Solid Putting Helps Hayes Retain Lead

J.P. Hayes sank four birdie putts of at least 20 feet and shot a four-under-par 68 on Saturday for a two-shot lead after three rounds of the Honda Classic at Coral Springs, Fla.

Hayes was at 16-under 200. Jonathan Kaye and Brian Gay, each seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot 67s and were 14 under.

Jim Furyk, who won at Doral last week, shot 65 and was at 12 under with Dudley Hart and Robert Gamez, who is seeking his first title in 10 years.

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Annika Sorenstam aced one hole and chipped in for one of her three birdies during a five-under 67 that moved her into a tie for the lead in the Welch’s-Circle K Championship at Tucson.

Moira Dunn finished the third round with a 68 and joined Sorenstam at 14-under 202.

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Jose Maria Canizares of Spain shot a nine-under 63 for a share of the second-round lead with Jim Colbert in the Audi Senior Classic at Puebla, Mexico.

Canizares, a seven-time winner on the PGA European Tour seeking his first Senior PGA Tour victory, played the back nine in six-under 30 en route to an 11-under 133 total on the La Vista course.

Colbert, a 19-time winner on the 50-and-over tour, made a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 66.

Motor Racing

Germany’s Michael Schumacher won the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne as Ferrari took the top two places after both McLaren cars dropped out.

Italy’s Rubens Barrichello, making his first start for the defending champion Ferrari team, finished second--11.4 seconds behind. Ralf Schumacher, the winner’s younger brother, was third in a Williams BMW.

After losing last week in Las Vegas when a lapped car spun in front of his Ford late in the Busch Series race, Mark Martin overwhelmed the field to win the Aaron’s 312 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Despite a rain interruption of almost six hours, Martin got his second win in three Busch Series starts this year.

Winter Sports

Hermann Maier of Austria won the World Cup overall title for the second time in three years, finishing third in a giant slalom at Hinterstoder, Austria, to clinch with four races remaining.

Norway’s Lasse Kjus, who won the World Cup last year, skipped most of the current season due to injury.

Maier has a record 1,820 points, topping the mark set by Switzerland’s Paul Accola 11 years ago.

Sonja Nef of Switzerland won the giant slalom at Sestriere, Italy, her second consecutive victory. . . . Jennifer Kirk completed seven triple jumps to overtake U.S. teammate Deanna Stellato to capture the women’s event in the World Junior Figure Skating Championships at Oberstdorf, Germany. Sasha Cohen, 15, of Laguna Niguel finished sixth, losing her chance to go to the senior world championships.

Boxing

Naseem Hamed of Britain successfully defended his World Boxing Organization featherweight title for the 14th time, stopping former International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight champion Vuyani Bungu of South Africa in the fourth round at London. Hamed is unbeaten in 34 fights. . . . Armand Krajc of Sweden, fighting outside his homeland because the sport is banned there, stopped Jonathan Corn in the second round at Luebeck, Germany, to defend his WBO middleweight title. Krajc is 23-0. . . . Sven Ottke of Germany made a one-sided fifth defense of his IBF super-middleweight title, winning a unanimous 12-round decision over Lloyd Bryan of Jamaica at Mageburg, Germany.

Miscellany

Fifth-seeded Tim Henman of Britain defeated seventh-seeded Albert Costa of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the final of the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic at Scottsdale, Ariz. Henman will face sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, who defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, 6-4, 6-2.

Cornerback Robert Bailey has agreed in principle to a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Bailey, a nine-year veteran and unrestricted free agent, spent three seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Defending champion Doug Swingley set a blistering pace down the Yukon River to reclaim the lead as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race reached Kaltag, Alaska. Kaltag is about 350 miles from the Iditarod finish line in Nome.

Swimmer Tara Sloan, 20, who holds the Canadian record in the 100-meter breaststroke, died from injuries suffered in a car accident.