Tiger named PGA Player of the Year

Tiger Woods, who has won four tournaments this year including the Masters, was named the PGA Player of the Year by the PGA of America Tuesday.

The 21-year-old was given the award even though there are two tournaments still left this season. He has an unbeatable 98 points, 28 better than his closest pursuer PGA Championship winner Davis Love III. The standings are based on a point system using tournament wins, official money standings and scoring average.

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In addition to his record-breaking victory at the Masters, Woods also captured the Mercedes Championship, the Byron Nelson Classic and the Western Open. Ten points are awarded for winning each tour event, and the four majors are worth 30 points each, with the World Series of Golf and the Players Championship worth 20 apiece.

Woods needs to claim just under $40,000 in the Las Vegas Invitational to surpass the $2-million mark for season earnings.

Jayhawks to face Nebraska without three starters

When the University of Kansas Jayhawks face No. 1 University of Nebraska Saturday, they will be without three suspended starters, including quarterback-sacks leader Ron Warner.

Head coach Terry Allen announced that Warner, linebacker J.J. Johnson and cornerback Jamie Harris were suspended Tuesday for violating the team’s code of conduct. He did not reveal specifics about the violations.

Warner, an outside linebacker, has more than half the Jayhawks’ sacks with 10 1/2. Both Warner and Harris had started all seven games this season. Johnson had moved into the starting lineup two weeks ago.

The suspensions come as Kansas is a 33-point underdog to Nebraska, which brings the top-ranked offense in the country into the contest.

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Grambling State University legendary football coach Eddie Robinson was in good condition Wednesday at Lincoln General Hospital after being admitted Monday because of shortness of breath.

The 78-year-old Robinson was moved from intensive care to a regular room Tuesday, and a spokesman at the hospital said Robinson could be released as early as Wednesday.

Robinson, in his 57th and final season at Grambling, is college football’s all-time winningest coach with a mark of 408-160-15. He has endured only seven losing seasons at Grambling, and this year his team is 3-3 as it heads to Jackson State Saturday.

The Sports Network established the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award in 1987, and it has been presented annually to the top coach in Division I-AA.

Stewart expected to become Padres’ pitching coach

Former major league starter Dave Stewart is expected to be named the pitching coach of the San Diego Padres soon. Speaking at game three of the World Series in Cleveland Tuesday, San Diego general manager Kevin Towers said he is wrapping up negotiations, with Stewart expected to take over the job after the Series is over.

Stewart already is in the Padres’ organization, serving as a special assistant to Towers for the past year. His duties included player evaluation on the major and minor league levels.

Stewart spent 15 seasons in the majors, pitching for Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Texas, Oakland and Toronto. His career record is 168-129. Stewart is known for his performances, as he was 8-0 in American League Championship Series contests, and was also the Most Valuable Player of the 1989 World Series.

San Diego needs a pitching coach to replace Dan Warthen, who was fired after the past season. The Padres went from the National League West title in 1996 to last place this year, and saw the team ERA balloon from 3.72 in 1996 to 4.98 this past season.