Tiger Woods Pulls Out of TPC
Tiger Woods withdrew from The Players Championship in the middle of his round today, citing a neck injury.
Woods was on the seventh hole when he hit a tee shot well to the right. He called over an official and proceeded to hit his next shot -- but grimaced in pain.
He shook hands with his playing partner, Jason Bohn, before leaving on a golf cart (above).
Woods said he fears he might have a bulging disk in his upper back.
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LT Alleged Victim -- I Had No Choice
The 16-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by Lawrence Taylor texted her uncle for help after the alleged sexual liaison with Taylor went down.
The girl told the New York Post in frightening detail about the events that led up to her alleged encounter with Taylor. According to the Post, when she initially refused to go with her pimp, Rasheed Davis, the girl says, "He hit me in the face, so I covered my face." She then crouched down to protect herself, but "[Davis] started kicking and stomping on me."
According to the paper, the girl was told to tell Taylor her name was Carmen and she was 19 -- and this is consistent with what Taylor has been telling friends, according to TMZ.
The girl says she feared for her life if she didn't do what she was told, telling the Post, "If I didn't go through with it, [Taylor] would've called Rasheed and there would have been consequences ... God knows what would've happened if I didn't go through with it."
After the alleged incident, the girl says she texted her uncle, "Help me ... I don't want to live like this" on her way back to the Bronx.
The girl is now in foster care, the uncle told the paper, and her biological father is seeking custody.
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Lawrence Taylor -- Pimp Supplied the Girl for Sex
Lawrence Taylor is privately contradicting what his lawyer said publicly about having sex with a 16-year-old prostitute.
A source who has had direct contact with Taylor since the incident tells TMZ Taylor has acknowledged the pimp supplied the girl ... but he "honestly believed she was 19 or 21."
Taylor's lawyer said flatly yesterday, Taylor did not have sex with the woman.
According to the source, Taylor is "devastated," insisting he's "not into the world of 16-year-olds."
Taylor is acknowledging he was with the girl but says it never dawned on him she was underage.
The source added, "He wants a lot of girls. They don't have to be the most beautiful, but he's into quantity."
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Bombshell -- I May Have Banged Tiger Woods
Because one celebrity home-wrecking sex scandal is never enough, white power poster child Bombshell McGee is now hinting that she may have slept with Tiger Woods.
Bombshell went on "The Soscia Network" radio show on Philadelphia's 106.1 FM this week -- and when asked if she would ever "mess" with Tiger, she replied, "How do you know I haven't?"
Bombshell continued, "I'm not confirming or denying ... I'm surprised no one's picked up on that yet."
Sorry, lady with the swastika tattoo ... we just don't think he's really your type.
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Sammy Sosa -- Return to the Dark Side
Six months after he appeared pale as a ghost, retired MLB player Sammy Sosa got a little shady while partying at LIV nightclub in Miami the other day.
The 41-year-old is definitely a natural.
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Frank McCourt Antes Up Support for Jamie
L.A. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has been ordered to pay Jamie McCourt $225,000 in temporary spousal support, and Frank has also been ordered to pay $412,159 a month for the mortgages for the couple's various properties ... TMZ has learned.
Jamie McCourt had asked for nearly a million bucks a month in support, but Judge Scott Gordon shot down her claim for $444,000 in perks -- which she called "monthly prerequisites" which she received while she was CEO of the Dodgers. Nevertheless, Frank was ordered to pay half a mil a month more than he offered.
Frank was ordered to make the payments to Jamie retro to last December ... which means he needs to cut a gigantic check -- approximately $2.8 million.
And get this ... Jamie says she's on the hook for $8.26 million in attorney's fees and wanted Frank to pay. Instead, the judge ruled that the couple must sell their Cabo San Lucas home -- valued at $7 million -- and Jamie can use her half for lawyer's costs. The judge wants more info before he decides if Jamie should get more from Frank in the attorney's fees department.
And the judge said this ... the couple has not paid any federal or state income taxes since 2004. A source connected with the couple tells TMZ no taxes were owed during that period because of previous losses and real estate depreciation.
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Lawrence Taylor's Wife: If He Did the Crime ...
Lawrence Taylor's wife has some tough words for the Hall of Fame football star in the wake of his arrest for statutory rape.
Lynette Taylor tells TMZ, "If the facts presented are accurate, he should be held accountable."
It should be noted Lynette also said -- at this point -- she does "not believe in a million years he would do something like that."
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Lawrence Taylor -- It Doesn't Matter If She Lied
It doesn't matter what Lawrence Taylor thought.
If the NFL legend had sex with an underage girl, according to the law, it's statutory rape.
According to the criminal complaint, the 16-year-old girl told an FBI agent her pimp instructed her to tell LT that she was 19.
But under New York law, it doesn't matter if the girl lied to Taylor about her age. If the girl is underage, it's statutory rape.
Uber New York criminal defense lawyer Ben Brafman tells TMZ, "The age of the person is what controls, not what [the defendant] thought." Under the law, it's called "strict liability" -- meaning it doesn't matter if LT had a reasonable belief that the girl was over the age of consent.
