Woods wants U.S. team playing ahead of Australia
U.S. captain Tiger Woods wants the eight players who qualified for the Presidents Cup team and those auditioning for a captain’s pick to play tournaments over the next three months ahead of the mid-December matches in Australia.
Woods did not say how many tournaments players should enter. And he was vague about whether it applies to him if Woods picks himself for the team.
He plans only to play the new PGA Tour event in Japan in late October.
Woods says he warned prospective players two weeks ago that the only U.S. loss in the Presidents Cup was at Royal Melbourne in early December. These matches end 10 days before Christmas.
The eight qualifiers include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, who have never played in a cup as pros.
Hawks promote GM Schlenk to president of basketball ops
ATLANTA » The Atlanta Hawks have given general manager Travis Schlenk an extra title: president of basketball operations.
Owner Tony Ressler announced the promotion on Monday, saying he is “extremely pleased with the direction that Travis and our entire basketball operations team has us heading as a franchise.”
As he goes into his third year with the Hawks, Schlenk has totally overhauled the roster and assembled an impressive core of young players through the draft, including Trae Young, John Collins and incoming first-round picks De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish.
The Hawks have endured two straight losing seasons but Ressler says the massive rebuilding job has provided “the cap space, draft picks and financial flexibility needed to have longterm success in the NBA.”
Wilson, Ciara, Macklemore celebrate joining Sounders
SEATTLE » Russell Wilson, Ciara and Macklemore say they are honored to be a part of the Seattle Sounders ownership group.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback and his wife, along with the Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist, said at a Sounders event Monday that a sense of community drew them into joining the group. They are among several new investors who have bought into the franchise, taking up a share of the club previously owned by Hollywood producer Joe Roth.
Wilson says he’s looking forward to enhancing the Sounders culture that has already been established. Wilson arrived at Monday’s event just a few hours after returning from the Seahawks’ second preseason game in Minnesota.
Avs agree to 1-year deal with forward Valeri Nichushkin
DENVER » The Colorado Avalanche agreed to a one-year deal with forward Valeri Nichushkin.
The 24-year-old had 10 assists and no goals in 57 games last season with the Dallas Stars. He has 23 goals and 51 assists in 223 career games while in Dallas.
Nichushkin was brought in by the Avalanche to add “experience to our team,” general manager Joe Sakic said Monday. Nichushkin was the 10th overall pick by the Stars in 2013.
A native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, the 6-foot4, 210-pound Nichushkin also suited up for 104 KHL games with Traktor Chelyabinsk and CSKA Moscow, where he accumulated 31 goals and 26 assists.