Association, city: No fans allowed for PGA Championship in San Francisco
Fans indeed will be prohibited when the PGA Championship is held Aug. 6-9 at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park, the PGA and city officials announced Monday morning.
The PGA will notify ticket holders of refunds “in the coming days” via its website and social-media channels. Tickets purchased the secondary market must go through that vender rather than the PGA.
The PGA has conducted fan-free tournaments the past two weekends, and it’s long been suspected that the PGA Championship would also face a similar fate if played after already being delayed from an original date of May 14-17.
Last week, Sacramento native Nick Watney tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
NFL
COWBOYS QB PRESCOTT SIGNS $31.4M FRANCHISE TENDER » Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott signed his $31.4 million exclusive franchise tender on Monday, multiple outlets reported. Prescott and the Cowboys have until July 15 to iron out a long-term extension, or he will play the 2020 season on the franchise tag and again reach free agency in March 2021.
Prescott has thrown for 15,778 yards and 97 touchdowns while adding 21 rushing scores in 64 career games since being selected by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2016 draft.
NHL
VETERAN THORBURN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT » Veteran forward Chris Thorburn announced his retirement after playing more than 800 NHL games for four different organizations since 2005 and winning the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues.
Thorburn spent his last time on the ice celebrating the Blues winning their first Stanley Cup last season. Thorburn was selected 50th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2001 draft and made his debut for them in 2005.
LEAGUE DWINDLES LIST OF CITIES FOR RESTART » The National Hockey League has begun winnowing its possible locations to resume the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NHL has eliminated Columbus, Ohio, and Minneapolis/St. Paul as potential hub cities if the season resumes play this summer. Columbus and the Twin Cities were two of 10 finalists, including seven in the U.S.
Las Vegas is now considered the U.S. favorite to host NHL playoff games, unless two Canadian cities are selected. Canada’s federal government last week said it would allow the league to quarantine internally, making Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton realistic possibilities — if not the frontrunners.
WNBA
SUN STAR TO SIT OUT SEASON DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS » Jonquel Jones, the star center for the Connecticut Sun, has decided not to play in the WNBA this season because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Jones led the Sun to the WNBA Finals last year, averaging 17.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in the postseason after putting up 14.6 points and 9.7 during the regular season. She becomes the first WNBA player to cite the virus in opting out of the upcoming season.
Women’s college basketball
BAYLOR CONFIRMS CARRINGTON TRANSFER » Former All-Pac 12 guard DiJonai Carrington is joining the Baylor Bears from Stanford.
Carrington averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds a game as a junior two seasons ago at Stanford. The guard was limited to only five games as a senior for the Cardinal because a knee injury, and got a medical hardship waiver that provided another season of eligibility.
NBA
WIZARDS’ BERTANS OPS TO SIT OUT » Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans will skip the Disney-based resumption of the NBA season, making him the first known example of a healthy, eligible player sitting out.
Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard said Bertans, who can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is expected to command a big contract as one of the league’s top 3-point shooters, informed the team of his decision..
Tennis
MEN’S TOUR ADJUSTING COVID-19 PROTOCOLS » The ATP men’s tennis tour says it is continuing to “plan and adjust” its precautions and protocols related to the coronavirus pandemic with an eye to its planned Aug. 14 resumption of competition.
The tour issued a statement Monday following word that two top-35 players tested positive for COVID-19 after participating in unsanctioned exhibition matches organized by No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Serbia and Croatia.