Xander Schauffele ready for challenge that awaits in Farmers Insurance Open

Tuesday

The first week in February is becoming known as the split between Pebble Beach and the Saudi International. Pebble Beach now has only three players from the top 20 in the world. Leading the way are U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland. The Saudi International features all but a handful of the players who have signed on with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. That includes Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson. LIV is a month out from starting its season. The European tour wraps up its Middle East swing at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Tuesday

Batting champion Jeff McNeil and the New York Mets have finalized a four-year contract that prevents a salary arbitration hearing. The deal includes a club option for 2027. A two-time All-Star, McNeil led the majors with a .326 average last season. The second baseman asked for a raise from $3 million to $7.75 million this year while New York offered $6.25 million. McNeil turns 31 in April. He could have become a free agent following the 2024 season but agreed to push that back at least two years, possibly three.

Today in Sports History, Feb. 1-2020 - Australian Open Women’s Tennis: 21 year old American Sofia Kenin wins her first Grand Slam title with a 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 victory over Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain

Nice signed Terem Moffi on the final day of the transfer window after beating southern rival Marseille for the prolific Nigeria striker. Nice says Moffi has signed a loan deal with a obligation to make the deal permanent. Moffi joins from French club Lorient and has been one of the best players in the league this season. Marseille was interested in signing Moffi and the striker had been set to be part of a reported swap deal that would see Bamba Dieng sign with Lorient. The Senegal forward did sign a four-year deal with Lorient last week but Moffi opted for Nice.

The French basketball federation has opened a disciplinary case after a Black player was reportedly targeted by a racist insult during a lower-league game. Metz point guard Loic Akono said he was called a “bonobo” by a fan during a game at Charleville-Mezieres over the weekend. Bonobos are similar to chimpanzees. Akono left the court before the end of the third quarter after the referee threatened to charge him with a technical foul if he kept arguing with the crowd. The French federation says it opened a disciplinary case, noting its “zero tolerance” policy toward such behaviors. Metz plays in the fourth division.

Britain’s police chiefs have promised a “cultural change” as they apologized to families of the victims in the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy. The U.K.‘s worst sports disaster saw 97 people killed during a crush of soccer fans at an overcrowded stadium. Authorities spent years blaming fans for the disaster, and an initial inquest ruled the deaths an accident. But a second inquest concluded in 2016 that the victims were unlawfully killed as a result of failings by police and others. The National Police Chiefs Council and College of Policing said Tuesday that the code of ethics used by police forces will be reviewed.

Authorities say nearly two-dozen people including players have been arrested as part of an investigation into match-fixing in lower-division soccer matches in Spain, Andorra and Gibraltar. The European Union police agency Europol says those arrested are alleged members of a betting syndicate where “several footballers are suspected of having used their position to steer the outcome of games in which they participated in.” Authorities say 30 games are under investigation, with profits from the betting estimated at more than 500,000 euros.

Kenyan marathon runner Georgina Rono has been banned for four years for evading a doping test. Rono was third at the Boston Marathon in 2012 and also has podium finishes at the Eindhoven and Frankfurt Marathons. She was banned until Jan. 25, 2027, and had all her results since May 27 stripped from her record in a ruling by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya. Kenyan authorities are battling a doping crisis. There are more than 50 athletes from the East African country currently suspended.

American midfielder Korbin Albert has signed a contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain until 2025 after forgoing her remaining eligibility at Notre Dame. The Grayslake, Illinois native was regarded as one of the best midfielders in college soccer. The 19-year-old Albert scored 16 goals last season as a sophomore and helped her team reach the NCAA quarterfinals.

Jeffrey Lurie was basking, which was expected and, given the outcome of the NFC championship game, entirely appropriate. He was in the middle of the Eagles locker room Sunday, a semicircle of reporters around him, his team’s 31-7 victory over the 49ers still so fresh that the maintenance cre…

Coming off a year in which the ACC played 10 road games at non-Power 5 opponents — and lost three of them — schools received new guidance from the league office: Don’t.

Gary Bettman made a name for himself in the 1980s as the NBA's general counsel and third-in-command, the sharp, young lawyer who created the league's salary cap. Working alongside Commissioner David Stern, Bettman helped stabilize the NBA and transform it into a star-centric league watched b…

Patrick Mahomes was supposed to be hobbled, or at the very least limited.

Jakorian Bennett doesn’t know what his life would be like without football. Maybe he would’ve stuck with track, but his answer didn’t seem definitive. He spent a minute trying to envision a scenario where he wasn’t the starting cornerback at Maryland, and nothing came to mind.

In 2008, the Jets acquired veteran quarterback Brett Favre in a trade with the Packers. Now dreams of Aaron Rodgers are dancing through Jets fans’ heads.

The paragraphs jumped off of page 253 of "Swagger," the terrific new book that examines the football life of Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson in Johnson's words.

UNDATED (AP) — Purdue is this season's first unanimous No. 1 team in the AP men’s college basketball poll. The Boilermakers have won eight straight games since a one-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 2. They were followed in the AP Top 25 by Tennessee, Houston, Alabama and Arizona in the top fiv…

New Hampshire plays the NJIT Highlanders after Clarence O. Daniels II scored 22 points in the Wildcats' 69-65 win against the UMass-Lowell River Hawks. The teams play Wednesday for the first time this season. NJIT is 3-4 against the America East, and New Hampshire is 5-3 against conference opponents.

Akron visits the Buffalo Bulls after Enrique Freeman scored 32 points in the Zips' 83-77 victory against the Ohio Bobcats. Tuesday's meeting is the first of the season between the squads. Buffalo is 4-4 against the MAC, and Akron is 7-1 against conference opponents.

UMass-Lowell will try to keep its 11-game home win streak alive when the River Hawks take on Albany (NY). Wednesday's game is the second meeting this season between the two teams. The Great Danes won the previous matchup 89-63. UMass-Lowell is 5-4 against the America East, and Albany (NY) is 1-7 against conference opponents.

New Mexico State hosts the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks after Anthony Roy scored 23 points in New Mexico State's 77-72 loss to the Utah Valley Wolverines. Wednesday's game will be the second meeting this season between the two teams. The 'Jacks won the last matchup 69-60. New Mexico State is 0-9 against the WAC, and SFA is 7-2 against conference opponents.

Utah State plays the New Mexico Lobos after Daniel Akin scored 23 points in Utah State's 70-53 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs. Wednesday's matchup is the first this season for the teams. Utah State is 6-3 against the MWC, and New Mexico is 6-3 against conference opponents.

Western Michigan hosts the Northern Illinois Huskies after Lamar Norman Jr. scored 27 points in Western Michigan's 70-69 loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas. Tuesday's meeting is the first this season for the two squads. Western Michigan is 2-6 against the MAC, and Northern Illinois is 4-4 against conference opponents.

Boise State faces the Air Force Falcons after Tyson Degenhart scored 22 points in the Broncos' 80-59 victory against the Colorado State Rams. Tuesday's matchup is the first this season for the teams. Air Force is 3-6 against the MWC, and Boise State is 7-2 against conference opponents.