In Brief

GOLF

Choi regains putting stroke, shoots 64 at Corning Classic

Angered over missing the cut a week ago, Na Yeon Choi used a new putter to shoot a 7-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead after Thursday's first round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.

Choi blamed her putting for the end of her 64-tournament streak of cuts made. With the new one, she needed just 26 putts to tour Highland Meadows Golf Club. The 64 was a career low.

Canadian Alena Sharp, celebrating Canada Day, was a shot back after a 65. Marisa Baena, playing even though she said she has officially retired from competitive golf, was at 66 with Christina Kim and Karine Icher.

Also: Dutchamn Robert-Jan Derksen shot an 8-under 63 to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the French Open in Versailles.

Derksen, who missed tying the course record by one stroke, leads a group of three players that includes defending champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, Spain's Alejandro Canizares and Frenchman Jean Van de Velde.

HORSE RACING

Rachel Alexandra to compete in Monmouth race on July 24

Bob Kulina wanted a race that no one at Monmouth Park would forget -- Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra against super mare Zenyatta.

The matchup never panned out, so the Monmouth Park president settled for half the show, working out a deal for Rachel Alexandra to race at the New Jersey Shore track July 24 in the Lady's Secret Stakes.

The announcement by Rachel Alexandra's owner, Jess Jackson, came a day after the 4-year-old filly arrived at Saratoga Race Course in New York with expectations she would run there.

Also: More than a year after being sidelined with an injury the morning of the 2009 Kentucky Derby, I Want Revenge is the 7-5 favorite in a field of seven entered for Saturday's $300,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

I Want Revenge won the Gotham Stakes and the Wood Memorial last year and was the solid Derby favorite before an ankle injury forced him to be scratched hours before the race. The colt eventually had ligament surgery in his right front ankle, and his racing career was thought to be in jeopardy.

The field for the Grade 2 Suburban also features Regal Ransom, the 2009 Super Derby winner, making his first start this year, Haynesfield, Pictural, Eldaafer, Convocation and Unbridled Danger.

MISCELLANEOUS

Elbow injury sidelines Henin; Belgian star to miss U.S. Open

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin said she will miss the U.S. Open after partially tearing a ligament in her right elbow during a fall at Wimbledon.

Henin said on her website that the injury will keep her off the tour for about two months.

She said she'll withdraw from the American hard-court circuit, including the U.S. Open, which she won in 2003 and 2007. The year's final major begins in New York on Aug. 30.

Henin took a tumble in the first set of her fourth-round loss to Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon on Monday.

Also: Jerry Cook, Jack Ingram, Dale Inman, Fred Lorenzen and T. Wayne Robertson are the newest nominees for NASCAR's 2011 Hall of Fame class.

The five are among 25 nominees who will be considered for induction next year. Also included on the 2011 ballot are Bobby Allison, Lee Petty, David Pearson, Fireball Roberts, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough. Those six also were on the inaugural ballot last year.

Cook is a six-time Modified champion. Ingram is a two-time Nationwide champion. Inman is an eight-time Cup championship crew chief, seven of them coming with Hall of Famer Richard Petty. Lorenzen has 26 career Cup wins, including the 1965 Daytona 500. Robertson helped raise NASCAR's profile as an R.J. Reynolds executive.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he probably will not drive with his father's No. 3 again after tonight's Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

The car is a replica of the No. 3 Chevrolet the late Dale Earnhardt drove from 1981 to 1987, a time when he claimed one of his seven championships.

Katie Cochran singled in two runs in a four-run first inning, and the United States went on to beat Japan 4-0 and clinch a spot in the finals of the softball world championships in Caracas, Venezuela.

The United States will try to make it seven consecutive world titles today against Japan or China.

UNLV's football game at West Virginia on Oct. 9 will begin at 12:30 p.m. PDT and will be televised live on KVVU-TV (Cox Cable Channel 5), the school announced.

The game will be produced by ESPN Regional's Big East Network and will be picked up by the local Fox affiliate.

The Rebels will open the season with a home game against Wisconsin on Sept. 4.