The Riverside Press-Enterprise
PGA Tour: From wet Pebble to ‘Greatest Show on Grass’
The PGA Tour shifts this week from the soggy-butpicturesque coast of Northern California to a party in the desert.
The Phoenix Open, dubbed “Greatest Show on Grass,” is unlike anything in golf. Masses of up to 200,000 fans pack TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course with cheers, boos and the occasional beer shower.
The eye of the rowdy hurricane is the stadium 16th hole, a multi-tiered frat party of a par-3 where “Quiet please” signs are met with oh, please disdain.
Scottie Scheffler feels right at home amid the chaos.
The world’s No. 1 ranked golfer has won the Phoenix Open the past two years and has a chance to accomplish something that hasn’t happened on the PGA Tour in 13 years at the tournament that starts today.
“It’s a little bit different than a lot of the tournaments that we play,” Scheffler said Wednesday. “That provides some fun stuff but some challenges, as well, with the noise and all that. It’s definitely, definitely a lot of fun playing in this event.”
A year ago, the Phoenix Open had elevated status and a $20 million purse — $3.6 million to the winner. A reshuffling of what are now called signature events bumped the Phoenix Open out of the top tier in favor of AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am and dropped the purse to $8.8 million.
• Tiger Woods confirmed that he will make his first PGA Tour start since last April’s Masters at the Genesis Invitational next week at Riviera, a tournament he hosts. He withdrew after 36 holes with the flu in 2006 and did not return until 2018. A year ago, he tied for 45th.
TENNIS Djokovic set for return to play at Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic is returning to the BNP Paribas Open for the first time in five years in pursuit of a record sixth title in the
Southern California desert.
The world’s top-ranked male player last competed at Indian Wells in 2019, when he lost in the third round. Djokovic didn’t play here the last four years because he wasn’t vaccinated against COVID-19. The U.S. required noncitizen visitors to be vaccinated through last spring.
Djokovic won the tournament in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Three-time winner Rafael Nadal will return after missing last year’s event because of injury.
The tournament featuring the combined ATP and WTA tours runs March 3-17.
Iga Swiatek, the world’s top-ranked woman, will be back. She won the title in 2022 and reached the semifinals last year.
Candace Parker returns to Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Aces resigned two-time MVP Candace Parker, a missing piece late last season when they won their second consecutive WNBA championship.
Parker, who has three championship rings, averaged 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds a game last season as the Aces got off to a 16-2 start. But she underwent foot surgery, causing her to miss the rest of the season.
Even without her, the Aces went 34-6 to set the league record for victories in a season and later beat the New York Liberty in four games in the WNBA
Finals.
Given Parker, a 6-foot-4 post player, wasn’t able to play late in the season and playoffs, it’s almost like the Aces added a key free agent as they attempt for a threepeat.
• The Phoenix Mercury acquired 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper from the Chicago Sky for four draft picks, including the No. 3 choice this year. Chicago also will receive Michaela Onyenwere and Brianna Turner from the Mercury.
Guerrero gets record win in arbitration case
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was awarded a record $19.9 million in salary arbitration on Wednesday when a three-person panel picked his request rather than the Toronto Blue Jays’ $18.05 million offer.
Scott Buchheit, Walt De Treux and Jeanne Charles made the decision a day after listening to arguments. Players have a 6-2 lead in hearings this year with 10 cases pending.
A three-time All-star, Guerrero hit .264 with 26 homers and 94 RBIS last year, when he had a $14.5 million salary. He is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.
• Players swept five salary arbitration decisions against major league teams late on Tuesday, including Angels outfielder Taylor Ward winning his case. Ward had asked for $4.8 million compared to the team’s offer of $4.3 million. The 30-year-old Ward hit .253 last year with 14 homers and 47 RBIS, down from a .281 average with 23 homers and 65 RBIS in 2022. His season ended July 29 when he was hit on the head by a 91 mph fastball from Toronto pitcher Alek Manoah and sustained facial fractures.
• The Minnesota Twins finalized their $5.25 million, one-year contract with first baseman Carlos Santana and added to their bullpen by signing righthander Jay Jackson and claiming right-hander Zack Weiss off waivers.
• José Altuve and the Houston Astros agreed to a $125 million, five-year contract that covers 202529. The eight-time All-star second baseman would have been eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.
Friday racing washed out at Santa Anita
Santa Anita has postponed Friday’s nine-race card to give time for horses to return to a normal routine after training was suspended since last weekend.
Regular training will resume Friday and racing will be held Saturday. This Friday’s races will be run on Feb. 15.
“We got over 10 inches of rain since Sunday afternoon, but the forecast looking forward is very good,” said Nate Newby, the track’s general manager. “We’re confident that the main track and the turf course, especially with the improved drainage that was installed last year, will be in excellent condition ready when racing resumes on Saturday.”
• Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around gymnastics champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist, will return to competition for the first time in nearly eight years at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, on Feb. 24.
• Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban, 72, who retired last month ending a 28-year career in college coaching that included seven national championships, will join ESPN’S “College Gameday” as an on-set analyst.