MADRID, Spain — Seve Ballesteros thanked doctors and staff for giving him the chance to play the “mulligan of my life” Tuesday when he was released from a hospital more than two months after brain surgery to remove a malignant tumor.
“Thanks to them I will be able to play the mulligan of my life, which I expect to enjoy at my best,” said the 51-year-old Spanish golfing great, who will continue to be treated as an outpatient at La Paz hospital.
• Adam Scott withdrew from the Australian Open that begins Thursday because of a knee injury suffered last week while surfing.
Bobcats close to signing Howard
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Bobcats were close to signing forward Juwan Howard, who was released by the Nuggets last month. Howard, in his 15th NBA season, has averaged 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in his career.
• The Dallas Mavericks will be without swingman Josh Howard, their second-leading scorer (20.3) and rebounder (8.2), indefinitely because of a left ankle injury.
• Portland Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster will be sidelined for an estimated four weeks because of a left foot injury.
Novacek enters college Hall
NEW YORK — Former Wyoming tight end Jay Novacek joined 12 other players and two coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
The other players were Troy Aikman, Billy Cannon, Jim Dombrowski, Pat Fitzgerald, Wilber Marshall, Rueben Mayes, Randall McDaniel, Don McPherson, Dave Parks, Ron Simmons, Thurman Thomas and Arnold Tucker.
John Cooper and Lou Holtz were elected as coaches.
• California center Alex Mack won the Draddy Trophy, beating out Colorado State linebacker Jeff Horinek and 13 other finalists for the award given to the top senior scholar-athlete in college football.
• Wake Forest senior Aaron Curry won the Butkus Award honoring the nation’s top linebacker.
Lewis class of boxing inductees
CANASTOTA, N.Y. — Three-time heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who retired in 2003 with a record of 41-2-1, including 32 knockouts, headlines the 2009 class inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Also inducted were bantamweight Orlando Canizales, heavyweight Tom Hyer, middleweight William “Gorilla” Jones, junior lightweight Brian Mitchell, welterweight “Mysterious” Billy Smith and middleweight Billy Soose.
• Shane Mosley (45-5, 38 KOs) will fight Antonio Margarito (37-5, 27 KOs) on Jan. 24 for his World Boxing Association welterweight belt.
Footnotes.
Willamette University women’s basketball coach Bruce Henderson collapsed at Monday’s practice in Salem, Ore., and later died from an apparent heart attack. He was 47.
• Minnesota Wild forward Marian Gaborik returned to practice, his first with the team since injuring his groin Oct. 15.
• About 500 doping samples from the Beijing Olympics will be retested next month for a new version of the endurance-enhancing hormone EPO and other illegal substances.
The Associated Press
