IN BRIEF

GOLF

Six share lead after surprising opening round of Sony Open

Davis Love III has not played a tournament in two months. Robert Allenby probably should not have played at all. Then there was Troy Merritt, who never had played a PGA Tour event in his life until Thursday at the Sony Open.

They were among six players tied for the first-year lead on a windy day in Honolulu.

The first full-field event of the PGA Tour season produced quite the log jam, with Allenby and his severely twisted ankle and John Merrick joining the fray at 5-under-par 65. The other two were defending champion Zach Johnson and Ryan Palmer.

Ten other players are one stroke off the lead.

Even more surprising is that so many low scores came on a day of swaying palm trees from wind so strong that Masters champion Angel Cabrera, among those at 66, reached the 498-yard ninth hole with a wedge, and Pat Perez hit a 7-iron out of the rough from 210 yards on the tough first hole.

Also: The man accused of replacing labels on dozens of Gatorade bottles with ones that pictured Tiger Woods and the word "unfaithful" is free on a personal recognizance bond.

Jason Kay, 38, of Longmont, Colo., appeared in U.S. District Court in Denver to be advised of charges against him. The charges allege he misbranded and altered food labels with intent to hurt a brand or business.

His next court date is set for Feb. 11.

TENNIS

Serena, Venus placed in same half of Australian Open draw

There won't be an all-Williams women's singles final at the Australian Open this year.

Serena and Venus Williams were placed into the same top half of the draw.

Justine Henin, playing in her first Grand Slam tournament in almost two years, will face fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in the first round and could play Olympic champion Elena Dementieva in the second.

Serena Williams, the defending champion and No. 1 seed, will take on Urszula Radwanska of Poland in the first round.

In the men's draw, top-seeded Roger Federer will play Igor Andreev of Russia in the first round, but the best news for the Swiss star was who he couldn't meet until the Jan. 31 final.

No. 2 and defending champion Rafael Nadal, No. 4 Juan Martin del Potro, No. 5 Andy Murray and No. 7 Andy Roddick were placed in the other half of the draw.

Also: American John Isner advanced to the Heineken Open final in Auckland, New Zealand, with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over eighth-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain.

Isner will play France's Arnaud Clement in the final Saturday. Clement beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, 6-3, 7-6 (2).

MISCELLANEOUS

Schumacher wraps up testing before return to Formula One

Michael Schumacher has completed a GP2 test session designed to aid his return to Formula One.

The 41-year-old German driver had his most productive day, setting a best lap time of 1 minute, 24.621 seconds from 130 laps -- more than he managed the first two days combined -- around the Jerez (Spain) Circuit.

Schumacher said everything worked out "perfectly" and that he felt "fit" and "comfortable back in the car."

Schumacher will drive for Mercedes after three years in retirement.

Also: Former Centennial High star Italee Lucas was held to nine points as No. 10 North Carolina fell for the first time in 25 years to Virginia Tech, 79-64, in Blacksburg, Va.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson returned in a 3-1 home victory over the Carolina Hurricanes after missing 12 games because of a bruised left kneecap.

Teemu Selanne might not make his fifth appearance at the Olympics for Finland. The Anaheim Ducks star had surgery on his broken jaw, and the NHL team said he is expected to miss two to six weeks.

Two-time Olympian Natalie Darwitz will captain the U.S. women's hockey team in Vancouver, British Columbia.

It's the men, not the women, who are the star attraction at this year's U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash. Evan Lysacek is the world champion, Americans made up half of the six-man field at last month's Grand Prix final, and the battle for Olympic spots will be the fiercest it has been in years.

"We're the strongest skating country in the world as far as men's figure skating is concerned," said Johnny Weir, who joined Lysacek on the podium at the Grand Prix final.

Nationals will begin today with the men's and pairs short programs. The men's final is Sunday.

Lance Armstrong has set himself a new challenge by saying he intends to compete in the Hawaii Ironman. Armstrong, 38, is targeting the 2011 or 2012 event in Kona, Hawaii.