Tiger Woods returns to Riviera to play 1st event of the year
Tiger Woods is returning to competition for the first time without the use of a cart since July, announcing Friday he will play at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.
Woods was hopeful of playing next week's tournament at Riviera, where he is the host of an event that typically had the strongest field of the West Coast swing even before it became elevated with a $20 million purse.
The uncertainty came from a bout with plantar fasciitis as he was preparing to play in December. That kept him from playing in his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He played a made-for-TV exhibition over 12 holes and the PNC Championship with his son. Both times he was allowed to ride in a cart.
Carts are not allowed on the PGA Tour — Casey
Martin used one under the Americans with Disabilities Act — and Woods has said he was not interested in using one to play at the highest level.
DEFENDING CHAMPION SCHEFFLER LEADS WM PHOENIX OPEN >>
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler took the lead into the weekend in the WM Phoenix Open, with local favorite Jon Rahm right behind at TPC Scottsdale.
The second-ranked Scheffler played 25 holes Friday, completing a 3-under 68 in the first round and shooting a bogey-free 64 in the second to get to 10 under. He had a twostroke lead over Rahm and Adam Hadwin when play was suspended because of darkness.
Rahm, the former Arizona State star ranked No. 3, also returned early to finish the first round. He shot 68-66 to possibly set up a Super Bowl weekend
showdown with Scheffler for the No. 1 ranking.
MLB SPRING TRAINING'S START BRINGS PITCH CLOCKS, SHIFT LIMITS >>
Spring training opens Monday in Florida and Arizona for players reporting early ahead of the World Baseball Classic, and the rest of
pitchers and catchers will start workouts two days later.
Opening day on March 30 will feature three of the biggest changes since the pitcher's mound was lowered for the 1969 season:
• Two infielders will be required on either side of second base and all infielders must be within the outer boundary of the infield when the pitcher is on the rubber.
• Base size will increase to 18-inch squares from 15 inches, causing a decreased distance of 4 1/2 inches.
• A pitch clock will be used, set at 15 seconds with no runners on base and 20 seconds with runners. JAVIER, ASTROS AGREE TO $64M, 5-YEAR CONTRACT >> Pitcher Cristian Javier and the Houston Astros agreed to a $64 million, five-year contract that avoided a salary arbitration hearing.
Javier gets a $2 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office, and salaries of $3 million this season, $7 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025 and $21 million in each of the following two years.
A 25-year-old righthander, Javier went 11-9 with a 2.54 ERA in 25 starts and five relief appearances last year, striking out 198 and walking 52 in 148 2/3 innings. He set career bests for wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings.
NBA SIAKAM, EDWARDS, FOX ADDED TO NBA ALL-STAR GAME ROSTER >>
Toronto forward Pascal Siakam, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards and Sacramento guard De'Aaron Fox have been added to the player pool for the All-Star Game as injury replacements.
Commissioner Adam Silver's office announced the picks Friday, after they were first reported by ESPN.
Siakam, Edwards and Fox replace Golden State's Stephen Curry, New Orleans' Zion Williamson and Phoenix's Kevin Durant — all of whom are injured and will be unable to play in the Feb. 19 game at Salt Lake City.