Party over for Hamilton as new season dawns

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton spent the off-season crisscrossing the globe to party with A-list celebrities but Formula One's reigning champion is adamant there will be no hangover when he returns to work at this week's season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The clear bookmakers' favorite to win a third successive title with Mercedes, Hamilton will arrive in Melbourne after a whirlwind trip to New Zealand where he took to the skies in a helicopter on Wednesday above the mountain resort of Queenstown. Hamilton's frequent flying and party lifestyle prompted some pundits to voice concerns about his focus and energy levels in the leadup to Sunday's race at Albert Park.

Poor man's game: Myanmar's grassroots golfers lead the way

As a hard-up 10-year-old, Aung Win scrabbled for pocket money collecting balls on a parched Myanmar golf course. Now 35, he is basking in his stand-out performance at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open in February where he was the highest finisher among the home players, winning admiration -- and a few thousand dollars. With a purse of $750,000, the Asian Tour event was billed as the nation's richest sports tournament as Myanmar targets a new era of achievement to banish decades of junta neglect that left sport in the doldrums.

Djokovic, Nadal tested but advance in California

(Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic broke his opponent late in both sets to eke out a 7-5 7-5 third round victory over an upset-minded Philipp Kohlschreiber on Tuesday as the Serb continued his BNP Paribas Open title defense in California. One day after world number two Andy Murray was surprisingly knocked out of competition, Djokovic had no such letdown despite suffering a bit of a wobble towards the end of the match. Djokovic broke serve to lead 4-2 in the second set and squandered four match points in the ninth game before handing back the break to the German world number 30.

Spurs speed away from Clippers to remain unbeaten at home

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and led five San Antonio players in double figures as the Spurs turned a tight NBA game into a 108-87 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers. San Antonio on Tuesday led by just one point going into the fourth quarter, but pulled away relentlessly to notch their 33rd home win of the season and their 42nd straight regular-season victory on their home court in a streak dating back to last March. The Spurs' home streak is the third-longest in NBA history, behind Chicago's 44-game regular-season run in 1995-96 and the continuing streak by Golden State that now stands at 49 games.

Spurs depth on display in win vs. Clippers

San Antonio's bench and defense were all the difference Tuesday as the Spurs' reserves helped turn a close game into a rout in the fourth quarter and walloped the Los Angeles Clippers 108-87 Tuesday night. Kawhi Leonard poured in 20 points to lead five San Antonio players in double figures. Reserve David West had all eight of his points in that fourth-quarter run, and reserve Patty Mills had seven in that stretch.

George powers Pacers past Celtics

(The Sports Xchange) - As is usually the case when the Indiana Pacers win, Paul George provided plenty of offense. "Teams that stretch the floor have given us problems, so we had to guard to win this game," said George, who led all scorers with 25 points. "Our message tonight was, "Guard our guy." Two George Hill free throws with 7:43 to play began a 6-0 Pacers run and the Celtics (39-28) never led again.

New York Knicks star Anthony scoffs at Jackson coaching rumors

New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony poured cold water on the notion that club president Phil Jackson could return to coaching duties. "Phil ain't coaching no more, man," Anthony said as the Knicks trained in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, ahead of their Wednesday meeting with the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. An ESPN.com report vaguely suggesting that 70-year-old coaching great Jackson -- who won 11 championships coaching the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers -- might consider coaching Knicks home games next season created a bit of buzz around the league.

Palmer retiring from ceremonial tee shot at Masters

(Reuters) - Arnold Palmer will not join in the ceremonial opening tee shots at this year's Masters due to a lingering shoulder injury, and the four-time winner at Augusta said it was time for him to give up the honor. The 86-year-old Palmer had been an honorary starter at the Masters since 2007. Well, sure, but time moves on," Palmer said from Bay Hill on Tuesday, where he hosts this week's PGA Tour stop.

Palmer won't hit ceremonial tee shot at Masters

Four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer will not hit the ceremonial opening tee shot at Augusta National this year for the first time since 2007. Palmer, 86, said from the US PGA Tour event named for him at Bay Hill in Orlando Tuesday that he had told Augusta National officials of his decision. Well sure, but time moves on," Palmer said in comments posted on the PGA Tour website.

Analysis - Link between football and CTE won't harm NFL brand

The National Football League's acknowledgement that there is a link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) will do little to hurt the allure of the seemingly Teflon-coated organization. Some sports industry analysts feel the NFL, which for years had denied any relationship between football-related head trauma and the degenerative brain condition, could benefit as it allows them to move on from their previous stance on CTE. "I actually think that recognizing a link is actually a helpful pivot for the NFL both in terms of public relations and the future of the game," Robert Boland, director of the MBA and master's sports administration program at Ohio University, told Reuters in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Hood, Jazz shoot down Cavaliers

(The Sports Xchange) - Taking over games is quickly becoming Rodney Hood's personal trademark. Hood lights a fire under the Utah Jazz offense every time he shoots these days. Hood provided a huge lift for Utah in the absence of leading scorer Gordon Hayward, who missed the game due to plantar fasciitis.

McDermott leads Bulls past Raptors

(The Sports Xchange) - If Doug McDermott could play the Toronto Raptors every night, he would be an all-star. Chicago's reserve forward torched the Raptors for a second straight game, pouring in a team-high 29 points as the Bulls held on for a 109-107 victory on Monday night at Air Canada Center. "It's something about playing one of the top teams in the East gets you motivated," said McDermott, who had a career-high 30 points when the teams last met in February in Chicago.

