ORLANDO, Fla. – Rory McIlroy could imagine Arnold Palmer delighting in the test his event’s offering this week.

With lush rough and brisk crosswinds, players aren’t getting away with mistakes.

“I think this is exactly the type of test that Arnold would have liked to see at his golf tournament,” said McIlroy, the world No. 1. “The weather's cooperated. It's been sort of cool and breezy. The greens have dried out, but the course is in phenomenal shape.

“If you play well, there are scores out there, but if you do get out of position, you're going to struggle, like I did today, at times.”

After beginning his week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a 6-under 66, McIlroy found himself in a battle on Friday in tougher conditions, with his 73 leaving him two shots behind the leaders, Tyrrell Hatton and Sung Kang.

McIlroy worked hard to keep himself on the leaderboard after getting out of position more than he would have liked.

He double bogeyed the eighth, where he got in trouble trying to thread the narrow bend of the fairway with a 3-wood. He pushed that tee shot right, into thick grass. Just 145 yards out, he needed three shots to reach the green, with his first two mighty whacks unable to free himself from the rough.

“Hopefully, that’s my one mental blip out of the way, and I can focus on the weekend,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy said the real mistake there was trying to thread the 3-wood into that opening, instead of taking 5-wood to a safer landing area. He compounded that mistake by trying to muscle and run his approach into the right greenside bunker.

“I thought I had a decent, good-enough lie to be able to do that, and I didn’t,” McIlroy said.

He could only advance his approach 45 feet. He took another chop and could only advance that 50 yards, leaving it in the rough yet again.

McIlroy suspects conditions will continue to challenge.

“You're going to see a lot of guys taking less and less club off tees just to make sure that they're holding fairways and hitting their approach shots in from the short grass,” McIlroy said.

The real challenge may be what misses will do to a player’s head this weekend.

“The later you go out, the tougher the conditions are and the firmer and faster the greens get,” McIlroy said. “So, just got to try to keep your wits about you.”

Palmer probably would have loved that comment.

The German football federation will test a new "sin bin" sanction for a second yellow card rather than sending a player off with a red card.

The federation said Friday it was agreeing to a request from its local division in the central state of Hesse to test the measure as a pilot project. The test phase will start next season at district league level -- the eighth tier and below -- for both men and women.

Under the measure, a player with a yellow card will be sent off for a specific time only before being allowed back on the field if he or she is shown a second yellow card. Only a third warning would then lead to a red card and the automatic sending off for the rest of a game.

Currently, players shown a second yellow card during a game are automatically sent off with a red card.

"According to FIFA regulations, the rules in grassroots soccer can be adjusted in coordination with the national soccer association," the federation said. "This also applies to time penalties."

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints plan to place a first-round tender on restricted free-agent quarterback Taysom Hill, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday, meaning another team would have to give up a first-round draft pick to sign him away.

The Saints also will have the right to match any offer that Hill might sign with another team after making him the qualifying offer, which is for one year and worth $4.67 million, according to Over the Cap.

New Orleans also still plans to re-sign Hill before free agency officially begins March 18, which if it did, would make the first-round tender moot.

The 29-year-old Hill has become one of the NFL's most intriguing players in recent years due to his Swiss Army knife role as a read-option quarterback/running back/receiver/tight end/fullback/kickoff returner/special-teams coverage specialist.

The 6-foot-2, 221-pounder has become even more fascinating this offseason, with Saints coach Sean Payton talking him up as a possible successor to Drew Brees.

"I think there's a process of being a restricted free agent. My agent and I are going through that process, and we'll see what happens. But I'm in no hurry to leave New Orleans," Hill said on The Adam Schefter Podcast earlier this offseason. "As I look at my career, I have goals and I have a vision for myself as to what I can be in the NFL. And there has been nothing that has been said, or I've never been treated in any way, that would lead me to believe that the vision I have for myself is not the same vision that Coach Payton has for me, as well as the other guys on staff.

"So I'm in no hurry, but I also think that there's an important element of being a free agent. You finally have the opportunity to sit down and say, 'What are my goals? What are my visions for myself?' And then see who shares those same thoughts as you do."

