Field is largely set for Tiger Woods’ charity event

Former U.S. Open winner Rory McIlroy and 2012 British Open winner Ernie Els are among the 18 golfers scheduled to play with Tiger Woods in Woods’ charity tournament in Thousand Oaks in December.

The Tiger Woods Foundation on Monday announced the field for the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge, a four-round event at Sherwood Country Club scheduled for Dec. 5-8 and paying $1 million to the winner. Woods, who last week was selected PGA Tour player of the year, is a five-time winner of the World Challenge, whose proceeds benefit Woods’ charitable foundation.

Besides Woods, McIlroy and Els, the field includes defending World Challenge winner Graeme McDowell, 2010 tournament winner Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson, Steve Stricker, Keegan Bradley, Jason Day and Jason Dufner, winner of this year’s PGA Championship.

Two additional players will be added.

—Jim Peltz

ETC.

Mikulak leads in world competition

Sam Mikulak, a junior at the University of Michigan from Newport Coast, had an all-around score of 89.532 to lead in the standings after the first of four subdivisions at the World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

This is the qualification round. The finals are later this week.

There is no team competition at the world championships, only all-around and individual events.

Simone Biles McKayla Maroney Kyla Ross

—Helene Elliott

The U.S. men’s hockey team for the Sochi Olympics will be announced Jan. 1, after the Winter Classic game, officials of USA Hockey said at the U.S. Olympic media summit.

“Our goal the next few months is to make 25 correct decisions,” said David Poile, general manager of Team USA and of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Poile also said that at least half the team will be composed of players from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics team, which lost to Canada in the gold-medal game.

—Helene Elliott

Hybrid icing, which was used on an experimental basis in exhibition games, will be adopted for the upcoming season after it was approved by the NHL Players’ Assn.

Hybrid icing eliminates potentially dangerous races to the end boards when icing appears imminent. Under the new rule, the linesman must judge whether the offensive player or defensive player would win a race to the faceoff dots and touch the puck first. If the linesman judges that the defensive player would reach the puck first, the play will be blown dead. If the linesman judges that the offensive player would reach the puck first, play will continue.

If the offensive player is clearly ahead and will negate icing, the play will continue. If the defenseman is ahead then the play will be blown dead at that point and icing will be called. If the play is too close to judge when the first player has reached the faceoff dots, icing will be called.

—Helene Elliott

Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Houston are the finalist cities to hold the Olympic marathon trials in 2016. David Simon, president of the Los Angeles Sports Council, said a successful bid could be a precursor to Los Angeles bidding for the 2024 Olympics.

Tracey Russell, chief executive of the Los Angeles Marathon, said United States Track and Field Assn. officials were shown several potential courses Monday.

A final decision will be made in December in Indianapolis.

—Diane Pucin