Mickelson joining Tiger on tour

Golf: Tiger Woods will compete with Masters champion Phil Mickelson again when he returns to the PGA Tour.

Mickelson on Friday committed to play in the Quail Hollow Championship, which starts on April 29. Woods announced a day earlier he’ll play in Charlotte, N.C., in his second tournament since returning from a sex scandal, giving the event the two top-ranked golfers in the world.

It will be Mickelson’s first tournament since he won his third green jacket last Sunday. Woods finished tied for fourth at Augusta National.

Mickelson has played at Quail Hollow five times. He hasn’t won but has four top-10 finishes, including a tie for fifth last year. Woods finished fourth in the event in 2009 and won it two years earlier.

Associated Press

Luger’s family given $10,000

Olympics: A group of Vancouver business leaders has given $10,000 to the family of the luger killed on the first day of the Olympics.

Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia died in a training run on Feb. 12.

The Vancouver Board of Trade made the donation in honor of John Furlong, head of the 2010 Games.

Board president Sue Paish says Furlong and his team did everything they could to honor the luger and they hoped the money would help ease the family’s pain.

A report on Kumaritashvili’s death is expected to be released on Monday.

Associated Press

Martin will drive next season

Auto Racing: Mark Martin plans to drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car through the 2011 season, and considers it a “perfect scenario” that his replacement beyond that has already been determined.

Kasey Kahne signed with Hendrick this week to take over for Martin in 2012. Martin said Kahne is “the really right fit” for the Hendrick team.

But where Kahne races next season is uncertain since Hendrick already has drivers under contract for all four of its cars in 2011. Kahne is in the last year of his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports.

The 51-year-old Martin ended any speculation that he would abandon the Hendrick seat early, saying he would be driving in 2011. He also plans to be racing in 2012, though it isn’t clear how much or for whom.

Associated Press