Hill has attempted only 15 passes in his three-year NFL career -- including a 50-yard completion in New Orleans' playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings in January. He is 7-of-15 passing for 169 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception.

But, including the playoffs, he has run for 410 yards and three touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 265 yards and eight touchdowns.

Hill will presumably become New Orleans' primary backup, with veteran Teddy Bridgewater expected to leave in free agency. But the Saints also will likely make it a priority to add another experienced quarterback to the roster so they can keep using Hill in his versatile offensive role.

Hill's best game was arguably his most recent one -- that playoff loss to the Vikings, when he completed the 50-yard pass, ran the ball four times for 50 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards, including a touchdown.

Hill got a late start to his NFL career. He went on a two-year LDS church mission to Australia after high school and then spent five years at BYU, where he suffered four season-ending injuries.

But he was impressive enough as a dual-threat quarterback at BYU to finish his career with 6,929 passing yards, 43 touchdown passes, 2,815 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns. He began his NFL career as an undrafted rookie with the Green Bay Packers in 2017 before the Saints claimed him off waivers on cut-down day.

"I still have that same vision, I still have that same goal: to have the opportunity to be that guy for a franchise," Hill told Schefter. "At the end of the day, I believe in myself. That's never changed, that's what I've always been. Obviously, with Coach Payton and his creativity, the first few years of my career has gone down a different path. But the vision for myself has never changed."

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns will miss another two weeks as he continues to recover from a broken left wrist, the team announced Friday.

The Timberwolves said Towns is continuing to heal and that surgery is not planned at this time. He will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team said.

Towns has not played since Feb. 10, after an MRI revealed the injury. Without Towns, the Timberwolves have gone 3-6.

His absence from the lineup also has delayed the partnership between Towns and D'Angelo Russell. They have played only one game together since Russell was acquired in a trade from the Golden State Warriors last month.

Towns is averaging a career-best 26.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green slammed TNT analyst Charles Barkley for his critical commentary and said the Hall of Famer should be careful what he says.

"Barkley should stop before I go take his job, though," Green said after Friday's practice. "Because I can do that well, too. He already didn't make enough money playing, so he needs that job. He should stop talking to me. I'd like to -- [I have] a tendency to end people, so he should stop before I take his job."

Barkley and Green have exchanged barbs through the media over the years, but Barkley has been particularly critical of Green this season as the Warriors have struggled to a league-worst 14-49 record without Klay Thompson (ACL rehab) and Stephen Curry, who returned Thursday night after missing 58 games because of a broken left hand.

Barkley has mocked Green for racking up "triple-singles" this season, in reference to small stat lines after games.

Green's comments came while being asked about criticism he has received from fans this season as the Warriors' losses continue to pile up.

"I don't give a damn about what no fans think [or] who they put the blame on," Green said. "A lot of people can't even talk to me about basketball. They're not smart enough."

When specifically asked about some of Barkley's commentary, Green didn't hold back. After making his initial comments about Barkley, he was asked if he really meant he would take Barkley's job.

"If he keeps talking, I'll take it soon," Green said. "Sooner than he thinks. Still, he probably should be quiet. He also can't talk basketball with me, either. Not smart enough, not qualified -- no rings can't sit at this table."

Green, who just turned 30 on Wednesday, has missed four straight games because of a sore left knee, but he is hopeful he will be back on the floor soon. He had an MRI on the knee earlier this week that showed no structural damage.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was hopeful that Green would be able to play Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers, but a noncommittal Green noted Friday's workout was the first time he had participated in on-court activities in a week.

"I'm just not going to throw myself out there," Green said. "I need to get my feel back. I need to get my wind right, so we'll see."

The good news for the Warriors is that Curry came through Thursday's return in good shape and participated in Friday's workout. Curry played 27 minutes against Toronto on Thursday, and Kerr said he'd like to give him more, but the decision on just how many still hasn't been finalized.

"He said he was sore, but a good sore," Kerr said of Curry. "[He] woke up and got out of bed -- I said, 'What hurt?' And he said, 'Pretty much everything.' But he smiled and said it felt good just to feel that way again."

