Woods takes lead at Dubai Classic
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods shot a 7-under-par 65 Thursday and owns the lead after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Woods solidified his position as the world's top-rated golfer with an 8-shot victory last week at the Buick Invitational and continued the strong play with a bogey-free round at Dubai.
He has a 2-stroke advantage over a group of 11 players tied at 5-under 67. That group includes Martin Kaymer, who won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship two weeks ago. Another 14 players shot 4-under 68 on Thursday.
"I had two good days of practice the last two days," said Woods. "Overall today, I couldn't ask for a better start."
Woods opened his round at No. 10 with a birdie and added birdies at 14 and 18 to make the turn at 3-under. He had a birdie at No. 1 and had a tap-in birdie putt at the fourth hole to tie for the lead.
He hit his tee shot within 8 feet at the par 3 seventh hole and made that birdie putt for the outright lead and made another 8-footer at No. 8 for the two-stroke edge.
Beckham left off England soccer team
LONDON, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Midfielder David Beckham's name wasn't included Thursday when Fabio Capello submitted his lineup for England's soccer match next week against Switzerland.
Capello told the British star and former team captain that he was left off the provisional 30-man squad because he wasn't "match-fit."
"The reason that David is not in the squad is because he has not had any real match practice since playing in November," Cappelo said. "I advised (Beckham) that he is still part of my plans and once he is playing regularly in America we will look closely at him again."
Because he was left off, Beckham still needs one international game to reach the 100-cap mark for his career.
The BBC in London noted that goalkeeper Paul Robinson was left out while Aston Villa's Curtis Davies and Gabriel Agbonlahor were named for the first time.
Switzerland visits England Wednesday for a game at London's Wembley Stadium.
Chiefs to honor Hunt with uniform patch
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- The Kansas City Chiefs will make a patch bearing Lamar Hunt's initials a permanent part of their uniforms to honor the man who founded the NFL team.
The National Football League granted the Chiefs permission to add the patch to the left side of the jersey on both home and road uniforms.
"For all of his countless accomplishments in the world of sports, my father's legacy will always be most closely linked to the founding of the American Football League and its subsequent merger with the NFL," said Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt. "The patch is a fitting tribute for his contributions to the league and a permanent reminder of the indelible mark he left on the game."
Lamar Hunt helped establish the American Football League in 1960. His team -- the Dallas Texans -- played one year in Dallas before moving to Kansas City, Mo. He is considered a key element in the merger between the NFL and AFL.
Hunt died Dec. 13, 2006, at the age of 74. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972 and the AFC championship trophy is named for him.
Baseball umpires upset over inquiry
NEW YORK, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball umpires are upset over background checks being conducted by MLB that some umps say are questionable and inappropriate.
Three umpires recently eported their neighbors said they were asked by investigators if they had any knowledge of drug use, spousal abuse or membership in the Ku Klux Klan by umpires, USA Today reported Thursday.
Union spokesman Lamell McMorris said the union has evidence of such questioning despite MLB's denial, the report said.
MLB proposed conducting background checks on umpires after last year's scandal involving National Basketball Association referee Tim Donaghy, who admitted betting on games.
Missouri star to apply for NFL draft
COLUMBIA, Mo., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Missouri tailback Tony Temple will skip an appeal for a fifth year of eligibility and apply for entry into the 2008 NFL draft.
The 5-foot, 9-inch, 200-pound senior from Kansas City, Mo., could have applied to the NCAA for an extra season of eligibility because of an ankle injury in 2004, his freshman season. He sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of the eighth game in that season, a 24-3 loss at Nebraska.
"It's time to move on and focus on doing what I need to do to make a positive impression for the next level," he said on the school's Web site. "I feel good about looking into the extra year. It was worth a shot, but I feel I'm ready to take the next step."
In his final game, Temple rushed for four touchdowns when Missouri clobbered Arkansas 38-7 Jan. 1 at the Cotton Bowl.
In his Missouri career, Temple finished sixth on the school's all-time list with 2,552 rushing yards.
