MELBOURNE, Australia — Tiger Woods hit the ball as well as he has all year, except on the greens.
In his final title defense of a forgettable year, Woods opened the Australian Masters with a 2-under- par 69 and was four shots behind the early leaders Thursday at Victoria Golf Club.
Woods missed only two greens in regulation, both times saving par from a bunker. But he took 19 putts on his outward nine, and had to hole a 7-foot par putt on the final hole to avoid his second three-putt bogey.
“That was probably the highest score I could have shot,” Woods said. “I gave myself a lot of looks early. I just didn’t kept leaving them short. The only bogey I had was a three-putt.”
Alistair Presnell and Adam Bland were tied for the lead at 6-under 65.
Mariners broadcaster Niehaus dies
SEATTLE — Dave Niehaus, a Hall of Fame broadcaster who called Seattle Mariners games from their first season through this year, died of a heart attack at his home in Bellevue, Wash. He was 75.
“He will be sorely missed, not only in the Pacific Northwest, where he had called Mariners games since the club’s inception in 1977, but wherever the game is played,” commissioner Bud Selig said.
• The Oakland Athletics acquired outfielder David DeJesus from the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Vin Mazzaro and minor-league left-hander Justin Marks.
Convey MLS comeback player
NEW YORK — Former U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey, who led the San Jose Earthquakes with 10 assists, was named Major League Soccer’s comeback player of the year, while Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio is the league’s top newcomer.
• Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan said it is too soon to think whether he wants to stay with the MLS team or return to Everton in January, either on loan or in a permanent transfer.
Federer denies gambling ties
PARIS — Roger Federer denied any involvement in alleged high-stakes gambling by an executive from his management company.
The Swiss tennis star said at the Paris Masters, where he eased into the third round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Richard Gasquet, that he contacted IMG executive Ted Forstmann after learning of a lawsuit in which Forstmann is accused of betting millions on sporting events, including the 2007 French Open final that Federer lost to Rafael Nadal.
“It’s disappointing that my name gets thrown around for something I have no control over,” Federer said.
Footnotes.
The United States reached the semifinals of the women’s world volleyball championship despite losing to top-ranked Brazil 25-19, 24-26, 25-19, 25-23. The U.S. will meet Russia, while Brazil will face Japan in Saturday’s semifinals.
• Quintin Dailey, who averaged 14.1 points a game over a 10-year NBA career but whose missteps, including a sexual assault conviction, contributed to the University of San Francisco’s decision to drop its storied program for three years, died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease Monday in Las Vegas. He was 49.
Denver Post wire services
