Tiger Woods of the U.S. reacts after hitting his second shot on the ninth hole during first round play of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida May 12, 2011. Tiger Woods’ troubles continued as he withdrew from the Players Championship on Thursday through injury after slipping to six over par after the opening nine holes. © Reuters

BEIJING, June 8 — Fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will not play in next week’s US Open golf tournament.

It will be the first US Open Woods has missed since 1994 when he completed high school.

“I am extremely disappointed that I won’t be playing in the US Open, but it’s time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future,” Woods wrote in a posting on his website.

“I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg. My knee and Achilles tendon are not fully healed. I hope to be ready for AT&T National (in July), the next two majors and the rest of the year,” he added.

Woods suffered a sprained left knee and strained left Achilles tendon in April. The injuries have prevented him from putting in the practice time he needs to prepare for the US Open.

Last month, Woods withdrew in pain from US PGA Players Championship after completing only nine holes.

The 111th US Open will begin on June 16 at Congressional Country Club, the suburban Washington.

Woods has won three US Open championships.

On Xinhua Web site: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2011-06/08/c_13916965.htm

File photo shows country singer Carrie Underwood (R) and Ottawa Senators’ Mike Fisher. ©Reuters

BEIJING, Dec. 22 — U.S. singer Carrie Underwood, 26, and Ottawa Senator hockey player Mike Fisher, 29, were engaged, according to media reports Tuesday.

“I’m happy to confirm that Carrie Underwood is engaged to Mike Fisher, and the couple couldn’t be happier,” said a statement from Carrie’s representative.

But according to the statement, “no wedding date has been set at this time.”
Mike Fisher, the center for the Ottawa Senators, proposed this weekend, and Carrie accepted the proposal.

“We’re both obviously excited and very happy,” Fisher told reporters.
The couple has been dating for a year, but has chosen to keep a low profile on their romance.

Carrie Underwood was the winner of the fourth season of American Idol. Her albums include “Some Hearts”, “Carnival Ride” and “Play On.” She is the current ACM Entertainer Of The Year. 

On Xinhua Web site: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/22/content_12685680.htm

In his races Tuesday, the 24-year-old U.S. star chose not to wear a high-tech bodysuit, which will be banned by FINA from Jan. 1, 2010. Until then, swimmers can choose either to use the high-tech ones or to switch back to conventional suits.

The controversial bodysuits did spark a bunch of world records at the world championships in Rome in July.

Phelps, not wearing the high-tech suit, clocked 47.77 seconds in the heats of the 100m freestyle, ranking the 16th.

He was also disqualified in the 100 backstroke heats for an overlong push-off.

The only medal the swimming legend got was the bronze of 100m individual medley. He finished the race in 52.14 seconds, behind the winner South African Gerhard Zandberg and Russia’s Sergey Fesikov.

Meanwhile, in this day’s games, Chinese swimmer Zhao Jing improved her own short course world record in the 50m backstroke in 25.82 seconds. 

On Xinhua Web site: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/11/content_12433011.htm