Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Tiger Woods won't play in British Open

Tiger Woods announced on his website Tuesday that he will skip the British Open next week because his injuries have not fully healed
Those "minor" injuries to his left leg now have kept Tiger Woods from playing in two majors.

In an announcement on his website Tuesday that came as no surprise, Woods said he would skip the British Open next week because his injuries have not fully healed.

"Unfortunately, I've been advised that I should not play in the British Open," Woods said. "As I stated at the AT&T National, I am only going to come back when I'm 100% ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That's different for me, but I'm being smarter this time.

"I'm very disappointed and want to express my regrets to the British Open fans."

It will be the second time in the last four years that Woods has missed two majors in one season. He did not play the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 while recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

ETC.

Pacers to stick with Vogel as coach

The Indiana Pacers are sticking with the coach who got them to the playoffs.

A person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press that Indiana will make interim Coach Frank Vogel the team's permanent head coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move had not been made official yet by the team.

The Pacers did announce they had a news conference with Vogel scheduled for Wednesday.

Yahoo Sports reported that the Pacers plan to make former Lakers assistant Brian Shaw the lead assistant to Vogel.

The Ducks signed defenseman Bryan Rodney to a one-year contract, a two-way deal that will pay him $525,000 in the NHL and $250,000 in the AHL. He played three games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season and had no points and two penalty minutes. He played 77 games with Charlotte of the American Hockey League, recording nine goals and 47 points in 77 games.

—Helene Elliott

Kings defenseman Alec Martinez and forward Brad Richardson and Ducks right wing Dan Sexton were among the 23 NHL players who have elected salary arbitration. The NHL Players' Assn. announced the list Tuesday.

Hearings will be held in Toronto from July 20 to Aug. 4, but players who have filed for arbitration can reach agreements with their respective clubs before their scheduled hearing.

The Kings are expected to revisit the Ryan Smyth-Colin Fraser trade later this week for possible change in compensation to the Kings, who contend Fraser has a bad ankle and can't play.

—Helene Elliott

Derrick Taylor, who turned Woodland Hills Taft into a City Section basketball power, is taking over as head coach at Bellflower St. John Bosco.

It's a new and intriguing challenge for Taylor, who graduated from Taft, was the junior varsity coach there and took over as head coach in 2000-01, guiding the Toreadors to three City Section Division I titles in 11 seasons while breaking up the Westchester-Fairfax monopoly of the last decade. His teams won 10 West Valley League titles and were 104-6 in league play.

—Eric Sondheimer

Mika Myllyla, a former Olympic cross-country champion and skiing great from Finland whose life unraveled after a doping ban in 2001, died Tuesday. He was 41.

Former Boston Red Sox shortstop Don Buddin died at age 77 in Olanta, S.C.