Woods will be at Memorial

Golf: Tiger Woods will defend his title next week at the Memorial Tournament, marking his return to the PGA Tour after three weeks spent rehabbing a neck injury.

Woods withdrew from The Players Championship on May 9 with an inflamed facet joint in his neck. He confirmed on his website Wednesday that he’ll play next week at Muirfield Village, where he has won four times and is the defending champion.

The tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus will also serve as preparation for the U.S. Open two weeks later at Pebble Beach. Woods won the Memorial from 1999-2001 and again last year.

After a winter of revelations of marital infidelity, Woods returned in April to play in the Masters, where he tied for fourth. He missed the cut at Quail Hollow after rounds of 74 and 79, and was 4 under at The Players Championship before withdrawing with the injury.

Woods has also confirmed he will play in the British Open at St. Andrews from July 15-18. He has yet to commit to any tournament beyond the Memorial, the next two major championships and the AT&T National, from July 1-4 at Aronimink Golf Club.

A year ago, Woods started the final round of the Memorial four shots back of Jim Furyk but shot a 65 to win by one stroke, with birdies on the final two holes to forge ahead.

He hit all 14 fairways in the fourth round and was 49 of 56 for the week, and the mark of 87.5 percent matched the best of his pro career.

Associated Press

Armstrong will ride next week

Cycling: Lance Armstrong will compete in the Tour de Luxembourg next week as part of his preparations for the Tour de France.

Armstrong crashed in last week’s Tour of California and pulled out.

His spokesman, Philippe Maertens, said Armstrong decided to enter the five-day race, through the hills of the Ardennes in Luxembourg, to get more fit.

Armstrong crashed during the Tour of California, needing stitches in his face and injuring his elbow. He crashed hours after e-mails from disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis were released alleging Armstrong not only participated in doping, but paid off a top cycling official to keep a positive test quiet.

Armstrong has denied all of Landis’ claims.

Associated Press