Beem is critical of limited-field event

Saying he was “insulted” by the prospect of Tiger Woods’ new tournament being treated like an invitational, Rich Beem said he would rally players against the PGA Tour to make sure the event had a full field.

“It’s the most totally wrong thing I’ve heard of in a long time that’s sticking it to the players,” Beem said Thursday in Palm Harbor, Fla.

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has said that the AT&T; National, to be played July 5-8 in Washington with Woods as the host, likely would be considered along the lines of tournaments run by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer that have limited fields.

The Memorial Tournament has a minimum of 105 players and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill has a minimum of 120 players, although 133 eligible players have committed to play next week in Orlando.

Finchem said several details have not been finalized for the tournament, which will be run by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

“I’ve had some preliminary conversations with our board and I have to believe that we will work with Tiger and the foundation to fine-tune it,” Finchem said Wednesday. “But my guess is that at the end of the day, the field size will be commensurate with what you generally see in invitationals, which is a somewhat limited field.”

This caught several players by surprise.

“I was shocked when I heard that,” Brad Faxon said. “We’ve got players looking for spots, and we’re replacing a tournament that had a full field. With the amount of tournaments we have that are invitationals, it doesn’t make sense to do more.”

PRO FOOTBALL

Ravens get McGahee

after losing Lewis

Baltimore acquired running back Willis McGahee from Buffalo for three draft picks -- third- and seventh-round choices in this year’s draft and a third-rounder in 2008.

McGahee, 25, replaces Jamal Lewis, who signed a day earlier with Cleveland.

Bills Coach Dick Jauron sidestepped questions about why the team decided to trade McGahee. Jauron simply said the deal was too good to pass up and that it benefited both teams.

Asked if McGahee had requested a trade, Jauron replied: “That’s a good question for you to ask him.”

In other moves:

* Atlanta reached agreement with 35-year-old receiver Joe Horn, formerly of New Orleans.

* Seattle released defensive end Grant Wistrom, who was scheduled to make $3.5 million next season.

* Miami signed former New York Giants kicker Jay Feely.

* Arizona signed safety Terrence Holt, formerly of Detroit and the brother of St. Louis receiver Torry Holt.

MISCELLANY

Musher feared lost

spotted on wrong trail

Deborah Bicknell turned up on the wrong trail, hours after Iditarod officials started a search for the 61-year-old rookie musher. Bicknell was spotted from the air driving her team through Ptarmigan Pass, a route formerly used in the race, said Iditarod spokesman Chas St. George.

“It appears she took the wrong trail,” St. George said.

Lance Mackey continues to lead the race.

Former major league pitcher Darren Holmes joined the list of athletes linked to a nationwide steroids investigation.

SI.com reported that Holmes received somatropin, a form of human growth hormone, and testosterone from Palm Beach Rejuvenation in October 2003. Holmes told SI.com he ordered and received the HGH but that the testosterone was unsolicited and unused.

Tennessee starting quarterback Erik Ainge has injured his knee and will miss the rest of spring practice, Coach Phillip Fulmer said. Ainge has a partially torn meniscus and will have surgery next week.

Kevin Prentiss had an Arena Football League-record nine touchdown catches to help the Las Vegas Gladiators (1-1) to a 79-69 victory over the Grand Rapids Rampage (1-1) at Grand Rapids, Mich.

Snowboardcross world champion Lindsey Jacobellis won the World Cup SBX at Wilmington, N.Y. Drew Neilson edged Nate Holland in the men’s race.

Sven Kramer won the 5,000-meter race at the World Single Distances Speedskating championships at Kearns, Utah.