UPI NewsTrack Sports

Woods, Garcia 1-2 starting 2009 season

VIRGINIA WATER, England, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia remain 1-2 in the world golf rankings with the PGA Tour set to kick off its 2009 season Thursday in Hawaii.

The official rankings were released Monday.

Neither Woods nor Garcia will compete in the opening tournament on the schedule -- the Mercedes-Benz Championship at Kapalua on the Island of Maui.

World Nos. 3 and 4, Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington, aren't entered in Maui either. Only No. 5, Vijay Singh, will represent the top five at Kapalua.

Ranked six through 10 are Robert Karlsson, Camilo Villegas, Henrik Stenson, Ernie Els and Lee Westwood.

Packers fire six assistant coaches

GREEN BAY, Wis., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Green Bay Packers announced the release Monday of defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and five other assistant coaches.

Others let go were Carl Hairston, defensive ends coach; Robert Nunn, defensive tackles; Rock Gullickson, conditioning coordinator; Kurt Shottenheimer, secondary; and Lionel Washington, defensive nickel package and cornerbacks.

Sanders joined the Green Bay team in 2005 after four seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

"These are difficult decisions," head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "I hold each of these men in high regard on a personal level, and I want to thank them for their service to the Green Bay Packers."

Green Bay had a 6-10 record this season. The Packers' defense ranked 20th in the league, allowing 334.3 yards per game.

Tomlinson to miss Pittsburgh game?

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Injured San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson may be sidelined for the Chargers' playoff game in Pittsburgh, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday.

Coach Norv Turner had said he would determine Tomlinson's status later in the week, but the newspaper said "no one in the Chargers organization truly expects" Tomlinson to play in the AFC divisional playoff game Sunday.

Sources indicated it's likely Tomlinson will miss the rest of the post-season, the Union-Tribune said.

Tomlinson sat out the second half of San Diego's 23-17 overtime wild-card win over the Indianapolis Colts Saturday because of a groin injury.

Turner said the coaching staff determined that Tomlinson was not 100 percent in the game, in which he scored a touchdown and gained 25 yards in five carries, so he did not play in the second half.

"The injury that he has is not any worse," Turner said. "I think ... he was pretty sore around that area from probably compensating for the injury. It was obvious once he got going, to him and us, that he would not be able to play the way that he'd like to."

The Steelers and Chargers will clash in a 4:45 p.m. game at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field.

Pittsburgh, winner of the AFC North title, had a first-round bye in the playoffs.

N.Z. rugby player believed drowned

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- New Zealand Warriors rugby player Sonny Fai was missing and presumed drowned after trying to save his brother's life, his family says.

Friends and family members said Fai, 20, was caught in a riptide in dangerous surf near Auckland during a weekend family outing in which he went out to help a younger brother who couldn't swim, The Times of London reported Monday.

Fai's sister, La Lelei, told a New Zealand Web site that he had helped his younger brother to drift into shore at Bethell's Beach but then was taken out to sea by a wave, the Times said.

Rescuers on inflatable boats were joined by family members Sunday, searching the beach for the missing rugby player until 1 a.m. Monday.

Members of the New Zealand Warriors team, which was due to officially begin pre-season training Monday, joined in the search for their missing teammate when rescue activities resumed at dawn Monday, officials said.

Fai, considered a rising star, played 15 games for the Warriors in 2008 after making his debut with the club last March, the Times reported.