Overtime

Golf

Parel finishes well after first round

Augusta's Scott Parel birdied his final three holes to shoot 2-under-par 70 in Wednesday's first round of the six-round PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in La Quinta, Calif.

Parel is tied for 28th place in the 170-player event. The top 30 finishers and ties earn PGA Tour cards for 2005.

Parel started his round on the back nine of the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. After shooting even-par 36 on the side, he bogeyed No. 2 on the front side to go to 1-over for the day.

Parel then parred the next four holes and birdied Nos. 7, 8, and 9 for 34.

Former tour golfer Scott Gump leads the way with 66. Former Clemson golfer D.J. Trahan is tied for second place at 67.

l In Daytona Beach, Fla., teenager Paula Creamer shot 2-under-par 70 and is tied for fourth place after the first round of the 90-hole LPGA Tour Qualifying School.

Creamer, who is still in high school, will likely turn pro if she finishes in the top 30 of the 137-player event. Those players will earn LPGA Tour cards for 2005.

Brittany Lincicome, another teenager, opened with 72 and is tied for 23rd place.

Naree Song and Emily Bastel are the co-leaders after 67s.

College Basketball

Purnell's contract extended two years

Clemson men's coach Oliver Purnell has agreed to a two-year contract extension, director of athletics Terry Don Phillips said.

Purnell's contract now runs through the 2010-11 season.

Last year, in his first season as the Clemson coach, the Tigers beat NCAA Tournament teams Boston College, East Tennessee State, North Carolina and North Carolina State.

"It goes without saying that we are very pleased with coach Purnell and the direction of the program," Phillips said.

Pro Basketball

Two men banned from The Palace

Two men were banned from events at The Palace for what the Detroit Pistons say is their involvement in November's NBA brawl.

John Green and Charlie Haddad were sent letters informing them of the ban, which also includes events at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek said Wednesday.

Auto Racing

Johnson named top driver by magazine

Jimmie Johnson won driver of the year honors from The Sporting News on Wednesday despite coming up short in the race for the NASCAR Nextel Cup title.

Johnson led the circuit with eight victories and 20 top-five finishes, but he lost the title by eight points to Kurt Busch. Johnson, who finished second in Nextel Cup points, won a vote among his competitors.

Steroids

Charges to stand against four men

A San Francisco judge declined to dismiss charges against four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes amid accusations that prosecutors illegally searched a nutritional supplement lab and the house and car of Barry Bonds' trainer.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said Wednesday a written ruling would come soon, and she set a preliminary trial date in March.

Olympics

IOC is concerned about Turin housing

The IOC expressed renewed concern Wednesday about housing at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, but expects Italian organizers to be ready when the games begin in 14 months.

Jean-Claude Killy, chairman of the International Olympic Committee's coordination commission, said construction of the Olympic village and other lodgings in the Sestriere ski resort "remain a difficult point.... although I'm sure it will be solved in due time."