NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Tom Watson won seven major golf championships in Scotland during his illustrious playing career and the PGA of America hopes that translates into a U.S. Ryder Cup victory.

Watson will not be wielding a club when the U.S. face Europe in 2014 at Gleneagles in Scotland, but the newly-minted, Ryder Cup captain aims to inspire and impart confidence to counter a Europe team that has won seven of the last nine events.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Newly-appointed U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson has been critical of Tiger Woods’s behavior in the past, but on Thursday he said there is no one he wants more to be on his team.

Watson said he would use one of his captain’s picks on Woods if the 14-times major champion failed to secure an automatic berth to the 12-man team for the biennial event through his PGA Tour results.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Limiting how far the ball travels and the type of putters players can use could do more harm than good for golf, the PGA of America said on Tuesday.

The PGA of America, who is opposed to a proposed ban on players anchoring long putters to their body, feels making golf easier would grow the game and is ready to resist a possible move to reign in the distance golf balls travel.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The United States will announce their new Ryder Cup captain on Thursday, breaking with tradition by revealing his identity on breakfast television.

The PGA of America said the captain would be introduced on NBC’s Today Show before attending a formal news conference near the top of New York City’s Empire State Building.

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) – Rookie running back David Wilson found himself in the New York Giants dog house after fumbling in the opening game of the season and struggling to master pass protection assignments.

You could excuse the first-round draft pick for howling with delight on Sunday after a breakout game in which he dashed 97 yards for a touchdown with a kickoff return, and rushed for two more scores including a 52-yarder in a 52-27 romp over the New Orleans Saints.

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) – The Super Bowl champion New York Giants, powered by dynamic rookie David Wilson, preserved their one-game lead in the tight NFC East race by routing the visiting New Orleans Saints 52-27 on Sunday.

Bolstered by a huge game by Wilson, who amassed 227 yards on four kickoff returns including a 97-yard touchdown dash, and rushed six yards for another score, the Giants improved to 8-5 while dropping the sloppy Saints to 5-8.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) said the league rejected its latest offer on Thursday as labor talks aimed at ending the lockout unexpectedly broke off on Thursday.

Moments after telling a news conference a proposal presented to the NHL should pave the way for a quick end to a dispute that is threatening to wipe out an entire season, the NHLPA said its offer was shot down.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and union representing its locked-out players were expected to resume talks on Thursday aimed at salvaging the season.

Neither side was able to confirm exactly when they would reconvene but the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) indicated talks would resume after the union held its own internal meeting at a midtown Manhattan hotel.

By Larry Fine

(Reuters) – The murder/suicide committed on Saturday by Kansas City Chiefs football player Jovan Belcher left the National Football League, its fans and health professionals struggling to understand what drove him to do it.

Belcher, 25, shot and killed his 22-year-old girlfriend Kasandra Perkins, the mother of his three-month-old daughter, in front of his own mother at home before driving to Arrowhead Stadium where he shot himself dead in the parking lot after thanking team officials for all they had done for him.

By Larry Fine

(Reuters) – The first weekend of December football signals the start of the NFL stretch run with Houston, New England, Denver, Baltimore and Atlanta poised to clinch playoff spots, while others fight to stay on the postseason path.

American Football Conference (AFC) division races look close to being locked up, but the National Football Conference is full of question marks with five weeks left in the regular season.