The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic may be the next LPGA tournament to miss the cut.

The Farr, named for the actor who played a reluctant corporal on the classic TV series "M.A.S.H.", is being played for the 25th time — and possibly last — this week at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.

"I don't know what the intricate details are, they'll have to figure those out," Jamie Farr said before yesterday's pro-am. "We have a 50-50 chance of being here next year."

The Farr's $1.4 million purse is among the smallest on the LPGA tour. In tough economic times, tournament officials have pared between $450,000 and $500,000 this year from an already bare-bones budget. The contract with the title sponsor expires after this tournament.

The LPGA had 34 events last year and that number is falling.

Organizers of the two-year-old Kapalua LPGA Classic in Hawai'i announced Tuesday that financial problems would cause them to pull out of the last four years of their contract with the tour. LPGA officials threatened to pursue "legal remedies."

The LPGA Corning Classic in Corning, N.Y., ended in May after 31 years when its title sponsor called it quits.

HOCKEY

BLACKHAWKS SIGN HOSSA FOR $62.8M

Just when the slowing global economy figured to put a crimp in spending for NHL free agents, Marian Hossa hit the open market again.

And instead of taking a discount on a one-year deal to take a shot at a Stanley Cup title, Hossa cashed in a megadeal with the up-and-coming Chicago Blackhawks yesterday.

A few hours after the NHL free-agent season was open for business, the Blackhawks said goodbye to Martin Havlat and set their sights on Hossa. It didn't take long to come to terms on a 12-year, $62.8 million contract.

It was the headline move on the typically busy first day of free-agent shopping.

The New York Rangers landed the second biggest prize of the day, signing high-scoring forward Marian Gaborik away from the Minnesota Wild with a five-year, $37.5 million contract.

SOCCER

12TH-RANKED U.S. CAN ADD PLAYERS

The United States is allowed to expand its roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup by seven players to 30.

The decision was made by soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean governing body because the U.S. team is coming off the Confederations Cup, where it lost to Brazil 3-2 in Sunday's final in Johannesburg.

The U.S., seeking its third straight Gold Cup title, included just two regular starters on its 23-man Gold Cup roster announced last week: forward Brian Ching, a Kamehameha Schools alum, and right back Steve Cherundolo. They missed the Confederations Cup because of injuries.

Teams can dress 18 players for any match.

The United States, which moved up two spots to No. 12 in the FIFA ranking released yesterday, opens Saturday against Grenada at Seattle.

Brazil ended Spain's one-year reign as the world's top soccer team after rallying from a two-goal deficit to beat the United States.

SWIMMING

SPANIARD SETS MARK IN 100 BACK

Spain's Aschwin Wildeboer Faber has set a world record in the 100-meter backstroke with a 52.38-second leg in the 4x100 medley relay final at the Mediterranean Games at Pescara, Italy.

Faber's time yesterday beat American Aaron Peirsol's 52.54 mark set in the Beijing Olympics.

Spain won the relay in 3:34.22, with Greece second at 3:34.71 and Italy third in 3:35.55, the ANSA news agency reported.