)

Campbell, Faldo in Stalemate at Match Play
Twice champion Nick Faldo and New Zealand's Michael Campbell were still all square after a record 42 holes in the World Match Play Championship on Thursday.
( BY MARK LAMPORT-STOKES, Reuters, 10/17/2002 02:55 PM EDT)

Marathon Clash Between Faldo and Campbell Sets Mark
The protracted first-round match between Nick Faldo and New Zealand's Michael Campbell, now set to finish Friday, is already the longest in the 38-year history of the World Match Play Championship.
( BY MARK LAMPORT-STOKES, Reuters, 10/17/2002 02:44 PM EDT)

Burns, Tanaka Share Early Disney Lead
Bob Burns and Japan's Hidemichi Tanaka both began their quests to become the PGA Tour's record 16th first-time winner this season by shooting nine-under-par 63s to share the early first-round lead at the Walt Disney Classic.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 02:38 PM EDT)

Moya Plans Rest Before Final Push for Masters Cup
Carlos Moya will take a week off in an attempt to get over a nagging back injury before traveling to Paris to resume his bid for a place in the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup.
( BY KEVIN FYLAN, Reuters, 10/17/2002 01:31 PM EDT)

World Series Adds Luster to Angels Sales Talk
With baseball's Anaheim Angels starting their first-ever World Series Saturday, their surprise success has given the team's owner, Walt Disney Co., a divine moment to get out of what it says has become a profit-free purgatory.
( BY GINA KEATING, Reuters, 10/17/2002 10:53 AM EDT)

Allenby Snubs Australian PGA Title Defense
Australia's highest-ranked golfer, Robert Allenby, has decided not to defend his Australian PGA title, angering tournament officials. The world No. 20, who won the Australian PGA in 2000 and 2001, is skipping the event to play a more lucrative tournament in South Africa.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 03:46 AM EDT)

Lemieux Inspires Penguins to Third Straight Win
Mario Lemieux had three assists, giving him 10 points in his last three games, as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Atlanta Thrashers 3-2 in National Hockey League action Wednesday.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 01:33 AM EDT)

A-Rod Voted Baseball Player of the Year
Alex Rodriguez was named the 2002 Player of the Year at the Players Choice Awards on Wednesday as the sport's leading performers received recognition from their peers.
( Reuters, 10/17/2002 12:38 AM EDT)