Scott Piercy on Tuesday posted an apology to his Instagram story for content he shared on Monday that reportedly included an anti-gay slur and a reference to a right-wing conspiracy theory.

"Whenever i (sic) post my intent is NEVER to offend. I want to apologize if any of my recents (sic) story posts have been offensive," he wrote.

"I will do better!"

Per Golf Digest, Piercy "shared a homophobic meme ... directed at former South Bend mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Pete Buttigieg. ... [He] also posted a message about QAnon, which is a far-right conspiracy theory involving a secret plot by a 'deep state' against the government, one that accuses its critics of child sex trafficking."

Piercy, a four-time winner on Tour, is in the field this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. When approached for comment by GolfChannel.com, he declined.

In a statement obtained by GolfChannel.com, the PGA Tour said: "We were made aware of Scott’s post and are disappointed in the lack of judgement used."

Another star-studded field has gathered in Orlando this week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, including a notable European trio that will feature the world No. 1. Here's a look at some of the marquee, early-round groupings this week at Bay Hill, where Rory McIlroy will tee off alongside a pair of former Ryder Cup teammates (all times ET):

7:54 a.m. Thursday, 12:44 p.m. Friday: Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose

This grouping features each of the last two tournament champions at Bay Hill, as McIlroy took the title in 2018 while Molinari rallied to win last year with a final-round 64. Only one of them comes in with any momentum, as Molinari's search for form continues while McIlroy has finished fifth in each of his last two starts. Rounding out the trio is Rose, who has finished third or better three times here since 2011.

8:06 a.m. Thursday, 12:56 p.m. Friday: Adam Scott, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day

Scott got back into the winner's circle last month at Riviera, and now he returns to a course where he notably let a seven-shot lead slip away six years ago. Day won this event in 2016 but withdrew last year because of a back injury, while Koepka was a late addition to the field after missing the cut at the Honda Classic and now hopes to bounce back on a course where he has missed the cut in each of his last two appearances.

12:44 p.m. Thursday, 7:54 a.m. Friday: Sungjae Im, Marc Leishman, Rickie Fowler

Im will tee off for the first time as a PGA Tour winner, getting right back to work after his breakthrough victory at PGA National. Leishman won this event in 2017 and is already a winner this year thanks to a clutch final round at Torrey Pines, while Fowler will be sporting tributes to The King all week with his equipment and apparel and hopes to match it with his game, having finished third here back in 2013 behind Tiger Woods.

12:56 p.m. Thursday, 8:06 a.m. Friday: Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau

Reed and DeChambeau meet again, two weeks removed from their clash in Mexico City when Reed erased a late deficit to claim another WGC title. Both had strong showings here two years ago, with DeChambeau finishing second and Reed T-7. Rounding out the all-American trio will be Mickelson, a winner here in 1997 who missed the cut here last year in his first Bay Hill appearance since 2013.

A wildfire forced the evacuation of competitors during a PGA Tour Champions Monday qualifier in Mira Loma, California.

The Riverside County Fire Department first reported a fire, now being called the Mann Fire, near the Santa Ana River in Norco shortly before 11 a.m. local time. The origin of the blaze is less than a mile south of Goose Creek Golf Club, where the 48-player qualifier for the final four spots in this week's Hoag Classic was being held.

The evacuation of players was first reported by Monday Q Info.

Shaun Micheel, one of the players in the field, posted a video to Twitter showing heavy smoke and flames very close to the course.

A PGA Tour Champions media official confirmed to GolfChannel.com that play was delayed and all players were removed from the course. As of 3:30 p.m. ET, a decision had yet to be made as to whether the event would be canceled.

Per video from KTLA, one of the local television stations, helicopters have begun dropping water on the fire in an effort to contain the blaze.

Just seven players had completed their rounds before play was suspended. If the qualifier is canceled, the Hoag Classic field will be filled with the next four players off the alternate list.

The Hoag begins Friday at Newport Beach Country Club, which is about 50 miles southwest of Goose Creek.

Defending champions Portugal have been drawn with 2018 World Cup winners France and runners-up Croatia for the 2020-2021 UEFA Nations League after a live ceremony in Amsterdam.

Joining them in the difficult League A Group 3 will be Sweden. Also in the top league will be Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy and Netherlands in Group 1. Iceland, Denmark, Belgium and England in Group 2. And Germany, Ukraine, Spain and Switzerland in Group 4.

League B will feature Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland and Romania in Group 1. Group 2 will house Czech Republic, Scotland, Slovakia and Israel. Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Hungary will make up Group 3. And Wales, Finland, Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria will round out Group 4.

League C consists of Montenegro, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan in Group 1. Georgia, North Macedonia, Estonia and Armenia make up Group 2. Greece, Kosovo, Slovenia and Moldova are in Group 3. And Group 4 will host Albania, Belarus, Lithuania and Kazakhstan.

In League D will be Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra and Malta in Group 1. And Liechtenstein, San Marino and Gibraltar in Group 2.

The first matchday for the tournament will take place on Sept. 3, 2020, with the final scheduled for June 6, 2021.

Portugal, who are also reigning European champs, beat Netherlands in the inaugural final in June of 2019.

