Sports in brief

NFL

Pennington hurts knee, surgery scheduled

Hard-luck quarterback Chad Pennington tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a pickup basketball game and will undergo surgery April 7. Pennington's agent, Tom Condon, announced the injury in a news release but did not say which knee was injured. The former Jets and Dolphins quarterback is now a free agent.

GOLF

Walker leads Houston; big names in contention

Jimmy Walker tied the course record with a 9-under 63 to take a two-shot lead over Josh Teater and Nick O'Hern after the first round of the Houston Open. Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington were in the large pack of players at 4 under, Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen were at 2 under . . . Young golf star Ryo Ishikawa says he is giving all of his tournament earnings this year to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan.

TENNIS

Sharapova gains Key Biscayne final

After losing the first set, Maria Sharapova won 11 consecutive games and advanced to the final at the Sony Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., by beating Andrea Petkovic, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. Roger Federer reached the semifinals when Gilles Simon retired with a stiff neck. -- AP