Irwin on Par for $2-Million Milestone

Hale Irwin, trying to become the first golfer to earn $2 million in a season, birdied the first three holes on the back nine Friday in the Vantage Championship at Clemmons, N.C., and finished with an opening-round, seven-under-par 64.

Irwin had a one-shot lead over Senior PGA Tour rookie Jose Maria Canizares and a two-shot lead over Dave Eichelberger and senior rookie Larry Nelson.

A victory this weekend by Irwin, who won this tournament in 1995 and tied for second last year, would give him eight victories on the season and the $225,000 top prize. He has earned $1,778,864 so far.

Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour is about $50,000 shy of reaching $2 million with several tournaments left.

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Hal Sutton and Davis Love III shot seven-under 65s to share the lead halfway through the $1.2-million Buick Challenge at Pine Mountain, Ga. Steve Pate also shot a 65 to move to 11 under, one stroke behind Love and Sutton, while Stewart Cink had the low round for the day at 64--putting him at 10 under for the tournament.

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Dale Eggeling, in her 22nd year on the pro golf tour, shot a seven-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Betsy King Classic at Kutztown, Pa. Eggeling had seven birdies during a bogey-free round.

Track and Field

Eckhard Arbeit, the former East German coach named Australia’s national track coach Thursday, admits having been in charge of a regime that systematically fed athletes steroids to win medals in international competition.

That satisfied Athletics Australia, but not several of the country’s leading athletes, the Sydney Olympic Organizing Committee, and the German official probing East German secret police files outlining drug use in the former communist nation.

Raelene Boyle, who won two Olympic silver medals behind acknowledged East German drug cheat Renate Stecher in 1972, said the appointment condoned use of substances which stopped her from winning gold.

“He was absolutely involved in drug use,” Boyle said. “He would have been administering drugs. He would have been involved with the doctors that would have been prescribing whatever the athletes were taking.”

Jurisprudence

While a prosecutor met with investigators in York, S.C., about sexual misconduct allegations against Charlotte Hornet owner George Shinn, his accuser’s lawyer said the woman was not trying for a lucrative settlement.

However, the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported that she sought $5 million.

“The other side had leaked it out and was trying to imply my client was after a bunch of money,” David Bland said. “I made it clear to them we were not.”

No charges have been filed.

Citing logistical problems, three defendants in the trial over the death of race driver Ayrton Senna failed to appear in court in Imola, Italy, to give testimony.

The trial of six Formula One officials, charged with manslaughter for Senna’s fatal crash during the 1994 San Marino GP, is expected to continue through November.

Prosecutor Maurizio Passarini contends a badly modified steering column in Senna’s Williams-Renault caused the fatal crash.

Tennis

Jim Courier secured a berth in the semifinals of the China Open in Beijing with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Slovakia’s Jan Kroslak. The top-seeded Courier will play third-seed Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who beat Gianluca Pozzi of Italy, 6-2, 6-4.

Top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia was toppled by hard-serving Mark Philippoussis of Australia, 6-3, 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, in the quarterfinals of Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel, Switzerland.

A memorial doubles tennis tournament will be held Oct. 12 at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis and Fitness Club in the name of John Anawalt, the Laguna Beach High tennis coach who died of a heart attack May 21. Details: (714) 661-2936.

Corel Corp., a Canadian computer software company, has decided not to renew as worldwide title sponsor of the Women’s Tennis Assn. tour after its agreement expires after the end of the 1998 season, the tour announced.

Boxing

Former heavyweight champion James “Buster” Douglas hurt his hand in training, forcing postponement of his Oct. 11 fight against John Ruiz. The fight, at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn., will probably rescheduled for early December.

Miscellany

Gary Scelzi of Fresno (top fuel), Tim Wilkerson (funny car) of Springfield, Ill., Kurt Johnson (pro stock) of Lawrenceville, Ga., and Matt Hines (pro stock motorcycle) of Whittier are leaders after qualifying rounds in the Pennzoil Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park.

The NHL Stars and NBA Mavericks and the city of Dallas announced they will build a new downtown arena, although a site had not yet been selected. The facility will be jointly financed, and in return, the two teams have committed to staying in Dallas for 30 years.