MESA, Ariz. -- Amid widespread concern about the coronavirus, Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish decided to be extra careful after he developed a cough this week.

The Japanese right-hander visited with at least two doctors and stayed away from the team for a day before throwing three innings in a simulated game Friday.

Darvish said he started to cough after practice Wednesday. He was still coughing and sneezing a little bit on Thursday, so he called Nao Masamoto in the Cubs' player development and amateur scouting department before going to the team's spring training facility.

Darvish was met by team physician Dr. Stephen Adams in the parking lot, and Adams sent Darvish to a doctor's office to get checked. Darvish was scratched from his scheduled start against Texas.

"I'm just coughing from two days ago and I feel different than usual, but I just make sure I'm good or not," Darvish said Friday through a translator. "I don't want to be in the clubhouse, if I have the coronavirus or something like that, coming into the clubhouse and spread to everybody, that's not good, right?"

The sports world has been anxiously monitoring the virus outbreak, leading to the cancellation of some events and empty stadiums for some games. There have been positive tests for the virus in Florida and Arizona -- where big league teams are camped for spring training -- and Major League Baseball has sent at least two memos to its clubs with advice and potential guidelines.

Darvish said he feels good now, but he's still coughing a little bit. He also mentioned an allergy to house dust as a possible cause for his symptoms.

The 33-year-old, heading into the third season of a $126 million, six-year contract, is in the mix to start on opening day after he finished strong last year. He had a 2.76 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings over his last 13 starts.

Darvish threw about 50 pitches in his simulated game. He surrendered a home run to veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr.

"Every time I pitch a live BP or sim game you just feel weird," he said. "You know, no sound. So that's why it's hard to get into the game. No adrenaline. But feel good today. Fastball coming out good. Breaking ball was good. Command was a little off, but good enough."

MESA, Ariz. -- Yoan Moncada was asked by his agents what he wanted to do. He said his preference was to stay with the Chicago White Sox.

A couple weeks later, it was done.

Moncada finalized a $70 million, five-year contract with the White Sox on Friday, signing up long-term for a situation he thinks will turn into a World Series championship.

"Definitely the talent we have right now is something that makes you feel really excited," Moncada said.

The Cuban third baseman gets a $4 million signing bonus, payable in equal installments each Nov. 15 from 2020-23, and salaries of $1 million this year, $6 million in 2021, $13 million in 2022, $17 million in 2023 and $24 million in 2024.

Moncada's deal includes a $25 million team option for 2025 with a $5 million buyout. The option price can increase by a maximum of $2.5 million based on his finish in MVP voting from 2020-24: $2.5 million for winning and $1.5 million for second or third.

The contract was put together relatively quickly. Moncada switched agents about a month ago, and he said his new representation started talking to the White Sox about two weeks ago.

"My agents were the first ones to ask me what I wanted to do, you know, what were my plans in the long run," Moncada said through a translator, "and then I told them that I wanted to stay here in this organization. Then I think they were the ones who approached the team and started all the conversation and I am very glad that this happened."

Chicago acquired the 24-year-old in the December 2016 trade that sent Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. Long regarded as one of baseball's top prospects, he broke out last season when he set career highs with a .315 batting average, 25 homers and 79 RBI.

Moncada would have been eligible for salary arbitration after this season and for free agency after the 2023 season.

"It's good to have this done and then just put all my focus on the season because, like I said before, I have big plans for the season," he said. "I'm expecting to have a way better season than what I had last year."

Hoping to make the most of a painful rebuilding process, the White Sox have handed out several big deals to the prospects they accumulated during seven straight losing seasons.

Shortstop Tim Anderson agreed to a $25 million, six-year contract in March 2017. Young slugger Eloy Jimenez finalized a $43 million, six-year deal last March, and outfielder Luis Robert agreed to a $50 million, six-year pact in January. Key reliever Aaron Bummer got a $16 million, five-year contract last month that includes two club options.

"On our side, it's about extending this window as long as possible," general manager Rick Hahn said. "Having what we feel are championship-caliber players who can put us in a position to win on an annual basis here for as long as possible and providing us with some flexibility to build around them. That's the motivation for us."

