Akron, Ohio — The practice sessions have been a little sharper, his optimism much greater. Phil Mickelson isn’t sure how that will translate on the golf course, and he’s not sure that even matters at the moment.

Mickelson is simply thrilled to be back on the PGA Tour, for no other reason than he wasn’t expecting to play so soon.

It was only six weeks ago when his wife had surgery for breast cancer, about the time Mickelson’s mother discovered she also had breast cancer. While he chose not to go into details on their recoveries, that he is back to work said plenty.

“We’re in a much better place now than we were,” Mickelson said Wednesday. “I’m excited about that. I’m excited about the chance to play a little golf, too.”

He returns to competition at the Bridgestone Invitational, where he finished two shots behind a year ago at Firestone. Then it’s off to Hazeltine for the PGA Championship, the final major of the year.

His turbulent summer has taken a toll.

Mickelson has played only twice since The Players Championship in May. A week later, he disclosed that his wife, Amy, had breast cancer. Doctors caught it early enough that surgery was pushed back to July, allowing Mickelson to play the St. Jude Championship and the U.S. Open, where he had a share of the lead until a record-setting fifth runner-up finish.

He once was consumed by fear of not knowing what Amy faced. That has been replaced by hope that she will make a full recovery.

“I feel we’ve been fortunate because of a couple reasons,” he said. “Both my mom and Amy have caught it early, and we’ve been able to have some wonderful care. And not only have the doctors been incredible in their science, but they’ve also been very compassionate toward us. We’ve had a great medical experience.

“We feel lucky to be — for a bad situation — in as good a situation as it can be.”

He declined to elaborate on the surgery or the recovery his wife and mother face because it’s not about golf. Mickelson doesn’t mind talking birdies and bogeys, the family vacations they love to take, even his hopes of being able to buy a chain of breakfast restaurants.

Golf

PGA returning to Greenbrier

White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. — The PGA Tour is returning to the once-elite Greenbrier for the first time in 15 years, officials said Wednesday, just months after the resort’s new owner promised to bring back a major tournament.

Owner Jim Justice made that pledge in May, and his wish came full-circle with the announcement from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem that The Greenbrier will hold a tournament over the next six years.

‘Race to Dubai’ money cut

Akron, Ohio — Lee Westwood says prize money from the lucrative “Race to Dubai” on the European Tour has been reduced by 25 percent because of the economy.

Auto racing

Reutimann still angry

Charlotte, N.C. — David Reutimann is not ready to forgive Denny Hamlin for the accident at Pocono Raceway that essentially ended his championship hopes.

“I’m not happy. I’m aggravated. I’m mad as heck,” Reutimann said Wednesday during an appearance for Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“I’m not sugarcoating any of that. I’m still really, really aggravated. Maybe we can get things sorted out.”

Hamlin had dominated much of Monday’s race, but late pit strategy had shuffled him back to 13th when he ran into Reutimann in his charge back to the front. He shoved Reutimann, who was running ninth, through the turn. The contact caused Reutimann to lose control of his car.

Hamlin went on to win the race, while Reutimann finished 29th and dropped three spots in the standings to 16th.

College athletics

AM requests study

Dallas — Texas AM University has requested an independent safety analysis of the school’s massive new athletic center, a steel and fabric structure that was built by the same company that erected the collapsed Dallas Cowboys indoor practice facility.

Texas AM interim president R. Bowen Loftin ordered the independent analysis on Monday, and the university is now in the process of identifying a firm qualified to do the job, according to an e-mail sent to The Associated Press Wednesday by a university spokesman.

Football

AFL suspends operations

The Arena Football League has shut down, this time indefinitely.

The league, which previously called off play for the 2009 season but had said it planned to return in 2010, sent a terse, one-paragraph statement to its teams late Tuesday announcing it had suspended operations.

The statement said the AFL’s board had been “unable to reach any consensus on restructuring the league over the past eight months.”

The 22-year-old indoor league had lost its commissioner and two teams since the end of last season. It reached a new agreement with its players this year, but that wasn’t sufficient to persuade enough AFL owners that the league could return to profitability.

The AFL’s board said “there are no other viable options available to the league right now.”

Boy dies during practice

Glenville, W.Va. — An 8-year-old boy has died after collapsing during a youth league football practice in Gilmer County.

Police say the boy collapsed Monday and died Tuesday at Charleston Area Medical Center Women and Children’s Hospital.

Baseball

Security tightened in L.A.

Los Angeles — While Prince Fielder took batting practice at Dodger Stadium before Wednesday night’s game, no fewer than nine stern-faced members of the ballpark’s security staff maintained a vigilant presence outside the Milwaukee Brewers’ clubhouse.

They were on heightened alert to prevent any recurrence of what took place the night before, when the burly slugger stormed across the hall after the Brewers’ 17-4 loss and attempted to force his way into the Dodgers locker room to confront reliever Guillermo Mota.

Mota hit Fielder with a fastball with two outs in the ninth inning, presumably as payback for Chris Smith grazing Manny Ramirez with a pitch two innings earlier.

Dice-K expects to return

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Dice-K expects to pitch again this season.

Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled for his first bullpen session Tuesday since going on the disabled list June 21 with a strain in his pitching shoulder.

Astros reliever fined

Houston — Astros reliever LaTroy Hawkins was fined by Major League Baseball for comments he made about an umpire after he was ejected from a July 27 game in Chicago.

NBA

Roy set for extension

Portland, Ore. — Two-time All-Star Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a five-year contract extension, his agent says.

Agent Bob Myers confirmed to The Associated Press late Wednesday night that Roy has agreed in principle to a five-year contract at the NBA maximum salary.

Tennis

Roddick returns, cruises

Washington — Top-seeded Andy Roddick beat Benjamin Becker, 6-3, 6-2, on Wednesday at the Legg Mason Tennis Championship, his first match since losing the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer on July 5.

Safina advances

Carson, Calif. — Dinara Safina started her bid for a second straight Los Angeles Women’s Tennis Championships title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Daniela Hantuchova on Wednesday.

Courts

Clarett’s request withdrawn

Columbus, Ohio — Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett has withdrawn a request for early release from prison so he could pursue an NFL career.

Betting not halted

Wilmington, Del. — A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by professional sports leagues and the NCAA to halt Delaware’s planned sports betting lottery until a legal challenge is resolved.

Second man charged

Atlanta — A man believed to be the getaway driver in the robbery and shooting death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest has been arrested, Atlanta police said Wednesday. Jquante Crews, 25, of Dallas, Ga., faces several charges including murder, possession of a firearm during a commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.