Woods' son shoots 86 in pre-qualifier
The PGA Tour will have to wait for the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods. In a prequalifier Thursday, Charlie Woods took a 12 on one hole and shot 86.
Woods didn't make a birdie at Lost Lake Golf Club, one of four pre-qualifier sites for the Cognizant Classic. About two dozen players combined from the four sites would move on to Monday's qualifier, from which four players earn a spot in the PGA Tour event.
Charlie Woods, who turned 15 earlier this month, has played the 36-hole PNC Championship with his father the last four years in a scramble format.
Woods played with Olin Browne Jr., who qualified for the U.S. Open last summer in Los Angeles. The son of three-time PGA Tour winner Olin Browne shot 72. VAN ROOYEN OPENS WITH A 63 IN BID TO WIN AGAIN IN MEXICO >> Erik van Rooyen made two eagles on his way to an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead in the Mexico Open at Vidanta, a strong start in his bid to win a second PGA Tour title in Mexico in the last four months.
Van Rooyen hit 3-iron to 6 feet for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole at Vidanta Vallarta, and then pitched in on the par-5 12th for a second eagle. His lone mistake was a soft bogey when a straightforward chip ran 7 feet by the hole at the 15th and he missed the par putt.
Sami Valimaki of Finland, one of the 10 players from the European tour who earned PGA Tour cards this year, shot 64. He salvaged par when he hit a fairway metal into the hazard on the par-5 sixth, followed by a drive to 12 feet for eagle on the reachable par-4 seventh.
NBA
PISTONS' STEWART SUSPENDED 3 GAMES FOR PUNCHING, PUSHING SUNS' EUBANKS >> Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart was suspended three games without pay by the NBA for punching and
pushing Phoenix Suns forward/center Drew Eubanks.
Stewart and Eubanks had a confrontation before a game between the Pistons and Suns on Feb. 14. Eubanks said before the game that it happened as he entered the arena. He said an argument ensued and the two were chest-to-chest before Stewart threw the punch and security intervened. Phoenix police said Stewart was arrested for assault, issued a citation and released.
NFL
CHIEFS SIGN PUNTER ARAIZA, WHO WAS DROPPED FROM LAWSUIT >>
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing punter Matt Araiza, who was dropped from a lawsuit in December that had been filed by a woman who alleged she was raped by San Diego State football players in 2021.
The signing was announced by Araiza's agent, Joe Linta, and confirmed a short while later by the team.
Araiza earned the nickname the “Punt God” at San Diego State while earning All-America honors during the 2021 season, when his massive kicks helped the Aztecs go a school-best 12-2 his senior season. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft, but he was released two days after the woman filed her lawsuit.
The woman later agreed
to dismiss Araiza from the lawsuit, and he agreed to dismiss a defamation countersuit against her.
College football
TEXAS REGENTS APPROVE SARKISIAN CONTRACT EXTENSION >>
Steve Sarkisian is college football's latest $10 million man.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved a raise and contract extension for the Longhorns coach that boosts his guaranteed salary to $10.3 million this year and signs him through 2030.
The four-year extension makes Sarkisian one of the highest paid coaches in the country after Texas won the Big 12 last season and earned its first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
HERBSTREIT, FOWLER TO BE VOICES IN EA SPORTS GAME >>
Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler are in the game.
The ESPN “College GameDay” analyst Herbstreit and network broadcaster Fowler announced Thursday on social media they will be voices in EA Sports' upcoming college football video game. “College GameDay” host Rece Davis and analysts David Pollack and Jesse Palmer made similar announcements.
The broadcasting updates came the same day that media outlets, including ESPN, reported FBS football players were receiving invitations from EA Sports to have their name, image and likeness in the game, which the developer has said would be launching in summer 2024.
Gymnastics
2012 OLYMPIC CHAMP DOUGLAS PULLS OUT OF FIRST MEET IN 8 YEARS >>
Gabby Douglas' return to competition is going to have to wait.
The 2012 Olympic gymnastics champion pulled out of this weekend's Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, after posting on social media that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
The 28-year-old Douglas was planning to compete in three of the four events at Winter Cup, her first meet since the 2016 Olympics, when she helped the Americans win a team gold.
Douglas, who is training in Texas, posted on Instagram that she was “crushed” by the development but promised to be back soon.
Soccer
ALVES FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE, SENTENCED TO FOUR AND A HALF YEARS IN PRISON >>
Dani Alves, one of the most successful soccer players of his generation, was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub and sentenced to four years and six months in prison.
The former Brazil and Barcelona right back was convicted in Spain under a new sexual liberty law that emphasizes the lack of consent of the victim as key to determining sex crimes.
A three-judge panel at the Barcelona Provincial Court convicted the 40-year-old Alves of sexual assault for the incident on Dec. 31, 2022.
The court ordered Alves to pay 150,000 euros ($162,000) in compensation to the victim, banned him from approaching the victim's home or place of work, and from communicating with her by any means for nine years.
“I still believe in the innocence of Mr. Alves,” Inés Guardiola, Alves' lawyer, said. “I need to study the ruling, but I can tell you that of course we will appeal.”