in brief

OLYMPICS

South Africa announces plan
to bid for 2020 Summer Games

Fresh from its successful hosting of Africa's first World Cup, South Africa said Tuesday it will bid to bring the Olympics to Africa for the first time in 2020.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee said it would "formally oversee a bid for the 2020 Games and encouraged potential host cities to "state their intention of being involved in the process."

Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg are considered possible bid cities.

South Africa's Olympic body said the announcement, just two days after the World Cup final in Johannesburg, "comes in the wake of resounding international acclaim for the manner in which South Africa staged the 2010 FIFA World Cup."

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has said the IOC would welcome a bid from South Africa. Rogge attended Sunday's World Cup final and praised the country's organization of the world's biggest soccer tournament.

MISCELLANEOUS

UNLV's Ernst tied for second
at U.S. Amateur Public Links

UNLV golfer Derek Ernst dropped from first to a tie for second in stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Public Links, but he should still easily advance to match play in the weather-delayed tournament.

Ernst, gearing up for his junior year, followed his 6-under 65 in Monday's first round with a 69 for an 8-under 134 total. John-Tyler Griffin of Wilson, N.C., shot 67 to take the lead at 133, with 18 players still on the course in Greensboro, N.C.

The second round will resume this morning, followed by the start of match play for the top 64 players in the field of 156.

Also: Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl added another forward to his squad, getting senior John Fields from North Carolina-Wilmington.

Fields has one year of eligibility remaining after playing three years at the Division I level -- one at UNC-Wilmington and two at East Carolina. He sat out a year after transferring from ECU to the Seahawks.

Fields received his undergraduate degree from UNC-Wilmington. Tennessee expects the 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward from Fayetteville, N.C., to be able to play immediately, pending an NCAA waiver.

As a junior, Fields averaged a team-best 8.7 rebounds and 10.2 points per game.

Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, who helped the U.S. reach the second round of the World Cup, were selected to the MLS All-Star game on Tuesday.

The forwards were among four Los Angeles Galaxy players chosen for the match. The All-Stars will play 2009 English Premier League champion Manchester United on July 28 in Houston.

Amy Rodriguez scored the lone goal for the United States in a 1-1 tie with Sweden in an exhibition women's soccer game at Omaha, Neb.

Linda Forsberg tied the game up, marking the first goal scored against the Americans at home since 2008.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Darryl Sydor retired after an 18-year career.

The 38-year-old Sydor played for six NHL teams, including the Dallas Stars, with whom he totaled 334 points and 401 penalty minutes in 714 games.

He was on Stanley Cup champions with the Stars in 1999 and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.