Couples Stays Hot at PGA West

Fred Couples fired a six-under-par 66 Tuesday to help the PGA Tour break a two-year winless streak with a 12-shot victory in the Wendy’s Three-Tour Challenge.

Couples, Greg Norman and Paul Azinger finished the 18-hole event over the Jack Nicklaus Resort Course at PGA West at a combined 10 under. Threesomes from the LPGA and Senior PGA tours tied at two over on a cold, foggy day in the desert.

Couples increased his postseason earnings to more than $800,000 with his share of the $300,000 check for the winning team.

Swimming

Another Chinese swimmer has failed a drug test, the international swimming federation confirmed.

FINA would not release any details until after the federation goes through all its procedures.

Seven swimmers were among 11 Chinese athletes who flunked tests during the Asian Games and were stripped of medals.

Jurisprudence

Six University of Arkansas football players were disciplined after authorities began investigating a report that an 18-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in the athletic dorm.

Basketball Coach Nolan Richardson said freshman Robert Reed, a backup quarterback and a member of the basketball team, was suspended from his team for violating a dormitory rule barring unauthorized visitors.

Prosecutor Terry Jones said Reed was among six athletes questioned by campus police. Jones identified the other five as DeAnthony Hall, Norman Nero, Tyrone Henry, Melvin Bradley and Derrick Harrell.

One of the two men charged with killing James Jordan, the father of Michael Jordan, pleaded not guilty in Lumberton, N.C., 16 months after his arrest.

The plea was entered for Larry Martin Demery, 19, of Rowland, N.C., who with Daniel Andre Green, 20, of Lumberton, was charged in the slaying.

Reserve soccer goalkeeper Kori Hunter, 21, and varsity tennis player Rugsitha Meelarp, 19, of Rutgers were charged with weapons offenses in Piscataway, N.J., and could face suspension for shooting a 9-mm pistol at a telephone book in their dormitory room.

Tennis

Pete Sampras defeated Jaime Yzaga, 6-2, 6-4, to open the $6-million Compaq Grand Slam Cup in Munich, Germany.

Boris Becker rallied to defeat Wayne Ferreira of South Africa, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Michael Chang beat Alberto Berasategui, 6-1, 7-5, and Goran Ivanisevic defeated Jonas Bjorkman, 6-4, 6-2.

Hockey

Wayne Gretzky’s Ninety-Nine All-Stars, a group of locked-out NHL players, rallied from an early two-goal deficit and beat a team of Norwegian all-stars in Oslo, 6-3.

Mighty Duck Coach Ron Wilson and King Coach Barry Melrose are among the former NHL players scheduled to appear in a charity celebrity game headlined by Gordie Howe on Dec. 14 at the Forum.

Rudy Pilous, who coached the Chicago Blackhawks to their last Stanley Cup title in 1961, died of an apparent heart attack. He was 80.

Names in the News

Diego Maradona, his team in danger of being relegated to the second division, resigned as coach of the Argentine soccer club Deportivo Mandiyu, citing problems with the team president. . . . The Florida Marlins traded second baseman Bret Barberie to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Jay Powell. . . . If the Angels sign free-agent closer Lee Smith, they will have to trade either center fielder Chad Curtis or veteran left-handed starter Chuck Finley to stay within their $24.5-million budget for players, sources said. . . . Dodger vice president Bob Smith, who has been responsible for stadium operations at Dodger Stadium the last 27 years, will retire Dec. 31. . . . Bonnie Blair scored her third consecutive victory in the women’s 500-meter race since the World Cup speedskating sprint event started four days ago in Obihiro, Japan. . . . Americans Dennis Mitchell, Greg Foster and Quincy Watts were upset by Australians at an indoor track and field meet in Brisbane, Australia. Damien Marsh edged Mitchell in 6.75 seconds in the 60 meters; Kyle Vander-Kuyp defeated Foster in the 60-meter hurdles, running 7.91 seconds; and Paul Greene beat Olympic champion Watts in the 400 meters. . . . Colorado running back Rashaan Salaam said that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson was out of line when he sent a letter charging the university with racism in hiring Rick Neuheisel as its football coach over Bob Simmons, the assistant head coach who is black. . . . Louisiana State, continuing its search for a new football coach, interviewed Texas Christian Coach Pat Sullivan for a second time.