MOBILE, Ala. – Grant Thompson will compete in select CARS Late Model Stock Tour events this season in a second car for Justin Johnson Racing.

Thompson, 14, will race as a teammate to Texas native Kaden Honeycutt for approximately six races in the Southeastern-based series.

The team recently won the CARS Late Model Stock Tour opener at South Carolina’s Dillon Motor Speedway with team owner Justin Johnson behind the wheel.

“I am very grateful to have the opportunity to participate in select CARS Tour events,” said Thompson. “It is still unbelievable to me that I have the opportunity to race in this competitive of a series with Kaden Honeycutt as my teammate in a Justin Johnson-prepared late model stock car.

“Justin has very nice equipment and that really boosts my confidence level coming into the series and racing against professional race car drivers,” he added. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Thompson will test with Johnson’s team prior to his first CARS Tour start. An exact schedule of events is yet to be determined, but Thompson’s goal is to compete with the CARS Tour full time next season. This will be his first time racing a NASCAR-style late model stock car.

“I am super excited to start testing a late model stock with JJR. It’s exciting to know I’ll be getting behind the wheel of a different type of race car that I haven’t experienced driving yet,” Thompson noted. “That’s where having a very experienced teammate like Kaden Honeycutt is very helpful for my development.

“Our main goal for this season is to gain valuable experience, earn the trust of my competitors and work towards the goal of running a full CARS Tour season for 2022.”

The next CARS Tour event, scheduled for March 20 at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway, will feature both the CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the CARS Super Late Model Tour.

Jordan Binnington bet on himself and won a lucrative new contract with the St. Louis Blues.

The 27-year-old goalie agreed to a six-year contract extension worth $36 million on Thursday. His average annual contract value of $6 million is a jump up from his current AAV of $4.4 million.

His cap hit and contract term equals that of Jacob Markstrom, who signed with the Calgary Flames last season as the most coveted free-agent goalie.

Additional terms include trade protection throughout the contract and a full no-trade clause for the first three years.

Binnington, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is currently in his third season with the Blues and has posted a 63-24-11 record, a 2.38 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and eight shutouts across 102 regular-season games. This season, he's 9-6-3 in 19 starts for St. Louis, with a .908 save percentage and a 2.69 goals-against average.

The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native was a rookie sensation in 2018-19, helping to lead the Blues from last place in their conference to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. He went 24-5-1 in the regular season and won Game 7 of the Final on the road in Boston.

It was after that Cup run that Binnington signed a two-year, $8.8 million bridge deal with the Blues. The team wanted to be sure that Binnington was a long-term solution in goal and not just a one-season wonder. Binnington wanted to prove himself worthy of a long-term commitment.

The bridge led to a six-year contract extension between the goalie and his team, running through 2026-27.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Sergio Garcia has played TPC Sawgrass enough to know that trouble is lurking around every turn, and the opening round Thursday at The Players Championship provided another example. Just not for him.

A solid start turned into a brilliant one for Garcia, who finished birdie-birdie-eagle for a 7-under 65, staking the Spaniard to a two-shot lead among the players who finished their opening rounds (21 players will have to finish their first rounds on Friday morning after play was suspended because of darkness).

Garcia, who won the PGA Tour’s premier event in 2008, holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh, hit a 3-iron to 15 feet on the par-3 eighth, and closed it out with a 5-wood to 18 feet for eagle on his final hole.

The 65 matched his best score on the Stadium Course.

Garcia was among only five players from the morning draw who broke 70 in what appeared to be ideal conditions, with only a mild breeze and a course in immaculate condition. The trouble came from pin positions that required more precision than usual, and the Sawgrass hazards that make this course as entertaining as any.

“For some reason, it just kind of fits my eye,” said Garcia, who has a pair of runner-up finishes to go with his victory. “I see what I want to do pretty much every hole and then it’s a matter of doing it.”

He did it better than anyone, adding another eagle earlier in his round with an approach to 10 feet on the par-3 17th.

Corey Conners, a contender last week at Bay Hill, and Matt Fitzpatrick each had a 68, while Bay Hill runner-up Lee Westwood and Tom Hoge were another shot behind.

Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth were among those playing in the afternoon.

Garcia didn’t have to look far to see what kind of damage Sawgrass can inflict. He played alongside Rory McIlroy, who began his round with a double bogey from the woods on No. 10 and finish a nine-hole score of 43 by hitting two tee shots into the water on the 18th for a quadruple-bogey 8. He finished with a three-putt bogey for a 79, his highest start of any tournament since a 79 at Royal Portrush in the 2019 British Open.

“The big number on 18 didn’t help and then doubling the first wasn’t helpful, either,” he said. “It’s hard to recover when you just haven’t played good. If you take that 18th hole out, it still wasn’t a very good day.”