Moncada made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2016. He hit 17 homers and drove in 61 runs for the White Sox two years ago, but he also struck out a major league-high 217 times in 149 games.

"The work ethic has been there. He actually has stepped it up a notch," manager Rick Renteria said. "More than anything it's just focus. He's understanding the things he needs to do in order to continue to improve. He certainly made adjustments. That was a big swing for him in terms of in particular strikeouts."

His deal includes award bonuses for MVP voting: $100,000 for first, $90,000 for second, $80,000 for third, $70,000 for fourth and $60,000 for fifth. He would get $25,000 for All-Star election and $15,000 for selection as a reserve. He also would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $75,000 for League Championship Series MVP, $25,000 for Gold Glove, $15,000 for Silver Slugger and $50,000 for making The Sporting News All-Star team.

A preview to the British Masters Indoor Championships

The British Masters Indoor Track & Field and Winter Throws Championships was being used as many as preparation for the
European Masters Indoor Championships in Braga, Portugal, scheduled from March 15-21.

However, the postponement of the latter due to the coronavirus means this weekend’s British Championships is now the masters highlight of the season and it has attracted 652 individual entries.

Among the athletes participating are the overall 2019 European masters athletes of the year, W80 thrower Evaun Williams and M70 walker Ian Richards.

Williams competes in three W80 events while Richards goes in the 3000m walk hoping to make amends for last year when he was disqualified in both 3000m races in the indoor and outdoor championships.

Also participating is British masters athlete of the year and AW readers’ poll winner Clare Elms. She is entered for the W55 800m, 1500m and 3000m but will probably focus on the latter where last year she set a world record in winning the overall women’s race. But this year she has no time targets.

Both her and Richards will receive British masters athlete of the year awards at Lee Valley.

Other middle-distance athletes who should make an impression include M65 Nigel Gates, who set a 3000m UK record of 10:16.02 last year, plus fellow M65 Dave Wilcock, M45 Dean Richardson, M50 Mark Symes, M60 marathon record-holder Paul Mingay, who goes in the 3000m, M70 Peter Giles, W65 Alison Bourgeois and W45 Louise Rudd.

Another world record-setter and European and world champion who could be in action is W50 pole vaulter Irie Hill.

Germany-based Hill’s target may be her 3.51m leap set in Poland last winter.

Another potential record-breaker is British M55 high jumper Steve Linsell who has already equalled his 1.70m best this winter.

One of the busiest athletes of the day and the most successful should be Diana Norman.

Already a multi title winner in the W40 category, she should be highly successful in her first championships in the W45 age-group and the recent setter of the British pentathlon record here goes for the 400m, 800m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot and javelin.

Her sister Julia Machin, who set W45 high jump and long jump records last week, is not competing.

Another busy multi-events athlete is Alan Leiper, who competes in nine M55 events.

In the sprints, new M50 Jason Carty will be looking to improve on his recent British 60m record of 7.17 while other male sprinters to look out for are M40 TJ Ossai, M50 Darren Scott and M90 Dalbir Singh Deol.

In the W60 sprints, multi record-setters Caroline Powell and Helen Godsell have avoided each other with Godsell here going in the 200m and Powell in the 60m and 400m.

Last year Godsell set a W65 record of 29.98 while M70 David Spencer goes in the 200m and 400m, having set a UK 400m record of 66.03 last weekend.

European masters sprinter of the year Don Brown goes in the M55 60m and 200m and he also lines up in the 60m hurdles where he also set a UK record last week at Lee Valley in a great tussle with Barrie Marsden, and the pair meet again.

Other hurdlers to look out for include W60 Jane Horder, M40 Mensah Elliott, M45 Joe Appiah and M80 Tony Bowman.

The throws other than the shot will be held outdoors and likely to make an impression are W35 Lucy Marshall, W75 Lis Sissons, M55 Steve Whyte and M80 John Watts.

The track action begins at 9.30am on Saturday with the hurdles events and finishes with the women’s 3000m around 5pm on Sunday.

Click here for a timetable.