Locklear could be back in Seattle lineup Sunday

The Seattle Seahawks may finally have a player returning to their lineup. Shocking, considering all their injury losses of late.

Starting right tackle Sean Locklear may be back Sunday when the Seahawks host the St. Louis Rams. That contest looms as a critical early-season game for the winless Seahawks (0-2). Locklear returned to practice this week for the first time since spraining his left knee in Seattle’s second preseason game against Chicago.

•Tomlinson returns to practice: LaDainian Tomlinson (toe) returned to practice in a limited role and is listed as questionable for the San Diego Chargers’ game against the New York Jets on Monday night.

•Packers linebacker will appeal: Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said he would appeal the second fine he received in as many weeks from the NFL.

Barnett was fined $7,500 earlier this week for helmet-to-helmet contact on a hit of Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna in the last game.

•Porter will likely miss another game: Jacksonville receiver Jerry Porter (hamstring) likely will miss a third consecutive game Sunday at Indianapolis.

•Peterson limited in practice: Star running back Adrian Peterson returned to practice with the Minnesota Vikings, but he was limited in his work and remained questionable for Sunday’s game because of a hamstring injury.

•Andrews doubtful for Eagles: Two-time Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews is doubtful for the Philadelphia Eagles’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday because of back spasms.

Golf

Turnesa keeps lead

Marc Turnesa was a stroke ahead of Will MacKenzie, Paul Stankowski, Brian Gay and Dicky Pride to lead the Viking Classic in Madison, Miss., for the second consecutive day.

Turnesa took the opening-round lead Thursday with 12 one-putts and 22 total. He shook off a slow start Friday with a 55-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 fourth and saved his lead with an 8-foot putt for par on his final hole that was no gimme.

The PGA Tour rookie has held the second-day lead once before, but fell out of contention at the St. Jude Championship this year with rounds of 70 and 77 to tie for 37th.

Tennis

U.S. trails Spain 2-0

For a while, one set to be precise, the United States could entertain the tantalizing thought of a big upset in the Davis Cup.

But Sam Querrey’s lead over top-ranked Rafael Nadal lasted only so long, and the Spaniards were playing on their beloved clay in Madrid and before a crowd of some 16,000 in a bullfighting arena.

The result was a 2-0 lead for Spain in the semifinal, leaving the defending champion Americans in a big hole entering doubles in the best-of-5 series.

“Obviously, we’re up against it, but we knew that coming here,” U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. “We’re going to try and win the doubles (today) and that’s it. We’ll give it a shot.”

Nadal dropped the first set in the opening singles but recovered to win 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 over an opponent making his Davis Cup debut and filling in for James Blake. David Ferrer completed the hosts’ perfect day with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 8-6 victory against Andy Roddick.

Spain hasn’t lost a clay-court Davis Cup series in nine years. It can secure its sixth Davis Cup final appearance today when Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez face Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish.

The winner will play Argentina or Russia for the title. Argentina leads 2-0 at home behind victories by David Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro. Argentina lost the 2006 final to Russia.

Miscellany

NCAA clears Auburn

The NCAA has determined that Auburn did not commit academic fraud in allowing students, including athletes in football and other sports, to take courses that required little or no time in the classroom.

The NCAA’s findings stated that Auburn committed only secondary violations involving student- athletes who repeated the courses after completing their eligibility for sports in 2005 and 2006.

The NCAA had investigated claims that a sociology professor was helping football players and other athletes stay eligible through independent study courses, which allow students to avoid classroom time.

•Purdue will face Davidson: Pairings have been set for basketball’s annual Dec. 20 Wooden Tradition at Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse, with Purdue taking on Davidson and Southern Illinois facing Saint Mary’s of California.

•IOC considers pending cases: The International Olympic Committee this weekend will examine several pending doping cases from the Beijing Games.