Wie not in PGA Tour event

Michelle Wie might start her 2008 season in Hawaii, but not at the Sony Open.

Wie, who has played the PGA Tour event every year since 2004, did not receive one of the four unrestricted sponsor exemptions, tournament director Ray Stosik said Thursday.

Swing coach David Leadbetter said the 18-year-old from Honolulu probably would ask for exemptions at one or both of the LPGA Tour events in Hawaii that kick off the women’s golf season in February. He also said competition against the men probably would be on hold until she gets her health and her game back together.

“She’s not ready to play in that yet,” Leadbetter said of the Sony Open, where Wie first rose to fame by shooting 68 at age 14 and missing the cut by one shot. “Her health is getting better, her game is getting better, the confidence is growing. The plan hasn’t been made totally for this year yet, but she’s looking to play one or two Hawaiian events against the women.”

TENNIS

Australian Open takes steps against gambling

Australian Open organizers established an anti-corruption commission and appointed an investigator to combat gambling and potential match-fixing at the season-opening Grand Slam tournament.

Tennis Australia said today it would also set up a telephone hotline to report alleged corruption, ban the unauthorized use of laptop computers courtside and increase restrictions on access to players.

“We don’t believe our sport has a corruption problem, but we do recognize that a threat to the integrity of tennis exists,” Tennis Australia Chief Executive Officer Steve Wood said.

--

Tickets will go on sale today at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for the 2008 Fed Cup quarterfinal between the U.S. and Germany, scheduled for Feb. 2-3 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

Tickets will be sold as a two-day series with prices ranging from $60 to $300.

SOCCER

Chivas USA makes deal with Real Salt Lake

Chivas USA acquired midfielder/forward Atiba Harris from Real Salt Lake in a trade for their third-round pick (37th overall) in next month’s Major League Soccer draft.

The trade leaves Chivas with only one pick, the first pick in the fourth and final round (43rd overall). In contrast, the Galaxy has eight picks in the Jan. 18 draft, including five of the first 29 picks and the fourth overall selection.

-- Jaime Cardenas

--

Fiorentina advanced to the next round of the UEFA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Mlada Boleslav.

Christian Vieri scored the winner in the 67th minute, ensuring that Fiorentina joined Villarreal and AEK Athens in advancing from Group C in the last round of group games.

--

The United States would play its first-ever World Cup qualifier at Cuba on Sept. 6 if both nations advance to the semifinals of the North and Central American and Caribbean region.

MISCELLANY

Gailhaguet elected head of French skating group

Didier Gailhaguet, one of the main players in the judging scandal at the Salt Lake City Olympics, has his old job back as president of the French skating federation.

Gailhaguet was elected president of the French Ice Sport Federation on Saturday, receiving more than half of the votes and beating out, among others, disgraced judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne. Gailhaguet was federation president from 1998 to 2004.

--

Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin, the leading candidate for the Eclipse Award as horse of the year, is now 80% owned by Jess Jackson and his wife Barbara Banke.

Jackson, who 25 years ago founded the Kendall-Jackson Winery located in Northern California and also owns Stonestreet Stables, bought out investment banker George Bolton’s stake in Curlin for an undisclosed price.

Curlin has earned $5.1 million in purses this year.

-- Larry Stewart

--

Italian cyclist Marco Fertonani was suspended for doping for the maximum two years by the Italian cycling federation.

Fertonani tested positive for testosterone at the Tour of the Mediterranean in February.