Sports briefs 2/24/03

Golf

Mike Weir made up a seven-stroke deficit against Charles Howell III Sunday and won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles with a birdie on the second playoff hole.

Weir closed with a 5-under 66 on tough Riviera Country Club, then waited nearly an hour as Howell played his final seven holes in 2 over. Howell closed with a 73.

Weir holed an 8-foot putt on No. 10, then claimed his second PGA Tour title in the last four weeks when Howell missed a birdie putt from 6 feet.

Both finished at 9-under 275.

Nick Price finished two strokes behind after a 72, tied with Fred Funk (68).

Tiger Woods had the best round of the day, a 6-under 65 that lifted him into a tie for fifth at 278.

Bruce Fleisher took advantage of a two-shot swing on the 17th hole Sunday and edged Hale Irwin for a one-shot victory in the Verizon Classic in Lutz, Fla.

Fleisher shot a 4-under-par 67 in the final round to finish at 8-under 205 at the TPC of Tampa Bay. Irwin, who began the day with a one-shot lead, shot 69 to finish at 7 under.

Mike Hill, 64, shot a 66 to finish third at 4 under.

Motorsports

Dale Jarrett outfoxed Kurt Busch during the final laps and won Sunday's Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham for his 31st career victory.

It was Jarrett's second win at Rockingham and the first Winston Cup victory for new crew chief Brad Parrott.

Matt Kenseth was third, followed by Ricky Craven and Jamie McMurray.

Paul Tracy, known as a slow starter, this time got off to a good start and handily won CART's inaugural St. Petersburg Grand Prix Sunday.

Michel Jourdain Jr. finished second, but never challenged for the lead and was 12.136 seconds -- several hundred yards -- behind Tracy at the end. Bruno Junqueira was third.

-- From wire reports