Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Tiger Woods celebrated his 31st birthday Saturday by sharing some of his biggest news of the year — his wife is expecting their first child this summer.

“Obviously, we couldn’t be happier and our families are thrilled,” Woods said on his Web site. “I have always wanted to be a dad. I just wish my father could be around to share the experience.”

Woods and Elin Nordegren of Sweden married in October 2004, and Woods has said that he wanted children sooner instead of later. He did not say when in the summer the baby is due, although it likely would be between the U.S. Open and British Open.

The world’s No. 1 player is skipping the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship next week on Maui.

“I’m going to stick close to home for the next few weeks,” he said. Woods will start his ’07 season in the Buick Invitational at the end of January, “which will allow Elin and I to spend more time with our families during this very special time in our lives.”

WILLIAMS WAIVED

AUSTIN, Texas — Jay Williams’ comeback was put on hold Saturday when the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros waived him so he can rehabilitate a nagging groin injury.

Williams, still trying to make it back after severely injuring his left leg in a 2003 motorcycle accident, played three games for Austin. He averaged 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 28 minutes per game.

Williams, the national player of the year at Duke in 2002 and the No. 2 pick in that year’s NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, was replaced on the roster by former Boston College star Troy Bell.

HURRICANES

RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes activated forwards Kevyn Adams and Andrew Ladd from the injured list on Saturday.

BASEBALL

MILWAUKEE (AP) — NL championship series MVP Jeff Suppan signed his $42 million, four-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers after he passed a physical.

The 31-year-old right-hander went 12-7 with a 4.12 ERA for St. Louis last season.

OLYMPICS

BALTIMORE — Canadian Olympic gold-medalist Myriam Bedard will remain jailed while awaiting extradition to Canada to face charges of parental child abduction and violation of a custody order, a U.S. federal judge said.

Bedard, 37, was arrested a week ago in Maryland and is being held on a warrant for being an international fugitive.

She allegedly violated a child custody order by bringing her 12-year-old daughter to the United States. U.S. marshals found her and the girl, Maude, at a hotel in Columbia, a suburb of Baltimore and Washington, D.C.