Henrik Stenson hit into the water on consecutive holes for a double bogey and a triple bogey, and he put two more in the water — including on the island-green 17th — for an 85, his highest score ever on the PGA Tour.

Byeong Hun An did all his damage on one hole — four tee shots in the water on the 17th for an 11 — for an 83. Kevin Na hit three in the water on the 17th for a quintuple-bogey 8 and then withdrew with a bad back and an 81 on his card.

Rickie Fowler had three double bogeys in his round of 77, leaving him in danger of missing the cut and likely missing out on the Dell Match Play in two weeks.

Garcia’s lone bogey came after perhaps his best shot. From the pine straw next to a tree left of the first fairway, he hooded an iron that came out low and right to left with enough run that it settled 25 feet away. And then he three-putted.

The most remarkable round might have belonged to Hoge, who managed to get through 18 holes without a bogey.

“It was a good, solid day, kind of what you want here on the Stadium Course,” Hoge said. “I haven’t been hitting it that well coming in here, so I just tried to hit a lot of greens and stay out of trouble for the most part.”

Viktor Hovland had a double bogey on his second hole, the par-5 11th and otherwise was mistake-free, until after his round. Hovland realized that when he marked his ball and moved the marker a putter length to get out of the line of Justin Thomas, instead of returning the marker to the same spot, he measured the putter length the wrong direction.

He notified officials and was assessed a two-shot penalty, giving him a 72.

Sebastian Munoz was at 4 under with one hole to play, that being the 18th, and a shot into the water led to a triple bogey for a 71. He tried to take out the positives of five birdies, and that’s what makes this tournament so tough to predict. There are plenty of birdies available. It doesn’t take much to erase all the good work.

“You do have a lot of wedges in your hand,” Munoz said. “Par 5s are reachable. So yeah, we do have a lot more chances than a usual course. But I mean, danger is around the corner on every hole.”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Bryson DeChambeau didn’t get the chance to use his power advantage on TPC Sawgrass’ 18^th hole, but he was still able to flex on Day 1 at The Players Championship.

DeChambeau birdied two of his last three holes for a first-round 69 that was four strokes off the lead, and given the Stadium Course’s ability to dictate a dialed-down style of play he was exactly where he wanted to be.

“The golf course is always telling me each and every day what I need to do to get it close to the hole or in the fairway. It really dictates what we do. I listen a lot to the golf course,” DeChambeau said. “It's funny, if I say that, people think it's just stats, stats and statistics, but it's really a game-time decision with the wind for the most part, most of the time.”

Although DeChambeau, who overpowered Bay Hill last week for his eighth PGA Tour victory, said he hit driver on half the holes he played on Day 1 none of those were what he would consider 100-percent swings. Even on the par-5 16^th hole, he reigned in his power with a water hazard looming.

The 18^th hole was probably the best example of DeChambeau’s restraint. Although he’d hinted at driving down the adjacent ninth fairway, that option was taken out of his hands when Tour officials declared internal out-of-bounds. Instead, he hit 4-iron (258 yards) into the proper fairway, followed by an 8-iron to 42 feet for a two-putt par.

As for the Tour’s decision to remove the option of going down the ninth fairway off the 18^th tee, DeChambeau said he learned his lesson.

“I understand it. I probably shouldn't have said anything. Knowing that now ... I won't ever say any lines that I'm taking anymore, but that's OK,” he said. “I've got no issues with it. I understand why, from a safety precaution reason, totally get it. But I'm going to keep myself a little quiet next time for lines that I'm going to try to obtain.”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Jordan Spieth might have finally figured out how to handle TPC Sawgrass.

He’s treating it like a major test.

After being the 54-hole co-leader in 2014, Spieth has missed the cut in four of his last five appearances here. His prior form hasn’t much mattered – he just hasn’t been able to solve the Pete Dye riddle.

But Thursday was one of his most promising starts, carrying over his recent good form and signing for a 2-under 70, which put him just outside the top 10 and only five shots off the early lead at The Players.

So what was the key to his turnaround?

“You have to play this course almost like a U.S. Open venue,” he said. “If you don’t get a perfect number with the right wind, you just can’t attack, even if it’s a wedge. Just wait for your spots and take advantage of the par 5s. That’s how I’m supposed to play this place. And I did a great job of that today for the most part, and that’s going to be my game plan going forward, for sure.”

In a promising sign, Spieth led the field in strokes gained: off the tee in Round 1, gaining more than two strokes while hitting 12 of 14 fairways. Entering the week, he was ranked 181^st in that category.

