Woods Shoots a 68 to Stay in Contention at B.C. Open

Tiger Woods, who led the Quad City Classic last week before winding up fifth, was one of eight golfers two strokes off the lead after the first round of the B.C. Open at Endicott, N.Y., on Thursday.

Brian Claar, winless in 10 years on the PGA Tour, is the leader at five-under-par 66. Woods, playing in his fourth event since turning professional, had four birdies and a bogey to finish at 68.

“I felt good about my putting stroke,” Woods said. “I left myself in position to make the putts, below the hole, where I could be very aggressive. I’m in good position. Even though I didn’t hit the ball well, I scored--and that’s the name of the game.”

Olympics

The International Baseball Assn. is holding a special congress Saturday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to vote on a change in its amateur-only rule and bring baseball into line with basketball, tennis, ice hockey and other sports with professionals in the Olympic Games.

In June 1994, the baseball federation narrowly rejected a proposal to embrace professionalism. Since then, the IBA has added more than 10 new members, and the proposal is expected to gain approval this time.

An IOC delegation was assured by Russia’s prime minister that his government will guarantee political stability if St. Petersburg is chosen as host of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Viktor Chernomyrdin told reporters after meeting Olympic officials that Russia’s uncertain political situation could hurt St. Petersburg’s chances of winning the games.

The USOC confirmed that USA Boxing officials misspent $2.36 million in USOC grants from 1991-95. The USOC discovered the misspending during a routine audit that began July 17. It confirmed the findings Wednesday in a memo sent to USA Boxing officials. A final report is expected Oct. 13.

Jurisprudence

Retired stock car star and aspiring politician Richard Petty admitted he broke traffic laws when he followed too closely behind a speeding car in Raleigh N.C. Petty’s lawyer paid $65 in court costs.

Petty is a Republican running for secretary of state in November.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Diane Wayne overruled the California Horse Racing Board’s disqualification of three horses that had tested positive for the drug substance scopolamine during the 1994 Santa Anita meet.

The three owners who appealed and benefited from Wayne’s decision were Glen Hill Farm, whose horse Top Rung originally finished second, earning $6,400; Robert Clay, whose horse Water Prospector won, earning $11,050, and Team Valor Inc., whose horse Lady Blessington won the Buena Vista Handicap, earning $66,300.

Names in the News

Free-agent guard Darrick Martin, a former UCLA player, signed a two-year contract with the Clippers. Martin, who has averaged 7.2 points in 93 NBA games, is expected to be a reserve point guard behind starter Pooh Richardson. A two-year NBA veteran, Martin was signed as a free agent by the Vancouver Grizzlies last November, and averaged 6.7 points and 3.1 assists in 24 games before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in January. He finished the season in Minnesota, averaging 7.5 points and 3.7 assists in 35 games.

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and defending champion Mary Pierce enjoyed easy victories to advance to the quarterfinals of the Nichirei Ladies tennis tournament at Tokyo. . . . Stefan Edberg, in his last season on the professional tour, said he will join Sweden’s Davis Cup squad, boosting the favorite’s chances in the weekend’s semifinals against the Czech Republic at Prague.