Price Recalls Past Glory With One-Stroke Lead

Nick Price put his mind back on golf Thursday and looked like the guy who dominated the PGA Tour in the days before Tiger Woods.

Price made three birdie putts of at least 25 feet on the soft greens of Laurel Valley and finished with a six-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the rain-delayed first round of the Pennsylvania Classic in Ligonier, Pa.

Per-Ulrik Johansson overcame a double bogey to shoot a 67, while Charles Howell III was another stroke back.

Some players got in only three holes before play was suspended by darkness, meaning the second round will not be completed until Saturday morning.

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U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen of South African shot a seven-under-par 64 to take a two-stroke lead in the first round of the Lancome Trophy in Saint Nom La Breteche, France.

Tournament favorite Colin Montgomerie of Britain shot a four-over 75.

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Coming off cross-country car trips because of the terrorist attacks, Marianne Morris and Vickie Odegard shot five-under-par 67s for a share of the first-round lead in the LPGA’s Asahi Ryokuken International in North Augusta, S.C.

Laura Diaz, who flew Delta Airlines from Portland, Ore., birdied two of the final three holes to join the lead group.

Beth Bader shot a five-under 31 on the front and was through 11 holes before rain washed out the rest of the first round.

The 71 remaining golfers, including Karrie Webb, will return today to finish before the second round.

Annika Sorenstam shot a 71.

Winged Foot Golf Club will host the 2006 U.S. Open from June 15-18, marking the fifth time the event will be held at the Mamaroneck, New York, course.

Tennis

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario edged Silvija Talaja, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7), in the second round of the $565,000 Toyota Princess Cup in Tokyo.

Kim Clijsters, the top seed, defeated Cara Black, 6-0, 6-3, No. 3 seed Jelena Dokic beat Russia’s Lina Krasnoroutskaya, 6-4, 6-4, and local favorite Ai Sugiyama recovered for a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory over Joannette Kruger.

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Third-seeded Anne Kremer advanced to the quarterfinals of the $170,000 Bell Challenge with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Catalina Castano in Quebec. Americans Meghann Shaughnessy, Alexandra Stevenson, Samantha Reeves and Jennifer Hopkins all advanced.

Hockey

New Jersey Devil goaltender Martin Brodeur said he’ll go to salary arbitration rather than sit out as a restricted free agent when his contract expires after the season.

The Florida Panthers signed right wing Valeri Bure to a three-year contract, three months after acquiring him from the Calgary Flames.

Bure, 27, is the younger brother of Panther all-star right wing Pavel Bure, the NHL’s top goal scorer for the past two seasons.

Former Toronto Maple Leaf forward Bill Harris died early Thursday of leukemia. He was 66 .... The Ice Dogs signed center Troy Dalton to a one-year contract. Dalton last played in the German league.

Miscellany

Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, a crown prince of Dubai and the defense minister of the United Arab Emirates, told Keeneland officials that he will contribute $5 million toward a disaster relief fund established the day of the terrorist attacks.

It took 22 months, two knee operations and a long rehabilitation, but Brazilian superstar Ronaldo finally returned to competitive soccer in a UEFA Cup match in Trieste, Italy. Fielded in Inter’s lineup in the last 28 minutes of a first-leg, first-round match against Brasov, the Brazilian striker led some quick actions and went close to scoring twice.

Doctors have told two-time Olympic champion Hermann Maier to wait until late December before skiing again, dimming hopes that he might be ready for the Salt Lake City Olympics. Maier is recovering from a broken right leg suffered four weeks ago in a motorcycle crash.

Tod Murphy, a former UC Irvine star, was hired by UC Riverside as an assistant men’s basketball coach.

Former featherweight champion Sandy Saddler died Tuesday at a New York City nursing home after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 75 .... Joe Stephenson, a Southern California-based scout for the Boston Red Sox, died Thursday at his Orange County home. He was 80. He signed players such as Fred Lynn, Dwight Evans, Bill Lee, Rick Burleson, Ken Brett and Glenn Hoffman.