Eckroat ends long drought with Cognizant title
Austin Eckroat waited a long time to become a winner on the PGA Tour. Another day didn’t hurt.
Eckroat earned the first victory of his tour career Monday, topping Erik van Rooyen and Min Woo Lee by three shots to win the weather-delayed Cognizant Classic. Among his prizes: $1.62 million — by far his biggest golf payday — along with tour status for two years and a trip to the Masters for the first time.
Eckroat shot a final round of four-under-par 67, finishing at 17-under 267.
He said he was nervous Monday. He hid it well, never giving up the lead.
“This has always been my dream to win on the PGA Tour,” Eckroat told Golf Channel. “And just to win, I haven’t won since 2019 — it was a college event. It’s just been so long. I’m just so happy.”
Spiraling Devils fire coach Ruff
The New Jersey Devils fired coach Lindy Ruff and named assistant Travis Green as the interim replacement for the rest of the season.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald made the surprising move with fewer than 30 games left to play. The Devils have lost five of seven to fall further out of playoff contention, seven points back of division rival Philadelphia.
Ruff, 64, was in his fourth season with the team. The Devils reached the second round of the playoffs last year.
“I hold our entire organization to the highest levels of accountability to focus on being a competitive team that expects to be a perennial playoff contender,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we are not currently at that level, and I needed to make this decision.”
Longtime Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is expected to report to the Hershey Bears after clearing waivers, the AHL-leading team said . ... Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will miss roughly the next two weeks because of injury . ... The Nashville Predators extended pending free-agent forward Tommy Novak, resigning him to a three-year contract worth $10.5 million. He’ll count $3.5 million against the salary cap through 2027.
Josh Donaldson, 38, said he’s retiring after a 13-year career in which he was voted the 2015 AL MVP and was selected to three All-Star Games. He announced his plans Monday during an appearance on “The Mayor’s Office,” a podcast hosted by former major league first baseman Sean Casey . ... Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed on a $126-million, three-year contract for 2025-27, the fourthhighest average salary in baseball history at $42 million. The Phillies' ace gets $23.5 million this year in the final season of a $118 million, five-year contract.
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook had surgery to repair a fractured left hand and the hope is he’ll be able to return before the playoffs start in April, a person not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed to The Times. Westbrook will be reevaluated weekly to determine his status.
—Broderick Turner
New York Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson had to be helped off the court Sunday because of a left knee bruise. After the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said X-rays on Brunson’s knee were negative — a report that brought relief to New York fans. “It’s a knee contusion,” a relaxed Thibodeau said . ... Cleveland All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell will sit out at least three more games after treatment for a bone bruise in his left knee . ... The Toronto Raptors signed Canadian center Kelly Olynyk to a multiyear contract extension, less than a month after acquiring him from Utah in a deal ahead of the trade deadline. Olynyk's agent told ESPN the two-year extension was worth $26.25 million.
Pacific fired basketball coach Leonard Perry after the team went winless in the West Coast Conference regular season . ... Marquette guard Tyler Kolek will sit out at least the final two games of the regular season as the 2022-23 Big East player of the year recovers from an oblique injury . ... Oklahoma’s NCAA record win streak in softball ended at 71 games Sunday with a 7-5 loss to Louisiana in eight innings. The Sooners claimed their third straight national title last season, then won their first 18 games this season before losing to the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Renovations to Belmont Park are expected to pave the way for the racetrack to host the Belmont Stakes in June 2026. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a construction timeline that includes the $455 million project being fully completed by fall of that year.