The Course of True Love Takes a Dogleg

John Daly, reigning PGA champion, cut off his relationship with Bettye Fulford last year after he discovered she was much older than she had told him. Fulford, due to deliver a baby girl in two to three weeks, responded with a paternity suit.

But Cupid has intervened once more.

The suit was dropped, the two got back together and last Friday in Daly’s hometown of Dardanelle, Ark., Daly, 26, and Fulford, 39, were married.

“I guess it’s just love and we’re going to make it work the best we can,� Daly said.�

Trivia time: How many USC players have been selected in the first round of the NBA draft?

Endless list: In response to an item in Tuesday’s Morning Briefing, reader James G. Johnson of Pasadena offers still more politically incorrect nicknames. A partial list:

“San Jose Sharks--It slurs valiant defenders of the faith--lawyers.

“Los Angeles Dodgers--Encourages tax cheating.

“Los Angeles Clippers--Vilifies mothers everywhere who save coupons.

“USC Trojans--Promotes promiscuous behavior.�

Gibes and jibes: From Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, no fan of America’s Cup competition: “Personally, I prefer my filthy rich sportsmen to hit for power and wear long britches soiled the color of a potter’s hands. I want them to be swinging doughnut-weighted bats and smearing themselves with pine tar when they’re on deck. Not tacking to windward or working a winch like an organ grinder playing at 78 r.p.m.�

Dept. of Misinformation: The Newark Star-Ledger recently reported that Pittsburgh quarterback Alex Van Pelt had slipped since his freshman season, “but reports out of Pittsburgh indicate that he has had an outstanding spring.�

What reports?

Van Pelt didn’t throw any interceptions during spring drills, noted Scott Newman of the Pittsburgh Press, but that’s because he did not participate. He was sidelined because of an elbow injury and because he did not meet Coach Paul Hackett’s academic standards.

Gloveman: Brooks Robinson is working as a spokesman for an air-inflated glove that gives players a customized fit and is all but guaranteed to improve anyone’s fielding. “Well, not mine, maybe,� Robinson told Men’s Journal magazine. “But I see a lot of guys using gloves that are too big, thinking they’ll catch more balls, and they can’t handle them.�

Veteran tailback: Wilburn P. Sudduth, a 90-year-old retired dairy farmer from Starksville, Miss., scored two touchdowns during Mississippi State’s alumni/varsity football game, one on a 43-yard run and the other on a 29-yard reception.

He said he was lucky to hang on to the touchdown pass.

“But after I caught the ball, it was pretty easy taking it on in,� Sudduth said. “I stay in pretty good shape chasing cows.�

Trivia answer: Four. The last was Cliff Robinson, who was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 1979. The other three: Bill Hewitt, taken by the Lakers in 1968; Paul Westphal, taken by the Boston Celtics in 1972, and John Lambert, taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1975.

Quotebook: Hank Aaron, looking back on the last part of his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record: “I wouldn’t wish those two or three years on anybody.