BRIEFLY : BRISKY LEADS BY 3 AFTER ACE.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Mike Brisky parlayed the fourth hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career into a three-stroke lead after Friday's weather-interrupted second round of the John

Deere Classic at Coal Valley, Ill.

Brisky, a sixth-year touring pro, aced the 161-yard, par-3 eighth hole with a 7-iron en route to an 8-under-par 62. He held a three-shot lead over Brett Quigley and J.L. Lewis.

Friday's round was suspended by thunder, lightning and heavy rain for 1 hour, 43 minutes, then was halted when two weather systems were reportedly converging on the area late in the afternoon. Thirty-one players still on the course had to return today to complete their rounds before the cut could be made.

Marta Figueras-Dotti and Jackie Gallagher-Smith each shot a 6-under-par 66 to tie for the first-round lead of the LPGA Giant Eagle Classic in Howland, Ohio. Eight players each were at 67 and 68 and defending champion Se Ri Pak was in a group of 17 at 3-under 69.

Hale Irwin birdied five of the first six holes and tied a course record with an 8-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the Senior PGA Tour's Burnet Classic in Coon Rapids, Minn.

American David Oakley shot a 1-under 71 in the second round to take a two-stroke lead over Australian Stewart Ginn at the British Seniors Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

BASKETBALL: Jeff Van Gundy, who coached the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals, finally has the two-year contract extension he was seeking, the New York Daily News reported. The Knicks said no announcement was scheduled.

Ronnie Nunn, one of 12 NBA referees investigated by the IRS for tax evasion, pleaded guilty to the charges.Nunn admitted that during 1993 he earned more income than he declared on his tax return by cashing in first-class airline tickets for coach tickets and pocketing the difference.

FOOTBALL: A funeral service for former USC defensive star Tody Smith will be held at 10 a.m. today at the Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 S. Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles. Smith, part of the Trojans' 1969 defensive line known as ``The Wild Bunch'', died in his sleep last Sunday at the age of 50.

Rick Neuheisel, the University of Washington's new football coach, still doesn't have a signed contract more than six months after he was hired.

One of the major sticking points apparently is making Neuheisel's contract conform with a ruling by the state's Executive Ethics Board that outside compensation for coaches is illegal.

HOCKEY: Mike Murphy, a former coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and recently assistant with the Ottawa Senators, was named the NHL's vice president in charge of hockey operations. He is a former Kings coach and player.