Top Shot

Furyk heads list of depleted field at Canadian Open

TORONTO: Jim Furyk will look to become the first back-to-back winner of the Canadian Open in 56 years this week in a competition that will include just five of the world's top 50 golfers.

A field of 156 will tee off on Thursday at the $5 million tournament without some of golf's biggest names who opted to rest after the British Open which finished on Sunday.

Vijay Singh, who beat Canada's Mike Weir in a playoff to win the Canadian Open in 2004, will return to the tournament for the seventh year in a row.

The Fijian, the only other top-30 golfer in the field apart from Furyk, earned his 31st PGA tour victory earlier this year. The hometown crowd will pin their hopes on Weir, who missed the cut at last year's event by five shots and Stephen Ames, who withdrew in 2006 with a sore back.

Padres' Barrett suspended for one game and fined

NEW YORK: San Diego Padres catcher Michael Barrett has been suspended for one game for his "inappropriate actions" during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Major League Baseball said on Tuesday.

Barrett struck out in the fifth inning and was ejected after arguing with home plate umpire Chris Guccione.

The suspension, set to begin with Tuesday night's game against the Colorado Rockies, was delayed after Barrett lodged an appeal.

Barrett was also fined an undisclosed amount for his actions during the Padres' 9-0 loss to the Phillies, the league said. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade last month, Barrett is hitting .259 this season.

Appeal pending after Petacchi cleared for dope

ROME: Alessandro Petacchi was cleared by the Italian Cycling Federation in a doping probe on Tuesday but the country's anti-drugs body later said it would appeal the decision.

The 33-year-old was forced out of the Tour de France earlier this month when the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) asked the federation to impose a one-year ban after a dope test during May's Giro d'Italia showed excessive levels of salbutamol.

However, the federation turned down the request on Tuesday after Petacchi argued that any overuse of salbutamol in his asthma inhaler was human error, only for CONI to hit back with news it was appealing.

Wednesday considering move for Dutchman Kluivert

LONDON: English second division side Sheffield Wednesday said they have received a positive response from Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert after offering the former AC Milan, Barcelona and Ajax Amsterdam player a trial at Hillsborough.

Kluivert, 31, was with PSV Eindhoven last season but was not offered a new deal.

"There is a possibility it could go ahead," Wednesday manager Brian Laws told the club's Web site (www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk).

Kluivert previously played in England with Newcastle United during the 2004-05 season.

(China Daily 07/26/2007 page23)