Harrington is player of year

Padraig Harrington became the first European to win the PGA Tour’s player-of-the-year award Tuesday, ending Tiger Woods’ three-year run.

Harrington, a 37-year-old Irishman, won consecutive major championships in 2008, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

Woods has won the award nine times since 1997. The winner is selected in a vote by PGA Tour players. Vote totals weren’t disclosed.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Assistant Seto to stay at USC

USC secondary coach Rocky Seto said he had turned down an offer to become defensive coordinator at Washington and would remain with the Trojans.

Seto, 32, had been mulling the offer from new Huskies Coach Steve Sarkisian, formerly USC’s offensive coordinator, since late last week. He said he recognized the opportunity for professional advancement if he went to Washington, but after praying about it and talking with his wife, he decided to stay.

“I just realized how happy as a family we are here,” said Seto, the father of two daughters.

Seto will continue to coach the secondary and is expected to receive a pay raise. Coach Pete Carroll said Seto also would take on the title of assistant head coach for defense.

Carroll said he expected to meet with Carl Smith in the next few days about becoming USC’s quarterbacks coach. -- Gary Klein

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Linebacker Rey Maualuga and safety Taylor Mays of USC were named to the Associated Press first-team All-American team.

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More details were made public about the three-dimensional (3-D) theater broadcast of the BCS national championship game between Oklahoma and Florida on Jan. 8. The game will be available in the Southland at the UltraStar Apple Valley 14 Cinemas in Apple Valley.

One San Diego-area theater, the Del Mar Highlands 8, will have the game. Ticket prices will be between $18 and $22 and are set by each theater and can be purchased in advance online by going to www.CinedigmEntertainment.com.

-- Diane Pucin

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Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, who turns 82 Sunday, has agreed to a three-year contract extension. . . . Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery to repair a hamstring injury and will sit out the title game.

PRO FOOTBALL

Six Giants named to Pro Bowl team

The New York Giants had six players named to the NFC squad. Defensive end Justin Tuck, guard Chris Snee, kicker John Carney and punter Jeff Feagles were selected as starters and were joined by quarterback Eli Manning and center Shaun O’Hara.

The Minnesota Vikings also had six players selected, including Adrian Peterson. The New York Jets had seven players on the AFC squad, including quarterback Brett Favre, who was named as a backup to the Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning.

SOCCER

Schmid to coach new Seattle team

Sigi Schmid was named the first coach of the new Seattle Sounders, three weeks after leading the Columbus Crew to the Major League Soccer championship. . . . The United States will play a World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 11.

ETC.

Birmingham’s Croson takes Chaminade job

Ed Croson has decided to leave City Section football to return to the Southern Section. Croson, who coached Lake Balboa Birmingham to four City Section Championship Division titles this decade, has accepted the position of head coach at West Hills Chaminade.

Birmingham has named longtime defensive coordinator Jim Rose to replace Croson.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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Quarterback-defensive end James Boyd of Los Angeles Jordan has been selected City Section football player of the year by a panel of sportswriters.

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More than 50 people were evacuated from about 30 gondola cars after a tower supporting the cables partially collapsed at Canada’s Whistler ski resort.

Police said there were no serious injuries at the resort, which is to host the Alpine events of the 2010 Winter Olympic. Health officials said earlier that five people had been taken to the hospital.