English required by LPGA

The LPGA Tour will require players to speak English starting in 2009, with players who have been LPGA members for two years facing suspension if they can’t pass an oral evaluation of English skills. The rule is effective immediately for new players.

The tour held a mandatory meeting with South Koreans last Wednesday at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., to inform them of the new policy.

There are 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, including 45 players from South Korea.

FOOTBALL

Strahan to stay retired

Seven-time New York Giants Pro Bowler Michael Strahan is staying retired. “This has been one of the toughest nights of my life,” Strahan told FoxSports.com. “But after long deliberation and throwing around a million scenarios in my head for the past day, I think it’s just best if I stay retired.”

Giants General Manager Jerry Reese asked the 36-year-old Strahan to reconsider his retirement on Monday, just 48 hours after New York lost Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora for the season to a knee injury.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning practiced for the first time since having surgery July 14 to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee.

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The NCAA said it was still considering Cincinnati quarterback Ben Mauk’s latest appeal for more playing time, contrary to what it told his lawyer a day earlier.

MISCELLANY

Chivas loses, 2-0, in Panama

FC Tauro defeated Chivas USA, 2-0, in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions League preliminary-round series in Panama City. Edwin Aguilar scored in each half.

The teams will play again Sept. 2 at the Home Depot Center.

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Brazilian striker Amauri scored in the 25th minute in Bratislava, Slovakia, to rally Juventus to a 1-1 draw against Artmedia, sending the Italian side back to the European Championship League group phase after a two-year absence caused in part by the country’s match-fixing scandal.

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FC Barcelona advanced to the group stage of the Champions League despite losing, 1-0, to Wisla Krakow in Poland. Barcelona advanced on aggregate, 4-1.

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U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu is set to make his Glasgow Rangers debut in Sunday’s Old Firm derby against Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.

The 22-year-old Edu, who attended Etiwanda High, completed his $5-million transfer from Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC last week after being granted a British work permit.

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The Sparks signed 7-foot-2 center Margo Dydek of Poland to replace injured forward Christi Thomas, according to General Manager Penny Toler.

A 10-year veteran of the WNBA, Dydek has not played this season after giving birth to her first child in April.

-- Dan Arritt

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Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski was released from a Boston hospital, one week after having triple bypass surgery.

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Tribune Co. Chief Executive Sam Zell said that the media conglomerate has chosen five bidders for the Chicago Cubs. Tribune Co. owns The Times.

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Former NBA player Wayman Tisdale had part of his right leg amputated Monday because of bone cancer.