“From the spots I was playing and the shots I hit into greens mid-air, I would have said I should have shot lower, but at the beginning of the day, I would have certainly signed for a 70,” he said. “I feel really good about today overall.”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – At 6:45 a.m. ET, Steve Stricker’s phone buzzed – he was now the first alternate into The Players Championship.

Stricker had been keeping tabs on the alternate list into the PGA Tour’s marquee event after starting last week as the fifth alternate. One by one the dominos fell in his direction and when he moved to the top of the list he knew it was time to act.

“I knew [Justin Rose] wasn't doing so well. He hadn't even hit a ball from what I understand, so they scrambled the pilots together,” Stricker said.

Stricker, 54, flew from Naples, Florida, to St. Augustine on a private flight and landed about 9:35 a.m. With a courtesy car waiting for him, he raced to the COVID-19 testing center and then to TPC Sawgrass, where his stand-in caddie, Eric Larson, who was supposed to caddie for Harris English before he withdrew from the event, brought him food while he awaited his test results.

Shortly afterward, Rose withdrew from the event citing “personal medical reasons” and Stricker teed off at 1:11 p.m. without playing a practice round and with limited preparation. None of that seemed to bother Stricker, who birdied four consecutive holes starting at No. 14 (he began his round on No. 10). He finished with a 2-under 70 and was tied for 12^th place when play was halted for the day by darkness.

“There's always some benefits, at least I look at them as benefits, I didn't have to put myself through the grind Monday, Tuesday and once, I actually didn't even play or hit a ball Monday or Tuesday back in Naples,” he said. “I was excited to come here to a place that I have played a bunch before and the hard part was just trying to get the speed of the greens, the chip shots, how they're going to roll out, all that kind of stuff.”

Lionel Messi received a surprise house-share offer from Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on Thursday.

The Real defender said that should the Barcelona forward decide to leave the Camp Nou for the Bernabeu when his contract expires this year he could stay with the Ramos family while he went house hunting.

- Ramos: No news yet on future at Real Madrid
- Stream LIVE games and replays on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

"Of course, 100%!," Ramos said on Twitch show "Charlando Tranquilamente" when asked if he would welcome Messi to Real.

"He could stay at mine for the first week or so. He can find his feet and get comfy, I'd be more than happy to do that.

"Us Madrid fans have had to endure Leo's best years [with him at another team] so to not have to face him every week would be great and to have him with us would obviously help us to win and have more success. It would be stupid to say it wouldn't."

Ramos's own contract with Real expires this summer, but he said that if he does leave Madrid he would not be tempted to join Barcelona.

"Absolutely no chance! I like [new Barca president Joan] Laporta, I've met him and I liked him," Ramos said.

"But it's the same as not seeing Xavi, [Carles] Puyol or even Messi signing for Madrid; it works the other way too and there's those of us who would never play for Barca.

"There's some things money can't buy."

Rachael Haynes believes Australia's deepening stock of fast bowlers will provide a "point of difference" for the side as they build towards a 2021-22 schedule that has plenty of big prizes up for grabs.

Tayla Vlaeminck is back in the squad for the tour of New Zealand, for the first time since being ruled out of the T20 World Cup more than a year ago, and is joined by the uncapped Darcie Brown whose potential is creating much excitement in the game after a season where she has impressed in the WBBL and WNCL.

Belinda Vakarewa, who has one ODI cap from the 2017 World Cup, is also part of the squad and the injured Annabel Sutherland is tipped to push the speed gun further. Hannah Darlington, the other new name on the New Zealand tour, has been selected on the back of her death-bowling skillset in t20 while Taneale Peschel and Stella Campbell are among others whose progress will be watched closely.

"It's really exciting, particularly for Australian cricket, that there's this depth of fast bowlers," Haynes, Australia's vice-captain, told ESPNcricinfo ahead of flying out on Saturday. "Even as little as four years ago our attack was built around off-pace and a lot of spin and now we are talking about having five or six different types of fast bowlers, all of who are capable of bowling around that 120kph mark and because they are young they are going to get quicker. It will be a point of difference for our side and will be really competitive for positions."

In her brief international appearances before injury Vlaeminck hurried batters, especially in the tri-series which preceded the T20 World Cup just days before a stress fracture in her foot was diagnosed and kept her out of action until the ongoing WNCL.

And during the WNCL, there was an over from Brown that further highlighted her potential after a promising WBBL campaign for Adelaide Strikers. Facing Queensland, she bounced out Georgia Voll then twice beat Beth Mooney with late inswingers that thundered into the pads, the second time trapping her lbw.

"It's not often you see a player burst onto the scene and bowl fast outswingers, hurry up some of the best players in the world," Australia coach Matthew Mott said. "You can see that she rushes people, good players. Particularly in New Zealand conditions with the ball swinging I can't wait to see her over there.

