TMZ Sports - Page 50

TMZ has learned Georgia law enforcement officers have contacted the lawyer for a woman who made a sexual assault claim last year against Ben Roethlisberger.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation -- which is currently investigating Ben for an alleged sexual assault earlier this month -- contacted Cal Dunlap, the attorney for Andrea McNulty, requesting a sit down with her.

McNulty sued Ben last year, claiming Ben sexually assaulted her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2008. Ben denies the claim.

Dunlap flatly rejected GBI's overture, telling TMZ, "We believe the facts alleged by our client are already in public documents. A case in Georgia ought to be brought or not brought on its own merits."

Tiger Woods' return to golf is hitting tournament-goers where it hurts most -- because ticket prices for the Masters have gone through the roof.

Four day Masters Badges -- which ordinarily go for $200 each -- were listed for resale at $1,950 on GoldenTickets.com last Friday ... even before Tiger announced he was going to play.

Yesterday ticket prices skyrocketed to $2,400.

Golf hasn't seen this much buzz since Happy Gilmore.

Jesper Parnevik scoffed at doubters, telling TMZ, "Nobody ever thought Tiger would miss the Masters. It was pretty expected."

Parnevik introduced Tiger to Elin Nordegren and is one of very few golfers to publicly blast Tiger for his affairs.

Parnevik added ... Tiger doesn't have to play a warm-up tournament before the Masters. He said, "if anyone can do it, he can," adding he thinks T.W. will do well.

We knew it. We've been saying it for months ... Tiger Woods just announced he will play at the Masters next month.

Woods released a statement that said: "The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.

"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played.

"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.

"When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play."

UPDATE: Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, tells TMZ, "We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters Tournament. Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

Tiger Woods' return to golf at the Masters Tournament is causing a huge surge in fan attendance -- and the hotels surrounding the Augusta golf course can barely take the heat.

TMZ spoke to over a dozen hotels near the Augusta National Golf Club -- where the Masters is held -- and their phones have been ringing off the hook since Tiger's announcement this morning.

We're told a bunch of guests had inquired about canceling when they thought Tiger wouldn't be coming -- but have now called to confirm their reservations.

Many of the hotels in town are already sold out, and those that have rooms left are rapidly filling up ... so buy now.

Barrett -- who pled guilty in December to one count of interstate stalking -- has until noon on May 3 to turn himself in. Barrett also has to stay 100 yards away from Erin and her family at all times.

Barrett was accused of secretly videotaping Andrews while she was naked in multiple hotel rooms.

During a news conference after the hearing, Erin said she wished Barrett was sentenced to more time behind bars. She also said she considers Barrett a sexual predator.

Question is ...

The Palooza is a tradition that Ben and his pals have put together for the past several years in which the Steelers quarterback and a group of his friends celebrate Ben's birthday together.

This year, Ben-a-Palooza began at Roethlisberger's home near Pittsburgh, where the group -- pictured above wearing customized Palooza shirts -- boarded a party bus bound for Ben's lake house in Georgia.

After the bus arrived to the home, several members spent one of the nights on a bar crawl in Milledgeville where Ben was later accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman in a nightclub bathroom.

Nothing spoils a Palooza like a criminal investigation.

Sources close to the family tell us Tiger's been staying with the family at their Isleworth estate for the past 8 nights -- and during that time, we're told Elin has been seen around town with a rejuvenated demeanor.

As for Tiger, he was practicing like a man possessed before the weather got bad -- but with the rain coming down for the past few days, he's been stuck indoors.

Chief Woodrow Blue has reiterated what he told TMZ yesterday ... the photos were taken over an hour before the alleged incident at Capital City bar.

Although Sgt. Jerry Blash (top picture with Ben) wrote the initial police report, the Chief says none of the cops photographed with Ben are involved in any way with the investigation.

As we first reported, the photos were not taken at Capital City.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli probably thought pleading to second degree burglary would keep him from being suspended this season -- he was very, very wrong.

Masoli was suspended for the entire 2010 season, his head coach announced today, for his part in a frat house burglary.

He pled guilty today to second degree misdemeanor burglary and agreed to make restitution.

Masoli threw for 2,147 yards last season and rushed for another 814.

It's worth noting -- Ducks RB LeGarrette Blount was suspended for the season last year after an on-field altercation ... but he was reinstated after missing 10 games.

TMZ has learned the P.I. is Charles Mittelstadt -- who has worked as a lead investigator on behalf of NFL stars like Ray Lewis and Jamal Lewis. Mittelstadt has also worked for rapper T.I. and convicted Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph.

Hiring a private investigator is a sign that the alleged victim is fair game. In this case, as we already reported, law enforcement tells us alcohol was a factor.

It's a safe bet the P.I. will go down that road ... as well as others.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the two pics featuring Ben and Sgt. Jerry Blash were taken "at a different location" -- 90 minutes before the alleged Roethlisberger incident went down at the Capital City nightclub in Milledgeville, Georgia.

As we previously reported, Big Ben and his party crew hit several locations in the hours before the alleged incident -- though it's unclear exactly where these controversial pics were snapped.

According to the Union-Recorder, Sgt. Jerry Blash -- an 8-year veteran of the Milledgeville Police Department -- took two pics with Big Ben ... one inside and one outside a local bar.

Soon after the pics were taken, Blash was approached by the alleged victim -- and was the cop who wrote the first police report.

Police Chief Woodrow Blue told reporters he was not troubled by the photos, saying they "did not and have not affected the investigation at all."