Senator seeking legal view on LPGA policy

A California state senator said Thursday that he was seeking a legal opinion to determine whether the LPGA Tour’s language requirement for players violates state or federal law.

State Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) is upset about a policy that requires players to speak effective English starting in 2009. The rule is effective immediately for new players, while veteran members will be suspended if they can’t pass an oral English test.

The LPGA Tour expects to have the policy written by the end of the year.

Yee said the rule might violate California laws covering workplace discrimination or disabilities. He expects an answer from the state Legislative Counsel’s Office within a few weeks, before the tour returns to California.

If the office determines the language rule is legal, Yee said he would introduce a bill to prohibit the policy from being enforced when the tour comes to California.

The LPGA policy is “an absolute slap in the face of women, minorities, immigrants,” Yee said.

LPGA Tour officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The first round of the BMW Championship was washed out by steady rain that deluged Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. The opening round of the PGA Tour event will be today, with 36 holes scheduled for Saturday.

HOCKEY

Kings agree to terms with forward Jarret Stoll

The Kings have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with forward Jarret Stoll, whom they acquired in June as part of a trade that sent Lubomir Visnovsky to the Edmonton Oilers.

Stoll, 26, agreed to a deal that will average $3.6 million a season. In 286 career games, Stoll has 59 goals and 165 points.

A newly formed Russian hockey league accused the NHL of poaching two of its players when the Kings agreed to terms with two draft prospects last week.

As a result, the Continental Hockey League (KHL), announced that it was no longer obligated to abide by a moratorium reached in July, when the leagues agreed against signing players that were under contract.

In a news release, the KHL said the NHL violated that agreement when the Kings signed 2008 second-round draft pick, defenseman Vjateslav Voinov, and 2008 fifth-round pick, center Andrei Loktionov, on Aug. 27.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly disputed the claim.

TRACK AND FIELD

Gay to skip 100 meters to avoid further injury

U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay will skip today’s 100-meter dash in Brussels because he doesn’t want to further injure his hamstring.

Gay, who was injured at the U.S. Olympic trials in July, was eliminated in the semifinals in Beijing.

Triple gold medalist Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell of Jamaica will headline the field.

MISCELLANY

Stewart and Logano not on probation after all

Tony Stewart and Joey Logano will not be on probation in the NASCAR Nationwide Series after all. A three-man panel of the National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a decision rescinding the probation handed down to the drivers after the Joe Gibbs Racing team was caught trying to manipulate an engine horsepower test following a race last month.

Andy Roddick, James Blake and the doubles pair of twins Bob and Mike Bryan will make up the U.S. team for a record-extending 11th consecutive Davis Cup contest when it faces Spain in a semifinal this month.

Curlin will get his chance to become thoroughbred racing’s richest horse on Sept. 27 in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in New York.