Reuters Sports Schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday, May 12

May 12 (Reuters) - Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday (times GMT):



- - - -

GOLF

PEDRENA, Spain - Seve Ballesteros, one of golf's greatest showmen, was given an emotional send-off by hundreds of mourners at a funeral service in his hometown of Pedrena on Wednesday. (GOLF-BALLESTEROS/ (UPDATE 2), moved, pix, tv, by Mark Elkington, 500 words)

- -

LONDON - Seve Ballesteros's Houdini-like escape acts were so compelling that amateur golfers will always be trying to 'Do a Seve' when faced with impossible situations in the trees or rough, according to Gary Player. (GOLF-BALLESTEROS/PLAYER (INTERVIEW), moving at 0200, by Tony Jimenez, 500 words)

- -

Players Championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida - South African Tim Clark said on Wednesday he is not going to let a nagging elbow injury get in the way of defending his Players Championship title this week at the TPC Sawgrass. (GOLF-PGA/, moved, pix, by Simon Evans, 450 words)

- -

European Tour: Iberdrola Open, Mallorca, Spain (to 15)

- - - -

NBA

MIAMI - The Miami Heat can book their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals with a win over the Boston Celtics while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies battle for the upper hand in their series. (NBA-PLAYOFFS/, expect by 0200, pix, by Steve Keating, 400 words)

- - - -

BASEBALL

NEW YORK - A.J. Burnett takes the mound for the New York Yankees against the visiting Kansas City Royals, who counter with left-hander Bruce Chen with both pitchers aiming to notch their fifth win of the season. (BASEBALL-YANKEES/, expect by 0330, pix, by Larry Fine, 350 words)

- - - -

SOCCER

South American Libertadores Cup quarter-finals, first leg

Penarol (Uruguay) v Universidad Catolica (Chile)

Once Caldas (Colombia) v Santos (Brazil)

BUENOS AIRES - Santos carry Brazilian hopes in the last eight of the Libertadores Cup when they face Once Caldas in Colombia while five-times champions Penarol are at home to Chile's Universidad Catolica at the Centenario in Montevideo. (SOCCER-LATAM/LIBERTADORES, expect by 0100, pix, by Rex Gowar, 400 words)

- -

LONDON - Manchester City fans have suffered more than most but victory in Saturday's FA Cup final against Stoke City would spark the second set of celebrations in a week as the club's massive investment begins to pay off.(SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP (PREVIEW), moving at 0200, by Mark Meadows, 400 words) See also SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP (FACTBOX).

- -

PARIS - Lille's surprise dominance this season could yield a first trophy in the French Cup final on Saturday but holders Paris St Germain have vowed to "try everything" to keep hold of their cherished prize. (SOCCER-FRANCE/CUP (PREVIEW), moving at 0200, 400 words)

- -

MILAN - Sampdoria's descent from Champions League aspirants to relegation fodder has been remarkable and Sunday's meeting with a Palermo side with mixed emotions further complicates their horrid season. (SOCCER-ITALY/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1000, 300 words)

- - - -

TENNIS

ATP/WTA: Rome Masters/Italian Open (to 15)

ROME - Top seed Rafa Nadal starts Thursday's action against compatriot Feliciano Lopez while second seed Novak Djokovic plays Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka and third seed Roger Federer faces France's Richard Gasquet. (TENNIS-MEN/ROME, by Richard Allen, 350 words)

- - - -

CYCLING

Giro d'Italia (to 29)

FIUGGI, Italy - Dutchman Pieter Weening leads heading into Thursday's sixth stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 216-km trek through the hills from Orvieto to Fiuggi. (CYCLING-GIRO/, expect by 1600, by Alasdair Fotheringham, 400 words)

- - - -

ATHLETICS

Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting, South Korea

- - - -

CRICKET

West Indies v Pakistan, first test, Providence (to 16)