WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The booming drives were there, but more often than not, Michelle Wie didn’t know where they were going in her first round on the LPGA Tour since February.

The best scores, as usual, belonged to just about everyone else — a course record-tying 63 by Scotland’s Mhairi McKay, and a potential battle looming between Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam in the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill.

Once the most heralded young player in the women’s game, Wie managed just one birdie in a zig-zagging 4-over 75 on a soggy day, even as the River Course yielded its fourth 8-under 63 in six years, 64s to Sorenstam and Sun Young Yoo, and 65s to Ochoa and Diana D’Alessio.

While 90 players in the field of 144 shot par or better, Wie was lucky to get off as easily as she did. She pulled her drive on the par-5 seventh, and only a tree kept it from flying out of bounds. She hit into the greenside rough on the par-3 13th, and it kicked onto the green. She hit her drive way right on the wide open par-4 14th, and another tree knocked it down.

In the Fields Open in Hawaii in February, the Stanford freshman tied for last among the 74 players who made the cut — 20 strokes behind winner Paula Creamer.

PRO BASKETBALL

Nets promote Vandeweghe

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kiki Vandeweghe became the New Jersey Nets’ general manager Thursday, less than six months after being hired as a special assistant to president Rod Thorn.

Vandeweghe replaces Ed Stefanski, who left in midseason to become the GM of the 76ers.

The general manager’s job is the second for Vandeweghe. He held the same position with the Denver Nuggets from August 2001 until the end of the 2005-06 season.

Neither Vandeweghe nor the Nets disclosed terms of his new contract.

PRO FOOTBALL

Vick will need to pay back money

RICHMOND, Va. — A federal judge ordered imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick to repay more than $2.4 million to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a loan.

The Royal Bank of Canada sued Vick in September, arguing his guilty plea to a federal dogfighting charge — and the impact on his career — prevented him from repaying the loan.

According to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Newport News, the loan’s terms specify that any employment change negatively impacting Vick’s income constitutes a default on the loan.

Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence at the U.S. penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty last year to bankrolling a dogfighting ring.

OLYMPICS

Strict security planned on buses

BEIJING — Passengers riding the subway and major bus routes in Beijing will undergo strict security checks starting at the end of June ahead of the Olympics, police said Friday.

All subway lines and major bus stations will be equipped with security checkpoints, a spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau Public Transportation Division said.

High-traffic subway and bus stations will be equipped with police dog units and handheld metal detectors at each security checkpoint, the People’s Daily reported Friday. Explosives and flammable substances are already prohibited on subway lines.

HOCKEY

Americans top Germany

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Zach Parise’s power-play goal with 8:57 remaining snapped a tie and gave the United States a 6-4 victory over Germany in a qualifying-round game at the world hockey championship on Thursday night.

The Americans appeared to have the game in hand when they scored three times in the opening 2:52, but Germany chipped away at the lead.

Germany got even at 4 early in the third, but Parise of the New Jersey Devils put a shot over goalie Dimitrij Patzold for his second of the game. Dustin Brown sealed the victory with an empty-netter with 1:36 remaining. The Americans successfully bounced back from a loss to Canada on Tuesday.

Earlier in Halifax, Rick Nash scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:58 left to lift Canada to a 2-1 victory over upset-minded Norway.

In Quebec City, Sweden bounced back from a lackluster loss to Switzerland with an 8-1 rout of Denmark on Thursday.

In the other game at Quebec City, the Czech Republic handed Switzerland its first loss of the tournament, 5-0.

Stars win rights to Brunnstrom

DETROIT — The Dallas Stars beat Detroit in a competition before the first puck dropped Thursday night in the Western Conference finals: They signed Swedish prospect Fabian Brunnstrom over the Red Wings and other NHL suitors.

The 23-year-old forward starred in the Swedish Elite League last season and was regarded as one of the top free agents available.

BASEBALL

Davis declared cancer free

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Doug Davis said he has been pronounced cancer free after a sophisticated test showed no spread of the disease.

The news came from Dr. Bob Evani, who removed the pitcher’s thyroid gland on April 10.

Davis is scheduled for two rehab starts for Triple-A Tucson, on Saturday and next Thursday. He is to have another CT scan in six months.

HORSE RACING

JockeyClub to look into deaths

NEW YORK — The Jockey Club has formed a committee to study equine health, including track safety and the rules of racing, five days after the death of the filly Eight Belles.

Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club, said Thursday that the committee would be asked to review every facet of equine health, ranging from breeding practices to medication, and to recommend actions to be taken by the horse industry to improve the safety of thoroughbreds.

The move by the 114-year-old Jockey Club, the breed registry for North America, was praised by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

BOXING

Mosley fight canceled

LAS VEGAS — Sugar Shane Mosley’s fight with Zab Judah on May 31 was canceled Thursday after Judah seriously injured his arm in an accidental fall.

Judah (36-5, 25 KOs), the former undisputed welterweight champion, severely cut his right forearm and needed 50 stitches to close the wounds, which will keep him out of training.

Mosley (44-5, 37 KOs) had been scheduled to fight Judah at the Mandalay Bay Event Center.