Essex and Kent joined the Lord's Taverners at the House of Lord's on Tuesday to be formally presented with the County Championship and the Women's One-Day Cup respectively after their successes in the 2019 season.

Essex claimed the County Championship, their second title in three years, after a tense final-round encounter with the runners-up, Somerset, holding out for the decisive draw at Taunton, having lost only one match all year in the competition.

Until his retirement from royal duties in 2017, the County Championship trophy had traditionally been presented at Buckingham Palace by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, the Lord's Taverners Patron and Twelfth Man, who decided to introduce a physical trophy in 1973 where previously there had been none.

Kent, meanwhile, lifted the Lady Taverner's ECB One-Day trophy after six wins out of six, culminating in victory over Lancashire. It was their first 50-over title since 2016 and their eighth overall, making them the most successful county in the history of the women's County Championship.

"It's a privilege to be at the House of Lords with the team and the Championship trophy today," said Tom Westley, who took over as Essex captain when Ryan ten Doeschate stood down in January.

"It's been an amazing year for everyone connected with the club and it's a nice way to celebrate the hard work and commitment from the players, coaching staff and everyone behind the scenes.

"I think it's also the perfect opportunity to reflect on the amazing work Ryan ten Doeschate did during his captaincy. A lot of the rise that the club has seen in red-ball cricket has been down to him, and his record as skipper speaks for itself.

"Without him, we wouldn't have enjoyed the success we have over the last four years and we most likely wouldn't be at the House of Lord's today.

"2019 was a long and tough campaign, so this is nice way to look back on our achievements and triumphs, but it's also a reminder for everyone about what we're fighting for again in 2020."

Kent Cricket's Lauren Griffiths said: "I'm proud to join my team-mates one last time to collect the Royal London Women's County Championship Trophy. I have loved playing for Kent Women, and it is an honour to be accepting the trophy on behalf of all the players."

Also presented on the day were the ECB Domestic Journalism Awards to recognise the coverage of the domestic game across all levels of the media.

The Christopher Martin Jenkins Young Cricket Journalist of the Year award was presented to Charlie Taylor at BBC Radio Somerset and he made it a double having been named as the Domestic Cricket Broadcaster of the Year.

The Yorkshire Post was named as Regional Newspaper of the Year while the award for Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket went to the Daily Telegraph with thecricketer.com winning the Online Award.

Princeton University students have taken issue with the school's announcement of Marshawn Lynch as the school's Class Day speaker.

Nicknamed "Beast Mode," Lynch is known for his bruising running style and his amusing, if not informative, clashes with the media.

In their announcement of Lynch as the speaker, the Princeton Class Day co-chairs recognized Lynch for him always having "prioritized community engagement and empowerment by leveraging his prominence as a professional athlete to promote opportunities for civic engagement and social justice."

Seniors who penned an op-ed in the school newspaper say the Super Bowl-winning running back isn't the problem, but rather that the student body was largely not included in the selection process.

"Saying that Lynch has 'unapologetically embodied and advocated for our own identities and values' (as stated in the University's official Instagram post) without actually consulting us, the Princeton community, is paradoxical and thus questionable," the op-ed read. "We do not mean to criticize this choice of speaker in particular, but rather want to call attention to the opaque selection process for Class Day speakers."

The three Class Day co-chairs are students at Princeton.

"Our goal was to invite a speaker who embodies the various experiences we have shared as a community during our Princeton tenure; someone whose professional and personal passions speak to the service-focused and intellectually rigorous interests core to the University," the co-chairs said in a statement.

The previous two Class Day speakers have been actress Ellie Kemper, a Princeton alum, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

Lynch, 33, an Oakland native and Cal alum, came out of retirement this season to return to the Seattle Seahawks for the team's stretch run. The free agent has played 13 seasons for the Buffalo Bills, Seahawks and his hometown Raiders.

Princeton's Class Day this year is scheduled for June 1, one day before commencement.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Hours after tornadoes hit multiple areas in and around Nashville, the city's sports teams are working to help the community recover.

Starting at 11 a.m. CT, the Nashville Predators opened the doors of Bridgestone Arena to those who lost their homes and have no place to do something as simple as sit down to eat a meal.

Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan and former Titans linebacker Will Compton teamed with a local apparel company to promote "Nashville Strong" T-shirts with the proceeds going directly toward helping the families affected by the tornado and efforts to rebuild the city. Also, Titans safety Kevin Byard told ESPN that he will pool resources through his foundation to help those affected.

Vanderbilt University reported that there was no damage to its campus. Football coach Derek Mason pledged that the school's athletic department "will do all that we can to help" those affected by the storms.

Woke up this morning to some serious devastation across this city.Thoughts and prayers to all the communities and families that have been affected by the tornado that swept through the city this morning. This is #OurCity & Vanderbilt Athletics will do all that we can to help⚓️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LKHIhD58VC

— Derek Mason (@CoachDerekMason) March 3, 2020

School closings due to damage caused by the tornadoes led to the cancellation of a community event that was to feature Titans coach Mike Vrabel and players Isaiah Mack, Brett Kern and Byard.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to those families who lost loved ones in the tornadoes last night and are heartbroken to see the damage across Nashville and Tennessee," Titans controlling owner Amy Adams-Strunk said in a statement. "We know the strength of our community and the Volunteer spirit that lives in us all. We will join the efforts to re-build in these areas and know our neighbors will join us."

