Sports Desk

GOLF

KIM HOLDS 4-SHOT LEAD IN TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Anthony Kim wore a red shirt, fired at flags, and made birdies on almost half of his holes.

So much for that Ryder Cup hangover. The way Kim played yesterday in the opening round of the Tour Championship, it was almost as if the Ryder Cup never ended.

Four days after Kim humbled Sergio Garcia, he beat 29 players just as badly at East Lake with a 6-under 64 that gave Kim a four-shot lead over Masters champion Trevor Immelman, Ryder Cup teammate Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.

"It took me a couple of days to get over that celebration," Kim said of a 16 1/2 -11 1/2 victory over Europe. "Obviously, it's nice when you walk up to a green and you've got a couple of people (saying), 'Nice job at the Ryder Cup. Way to bring the cup back home,' little things like that. I feel like when I'm happy, having a good time, I'm going to make some birdies."

"So it was a good vibe out there."

Vijay Singh wasn't feeling it. He only has to complete all four rounds at East Lake to capture the FedEx Cup, and that might have been the best part of his opening round at East Lake — he finished. But he started poorly, 5 over through 11 holes, before settling for a 73.

Kenny Perry, the Kentucky hero from the Ryder Cup, also found little reason to smile. He opened with a 76, and while that won't take away from his memories of red, white, and blue, what irritated him was a pink slip.

It was his summons for drug testing, the second of the year for the 48-year-old Perry.

Good thing the 23-year-old Kim h

NFL FOOTBALL

PATRIOTS' BROWN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Troy Brown was too short and too slow. He couldn't make the big play. His NFL career was bound to be brief.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

In 15 NFL seasons, all with the New England Patriots, the eighth-round draft choice kept disproving those assumptions. Brown holds the team record for career catches — and also returned punts and kickoffs, made interceptions and helped win three championships.

Finally, the 5-foot-10-inch wide receiver decided he can't keep up with younger players.

"I can't think of anything better in life to do than to enjoy a Sunday afternoon playing football," Brown said yesterday, "and now I enjoy those Sunday afternoons watching football and still saying in my head, 'I can make that play.'

But at 37, the soft-spoken Brown, who hasn't played this season, conceded, "You can't outrun Father Time," and so he announced his retirement while fighting back tears. "It's just kind of hard to let it go."

BROWNS CLEARED BY LEAGUE AFTER injury INQUIRY

The NFL found no evidence that Cleveland Browns defensive players intentionally gouged the eyes of Baltimore running back Willis McGahee during the Ravens' 28-10 win last Sunday.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh sent tapes to the league's office in New York earlier this week asking for a review of two separate incidents.

McGahee was cut on his right eyelid and was poked in the left eye. He was forced to leave the game twice.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said there was no evidence to support the Ravens' claims that the Browns tried to injure McGahee.

Harbaugh declined to name the names of the Cleveland players in question.

"I don't think we should say," he said. "I wouldn't want to comment on it, but you can see it on the tape."