"It will be an incredible learning opportunity for her regardless of whether she gets a start but she's certainly in the mix. She has a lot of attributes we've been searching for."

South Africa's Shabnim Ismail leads the line for fast bowlers at the moment - she was regularly clocking above 120kph in the WBBL - and Australia could face Lea Tahuhu if she is fit for the matches later this month. In England, 18-year-old Izzy Wong is tipped for a big future.

Former Australia quick Cathryn Fitzpatrick is considered the greatest of all time but the new generation, at least those countries with well-funded female pathways, have the advantage of access to high performance set-ups from a young age.

"Bringing through players like that requires a big investment in your pathway and talent ID," Haynes said. "It really is a reflection on what WBBL has done in attracting different types of athletes to the sport."

Fast bowling is an area Mott has focused a lot of time on while working in the women's game and can now see the results coming through

"I made it really clear from the moment I was in the game that it was the area that we had the most potential to develop," he said. "The states deserve a lot of credit and the National Performance Squad with Tay [Vlaeminck] and Annabel [Sutherland] where they learnt how to train properly. Those things have really helped develop some good quicks or are physically capable of doing it and think that's exciting for the world game.

"The state coaches and national coaches have all had their eye on the prize. If you can encourage these bowlers - because sometimes pace off the ball in women's cricket is very effective - and wear a short-term lack of results with the bigger prize in mind that really starts to bear fruit."

There will also be interest in how Ellyse Perry goes with the ball in New Zealand after a season where she has struggled after her return from the serious hamstring injury which ended her T20 World Cup. In the WBBL she took eight wickets at 34.37, and an economy rate of 8.25, and in the WNCL has managed just two wickets in six matches while being Victoria's most expensive bowler.

"She had some issues with run-up at one stage but she looks as though she's ironed that our herself and that's exciting," Mott said. "She's one of the greats of all time and the longer she's on the park the better she will be."

Kraigg Brathwaite has been named West Indies' new permanent Test captain in place of Jason Holder following his success in leading them to a 2-0 victory in Bangladesh.

Brathwaite, who has captained West Indies seven times while standing in for Holder, will take the team into the two-Test series against Sri Lanka which begins on March 21.

"It is a huge honour to be given the captaincy of the West Indies Test team," he said. "I feel extremely proud and humbled that the board and selectors have given me the opportunity and responsibility to lead the team.

"The recent Test series win in Bangladesh was a fantastic achievement and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka and I'm excited about what I believe this team can achieve in the future."

Roger Harper, the lead selector, said Brathwaite's role in the Bangladesh tour, where West Indies were without a number of first-choice players, had played a key part in making the change. They chased 395 to win the first Test, inspired by Kyle Mayers' debut double century, then clinching a 17-run victory in the second match.

"We all believe that Kraigg is the right man to lead our Test side at this point in time and I'm delighted that he has accepted the role," Harper said. "In the recent Test series against Bangladesh, Kraigg was able to motivate his players to play to a very high level and create the culture we are looking to establish where the team showed a collective determination to fight and a real hunger for success."

Holder, 29, who is among of the game's leading allrounders with a Test batting average of 32.04 and bowling return of 27.94 captained West Indies in 37 Tests since taking over in 2015 with 11 wins, five draws and 21 defeats.

"On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Jason for all he has given to the game in the region while serving as Captain of our Test team," Jimmy Adams, CWI director of cricket, said. "Throughout his five-and-a-half-year tenure, he has led with dignity while always upholding the highest values of the sport. As the world's leading Test allrounder, we all believe that Jason still has a tremendous role to play in West Indies Test cricket for many years to come."

New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick underwent a nonsurgical procedure Thursday to relieve inflammation and soreness in his right heel and will be out of the lineup for at least a week.

The Pelicans said Redick will remain away from the team and continue to adhere to the NBA's health and safety protocols while receiving follow-up treatment. An update to his status is expected in a week.

Redick, 36, has played a reserve role for the Pelicans this season, averaging 8.7 points in 18.6 minutes. While he has been a highly regarded 3-point shooter since entering the NBA, hitting 41.5% from deep throughout his 15-year career, his accuracy has dipped to 36.4% (51 of 140) this season.

Redick's absence is expected to result in more playing time for second-year guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and rookie guard Kira Lewis Jr., the Pelicans' 2020 first-round draft choice.

"We want to see them do a good job defensively. They need to bring us a lot of energy,'' Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said Thursday evening, before the Pelicans hosted Minnesota. "Hopefully, they make good, smart plays, take good shots -- not any added pressure on them. They're just going to get opportunities."