Tiger checks into clinic; agent not sure how long he’ll stay
Legendary golfer deals with multiple back surgeries, arrest
Tiger Woods has checked into a clinic to get help dealing with prescription medication for pain and a sleep disorder, and his agent is not sure how long he will stay.
Mark Steinberg of Excel Sports Management said Tuesday he could not disclose the location of the inpatient treatment. He said pain medication at times was the only way Woods could get up and moving during the toughest days of recovery following four back surgeries.
“I’m proud of him,” Steinberg said. “He’s going to get himself right to be able to essentially lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Woods was arrested on a DUI charge in the early hours of Memorial Day when police in Jupiter, Florida, found him asleep behind the wheel of his slightly damaged car, which was parked awkwardly to the side of the road about 15 miles from his house, headed the opposite direction.
This is at least the second time that Woods has sought inpatient treatment. He was in a Mississippi clinic for 45 days in early 2010 when his personal life collapsed over multiple extramarital affairs.
Woods had his fourth knee surgery after winning the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines for his 14th major. Starting in 2013, however, his back has been the primary source of his injuries. He has had four surgeries on his back starting in the spring of 2014, the most recent fusion surgery two months ago.
Soccer
Tony DiCicco, who coached the U.S. to the 1999 World Cup title before an overflow Rose Bowl crowd in a landmark for women’s soccer, has died at 68. DiCicco became the U.S. coach in 1994 and led the team to the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He then guided a team filled with superstars such as Mia Hamm to the ‘99 World Cup crown. In the final, the U.S. beat China 5-4 on penalty kicks in Pasadena before 90,185 fans.
Tennis
Roger Federer bounced back from his surprise first-round defeat in Stuttgart last week with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Yuichi Sugita of Japan in the opening round of the Gerry Weber Open in Germany. Federer continues his bid for his 16th grass-court title against Germany’s Mischa Zverev, who beat Slovakian qualifier Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-4. Kei Nishikori beat Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4.
Stan Wawrinka and n Milos Raonic slumped to straight-sets losses in the first round of the Queen’s grass-court tournament in a blow to their preparations for Wimbledon. The second-seeded Wawrinka was beaten by big-serving Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (5), 7-5. Raonic lost 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) to No. 698-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis. Earlier, top-ranked titleholder Andy Murray was handed a new opponent for his first-round match after Aljaz Bedene withdrew because of a wrist injury. Murray will now play Jordan Thompson.
Football
Lincoln Riley already had a major upgrade in his job title. Now, the Bowl Subdivision’s youngest head coach has the financial upgrade to match. Oklahoma’s Board of Regents approved a five-year deal that starts at $3.1 million for the first year.
Detroit Lions defensive n tackle Khyri Thornton has been suspended for the first six games of the 2017 season for violating the NFL’s substanceabuse policy.
Imprisoned former n football star O.J. Simpson has a July 20 parole hearing that could have him released from a Nevada prison on Oct. 1, a state parole official. Simpson has served more than eight years of a nine-to-33 year sentence imposed after he was found guilty in 2008 of armed robbery, kidnapping and other charges stemming from a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers at in a Las Vegas casino hotel room in 2007.