Molder, Durant (63) Lead at Byron Nelson Classic

Coming off his first top-10 finish of the year on the PGA Tour, Bryce Molder had plenty of confidence Thursday and posted a seven-under-par 63 for a share of the first-round lead in the Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, Texas.

Coming off a three-week break after winning the Masters, Tiger Woods had plenty of rust and was nowhere near the lead, with bogeys on two of the last four holes for a 71 on the easier Cottonwood Valley course.

Molder birdied five of six holes down the back nine of the TPC at Las Colinas and finished tied with Joe Durant.

Nick Price, Lee Janzen, Frank Lickliter, David Gossett and Esteban Toledo shot 64s, while Steve Flesch was among those at 65. David Duval, who had an MRI that revealed right shoulder tendinitis, had a 66.

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Annika Sorenstam shot a bogey-free seven-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead in the Aerus Electrolux USA Championship at Franklin, Tenn.

Tennis

Andre Agassi moved into the quarterfinals of the Italian Open at Rome with a 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory over Agustin Calleri of Argentina.

Agassi will next play Spain’s Albert Costa, a 7-6 (5), 6-3 winner over countryman Albert Montanes.

Two other Americans advanced as Andy Roddick defeated South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, and James Blake defeated Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

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Top-seeded Jennifer Capriati and fourth-seeded Serena Williams won in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the German Open at Berlin.

Capriati beat Iroda Tulyaganova, 6-2, 6-0, and Williams defeated Magdalena Maleeva, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Pro Football

New Orleans Saint owner Tom Benson unexpectedly fired general manager Randy Mueller and took over the job himself, citing differences in management style.

“This was totally a bolt from the blue. I’m in shock,” said Mueller, the NFL executive of the year in 2000.

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Harold Richardson resigned as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, deciding not to wait until new owner Arthur Blank hired someone to take his job.

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Kansas City Chief General Manager Carl Peterson made sure the public knew Tony Gonzalez turned down the biggest bonus and the most money ever offered an NFL tight end.

In a letter to the Kansas City Star excerpted in Thursday’s editions, Peterson said he was “furious” that the all-pro and his agent, Tom Condon, refused to sign the deal.

Miscellany

Richard Lintner beat Tommy Salo for the winning goal in a penalty shootout as Slovakia edged Sweden, 3-2, to reach the final at the World Hockey Championships at Goteborg, Sweden. Slovakia will play Russia, a 3-2 winner over Finland in the other semifinal that also featured a penalty shootout.

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Duke forward Mike Dunleavy, a contender for national player of the year if he returns for his senior season, will make himself eligible for the NBA draft, ESPN.com reported. Dunleavy is not expected to hire an agent, however, leaving him free to return if he and his father, the former NBA coach by the same name, determine he will not be a high lottery pick and he withdraws before the deadline.

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Syracuse basketball player DeShaun Williams pleaded not guilty to punching a female student during a barroom brawl. Williams, a 21-year-old junior, was charged with third-degree assault in Syracuse City Court.

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Mark Dismore crashed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and went to the hospital with what track officials said was a concussion.... Ferrari extended its contract with Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello through the 2004 season.

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The illbruck Challenge won the seventh-leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, which ended in La Rochelle, France, to extend its overall lead in the around-the-world race to eight points.

Passings

Funeral services will be held today at Victoria Community Church in Riverside for Jim Camacho, a member of Cal Poly Pomona’s 1980 NCAA Division II championship baseball team. Camacho died in a car accident a week ago in Santa Barbara.