<strong><span class="subhead">Tiger or Padraig, the vote is on</span></strong></p><p>Ballots went to PGA Tour players to vote for the player of the year. The top two nominees were <strong>Tiger Woods </strong>(four wins in six starts including the U.S. Open) and <strong>Padraig Harrington </strong>(two majors). Others nominated were <strong>Vijay Singh, Kenny Perry </strong>and <strong>Camilo Villegas</strong>. Oddly, <strong>Anthony Kim</strong> (two wins) and world No. 2 <strong>Sergio Garcia</strong> were not on the ballot.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Tulsa loses LPGA tournament</span></strong></p><p>The LPGA will not be visiting Tulsa next year after an eight-year run in the city. It was unable to find a replacement for bankrupt title sponsor SemGroup.</p><p>SemGroup was the company founded by former KU basketball player <strong>Tom Kivisto</strong>. It took over as title sponsor in 2007. The Tournament management company hopes to bring a pro-am or another special event featuring LPGA players to keep the tour presence in the Tulsa area this year.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Chinese hurdler to have surgery</span></strong></p><p>Star Chinese hurdler <strong>Liu Xiang</strong>, whose withdrawal from his event at the Beijing Olympics, disappointed millions of Chinese fans, will undergo foot surgery in the United States in the next few weeks. Surgery is the only option to combat bone spurs between the Achilles&#8217; tendon and ankle bone after traditional Chinese medicine and deep massage failed to help.</p><p>He chose to have surgery in the U.S. because of more spophisticated surgical techniques and greater chances of a safer recovery according to his coach.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Olympic year award winners</span></strong></p><p>USA Track and Field has selected gold medalists <strong>Bryan Clay</strong> (decathlon) and <strong>Stephanie Brown Trafton</strong> (discus) as their sport&#8217;s top American athletes in 2008.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>Michael Phelps </strong>earned three Golden Goggle Awards from USA Swimming at its annual banquet. He won male athlete of the year, male race of the year (his come-from-behind win in the 100-meter butterfly) and relay performance. <strong>Natalie Coughlin </strong>won female athlete of the year after winning six Olympic medals.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Elsewhere</span></strong></p><p>&#8226;<strong>Seve Ballesteros </strong>was released from intensive care Tuesday at Madrid&#8217;s La Paz hospital. He will remain in the hospital to continue his rehabilitation, but he is being allowed restricted visits for the first time.</p><p>&#8226;Japanese figure skater <strong>Daisuke Takahashi </strong>will have season-ending knee surgery, potentially ruling him out of the world championships next March pending his recovery time. He injured his right knee (ligaments and cartilage) in practice last month.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>Jack Reader</strong>, who spent nearly 50 years in NFL officiating and was the field judge in the first and third Super Bowls, died of cancer on Nov. 10. He was 82.