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Police again unable to interview Woods

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Florida police, rebuffed again Saturday in their desire to question golf star Tiger Woods about his car crash, say they will release the 911 call tapes Sunday.

Woods, the 33-year-old golfer ranked No. 1 in the world, was injured early Friday when he smashed his luxury sport utility vehicle into a fire hydrant and a tree about 2:25 a.m. near his suburban Orlando home. He was released from a hospital later in the day but was sleeping when Florida highway patrol troopers showed up to talk to him Friday and they were turned back again Saturday, CNN reported.

Highway patrol spokeswoman Kim Miller told the U.S. news network Woods's agent asked the troopers to hold off on the interview until Sunday.

The Los Angeles Times reported the highway patrol said that's when it plans to release recordings of the emergency call authorities received about the accident. Officials told the newspaper they expected to wind up their investigation early next week.

Before the accident, Woods had been scheduled to host his Chevron World Challenge next week in Thousand Oaks and hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon. The tournament's director said it wasn't known if Woods would play.

The celebrity news Web site TMZ.com reported Woods allegedly told an unidentified non-law enforcement source his wife, Elin Nordegren Woods, scratched his face during a heated argument about rumors of his suspected infidelity.

The unnamed source alleges when Woods tried to leave the couple's home in his SUV, Nordegren Woods began hitting the vehicle with a golf club. Woods was so distracted the vehicle struck a fire hydrant and then a tree, the source alleges.

The source, who TMZ said talked to Woods after the accident, also claimed the golfer disclosed he had been taking prescription pain medication for an injury.

The unnamed source's version differed from the account given by a Florida official who said Nordegren Woods smashed the SUV's window with a golf club to reach him after the accident and dragged him out before police arrived.

Windermere, Fla., Mayor Gary Bruhn said police arriving at the scene found Woods unconscious on the ground, bleeding from his lips, with his wife hovering over him frantically, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

A call report compiled by the Orange County Sheriff's Office and obtained by the Sentinel indicated Woods was knocked unconscious by the crash for several minutes. Bruhn told the newspaper Woods was fading in and out of consciousness when police arrived.

Nordegren Woods was "frantic, upset," Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor told reporters Friday. Saylor said she told officers she was in the house when she heard the crash and "came out and broke the back window with a golf club" to free her husband.

"She supposedly got him out and laid him on the ground," Saylor said.

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Davydenko ousts Federer in London

LONDON, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Russia's Nikolay Davydenko

beat World No. 1 Roger Federer in three sets Saturday, becoming a finalist at the ATP World Finals for the second year in a row.

Davydenko, the sixth seed, downed his Swiss foe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, breaking a career 12-match losing streak to the season-ending tournament's top seed.

"Everybody who supports me was waiting for this moment," the 28-year-old Davydenko said. "I knew I was playing good (but) I was thinking (the victory) was coming maybe in 2010 or '11."

Davydenko's win eliminated Federer from the season-ending round-robin tournament and is only the third time in eight appearances at the season finale that Federer has failed to reach the title match.

Sunday, Davydenko seeks his 19th career title and fifth in 2009.

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McIlroy/McDowell lead dwindles in China

SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Despite shooting 8-under-par 64 Saturday, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell lead by just one stroke through three rounds at the World Cup of Golf.

Their 54-hole total is 26-under 160.

The Northern Ireland duo led by three strokes after the first and second rounds, but Saturday, defending champions Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson (62) of Sweden and Italy's Edoardo and Francesco Molinari (61) finished 25-under 191 to share second place and add pressure to the leaders heading into Sunday's final round at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China.

"It was still a productive day," McIroy said. "We had a three-shot lead going out and it is now down to a one-shot lead, but we still very positive going into tomorrow."

"(Sunday) we have to go out and play a good foursomes," said Karlsson. "It is kind of looking like a three-horse race now."

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Roethlisberger to miss Ravens game

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The lasting effects of a recent concussion will cause Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to miss Sunday night's game against Baltimore.

The veteran signal-caller suffered the concussion in last week's surprising 27-24 loss at Kansas City, but after passing a battery of tests Monday and practicing both Wednesday and Thursday, his status had been expected to be a game-time decision.

Late Saturday, the Steelers officially ruled him out, however.

"It's part of the nature of the beast of playing this game," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's a violent sport we play."

Rookie Dennis Dixon will make his first NFL start Sunday after regular backup Charlie Batch was lost to a surgically repaired wrist injury this week. Dixon has thrown just one pass and will face one of the NFL's best pass-rushing defenses.

Roethlisberger also suffered two concussions in 2006.