Europeans Think Langer Will Play

European captain Bernhard Gallacher said he is optimistic that Masters champion Bernhard Langer will play in the Ryder Cup matches against the United States starting Friday at Sutton Coldfield, England.

Langer has a neck injury that has made him a questionable starter for the 12-man team that will attempt to regain the Ryder Cup.

The decision will be made today, but Gallacher said Langer looked good in practice Tuesday.

Ronan Rafferty of Northern Ireland, the first alternate to the European squad, will replace Langer if he is unable to play.

Meanwhile, Lanny Wadkins, who had reportedly withdrawn from the U.S. team because of a bad back, plans to play.

Basketball

The NBA and Turner Broadcasting announced a four-year extension of their television contract that will bring a game of the week to TBS and ensure that every playoff game will be on national TV.

Turner will pay $350 million for the four years, beginning in the 1994-95 season, an increase of about 25% over the last four years.

Earlier this year, NBC negotiated a $750-million, four-year extension with the NBA, also to run through 1997-98 and also representing about a 25% increase.

Soccer

Mexico and Cameroon will meet tonight at 8 at the Coliseum.

Mexico was the first team to qualify for next summer’s World Cup and Cameroon needs only one point in its next game against Zimbabwe to make it.

Sailing

Bill Munster resigned as chairman of the defense committee for the 1995 America’s Cup, citing philosophical differences between him and other board members of the San Diego Yacht Club. Munster was replaced by SDYC Commodore Wytie Cable.

Russia’s maxi boat, Odyssey, withdrew from the sixth Whitbread Round the World Race, reducing to 15 the fleet scheduled to start the nine-month, 33,000-mile event from England on Saturday. Syndicate leaders, including co-skipper Ted Allison of Seattle, said they were more than $1 million short of the funds needed to complete the race.

Tennis

American Amy Frazier ousted fifth-seeded Katerina Maleeva of Bulgaria in the first round of the $375,000 Nichirei International women’s tournament at Tokyo, 6-1, 6-4.

Boxing

Mickey Vann’s appointment to referee the title fight between World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno is being challenged because of his involvement in the Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez bout.

A British boxing writer said Vann told him he took a point from Whitaker for a low blow, and the fight ended in a draw. Vann denies it.

Hockey

The Edmonton Oilers and captain Craig MacTavish avoided salary arbitration when the team announced it had signed the veteran center to a one-year deal.