Turnesa rolls in Vegas to first PGA win

Marc Turnesa completed a wire-to-wire victory for his first PGA Tour title yesterday, closing with a 4-under-par 68 to hold off Matt Kuchar by a stroke in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Turnesa, the fourth rookie to win on the PGA Tour this season, birdied Nos. 9, 11, 12, and 14 to reach 25 under before finishing 24-under 263. Kuchar finished with a 64 . . . Morgan Pressel birdied the final hole in the Kapalua (Hawaii) LPGA Classic to close with a 3-under 69 and edge Suzann Pettersen by a stroke to earn her first victory of the season . . . On the Champions Tour, Bernhard Langer won his second straight Administaff Small Business Classic title in The Woodlands, Texas, shooting a 3-under 69 to finish 12 under, two strokes better than Lonnie Nielsen . . . Alvaro Quiros closed with a 4-under 68 to win the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura, edging Paul Lawrie by three shots in the PGA European event.

Cornerback Charles Woodson said that if a media report indicating that Brett Favre shared inside knowledge of the Green Bay Packers' offense with Detroit Lions coaches is true, it's nothing short of sabotage. "He contacted them? I don't respect that," Woodson said after the Packers' victory over Indianapolis yesterday. "If they call him and he gives them information, that's one thing. But to seek a team out and to feel like you're trying to sabotage this team, I don't respect that." Woodson's comments came in the wake of a foxsports.com report that Favre called the Lions before their Sept. 14 game against the Packers in Detroit and spent more than an hour giving coaches information about the offense he used to run. Favre was not asked about the report after the Jets' loss at Oakland, but in a text message to an NBC reporter Favre strongly denied the report. The Packers beat the Lions, 48-25 . . . Chiefs president Carl Peterson said the team is aware of an investigation into running back Larry Johnson's alleged involvement in an altercation with a woman during the team's bye week. Johnson was benched for Kansas City's 34-10 loss to Tennessee yesterday for violating team rules, but the team said the investigation was not the reason he was deactivated.

Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper had surgery on his non-throwing left shoulder and expects to be ready to start the Tigers' next game at Boston College Nov. 1. Coach Dabo Swinney said Harper's operation went well and he should return for tomorrow's practice. Willy Korn, Clemson's starter in a 21-17 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday, sustained a bone bruise early in the game and is listed as questionable for the BC game . . . Georgia defensive tackle Brandon Wood has been suspended for at least one game after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Coach Mark Richt said that Wood, a sophomore who has played in every game as a backup, will miss Saturday's game at No. 11 LSU . . . UNC Asheville's Kenny George, at 7 feet 7 inches the nation's tallest college basketball player, will not play this year amid reports part of his right foot was amputated after contracting a staph infection.

Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain apologized for "an error in judgment" a day after he was arrested in Lincoln, Neb., on suspicion of driving under the influence, speeding, and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. "I want to apologize to the New York Yankees and the fans for an error in judgment and for putting myself in a difficult situation," Chamberlain said in a statement released by his agent, Randy Hendricks. Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey will get paperwork on the case today and decide what, if any, charges will be filed, Nebraska State Patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said.

After thoroughly confusing and dominating previously unbeaten Kelly Pavlik Saturday night in Atlantic City, 43-year-old Bernard Hopkins had a message for his detractors. "What do I have to do? I believe I am the most underrated fighter when it comes to defense, when it comes to offense, when it comes to my heart. In my heart, I fought like I had to prove something." Hopkins (49-5-1) took Pavlik to school in a 12-round non-title fight in which he beat up and embarrassed the middleweight champion. The one-sided victory could set up a rematch with Roy Jones Jr. early next year, provided Hopkins's longtime antagonist beats Joe Calzaghe next month in a fight in New York City. Jones beat Hopkins in a 12-round decision in 1993.

Lewis Hamilton's win in the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai left the McLaren driver just short of clinching the 2008 Formula One title. Hamilton finished 14.9 seconds ahead of rival Felipe Massa, who took second thanks to Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen letting him through late in the race. The result extended Hamilton's lead in the drivers' championship to 7 points with only the Brazilian Grand Prix remaining. The only way Massa can pass Hamilton is if he wins and Hamilton finishes no higher than seventh, or Massa finishes second and Hamilton out of the points . . . Andy Murray beat Gilles Simon, 6-4, 7-6 (7-6), to win the Madrid Masters and become the first Briton to win four titles in a season. He will be the first Briton in the Open era since Fred Perry in 1936 to finish the year at No. 4 . . . Venus Williams beat Flavia Pennetta, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, in the final of the Zurich Open to win her second singles title of the season . . . The St. Louis Blues switched backup goalies, recalling rookie Ben Bishop, the former University of Maine standout, from Peoria of the American Hockey League and assigning Marek Schwarz to Peoria . . . Matt Marquardt had a goal and an assist and Tuukka Rask turned aside 26 shots in Providence's 4-1 AHL win over the Pirates in Portland . . . In MLS play, Conor Casey scored on a penalty kick in the 85th minute to give the Colorado Rapids a 2-1 victory over Chivas USA in Carson, Calif.