IN BRIEF

GOLF

O'Hern shoots 63, takes lead at Frys.com Open

Brandishing a hot putter on a warm afternoon, Australian Nick O'Hern cruised to a career-low 63 and the Frys.com Open lead Thursday at Scottsdale, Ariz.

O'Hern, who finished at 7 under par, putted only nine times while posting a 28 on the par-35 back nine at Grayhawk. Eight of O'Hern's nine birdies came in that stretch.

Bob Heintz and Heath Slocum were one stroke back at 64, and D.A. Points, Rory Sabbatini, Greg Owen and Rickie Fowler shot 65s to finish two shots off the lead.

Also: Michael Sim had eight straight birdies and finished with a course-record 8-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in South Carolina.

Sim has won three times this year and tops the money list with a record $536,142.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia shot an 8-under 63 on his home course to take the lead during the suspended first round of the Castello Masters in Castello, Spain.

SOCCER

Maradona not sorry for profanity-laced tirade

Diego Maradona won't apologize for a profanity-filled tirade on live TV that prompted a FIFA investigation and could result in a five-game suspension and nearly $20,000 fine for the Argentina coach.

Maradona was defiant in a TV interview on state-run Canal 7. FIFA opened a disciplinary investigation last week after a 1-0 victory at Uruguay that sent the struggling Argentine team to next year's World Cup.

Maradona said he planned to coach the team in South Africa and won't resign. He said his remarks were aimed at critics and journalists who he suggested were "anti-Argentine."

"It was getting it off my chest, and I don't regret it," Maradona said. "I gave my mother a kiss on the forehead and told her, 'If I was wrong I ask your forgiveness, but nobody else.' "

Also: American defender Oguchi Onyewu will be sidelined for six months after surgery to repair a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee, a layoff that could jeopardize his appearance in next year's World Cup.

American businessman Stan Kroenke kept Arsenal's shareholders in the dark about whether he plans a takeover of the Premier League club.

Kroenke steadily has been increasing his stake in Arsenal. The Denver-based businessman owns the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche.

MISCELLANEOUS

FSU's Ponder torches UNC in 30-27 victory

Christian Ponder threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns to help Florida State rally from a big second-half deficit and beat North Carolina 30-27 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Rod Owens had nine catches for 199 yards, including a 98-yard score, for the Seminoles (3-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who trailed 24-6 early in the third quarter.

Ponder directed a stunning rally against the nation's third-ranked defense, including the go-ahead 18-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Beau Reliford with 6:20 to play.

Also: Two titles will be on the line tonight on the Crown Boxing card at The Orleans.

Oliver McCall, the IBA heavyweight champion, defends his belt against Lance Whitaker in the 10-round main event. In the co-main event, Arthur Williams, the WBC and USNBC cruiserweight champ, puts his title up against Victor Barragan.

Also on the card is McCall's son Elijah, who faces Reginald Jackson in a four-round heavyweight bout. First bell for the eight-bout card at the Mardi Gras Ballroom is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Amir Khan says that defending his WBA light welterweight title against unbeaten Dmitry Salita will be harder than winning it.

Khan came face-to-face with the Ukraine-born, New York-based challenger for the first time Thursday ahead of their Dec. 5 fight in Newcastle.

The big-punching Khan (21-1) won the title in July when he gained a unanimous decision over Ukrainian fighter Andreas Kotelnik. Now he faces an opponent who was schooled in the gyms of New York and has 30 wins and a draw.

Two UNLV singles players won their first matches before falling later at the ITA Mountain Region Men's Tennis Championships at Darling Tennis Center.

Fifth-seeded Mehdi Bouras opened the day by downing 17th-seeded Roman Warias of Brigham Young 6-4, 6-4, then lost to ninth-seeded Casey Smith of Montana State, 7-5, 7-6.

Eighth-seeded Luca Barlocchi fought off Montana State's Pawel Turzanski 6-4, 7-6, then lost to Cassidy Mears of BYU, 6-3, 6-2.

Senior Matthew Kunkel won twice to stay alive, downing opponents from Air Force and Utah State.

The UNLV volleyball team dropped a 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15 decision to San Diego State at Cox Pavilion.

The Rebels (5-12, 3-6 Mountain West Conference) jumped to a 1-0 lead but watched as the Aztecs (9-10, 4-5) rallied for three straight wins to claim the match despite Samantha Richard's fourth double-double of the season.

Shani Davis defeated rival Chad Hedrick at the U.S. speedskating trials in the grueling 5,000 meters by two-hundredths of a second in Milwaukee.

Jilleanne Rookard was the surprise winner of the women's 3,000 meters.