General Motors Corp., looking to cut costs as the U.S. auto industry fights for survival, is pulling out of its endorsement deal with Tiger Woods with one year left on the contract.
General Motors officials said Monday the world's No. 1 golfer also wanted more time for himself, especially with a second child on the way.
"Timing is everything," said Larry Peck, golf marketing manager for Buick. "We've had such a great partnership with Tiger. It's hard for us to walk away from that. But this frees up time for him. And it sure frees up a lot of money for us."
The endorsement deal, believed to be worth at least $7 million a year, was to expire at the end of 2009. Woods has had the Buick logo on his golf bag for the last nine years.
JURISPRUDENCE
Three of Bonds' charges dropped
Three charges against Barry Bonds were dismissed by a federal judge in San Francisco who left intact most of the indictment alleging Bonds lied to a grand jury when he denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds, baseball's all-time home run leader, is scheduled for a March 2 trial. He had faced 14 counts of making false declarations to a grand jury investigating steroid use in sports and one count of obstruction of justice.
His lawyers had asked U.S. District Judge Susan Illston to dismiss 10 of the lying charges, claiming he was asked unclear questions in front of the grand jury in 2003. Illston ruled to dismiss three charges and consolidate or rewrite two others.
BOXING
Margarito to fight Mosley on Jan. 24
The Shane Mosley-Antonio Margarito welterweight fight is scheduled for Jan. 24 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Top Rank officials said. HBO will televise the bout on its regular premium service, not pay-per-view.
A spokesman for Top Rank executive Bob Arum said HBO provided some additional money to tempt world welterweight champion Margarito, who last week said he didn't want to be involved in a bout with Mosley, a four-time world champion from Pomona.
-- Lance Pugmire
HIGH SCHOOLS
Indiana girl sues to play baseball
Logan Young, a 14-year-old, and her family have filed a federal lawsuit over an Indiana High School Athletic Assn. rule that prohibits the Bloomington South freshman from trying out for the high school baseball team because she is female.
"In this day and age, a girl should have the opportunity to participate on an equal footing with the boys in high school sports and the IHSAA precludes that," Tae Sture, one of the family's attorneys, said.
