Sports News
GENEVA (AP) — Cycling federation president Pat McQuaid says an independent panel will examine the allegations that the UCI was complicit in Lance Armstrong's doping.
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER (Reuters) - World number two Rory McIlroy suffered a late first-round meltdown in almost wintry conditions at Wentworth as he ballooned to a two-over-par 74 in the PGA Championship on Thursday. With some players wearing beanies and thick mittens for protection against chilly eight degree temperatures and winds gusting up to 20mph, it was Finn Mikko Ilonen who looked most at home as he grabbed the early clubhouse lead on five-under 67. ...
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Former European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal drew on the memory of his 2003 spat with Padraig Harrington as he urged fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods to settle their differences. Garcia and 14-times major winner Woods have always had a frosty relationship and the Spaniard had to issue an apology on Wednesday after making a "fried chicken" jibe at the world number one at the European Tour's Player of the Year dinner the previous day. ...
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England, May 23 (Reuters) - Former European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal drew on the memory of his 2003 spat with Padraig Harrington as he urged fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods to settle their differences. Garcia and 14-times major winner Woods have always had a frosty relationship and the Spaniard had to issue an apology on Wednesday after making a "fried chicken" jibe at the world number one at the European Tour's Player of the Year dinner the previous day. ...
By Mark Lamport-Stokes (Reuters) - The royal and ancient game of golf, renowned for its etiquette and self-imposed penalties, has undergone many changes to the rules over its 600-year history but few issues have triggered as much debate as the proposal to outlaw the anchoring of putters. In a genteel sport where an inadvertent cough on a downswing can create controversy, the announcement by golf's rule-makers on Tuesday that anchoring would be banned from 2016 has sparked fiery, impassioned division. ...
By Simon Evans MIAMI (Reuters) - LeBron James scored the game-winning points in the dying embers of overtime as the Miami Heat held off a determined Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a thrilling Eastern Conference Finals opener on Wednesday. If broadcasters were concerned that another easy series win for Miami would further damage ratings, they got the perfect antidote with the Pacers pushing the Heat all the way and raising the prospect of a tight best-of-seven set. It was scrappy and foul-ridden at times in the first half and neither side were able to dominate at any stage. ...
(Reuters) - If Don Mattingly's comments and lineup change were aimed at shaking up his struggling Los Angeles team, he certainly got his wish as the Dodgers hammered Milwaukee 9-2 on Wednesday. With the Dodgers bottom of the National League West despite having one of the highest payrolls in Major League Baseball, Mattingly questioned his team's toughness and benched outfielder Andre Ethier. "It's not all grit and no talent that gets there, and it's not all talent and no grit. It's a mixture of both," Mattingly told reporters, saying he wanted a team "that is going to compete the whole day. ...
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — C.K. Wu confirmed Thursday he is running for president of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the fourth candidate and the second from Asia bidding to replace Jacques Rogge.
By Mark Lamport-Stokes May 22 (Reuters) - The royal and ancient game of golf, renowned for its etiquette and self-imposed penalties, has undergone many changes to the rules over its 600-year history but few issues have triggered as much debate as the proposal to outlaw the anchoring of putters. In a genteel sport where an inadvertent cough on a downswing can create controversy, the announcement by golf's rule-makers on Tuesday that anchoring would be banned from 2016 has sparked fiery, impassioned division. ...
(Reuters) - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree has had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon but is not expected to miss the entire 2013-14 season, the National Football League (NFL) team said on Wednesday. Crabtree, San Francisco's leading receiver last season when they reached the Super Bowl before being beaten 34-31 by the Baltimore Ravens, injured his right Achilles during an organized team activity on Tuesday. "(Coach) Jim Harbaugh tells media @KingCrab15 has torn Achilles tendon but has had successful surgery. ...
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Stacy Lewis brings more value to the LPGA Tour that just her golf.
(Reuters) - USA Basketball is set to name its men's coach for the next Olympic cycle and all signs point to Mike Krzyzewski, who has already led Team USA to a pair of Summer Games golds, retaining the job. A news conference hosted by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to announce the selection has been called for Thursday at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where Krzyzewski presides as head coach of the Blue Devils. ...
(Reuters) - Zach Johnson has finished no better than joint 18th on the 2013 PGA Tour but hopes he can regain top form on his title defense at this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas where he is a twice former champion. A medium-length hitter who is renowned for his accuracy, tenacity and a superb short game, the 37-year-old American has always loved playing at Colonial Country Club, an iconic venue where high quality shot-making reaps rich reward. ...
