Retno takes lead by 6 shots

Retno takes lead by 6 shots

JAKARTA: Leading Indonesian amateur from Jakarta Retno Mustari
surged ahead for a 4-under 68 (34 34) early lead in the 25th
Indonesia Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship (ILAOGC) in
Palembang on Thursday.

Retno, who has played for the country in many international
events, including the prestigious Sirikit Cup, opened the round
with three fine birdies to finish the opening nine at 2-under
par.

On the back nine, she had three more birdies and a another
bogey. In the final hole, Retno almost made it an eagle but her
eight-meter putt narrowly missed.

"I just tried to keep the ball on (the fairway) and tried hard
to finish it," Retno told newsmen.

Six shots back for second place was Vandana Agarwal of
Calcutta, India, with a 74 (38 36). Third place was shared by two
golfers, Ani Iman and Neneng Karwati, each with a 75. --JP

;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Russia-Ukraine-chess lead
Russia's Kasparov warns world chess champion: contract delay "no
JP/9/Brief

Contract delay 'no joke': Kasparov

MOSCOW: World chess number one Garry Kasparov on Wednesday
warned world champion Ruslan Ponomariov that his refusal to sign
a contract for a showdown next month in Yalta, Ukraine, was "no
longer a joke."

Ponomariov, the Ukrainian grand master who won the FIDE (World
Chess Federation) title in January last year, ignored a FIDE
deadline Monday to sign up for a 12-game play-off in Yalta
starting on Sept. 19.

The winner of this match will go on to play the winner of a
match between Hungary's Peter Leko and Russia's Vladimir Kramnik
for a world championship decider that will end a decade of schism
in which chess has had two claimants to the world title.

The present impasse is "very unfortunate" because the Yalta
match is "a vital step for the unification of world chess,"
Kasparov said. --AFP

;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-NBA-Pacers
Pacers fire coach Isiah Thomas
JP/9/Brief

Pacers fire coach Isiah Thomas

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Isiah Thomas will not get to work with
Larry Bird after all.

After it appeared that Thomas had survived another first-round
playoff loss, the Indiana Pacers decided to fire their coach on
Wednesday.

"I just didn't think it was going to work," Bird said of his
decision to make the change seven weeks after Bird returned to
the club as president of basketball operations. "I just thought
that we needed a new coach, a new freshness, a new style." --AFP

;REUTERS;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Baseball-AL/NL
Yankees handed another hiding by White Sox
JP/9/Brief

Yankees handed another hiding

NEW YORK: Frank Thomas and Roberto Alomar homered in a seven-
run fourth inning to help the Chicago White Sox pound David Wells
and the New York Yankees 11-2 in the American League Wednesday.

The Yankees, who were also handed a 13-2 drubbing by the Sox
in the first contest in the three-game series Tuesday, had their
lead in the AL East cut to four games over Boston while Chicago
maintained a one-game advantage atop the AL Central.

In San Francisco, Jeffrey Hammonds belted a two-run homer and
Sidney Ponson carried a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning to
nudge the San Francisco Giants to a 6-4 win over the Colorado
Rockies in the National League Wednesday.

The Giants were again without Barry Bonds following the death
of his father, Bobby, last Saturday. The team has put no time
limit on his return but media reports suggest the outfielder will
not be back until at least next week. --Reuters

;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbriefs-Baseball-Tsao
Rockies place Tsao on 15-day DL
JP/9/Brief

Rockies place Tsao on 15-day DL

DENVER, Colorado: The Colorado Rockies on Wednesday placed
rookie righthander Chin-hui Tsao on the 15-day disabled list,
retroactive to Aug. 24, with a strained left hamstring.

The first Taiwanese pitcher in major league baseball history,
Tsao suffered the injury while running the bases during
Saturday's loss to Atlanta. He left the game after allowing five
runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

In six starts, Tsao has a 2-2 record with a 6.40 ERA.

To replace Tsao on the roster, the Rockies purchased the
contract of lefthander Jesus Sanchez from Class AAA Colorado
Springs of the Pacific Coast League. --AFP