Sports Digest/ Golf - US Tour: With British Open champion Pádraig Harrington joining Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott in deciding not to play the US Tour season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii, the Swedes Henrik Stenson and Daniel Chopra are the only Europeans in the 31-strong field teeing off today.
The event is restricted to 2007 winners, Stenson qualifying thanks to his World Golf Championships matchplay victory in Arizona last February and Chopra breaking through in Florida at the end of October.
World number three Jim Furyk, Masters champion Zach Johnson and US Open champion Angel Cabrera head the line-up, while Vijay Singh defends the title he lifted by two strokes from Scott a year ago.
• Live coverage on Setanta Golf beginning at 11pm.
Tragic end for Korean champion
Boxing: South Korean boxer Choi Yo-sam, who lapsed into a coma last week defending his WBO title, has been declared brain dead and will go off life support soon, an official for Seoul hospital, the Asan Medical Centre, said yesterday.
Choi, who won the Christmas Day intercontinental flyweight title fight on points, was sent to the canvas just seconds before the end of the 12th and final round by a hard right to the jaw from Indonesian challenger Heri Amol, who landed a flurry of punches before the bell.
Choi, 33, staggered to his feet but collapsed shortly after the bout. He left the gymnasium on a stretcher and never regained consciousness.
Doctors said the boxer had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage.
Taylor and Barnes set for awards
Boxing: Reigning World and European lightweight champion Katie Taylor and Irish 2008 Olympian Paddy Barnes look set to have their achievements recognised when the Irish Amateur Boxing Association hold their awards night at the Ringside club, adjacent to the National Stadium in Dublin tomorrow night.
Irish amateur boxers claimed six European golds in 2007 and Holy Family Belfast ace Paddy Barnes qualified for the Olympics in Beijing, writes Bernard O'Neill.
Taylor won her third European gold on the trot in Denmark in October.
Meanwhile, Andy Lee will hold a press conference at the Hunt Museum, Limerick, today to announce details of his 15th pro fight. Lee looks set to fight in Limerick on February 2nd.
