Mickelson Shares Lead After a 64

Phil Mickelson started making birdies and figured he better not stop, not with so many world-class players taking aim on a Blue Monster that lost its bite Thursday in the Ford Championship at Doral in Miami.

Mickelson made 10 birdies, including six on his last eight holes, for an eight-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead with Jose Maria Olazabal, Brian Davis and Marco Dawson.

Ninety-seven players in the 144-man field broke par on the Blue Monster, a record for the opening round at Doral. The previous mark was 90 sub-par scores in the first round of 2001.

Tiger Woods did his best to keep pace, making three straight birdies before the turn, settling for pars on the two par fives on the back nine and making a 15-foot par putt on the last hole for a 65.

Doral has 11 of the top 12 players in the world ranking, one of the strongest fields of the year.

U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen was at 67, and No. 1 Vijay Singh birdied three of his last four holes for a 68. David Toms, coming off a victory in the Match Play Championship, had a 69.

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Ernie Els shot a six-under 66 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates. Miguel Angel Jimenez and David Howell were tied for second.

Pro Hockey

Two Boston companies offered to buy the NHL for more than $3 billion.

Bain Capital Partners LLC and Game Plan LLC made the proposal in New York, where NHL owners were meeting to discuss their next step in the lockout that canceled the 2004-05 season.

“I don’t think it’s realistic, and I don’t think there’s much interest, and I know there’s no interest on the part of the Bruins,” said Jeremy Jacobs, whose Delaware North Cos. owns the Boston team. “And I think it takes 30 [team owners] to do it.”

An offer of between $3 billion and $3.5 billion would translate to between $100 million to $117 million per team.

Pro Football

Running back LaMont Jordan, 26, finalized a five-year, $27.5-million contract with the Oakland Raiders.

The St. Louis Rams signed linebacker Chris Claiborne, 26, to a three-year, $10.5-million deal.

The Carolina Panthers signed offensive lineman Mike Wahle, 27, to a five-year, $25-million contract and cornerback Ken Lucas, 26, to a six-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Dallas signed defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, 30, to a five-year, $21.5-million contract and guard Marco Rivera, 33, to a five-year, $20-million deal.

Free-agent middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, 26, signed a six-year, $26-million deal with the New York Giants, who cut receiver Ike Hilliard.

The Houston Texans signed free-agent linebacker Morlon Greenwood, 26, to a five-year, $22.5-million deal hours after re-signing free-agent nose tackle Seth Payne, 30.

Defensive end Hugh Douglas, 33, agreed to a one-year deal to remain with the Philadelphia Eagles. ... San Francisco signed offensive lineman Jonas Jennings, 27. ... Safety Bhawoh Jue, 25, signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. ... The Jacksonville Jaguars released starting cornerback Dewayne Washington, 32, and his primary backup, Juran Bolden, 30.

Miscellany

U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch signed the order in Denver that officially dismisses a 20-year-old woman’s civil lawsuit against Laker star Kobe Bryant. Bryant and the woman who accused him of sexual assault settled the case Wednesday.

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport defeated wild card Conchita Martinez, 6-1, 6-4, and second-seeded Serena Williams beat Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Women’s Open in the United Arab Emirates.

The Southeastern Conference will use instant replay on an experimental basis during league football games for the 2005 season.

Ashley McElhiney, the first woman to coach a men’s pro team with the ABA’s Nashville Rhythm, will not return for a second season.

McElhiney was fired by co-owner Sally Anthony during a courtside confrontation in January. The other owners eventually overruled her and reinstated the coach.

The WNBA’s Charlotte Sting acquired forward Tangela Smith and a draft pick from the Sacramento Monarchs for Nicole Powell, Olympia Scott-Richardson and Erin Buescher.