Overtime

Golf

Mickelson to skip PGA Tour opener

Masters Tournament champion Phil Mickelson has decided to skip the winners-only Mercedes Championships at Kapalua to start the new season, instead making his 2005 debut in the Buick Invitational near his hometown of San Diego.

Mickelson is a two-time winner of the Mercedes when it was played at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif. This will be the second straight time he has skipped Kapalua. He also didn't play in 2003, and he wasn't eligible this year.

The Mercedes Championship begins Jan. 6.

Once the tour reaches the mainland Jan. 20 at Torrey Pines, Mickelson will play five of the next six tournaments through the Ford Championship at Doral in Miami.

l In Pompano Beach, Fla., Augusta State freshman Garrett Phillips carded 7-over-par 78 on Tuesday and is in seventh place after 54 holes of the Dixie Amateur Championship at Palm-Aire County Club.

Phillips of St. Simons Island, Ga., opened with rounds of 74-75. She stands at 14-over-par 227 and trails leader Ashley Hoagland by 14 shots.

Football

Burnett rumbles in easy South victory

Led by three sacks by Willie Wright of Class AAAAA champion Lowndes, the South prep all-stars defense dominated the field Tuesday in a 13-0 victory in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association North/South Classic.

The South defense produced five sacks, three interceptions and limited the North to 75 yards of total offense, including 20 rushing yards on 21 carries.

The South also forced bad throws from North quarterbacks Brandon Jones and Jeff Witt, who were a combined 4-for-14 for 55 yards.

Behind a stable of quality running backs and a strong offensive line, the South accumulated 240 rushing yards on a whopping 51 carries, led by Washington County's Tyree Burnett with 93 yards on 14 carries.

Soccer

FIFA fines Spain's federation $87,000

In Zurich, Switzerland, world soccer's governing body Tuesday fined Spain's national federation $87,000 for racist taunting by its fans during matches against England.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said the Spanish federation also was warned against a repeat of such fan behavior at future games.

According to Spain's Efe news agency, a Spanish soccer official said the federation would honor the fine and had no plans to appeal the sanction.

Earlier this month, European governing body UEFA fined Real Madrid $13,023 for racist behavior by its supporters at the Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen on Nov. 23. Members of the crowd made Nazi salutes and taunted Leverkusen's black players.

- In Frankfurt, Germany, Ger­man soccer fans will get to drink German beer at the 2006 World Cup, after all.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., which has exclusive rights to sell beer in and around World Cup stadiums, agreed Tuesday to also let German brewery Bitburger pour its product at arenas.

"Beer is a very emotional subject here in Germany. But this deal pays for itself in other ways, too. Both sides are winners here," Bitburger spokesman Dietmar Henle said.

Some Germans were dismayed when news emerged in April that only Anheuser-Busch beers, in­cluding Budweiser, would be available during the 2006 soccer tournament.

Swimming

Canada might lose '05 championships

The 2005 World Swimming Championships might be moved from Montreal after Canada's federal government rejected a request Tuesday to put more money into the event.

The championships have already received $35.7 million in public money to cover the total cost of the event.

If the championships leave Montreal, they could be moved to Long Beach, Calif.