John Daly

smashed a spectator's camera into a tree yesterday while shooting a 6-over 78 in the first round of the Australian Open in Sydney.

After pushing his tee shot wide on the ninth hole at the Royal Sydney Golf Club, Daly walked into a clump of trees, where spectator

Brad Clegg

tried to take a picture at close range.

Daly snatched the camera and smashed it against the nearest tree, telling the man: "You want it back, I'll buy you a new one."

He later released a statement saying Clegg got too close.

"I was looking to take a drop and a camera was six inches away from my face. If I was 10 under, I would have felt the same," Daly said. "My eyes are still burning from the flash of the camera.

"I feel it was very rude to put a camera that close to somebody's face in any situation. The guy that had the camera had already taken a dozen shots at close range."

Terms and conditions for tickets at the Australian Open prohibit the use of cameras on the course for spectators.

Elsewhere: Annika Sorenstam

started the final tournament of her career with a 2-under 70, leaving her 4 shots off the lead at the Dubai Ladies Masters at the Emirates Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates. . . .

Corey Pavin

was named captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team for the 2010 Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales. The United States has not won in Europe since 1993, when Pavin won three matches.

Colleges

Robert E. Mulcahy

, who resigned as Rutgers' athletic director on Tuesday, said he was "disappointed I was not allowed to finish the job. I have had the privilege to work with an excellent program and many special individuals and it is an experience I will always cherish."

Rutgers had said in a statement that Mulcahy had resigned, but Mulcahy said his resignation was forced.

Doug Marrone

, the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and a Syracuse graduate, has accepted the head-coaching position at his alma mater, ESPN.com reported. Marrone was a three-year letterman in the 1980s who returned to finish his degree in 1991.

When

Tommy Tuberville

resigned, Auburn athletic director

Jay Jacobs

agreed to pay a $5.08 million buyout even though the football coach quit, information released by the university showed.

Sterling Lewis

, a University of Arizona linebacker, was arrested early yesterday in Tuscon on an extreme DUI charge. The 21-year-old took a breath test that registered his blood-alcohol content at above 0.15 percent, nearly twice the Arizona legal limit of 0.08, police said.

Noteworthy

Tim Tetrick

was chosen harness racing's driver of the year and

Ray Schnittker

was voted trainer of the year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

Tetrick, who lives in Runnemede, Camden County, won a record $19.7 million in purses this year and won the award for the second straight year.

Heavyweight

Ruslan Chagaev

will fight

Carl Davis Drumond

on Feb. 7 in Rostock, Germany.

Nikolai Valuev

, the WBA champion, will fight

Evander Holyfield

on Dec. 20 in Zurich, Switzerland. Under WBA rules, the winner must fight Chagaev by June 26.

NASCAR driver

Bobby Labonte

said he would leave Petty Enterprises and look for another team for next season.

Three-time Grand Slam-winner

Lindsay Davenport

, 32, has signaled a return to the WTA Tour by entering the Australian Open.