Brafman says sometimes juries will go beyond the law if they believe the defendant acted reasonably -- but the law, Brafman says, is rigid.
Brafman also notes that sometimes "the issue gets resolved at the [police] precinct level," if the cops think the suspect made an honest error.
Harder to do when the suspect is a celeb.
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LT Alleged Victim: 'Told to Say She's 19'
The 16-year-old girl who allegedly had sex with Lawrence Taylor for $300 told cops that her pimp instructed her to tell the NFL great she was 19 years old, this according to federal documents obtained by TMZ.
The FBI is now investigating alleged pimp Rasheed Davis -- on suspicion of human sex trafficking ... a federal violation.
According to the federal criminal complaint, an FBI agent assigned to the case claims Davis had "caused" the 16-year-old to "engage in multiple commercial sex acts with various individuals" ... and even "set the prices."
The FBI agent also claims that Davis had taken several "almost nude" photographs of the girl on his cell phone in order to obtain customers.
In the docs, the FBI agent claims Davis had sent the girl text messages instructing her to have sex with a client (Lawrence Taylor) on May 5th -- but the girl refused.
So, according to the agent, Davis physically assaulted her "in an effort to coerce [the victim] into participating in a commercial sex act."
According to the agent, Davis then instructed the victim to tell Lawrence Taylor that she was 19 and charge him $300 for sex.
After the alleged encounter, the agent says the victim contacted a relative via text message to ask for help.
When police caught up with Rasheed Davis on May 6, they claim they found $300 in his car.
According to the docs, Davis admitted to police that he had received money from pimpin' out the alleged victim to Lawrence Taylor ... among other people.
LT -- through his lawyer -- has denied any wrongdoing in the case. He's been charged with statutory rape and patronizing a prostitute.
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Dirk Nowitzki Ties One On after Playoff Loss
Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki knows how to lose the bitter taste of defeat -- simply knock back a bottle of tequila two days after getting knocked out of the NBA playoffs.
Dirk stuck out like a sore thumb Saturday night at LIV nightclub in Miami -- where the 7-footer was photographed drowning his sorrows while towering over several intrigued woman.
Just like tequila ... getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs can be hard to swallow.
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Tito Ortiz Domestic Case in D.A.'s Hands
Tito Ortiz's fate now lies in the hands of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
TMZ has learned the Huntington Beach Police Department has handed the case over to the D.A. -- who will ultimately decide whether to press charges.
As we first reported, Tito was arrested on April 26 for felony domestic violence, after he allegedly got physical with his baby mama Jenna Jameson.
Jenna has since contradicted herself about what went down that day ... something the D.A. will probably take into consideration.
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Lawrence Taylor Walks Out of Jail
Lawrence Taylor was just photographed leaving jail -- a couple of hours after the judge set his bail at a massive $75,000.
Taylor was arrested early this morning in Suffern, NY -- and formally arraigned on charges of 3rd degree rape and patronizing a prostitute.
The NFL legend lives in Florida, but also has a home in New Jersey.
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Lawrence Taylor's Wife Cancels Larry King
The heat is clearly on Lawrence Taylor... TMZ has learned his wife just canceled her interview with Larry King.
Lynette Taylor was supposed to appear on King's show via satellite from Florida ... but she just 86'd the interview ... we're told her husband's legal team has something to do with it.
We're told Lynette says she'll appear on King's show next Monday or Tuesday.
Larry ... don't hold your breath on this one.
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Lawrence Taylor -- Evolution of a Mug Shot
Officials have just released Lawrence Taylor's new mug shot ... the latest in a sad series of cop-shop photography.
Before he was arrested this morning for allegedly engaging in illegal sex with a 16-year-old girl, LT had his picture taken by the police at least twice before.
Just last year, LT had to mug up after he was arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run.
And back in 1996, Taylor was the star of a black and white pic after he was busted for attempted possession of crack.
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Lawrence Taylor -- Judge Sets Monster Bail
With steel handcuffs clamped down on his wrists, NFL legend Lawrence Taylor just left a New York courtroom -- where a judge set his bail at a whopping $75,000.
Taylor was formally arraigned on charges of 3rd degree rape (sex with a minor) and patronizing a prostitute in the 3rd degree. He's plead not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution first requested that the judge set bail at $100k, citing LT's lengthy criminal history. Taylor's attorney called the request "ludicrous." Ultimately, the judge settled on $75k.
Minutes before the arraignment, cops held a news conference, where they confirmed several facts:
-- LT was "very cooperative" with police.
-- Cops say LT had some alcohol inside hishotel room, but officials won't specify what kind or how much. LTdidn't appear to be intoxicated when cops arrived to his room.
-- Officers also claim LT did not attack his accuser, her black eye was caused before she arrived to his hotel room.
LT Allegedly Paid Accuser $300 for Sex
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Lawrence Taylor's accuser told police that the NFL legend paid her $300 for sex.
As we previously reported, LT was arrested this morning on suspicion of raping an underage girl in a Holiday Inn outside NYC.
Cops have already confirmed that the accuser was under the control of a pimp -- who was later arrested.
Sources tell us the pimp was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault and endangering the welfare of a minor.