GOLF

LOS ANGELES _ Dustin Johnson made a hole-in-one and Steve Stricker had seven birdies to brighten an otherwise dreary day at rainy Riviera and finish atop the leaderboard at the Northern Trust Open.

Johnson’s 8-iron from 152 yards landed between the pin and the famous bunker in the middle of the green at No. 6, spinning back into the cup for an ace that put him in the lead for most of the afternoon. He had two holes left when play was halted by darkness.

Stricker, playing in a morning rain that never relented, chipped in for birdie on the 18th and nearly made an ace on No. 4 when his hybrid from 230 yards lipped out. He shot a 6-under 65 and had the clubhouse lead at 10-under 132.

Johnson, also 10 under after a bogey on the 15th, was to return Saturday morning to play the par-5 17th and the 473-yard closing hole at Riviera, which was playing so long in the cold and rain that some players barely reached the green with a 3-wood.

They were three shots clear of Andres Romero, who had three holes remaining.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates _ Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the Dubai Desert Classic.

The 40-year-old former Thai army paratrooper had an 8-under 136 total. England’s Lee Westwood (65), Wales’ Stephen Dodd (69) and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez (67) were tied for second. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, the first-round leader, was in a group two strokes behind Jaidee after a 70.

PRO FOOTBALL

MIAMI _ A woman claims in a lawsuit filed only days before the Super Bowl that former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin sexually assaulted her at a South Florida hotel, an allegation labeled a false attempt at “civil extortion” Friday by Irvin’s attorney.

The woman filed the lawsuit Thursday in Broward County Circuit Court seeking unspecified damages for the assault that allegedly occurred July 4 or 5, 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.

The incident was reported to Seminole tribal police on July 20, 2007, but the woman later signed a waiver of prosecution, Seminole tribe spokesman Gary Bitner said.

Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for the Broward State Attorney’s office, said the matter remains under investigation but no charges have been filed. Because the woman waited more than two weeks to report the incident, there was no physical evidence or hotel surveillance video, Bitner said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla._With Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice all but shoo-ins for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, get ready for a little Canton Two-Step.

Smith ran for more yards than any NFL player. Rice caught more passes and scored more touchdowns than anyone else.

Sure seems fitting that they would enter the hall together, a slightly more significant honor than making the finals of “Dancing With The Stars.” Or winning it, in Smith’s case.

Voting by a panel of media members takes place Saturday at the Super Bowl. Inductions will be Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio. Smith and Rice, in their first year of eligibility, are among 17 finalists.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TUCSON, Ariz. _ Arizona has placed its men’s basketball program on probation for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons for violations by Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson related to an offseason AAU tournament in 2008.

The school also announced that the basketball program will relinquish one scholarship for the 2011-12 academic year and cut the number of days coaches are allowed to recruit for the next two seasons. The Wildcats will reduce the number of official campus visits allowed by prospects and trim the number of coaches allowed to recruit off campus at one time for summer 2010 recruiting.

TRACK AND FIELD

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. _ Olympic hurdler Duane Ross has received a two-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for using performance enhancing drugs.

The USADA announced the ban, along with the disqualification of all Ross’ results in competition since Nov. 2, 2001.

Ross, a North Carolina native, was the runner-up in 110 meter hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Trials. He competed at the Athens Games.

SOCCER

LONDON_John Terry was dropped as England’s soccer captain by coach Fabio Capello, a week after allegations became public that the defender had an affair with the former girlfriend of teammate Wayne Bridge.

Rio Ferdinand will take over as captain as England prepares for its World Cup opener against the United States on June 12. Ferdinand, who had been vice captain, has been injured for much of this season.

Capello told Terry of the decision in a brief meeting at Wembley Stadium, a week after the married Chelsea star lost a High Court battle to ban publication of details of an alleged relationship with Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of Bridge’s child.

BOXING

DAVIE, Fla. _ Former IBF light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson stopped Yusaf Mack at 2:21 of the sixth round.

Fighting for the first time since losing a decision against Chad Dawson in November, Johnson shook off a sluggish first two rounds and gradually wore down Mack in the scheduled 12-round bout at the University Center. Johnson (50-13-2, 34 KOs) knocked down Mack (28-3-2) three times in the sixth, with the final one ending the fight.

HOCKEY

TAMPA, Fla. _ Boston Red Sox minority owner Jeff Vinik agreed to buy the Tampa Bay Lightning, taking on the challenge of turning around a franchise that has struggled since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004.

Vinik is purchasing Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment from a group led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie, the team said in a statement. The deal is contingent on approval from the league’s Board of Governors, which is expected in three to four weeks.