Other sport news in brief

MotoGP

Spain's Carlos Checa has secured a MotoGP ride for the 2006 season alongside Briton James Ellison at the Tech 3 team. Checa finished ninth in the championship last season with Ducati but was replaced by compatriot Sete Gibernau for 2006. The 33-year-old originally secured a place with Honda Pons but was left without a ride when the team withdrew from the championship earlier this month.

Basketball

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points to cap one of the highest scoring months in NBA history by guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a 130-97 thrashing of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It was the second time Bryant had averaged more than 40 points in one month - February 2003 was the other - as the Lakers wound up taking 58 free throws and New York had their coach Larry Brown ejected.

Golf

Record prize money of £2.4 million will be on offer in this year's European Open at the K Club in County Kildare. The K Club will also host the Ryder Cup in September. Prize money for the European Open which starts on July 6 is up £100,000 on last year when the title was won by Britain's Kenneth Ferrie.

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