SAN DIEGO – Less than 24 hours after Patrick Reed created a rules controversy for a drop he took during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open, Rory McIlroy found himself in a similar situation.

McIlroy’s second shot on the 18^th hole during Saturday's third round at Torrey Pines sailed right of the fairway and into the rough. After inspecting his ball, the Northern Irishman informed another player in his group (Rory Sabbatini) that he had an embedded ball and would be taking relief.

It was the same scenario that Reed had on earlier in the round on the 10^th hole.

“It was reasonable for both players to conclude – based on the fact that they did not see the ball land, but given the lie of the ball in soft course conditions – that they proceed as the rule allows for a potential embedded ball,” a statement from the Tour read.

Unlike McIlroy, Reed called a rules official in to confirm his assessment that his ball was embedded and the official agreed. Under the Rules of Golf, McIlroy wasn’t required to ask for a ruling.

“Both players took proper relief under the [rules]. The committee is comfortable with how both players proceeded given the fact that they used the evidence they had at the time,” the statement read.

McIlroy teed off just before the Tour issued its statement and wasn’t immediately available for comment.

England hopefuls Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett and Jamie Overton all performed with the bat at the T10 League on Sunday, serving up some timely reminders of their talent in a year of great opportunity for English players.

The England think tank is committed to rotation throughout a stacked calendar in 2021, which includes the T20 World Cup in India at the back end of the year.

It means there are plenty of chances for players to force themselves into the reckoning across all three formats, with a busy home summer consisting of seven Tests, six ODIs and a further six T20Is. This follows the upcoming four-Test, three-ODI and five-T20I tour of India and that bookends the coming months with October's pair of T20Is in Pakistan that are scheduled just days out from the World Cup's opening matches.

After a 2020 in which cricket was ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, tournaments such as the T10 take on extra significance by offering up much needed time at the crease to find form and impress selectors.

"Hopefully [the England set-up are watching], you never know," Overton said following his unbeaten 38 from just 11 balls that secured a first victory of the campaign for a British-heavy Team Abu Dhabi, against the Pune Devils.

"I've come over not expecting to do that much, get a few runs here and there and then who knows what can happen. I'd like to think more opportunities will come from this and we'll see what happens.

"If you put in good performances then you can't be that far away. I'm just focusing on my cricket and then if it happens, it happens."

Overton is certainly on England's radar and was selected for their behind-closed-doors training in July last year, so this cameo may have registered with the selectors. His devastating knock followed on from important nine-ball contributions by team-mates Clarke (29) and Duckett (20) that set up Overton's late dramatics, in a game where Kohler-Cadmore top-scored with an unbeaten 61 from 25 balls for the opposition.

While Overton says he feels "fresh" having not picked up a cricket bat for some time, Kohler-Cadmore has been working over the winter with his Yorkshire coaches, and says those efforts are why he has shot to third on the leader board for most runs in this year's T10 League.

"I've done a lot of work in Yorkshire and the coaches back home have been outstanding, especially with everything that's going on with Covid. Those guys have really helped me and allowed me to hit the ground running here," he said. "It is great fun. It's nice having the freedom and obviously it's nice when you hit some clean balls and they come off."

Kohler-Cadmore now has back-to-back half-centuries for the Devils and 127 runs from his three innings, coming at a strike rate of 215.25. Only Sohail Akhtar (131) and Nicholas Pooran (162) - who hit 89 from only 26 balls as the Northern Warriors romped to victory against the Bangla Tigers in the day's second match - have scored more than 26-year-old Kohler-Cadmore.

It's a superb return from a man who was on tour with the England Lions this time last year and was also named in last summer's back-to-work training squads with the England team. For now, he hopes to continue performing with the bat.

"I just want to win games with Pune and that's all I'm focusing on at the minute, just trying to get as many runs as I possibly can," Kohler-Cadmore said. "All the other stuff takes care of itself so it's just focusing on the next game now."

One man who may have hoped Ed Smith & Co weren't tuning in on day four was Sussex's George Garton. The 23-year-old's two overs against the Warriors went for 48 runs, as Pooran walloped the England Lions seamer for 32 in the eighth over.

NEW YORK -- James Harden has been ruled out of the Brooklyn Nets' game against the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

Harden is listed out with a thigh contusion. It comes two days after Kevin Durant rested in the Nets' last game, a 147-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

Sunday's game is the first game Harden has missed since he was traded from Houston to Brooklyn in mid-January. Harden has played an average of 39.9 minutes per game since signing with the Nets.

