Investigation finds Woods was speeding at time of SUV crash

Tiger Woods was going nearly 90 mph — twice the posted speed limit — on a downhill stretch of road when he lost control of an SUV outside Los Angeles and crashed in a wreck that left the golf superstar seriously injured, authorities said Wednesday.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel.

“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” the sheriff told a news conference.

Woods was driving 84 to 87 mph (135 to 140 kph) in an area that had a speed limit of 45 mph (72 kph), Villanueva said.

The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers who frequently hit high speeds. Due to the steepness of the roadway, a runaway truck escape lane is available just beyond where Woods crashed.

Sheriff’s Capt. James Powers, who oversees the sheriff’s station closest to the crash site, said there was no evidence that the golfer tried to brake and that it’s believed Woods inadvertently stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. He was wearing a seat belt at the time, and the SUV’s airbags deployed.

Men’s college basketball

ARIZONA FIRES WITH MILLER AMID NCAA INVESTIGATION >> Arizona has parted ways with men’s basketball coach Sean Miller as the program awaits its fate in an NCAA infractions investigation.

The school announced Wednesday that Miller will be leaving the program and associate head coach Jack Murphy will serve as interim head coach.

Miller and the Wildcats have been in the NCAA’s crosshairs since being ensnared in a 2017 FBI investigation into shady recruiting practices.

The NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations last year and the case is currently going through the Independent Accountability Resolution Process. Arizona issued a self-imposed postseason ban this year and finished 17-9, 11-9 in the Pac-12.

Miller became the third Wildcats coach to reach 300 wins with the program and went 302-109 in 12 seasons. Arizona reached the Elite Eight three times, won five Pac-12 regularseason titles and three Pac-12 Tournament titles under Miller.

But Arizona failed to reach the Final Four under Miller and had not won an NCAA Tournament game since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2017. The school said it will honor the final year of Miller’s contract. HOFSTRA NAMES ALUM, NBA VET SPEEDY CLAXTON NEW COACH >> Hofstra promoted alumnus Speedy Claxton to be its next head basketball coach, the school announced. Claxton played in the NBA from 2001 to 2009 for five teams, including the Warriors, winning an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. He was the 20th overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

College sports

STANFORD ALUMNI GROUP WILL MEET

WITH SCHOOL PRESIDENT TO SAVE SPORTS >> Eleven varsity sports at Stanford set to be cut may instead be reinstated, depending in part on the outcome of a meeting between an alumni group and school president Marc Tessier-Lavigne.

The group, 36SportsStrong, is set to meet with Tessier-Lavigne and other leaders at the school next Tuesday, according to email screenshots provided to this news organization. The president requested the meeting with 36SportsStrong and has asked Stanford’s board of trustees to review the group’s petition to save the 11 sports.

Last July, Stanford abruptly announced it would discontinue men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling. The school cited budget woes caused by decreasing revenue and accelerated by the pandemic.

In response to the announcement, former athletes and alumni began organizing 36SportsStrong, which has the support of stars such as Andrew Luck, Keri Walsh-Jennings and Cory Booker.

NFL

BENGALS RELEASE VETERAN BACK >> The Cincinnati Bengals continued to part with veterans when they released running back Giovani Bernard.

Bernard, a fan favorite, played his entire eight-year NFL career in Cincinnati and established himself as a reliable blocking back and receiver. The 29-year-old Bernard became a starter for the last 10 games of 2020 after Joe Mixon suffered a foot injury.

A 2013 second-round draft pick by the Bengals, he played in 115 games with 30 starts, rushing for 3,697 yards and 22 touchdowns. His 342 receptions are the most by a running back in Bengals history, and his 2,867 receiving yards are the second most.

Olympics

OSAKA ISSUES VIRUS SPIKE WARNING, WANTS TORCH RELAY REROUTED >> Japan’s Osaka prefecture issued a special warning that a rapid surge in coronavirus cases is placing medical systems in the region at the verge of collapse and requested the cancellation of the Olympic torch relay along all public roads in the prefecture.

Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura declared a “medial emergency” in the western Japanese prefecture, where daily cases have reached new highs, and asked hospitals to urgently prepare additional beds.

Yoshimura, who previously asked for a cancellation of the torch relay only in Osaka city, said all segments on public roads should be canceled. The Olympic organizing committee said later Wednesday that it will hold the Osaka leg of the Olympic torch run, scheduled for April 1314, at the 1970 Osaka Expo commemorative park.

Tennis

STEPHENS GETS FIRST BIG WIN OF SEASON >> Sloane Stephens, looking to shake off a poor start to the season, notched her biggest victory of 2021, upsetting eighth-seeded Madison Keys 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Volvo Car Open at Charleston, S.C.

Stephens lost in the first round of each of her first four events of the year, including the Australian Open, before falling in the second round at the recent Miami Open.

Coco Gauff, the 14th seed, came from behind to beat Russia’s Liudmilla Samsonova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.