Woods says leg not ready and he won’t play at US Open
Tiger Woods withdrew from the U.S. Open on Tuesday, saying that his damaged right leg needs more time to get stronger to contend in the majors.
Woods made a surprise return at the Masters, just 14 months after he broke bones in his right leg and ankle in a February 2021 car crash outside Los Angeles.
Woods posted Tuesday on social media, “My body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf.”
He said he hopes to be ready to play in a charity pro-am event in Ireland ahead of the British Open at St. Andrews, where he won two of his three claret jugs. US OPEN TO ACCEPT MICKELSON AND ALL ELIGIBLE PLAYERS » Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are welcome to play the U.S. Open next week under a USGA decision that puts the open nature of the championship over a player’s decision to play in a Saudi-funded rival league.
Mickelson and Johnson are among a dozen players in the LIV Golf Invitational this week who are exempt for the U.S. Open on June 16-19 at The Country Club outside Boston. Both have said they plan to play the third major of the year.
Among other U.S. Open players who signed up for the new league are Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen and Kevin Na.
Horse racing DERBY WINNER RICH STRIKE MORNING LINE 3RD CHOICE IN BELMONT »
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is the third betting choice on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes, with Triple Crown newcomer We the People installed as the favorite.
Rich Strike opened at 7-2 odds and drew the fourth post position in a field of eight horses for the 1½mile third leg of the Triple Crown. We the People drew the rail and opens at 2-1, with Todd Pletcher-trained No. 6 Mo Donegal set at 5-2.
Baseball
ANGELS FIRE MANAGER MADDON AMID 12-GAME LOSING STREAK » The Los Angeles Angels fired manager Joe Maddon with the team mired in a 12-game losing streak.
Third base coach Phil Nevin was the Angels’ interim manager when they hosted Boston later that night.
Maddon went 130-148 with the Angels, who hired him before the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season. Maddon spent three decades of his career as a player and coach for the Angels before going on to an impressive managerial career in Tampa Bay and with the Chicago Cubs, who ended their 108-year World Series championship drought during his tenure in 2016.
Figure skating MINIMUM AGE RISES TO 17 BEFORE 2026 OLYMPICS »
No 15-year-old figure skaters will be allowed to compete at the 2026 Olympics following the controversy surrounding Russian national champion Kamila Valieva at this year’s Beijing Games.
A new age limit for figure skaters at senior international events was passed by the International Skating Union in a 110-16 vote that will raise the minimum age to 17 before the next Winter Olympics in MilanCortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
The change was coming even before figure skating at the Beijing Olympics was dominated by the emotional stress put on the 15-year-old Valieva. She was the favorite to take individual gold, after helping the Russians win the team title, before her positive doping test from December was belatedly revealed during the Olympics.
Pro basketball
SPARKS FIRE COACH AND GM DEREK FISHER » The Los Angeles Sparks fired head coach and general manager Derek Fisher.
Fisher took over the team in 2019 and became the GM a year later. He finished his career with a 54-46 record as coach.
Assistant Fred Williams will take over as interim head coach.
The Sparks missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2011 and bolstered their roster by adding All-Star Liz Cambage in the offseason. They had a difficult schedule to start the season with nine of their first 12 games on the road and are 5-7.
Fisher won five titles while playing with the Lakers and had served as coach of the Knicks before he took over as the Sparks coach.