GOLF
SAN DIEGO (AP) Tiger Woods had a rough return to the PGA Tour. A slow one, too.
Woods, playing in a PGA Tour event for the first in 17 months, fell apart on the back nine of the South course at Torrey Pines and wound up with a 4-over 76, leaving him in danger of missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.
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He was 11 shots behind Justin Rose, who shot a 65 on the shorter North Course.
Along with fighting his swing – he didn’t hit a fairway after No. 7 – and coping with thick rough he had not seen in some time, Woods said he had a hard time adjusting to the pace of play from being in threesomes for the first time since he last played a PGA Tour event at the Wyndham Championship in August 2015.
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) – Brittany Lincicome shot a tournament-record 9-under 64 to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic.
Lincicome played a six-hole stretch at Ocean Club in 6 under, capping the run with an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. She added birdies on 11, 14 and 15, and had only 24 putts – the first a 30-footer for par on No. 1.
PRO FOOTBALL
NEW YORK (AP) – Injuries in the NFL decreased this season, including concussions.
Emphasizing that players are doing more self-reporting of head injuries, the league released data that show overall concussions for the preseason and regular season were down from 275 in 2015 to 244 in 2016. That includes a drop of 16 in regular-season games to 167.
The 275 diagnosed concussions in 2015 were a high over the past five years and were an increase of 69 over the previous season. But the NFL enhanced its detection and examination protocols in that span.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Ty Montgomery is staying at running back with the Green Bay Packers, and he’s getting a jersey number more appropriate for the position.
Montgomery, who wore No. 88 this season, will spend the offseason preparing to be in the backfield full-time, coach Mike McCarthy said.
The switch epitomized the scrambling that the Packers had to do all season to cope with a litany of injuries. While Montgomery played running back in high school, he played receiver in college at Stanford.
Montgomery led the Packers in rushing with 457 yards and three scores, while quarterback Aaron Rodgers was next with 369 yards and a team-high four rushing touchdowns.
PRO BASKETBALL
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are teammates again. Gordon Hayward, DeAndre Jordan and Kemba Walker are about to get their first opportunity on the All-Star stage.
Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade’s run of 12 straight selections in the NBA’s midseason showcase is on the cusp of ending.
Westbrook – the NBA’s scoring leader and triple-double machine – was among 14 reserves selected by the league’s coaches for the All-Star Game that will be played in New Orleans on Feb. 19. Other West reserves include Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, Memphis’ Marc Gasol and first-time selections Hayward of Utah and Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Eastern Conference reserves are Indiana’s Paul George, Cleveland’s Kevin Love, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Washington’s John Wall and Charlotte’s Walker, who is going for the first time.
HOCKEY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella has returned to Ohio because of a family emergency, keeping him out of both Thursday night’s game with Nashville and the NHL All-Star Game this weekend.
”Regrettably, there is a personal matter that requires my immediate attention that will force me to leave the team temporarily and miss the All-Star Game in Los Angeles,” Tortorella said in a statement. ”This decision was not made lightly as representing the Columbus Blue Jackets is something I am very proud of, but it is the right decision for my family and I.”
Tortorella said he hopes to be back with the Blue Jackets next week and appreciates the support of the team and the NHL. Assistant coaches Brad Larsen and Brad Shaw will take over in Tortorella’s absence.
Tortorella had been set to coach the Metropolitan Division at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles this weekend.
BASEBALL
CLEVELAND (AP) – The Indians made it back to the World Series last year for the first time since 1997. They’re about to connect with another moment from their past.
Cleveland will host the All-Star Game in 2019, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. The team will hold a news conference on Friday at Progressive Field to formally announce the event, last held in Cleveland in 1997. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Backup infielder Stephen Drew agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract to return to the Washington Nationals as a versatile member of their bench.
The team announced the deal after Drew passed his physical exam.