Sports in Brief: Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods lose Match Play openers

The snow is gone from the Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz., and so are Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

Shane Lowry made a four-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Dove Mountain on Thursday to eliminate McIlroy in the opening round. It was the third time in the last four years the No. 1 seed went home after one round.

Charles Howell III beat the second-seeded Woods on the 17th hole. It was the first time since 2002 that the top two seeds were eliminated after one day, though the round took two days because of snow.

American Stacy Lewis, the 2012 LPGA Tour player of the year, shot a 9-under-par 63 in the first round for a 3-stroke lead in the LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Chonburi.

SOCCER: U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo will miss next month's Algarve Cup, the prestigious women's tournament in Portugal, because of a wrist injury.

Two goalkeepers on the roster are from the area: Nicole Barnhart (Boyertown) and Jill Loyden (Vineland). They join midfielder Carli Lloyd (Delran) on the team.

NFL: The San Francisco 49ers are "highly unlikely" to release quarterback Alex Smith, ESPN reported. Smith lost his starting job to Colin Kaepernick last season after suffering a concussion.

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow canceled a scheduled April 28 appearance at a Baptist mega church in Dallas run by a pastor who has created controversy with remarks about gays and other faiths.

ARENA FOOTBALL: The Soul hired former Eagle and 14-year NFL defensive tackle Hollis Thomas as an assistant line coach. He joins Chris McKinney, Steve Criswell, and Don Malloy as assistants to Clint Dolezel. Phil Bogle is the assistant head coach.

TENNIS: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic overpowered defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, 6-2, 6-4, to set up a semifinal against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the Dubai Championships in the United Arab Emirates. Wozniacki defeated Marion Bartoli of France, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Roberta Vinci of Italy surprised Sam Stosur of Australia, 6-2, 6-4, and will face doubles partner Sara Errani of Italy. She downed Nadia Petrova of Russia, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

Lisa Raymond of Wayne and Stosur lost to Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Anastasia Rodionova of Australia, 6-1, 6-3, in the doubles quarterfinals.

CYCLING: Martyn Irvine made history for Ireland by winning its first men's medals in 116 years in the world track cycling championships in Minsk, Belarus. Irvine won the silver in the individual pursuit and within an hour was the champion of the scratch race. He is the first Irishman to medal in the track worlds since Harry Reynolds in 1897.

COLLEGES: Former Louisiana State football star Billy Cannon, the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner, was hospitalized for two days for treatment of a stroke. He is a dentist.

Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich is keeping assistant coach Clint Hurtt on the Cardinals football staff while Hurtt answers NCAA allegations of ethical misconduct while coaching at Miami.

- Staff and wire reports