Zoeller Apologizes for Woods Remarks

Fuzzy Zoeller apologized Monday for calling Masters champion Tiger Woods “that little boy” and urging him not to request fried chicken or collard greens for the Champions Dinner next year.

Zoeller’s comments about Woods, made at Augusta National while the 21-year-old was becoming the first black golfer to win a major tournament April 13, were broadcast Sunday on CNN’s “Pro Golf Weekly.”

“My comments were not intended to be racially derogatory, and I apologize for the fact that they were misconstrued in that fashion,” Zoeller said in a statement.

Woods could not be reached for comment.

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Tom Lehman, who moved to the top of the golf rankings over the weekend, defeated defending American champion Scott Hoch, two-and-one, in the first round of the Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf match-play event at Eatonton, Ga.

Horse Racing

Jerry Bailey, who has ridden two of the last four Kentucky Derby winners, will be aboard Phantom On Tour in the May 3 race at Churchill Downs. He replaces Larry Melancon, who rode Phantom On Tour when he finished second in the Arkansas Derby.

Olympics

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R.--Ariz.) asked the U.S. Olympic Committee to explain why officials linked to the misuse of more than $1.3 million in grants to amateur boxing still had USOC jobs.

The letter, released by McCain’s office in Washington, mentioned three former USA Boxing officials involved in the scandal and targeted two--Jim Fox, a former boxing executive director and now head of the USOC’s broadcast division; and Steve Ducoff, a former boxing treasurer and currently volunteer head of a USOC committee.

Researchers from around the world are meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, this week, pooling their efforts to develop reliable tests for some of the most widely used banned drugs in sport.

The anti-doping summit today and Wednesday is organized by the International Olympic Committee. The IOC wants to hear what progress the researchers have made in testing for human growth hormone (hGH), erythropoietin (EPO) and testosterone--three of the performance-enhancing drugs of choice in international sport.

College Basketball

Doug Gottlieb, who played one season at Notre Dame, signed a letter of intent for Oklahoma State.

Gottlieb, a six-foot guard from Tustin High, left Notre Dame last June, then was charged in September with felony theft for using stolen credit cards to buy nearly $1,000 in merchandise. He had taken the credit cards from students in his dormitory. He pleaded guilty in November and was placed on one-year probation.

Tennis

Qualifier Martin Rodriguez of Argentina defeated second-seeded MaliVai Washington, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Washington, who has been slowed by a knee injury, is ranked 33rd in the ATP Tour rankings; Rodriguez is No. 190.

Spaniard Albert Costa defeated countryman Albert Portas, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, to win the Seat Godo Open men’s tennis tournament at Barcelona.

Miscellany

The city of Oakland and Alameda County must pay an additional $8 million next fiscal year to make up for revenue shortfalls at its coliseum and arena complex--about half of that because of the Raiders. The city and county will have to chip in $4 million each for the fiscal year 1997, which begins in July, because costs have exceeded revenues.

Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico retained his NABO featherweight title with a unanimous 12-round decision over Agapito Sanchez of the Dominican Republic at the Forum. Marquez is 20-1, Sanchez 22-4-1.

The boxing tournament of the 1998 Goodwill Games will be held in a 3,300-seat arena on the massive flight deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York City, now moored as a museum.

The first major new marathon in the United States in more than a decade will make its debut on June 21, 1998 in San Diego.

Names in the News

Quarterback Bernie Kosar announced his retirement from the NFL and will head an investment group seeking to own the expansion team that will start play in 1999 as the Cleveland Browns. The original Browns were moved out of Cleveland after 50 years by owner Art Modell and became the Baltimore Ravens. Kosar, 33, played eight of his 12 seasons with Cleveland and finished with the Miami Dolphins.

Former Alabama football coach Gene Stallings remained hospitalized after he was trampled by three horses on his ranch at Paris, Texas. He was listed in good condition after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hip Sunday.

The NHL fined Montreal defenseman Dave Manson $1,000 for criticizing referee Stephen Walkom after the Canadiens’ 4-1 loss Saturday in New Jersey.