NEWSWIRE : Ruling Helps Kim Post First LPGA Victory

Mi Hyun Kim earned her first LPGA Tour victory Monday. Janice Moodie didn’t seem to get a fair chance at hers.

Kim, trying to follow fellow South Korean Se Ri Pak as rookie of the year, shot a two-under-par 70 for a one-stroke victory over Moodie and defending champion Pearl Sinn at the State Farm Rail Classic at Springfield, Ill.

Kim’s 54-hole total of 12-under 204 at the 6,403-yard Rail Golf Course earned her $116,250 and gave her a comfortable lead in the race for rookie honors with five events remaining.

Moodie, who had a two-stroke lead entering the final round, could only think of what might have been, thanks to a temporarily erroneous ruling.

On the 13th hole she hit her drive into a fairway bunker. As she addressed the ball a bug landed on it and she reached down to swish it away. Tour officials initially assessed her a two-stroke penalty for touching the ball, putting Moodie three strokes behind Kim with five holes to play.

The ruling was seen by an LPGA official watching at home on television. It set off a chain reaction of telephone calls and radio messages to course officials. The penalty was rescinded as Moodie reached the tee at No. 18. She was now one shot behind Kim instead of three.

Moodie had a chance to tie but her birdie putt fell short and her 73 left her tied with Sinn, who lives in Huntington Beach.

“Yeah, it was a distraction,” Moodie said. “I’m annoyed. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Pro Hockey

Wal-Mart heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie, who failed in an attempt to buy Denver’s Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center, have purchased the St. Louis Blues and Kiel Center. Terms were not disclosed.

Bill Laurie planned to meet with the team this morning and a news conference has been scheduled.

The Ottawa Senators suspended holdout Alexei Yashin and threatened to sue the all-star center as their dispute over a contract extension continued.

Former Philadelphia Flyer goalie Ron Hextall announced his retirement and accepted a scouting job with the team. . . . The Pittsburgh Penguins signed center Jan Hrdina, whose 42 points last season placed him fourth among NHL rookies. . . . The New York Rangers agreed to terms with both of their first-round draft picks, right wing Pavel Brendl and center Jamie Lundmark. Brendl, 18, was chosen fourth overall in the June entry draft, while Lundmark, also 18, was selected ninth. . . . The Carolina Hurricanes helped solidify their defense by signing Marek Malik to a multi-year contract. . . . Rene Lecavalier, who hosted French-language NHL games for Radio Canada for more than 30 years, died in Montreal. He was 81.

Softball

Dot Richardson, a 37-year-old second baseman and orthopedic surgeon, heads the players named to the U.S. softball team that will play in the 2000 Olympics at Sydney, Australia.

Joining Richardson, of Orlando, Fla., as repeat members of the U.S. team which won the gold medal in 1996 are outfielders Laura Berg of Santa Fe Springs and Leah O’Brien-Amico of Chino, first baseman Sheila Douty of Diamond Bar, and pitcher Lisa Fernandez of Long Beach. Others on the roster include third baseman Jennifer Brundage of Irvine, shortstop Crystl Bustos of Canyon Country, and catcher Stacey Nuveman of LaVerne.

The softball team’s first game will be Friday against New Zealand in the inaugural U.S. Olympic Cup at San Diego.

Miscellany

Linford Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100-meter champion, was cleared of drug charges by British track authorities, but he still must await a final ruling by track and field’s world governing body.

The United Kingdom Athletics panel ruled it “could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt” that Christie used prohibited substances despite traces of the steroid Nandrolone showing in a urine sample he gave after a meet in February.

A strong anti-drug campaigner, Christie declared his innocence when the result of his test was announced Aug. 4 and vowed to clear his name.

Gabriela Szabo of Romania, in the 5,000 meters, and Wilson Kipketer of Denmark, in the 800, have the chance to split $1 million if they win their events today in the ISTAF track and field meet at Berlin.

The No. 16-ranked UCLA women’s soccer team defeated Maryland, 1-0, and No. 24 USC lost to No. 4 Florida, 3-1, in the second and final day of the USC Fila Challenge at McAlister Field adjacent to the USC campus. Freshman midfielder Tracey Winzen scored for UCLA.

Cory McClenathan won the Top Fuel category at the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind., his second victory of the season.