Tiger listed in next month’s Masters field

Hamilton backs Wolff

LONDON – Lewis Hamilton slammed ‘a real lack of accountability’in motorsport yesterday and threw his support behind Susie Wolff, who has taken legal action against governing body the FIA. Wolff, director of Formula One’s academy series for aspiring female drivers, revealed Wednesday she lodged a criminal complaint in the French courts over a controversial inquiry into her conduct last year. Wolff and her husband, Mercedes Formula One team principal Toto Wolff, were the subject of an investigation into an alleged conflict of interest. The probe arose in December after a magazine report claimed that other team principals were concerned Toto Wolff was benefiting from information shared by his wife.

Murray beats Berrettini

MIAMI – Two-time Miami Open champion Andy Murray fought back for a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over struggling Italian Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday. Berrettini needed medical attention near the end of the second set after appearing to almost faint on court but he battled on. The Italian recently returned to the tour after an injury-plagued 2023, reaching the final of a Challenger event in Phoenix. Murray, who won the Miami Open in 2009 and 2013 will meet 29th seeded Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the next round. In the WTA event, American Sloane Stephens beat Angelique Kerber 6-2 6-3 in a meeting of two former grand slam champions. Stephens, the 2018 Miami champion, will play Romania’s 19th-seeded Sorana Cirstea in the second round.

Lee apologises formally

SEOUL – South Korea and Paris St Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in formally apologised in Seoul on Wednesday for his role in an altercation with Captain Son Heung-min during the Asian Cup as his country prepare for their 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Lee bowed down to offer a formal public apology at Seoul World Cup Stadium after being called for South Korea’s homeand-away World Cup qualifying fixtures against Thailand. Son was left with a dislocated finger as the teammates got into a scuffle on the eve of their Asian Cup semi-final. Lee had received heavy criticism in South Korea, where Tottenham Hotspur forward Son remains the most popular athlete. The Koreans ended up losing the semifinal to Jordan, a result which extended their 64-year wait for a third Asian title and also led to coach Juergen Klinsmann being fired.

GOLF

WASHINGTON – Tiger Woods was listed in the field for next month’s Masters on the tournament website on Thursday, the biggest sign yet that the 15-time major winner will compete at Augusta National.

The 48-year-old superstar was among 85 players listed in the field for the April 11-14 showdown rather than among the 17 listed as “past champions not playing” on the Masters website.

Woods, whose 82 career PGA Tour titles shares the all-time record set by Sam Snead, has not played since withdrawing from last month’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera after the first round due to illness.

The former world No 1 has won five times in 25 Masters starts, taking the green jacket in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005 and in 2019 in his most recent major triumph.

Woods made the cut in his 23rd consecutive Masters start last year, tying Fred Couples and Gary Player for the longest such streak in tournament history, but he withdrew in the third round due to plantar fasciitis.

Injuries

After undergoing ankle surgery last April to repair injuries from a 2021 car crash, Woods did not compete again until his Hero World Challenge invitational event in the Bahamas last December.

Woods has not finished four rounds at a major since the 2022 Masters, where he finished 47th in his comeback event after suffering severe leg injuries in the 2021 crash. He withdrew from the 2022 PGA Championship after three rounds and missed the cut at the 2022 British Open.