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In Sports from United Press International

Verplank holds early Masters lead

AUGUSTA, Ga., April 11 (UPI) -- Scott Verplank played the first 12 holes in 3-under par Thursday to lead Tiger Woods by one shot early in the opening round of the 66th Masters.

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Hoping to become the seventh player to win this tournament three times and trying to become just the third to win it twice in a row, Woods overcame a poor tee shot at the first hole to save par and then birdied the third, fourth and fifth holes to stand at 3-under par. But he bogeyed the par-3 sixth to fall a shot back.

Verplank, who will be Woods' teammate later this year at the Ryder Cup matches in England, birdied the third, sixth and ninth holes as he opened a bid to win his first major title.

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Tied with Woods at 2-under were Tom Pernice through four and two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal through seven.

Current U.S. Open champion Retief oosen was at 1-under on the front nine and was joined at that figure by three players who were making their Masters debut --- Charles Howell III, Jerry Kelly and Australian Adam Scott.

Ernie Els and Greg Norman were among those at even par as they played the front side of the Augusta National Golf Club course.


Gonzalez out with hand injury

ARLINGTON, Texas, April 11 (UPI) -- The Texas Rangers, off to a 2-6 start, will be without slugger Juan Gonzalez for the next two weeks as they placed him on the 15-day disabled Thursday because of an injured right hand.

An MRI taken Thursday revealed that Gonzalez has torn muscle fiber between the thumb and first finger.

Gonzalez, 32, hurt the hand while swinging a bat last Friday and attempted to play through the injury, but managed just one hit in nine at-bats before he was taken out of Tuesday night's game in the third inning against the Oakland Athletics.

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He has no homers or RBI and is batting just .250 in seven games with the Rangers.

Texas has already been hit hard with injuries. Pitcher Chan Ho Park, signed to a five-year, $65 million contract in the offseason, and closer Jeff Zimmerman are on the disabled list.


Pippen suspended one game

NEW YORK, April 11 (UPI) -- Portland Trail Blazers forward Scottie Pippen was suspended one game Thursday for taking a swing at Dallas Mavericks guard Nick Van Exel late in Tuesday's contest in Dallas.

The incident occured with 2:11 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks' 108-96 victory. The Blazers became unraveled down the stretch as Pippen and Rasheed Wallace were ejected.

Pippen did not connect with Van Exel, but also was fined $7,500. He will miss Thursday night's contest at Memphis.


Safin, Moya advance in Port ugal

ESTORIL, Portugal, April 11 (UPI) -- With defending champion and top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain out, second-seeded Russian Marat Safin and third seed Carlos Moya of Spain avoided upsets Thursday in the second round of the $665,000 Estoril Open.

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Safin got past Romania's Adrian Voinea, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, and will face Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in the quarterfinals. Moya defeated Federico Luzzi, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), and plays Max Mirnyi of Belarus.

Nieminen moved into the quarterfinals with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Alberto Blanco. Mirnyi overcame a slow start and defeated Albert Montanes, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.

On Wednesday, David Nalbandian of Argentina saved three match points before recording his first career victory over a top-10 player, rallying past Ferrero, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Nalbandian is in his third ATP quarterfinal of the year, and faces fifth seed Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands.


Air Force extends coach's contract

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 11 (UPI) -- Air Force, which is trying to build its basketball program, signed coach Joe Scott to a three-year contract extension through the 2007-08 season.

Scott, who signed a five-year deal in April 2000, led the Falcons to a 9-19 record, including a 3-11 mark in the Mountain West Conference. For just the second time in school history, Air Force played an all-Division I schedule and also won consecutive road games for the first time since 1989.

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