Woods to sit out opener in Maui

Tiger Woods decided Friday to skip the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship at Kapalua, Maui, meaning the PGA Tour’s new season will begin next week amid old questions about the absence of its biggest star.

Woods, who was skiing with his family last week in Colorado, said he did not have time to get his game ready and he wanted to spend more time with his family.

He has won six consecutive PGA Tour events, a streak that will remain on hold until Jan. 25 at the Buick Invitational in San Diego, where Woods is the two-time defending champion.

Woods said on his website that he has spent the last 12 days skiing and relaxing with family and friends, “but I’ve basically been away from golf since winning the Target World Challenge” on Dec. 17.

“I usually spend at least one week working on my game before a tournament, and have been unable to do that this year,” Woods said.

It was the second straight year Woods will not play the winners-only tournament. He missed last year to spend time with his father, whose health was rapidly deteriorating from cancer. Earl Woods died May 3.

JURISPRUDENCE

Tyson released after arrest

on cocaine, DUI charges

Mike Tyson was released from jail without bond on a felony drug possession charge after an early-morning arrest in which Buckeye, Ariz., police said they found two bags of white powder in his back pocket.

“He admitted to using today and stated he is an addict and has a problem,” according to a police probable cause statement filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. “Mike admitted to possessing bags of cocaine and said he uses any time he can get his hands on it.”

Tyson, a former heavyweight champion, was arrested, after nearly ramming a police SUV, on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of cocaine when police stopped him shortly after he left a Scottsdale nightclub. According to the report, an officer saw Tyson trying to wipe a white powder off the console of his BMW as he approached.

Notre Dame sophomore starting guard Kyle McAlarney was arrested on a marijuana possession charge early Friday, police said. His status for No. 19 Notre Dame’s home game today against Stony Brook was not immediately clear.

WINTER SPORTS

Walchhofer is first to win

two in a row at Bormio

Austria’s Michael Walchhofer won a World Cup downhill race for the second consecutive day at Bormio, Italy.

A day after ending a 13-race winless streak for the Austrian men’s team, Walchhofer skied down the 1.8-mile Stelvio course in 1 minute 51.82 seconds to become the first skier to win back-to-back downhills in Bormio. No other skier had ever won two straight races there, even from one year to the next.

Bode Miller, who failed to finish a downhill for the first time this season on Thursday, took fourth.

Sweden’s Therese Borssen raced to her first World Cup victory, taking a slalom with a combined time of 1 minute 55.15 seconds at Semmering, Austria.

The 22-year-old Borssen was second after the first run.

In front of 15,000 spectators on her home Hirschenkogel course, Austria’s Kathrin Zettel -- winner of Thursday’s giant slalom -- finished second, 0.25 seconds back.

MISCELLANY

Jordan and wife divorce

after 17 years of marriage

Michael Jordan and his wife, Juanita, have divorced after 17 years of marriage.

In court documents filed with the Lake County (Ill.) Circuit Court, the couple said “irreconcilable differences have caused an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.”

The Florida Marlins and infielder Aaron Boone agreed to a $925,000, one-year contract. Boone, who turns 34 next March, hit .251 with seven home runs and 45 RBIs in 104 games at third base for Cleveland.... As expected, pitcher Jeff Suppan, most valuable player of the National League Championship Series signed his $42-million, four-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers after he passed a physical.

Former New York Yankees player Bobby Murcer watched the Independence Bowl from his Houston hospital bed and was alert and joking with staff and family members after surgery to remove a brain tumor Thursday.

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme practiced again Friday, all but assuring he’ll start in the Panthers’ final regular-season game against New Orleans on Sunday.... Safety Bob Sanders and newly acquired wide receiver Ricky Proehl will probably sit out the Colts’ regular-season finale Sunday against the Miami Dolphins because of injuries, Coach Tony Dungy said.... New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, who has not practiced this week, will sit out the regular-season finale against the Washington Redskins today because of an ankle injury.

Hawaii men’s basketball Coach Riley Wallace announced that he will retire at the end of this season. Wallace, 65, will have coached at the school for 20 seasons when he steps down.... Oklahoma freshman forward Keith Clark will miss the rest of the basketball season because of a right knee injury suffered Thursday in a victory over Southern Methodist.

The Italian soccer federation ended an investigation into alleged illegal betting by Gianluigi Buffon, Italy’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, and found no wrongdoing.... Aime Jacquet, who coached France to victory in the 1998 World Cup final, resigned as technical director.

PASSINGS

Cal two-sport star;

ex-Georgetown coach

Sam Chapman, the two-sport star who led the University of California to its last Rose Bowl victory in 1938 and played outfield for the Philadelphia Athletics, has died. He was 90.... Scotty Glacken, Georgetown’s football coach for 23 seasons and a standout quarterback for Duke in the 1960s, has died at 62. The school did not release a cause of death.