GOLF

NICKLAUS: BRITISH OPEN WILL BE LAST TOURNAMENT

Jack Nicklaus said yesterday the British Open will be the end of his tournament career. Nicklaus, 65, will play the British Open at St. Andrews for the last time when the tournament is held July 14-17.

Nicklaus has not played in the Open since it was last held at St. Andrews in 2000, and is returning only because the Royal & Ancient Golf Club moved up the Old Course in the rotation to give Nicklaus one last chance.

British Open champions are exempt until they are 65. Nicklaus won the claret jug three times, including twice at St. Andrews in 1970 and 1978.

“From a tournament standpoint, that will be it for me,” Nicklaus said during a promotional appearance in Britain. “I will play a few skins games and father-sons, but from any kind of tournament involvement, that’s it.”

Nicklaus missed the cut at the Masters last month and said he would no longer play that major. On his final hole, he brushed away tears.

“I expect I’ll be just as emotional at St. Andrews,” Nicklaus said. “I enjoy being part of history and what’s going on, but I don’t consider myself competitive anymore. Hopefully, when I get to St. Andrews, I will have some kind of game. It won’t be great, but I hope not to embarrass myself. I will enjoy it.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TEMPLE FOOTBALL HEADED TO MAC

Temple’s football program has found a home, accepting an offer to join the Mid-American Conference, a school athletic department source said yesterday. The source, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, confirmed the Owls will join the MAC as a full member in 2007.

The Owls were kicked out of the Big East after 13 years for failing to meet minimum requirements for membership, most notably in attendance, facilities, and fielding a competitive team. The football team will play the next two seasons as an independent. The Owls went 2-9 last season and are 19-60 in seven seasons under coach Bobby Wallace. The Owls played two games against MAC opponents in 2004: a 45-17 loss at Toledo and a 70-16 drubbing against Bowling Green.

OHIO STATE NOTIFIED OF ALLEGED RULES VIOLATIONS

The NCAA notified Ohio State yesterday of nine alleged rules violations, including cash gifts, improper academic assistance, and failure of the school and coaches to monitor the men’s basketball program.

Seven of the violations involved men’s basketball, including a school booster allegedly giving cash and academic help to a former player. The others involved a booster allegedly giving $500 to a football player and a dentist providing free and discounted services to women’s basketball players.

The school must respond to the allegations by July, and an infractions committee will hold a hearing before determining whether sanctions are warranted, athletic director Gene Smith said.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

HUGGINS ACCEPTS CINCINNATI’S CONTRACT DECISION

Coach Bob Huggins decided yesterday to accept Cincinnati’s decision limiting him to a two-year contract, a sticking point that could flare into a bigger issue down the line.

The university stripped a rollover provision from Huggins’s contract after his arrest and conviction for drunken driving last year. The provision automatically added a year onto his contract each summer, keeping it a four-year deal.

University president Nancy Zimpher notified Huggins last week that he would not get the extension, leaving him with a two-year deal. Huggins had to decide whether to accept it or take a buyout provision in his contract.

BASEBALL

‘OIL CAN’ BOYD BEGINS PROFESSIONAL COMEBACK

Making his first professional appearance since 1997, former Boston Red Sox right-hander Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd pitched three scoreless innings last night for the Brockton Rox against the Worcester Tornadoes in the independent Can-Am minor league. He struck out three, allowed one hit, and walked two batters on eight straight pitches to start the second inning.

Boyd, 45, was 78-77 in a 10-year career with the Red Sox, Montreal Expos, and Texas Rangers. Since leaving the majors after the 1991 season, Boyd has pitched in Mexico and various independent leagues. He last pitched for the unaffiliated Massachusetts Mad Dogs in 1997. He is a non-roster invitee to the Rox spring training. He is competing for one of four veteran spots allowed for each Can-Am team.

SOCCER

O’BRIEN ON ROSTER FOR FRIENDLY WITH ENGLAND

John O’Brien, sidelined much of the last three years, was placed yesterday on the U.S. soccer team’s roster for its May 28 exhibition game against England in Chicago. The midfielder scored against Portugal in the Americans’ 2002 World Cup opener, but has played just one game for the national team since that tournament. Injuries have limited him to one Dutch League match since February 13, 2004.

ANTI-DOPING AGENCY DEMANDS CHANGES FROM FIFA

The World Anti-Doping Agency is giving FIFA until September to comply with global rules on sanctions for drug offenders or jeopardize soccer’s place in the Olympics and possibly affect the World Cup, WADA officials said yesterday.

WADA says FIFA’s insistence on six-month suspensions rather than two-year bans for serious drug offenses is in breach of the world anti-doping code adopted last year by Olympic sports federations.

WADA’s executive committee gave FIFA until September to make the changes required. WADA accepts FIFA’s position that doping cases should be judged on an individual basis, but the sides differ on the length of sanctions. WADA cannot sanction organizations such as FIFA, but can recommend measures to governments and national soccer associations.

TENNIS

U.S. OPEN TO PAINT COURTS BLUE

The U.S. Open will use blue instead of green tennis courts this year in an attempt to make balls easier to see for players and TV viewers. The area outside the court’s lines will stay green, U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier said yesterday.

Blue courts also will be used for the 10 tournaments in the US Open Series, the summer hard-court circuit leading up to the season’s final Grand Slam. The first event with the new color will be the RCA Championships on July 18-24.

– Associated Press