NFL admits football link to brain disease CTE

The NFL's top health executive became the first senior league official to acknowledge a link between football-related head trauma and the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Jeff Miller, the NFL's vice president of health and safety, was on Monday pressed at a roundtable organized by the Energy and Commerce Committee of the US House of Representatives on whether there was indeed a link between the hard-hitting gridiron game and neurodegenerative diseases such as CTE. "The answer to that question is certainly yes," Miller said.

Top NFL official acknowledges link between football and brain disease

The statement came from the National Football League's senior vice president for health and safety, Jeff Miller, when he was asked during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee whether a link has been established between football and disorders such as CTE. Miller's comment marked the first time a senior league official has publicly conceded the sport's connection to CTE, which medical research has closely linked with the repeated head injuries, often leading to aggression and dementia. An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Miller's testimony.

NFL, Union close to deal removing commissioner Goodell of discipline power: WSJ

(Reuters) - National Football League officials and the union are close to a deal involving Commissioner Roger Goodell to give up power over off-the-field player discipline, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. There is a common ground for us to get something done," Smith told the Journal. Also, the arbitrators would be lawyers or former judges and would have some background in football, the Journal said, adding that the selection procedure for the arbitrators is still not clear.

Football grew more than any other U.S. youth sport: survey

By Marcus E. Howard NEW YORK (Reuters) - Football was the fastest-growing American sport for young players last year, according to a survey sponsored by the sport's governing body. The number of participants in flag and tackle football grew in 2015 while most other sports, except baseball, posted a decline, USA Football said on Monday, citing the findings of a survey of 30,000 children and teenagers. Participation in no-tackle flag football grew by 8.7 percent among children aged 6 to 14, while tackle football rose 1.9 percent.

National Basketball Association notebook

New York's star forward Carmelo Anthony says the Knicks must make solid moves in the off-season to reverse their flagging fortunes, which have seen them tumble to 28-40. Anthony was no doubt cheered by Knicks president Phil Jackson's insistence that he remains the cornerstone of the team, but he wants management to shore up the supporting cast. "We've got to do something," he said of the Knicks' need to acquire talent through trades and free agency.

Misconduct complaint sidelines Berkeley basketball assistant coach

By Curtis Skinner SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An assistant men's basketball coach at the University of California at Berkeley is being dismissed for violating the school's sexual harassment policy, the university said on Monday as the team headed into the NCAA March Madness tournament. Word that termination proceedings were being initiated against Yann Hufnagel, who has been a California Golden Bears assistant coach for two years, marked the second high-profile sexual harassment case to surface at UC Berkeley in less than a week. Campus officials declined to specify the nature of the case against Hufnagel, except to say it involved a combination of behavior and communications in 2014 and 2015 and that his accuser was a woman who was not affiliated with the university.

NFL Colts' Jackson found guilty of assault

Indianapolis Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was found guilty Monday of simple assault in an incident in which he punched a pizza delivery man over a parking space. Jackson, who could face up to 180 days in jail, is to have a sentencing hearing on April 6. A police report on the incident in February of 2015 said the delivery man claimed the NFL defender punched him in the left side of the face and in the back of the head.

National Football League bans Steelers' Bryant for a year

The National Football League slapped Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant on Monday with a one year suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Bryant was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for a similar offence. Although one of Bryant's agents indicated on Saturday that Bryant planned to appeal, he apparently changed his mind and the league said on Monday his suspension began immediately.

Steelers' Bryant banned one year for substance abuse

(The Sports Xchange) - Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant on Monday was suspended for a year by the NFL for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Bryant will not appeal the suspension, which begins immediately. Bryant was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 regular season due to violations of the same policy.

Schwartzel rides lightning to Valspar victory

(Reuters) - Charl Schwartzel secured his first victory in the United States since the 2011 Masters by beating Bill Haas in a playoff at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday. South African Schwartzel came from five shots behind in the final round to card a four-under-par 67 before beating Haas with a tap-in par at the first extra hole. While the win will boost Schwartzel's confidence going into next month's Masters, world number one Jordan Spieth has some work to do as he tunes up for his title defence at Augusta.

Schwartzel outlasts Haas to win US PGA Valspar title

South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, parred the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat American Bill Haas and capture the US PGA Valspar Championship. Haas was right of a cart path with his tee shot on the first playoff hole, the par-4 18th, and found a bunker with his second shot while Schwartzel landed his ball in the middle of the green. Haas, 33, blasted out to 25 feet with his third shot while Schwartzel, 31, left his birdie putt two feet short.

Hend denies record charge by Piya to take Thai title

(Reuters) - Scott Hend continued Australia's impressive run on the European Tour this season by holding off the course record charge of home hope Piya Swangarunporn to win the True Thailand Classic on Sunday. The 42-year-old Queenslander birdied his 17th hole and went on to sign for a four-under-par 68 and 18-under total to edge Piya by one-shot after the unheralded Thai, ranked 798th in the world, threatened an unlikely victory with a blistering 63. Piya had already made six birdies and an eagle when he rolled in a tricky 15-foot to pick up another shot on the final green and snatch the lead for the first time, drawing a flurry of fist pumps and cheers from the crowd.