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Officials at Pinehurst Resort said the final stage of renovations to the fabled No. 2 course will begin Nov. 16.

The Donald Ross-designed layout will be closed during the winter, and when it reopens in March, there won't be any rough. The fairways will be wider and eight tees will be added to the championship course. The project is being led by two-time Masters winner Ben Crenshaw and his design partner Bill Coore.

BATTLE FOR NO. 1: The focus in the final World Golf Championship of the year, the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, is on what could be a prolonged and fascinating battle for No. 1.

In his debut as golf's top-ranked player, Lee Westwood finished with back-to-back birdies for a 66, one stroke behind Francesco Molinari's lead.

Two shots behind Westwood was Tiger Woods, without his No. 1 ranking for the first time in more than five years. Woods made a most improbable par from behind the bushes with a 4-iron he had to aim away from loose tree roots, then had three straight birdies.

Not to be forgotten is fourth-ranked Phil Mickelson, who rallied for a 69. PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the No. 3 player, opened with a 72. Any of those four could go to No. 1 this week at the HSBC Champions, and it could just be getting started.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Defending champion John Cook shot a 7-under 64 to take the first-round lead in the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

tennis

DROPPED IN DOUBLES: Greensboro's John Isner and partner Sam Querrey lost in the quarterfinals at the Swiss Indoors, losing to Bob and Mike Bryan, the top team in the world, 6-0, 6-7, 10-7.

ETC.: Robin Soderling claimed his 50th win of the year in beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the Valencia Open. ... Wild-card Kimiko Date Krumm edged top-seeded Li Na 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at the Tournament of Champions.

miscellany

LEAD CAN STAY IN FISHING TACKLE: The EPA denied a petition by several environmental groups to ban lead in fishing tackle, two months after rejecting the groups' attempt to ban it in hunting ammunition. The EPA said that the petition did not demonstrate that a ban on lead in fishing tackle was necessary to protect against unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, as required by the Toxic Substances Control Act.