Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Wednesday, April 9

April 9 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Wednesday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - GOLF Masters looming as most wide open in decades AUGUSTA, Ga. - The 78th edition of the Masters, starting at Augusta National on Thursday, is looming as one of the most open in decades in the absence of world No. 1 Tiger Woods, leaving defending champion Adam Scott and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy vying for the role of favorite. (GOLF-MASTERS/PREVIEW (PIX, TV), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 600 words) - - Masters champion desperate to be a Great Scott AUGUSTA, Ga. - Adam Scott does not want to be known as a one-hit wonder and says he is desperate to join Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els as multiple major winners. (GOLF-MASTERS/SCOTT (INTERVIEW), moved, by Tony Jimenez, 550 words) - - Augusta chairman talks to media on eve of Masters AUGUSTA, Ga. - Billy Payne, the chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, addresses the media on the eve of the tournament. (GOLF-MASTERS/PAYNE (PIX, TV), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Julian Linden, 400 words) - - Absent Woods still making news at Augusta AUGUSTA, Ga. - Tiger Woods is missing the Masters for the first time in 20 years, but the 38-year-old American still commanded attention at Augusta National, site of the year's first major championship. (GOLF-MASTERS/WOODS (PIX, TV), moved, by Larry Fine, 650 words) - - Players set to contend for Masters Par-3 tourney AUGUSTA, Ga. - The traditional Par-3 tournament takes place on the eve of the Masters. The short-course tournament has become a jinx with no winners having gone on to win the main event that same week. (GOLF-MASTERS/PAR3 (PIX, TV), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Tony Jimenez, 400 words) - - Masters chairman set to vote for women at Royal and Ancient AUGUSTA, Ga. - Two years after Augusta National Golf Club finally agreed to allow women to join its membership, the club's chairman is hinting he will vote to support a move to include female members to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. (GOLF-MASTERS/PAYNE-WOMEN (PIX), moved, by Julian Linden, 375 words) - - Augusta officials still unsure how to replace Eisenhower tree AUGUSTA, Ga. - Tiger Woods is not the only icon missing from this year's Masters. Augusta National's famed Eisenhower Tree, which stood for years on the 17th fairway, was removed after being damaged by an ice storm last August. (GOLF-MASTERS/TREE, expect by 1815 GMT/2:15 PM ET, by Julian Linden, 300 words) - - Oosthuizen knows Augusta better after 2013 agony AUGUSTA, Ga. - Louis Oosthuizen learned more about the Augusta National Golf Club from missing the halfway cut last year than he did by coming perilously close to winning the Masters in 2012. (GOLF-MASTERS/OOSTHUIZEN (INTERVIEW), expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Tony Jimenez, 650 words) - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Games begin: NFL preseason schedule released Highlights of the 2014 NFL preseason schedule. (FBN-NEWS/, expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 450 words) - - Wayne ready to return University of Phoenix Stadium will host the 2015 Pro Bowl, seven days before the Super Bowl is played at the home of the Arizona Cardinals. (FBN-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 250 words) - - Wayne ready to return Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne expects to be on the field when the team begins offseason team workouts. (FBN-DRAFT/, expect by 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - Pro Day: LSU stars take field Barely three months removed from ACL surgery, LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger is part of the Tigers' pro day. (FBN-DRAFT/, expect by 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION *The Sports Xchange covers all NBA games. Key matchups highlighted below. - - Keeping Kupchak, Lakers eye rebuild General manager Mitch Kupchak agrees to a new contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, who are primed for a rebuild after a season in which the team will set a record for losses. (BKN-LAKERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 325 words) - - Celtics at Hawks ATLANTA - With a 1.5-game lead over the New York Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta aims to edge closer to a postseason berth. (BKN-HAWKS-CELTICS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Bulls at Timberwolves MINNESOTA - Chicago's five-game winning streak puts the Bulls even with the Toronto Raptors, who have the same record and an edge for the No. 3 seed as the potential Atlantic Division champion. The Bulls go for six in a row while the Raptors take on Philadelphia. (BKN-TIMBERWOLVES-BULLS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0000 GMT/8 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NBA Wrap: Suns hope to inch closer to playoff berth The Phoenix Suns, clinging to the final Western Conference playoff seed with five games to play, visit the New Orleans Pelicans in one of 12 games on the NBA schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - The full NBA schedule: Detroit at Cleveland, 7 PM ET Brooklyn at Orlando, 7 PM ET Philadelphia at Toronto, 7 PM ET Charlotte at Washington, 7 PM ET Boston at Atlanta, 7:30 PM ET Miami at Memphis, 8 PM ET Indiana at Milwaukee, 8 PM ET Chicago at Minnesota, 8 PM ET Phoenix at New Orleans, 8 PM ET Houston at Denver 9 PM ET Sacramento at Portland, 10 PM ET Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 PM ET - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL UMasss Gordon first openly gay men's D-I basketball player One week ago, University of Massachusetts basketball player Derrick Gordon gathered his teammates to tell them he was gay. He begins sharing his story with the rest of the world today. (BKC-MASSACHUSETTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Lacey Holsworth, friend of MSU's Payne, dies of cancer Lacey Holsworth, an 