Woods 2024 debut will come at Riviera
Tiger Woods confirmed Wednesday he will make his first PGA Tour start since the Masters at the Genesis Invitational next week at Riviera, a tournament he hosts.
Woods posted on social media that he was “excited to be a playing host” when the PGA Tour's next signature event with a $20 million purse starts on Feb. 15.
Woods also teased about his announcement Monday of new apparel now that he has ended a relationship with Nike that dated to 1996 when he turned pro. “The vision remains the same,” he wrote.
Riviera is the course Woods has played the most times — 12 as a pro — without winning.
He withdrew after 36 holes at Riviera with the flu in 2006 and did not return until 2018. A year ago, he tied for 45th. He next played the Masters, making the cut and then withdrawing during a cold, rainy weekend, had ankle surgery and did not return to golf until December.
The Genesis Invitational is a limited field for top performers. Woods will be playing on a sponsor exemption.
TOUR TO OFFER BULK OF NEW MONEY TO 36 TOP PLAYERS IN EQUITY OWNERSHIP PLAN >>
The PGA Tour plans to make $750 million of initial grants from its new cash-flush PGA Tour Enterprises to 36 top players determined by their career, their last five years on tour and how much attention they have brought to golf.
Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a memo to players Wednesday that $180 million from the $1.5 billion investment of Strategic Sports Group would go to players based on a threeyear performance, all other players and 36 “legends” who helped build the PGA Tour.
The equity owners was a key component of the deal announced last week
with SSG — a consortium of American pro sports owners and led by Fenway Sports Group — investing as much as $3 billion in PGA Tour Enterprises.
MLB GUERRERO JR. WINS RECORD $19.9 MILLION IN SALARY ARBITRATION >>
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won a record $19.9 million in salary arbitration 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.
Guerrero topped the previous high awarded from a hearing — the $14 million Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernández received after he lost.
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.
RIGHT-HANDER JUNIS AND BREWERS FINALIZE 1-YEAR CONTRACT >>
Right-hander Jakob Junis and the Milwaukee Brewers finalized a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2025.
Junis, 31, went 4-3 with a career-best 3.87 ERA in four starts and 36 relief appearances for San Francisco last season, striking out 96 and walking 21 in 86 innings. He is 38-45 with a 4.64 ERA in 110 starts and 57 relief appearances over seven seasons with Kansas City (2017-21) and the Giants (2022-23).
Men's basketball UCLA MAKES 11 3-POINTERS IN AN 82-74 VICTORY OVER STANFORD >>
Sebastian Mack scored 21 points, Adem Bona had 16 points and eight rebounds, and UCLA beat Stanford 82-74 for its fourth straight victory.
UCLA made a steal under the Stanford basket with just under two minutes remaining and Bona made a shot in the lane at the other end for a 74-67 lead.
Stanford forward Maxime Raynaud made just 1 of 4 free-throw attempts in a 40-second span with under two minutes remaining. The Bruins sealed it by making eight straight free throws in the final 40 seconds.
Will McClendon scored a career-high 13 points and Dylan Andrews also scored 13 for UCLA (12-11, 7-5 Pac12). Raynaud had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Stanford (11-11, 6-6).
Colleges NCAA COULD ADD WOMEN'S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2026 >>
The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics recommended that Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add a women's wrestling championship, a key step to a potential jump from emerging sport status to an official NCAA championship sport.
If sponsored, the NCAA members in the divisions are expected to vote on adding the sport during the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, next January. The recommendation also includes establishing a committee that would begin working in January 2025 to prepare for a women's wrestling championship they hope makes its debut in winter 2026.
According to the latest sports sponsorship and participation data, more than 70 schools plan to sponsor the sport for the 2023-24 academic year.
WNBA ACES RE-SIGN PARKER IN BID TO WIN 3RD WNBA TITLE IN A ROW >>
The Las Vegas Aces re-signed 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.
Soccer CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLUBS TO SHARE $2.65B PRIZE FUND NEXT SEASON >>
UEFA pledged to pay at least 2.46 billion euros ($2.65 billion) in prize money to clubs playing in the Champions League next season when it expands to 36 teams.
The total prize fund has been about 2 billion euros ($2.15 billion) in each season since 2021. It will be shared among four extra clubs in the revamped format that also gives teams eight guaranteed games instead of six.
Currently, the Champions League winner can expect to earn about 130 million euros ($140 million) from UEFA.
UEFA said it will allocate at least 4.4 billion euros ($4.74 billion) in projected revenue for all its men's club competitions next season.