TMZ Sports - Page 50

Every single gambling website we found (no, we do NOT have a gambling problem!) shows Tiger as the clear favorite across the board, with odds ranging from 2/1 to 9/2.

Phil Mickelson -- who once took time off from the PGA Tour to be by his wife's side after she was diagnosed with breast cancer -- is picked to finish second.

BTW: The guy standing behind Tiger is his renowned golf instructor, Hank Haney.

Not the best defense for sure ... but former New York Mets great Dwight Gooden wants everyone to know ... when he got busted for DWI, he was not doing coke.

Doc's agent told NorthJersey.com the former player was apparently under the influence of Ambien when he was arrested Tuesday after striking a car -- allegedly.

The agent, Ronald Goldstein, says Doc got the script for Ambien recently, which he admitted "affected [Gooden's] ability to drive."

Ambien does pack a punch.

It's unclear if Melissa was aware ... or even cared ... that Tito is dating Jenna Jameson.

Tito's people contacted us to say Tito has no idea who Melissa is and has "never seen her, spoken to her, or been anywhere near her" other than during this photo op.

Sources say Tiger -- who was wearing his trademark black and red during at least part of the shoot -- shot the commercial on the Isleworth Country Club golf course in his neighborhood in Windermere, Florida Thursday morning.

We're told a Tiger stand-in was used Wednesday to set up the shots.

As for the shoot, we're told Tiger got in and out very quickly.

The photo on the left was taken Wednesday during the set up.

In the video, White claims that CAT Scans can sometimes be "inaccurate," adding "I'm hoping it's a mistake and he can continue to fight ... he's one of the best fighters in the world."

White tells TMZ, Alves appears to be fine ... and the fighter feels so bad about the last-minute drama that he texted White an apology ... an apology that White claims was completely unnecessary.

FYI -- Woods is set to make his professional comeback in just a few weeks ... when he tries to take down the Masters. The guy in the blue is Tiger's swing coach Hank Haney.

Think his opponents are scared yet?

Ben Roethlisberger's accuser has not had the change of heart reported by the media, because her lawyer tells TMZ she's scheduled to be re-interviewed by cops in the sexual assault investigation.

Her reps tell us they broke their silence to correct "recent misstatements in the media," saying, "Our client is cooperating fully with law enforcement in this matter. Future interviews have been scheduled and our client will attend."

The lawyers were mum on when the sit-downs with cops will take place.

The man getting into the Octagon is "Ultimate Fighter" contestant Ben Saunders -- a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

UFC guru Dana White tells TMZ Saunders called him and asked for the fight, after Alves was benched because of an irregular CAT Scan, as TMZ first reported.

White tells us if Saunders wins against Fitch, he'll get a title shot with Georges St-Pierre.

Saunders was scheduled to fight Jake Ellenberger on Saturday but now Jake is the odd man out. White tells us he'll pay Jake his fee and schedule another fight later.

We're told the "Jersey Shore" star "bounced" the pitch -- but at least he owned up to it on his Twitter page saying, "Awesome experience meeting all the mets n David WRight - My throw game will admit was a lil off lol."

Ben Roethlisberger is smack in the middle of a brand new mystery -- one that involves the alleged disappearance of security footage shot at Capital City nightclub on the night he was accused of sexual assault.

A lawyer for Capital City told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review the footage has been erased -- and produced the following explanation: "The DVD system overwrote itself ... Had it just been deleted, they might have been able to save some of it."

But this information directly contradicts what bar owner Rocky Duncan repeatedly told TMZ in the wake of the alleged incident -- dude not only said he had video, but Duncan described the footage in great detail.

Duncan told TMZ the video clearly showed Ben and his 20-year-old accuser hanging out before the alleged incident and cops speaking with Ben afterward. Duncan was quick to point out that the video did not show Ben and his accuser going towards the bathroom where the alleged incident took place.

UPDATE: The lawyer for the club tells TMZ cops watched the video with Rocky "shortly" after the alleged incident -- but cops did not take the video with them at that time.

The lawyer tells us cops returned to collect the tape -- and that's when they noticed the footage had been erased.

UFC's Thiago "Pitbull" Alves will not fight at Saturday's UFC 111, because a CAT Scan shows an irregularity in his brain ... TMZ has learned.

Thiago was scheduled to rumble with Jon Fitch on Saturday -- but a pre-fight CAT Scan revealed an irregularity -- a source close to 26-year-old Pitbull tells TMZ the irregularity involves an artery in the brain.

UFC honcho Dana White tells TMZ he will fly Pitbull to a specialist for further evaluation. White says, "If it's true, it can be career-ending."

No one will replace Pitbull on Saturday. The headliner is Georges St- Pierre -- ironically, the fighter who solidly beat Thiago in his last fight last July.

With crutches on both arms, Beckham limped around to observe the L.A. Galaxy run through drills in Carson, California.

Beckham underwent surgery to repair the tendon the day after he tore it, but he'll still miss his chance to play in the upcoming World Cup tournament.

Former NY Mets and NY Yankees star pitcher Dwight "Doc" Gooden was arrested in New Jersey yesterday after cops say he got into a car crash while under the influence of drugs -- while there was a kid in his car.

According to officials, 45-year-old Gooden was arrested and charged with multiple crimes including:

-- Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs
-- Being under the Influence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance
-- Endangering the Welfare of a Child
-- DWI with a Child Passenger
-- Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident
-- Reckless Driving
-- Failure to Keep Right
-- Failure to Notify Change of Address regarding driver's license

As first reported on Deadspin.com, cops say they first investigated the situation after receiving a 911 call around 8:50 AM yesterday morning.

Gooden was released on his own recognizance.

Former NFL superstar Warren Sapp will not face criminal charges for allegedly beating a woman during Super Bowl weekend in Miami this year.

The Florida State Attorney's Office just announced that "the State cannot file charges ... due to the totality of the evidence and inconsistencies with the victim testimony and the physical evidence gathered during the investigation."

The woman told authorities that Sapp got violent with her in his hotel room on February 6, 2010 because he wanted her to leave. But according to officials, there were many inconsistencies in the alleged victim's story.

Authorities say the woman told investigators that Sapp beat her so badly that she could "barely walk " and needed help from an "anonymous man" to leave the building -- but video surveillance shows she never received any aid from anyone ... and was walking without a limp.

Jeffrey Hausinger -- the Merrill Lynch financial adviser who, according to documents, made a $3,000 deposit into Keith's bank account last August -- posted a curious tweet back in January, one that references his interest in Gallon.

"In Norman getting set to watch Willie Warren and Keith Gallon take on the MO tigers, Boomer Sooner.
6:15 PM Jan 15th"

As TMZ Sports first reported, Hausinger's cash deposit may be a violation of NCAA rules regarding compensation for student athletes. We're told OU officials have not been able to speak to Keith since we published our story, and that he has hired a lawyer.