The Associated Press

TOLEDO - With memories from his play in the U.S. Open still vivid, Tom Watson shot a 5-under 66 to take a three-stroke lead after the rain-shortened first round of the U.S. Senior Open at Inverness Club Thursday.

"Like the Watson of old," the 53-year-old beamed.

Play was suspended with 36 of the 156 players still on the course. The first round will be completed today.

Bruce Lietzke was alone in second after a 69. Mike McCullough and J.C. Snead were the only other players to break par, each with a 70.

ST. JUDE CLASSIC: Jay Haas and Darron Stiles shot 7-under-par 64s and shared a one-stroke lead in the suspended first round at Memphis, Tenn. Rain and darkness kept 56 golfers from finishing the round.

Haas bogeyed the first hole before making seven straight birdies in his nine-birdie, two-bogey round.

Stiles, in his first season on the PGA Tour, nearly had the lead to himself at 8-under after a bogey-free round with five birdies and an eagle. He had just hit to 12 feet on the par-4 18th when thunderstorms began. After play resumed, the ball circled the lip of the cup on his putt, forcing him to tap in for par.

NFL

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Rams backup quarterback Marc Bulger signed a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

NBA

WASHINGTON - Jerry Stackhouse agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Wizards. The new deal has him committed to the team for the next four seasons for about $33 million.

WARRIORS: Center Adonal Foyle will have arthroscopic surgery Monday on his left knee but is expected to recover by training camp.

Soccer

SAINT-DENIS, France - FIFA president Sepp Blatter defended the Confederations Cup schedule, saying the death of Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe was linked to the lack of off days.

Foe collapsed during Thursday's semifinal against Colombia in Lyon, France.

"The results we have received so far from the doctor is it has nothing to do with the interval of the games, but it is something which is with the health situation of the player," Blatter said.

Auto racing

RICHMOND, Va. - Bryan Herta will replace injured Dario Franchitti in the IRL car owned by Andretti Green Racing. Herta has two victories in eight CART seasons.

Tennis

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Venus Williams and Monica Seles will lead the U.S. against Italy in the Fed Cup. Meghann Shaughnessy and Lisa Raymond also were selected for the July 19-20 quarterfinals at Washington, D.C.

College football

SEATTLE - Suspended Washington coach Rick Neuheisel and his lawyers met Thursday with athletic director Barbara Hedges, making their case that Neuheisel should keep his job despite participating in neighborhood gambling pools.

Later, his lawyers disclosed that Hedges gave Neuheisel the option to resign or be fired during a June 6 meeting.

NHL

WASHINGTON - The Capitals picked up the option years on the contracts of wing Peter Bondra, their all-time leading scorer, and center Jeff Halpern.

MIGHTY DUCKS: Defenseman Chris Armstrong signed a one-year contract.

Boxing

Daryl Murph, 13, an 85-pounder from Clifton, and Jabriel Blair, 15, a 132-pounder from Avondale, each won national titles last weekend at the Ringside Boxing Tournament in Augusta, Ga.