TMZ Sports - Page 50

The GWAA just released a statement claiming they feel Tiger's decision to refuse questions -- and to handpick reporters, "goes against the grain of everything we believe."

The group also believes that if they show up to the event -- without the ability to fire off questions -- it gives credibility "to an event that isn't worthy of it."

The PGA Tour Commissioner slipped when he was talking to the media yesterday .... and said Tiger Woods is still in rehab.

At the Accenture Match Play Championship, Commissioner Tim Finchem said, "I don't know what his [Tiger's] plans are in terms of what he's going to say [tomorrow]. I don't know what he's going to do after he finishes his rehab, you know, I think all of that is TBD."

We got the transcript off of pgatour.com.

Locker room pistolero Gilbert Arenas may have another shot with the Washington Wizards after all -- the team's general manager "thinks" he'll be back with the squad next year.

The NBA team's GM Ernie Grunfeld just finished up a news conference on the state of his team -- and according to Washington Post reporter Michael Lee, the squad isn't ready to empty the clip on their highest paid player saying, "We think he's going to be back with us. He's part of the organization. If he's going to play, he's going to play here."

Arenas is currently serving a season-long suspension for bringing guns into the Wizards locker room back in December -- over an incident involving his teammate Javaris Crittenton.

As we previously reported, the Wizards were so helpful with police, insiders say they were looking for an excuse to 86 him from the team.

Here's part of the alleged statement:

"Directly to the point there is no one to blame but me for the mess I have put my wife and family through. I accept total and complete responsibility. My wife and I have been trying to work things out but sadly things have not worked out."

It goes on:

"We have decided to live apart with me having mutually agreed upon times when I can be with our children."

Why would Tiger get into issues of custody and make his relationship with his wife a focal point? Feels totally fake.

And there's this ... the radio station credited with breaking the story, WYCD in Detroit, claim they had nothing to do with it and "has since taken it down."

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Former NBA star Jayson Williams will have four days to drown his sorrows before heading to prison next week ... because the alcohol monitoring bracelet is coming off.

Jayson's lawyer, Linda Kenny-Baden, tells TMZ the SCRAM bracelet he was ordered to wear after his DUI bust last month will come off on Friday.

But Jayson's bracelet isn't being 86'd for a good reason. He's being sentenced to prison on Tuesday over the death of his limo driver -- and the bracelet has to come off before he goes to the pokey.

It must Absolut-ly suck to be Jayson.

For the record, Colbert's psychological strategy is paying off: U.S. skater Shani Davis took gold in the event.

Turns out, there are 2 heroes in these photos.

Elin is swooshed out in Nike gear -- the company that stood behind Tiger. It's more than coincidental that Tiger was snapped yesterday with his own Nike accoutrement.

The pic was taken as Elin picked her daughter up from school this AM.

TMZ has checked around with some major paparazzi agencies, who tell us the first picture of Tiger could have scored them more than $1,000,000 in worldwide distribution profits.

But when the image was released through Getty Images -- a non-paparazzi, subscription-based photo agency -- the value of the photo plummeted ... as most major media outlets got the pic essentially for free as part of their deal with Getty.

FYI -- Just 24 days before the shot was taken, Getty had announced a "multi-year" deal with the PGA, in which both sides touted the move as a "strategic partnership." Turns out, they were right.

We called Getty for comment -- but they're on lockdown.

TMZ has learned the staff at the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Florida has a 4:30 AM call time on Friday so they can get an early start on transforming the links into the safest place on Earth.

Sources connected to the event tell us the staff has been instructed to move all golf carts from underneath the clubhouse by 5:30 AM to clear a landing pad for Tiger's convoy.

We're told officials believe Tiger will arrive in a fleet of black SUVs sometime before 11 AM when he is scheduled to speak. Tiger's crew will drive underneath the clubhouse presumably so he can move about freely without worrying about interlopers seeing or hearing anything Tiger doesn't want people to see or hear.

We're told local police officers will be on site during the event -- some of the cops will be in plain clothes.

It seems Tiger plans on having complete control of the situation -- as we previously reported, he's not even taking questions.

Tiger's statement is set to take place on critical day three of the Accenture Match Play -- Accenture happens to be one of the first sponsors to drop Woods after Tiger admitted to messing around behind his wife's back.

And now, Ernie Els -- who was pretty friendly with Tiger before the scandal -- has lashed out at Woods in an interview with GolfWeek.com saying, "It's selfish ... You can write that. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament."

Els added, "I feel sorry for the sponsor."

Another one of Tiger's competitor's -- Sergio Garcia -- also weighed in, saying "Timing-wise, it's not the best."

Tiger's event is currently set for Friday at 11 AM EST -- he won't be taking any questions.

We got this photo, taken earlier today, of Tiger jogging near his home in Florida.

He's wearing his Nike shirt and shorts -- important because Nike stuck by him.

Tiger is not wearing a wedding ring.

We're told Tiger had a team of security around him as he hit balls. Helicopters started flying over the area and Tiger beat a hasty retreat.

Tiger's kids are at the house with the nanny. Elin Nordegren showed up with her sister earlier in the day.

As we first reported, a Tiger employee told us Tiger would play at Tavistock ... a PGA sponsored tourney in March.

We should know a lot more about Tiger's golf plans -- and the Masters -- on Friday.

Several major online gambling sites have marked Tiger as the odds-on favorite to win the Masters, which takes place in April.

According to Sportsbook.com, Tiger is currently listed at +250 -- which means a $10 bet pays $25.

The next closest competitor is Phil Mickelson, who is listed at +700. The odds on anyone else winning the tourney is at least +1000.

For the record -- Tiger has not made any public announcement regarding his future golf plans ... and hasn't played competitive golf since November.

The PGA Tour's website just posted that Tiger Woods will speak publicly at the PGA Tour Headquarters on Friday at 11:00 AM ET.

The PGA typically announces on Fridays who will play in the following week's tournament.

According to Tiger's agent, Mark Steinberg, Tiger plans to apologize for his behavior and discuss his plans for the future. Woods will be speaking with a small group of his friends and colleagues during the news conference.

Steinberg said no one will be able to ask questions during the news conference. There is a report out that Tiger will read a prepared statement.

And this is interesting ... the news conference will take place during the Accenture Match Play Championship -- one of the sponsors that dropped him in the wake of the sex scandal.

Steinberg said, "This is all about the next step. He's looking forward to it."

Story developing

Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was popped for DUI earlier this month in Scottsdale, Arizona -- after cops allegedly clocked him going way, way over the speed limit in a badass black Ferrari.

According to the police report, Khabibulin -- who reportedly signed a 4-year, $15 million deal with the Oilers last year -- was initially pulled over around midnight on February 8 for going 70 MPH in a 45 MPH zone.

In the report, cops say when they asked the 37-year-old how fast he was going, he said "80" ... and later admitted to drinking "one glass of wine."