GOLF

GOGEL RISES TO TOP AT FIRST ROUND OF BOOZ ALLEN CLASSIC

Matt Gogel, ranked no. 170 on the PGA Tour money list, set a Blue Course record with an 8-under 63 yesterday at historic Congressional Country Club before lightning halted play in the Booz Allen Classic. Playing in the first group, Gogel birdied eight of his last 13 holes in a bogey-free round to take a three-shot lead over Lee Westwood, Brett Wetterich, Fredrik Jacobson, and Kevin Stadler. Stadler was the only one of the four yet to complete the round, having finished 14 holes when play was stopped for the day at 5:45 p.m.

Defending champion Adam Scott finished the round in a tie for 13th after shooting a 68. Ernie Els, at 2 under with one hole to play, is one of 42 players who will complete their rounds today. Gogel, who didn’t even qualify for the U.S. Open, has missed nine of 13 cuts this year, and his only PGA Tour victory came at Pebble Beach in 2002.

GULBIS TAKES EARLY LEAD OVER SORENSTAM

Natalie Gulbis closed with five straight birdies to take a one-stroke lead over two-time defending champion Annika Sorenstam in the first round of the LPGA Championship. Gulbis, playing in the same group as Sorenstam, rolled in an 18-footer on her last hole, the ninth, to complete the run of birdies and post a 5-under 67 yesterday.

Sorenstam, who won the first major of the year and has set the Grand Slam as her season goal, jumped out to an early lead with birdies at the 11th and 13th. She moved to 3 under with a birdie at no. 1, her 10th, and reached 4 under with a birdie at the fourth, her 13th. She finished at 68. Mi Hyun Kim and Angela Stanford are tied for third at 3 under.

BASKETBALL

DEE BROWN LIKELY OUT OF DRAFT AFTER BREAKING FOOT

Illinois guard Dee Brown broke a bone in his right foot at the NBA pre-draft camp at Moody Bible Institute, an NBA spokesman said yesterday. Kent Partridge said Brown broke his fifth metatarsal of his right foot during one of the games at the camp on Wednesday night. Brown declared for the NBA draft last month but did not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility of returning to Illinois for his senior year. The injury, which is expected to sideline Brown for six to eight weeks, leaves him to consider withdrawing from the draft.

TENNIS

FEDERER REACHES QUARTERS AT GERRY WEBER OPEN

Two-time defending champion Roger Federer beat Florian Mayer 6-2, 6-4 yesterday to ease into the quarterfinals of the Gerry Weber Open. Germany’s Mayer, who reached the quarterfinals last year in his Wimbledon debut, was twice a break up in the second set but squandered the lead both times by letting Federer break back.

Federer is warming up for his attempt at a third straight Wimbledon title. He won the Gerry Weber Open the past two years. Although the Halle event is considered a top warmup for Wimbledon, Federer is the only player to have captured both events in the same year.

In other second-round matches, fourth-seeded Guillermo Canas defeated Nenad Zimonjic 6-3, 7-6 (3) and Juan Carlos Ferrero edged Alexander Waske 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7), 6-3. Waske, who eliminated French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the first round, lost despite serving 21 aces. Rainer Schuettler also reached the quarterfinals, beating Dick Norman 6-3, 6-3.

CYCLING

ARMSTRONG MOVES INTO SECOND PLACE AT DAUPHINE LIBERE

Lance Armstrong finished fourth on one of cycling’s revered climbs yesterday, beaten in a stage of the Dauphine Libere by a key rival as he prepares for next month’s bid for a seventh straight Tour de France title.

Kazakhstan’s Alexandre Vinokourov won the 113-mile fourth stage in the ascent of Mont Ventoux and is third overall. Armstrong, winner of this race in 2002 and 2003, is second overall, 21 seconds behind former teammate Levi Leipheimer.

Armstrong had finished third Wednes day in a time trial, a discipline considered his best event. In yesterday’s first mountain stage, Vinokourov beat the Texan by 37 seconds. Vinokourov, third at the 2003 Tour de France, was six seconds faster than Jose Gomez Marchante of Spain. Wim Van Huffel of Belgium was 16 seconds behind the winner. Vinokourov is third overall, 26 seconds back. Floyd Landis, who quit Armstrong’s team to join Phonak after last year’s Tour, is in fourth place. Three stages remain, including today’s 136-mile stage marked by six modest ascents, and Saturday’s sixth stage, featuring tougher climbs.

– Associated Press