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Tim Clark considers his future in golf uncertain now that the game's two governing bodies have outlawed the anchored putting stroke.
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia said "sorry" 11 times and used the word "apology" on five occasions as he spoke of his regret at causing a furor by making a "fried chicken" jibe at world number one Tiger Woods. Spaniard Garcia told reporters on Wednesday that his comment, made at the European Tour Player of the Year awards the night before, was "stupid and out of place" and said he regretted it the moment he made it. Fourteen-times major winner Woods, whose relationship with the Spaniard is frosty at best, was in unforgiving mood earlier in the day. ...
(Reuters) - Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a brilliant 13-year career with the National Football League team with a statement on Twitter. "After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," wrote the eight-times Pro Bowl linebacker and Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 who will turn 35 this week. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. ...
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - World number two Rory McIlroy refused on Wednesday to confirm reports he had parted company with his management group, Horizon Sports. Close friend and fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell suggested at last week's World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria that McIlroy had split with Horizon. "Look, I'm here to talk about golf and I cannot really comment on speculation at this point," the U.S. PGA Championship winner told reporters on the eve of the PGA Championship at Wentworth. "Obviously you guys know that something's up. ...
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia said "sorry" 11 times and used the word "apology" on five occasions as he spoke of his regret at causing a furor by making a "fried chicken" jibe at world number one Tiger Woods. Spaniard Garcia told reporters that his comment, made at the European Tour Player of the Year awards on Tuesday, was "stupid and out of place" and said he regretted it the moment he made it. Fourteen-times major winner Woods, whose relationship with the Spaniard is frosty at best, was in unforgiving mood earlier in the day. ...
By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Ernie Els would not have won last year's British Open without the aid of a belly putter, the South African four-times major champions said on Wednesday. Golf's governing bodies announced on Tuesday a ban on the anchoring of putters from 2016 and Els believes he would have had little chance of lifting the Claret Jug if he been forced to use a more conventional approach on the greens at Lytham last July. ...
By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN (Reuters) - Puerto Rican banker Richard Carrion launched his bid for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday, with his long financial experience a powerful pitch in his quest for the world's top sports job. The 60-year-old Carrion, who is chairman of Puerto Rican lender Popular Inc, heads the IOC's finance commission and is a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, becomes the third official candidate in the race to be decided on September 10. ...
LONDON (Reuters) - The feud between world number one Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia deepened when Woods described the Spaniard's "fried chicken" jibe as "wrong, hurtful and inappropriate" on Wednesday. Woods reacted on his Twitter account after Garcia issued an apology to a comment he made at Tuesday's European Tour awards dinner when he was asked on stage whether he would be inviting Woods for dinner during next month's U.S. Open in Merion. "We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken." Garcia was heard to say. ...
LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Spaniard Sergio Garcia has apologised after a "fried chicken" jibe aimed at world number one Tiger Woods during a European Tour awards dinner on Tuesday. Garcia, who has a frosty relationship with Woods, was on stage with his Ryder Cup team mates when he was asked in jest whether he would be inviting Woods for dinner during next month's U.S. Open in Merion. "We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken." Garcia was heard to say. ...
(Reuters) - The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Draft Lottery and the top overall pick for the second time in three years on Tuesday. The Cavaliers were able to edge out the Orlando Magic, who had the highest probability of winning the top selection, as they continue to rebuild a franchise reeling from the loss of LeBron James following the 2009-10 campaign. "It's huge for us," Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told reporters. "This is our third year in a row in the lottery. Hopefully it's our last for a long, long time. ...
(Reuters) - Mike Trout became the youngest player in the American League ever to hit for the cycle in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-0 rout of the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday. The reigning AL rookie of the year singled in the third inning, tripled in the fourth, doubled in the sixth before completing the feat with a home run in the eighth. The 21-year-old finished with five RBIs while starter Jerome Williams pitched eight scoreless innings to get the win. Alex Rodriguez previously held the record when he hit for the cycle in 1997. ...
(Reuters) - San Antonio squandered a big lead in the fourth quarter and had Tim Duncan to thank for settling their nerves in overtime as the Spurs ground out a 93-89 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals on Tuesday. Up by 14 in the fourth, the Spurs failed to score in the last four minutes of regulation and were pushed to overtime by the rallying Grizzlies. However, Duncan scored his team's first six points in the extra session to put the Spurs back on track for the Game Two win. The series now shifts to Memphis for Game Three on Saturday. ...
