In brief: Cold Pebble Beach warms up Mickelson

Four tournaments into his season, Phil Mickelson showed signs of turning the corner Thursday.

Mickelson, nowhere near the leaderboard since his collapse at the U.S. Open last summer, eagled his final hole at Poppy Hills for a 7-under-par 65 to share the lead with rookie John Mallinger and Nick Watney in the Pebble Beach (Calif.) National Pro-Am.

It was cold, wet and windy. Mickelson and Watney played at Poppy Hills, the easiest of three courses in the rotation because it is the farthest from the Pacific Ocean and shielded by trees.

“The International is no longer on the PGA Tour schedule because Tiger Woods and key corporate sponsors stayed away from the majestic mountain course at the foothills of the Rockies – the Castle Pines GC outside Denver.

Baseball

Reds extend Arroyo

Right-hander Bronson Arroyo got a two-year extension from the Cincinnati Reds that will pay him an additional $25 million and keep him under contract through at least 2010.

The agreement came two days after top Reds starter Aaron Harang avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $36.5 million, four-year deal.

“Shannon Stewart and the Oakland Athletics agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract, giving the club an additional backup outfielder.

Stewart batted .293 last year with the Minnesota Twins. He was bothered by foot injuries and played in just 44 games.

Tennis

Williams in Fed Cup

Fresh off her Australian Open title, Serena Williams has agreed to play for the U.S. Fed Cup team for the first time since 2003 – joining older sister Venus on the squad that faces Belgium in the first round in April.

“Former U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters may miss the French Open and limit her farewell season further to reduce the risk of injury to her sore hip.

Figure skating

Chinese team wins

China’s Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo wrapped up the pairs title at Four Continents in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The thoughts of the skaters were with Canada’s Jessica Dube, who was taken to the hospital after being hit on the left cheek and nose by her partner Bryce Davison’s skate earlier in the competition.

Dube underwent surgery Thursday night to repair the laceration.

The American contingent of world and U.S. champion Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes and Alissa Czisny all fell on their opening jumps in the women’s short program.

Hughes, though, made up for it by adding a jump later in her program to propel her into second place heading into the free skate Saturday. Joannie Rochette of Canada had the lead and Japan’s Aki Sawada was third. Czisny was fourth and Meissner sixth.

Miscellany

Earnhardt wants more

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants more than a piece of his father’s company. He wants his stepmother to give him majority ownership, a negotiating demand that might force him to part ways with Dale Earnhardt Inc. after this season.

His DEI contract is up at the end of the year, and negotiations have been tense since Teresa Earnhardt seemingly questioned his commitment to the team in a December interview.

“Leading after the downhill leg of the world ski championships combined event in Are, Sweden, Bode Miller was on track for a medal, perhaps gold, until he inexplicably slowed down in the final gates of the slalom and finished sixth. Daniel Albrecht of Switzerland won the race.

“McNeese State (Lake Charles, La.) men’s basketball team and men’s and women’s track and field programs were penalized for major NCAA rules violation.