Sports

Unsweet 16: World’s top 3 golfers make mess of 16th hole at PGA Championship, taking double bogey

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele were supposed to be the marquis group to watch during the first round at the PGA Championship. It didn’t look like it on Thursday — at least on the 16th hole at Quail Hollow. The world’s top three players all made double bogey — yes, double bogey — on the 535-yard, par-4 16th hole with Scheffler and Schauffele finding the water on their approach shots from the middle of the fairway and McIlroy making a mess of the hole — literally — when he slipped in the mud while playing from the deep rough from a sidehill lie.

Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe and politics: Baseball and the real world collide more often than we think

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Since the game’s early days, baseball mythology has been constructed — often deliberately — to set itself apart. But sometimes things happen that demonstrate otherwise, and reality pokes through. One of those things unfolded this week when Commissioner Rob Manfred decided that permanent bans from baseball expire upon the death of the banned player. In a single moment, he changed the possible posthumous career trajectory of two preposterously talented ballplayers — Pete Rose and “Shoeless Joe” Jackson.

FIFA gets formal complaint of human rights oversight failure with 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia

GENEVA (AP) — A group of international lawyers has filed a formal complaint to FIFA claiming the soccer body is failing to uphold its human rights policy with 2034 World Cup host Saudi Arabia. The filing used FIFA’s online portal for grievance reporting. The lawyers’ group includes former FIFA anti-corruption adviser Mark Pieth. Its offers to advise FIFA on human rights compliance were ignored before Saudi Arabia was picked last December without a rival bidder. FIFA held its annual congress on Thursday in Paraguay. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was in Saudi Arabia this week as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit.

WNBA set to tipoff season with host of teams looking to challenge for title including Clark’s Fever

There are no shortages of challengers to the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty or star power across the league. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are some of the veterans who will share the spotlight with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers as the league, in its 29th season, hopes to continue its rise in popularity. The WNBA season tips off Friday with expansion team Golden State playing its first game that night. A day later the Liberty will host the Aces where New York will receive its rings and raise the first championship banner in the franchise’s history.

NFL teams have kids in mind with videos for schedule reveals, while Bears draw the most laughs

From Minecraft to Mario Kart, plenty of NFL teams had younger fans in mind while revealing schedules in the growing tradition of videos on the social platform X. The Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts had Minecraft themes. Both poked fun at a fight in a Starbucks between NFL reporters Ian Rapoport and Jordan Schultz that went viral during the NFL combine this year. The winner for comedic effect was the Chicago Bears playing off the common name of new coach Ben Johnson.

Manny Pacquiao returning to the ring after losing Philippines senatorial race

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Boxing great Manny Pacquiao is coming out of retirement to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight crown in July. Pacquiao’s team made the announcement on Thursday, just hours after he conceded defeat in a bid for another seat in the Philippines Senate. The press statement says, “His comeback aligns with his scheduled induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June.” It is not clear if the fight at a Las Vegas venue to be decided is a one-off or if 46-year-old Pacquiao is coming out of a four-year retirement to box full-time. Asked to clarify, his communications officer Joey Hernal says the media should wait for Pacquiao’s own press conference. In the statement, Pacquiao also promised to continue serving the country despite losing in this week’s mid-term elections.

Alex Smalley goes from alternate to contending in a span of 20 hours at PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Alex Smalley was the fifth alternate in the PGA Championship when the field was announced last week. He was first alternate when the week began. And then in a span of about 20 hours, he went from first alternate to a 67 at Quail Hollow to get his name high on the leaderboard. Sahith Theegala had to withdraw with a neck injury. Smalley found out Wednesday after having gone through his routine as if he already were in the field. Perhaps that paid off. He holed a 70-foot eagle putt as the highlight of his lowest round in the PGA.

NFL owners to consider resolution allowing players to participate in flag football at the Olympics

NFL owners will discuss a proposal to allow players under contract to participate in flag football when the sport makes its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles. The league released a proposed resolution on the issue that will be considered next week by owners at the spring meetings in Minnesota. If the resolution is approved by at least 24 of the 32 team owners, the league would be allowed to negotiate with the NFL Players Association, Olympic officials and national governing bodies on the specifics of letting NFL players participate.

Longtime Lionel Messi teammate Jordi Alba says he’s staying with Inter Miami through 2027

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba have been teammates for 12 seasons. If that’s going to continue after this year, it’ll evidently mean they’re both staying with Inter Miami. Alba has signed a contract extension with Inter Miami, one that has him committed to be with the Major League Soccer club through the end of the 2027 season. He played alongside Messi for nine seasons with Barcelona and they’re in their third season together with Inter Miami — both arriving during the team’s 2023 campaign.

The T-wolves are back in the Western finals, after staying patient and confident with their new look

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the Western Conference finals for the second straight year. They had plenty of challenges to overcome to return, starting with the trade just before training camp that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. There were adjustments on the court to make and injuries that interrupted progress. But the Wolves hit their stride at the right time and beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games each to advance through the first two rounds. They will play either Denver or Oklahoma City next.