Sports briefs for August 23, 2004

Monday, Aug. 23, 2004 | 9:16 a.m.

Europeans choosing team for Ryder Cup

Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington were among six golfers confirmed in Europe's 12-man Ryder Cup team that takes on the U.S. next month, after the first stage of a new qualification process was completed today.

Spain's Garcia was joined by countryman Miguel Angel Jiminez, Ireland's Harrington, England's Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland and France's Thomas Levet, set for his Ryder Cup debut at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan on Sept. 17-19.

Levet, who won the Scottish Open in July and tied for fifth in the British Open a week later, is fourth in the European points list and cannot be passed at the final qualifying event in Germany this week. The others qualified by leading a world points list -- taken from the world rankings -- that closed today.

England's Paul Casey, David Howell and Ian Poulter and Ireland's Paul McGinley currently hold the other four places. Captain Bernhard Langer will select two wild-card picks Sunday to complete his team for the 35th Ryder Cup, in which Europe will seek to retain the trophy it won at the Belfry two years ago.

Colin Montgomerie, European No. 1 from 1992-1999, is 18th in the European points list and would only make a seventh successive Ryder Cup with Langer's blessing. Langer partnered "Monty" at the Belfry, where they won 2 1/2 points from a possible three as a pairing. Europe unexpectedly won the match 15 1/2 to 12 1/2.

U.S. captain Hal Sutton selected Stewart Cink, who won the NEC Invitational event yesterday, and 50-year-old Jay Haas as his wild-card picks last week.

Serve wins for Hewitt

Lleyton Hewitt strong first serve and excellent court coverage ended the best week of Gilles Muller's career. Hewitt beat the Luxembourg player 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at Washington. The second-seeded Australian became the fifth player this year with at least three ATP Tour titles. His other victories came in Sydney and Rotterdam.

Crow's appeal denied

A panel of judges in Sonora, Calif., denied an appeal by American synchronized swimmer Tammy Crow of her conviction on two misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter. Crow, 27, pleaded no contest in January to the charges and was sentenced to 90 days in Tuolumne County Jail.