Love Emerges to Take a Three-Stroke Lead

The skies were cloudy and the conditions were relatively soft, but Davis Love III managed just fine, using a birdie-eagle stretch to put distance between him and the field at Disney’s National Car Rental Classic and closing with a 25-foot birdie for a seven-under-par 65 and a three-stroke lead over Doug Martin and Glen Day at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

“All in all, it was a good, solid round,” said Love, who finished at 14-under 202.

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Annika Sorenstam shot a course-record six-under 66 and took a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Samsung World Championship of Women’s Golf at The Villages, Fla.

Sorenstam heads into today’s final round with an eight-under 208, one stroke ahead of defending champion Juli Inkster, who matched Sorenstam’s 66.

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Coming off the second-lowest score in Senior PGA Tour history on Friday, Jay Sigel shot a one-over-par 72 and was at nine-under 133 to cling to a one-stroke lead over Terry Dill and Larry Laoretti in the Kaanapali Seniors Classic at Hawaii. Sigel shot a 61 on Friday.

Pro Basketball

NBA owners and players returned to the bargaining table, but made no progress toward ending the league’s lockout during a three-hour meeting.

Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik and union director Billy Hunter plan to talk again Monday to schedule the next negotiations.

Boxing

Former World Boxing Council champion Gabriel Ruelas’ record fell to 45-5 when lightweight John Brown stopped him in the eighth round at Atlantic City, N.J. Ruelas never mounted a threat, looking tired and overmatched.

Unbeaten International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight champion Roberto Garcia of Oxnard rallied to stop Ramon Ledon in the fifth round at Atlantic City to retain his title.

Germany’s Sven Ottke (13-0) gained a split decision over Charles Brewer (32-6) to take the American’s IBF super-middleweight title at Hamburg, Germany.

Mike Tyson’s attorney said an out-of-court settlement was close to head off a civil suit against the fighter stemming from an argument after an auto accident in Maryland.

Tennis

Andre Agassi beat Wayne Black of Zimbabwe, 7-6 (7-2),6-3, in the semifinals of the $1-million Czech Indoor ATP tournament at Ostrava. Jan Kroslak of Slovakia won the other berth in today’s final when an ankle injury forced Sweden’s Thomas Enqvist out of their match.

An aching knee slowed top-seeded Venus Williams and she was upset by Mary Pierce of France, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, in the semifinals of the Kremlin Cup at Moscow. Monica Seles will face Pierce in the final after beating Sandrine Testud of France, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).

After a walkover victory over the world’s top-ranked player Pete Sampras (aching back)in the quarterfinals, Tommy Haas of Germany found himself in the finals of the Lyon Grand Prix in the same way after second-ranked Marcelo Rios of Chile withdrew from the semifinals in the second set because of a strained hamstring.

He will meet Alex Corretja of Spain, who beat South African Wayne Ferreira, 6-3, 6-2.

Miscellany

Andrine Flemmen became the first Norwegian woman to capture a World Cup giant slalom event, opening the season with a victory at Soelden, Austria.

The first FIFA Women’s World All-Star match will be played Feb. 14 at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium, pending approval of soccer’s worldwide governing body.