Coach Steve Nash has said that ideally, the Nets' big three of Harden, Durant and Kyrie Irving will be able to avoid playing high-30s or 40-minute games. Durant is averaging just under 37 minutes per game. Irving is averaging 35.5 minutes per game.

The Nets are 6-2 with Harden. The All-Star guard is averaging 24.3 points, 11.8 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game for Brooklyn.

The delayed 2020-21 Championship season has been put at risk with second-tier clubs unhappy about the government's offer of loans not grants in their Sport Winter Survival package.

But Ampthill have publicly voiced the concerns of a number of clubs in a statement on their club website.

They say they will "potentially not be able" to take their place for 2020-21.

The plan was to split the 12 Championship clubs into two groups of six, playing each other home and away twice ahead of a play-off final.

But Ampthill - who had been placed in a group along with relegated 2018-19 Premiership champions Saracens - say the required Covid testing procedures alone would cost them £120,000.

They are reliant on gate revenue and say they could only seriously contemplate playing the four-month season if they had been awarded a government grant, not a loan.

They have made a plea for 'crowd funding' and reports elsewhere over the weekend suggest that many of the other Championship clubs feel the same way.

If the Championship season was cancelled, it would impact badly on Saracens, who were hoping for a quick return to the top flight.

Before the first lockdown in March 2020, already cash-strapped Championship clubs were told that their £534,000 central funding from the Rugby Football Union was to be cut to £288,000 per club by the start of the 2022-23 season.

Former Wales winger Dafydd James has completed his epic 'marathon a day' challenge in January.

"It's a difficult month for a lot of people struggling with mental health," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"If they can glimmer hope from what I'm doing then job done."

James has previously spoken out about his struggles, admitting he fell into a "dark hole" when a fractured vertebra in his neck forced him into retirement.

James said the 'January blues' has been escalated this year with the country in its third national coronavirus lockdown.

He said the idea of the marathons was to "give something back" and test him both physically and mentally.

He admits the worst part was planning the night before.

"I'd think 'oh god I've got five hours of doing some form of exercise' which can be quite daunting for a lot of people, but I managed to switch off a little bit and just focus day by day.

"It has been difficult, my joints as I'm walking down the stairs are creaking and hurting now."

But he says it is all worth it if he can help other people.

"Everybody has issues, some people just shelter away from it.

"I'm trying to break the stigma with male mental health. I know a lot of people (males and females) are struggling out there, losing their jobs, being stuck indoors.

"It's okay not to be okay."

James has already surpassed his target of raising £1,000 for the mental health charity Hafal and The Noah's Ark Charity which he says he has an affinity to after his second son "had a few issues".

He completed the final marathon on the coastal path at Rest Bay, Portcawl with his eldest son and his ever-present cocker spaniel.

The BBC has collated links and resources for anyone affected by mental health issues. You can find that here.

London Irish held off a second-half Newcastle Falcons fightback to claim their first league win since November.

Replacement hooker Motu Matu'u's bonus-point try with three minutes remaining eventually saw off the Falcons.

Agustin Creevy, James Stokes and Curtis Rona crossed earlier for Irish, with Ben Stevenson replying for Newcastle.

Irish's previous league win came in their opening game at the Brentford Community Stadium against Leicester Tigers on 29 November and they had to wait until the 18th minute to open the scoring.

A high tackle allowed Paddy Jackson to kick to the corner and after winning the resulting lineout, Argentine hooker Creevy crashed over from close range.

The Exiles had their second try shortly before the half-hour mark, with the ball worked well through the midfield, creating an overlap which allowed Stokes to acrobatically dot down, having been called into the team as a late replacement for injured Ollie Hassell-Collins.

It was vital for the Falcons to get off the mark before the break and they duly delivered when Stevenson collected a long pass from Joel Hodgson to cross.

But they suffered a blow when full-back Tom Penny was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on his opposite number Tom Parton early in the second period.

Irish took full advantage, scoring 10 unanswered points with the extra man, including a converted Rona try, to give themselves a 1 -point cushion.

Newcastle kept going and after scoring twice in five minutes as the clock ticked down, through replacement scrum-half Stuart and back rower Graham, they were suddenly sensing an unlikely win.

Their hopes were finally dashed when an infringement led to Matu'u being the beneficiary of the driving maul to settle the game and hand the Falcons only their second defeat of the Premiership campaign.

London Irish: Parton; Stokes, Rona, Meakes, Loader; Jackson, Phipps; Goodrick-Clarke, Creevy, Kepu, Mafi, Simmons, Rogerson (capt), O'Brien, Tuisue.

Replacements: Matu'u, Dell, Chawatama, Coleman, Donnell, Cowan, Meehan, Hepetema.

