U.S. Trails in Solheim Cup

Beth Daniel and Juli Inkster lived up to their Hall of Fame credentials by beating Europe’s best tandem in a match that turned up U.S. fortunes Friday in the Solheim Cup at Loddekopinge, Sweden.

Daniel and Inkster birdied four of the last seven holes for a 1-up victory over Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch, a team that had never lost.

“We need that,” Inkster said. “Not only the point, but mentally.”

Behind them, Rosie Jones and Michele Redman made five consecutive birdies to rally for a 2-up victory over Sophie Gustafson and Iben Tinning to trim Europe’s lead after the first day to 4 1/2-3 1/2.

Europe’s only point in the afternoon came from Suzann Pettersen and Patricia Meunier-LeBouc, who is four months pregnant. They beat Meg Mallon and Angela Stanford, 3 and 2.

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J.L. Lewis turned soft greens and fairways into a second consecutive six-under-par 65 and took a two-stroke lead at 12-under 130 in the second round of the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill. Several groups were still on the course when play was suspended because of rain. They will finish their second rounds this morning, and then the cut will be made for the final two rounds. The third round will follow.

Jonathan Byrd, the first-round co-leader with Lewis, bogeyed two holes on the back nine during a round of 67 that left him in second place at 10-under 132.

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Des Smyth had five birdies on the back nine and shot a five-under 67 to share the lead of the Champions Tour Constellation Energy Classic at Hunt Valley, Md., with Larry Nelson and Jay Sigel.

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Motor Racing

Ryan Newman broke his track record while winning the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Winston Cup Series Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.

Newman, driving a Dodge, turned a fast lap of 133.357 mph on the 1.058-mile oval, breaking his year-old mark of 132.241.

Terry Labonte took second place in the 43-car field with a lap of 132.780 mph in a Chevrolet. His lap was better than Newman’s former track record but 0.124 of a second slower than the pole-winning time.

NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr., 70, denied a report that he is about to retire and turn over control of the racing circuit to son Brian, but he said he will cut back further on his daily activities. He was responding to a report that he would relinquish all control. The report from ESPN.com cited a source close to Nextel, which assumes title sponsorship next year.

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Tennis

Top-seeded Rainer Schuettler defeated Ramon Delgado, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the semifinals of the Brasil Open at Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. He will play third-seeded Gustavo Kuerten, who beat Ricardo Mello, 6-2, 6-2. Second-seeded Sjeng Schalken beat fifth-seeded Vince Spadea, 7-6 (0), 6-2, to reach the semifinals, where he will play Gaston Etlis, who upset eighth-seeded Kenneth Carlsen, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-3.... Top-seeded Chanda Rubin beat Anca Barna, 6-2, 6-2, to reach the Wismilak International semifinals at Bali, Indonesia.

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Miscellany

A split in the last two matches between wrestlers from the United States and Iran kept the U.S. team from having a perfect opening day at the World Freestyle Championships at New York. U.S. wrestlers had won their first 20 matches before Iran’s Hadi Habibi beat Joe Williams, 3-1, in overtime in the 163-pound class. Two minutes later Cael Sanderson defeated Majid Khodaee, 8-2, at 185 pounds.

Alabama basketball Coach Mark Gottfried, who guided the Crimson Tide to the NCAA tournament the last two years, had his contract extended five years. The contract, approved by the university’s board of trustees, rolls over for an additional year if he gets 19 wins this season, the school said.... Center Darko Milicic, the second pick in June’s NBA draft, signed a three-year contract worth about $11 million with the Detroit Pistons.