The tornadoes, which struck late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, caused 48 structures to collapse, according to the Nashville Fire Department. Windows were blown out and power lines were down in the Germantown area along with East Nashville, Donelson, Mount Juliet and Middle Tennessee.

Nashville Electric Company reported that 47,000 customers are without power. The death toll has reached 22, and there are people who are still missing.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to trade cornerback A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round selection in this year's NFL draft, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins March 18.

Bouye told ESPN's Josina Anderson that he was informed of the pending trade from both Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell and Broncos president/general manager John Elway.

"I'm on the way to get my kids, [and] I get a phone call from Caldwell, saying he appreciates everything I did for the team," Bouye told ESPN. "Then Elway calls me, saying, 'Welcome to Denver.' Now everyone is calling. I'm just finding out. I want to thank Jacksonville."

Bouye was one of the key members of a 2017 free-agent class for the Jaguars that was regarded as the one of the best in franchise history. He is due to make $13 million and count $15.5 million against the salary cap in 2020.

Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr., a four-time Pro Bowl selection who has been with the team since being signed as an undrafted rookie in 2011, is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

"I'm definitely excited because Chris Harris always had good things to say about Denver," Bouye told ESPN. "I'm about to watch film and look at their scheme some more and really study it. It's cornerback friendly. The three times I played there, the atmosphere and fan base was amazing."

Bouye had eight interceptions and broke up 34 others in three seasons with the Jaguars. His best season was 2017, when he intercepted six passes and broke up 18 as part of one of the league's best defenses.

Bouye, who turns 29 in August, made the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All Pro that season, but he did not consistently play at a high level the past two seasons.

He signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He took advantage of injuries in the secondary, starting 11 games in 2016 (one interception, 16 pass breakups) and cashed in with the Jaguars on a five-year, $67.5 million contract with $26 million guaranteed.

With Bouye gone, there are only four starters or key reserves remaining from the 2017 Jaguars defense that led the NFL in pass defense and finished second in sacks, interceptions and turnovers: defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive tackle Abry Jones.

Sources told ESPN on Monday that the Jaguars will use their franchise tag on Ngakoue.

ESPN's Michael DiRocco and Jeff Legwold contributed to this report.

In his first full month of action, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson was named the Western Conference's rookie of the month for February on Tuesday.

Williamson averaged 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 56.3 percent from the field in nine games.

The 19-year-old Williamson made his NBA debut on Jan. 22 but he didn't cross the 30-minute threshold in a game until Feb. 2. Williamson scored at least 20 points in every game in February and -- dating back to Jan. 31 -- has scored at least 20 in 11 consecutive games, an NBA record for a teenager.

In an interview with ESPN's Eric Woodyard on Monday, Williamson said nothing has surprised him so far about his rookie season in part because of his support system.

"Nothing's really caught me off guard because my parents, especially my mom, she really prepared me for life in this world and how things are handled so nothing has really caught me off guard," Williamson said.

With Williamson back in the lineup, the Pelicans have continued to make a push for the final spot in the Western Conference playoff race. New Orleans is 3½ games back of Memphis for the final spot.

Williamson's win put an end to Memphis guard Ja Morant's streak of three consecutive Rookie of the Month awards to start the season.

Williamson is coming off his second matchup with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday when he had a career-high 35 points in a loss. When asked after the game about setting the record for most consecutive 20-point games as a teenager, Williamson looked toward the locker room for his answer.

"I thank my teammates and my coach for that," Williamson said on Sunday night. "They trust me and put me into positions to be me so it's definitely an honor to be in that category."

Williamson becomes the fifth player in Pelicans franchise history to win a Rookie of the Month award joining J.R. Smith (2004-05; three times), Chris Paul (2005-06; six times), Darren Collison (2009-10) and Buddy Hield (2016-17).

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White was named the Eastern Conference's rookie of the month after averaging 20.1 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 41.1 percent from deep. It was White's first honor of the season.

LiAngelo Ball has been offered a G League contract for the remainder of this season, according to multiple reports.

The expectation is that Ball will sign the contract relatively soon. Ball has been working out for about two months with the G League's Oklahoma City Blue, who have 12 games left on their regular-season schedule.

LiAngelo Ball is the brother of New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and 2020 NBA draft lottery-slot candidate LaMelo Ball. The Blue are the affiliate of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Athletic first reported the G League's contract offer to LiAngelo Ball.

Ball entered the 2018 NBA draft and was not selected. He started the 2017-18 college season with UCLA and left school after being involved in a shoplifting scandal during a team trip to China. UCLA had suspended him indefinitely from the team, and after Ball left the school, he and younger brother LaMelo signed with a Lithuanian club.

LiAngelo Ball also played briefly in the Junior Basketball Association, a short-lived league founded by his father, LaVar Ball, that was touted as an alternative to college basketball.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.