GOLF

WOODS, SINGH RESUME BATTLE AT NEC INVITATIONAL

Three days after the major championship season ended, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh played like they still have plenty to prove yesterday by taking a share of the lead in the NEC Invitational.

Woods twice escaped trouble from the trees but never came close to making bogey on a Firestone course that offered no letup for those coming off the PGA Championship. He made a 15-foot birdie on his final hole for a 4-under 66, and lat er was joined by Singh and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

Singh had a chance to take the outright lead until missing a 6-foot birdie putt on his 17th hole. He had to scramble from the rough to save par on the 484-yard ninth hole for a share of the lead.

Davis Love III carried his good play from Baltusrol into the first round and was among those at 67, while PGA champion Phil Mickelson was all smiles on his way to a 69.

Woods has never finished lower than fifth in seven appearances at Firestone. He and Singh were the only players to finish in the top 10 at all four majors this year.

BASEBALL

ROLEN NEEDS MORE SHOULDER SURGERY

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen said yesterday he’s been told his ailing left shoulder will require surgery for a torn labrum that will sideline him for six months.

Rolen, who underwent surgery on the shoulder after a May 10 base-running collision with Dodgers first baseman Hee-Seop Choi, was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 22 when it became the clear he was not progressing. He batted .205 while playing from June 18-July 21 with no homers and eight RBI in 87 at-bats.

Rolen, who’s batting .235 overall with five homers and 28 RBI in 56 games, said he’s weighing whether to attempt to finish the season.

HOCKEY

CLOUTIER SIGNS 2-YEAR DEAL WITH VANCOUVER

Former Rangers goalie Dan Cloutier signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on yesterday.

Cloutier, the Canucks’ no. 1 goalie, recorded a franchise record three straight 30-win seasons and posted a better goals-against average and save percentage each season. But the 29-year-old Quebec native has only led Vancouver to one playoff series victory during that time. Cloutier was 33-21-6 with five shutouts and a career-best 2.27 goals-against average in 2003-04. But he hurt his ankle in the third game of the playoffs and had to watch as the Canucks were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in seven games.

PRO FOOTBALL

CHARGERS GIVE GATES ULTIMATUM

The San Diego Chargers told Antonio Gates yesterday that he will be suspended for three games, including the season opener against Dallas, if he doesn’t end his holdout by Saturday afternoon.

In an attempt to break an impasse in negotiations for a multiyear deal, the Chargers sent Gates’s agent a letter last Friday informing him of the ultimatum. If Gates isn’t at camp by 12:30 p.m. Saturday, he will be suspended for the Chargers’ final two exhibition games and the September 11 home game against Dallas.

In order to avoid a suspension, the team told the All-Pro tight end that he will need to either sign a new multiyear deal or the $380,000, one-year contract he was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent.

BEARS MAKE FINAL OFFER TO BENSON

Upset and frustrated that running back Cedric Benson is still a holdout and the only first-round draft pick without a contract agreement, the Chicago Bears have made their final offer to the no. 4 pick.

“After missing all of training camp, we want to make it abundantly clear that the Chicago Bears have made their best and final offer to Cedric Benson,” Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement released by the team.

“No dollars are left on the bargaining table and at this point, the only contract discussions that will be entertained will be reflective of the considerable loss of value to the club created by the players’ extended absence,” the statement said.

Benson’s holdout reached its 26th day yesterday and the former Texas star has already missed two preseason games. The Bears’ training camp ended Wednesday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

DEAL GIVES LAS VEGAS BOWL PICK OF MWC TEAMS

The Las Vegas Bowl will get first pick of Mountain West Conference teams beginning in 2006 under a four-year contract extension announced yesterday.

A week ago, the Pac-10 extended its commitment to the Las Vegas Bowl through 2009. The Pac-10 plans to send its fourth-place finisher to Las Vegas in 2006 and 2008, and the fifth-place team in 2007 and 2009.The bowl will increase its payout to the Mountain West representative to $1 million in 2006, while the Pac-10 team will get $950,000.

TENNIS

HEWITT, RODDICK REACH QUARTERS IN CINCINNATI

Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, and Andy Roddick advanced to the quarterfinals of the $2.45 million Cincinnati Masters with victories yesterday. Hewitt, the third-seeded player from Australia, beat Mario Ancic of Croatia 6-1, 6-4. Fourth-seeded Russian Safin beat Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-0, 6-3.

No. 5 Roddick took Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 7-6 (4), 6-2,unleashing his big serve to win the first-set tiebreaker. Roddick used a 145-mph ace to go ahead 5-4 in the tiebreaker, then got Chela to hit wide on the next two points.

AILING KUZNETSOVA LOSES IN ROGERS CUP

Svetlana Kuznetsova, who begins her U.S. Open title defense in 10 days, played despite lower back pain yesterday and lost to Argentina’s Gisela Dulko 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8) at the $1.3 million Rogers Cup tournament in Toronto. The third-seeded Russian struggled throughout the match, and in the first set, it appeared she would be unable to finish.

“It’s hurting very much. I think I should have stopped playing,” Kuznetsova said.

Dulko, ranked 35th, forced Kuznetsova several times to lunge for crosscourt shots. Trailing 6-5 in the first set, Kuznetsova asked a trainer to massage her back. She walked gingerly back onto the court, clutching her back and grimacing.

– Associated Press