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Woods named PGA Player of Year

MIAMI: World No 1 Tiger Woods was named PGA Player of the Year on Tuesday for the ninth time in 11 seasons.

Woods dominated the PGA Tour, winning seven titles in 16 starts, including his 13th major victory in the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

The 31-year-old American ended his campaign two weeks ago with a memorable double, clinching the Tour Championship by eight shots and inaugural FedExCup honours to earn a $10 million bonus.

It was his 61st PGA Tour title and fourth in five starts.

Woods, who led the money list with $10,867,052 at the end of the regular season, first won the Player of the Year award in 1997.

He followed up in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. Fellow American Mark O'Meara earned the accolade in 1998 and Fijian Vijay Singh in 2004.

No decision yet on Owen's groin surgery

LONDON: England striker Michael Owen could need groin surgery but no decision has yet been made, Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce said on Tuesday.

Owen limped off in Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday and media reports said he needed a groin operation that would almost certainly rule him out of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia next month.

"He may need one, he may not," Allardyce told Sky Sports News after his side lost 2-0 at Arsenal in the League Cup third round.

"He has a groin injury and will see a specialist again. He may need an operation eventually but he has not got a hernia. He has a tear in his abductor muscle."

Clemens a late scratch for the Yankees

NEW YORK:New York Yankees right-hander Roger Clemens has not yet recovered from a hamstring strain and was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday, the team said.

Left-hander Kei Igawa was selected to replace Clemens when the Yankees opened a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Devils Rays at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida.

The 45-year-old Clemens, seven-times Cy Young Award winner, hurt his left hamstring on Thursday during an off-day workout. He is 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA for the Yankees since agreeing to a pro-rated one-year, $28 million contract in May.

A triumph on Tuesday against the Devils Rays would clinch a spot in the postseason for the Yankees.

Saints' running back McAllister out for season

NEW YORK: The New Orleans Saints's nightmare start to the season got worse on Tuesday when running back Deuce McAllister was ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury.

McAllister, the team's all-time leading rusher with 5,678 yards, hurt his left knee in Monday's 31-14 defeat by the Tennessee Titans.

He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament when landing awkwardly after leaping to catch a Drew Brees pass.

The 28-year-old McAllister, twice a Pro Bowler, suffered a similar injury to his right knee in 2005.

New Orleans came within one victory of securing its first Super Bowl berth last season but is without a win after three games this year.

(China Daily 09/27/2007 page23)