AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:20 a.m. EST

Masters to keep criteria, invite all eligible players in ’23

The Masters is keeping its criteria the same for next year. That means 16 players from Saudi-funded LIV Golf will be at Augusta National to compete for a green jacket. Club chairman Fred Ridley says he’s disappointed in the fractured nature of golf. But he says the focus of the Masters is to bring the top players together from around the world. The 16 players from LIV Golf include six former champions and six who qualify by being in the top 50 in the world ranking. Ridley said the club still reserves the right to alter its criteria for 2024.

Verlander: Mets move ‘a leap of faith’ that ‘has paid off’

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander says owner Steve Cohen and his willingness to spend his hedge-fund fortune on building a World Series-contender is the reason he joined the New York Mets. The team introduced Verlander at a news conference on Tuesday. Verlander agreed to a $86.7 million, two-year contract on Dec. 5. It’s part of an offseason spending spree in which the Mets have committed $476.7 million on seven free agents. That includes starting pitchers Kodei Senga and José Quintana. Verlander turns 40 in February and will take Jacob deGrom’s spot in the rotation.

Report: Sapporo ‘reviewing’ bid promotion for 2030 Olympics

TOKYO (AP) — Sapporo officials and the Japanese Olympic Committee are “reviewing” their bid to land the 2030 Winter Games. Japanese news agency Kyodo had few details in its brief report. The Sapporo bid has been battered by a corruption scandal surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Sapporo had been considered the favorite for 2030 with Salt Lake City seen as the leader to land 2034. The International Olympic Committee announced this month that it might delay announcing a 2030 venue until 2024. It has been expected to make that announcement next year. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan-Cortina.

Messi, Mbappe give Qatar the perfect World Cup ending

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — When it comes to soccer, money can buy the world. It can pay for the World Cup. And the world’s best players. And it can bundle them all up into a perfect package and present it to a global audience of millions. The power of money was on show in all its glory as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to become world champions for the third time and end Lionel Messi’s pursuit of the one major trophy that had eluded him in his storied career. Not a bad return on Qatar’s estimated $200 billion investment.

Packers defeat Rams 24-12 to keep playoff hopes alive

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A.J. Dillon ran for two scores, Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to Aaron Jones and the Green Bay Packers kept their playoff hopes afloat with a 24-12 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Dillon put Green Bay ahead for good with an 8-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and also scored from 1 yard out in the third period. He left midway through the second half to be evaluated for a concussion. Rodgers went 22 of 30 for 229 yards with a touchdown and interception to win his ninth straight “Monday Night Football” start.

Column: Tiger has shots and a limp to keep everyone guessing

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — It took just two days at the PNC Championship for Tiger Woods to show he can still hit all the shots. He just can’t walk to them at the moment. A few shots stood out to him. One was a 3-iron into the 18th green on Saturday. Another was the drive he hit some 15 yards past Justin Thomas. That prompted Woods to leave a note for Thomas in the fairway to remind him the old guy can still play. It was enough to raise the possibility of Woods doing something special after he recovers from plantar fasciitis.

Analysis: Fitting that Dirk will be celebrated on Christmas

Dirk Nowitzki is about to get his statue from the Dallas Mavericks. It’s fitting that the unveiling is on Christmas Day. December 25 is always a huge day on the NBA calendar. This is the 15th year in a row that the league has played five games on the holiday. And it’s also become a showcase day for international players. Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Slovenia’s Luka Doncic, Serbia’s Nikola Jokic and Cameroon’s Joel Embiid will all be highlighted this year. But Nowitzki preceded them all and helped pave the way for these international success stories.

Orlov scores in OT, Caps hand Red Wings 6th straight loss

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nic Dowd scored twice in 11 seconds, Dmitry Orlov had the overtime winner and the Washington Capitals won their second in a row by beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 with Alex Ovechkin still waiting for his next major milestone. Ovechkin, for a third consecutive game, was unable to score his 801st goal and tie Gordie Howe for second on the NHL career list. He remained stuck on 800 with Howe’s sons Mark and Marty in attendance. Even without a goal from Ovechkin, the Capitals will take the victory on Orlov’s goal with 21.3 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime. The Red Wings have lost six in a row.

Boris Becker returns to limelight after months in prison

BERLIN (AP) — Tennis great Boris Becker is heading for the limelight again. German broadcaster SAT.1 was due Tuesday evening to air the first interview with Becker since his release from prison for bankruptcy offenses. The TV channel quoted the 55-year-old as saying his time in prison had taught him “a hard lesson, a very expensive one, a very painful one.” The three-time Wimbledon champion’s was deported to his native Germany last week after serving eight months of a 2 1/2-year sentence in Britain. Organizers of the annual Berlin film festival said next year’s installment will feature the premiere of an as-yet untitled documentary about Becker by Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney.