SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California state senator said Thursday that he’s seeking a legal opinion to determine whether the LPGA Tour’s language requirement for players violates state or federal law.

Sen. Leland Yee is upset about a policy that requires players to speak effective English starting in 2009. The rule is effective immediately for new players, while veteran members will be suspended if they can’t pass an oral English test.

The LPGA Tour expects to have the policy written by the end of the year.

Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco, said the rule might violate California laws covering workplace discrimination or disabilities. He expects an answer from the state Legislative Counsel’s Office within a few weeks, before the tour returns to California.

Rain delays tournament

ST. LOUIS — The first round of the BMW Championship was washed out by steady rain that deluged Bellerive Country Club on Thursday, another setback for a tournament plagued by bad timing.

The opening round will be today, with 36 holes scheduled for Saturday to get it back on schedule.

“It’s under water,” said Slugger White, vice president of rules and competition for the PGA Tour. “It’s as bad as I’ve seen in a long time.”

The PGA Tour returned to Bellerive for the first time since 2001, when a World Golf Championship was canceled because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The 2004 U.S. Senior Open lost a day because of rain, and the one time Arnold Palmer played a Champions Tour event in the area, rain caused such traffic problems that most fans couldn’t even get to the course.

FOOTBALL

Call him Mr.Ocho Cinco

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals say No. 85 is officially Ocho Cinco.

The NFL team said Thursday that they will refer to the receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson by his new legal name, Chad Ocho Cinco, in all club business. That includes the back of his jersey for Sunday’s season opener at Baltimore.

Ocho Cinco told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he wants to be called by his new name, but declined to talk about it any further.

OchoCinco, a Miami native, used “ocho cinco” in 2006 as part of the NFL’s Hispanic Heritage month. It means “eight five” in Spanish.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Vanderbilt gets big win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chris Nickson threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Vanderbilt finally beat a ranked opponent on its own field Thursday night, upsetting No. 24 South Carolina 24-17 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Vanderbilt (2-0) had made a habit of knocking off SEC teams on the road with victories at Arkansas and Tennessee in 2005, an upset of then-No. 22 Georgia in 2006 and even pulled off the biggest victory in more than 70 years by downing then-No. 6 South Carolina last October.

But the Commodores hadn’t upset a ranked team in Vanderbilt Stadium since Sept. 19, 1992, a 31-9 win over then-No. 25 Mississippi 31-9.

This win was very sweet for Vanderbilt, which lost its first 14 games against Steve Spurrier as he coached Duke, Florida and South Carolina. Now the Commodores have won two straight against the ol’ ball coach.

BASEBALL

Former Oriole Cruz dies

BALTIMORE — Todd Cruz, an infielder with the 1983 world champion Baltimore Orioles, has died. He was 52.

Cruz died Tuesday while swimming at the apartment complex in which he lived in Bullhead City, Ariz. The cause of death is pending results of an autopsy conducted by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Cruz played with six major league teams from 1978 to 1984. He broke into the big leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies, then played with Kansas City, the California Angels and Chicago White Sox from 1979-80. He did not play in the majors in 1981, but the following season participated in 136 games with Seattle.

He was traded by the Mariners to the Orioles in the middle of the 1983 season and batted .208 as Baltimore’s third baseman. In the World Series against Philadelphia, won in five games by the Orioles, Cruz went 2-for-16 and scored a run.

He served as a utility infielder with the Orioles in 1984, his final major league season. He also pitched in a game, throwing a scoreless inning against New York in a 10-2 loss on Sept. 18.

HOCKEY

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the fourth overall pick in the June draft. The 18-year-old Pietrangelo will get a chance to make the team when training camp begins Sept. 19.

Pietrangelo, from King City, Ontario, ranked seventh among Ontario Hockey League defensemen with 53 points last season for the Niagara Ice Dogs. He participated in the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic and the 2008 CHL Top Prospects game.