Confused Courier Puts Membership Plan In Rough

-- GOLF

A lost courier may have cost a California company the right to sell exclusive, six-figure memberships at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The resort, owned by Japanese tycoon Minoru Isutani, planned to obtain cash by selling memberships at $150,000 apiece. Isutani is struggling to meet debt payments of $415 million in loans.

California's Coastal Commission contends the resort should remain open to the general public.

An attorney for the resort prepared legal documents to contest the Coastal Commission's Oct. 10 ruling, but the courier became lost and arrived at the Monterey County clerk's office 15 minutes after it closed Monday.

A 60-day deadline to file the paperwork expired Monday night.

-- TENNIS

Wimbledon winner Michael Stich of Germany downed Goran Prpic, a Croatian-born Yugoslav, 6-4, 6-3, in 62 minutes, and next will face Forget. The Frenchman has a 3-0 lifetime mark against Stich.

Michael Chang upset second-seeded Jim Courier 6-4, 6-2 at the $6 million Grand Slam Cup in Munich, Germany.

In another first-round match, fourth-seeded Ivan Lendl beat Christiano Caratti 6-4, 6-1.

-- BASEBALL

Brian Doughty, a pitcher-outfielder-first baseman at Juanita High School in Kirkland, and infielder Jeff Patzke of Klamath Falls, Ore., have signed letters of intent to play for Washington State's Cougars.

-- BOXING

A judge in Indianapolis today rejected a defense attorneys' request to delay the scheduled Jan. 27 start to the rape trial of Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion.

-- FOOTBALL

Coach Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers and unhappy quarterback Bubby Brister met for 10 minutes yesterday, but Neil O'Donnell apparently remains the Steelers' starting quarterback. And Brister remains convinced he may have to play elsewhere next year.

The meeting resulted from Brister's angry refusal to play in the final six minutes of the Steelers' 31-6 NFL loss Sunday in Houston. Brister, who hasn't played since Oct. 14, said it would have been "humiliating" to mop up for O'Donnell.

Noll also announced that Tim Worley and Terry Long, the only players suspended this season for violating the NFL's drug policy, have been added to the Steelers' practice squad.

-- Joe Scibelli, a standout offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams for 15 years during the 1960s and 1970s, died today in a Boston hospital of cancer. He was 52.

Scibelli played in the Pro Bowl in 1968 and was a team captain during his last 10 years with the Rams.

-- The Philadelphia Eagles signed free-agent quarterback David Archer to a one-year contract. He'll back up starter Jeff Kemp. Meanwhile, previous starter Jim McMahon remains hospitalized with four broken ribs.

-- NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, meeting with representatives of the 10 cities seeking expansion franchises in 1994, stated that expansion could be delayed if the league does not get the labor agreement it has been without for four years.

-- Coach Bobby Ross of Georgia Tech denied an Atlanta Constitution report that he met with Minnesota Vikings officials last weekend in Florida to discuss their upcoming coaching vacancy. Last January, Ross denied reports that he had interviewed for the Cleveland Browns' coaching job until after he had turned down an offer.

-- A player given a second chance at Missouri Southern State College after serving a four-year prison sentence for drug dealing has been charged with burglary. Marques Rodgers, 24, was charged with attempting to steal a safe from a motel in Joplin, Mo.

-- VOLLEYBALL

Players earning recognition on the NAIA All-America women's teams: Third team - setter Leslie Ota, University of Puget Sound; honorable mention - Tamara Locke of Bothell, middle blocker, Western Washington; and Shana Pepper, outside hitter, Central Washington.