BRIEFLY.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Reports

Refunds offered to to Grand Prix fans

Tire manufacturer Michelin offered Tuesday to refund money to those who bought tickets for the U.S. Grand Prix, which was boycotted by seven Formula One teams after the company decided its tires were unsafe at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Michelin also said it would buy 20,000 tickets for the 2006 race to be given to those who attended the June 19 race,during which only six of the typical 20 drivers participated.

Reserved-seat tickets for this month's race ranged from $75 to $150. The speedway does not release attendance figures for any of its races, but media reports estimated the U.S. Grand Prix crowd at 100,000.

Michelin's refund offer for this year's race could cost the company about $10 million if 100,000 ticket holders seek refunds at an average of $100 each.

GOLF: Top-seeded Annika Sorenstam will face Joanne Morley in the first round of the 64-player HSBC Women's World Match Championship on Thursday, and U.S. Women's Open champion Birdie Kim will begin play against Sophie Gustafson in Gladstone, N.J.

Pairings were released Tuesday.

Locals in the event: Candie Kung (eighth seed, USC), Jennifer Rosales (21st, USC), Jill McGill (23rd, USC), Emilee Klein (45th, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks), Kim Saiki (50th, USC) and Lindsey Wright (63rd, Pepperdine).

TENNIS: Guillermo Canas, Argentina's top-ranked player, was left off his country's Davis Cup team that takes on Australia in next month's quarterfinals because he's under a doping investigation. Canas, ranked No. 8 in the world, said the ATP turned up a positive test dating back several months but that he believes he will be cleared.

FOOTBALL: The New England Patriots signed free-agent kick returner Chad Morton (USC).

The Patriots also signed 2005 draft pick quarterback Matt Cassel (USC).

--Police are investigating the shooting of a security guard at a pool party in Gambrills, Md., hosted by NFL linebackers LaVar Arrington and Julian Peterson.

Investigators don't believe Arrington was near the spot where James Sidney was shot and injured, although the Redskins player was present at the party, police spokesman Lt. Joseph Jordan said. It was not clear if Peterson, who plays for the 49ers, was at the party Saturday, Jordan said.

SOCCER: Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored his fourth goal of the tournament and created Pablo Zabaleta's 93rd-minute winner Tuesday to lead Argentina past Brazil 2-1 and into the World Youth Championship final, setting up a title match against Nigeria, a 3-0 winner over Morocco.

--Rivals Brazil and Argentina will play in today's Confederations Cup final in Frankfurt, Germany.

--Malcolm Glazer told Manchester United's remaining shareholders Tuesday he owned 98 percent of the club and had the power to buy them out.

CYCLING: Italian cyclist Gilberto Simoni will skip the Tour de France because he hasn't recovered from last month's Giro d'Italia, in which he finished second.

SOFTTBALL: Former Valencia High pitcher Christina Ross, a standout freshman at Kansas last spring, has left the school and is considering transferring to San Diego State.