April 10, 2022 7:50 am
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The harsh cold and relentless wind. The lead late Saturday afternoon at the Masters. All the elements were there for Scottie Scheffler to start feeling the pressure of trying to win his first major at Augusta National. Scheffler never looked worried until the final hole, and then only briefly. His lead at four shots, his confidence level high, Scheffler’s wild drive to the left of the 18th fairway into the trees didn’t bother him nearly as much as the sight of the spotter poking around in the leaves in a desperate search for the golf ball. Like everything else this week, Scheffler figured it out. He took a one-shot penalty, dropped it onto pine straw and then ripped a 3-iron from 240 yards that hit the green and rolled just over the back, leaving him two putts for a bogey that felt much better. Scheffler had a 1-under 71 — one of only nine scores under par in the third round — that gave him a three-shot lead over Cameron Smith going into Sunday.
April 9, 2022 4:06 am
CLEVELAND (AP) – The Cleveland Browns added another quarterback as they try to figure out what to do with Baker Mayfield. The team agreed to a one-year contract with backup QB Josh Dobbs, a deal that was tweeted by his agent and confirmed by a person familiar with the contract who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Earlier, the Browns agreed to re-sign safety Ronnie Harrison to a on-year deal, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told AP. The Browns were in the market for another quarterback after Nick Mullens, who made one start for them last season, signed as a free agent with the Raiders. Mayfield is still on Cleveland’s roster while the Browns try to find a trade partner for the former No. 1 overall pick.
April 9, 2022 4:07 am
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – The hottest player on the PGA Tour is threatening to turn the Masters into a runaway. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler has a commanding five-stroke lead through two rounds at Augusta National. Scheffler fired a 5-under 67 under windy conditions to move to minus-8. He began the day two shots behind first-round leader Sungjae Im, who finds himself in a second-place tie with Shane Lowry, Charl Schwartzel and Hideki Matsuyama. Only four other players in Masters history have led by five shots after 36 holes, most recently Jordan Spieth in 2015. All of them went on to win. Scheffler has won three of his last five starts on the tour and doesn’t appear to be overwhelmed by the stage of Augusta. Tiger Woods made the cut at 1-over, salvaging a 2 over 74 after playing the first nine holes in 39. Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka missed the cut, as did Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele.
April 9, 2022 4:10 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Carolina Hurricanes appeared ready to add at least one more point to their lead in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division. Instead, they remain two ahead of the New York Rangers following an agonizing loss to the Islanders. Kyle Palmieri scored with 14.1 seconds remaining for the Islanders in a wild final minute, less than 43 seconds after Vincent Trocheck tied it for Carolina. The Hurricanes weren’t crisp at all on their way to losing for the third time in four games.
April 8, 2022 3:50 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin scored in the second period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. Dryden Hunt added an empty-net goal in the final minute and Mika Zibanejad had two assists for New York, which is 6-1-1 in its last eight games – including three victories against Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry had 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five and is 2-5-1 in its last eight.
April 8, 2022 3:48 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Adam Wainwright pitched six scoreless innings, Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five, and the St. Louis Cardinals celebrated Albert Pujols’ return with a 9-0 season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yadier Molina threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first game of his final big league season, and Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman also homered for the Cardinals, who won the managerial debut of 35-year-old Oliver Marmol. Paul Goldschmidt drew four straight walks, the first player to do that on opening day since Manny Ramírez in 2002. The Pirates had just six hits and lost budding star Ke’Bryan Hayes to left forearm spasms in the first inning.
April 8, 2022 3:53 am
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Tiger Woods played pretty well at the Masters on Thursday. Sungjae Im was a little better. Im opened with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke lead over Cameron Smith at Augusta National. He recovered from a pair of bogeys with a 12-foot eagle putt on the 13th and added a late birdie. Smith opened and closed with double bogeys, but he also had eight birdies.
Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson are two shots back, as are Danny Willett and Joaquin Niemann. Woods had three birdies and two bogeys in a 1-under 71 that leaves him tied for 10th. It was his first competitive round since shattering a leg in a car accident 14 months ago.
April 8, 2022 3:54 am
UNDATED (AP) – Two Black coaches have joined Brian Flores in his lawsuit alleging racist hiring practices by the NFL toward coaches and general managers. The updated lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court adds coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton. Wilks alleges he was discriminated against by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Horton claims he was subjected to discriminatory treatment when he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coach position in January 2016.
April 7, 2022 3:56 am
Albert Pujols will be in the starting lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Pirates when he begins his final big league season Thursday in what should be an emotional return to Busch Stadium. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol announced Monday that Pujols, who signed a $2.5 million contract to return to the club where he became a star, will be the designated hitter for his 22nd straight opening day start. That matches Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski for second-most behind only Pete Rose, who made 23 straight during his career . “I don’t want to set expectations because I like to be surprised, so I’m just going to enjoy it,” Pujols said as he headed into the last few days of spring training in Jupiter, Florida. “I’m sure it will be emotional for me, and the fans, too. But my focus is on trying to get in the reps I need to get myself ready for this season.”
April 7, 2022 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – A person familiar with the deal tells AP that All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez and the Cleveland Guardians have reached agreement on a five-year, $124 million contract extension. Ramirez’s deal runs through the 2028 season, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because numerous details need to be finalized. The Guardians open the 2022 season in Kansas City on Thursday. Ramirez is one of the AL’s best all-around players. He’s finished in the top three in MVP voting three times in the past five seasons.