Newcastle Falcons: Penny; Radwan, Orlando, Flood (co-capt), Stevenson; Hodgson, Schreuder; Davison, McGuigan, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Robinson (co-capt), Van der Walt, Graham.

Replacements: Blamire, Cooper, Tampin, Montgomery, Hardie, Stuart, Connon, Wacokecoke.

Yellow card: Penny (Newcastle Falcons)

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU).

Harlequins kept up their stunning away record in the Premiership this season as they swept Wasps aside for a third bonus-point triumph on their travels.

Will Evans and Danny Care helped them to a 20-3 half-time lead bolstered by Alex Dombrandt and Louis Lynagh tries.

Zach Kibirige and Tom Willis replied before James Lang scored for Quins, followed by an added-time penalty try.

The game ended in the red zone just when it seemed the final action was done as Lang cashed in a dropped pass from Jimmy Gopperth to enjoy a 50-metre run to the line.

Marcus Smith landed the conversion, his seventh successful kick for an individual 17-point haul, but referee Luke Pearce was not done, allowing play to continue and bringing a sixth try for Quins, who also scored six in their first away win of the season at Gloucester.

Gopperth landed both his conversions, to add to Lima Sopoaga's first-half penalty - but it was a poor showing by a Wasps side badly missing their England players, Paolo Odogwu, Dan Robson, Jack Willis and Joe Launchbury.

Head coach Lee Blackett made nine changes to the side which beat Bath last time out - and the only consolation was winger Kibirige, last season's top scorer, going in for his first try of the season.

They are fifth in the table, and only above Harlequins by virtue of games won - four to three - as the London club have a superior points difference.

Wasps: Sopoaga; Kibirige, Fekitoa, Gopperth, Minozzi; Umaga, Porter; McIntyre, Cruse, Toomaga-Allen, Rowlands, Gaskell, Shields, Young (capt), T Willis.

Replacements: Taylor, Harris, Brookes, Cardall, Morris, Wolstenholme, Le Bourgeois, Miller.

Harlequins: Brown; Lynagh, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Morris; Smith, Care; Marler, Baldwin, Louw, Symons, Lewies (capt), White, Evans, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Elia, Els, Kerrod, Young, De Carpentier, Landajo, Lang, Green.

Referee: Luke Pearce.

Rugby Australia has offered to host this summer's British and Irish Lions series against South Africa.

But issues around Covid-19, including the emergence of a new variant in South Africa, has led to uncertainty over the viability of the tour.

"We're here to help," Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"What we learnt from the Tri Nations last year and the tennis that's happening now is that Australia can successfully stage global tournaments in a Covid world.

"It's particularly tough in the UK and South Africa at the moment and I believe the more international rugby that gets played here, the better."

McLennan says profits from the tour would be split between the Lions and South Africa, with Rugby Australia covering their costs.

The Lions board have been discussing contingency plans in the event the trip has to be abandoned, including the possibility of hosting games in the UK and Ireland.

Crowds have returned to watch live sport in Australia, with up to 30,000 fans allowed to watch next month's Australian Open in Melbourne.

Analysis

BBC Rugby Union correspondent Chris Jones

This is a fascinating development, and while it has been described as a "long shot" by a well-placed source, it has certainly not been dismissed by either the Lions or South Africa, and is another contingency plan being actively explored.

The pros of this are clear: it would protect the touring ethos of the Lions and would ensure the best possible chance of getting supporters in the grounds - which would be a huge boost - while there is also the tantalising prospect of the Lions playing a warm-up Test against the Wallabies, or even France, who are touring Down Under this summer already.

But there are major obstacles too, both logistical and financial. And with it being unlikely that supporters from the UK and Ireland will be able to flock to Australia - with tight border controls set to be in place for most of 2021 - the atmosphere and energy around the tour will be in the hands of the Australian rugby public, which has been somewhat apathetic in recent years.

SYLVANIA, Ga. — Three-time All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Aaron Reutzel picked up right where he left off last year, maneuvering his way back to victory lane with a $10,000 score in Saturday’s Winter Freeze finale at Screven Motor Speedway.

The Clute, Texas, native earned his triumph from the outside of row two, forced to outduel Sheldon Haudenschild, all before fending off a late charge by Kyle Reinhardt. The Sugarlands Shine Southern Tour presented by Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts victory bumped Reutzel’s All Star win total to 37.

“I can’t thank the entire Roth Motorsports team enough for allowing Dylan (Buswell) and I to come on board and bring our package with us. They took a big risk and we appreciate everything they’ve done for us,” Reutzel said. “We struggled a little bit in Arizona, but we took some time during the week to think about some things. We made a few fine changes and now I feel right at home. Everyone has done such a great job and I can’t say how excited I am enough.”

