Singh takes a one-shot lead over Mickelson

AKRON, Ohio – Without the world’s No. 1 player around, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson brought some star power Friday to the final World Golf Championship of the year.

Singh twice escaped from the trees on his closing holes at Firestone and renewed his affair with a belly putter on his way to a 4-under 66 at the Bridgestone Invitational, putting his name atop the leaderboard for the first time in more than four months.

He was one shot ahead of Mickelson, who made another great escape at the end of the second round, this time holing a 20-foot par putt to finish off a 66 that put him in the final group with Singh.

Favre could get paid to stay off the field

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Brett Favre’s reinstatement to the NFL was held up again Friday as the three-time MVP mulled getting paid not to play through a marketing deal with the Green Bay Packers that could resolve the standoff over his retirement.

The potential agreement, worth a reported $20 million over 10 years, might end Favre’s bid to return just months after retiring. It also would likely keep him from reporting to Packers training camp and a team that is not planning to start him at quarterback for the first time since 1992.

After talking to Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy about the marketing deal Wednesday, Favre confirmed he was considering it to ESPN on Thursday.

Fudoh, Shin lead British Open; Sorenstam makes cut

SUNNINGDALE, England – Yuri Fudoh of Japan and Ji-Yai Shin of South Korea shot a 4-under 68 Friday to lead by one stroke and equal the halfway record at the Women’s British Open, while Annika Sorenstam’s 72 was just enough to make the cut.

Fudoh and Shin were at 10-under 134 to tie the record set by Jeong Jang of South Korea, who won three years ago at Royal Birkdale. American Juli Inkster (70) was one shot back, while South Korean Bo Bae Song (68) and American Cristie Kerr (65) were two strokes behind the leaders.

Sorenstam stumbled over the front nine for the second day in a row, bogeying the fifth, sixth and seventh holes.

Americans off to Shanghai, look ready for Beijing

MACAU – The Americans are headed for Shanghai. They look ready to go right to Beijing.

With Kobe Bryant defending the way he did last summer and Dwyane Wade soaring again, the U.S. Olympic basketball team has easily won its first three exhibition games.

Two more until they start to count.

“I think we’re in pretty good shape defensively,” forward Carmelo Anthony said. “Offensively we’re tuning some things up. We’ve got two more games before the real deal starts.”

Sharapova says she’ll miss US Open after Olympics

Maria Sharapova will sit out the U.S. Open because of a bad right shoulder, the first major championship she’ll miss since her Grand Slam debut in 2003.

The three-time Grand Slam title winner already had announced she’s pulling out of the Beijing Olympics because of the injury. Sharapova said in a posting on her Web site Friday she probably won’t need surgery and could be ready to play in two to three months.

“It hurts me so much to miss the Olympics and the U.S. Open, you have no idea,” she said. “Just to type those words hurt!!”