Briefly

On another blustery day that severely tested the 28-man field of last year’s PGA Tour winners, Stuart Appleby was steady as ever Saturday and birdied three of his last six holes for a 3-under 70 and a two-shot lead over U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell in the Mercedes Championship in Kapalua, Hawaii.

Appleby is at 6-under 213, in prime position to become the first player in almost 50 years to win the event three straight times.

Only a half-dozen players were under par.

•Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn beat Thai stars Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee 3 and 2 in an afternoon best-ball match to help Europe take a 6-2 lead over Asia in The Royal Trophy in Bangkok, Thailand.

TENNIS

Federer wins in Qatar

Roger Federer won the Qatar Open for the second straight year, beating French teenager Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the final.

Federer became the first player to win consecutive titles in Doha since Stefan Edberg in 1994 and 1995.

•Second-ranked Kim Clijsters beat top-ranked Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the Champions Challenge exhibition tournament in Hong Kong.

•Carlos Moya, bidding for a third straight Chennai Open title, defeated the Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3) in a semifinal in Madras, India.

•Mark Philippoussis withdrew from the Heineken Open with a back injury.

WINTER SPORTS

Raich wins slalom

Austria’s Benjamin Raich overcame a late mistake to win a World Cup giant slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, the last before next month’s Olympics, and overtake Daron Rahlves atop the overall standings.

Raich completed the two runs on the Chuenisbaergli course in 2 minutes, 23.25 seconds for his second straight giant slalom victory.

Raich was followed by Fredrik Nyberg of Sweden while Kalle Palander of Finland and Stephan Goergl of Austria shared third.

Rahlves crashed during the second run, and U.S. teammate Bode Miller, the overall champion, was 14th.

•Hilde Pedersen won a 10-kilometer cross-country race in Otepaa, Estonia, the first time the 41-year-old Norwegian finished in the top three of a World Cup event. Vassili Rotchev of Russia captured the men’s 15K.

•Italy captured the luge team season title and the United States tied for second place after Germany’s victory in the final World Cup team race in Koenigsee, Germany.

Earlier, Armin Zoeggeler took the men’s overall World Cup lead from Albert Demtschenko.

•Alex Bilodeau of Canada won a World Cup freestyle moguls event in Ste-Adele, Quebec, with Jeremy Bloom of the United States second. Kari Traa of Norway captured the women’s competition.

•High wind and heavy snow forced the postponement of the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix Tour halfpipe finals at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Ore.

The competition was scheduled to resume today, with an abbreviated slope-style event to follow.

•Alaskan Kikkan Randall won the women’s 10-kilometer classic technique race at the U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

Earlier, Kris Freeman won his first U.S. title since 2003 as he finished the 15K classic in 39 minutes, 38.1 seconds.

MISCELLANY

Baldomir takes title

Argentina’s Carlos Baldomir won the undisputed welterweight boxing championship, staggering Zab Judah in the seventh round en route to a unanimous, 12-round decision at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

•The NCAA rescinded increases in Division I scholarships in three women’s sports, a victory for smaller schools fearing even greater disadvantage if more players were recruited to larger universities.

The sports affected were gymnastics, volleyball and cross country/track and field.

•Chris Wells ran for three touchdowns and earned MVP honors in leading the East past the West 27-16 in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school all-star game.