Faldo Injures Wrist, May Miss Ryder Cup

British golfer Nick Faldo pulled out of this week’s Lancome Trophy tournament in Paris because of a wrist injury, raising concerns about his status for this month’s Ryder Cup.

Faldo injured his right wrist while playing in a sponsorship event Tuesday in Germany, his management company, IMG, said.

Faldo was advised to withdraw from the Paris tournament “as a precaution against any possibility of aggravating the injury so close to the Ryder Cup,” IMG said in a statement.

Faldo plans to fly to the United States later this week for treatment of the injury.

The Lancome is the last European golf tournament before the Ryder Cup at the Oak Hill club in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 22-24.

Faldo’s injury adds to the concerns of European Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher.

Jose Maria Olazabal, troubled by a recurrent foot problem, may be able to play only 18 holes a day. Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and David Gilford have all had back trouble recently.

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British Open champion John Daly withdrew from the Canadian Open, further depleting the field that includes only three of the top 10 money leaders and 20 of the first 50.

Daly, who has had only one week off since winning at St. Andrews in July, called the PGA Tour’s office, and left a voice-mail message saying he would not play. He said he would send a letter explaining his reasons, and has 14 days to clarify his decision.

Daly’s agent, John Mascatelo, said his client was tired.

U.S. Ryder Cup player Brad Faxon, whose wife is expecting the couple’s third child, withdrew last week.

Track and Field

Linford Christie of Britain won the 100 meters at a track and field meet in Rieti, Italy, then reiterated that he probably would not defend his Olympic title next year at Atlanta.

Christie pulled away over the final 20 meters in winning in 10.20 seconds under a steady downpour that forced cancellation of the men’s pole vault and slowed times.

“I probably will not be competing in Atlanta,” Christie said. “I have nothing to show at 35, except that athletics can be fun.”

World-record holder and five-time world champion Sergei Bubka of Ukraine had been scheduled to compete in the pole vault.

World champion Michael Johnson turned in an impressive performance despite the conditions, winning the 200 in 20.09, the year’s third-best time.

“It’s a fast track and I could have clocked a faster time, but the weather was too bad,” said Johnson, who won the 200 and 400 at last month’s World Championships.

Also, world champion Ana Quirot of Cuba was beaten in the women’s 800 by Jearl Miles of the United States, the 1993 world champion at 400 meters. Miles was timed at 2:00.86, Quirot at 2:01.61.

Jurisprudence

Golden State Warrior guard Latrell Sprewell was arrested for traffic violations and for allegedly threatening a police officer who chased his truck, police said.

Sprewell, an NBA all-star guard beginning his fourth season with the team, was scheduled to appear in Oakland Municipal Court today.

He was released from jail after posting more than $6,000 bail, and paying a $956 warrant for driving on a suspended license.

Sprewell was booked on the outstanding warrant and new violations of driving on a suspended license, impeding traffic and playing his car stereo too loud.

He also allegedly threatened arresting officer Scott Fukuda and made racial slurs, according to police.

Fukuda said he pursued a speeding vehicle Sunday but lost it. He later spotted the vehicle double-parked with the driver talking to someone in a car.

According to police, the driver of the vehicle in question was Sprewell, 24, who pulled the vehicle to the curb and got out. He asked Fukuda if he knew who he was and the officer said he did not.

The officer tried to handcuff Sprewell but failed.

Sprewell, who was negotiating a new contract with Golden State before the July 1 NBA lockout, was recognized by officers who responded to Fukuda’s call for reinforcements.

A $150,000 grand theft warrant has been issued for the arrest of Susan Bradley, the former bookkeeper of horse trainers Bill Shoemaker and Craig Lewis, Arcadia police said. Detective Bob Anderson said Bradley, of Arcadia, allegedly bilked the trainers of more than $215,000 and remains at large.

Hockey

John Ferguson resigned as director of player personnel for the Ottawa Senators, apparently upset over recent budget cuts and the NHL team’s plan to trade center Alexei Yashin.

William Evo, a former World Hockey Assn. player, has been named president of the Detroit Red Wings.

Herb Brooks, a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, has been hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins to scout amateur talent.

The New York Islanders agreed to contracts with three free agents: right wing Danton Cole, defenseman Joby Messier and center Micah Aivazoff.

Boxing

South Korean champion Choi Hi-yong won a split decision over Keiji Yamaguchi of Japan in a bloody fight to retain his World Boxing Assn. junior flyweight title.

Judge Akrom Wannasit of Thailand scored the fight 117-111, and Jorge Constantino of Chile saw it 114-113, both for Choi. Puerto Rican judge Waldemar Schmidt had it 116-115, in favor of Yamaguchi. There were no knockdowns in the 12-rounder.

Miscellany

The 1995-96 World Cup ski season will open in Vail, Colo., Nov. 16-19, rather than in Europe in an effort to avoid the unpredictable snow patterns on the continent that wreaked havoc with last season’s schedule.

Names in the News

Basketball Coach John Calipari has signed a new 10-year contract worth an estimated $4.5 million with the University of Massachusetts.

Andre Ware, the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner cut recently by the Jacksonville Jaguars, signed a two-year deal with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League.

Glen Tuckett, a former coach and athletic director at Brigham Young, came out of retirement to become interim athletic director at Alabama, which has been put on probation for the first time.

Drag racer Carol (Bunny) Burkett was in critical condition with injuries from a crash at 200 m.p.h. in Beaver Springs, Pa.