Tiger Woods reports in sex rehab centre

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 02:54 PM

Golf superstar Tiger Woods is reported to have checked into an sex rehabilitation centre at Arizona for treatment. People magazine reported that Woods, 34, is believed to have joined The Meadows, a clinic which specialises in substance abuse and compulsive disorders such as gambling or sex addiction, around New Year for a period of five weeks.

"He should be out by Valentine's Day or thereabouts," a source told the entertainment magazine.

Everyone at the clinic is asked to wear a coloured nametag that corresponds to their addiction, according to entertainment website X17,

"He has been there for a few days since his handlers forced him to enter the programme. They feel that if he blames his cheating on addiction, the public will forgive him," sources told X17.

"Tiger wants to get back on top. He agreed to put golfing on hold so he could show the world how badly he feels about what he's done and to prove that he wants to correct the problems that led to his infidelity," the source said.

The reports surface in the midst of speculations of whereabouts of Woods, who has disappeared after a scandal revealing his extramarital affairs exploded following an accident outside his Florida mansion on November 27 last year.

Rumour mill has produced several theories about the champion golfer's location, including hiding on his yacht, being spotted at Palm Beach, and cosmetic surgery to repair a broken tooth following a serious fight with his wife Elin.

Meanwhile, a batch of bootleg Gatorade with "fake" labels depicting a picture of Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren with the word "unfaithful" had appeared in Denver stores. The Pepsico-owned energy drinks company, however, said that the labels were fake and had not been issued by them.

A study by the University of California has found that sponsors of the golf superstar have lost somewhere between USD 5 to 12 billion after the controversy.

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Obama, golfers talk shop and putt

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 02:48 PM

Washington, Jan.13 (ANI): Golfers Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer met with US President Barack Obama, took a photo with him and gave him a putter.

According to Politico, the 12 U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association team members met with President Obama. He practiced swinging a golf club left-handed, they said, noting that he'll be able to save five strokes.

One teammate, wearing four-inch heels, admitted that the president was shorter than she expected. Another lamented that she didn't have a chance to text or call friends because security took her phone.

And Obama revealed to the golfers a historic moment in his presidency: He made his first birdie on his recent vacation in Hawaii.

Paula Creamer, one of the golfers, said the team was shocked that he made the birdie with a two-iron - a club that most golfers don't even use because it's difficult to hit with, instead favoring clubs that are half wood and half iron.

"We were all like, 'Wow,' " said Creamer, who met with George W. Bush in 2005 and 2007.

Gulbis, said Obama asked the golfers how to get his daughters interested in the sport - to which they replied that he should bring them to an LPGA tournament.

Before their 15-minute photo op, the team toured the White House, the Capitol and the Senate floor, and were allowed a special view of Washington from the balcony outside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

They also had a celebratory dinner. (ANI)

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Rosewell asks Hewitt, Tomic to smoke peace pipe

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 02:38 PM

Melbourne, Jan 13 (ANI): One of the most respected figures in Australian tennis, Ken Rosewall, has asked Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic to make peace when they arrive at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open.

Hewitt plays Italian Andreas Seppi in his first match of the Sydney International on Ken Rosewall Arena today.

Hewitt, Australia's best player in a decade, and Tomic, one of the nation's brightest hopes, are at loggerheads in the lead-up to the Australian Open.

Tomic's father, John, accused Hewitt of racism at the weekend after the former No.1 declare that Bernard Tomic was unworthy of Davis Cup selection.

Rosewall, renowned as a gentleman of the game who played in an era when Australia's success stemmed to a large degree from camaraderie, hoped Hewitt and Tomic could end their spat as soon as possible.

"I don't think anything like that would have happened in the past. I don't really understand the whole story behind it but I think it would be for the benefit of Australian tennis if they could shake hands and everyone could get along," Rosewall said.

"Of course, there's the possibility they could be opponents in Melbourne, but I think they still need to make a start at coming together," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

"You'd think at some stage they might even become Davis Cup teammates so you don't want any bad feelings from people on the same side. I suppose part of being a younger player is to learn by some of the little mistakes you're always going to make along the way. I'd like to see them try to work it out," he added. (ANI)

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Pak drops Akmal, three others for Hobart test

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 02:24 PM

Islamabad, Jan. 13 (ANI): In a bid to avoid a series clean sweep by Australia, Pakistan has dropped vice-captain Kamran Akmal and three others from its squad going for the Hobart test.

Following Akmals' ouster, young wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed will make his debut in the third Test starting from Thursday.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Pakistani manager Adbul Raquib, as saying that the four-man selection panel voted unanimously to drop Akmal after his dreadful second Test display at the SCG.

Former captain Shoaib Malik and Khurram Manzoor will be replacing struggling batsmen Faisal Iqbal and Misbah-ul-Haq, while pacer Mohammad Aamer is replacing Mohammad Sami.

Pakistan: Mohammad Yousuf (capt), Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Mohammed Asif, Danish Kaneria, Faisal Iqbal (12th man). (ANI)

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Hockey sponsor Sahara pitches in to end deadlock

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 02:08 PM

New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) Indian hockey team's sponsor Sahara has decided to release Rs.1 crore immediately in an effort to end the impasse between the players and Hockey India (HI). The impasse triggered by a pay dispute is threatening India's participation in the World Cup which it is hosting next month.

Sahara India said in a statement that the money is being released for 'distribution' among the players.

'In the interest of the national hockey players, Sahara India Pariwar has decided to pay immediately Rs.1 crore in suspense account to Hockey India, only for distribution to the players so that they can return to practice and play for the country,' Abhijit Sarkar, head of corporate communications, said in the statement.

'Sahara has also paid Rs.77 lakh in December as advance for the quarter of January 15 to April 14. Sahara will go through the past accounts of Hockey India and shall take suitable decision for this amount,' the statement said.

The probables for next month's World Cup have boycotted the national camp in Pune, protesting against the non-payment of their dues.

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Lanka wins toss, to field first in final

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 01:54 PM

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and invited India to bat in the final of the cricket one day tri-series at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka have made one change to their team, replacing Suranga Lakmal with Nuwan Kulasekara. India have made three changes to their squad, bringing in Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan in place of Dinesh Karthik, Amit Mishra and Sudeep Tyagi.

Teams:

India: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, S Sreesanth, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan.

Sri Lanka: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilina Kandamby, Thissara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara, Chanaka Welegedara.

Match referee: AJ Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

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Woods' absence to hit TV ratings: Jeev

Deepak Jain>Wed, Jan 13 10 01:38 PM

New Delhi, Jan. 12 -- Jeev Milkha Singh's name will be taken in the same breath as greats like Gary Player, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. Reason: They now share a common platform as Callaway Golf brand ambassadors. Announcing the commencement of its India operations, George Fellows, president and chief executive officer, said the top ranked Indian's feats were in sync with the company's "innovative spirit". The world No. 55 was quick to return the compliment. Adjusting the cap bearing the company's crest, he smiled, "I've been waiting for this for years." Recounting his fondness for Callaway clubs, Jeev said, "I won the Bank Austria GolfOpen last year with these and went on to win two more."

Reacting to reports that team-mate Gaganjeet Bhullar was nervous playing alongside him, Jeev said, "I would have behaved in the same way had I been in his place. He is just 21 and a phenomenal talent. He will go places." Terming golf as the "fastest growing sport in the country", Jeev advocated the need for public courses. "There is just one in the country, to take golf to the masses we need many more."

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