National Sports Briefs

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — ESPN personality and AOL sports columnist Jay Mariotti has been arrested on a felony charge in Los Angeles.

Officer Norma Eisenman says the 51-year-old Mariotti was arrested early Saturday in the police department’s Pacific Division following a “domestic incident.” Eisenman declined to provide further details.

The Sheriff’s Department website confirms Mariotti was booked on an undisclosed felony charge at 5:45 a.m. He was released on $50,000 bail just after noon Saturday.

Mariotti lives in Los Angeles. He is a panelist on the ESPN show “Around the Horn” and writes a regular column for the sports website Fanhouse.com, which is owned by AOL. He was a longtime columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

GOLF

GREENSBORO — India’s Arjun Atwal shot a 5-under 65 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Wyndham Championship, the PGA Tour’s final pre-playoff event.

Atwal, who has led or shared the lead after each of the first three days at Sedgefield Country Club, had a 17-under 193 total. He’s trying to become the first Monday qualifier to win since Fred Wadsworth at the 1986 Southern Open.

Scott McCarron birdied the final four holes for a 63 to join Scott Piercy (64) and Lucas Glover (67) at 14 under. Will MacKenzie (65), Garrett Willis (65), David Toms (65), Justin Leonard (66), John Rollins (68) and Brandt Snedeker (69) were 13 under.

Kevin Na was 12 under after matching the tournament record with a 61.

• SUNRIVER, Ore. — Tom Lehman moved into position for his second Champions Tour major victory of the year, shooting a 3-under 69 at Crosswater Club to take a two-stroke lead in the Jeld-Wen Tradition.

SWIMMING

IRVINE, Calif. — World record-holder Ryan Lochte has qualified fastest in the 200-meter individual medley heats at the Pan Pacific championships.

The American was timed in 1 minute, 58.03 seconds Saturday. His teammate Tyler Clary was second in 1:58.56.

Michael Phelps dropped out of the heats, with his coach Bob Bowman saying Phelps isn’t in good enough shape to swim two IMs and the 400 medley relay final in one day.

NBA

NEW YORK — A chastened Jayson Williams admitted Friday he was driving drunk when he slammed his SUV into a tree, capping years of legal and personal problems with a guilty plea that adds more time behind bars for the already imprisoned former NBA star.

His voice sometimes unsteady, Williams apologized to his family and said he was working to rebuild his life as he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in the Jan. 5 crash.

His one-year sentence — the maximum for the misdemeanor offense — will follow the five-year prison term he’s serving in New Jersey for accidentally shooting and killing a limo driver.

BANNED SUBSTANCE

MIAMI — Saying catcher Ronny Paulino’s decision to take a banned substance was “extraordinarily disappointing,” the Florida Marlins will begin a top-to-bottom review of the organization and how it educates players on what they can legally take under baseball’s rules.

Paulino was suspended 50 games after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance under Major League Baseball’s drug policy.

In a statement released by the team, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Paulino said he took a diet pill. The Marlins have had four players suspended under the minor league policy this season as well.

NHL

TAMPA BAY — The Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

• PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed former Philadelphia Flyers forward Arron Asham to a $700,000, one-year contract.

Asham, a physical player who is considered an underrated shooter, had 10 goals, 14 assists and 126 penalty minutes for Philadelphia last season, playing mostly on the fourth line.

• ATLANTA — Defenseman Freddy Meyer, who appeared in 64 games with the New York Islanders last season, has signed with the Atlanta Thrashers.

BASKETBALL

MADRID — Kevin Durant scored 15 points and the United States overcame a poor shooting start and early nerves to beat Lithuania 77-61 Saturday in a warmup for the basketball world championship.

The U.S. trailed 15-7 after shooting 3 of 21 and making six turnovers in the first period.

The Americans regained their composure against an equally poor-shooting opponent, taking the lead for good at 54-49 near the end of the third period. It was part of a 17-0 run led by Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon.

The U.S. plays defending world champion Spain today.