The shootout is on in the desert.

Doug LaBelle II and Jeff Mallinger shot 7-under 63s yesterday to share the first-round lead in what promises to be a flurry of birdies at the Frys.com Open at Scottsdale, Ariz.

"It's fun to make a lot of birdies," said LaBelle, who lives in north Phoenix. "We know we're going to have to make some to have a chance to win."

Richard Johnson, the 2007 Nationwide Tour earnings leader who has struggled in his first PGA Tour season, was one shot back.

Aaron Oberholser, Chris Stroud, Mathias Gronberg, J.J. Henry, Marco Dawson and Todd Demsey shot 65s under ideal conditions — cloudless and temperatures in the mid-80s, on the 7,125-yard Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in north Scottsdale.

Hawai'i's Parker McLachlin, a Punahou School alum, opened with a 77 and is tied for 126th place, while Castle High alum Dean Wilson shot 73, then withdrew. No reason was given.

MORE SURGERY FOR SEVE

Seve Ballesteros' brain tumor is cancerous and he will undergo another operation to relieve pressure caused by swelling and bleeding that have recently developed.

The remaining parts of the malignant tumor, located in a very deep part of the brain, will be removed in today's procedure.

La Paz Hospital in Madrid, Spain, said yesterday that the surgery is "of great complexity."

Three doctors will perform the operation.

The 51-year-old Ballesteros was in stable, but serious, condition before the operation, the hospital said.

HAMAMOTO SHARES 67TH

Hilo's Jarrett Hamamoto shot a 1-over 73 for a 225 total and was tied for 67th after three rounds of a PGA Q-School first-stage qualifying tournament at Dayton, Nev.

California's Marc Lawless fired a 63 and was the leader at 18-under 198. The top 23 from six first-stage events advance to one of six second-stage tournaments next month.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WEST VIRGINIA RALLIES

Pat White threw three touchdown passes, Noel Devine rushed for a career-high 207 yards and West Virginia scored 31 straight points to beat Auburn, 34-17, last night at Morgantown, W.Va.

White, playing his first full game in a month following head and hand injuries, overcame two early interceptions to bring West Virginia (5-2) back from a 17-3 deficit.

Auburn's Kodi Burns threw for one touchdown and ran for another score before halftime but couldn't keep the early momentum going. The Tigers (4-4) managed just 33 second-half yards.

AIR FORCE ROLLS, 23-10

Safety Aaron Kirchoff returned a fumble 96 yards for a game-changing touchdown and Air Force overcame three early turnovers to beat New Mexico, 23-10, last night at Air Force Academy, Colo.

The Falcons (6-2, 4-1 Mountain West) are bowl eligible for the second straight season under coach Troy Calhoun, who is 15-6 at the academy.

The Lobos (4-5, 2-3) forced three first-quarter turnovers and were about to take a 17-0 lead when Kirchoff scooped up quarterback Brad Gruner's fumble at the Falcons 4. He sped down the Lobos' sideline for the second-longest fumble return in school history, cutting New Mexico's lead to 10-7. The Lobos never recovered.

TENNIS

FEDERER TESTED INDOORS

Two-time defending champion Roger Federer endured a shaky start before defeating Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (1), yesterday in the second round of the Swiss Indoors at Basel, Switzerland.

In today's quarterfinals, the top-seeded Swiss will play Simone Bolelli of Italy, who beat Marcel Granollers of Spain, 6-4, 6-2. Second-seeded David Nalbandian, the 2002 champion and two-time runner-up, beat Kristof Vliegen of Belgium, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4), to also reach the quarterfinals.

A-ROD IN GP QUARTERS

Top-seeded Andy Roddick beat fellow American Robby Ginepri, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), yesterday to set up a quarterfinal against big-serving Robin Soderling at the Lyon Grand Prix in Lyon, France.

The seventh-seeded Soderling advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Christophe Rochus of Belgium. Second-seeded Richard Gasquet lost, but third-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and fourth-seeded Gilles Simon won to reach the quarterfinals.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic and No. 2 Vera Zvonareva eased into the Generali Ladies quarterfinals with straight-sets victories yesterday in Linz, Austria. ... Cristobal Cruz won the vacant IBF world featherweight championship last night, outpointing Mexican countryman Orlando Salido in a 12-round split-decision at Airway Heights, Wash.