Haudenschild was the early leader, forced to withstand a caution on the initial start, as well as an ensuing red-flag incident, all before the main event could officially get underway. It did not take long for Haudenschild to escape to a lengthy advantage, stretching his gap over KCP Racing’s Gio Scelzi to a near-straightaway by lap 15.

It was at that time when Reutzel started to come alive on the bottom of the speedway, first working by Scelzi for the runner-up spot on lap 18.

Caution flags appeared again on lap 20 setting up a single file restart with Reutzel on the tail tank of Haudenschild. Keeping his focus on the bottom of the speedway, Reutzel stalked Haudenschild for four circuits, eventually making his move on lap 24 when the Stenhouse Jr Marshall Racing entry slipped up the track allowing Reutzel to squeeze through.

Despite a few desperate attempts to regain the top spot, Haudenshild would eventually succumb to his own aggressiveness, spinning to a stop on lap 28.

Reutzel drove on to clinch the $10,000 payday, surviving one final caution on lap 33 and late pressure from Reinhardt.
Sam Hafertepe Jr. finished third on Saturday night, followed by a hard-charging Donny Schatz, who climbed from 21st to fourth after winning the evening’s B Main. Justin Peck was fifth.

Schatz was forced to compete in the evening’s B Main after missing the scales following his respective heat race.

“I really wanted to race Sheldon (Haudenschild) in traffic,” Reutzel added. “I wanted to catch him off guard and think I was just a lapped car that got by him. I knew on that restart that if I stuck my nose under him, he would assume that rubber was coming on the bottom. I tried to just hang back until the groove came in a little bit better for us, but the time came where I had to pull the trigger. I went for it and he didn’t have time to shut the door on us.”

The finish:

Feature (35 Laps): 1. 83-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 2. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [7]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. [3]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [21]; 5. 13-Justin Peck [12]; 6. 18-Gio Scelzi [1]; 7. 101-Kerry Madsen [9]; 8. 1S-Logan Schuchart [15]; 9. 39M-Anthony Macri [11]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [13]; 11. 26-Cory Eliason [16]; 12. 1A-Jacob Allen [14]; 13. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [2]; 14. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [5]; 15. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [8]; 16. 73-Scotty Thiel [10]; 17. 5-Brent Marks [23]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [17]; 19. 18J-RJ Jacobs [18]; 20. 25-Chris Myers [20]; 21. O8-Brandon Conkel [24]; 22. 21-Carson Short [6]; 23. 33M-Mason Daniel [22]; 24. 22C-Cole Duncan [19] Lap Leaders: Sheldon Haudenschild (1-23), Aaron Reutzel (24-35)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Chip Ganassi Racing held the overall lead of the 59th Rolex 24 as the 16th hour of competition was completed early Sunday morning at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Renger van der Zande was at the wheel of the No. 01 Cadillac DPi as night turned to day, though he had plenty of competition close behind him. The eighth caution of the race had allowed the rest of the pack to close in on him and the restart saw drama for the No. 48 Action Express Cadillac DPi.

Driven by two-time Rolex 24 champion Kamui Kobayashi, the No. 48 entry rocketed from fourth to second during the restart. He attempted to challenge van der Zande for the lead only to spin out entering the first turn, dropping him several seconds behind the leaders with less than half of the race left.

That left Helio Castroneves, at the wheel of the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura DPi, running second. He was four seconds behind the No. 01 Ganassi effort, with Dane Cameron in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura DPi next in the running order.

Tower Motorsport’s No. 8 Oreca is in control of the LMP2 class, with Gabriel Aubry holding a one-lap advantage over the No. 18 Era Motorsports Oreca driven by Paul-Loup Chatin.

The lead was even greater in the LMP3 division, where Oliver Askew holds a commanding five lap lead in the No. 74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320. Joao Barbosa currently runs second in the class in the No. 33 Ligier JS P320.

Oliver Askew has taken over for Spencer Pigot in the No. 74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320, which leads the LMP3 class by five laps over the No. 33 Ligier JS P320 of Joao Barbosa.

GT Le Mans saw the Corvette Racing program battling with BMW Team RLL in the early morning hours. After leading for most of the hour, the No. 25 BMW M8 of Connor De Philippi was overtaken by both Corvettes, with Tommy Milner in the No. 4 leading Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 and De Philippi by only a few car lengths each.

Lastly, Winward Racing’s No. 57 Mercedes AMG GT3 with Maro Engel at the wheel was out front in the GT Daytona class by nearly 18 seconds over the No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 driven by Simon Mann.