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Golf

Augusta's Parel has 69 in second stage

In Dade City, Fla., Augusta's Scott Parel opened play in a PGA Tour Qualifying second stage tournament with 3-under-par 69.

Parel is tied for 19th place in the 75-player field at Lake Jovita Country Club's south course.

The top 18 finishers and ties after the 72 hole event qualify for the final stage, where the top 30 and ties earn a PGA Tour playing card for 2006.

Parel had five birdies (Nos. 2, 9, 16 and 17) and one bogey (No. 4).

Brad Klapprott is the leader with 65.

- In Blackshear, Ga., former champions Mike Jackson, of Martinez, and Frank Perry, of Fayetteville, Ga., share the lead after the first round of the Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship.

Jackson and Perry, who won the title in 2003, are tied with defending champions Steven Hoffman and Ken Stewart, who are from Savannah. The leaders shot 7-under-par 65 at Okefenokee Country Club. The tournament continues today and concludes Friday.

- In Waxhaw, N.C., former USC Aiken golfer Aaron Black rallied to win the Tarheel Tour's Anderson & Strudwick Championship.

Black, who played for the Pacers in 2002 and 2003, closed with 68 at Firethorne Country Club to rally from three shots back. He won $10,000.

For the tournament, Black shot 73-72-67-68-280.

Black will go through Australian Tour Qualifying School in December.

Baseball

Talks continue on Washington's lease

Major League Baseball hopes it can resolve differences with Washington officials over a stadium lease by next week, clearing the way for a sale of the Nationals.

Some progress was made in negotiations earlier this week, and talks should resume Friday, said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer after the first day of the owners' meeting in Milwaukee.

During the meeting this week, owners will get an update on the World Baseball Classic, to be played March 3-20; transfer control of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from founding owner Vince Naimoli to Stuart Sternberg and discuss ratification of baseball's tough new drug policy, which includes a 50-game suspension for a first positive steroid test.

- In Pearl, Miss., Jeff Blauser was hired as manager of the Double-A Mississippi Braves.

The two-time All-Star shortstop was a roving instructor for the Atlanta Braves' farm system last season.

He replaces Brian Snitker, who was promoted to Triple-A Richmond after four seasons with the Double-A team.

Blauser played 12 season in the major leagues, 10 with the Atlanta Braves, and was a career .262 hitter who played in three World Series and was an All-Star in 1993 and 1997.

He retired in 1999 and spent several years as an instructor in the Braves' organization.

Soccer

Czechs earn first World Cup berth

The Czech Republic, Spain and Switzerland have qualified for the World Cup.

In Prague, the Czechs beat Norway 1-0 in the second leg of their playoff to qualify for their first World Cup.

Tomas Rosicky volleyed in the winner in the 35th minute, and the Czechs won the two-game series 2-0 on aggregate after winning 1-0 in Oslo on Saturday.

- In Bratislava, Slovakia, Spain played to a 1-1 tie with Slovakia to qualify for an eighth straight World Cup.

With Spain's 5-1 home victory Saturday making the rematch almost inconsequential, the Spaniards extended their unbeaten streak under coach Luis Aragones to 18 games.

- In Istanbul, Turkey, Switzerland qualified despite losing to Turkey 4-2.

Switzerland qualified because it scored more away goals in the two-game playoff.

The Swiss, who won the first leg 2-0 at home Saturday, advanced to next year's tournament in Germany after the series finished 4-4 in total goals.

Turkey made the semifinals in the 2002 World Cup.