PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods is out of the Masters and probably for the rest of the year after surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon. Add that to a list of injuries that outnumber the 15 majors he has won. The latest surgery raises questions about whether golf has seen the last of Woods. Rory McIlroy says he feels badly for Woods and that hopefully golf will see him again next year. From the knee surgeries to back surgeries to his LA car crash, the 49-year-old Woods has managed to keep coming back. But he hasn't been competitive for more than five years since his record-tying 82nd career title.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Five years after the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash, six members of his Mamba Basketball Academy team are finishing up their first season of college basketball. A proud group that learned so much from him — forever connected by a club team and a tragedy that shook their world. They are spread throughout the country — and right beside each other through text messages of love and support. Emily Eadie plays for Princeton, and Annika Jiwani is a freshman forward for Dartmouth. Annabelle Spotts just finished her first season at the University of Chicago. Mackenly Randolph is at Louisville, and Zoie Lamkin plays for Orange Coast College back home in Southern California.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills and safety Damar Hamlin have agreed on a one-year contract, keeping the unrestricted free agent off the market. Hamlin started in 14 games last year, one season after going into cardiac arrest during a game. He will compete with second-year player Cole Bishop to stay in the starting lineup opposite returning veteran Taylor Rapp. Hamlin had two interceptions and 89 tackles for the Bills last season. He was limited to two games in the 2023 season, following his near-death experience.
GENEVA (AP) — Two Norwegian ski jumpers are now suspended and under formal suspicion in an unfolding cheating scandal. Olympic gold medalists, Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, had denied involvement since the allegations emerged at the weekend of the use illegally altered ski suits. The pair were suspended Wednesday and put under formal suspicion in an investigation overseen by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). They now cannot compete in a World Cup event in Oslo that starts Thursday. Three Norwegian team officials are also suspended.
Atletico has to overcome a one-goal deficit to eliminate bitter rival Real in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie to maintain chance of winning Europe's biggest prize. Real won the first leg 2-1 to continue its dominance of the Madrid derby in European competition. A team from Madrid is likely to face Arsenal in the quarterfinals unless a miracle helps PSV Eindhoven come back from a massive 7-1 first leg loss. Aston Villa is 3-1 up against Club Brugge while last season’s runner-up Borussia Dortmund and Lille are tied 1-1 ahead of the second leg.
The wheeling and dealing continued on the eve of the NFL's start of its new league year. A day after defensive tackle Milton Williams and edge rusher Josh Sweat agreed to leave Philadelphia via free agency, the Super Bowl champs agreed to send star safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans for guard Kenyon Green and a swap of late-round draft picks. The Minnesota Vikings made a splash by agreeing to terms on contracts with former Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and former Indianapolis guard Will Fries, who follows center Ryan Kelly from the Colts to the Vikings.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have turned to Joey Bosa to fill their pass-rush needs. The team and Bosa agreed on a one-year, $12.6 million contract. That's according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement won't be official until Wednesday. Bosa joins the Bills after the team cut Von Miller on Sunday to free up salary-cap space. He was the NFL's defensive rookie of the year in 2016 and has 72 career sacks. But his production has dwindled in recent years because of injuries.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is in favor of expanding the men’s NCAA Tournament to 76 teams. He also indicated that a decision could come in the next few months, which opens the possibility of any proposed changes being implemented as soon as next year. Last year, the NCAA presented a plan to Division I commissioners that would expand the men’s and women’s tournaments by four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68. NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said recently he doesn’t expect a vote in the near future, but he left open the possibility of a spring vote.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is off to a strong start in his return to the NHL. Pittsburgh demoted the two-time All-Star to the minors in mid-January after a string of poor performances. Jarry returned in early March and has put up back-to-back victories for the first time since before Christmas. Jarry outdueled future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury in a win over Minnesota. He backed it up by stopping 36 shots against Pacific Division-leader Vegas. Jarry says going to the minors helped free his mind and allowed him to focus on his game.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Junior Bridgeman, a basketball standout who went on to an even more successful career in business, has died at the age of 71. Bridgeman led Louisville to a Final Four and played 12 seasons in the NBA, mostly with the Milwaukee Bucks. He then launched a business career with stakes in publishing, restaurants and the Bucks. He died Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. Bridgeman was a fixture in Louisville after his playing days. Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city had “lost a kind, generous and groundbreaking legend.”
TUESDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Detroit 3, Atlanta 1
Baltimore 6, N.Y. Yankees (ss) 2
Houston 7, N.Y. Mets 4
Pittsburgh 9, N.Y. Yankees (ss) 1
Philadelphia 18, Boston 8
Miami 12, St. Louis 5
Toronto 3, Minnesota 2
L.A. Dodgers 10, Cleveland 4
Texas 13, L.A. Angels 6
Cincinnati 8, Colorado 5
Milwaukee 9, Chicago Cubs 7
Arizona 3, Kansas City 2
San Diego 7, Chicago White Sox 5
San Francisco 5, Athletics 3
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 19 Saint Mary's (Cal.) (28-5) lost to Gonzaga 58-51.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cleveland 109, Brooklyn 104
Detroit 123, Washington 103
Indiana 115, Milwaukee 114
New Orleans 127, L.A. Clippers 120
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Tuesday's Games
New Jersey 5, Columbus 3
Ottawa 5, Philadelphia 2
Pittsburgh 3, Vegas 2, OT
Boston 3, Florida 2
Carolina 4, Tampa Bay 1
Minnesota 2, Colorado 1, SO
Winnipeg 2, N.Y. Rangers 1
Washington 7, Anaheim 4
Montreal 4, Vancouver 2
Nashville 3, San Jose 2
Los Angeles 4, N.Y. Islanders 1