BRIEFLY : WATSON, SLUMAN IN FRONT.

Halfway through the MCI Heritage Classic, Tom Watson's putting stroke is doing nicely. So is he.

``I've had no problems with it,'' Watson said after shooting a second straight four-under-par 67 Friday to share the 36-hole lead with Jeff Sluman at Hilton Head, S.C.

Colin Montgomerie, seeking his first victory in the United States, heads a group one shot back at 135 that includes Jeff Maggert, Loren Roberts and Larry Nelson.

Three-time MCI champion Davis Love III is in a group at 136, with Masters champ Nick Faldo and Greg Norman four back at 138.

Buddy Allin posted a 67 early and watched as his 5-under-par 139 held up to lead midway through the PGA Seniors' Championship in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Hale Irwin, whose 66 earned the first-round lead, stumbled to a 74 and was one stroke behind at 140, along with Isao Aoki, going into today's third round.

Karen Weiss, 30, shot a career-best, 6-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead in the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship in Stockbridge, Ga.

GYMNASTICS Experience paid off Friday night as Vitally Scherbo, Yuri Chechi and Svetlana Chorkina retained their apparatus titles in the Wolrd Gymnastics Championships.

Scherbo, from Belarus, a five-time Olympic gold medalist in 1992, cruised through the first of his four finals to win gold in thefloor exercise. Chechi, from Italy, nailed a routine at the start of the rotation that no one could match in winning his third straight rings title.

Chorkina, the uneven bars champion from Russia, retained her title although she had to share it with Yelena Piskun of Belarus. Both had scores of 9.787.

FOOTBALL Offensive tackle Bruce Wilkerson signed a free-agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. Wilkerson, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound veteran of nine NFL seasons, played in 10 games for Jacksonville last year. He was placed on waivers Tuesday.

OLYMPICS Two days after its worst effort of the season, the U.S. men's national volleyball team swept the Netherlands 15-12, 15-7, 15-8 in the opening match of the round-robin Four Nations Deutschland Cup in Moers, Germany. Setter Lloy Ball of Woodburn, Ind., led Team USA with eight service aces and five blocks.

Reyne Borup, 28, who qualified fourth earlier in the day, rallied to win the women's 1-meter springboard title in the National Diving Championships in Oxford, Ohio.

TENNIS Richey Reneberg beat fellow American Michael Chang 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open in Tokyo. No. 1 Pete Sampras struggled in the early going against old nemesis Guy Forget of France before winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Jim Courier had a tough battle before finally beating fellow American Todd Martin 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open. No. 1 seed Thomas Muster easily advanced to the semifinals, overwhelming Francis Roig of Spain 6-1, 6-1, and will face Carlos Moya today.

BASKETBALL The NBA plans to come down hard on players for violence on the court, commissioner David Stern said at a luncheon in Scottsdale, Ariz. ``If it keeps occurring, we're prepared to cost games, seasons and careers over this,'' Stern said.

Cal State Northridge Athletic director Paul Bubb said the list of candidates for the vacant men's basketball coaching job has been pared to five: University of Oregon assistant Bobby Braswell, San Jose City College head coach Percy Carr, UC Santa Barbara assistant Bobby Castagna, L.A. City College head coach Michael Miller and Lincoln College of Illinois head coach Joe O'Brien.

ETC. The Sri Lankan national cricket team, the current world champions, will face the United States in a one-day match today at Woodley Park at 9:30 a.m. Sri Lanka will play the Southern California Cricket Associationon Sunday at Woodley Park, also at 9:30 a.m. . . . Philip Ringener is the top seed for the second straight year going into the stepladder finals of the PBA Bud Lite Championship in Sayville, N.Y. Ringener outbowled Dave D'Entremont 213-193 in the final match-play game to clinch the top spot.. . . Newbury Park High School softball pitcher Kristi Fox has signed a letter of intent to attend Virginia, coach Mike Morgan said. Westlake pitcher Kelly De Arman also committed this week, selectng UNLF over San Diego State on Thursday.

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PHOTO Greg Norman, despite this venture into the woods on t he 15th hole, was in contention at the MCI Heritage Classic, as was Nick Faldo.

Associated Press