8-year-old girl with cancer who had a heart-warming bond with Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne, dies. (BKC-MICHIGANSTATE-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL *The Sports Xchange covers all MLB games. Key matchups highlighted below. - - Rays LHP Moore to see Dr. James Andrews KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore, who was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a left elbow injury, will be examined today by Dr. James Andrews. Surgery is a possibility. (BBO-RAYS-NEWS/, moved; may be led, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - 3B Beltre returns to Texas for tests BOSTON - Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre left the game with a strained left quadriceps Tuesday, and he will return to Texas for an examination to determine the severity. (BBO-RANGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - Dodgers turn to Federowicz LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Tim Federowicz, called up Tuesday after A.J. Ellis went on the disabled list and underwent knee surgery, is prepared to take on the duties of a starting catcher. (BBO-DODGERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Orioles at Yankees NEW YORK - Masahiro Tanaka debuts at Yankee Stadium in the decisive game of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, who pounded out 20 hits Tuesday. (BBO-YANKEES-ORIOLES-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2305 GMT/7:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Larry Fleisher, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Reds at Cardinals ST. LOUIS - Shelby Miller and the St. Louis Cardinals try to finish off a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. (BBO-CARDINALS-REDS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/, expect ASAP after the 1745 GMT/1:45 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by James Dent, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Rangers at Red Sox BOSTON - The third game of the series at Fenway Park between the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox, who send right-hander Jake Peavy to the mound after a no-decision in the home opener last week. (BBO-REDSOX-RANGERS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2005 GMT/4:05 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Matt Carroll, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Mets at Braves ATLANTA - Late-spring pickup Ervin Santana makes his first start with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in today's matchup with local product and New York Mets starter Zack Wheeler. (BBO-BRAVES-METS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2310 GMT/7:10 p.m. ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Guy Curtright, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - MLB Wrap: Yanks' Tanaka makes home debut Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka makes his home debut for the New York Yankees versus the Baltimore Orioles in one of 16 games on the Major League Baseball games on the schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - The full MLB schedule: American League: Oakland at Minnesota, 1:10 PM ET Tampa Bay at Kansas City, 2:10 PM ET Texas at Boston, 4:05 PM ET Baltimore at New York, 7:05 PM ET Miami at Washington, 7:05 PM ET Houston at Toronto, 7:07 PM ET Los Angeles Angels at Seattle, 10:10 PM ET - - National League: San Diego at Cleveland, doubleheader, 12:05 PM ET, Game Two, TBD Cincinnati at St. Louis, 1:45 PM ET Milwaukee at Philadelphia, 7:05 PM ET New York Mets at Atlanta, 7:10 PM ET Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 PM ET Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 PM ET - - Interleague: Chicago White sox at Colorado, 3:10 PM ET Detroit at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 PM ET - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE *The Sports Xchange covers all NHL games. Key matchups highlighted below. - - Penguins D Letang returns from January stroke Kris Letang will play for the Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit tonight more than two months after suffering a stroke. (HKN-PENGUINS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Canadiens at Blackhawks CHICAGO - With Montreal resting its top defenders and starting goaltender, the Chicago Blackhawks look to gain ground on the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. (HKN-BLACKHAWKS-CANADIENS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Jerry Bonkowski, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Penguins at Red Wings DETROIT - A possible postseason preview with the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the Detroit Red Wings. Pittsburgh has secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. (HKN-REDWINGS-PENGUINS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0000 GMT/8 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NHL Wrap: Ducks look to wrap up division crown The Anaheim Ducks can lock up the Pacific Division crown and a more favorable first-round playoff opponent with a win over the visiting San Jose Sharks in one of five games on the schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 550 words) - - The full NHL schedule: Montreal at Chicago, 7:30 PM ET Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 PM ET Columbus at Dallas, 8:30 PM ET Los Angeles at Calgary, 10 PM ET San Jose at Anaheim, 10:30 PM ET - - - - OSCAR PISTORIUS Pistorius forced to look at 'exploded' head of girlfriend PRETORIA - A South African prosecutor forces Oscar Pistorius to look at a forensic photograph that shows the head of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp after it was blown open by a hollow-point bullet fired by the Olympic and Paralympic track star. (US-SAFRICA-PISTORIUS/ (UPDATE 4, PIX), moved, by Joe Brock, 750 words) - - - - AUTO RACING NASCAR driver capsules A driver-by-driver preview of what's to come this weekend when the lights come on at Darlington. (CAR-DRIVERCAPSULES/, expect by 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 300 words per driver) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)