Kim joining LIV Golf for rest of 2024 and maybe beyond
Anthony Kim is returning from nearly a 12-year hiatus to join LIV Golf and will play the remainder of the season in the Saudi-funded league as an individual.
LIV Golf announced Wednesday that the 38-yearold is joining the league as a wild card, meaning he will not be affiliated with any of the 13 teams.
Kim, a graduate of La Quinta High, will debut Friday at LIV Golf Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.
A three-time winner on the PGA Tour before departing with injuries, Kim has been out of the public eye since he walked off the course at Quail Hollow and straight to the parking lot when he withdrew after one round of the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2012.
He ruptured his Achilles tendon getting ready for the 2013 season, and then had a herniated disk.
In a 2015 interview with The Associated Press — his most recent interview — he said his injuries included a rotator cuff, labrum, spinal fusion and his hand, and that he had gone through at least six surgeries.
Kim will have a chance to accrue points that would lead to him earning a spot on one of LIV's teams for the 2025 season.
Brooks Koepka is the two-time defending champion of LIV Golf Jeddah. Koepka, a five-time major champion, was finishing up his college career at Florida State when Kim last played competitively.
Chiefs cutting ties with Valdes-Scantling
The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing wide receiver Marquez ValdesScantling, giving the Super
Bowl champions some much-needed salary cap flexibility.
The move would save $12 million that they could use to shore up their offense or help keep defensive stars Chris Jones and L'Jarius Sneed next season.
The Chiefs gave ValdesScantling a three-year, $30 million deal two years ago in the hopes that Patrick Mahomes could turn the former Packers wide receiver into a viable deep threat. But while ValdesScantling had memorable moments, including a TD catch in the Super Bowl, he was plagued by dropped passes and never put up the numbers the Chiefs expected of him.
He had 42 catches for 687 yards and two scores in 2022 and only 21 catches for 315 yards and a touchdown this past season.
Wakefield, widow of ex-pitcher, dies
Stacy Wakefield, the widow of former Boston Red Sox pitcher and twotime World Series champion Tim Wakefield, has died.
Her family said in a statement that she died Wednesday at her Massachusetts home, less than five months after her husband died at the age of 57. Stacy was 53.
“She was surrounded by her family and dear friends, as well as her wonderful caretakers and nurses,” the statement said. “The loss is unimaginable, especially in the wake of losing Tim just under five months ago. Our hearts are beyond broken.”
The family mentioned a diagnosis but did not provide a cause of death. In September, Tim's former Red Sox teammate Curt Schilling said on a podcast both of the Wakefields had been diagnosed with cancer. Schilling said Tim had brain cancer and Stacy had pancreatic cancer. The news came with an outpouring of support for the Wakefields and criticism for Schilling disclosing the matter without their permission.
Stacy and Tim are survived by their children, Trevor and Brianna.
Stacy worked alongside her husband in raising money for multiple charitable groups, including the Red Sox Foundation.
CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals set
The USWNT will face Colombia on Sunday at BMO Stadium in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup.
At the conclusion of play in all three groups, the top two teams in each group and the next two thirdplace finishers were seeded, based on most points to the fewest.
The USWNT, which finished second in Group A, is the fourth seed and will face fifth-seeded Colombia in the second quarterfinal Sunday at 5:15 p.m. at BMO Stadium.
The first game Sunday at 2 p.m. will feature No. 3 Mexico against No. 6 Paraguay.
The first day of quarterfinals at BMO Stadium is Saturday. Top-seeded Canada will face No. 8 Costa Rica at 4 p.m., followed by No. 2 Brazil against No. 7 Argentina at 7:15 p.m.
The semifinals are March 6 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
— Damian Calhoun • Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended one match for making an alleged offensive gesture during a Saudi Arabia league game while playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
The suspension was announced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the match took place.
Footage on social media appeared to show Ronaldo cupping his ear and repeatedly thrusting his hand forward near his pelvis, seemingly aimed at rival Al Shabab supporters. The incident occurred on Sunday after Al Nassr beat Al Shabab 3-2.
In the background were chants of “Messi.” Lionel Messi is Ronaldo's longstanding soccer rival.
While the incident was not captured by television cameras, criticism of the 39-year-old Portugal striker was swift.
Al Nassr's next match is today.
Ronaldo, who moved to the Riyadh-based club in December 2022, has a league-leading 22 goals.