The Day in Sports : Leonard has lead in PGA’s closer

Justin Leonard shot an eight-under-par 64 in the second round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic to surge to the top of the leaderboard in the final PGA Tour event of the season at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Leonard had 11 birdies and three bogeys on a sun-baked Friday at Disney World, where the 15 mph winds caused problems for the players. Justin Rose and George McNeill were two strokes back.

Former world No. 1 David Duval missed the cut and probably will lose his full status on the tour.

Tiger Woods opened with two birdies, saved his round with two pars and wound up with a four-under 68 to build a three-shot lead going into the weekend of the Australian Masters at Melbourne. Woods was at 10-under 134, three shots clear of an American -- Jason Dufner -- and a pair of Australians in Greg Chalmers and James Nitties. . . . Jiyai Shin took a big step toward adding the LPGA Tour player of the year award to her top-rookie trophy, shooting a six-under 66 for a three-stroke lead in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadalajara.

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BASEBALL

Top Giants prospect stripped of U.S. visa

A top prospect for the San Francisco Giants has been stripped of his U.S. visa after he was charged with killing a man in his Caribbean homeland.

Pablo Peguero, the Giants’ representative for Latin America, said that 19-year-old Angel Villalona can’t join the team in the United States because the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic has revoked his visa.

Shortstop Jack Wilson and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a $10-million, two-year contract. . . . Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells had surgery on his left wrist and is expected to be ready for spring training.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL

North Carolina gets top recruit Barnes

Harrison Barnes, the nation’s top-rated basketball recruit, announced he would attend North Carolina. The 6-foot-7 swingman from Ames (Iowa) High also considered UCLA, Duke, Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa State.

Of UCLA, Barnes said, “They have an unbelievable market for players, as well as one of the richest traditions in college basketball. Coach [Ben] Howland’s pursuit of excellence is only matched by Coach [John] Wooden.”

-- Mike Hiserman

Harry Statham won his 1,000th game when McKendree University, an NAIA school, beat East-West University, 79-49, at Lebanon, Ill. Statham is in his 44th season.

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TENNIS

Nadal, Djokovic reach semifinals

Rafael Nadal set up a semifinal matchup against Novak Djokovic at the Paris Masters with a 7-5, 7-5 victory over defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Gael Monfils gave French fans hope of a home champion by reaching his first Paris semifinal with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marin Cilic. Monfils will play former finalist Radek Stepanek, who advanced when U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro retired trailing 4-0 because of a groin injury from his previous match.

The third-seeded Djokovic made the semifinals of the tournament for the first time by defeating Robin Soderling, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

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ETC.

UCLA wins, USC loses in soccer

Sydney Leroux scored four goals and the UCLA women’s soccer team erased an early deficit to post a 7-1 victory over Boise State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Lauren Cheney had two goals and Liz Zadro had one for the host Bruins (18-2-1). Boise State ended its season at 13-7-4.

Elsewhere, the USC women’s team was ousted by Oklahoma State in the first round at Santa Clara. The teams were tied, 1-1, after regulation and overtime, but the Cowboys won on penalty kicks, 5-4.

Ron Hornaday became the oldest champion in NASCAR history by winning his record fourth title in the Trucks Series. The 51-year-old veteran needed only to finish ahead of Matt Crafton at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., to win the title, and he wrapped it up by finishing fourth to Crafton’s eighth.