Marshall Shoots 68, Shares Lead in LPGA du Maurier

Kathryn Marshall, battling a migraine headache, shot a five-under-par 68 Thursday to join Colleen Walker and Vicki Fergon atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the LPGA du Maurier Classic at Oakville, Canada.

Marshall had a cold towel wrapped around her neck as she discussed her round on the par-73 Glen Abbey Golf Club course, which is hosting the last of the LPGA’s four major tournaments this season.

Headaches are a price she pays to play golf, said Marshall, who is from Scotland.

“Whenever I do play well, I tend to get headaches,” she said. “When you’re not well, you concentrate on each shot more. You just want to get off the course.”

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Larry Mize had eight birdies to take the lead in the suspended first round of the rain-delayed Sprint International at Castle Rock, Colo.

Mize posted a score of 15 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in the tournament, which awards two points for a birdie and subtracts a point for a bogey.

Phil Mickelson, battling for a Ryder Cup berth, was in second with 14 points.

Track and Field

As expected, the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s Congress voted by a 2-to-1 margin to reduce its minimum drug bans from four years to two, drawing protests from those wanting the sport to take a tougher stand.

The decision brings the IAAF in line with other world federations and the International Olympic Committee on policing drugs.

The ruling is retroactive, meaning anyone serving a four-year suspension who has completed at least two years could be reinstated immediately.

College Football

The NCAA cleared Grambling football Coach Eddie Robinson of any violations, but put the university on two years’ probation because of minor infractions by his son, Eddie Robinson Jr., and the play of two academically ineligible basketball players.

The announcement came as Robinson--the winningest coach in college football with 405 victories--prepares for his final season at the school. Violations in the football program included improper recruiting contacts with prospective transfer athletes, improper tryouts and out-of-season practices, though the NCAA said the problem was ignorance of the rules rather than willful violation.

Steve Spurrier, who coached Florida to its first national championship last season and then spurned offers to jump to the NFL, has agreed to an contract extension worth about $2 million a year, the Florida Times-Union reported.

Jurisprudence

A jury in Cleveland deliberated for three hours without reaching a verdict in a civil case over a fight involving Charles Barkley. The eight jurors told the judge they would return today to decide whether to award damages to Jeb Tyler, who is suing the NBA star for $550,000.

Kentucky football player Jason Watts was charged with first-degree assault in connection with the shooting of teammate Omar Smith, according to police in Lexington, Ky. Smith was shot in the lower abdomen July 17 and was hospitalized for three days.

Portland Trail Blazer forward Clifford Robinson was stopped by Portland police Wednesday night and cited for possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Tennis

Top-seeded Michael Chang rallied to defeat Alex O’Brien, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the $2.05-million du Maurier Open at Montreal. Chang will face eighth-seeded Richard Krajicek, who defeated former UCLA standout Justin Gimelstob, 6-2, 6-4. Former NCAA champion Chris Woodruff defeated second-seeded Goran Ivanisevic, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2, and Fabrice Santoro upset third-seeded Thomas Muster, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Marcelo Filippini advanced to the semifinals of the Grolsch Open in Amsterdam with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Javier Sanchez.

Miscellany

Mike Dunleavy, named coach of the Portland Trail Blazers 2 1/2 months ago, said he signed a five-year contract Wednesday. Dunleavy said the delay is unrelated to his dispute with the Milwaukee Bucks, who agreed to a buyout with Dunleavy in April. He filed a lawsuit Friday, contending the Bucks owe him severance pay and relocation money. . . . Forwards Brent Severyn and Yves Sarault signed one-year deals with the Colorado Avalanche. . . . The Phoenix Coyotes and forward Jim McKenzie agreed to a one-year, $500,000 contract. . . . John Forney, a fixture in the broadcast booth at Alabama football games for more than a quarter-century, died of cardiac arrest. He was 70. . . . Soccer’s governing body, FIFA, put off until September a decision on the final transfer fee in Brazilian star Ronaldo’s move from FC Barcelona to Internazionale of Milan.