NEW ORLEANS -- It has been just over six weeks since New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson had surgery to repair the injured meniscus in his right knee.

The Pelicans initially put a six-to-eight-week timetable on Williamson's return, and a source told ESPN that the No. 1 overall pick has returned to doing some on-court work, including light walkthroughs with the team and spot shooting.

On Monday, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said the team will be "overly cautious" with Williamson's return.

In order for him to return to action, the team wants Williamson to reach certain metrics and benchmarks in his conditioning.

In the preseason, Williamson averaged 23.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 71.4% from the floor.

He had 22 points and 10 rebounds in his final preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs. It was after that game that Williamson told the staff about discomfort in his knee. In the game prior to that against the Utah Jazz, he showed what he could do against one of the best interior forces in the NBA in Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Williamson was 3-of-4 against Gobert as the primary defender that game. His only miss was a floater over Gobert, after which Williamson managed to get the offensive rebound and dunk.

The Pelicans have been ravaged by injuries this season. Through 20 games, no player on the team had played in every game. Only four players -- Jaxson Hayes, E'Twaun Moore, Nicolo Melli and Nickeil Alexander-Walker -- have made it to this point in the season completely healthy, and all four of those players missed a game at some point.

Former NHL player Akim Aliu met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and other league executives on Tuesday in Toronto after his allegations of racist language led to the resignation of Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters.

"It was a tough week, but we had some great discussion," Aliu said in a brief statement after the meeting, which was also attended by his legal representatives. "They couldn't have been kinder or more receptive to the message that we're trying to bring."

On Nov. 25, Aliu alleged that Peters used racist language towards him when they were both with the AHL Rockford Ice Hogs in 2009-10. The incident was corroborated by two teammates, who said that Peters didn't offer an apology when confronted. Instead, Aliu alleges that Peters sent Chicago Blackhawks management a letter asking to have him demoted to the ECHL after the incident. The Blackhawks said in a statement, "The purported incident had not been reported or brought to our attention prior to yesterday and had no effect on any player personnel decision regarding Mr. Aliu."

Peters released a statement on Nov. 27 that apologized to Flames general manager Brad Treliving for "offensive language I used in a professional setting a decade ago," calling it "an isolated and immediately regrettable incident."

Aliu called the apology "misleading, insincere and concerning" in announcing that he'd been invited to meet with the NHL.

The Flames announced that Peters had resigned as coach after two seasons, four days after Aliu's initial accusation. Treliving would not confirm that Peters would have been fired had he not resigned, nor would he label the language uses as "racist."

Aliu's discussion with the NHL is expected to be the first step in a large conversation that will occur at the Board of Governor's meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif., next week.

"We are pleased to have met with Akim Aliu today and had a productive and candid conversation," Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a league statement. "Today's discussion is part of a broader, thorough review and process that the league is undertaking. We share a mutual objective: ensuring that hockey is an open and inclusive sport at all levels."

Aliu may appear at the Board of Governor's meeting, where items like protection for players that speak out about abusive coaches as well as a revised harassment and discrimination policy are expected to be presented.

"I think there's some big change coming. It's long overdue, and I'm excited to see it come to fruition," Aliu said.

Also Tuesday, the NHL Coaches Association put out its first statement on the recent controversies involving current and former coaches, saying "there is no room in the NHL, or anywhere else, for abusive behavior of any kind."

Former Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who was recently accused by former player Johan Franzen of making "verbal attacks" that made him "scared to be in the arena," is a member of the Coaches Association Executive Committee.

The New Jersey Devils have fired head coach John Hynes after a disastrous start to the season. The Devils are 9-13-4, their 22 points are second fewest in the NHL, and they have the fourth-worst record over the past two seasons at 40-54-14.

Assistant coach Alain Nasreddine will be the interim coach, and Peter Horachek, currently a pro scout for the team, will join the coaching staff as an assistant. Horachek was briefly an interim coach with the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. They join existing assistants Rick Kowalsky, Mike Grier and goaltending coach Roland Melanson.

What does it all mean? NHL insiders Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan answer the biggest lingering questions, including how this impacts Taylor Hall (and a potential trade), what the Devils are getting in Nasreddine, and whether the club can turn things around and make the playoffs.

What took so long?

Wyshynski: Because it was a slow slide to rock bottom. They started the season going winless in six straight games, including a series of embarrassing blown-lead losses on home ice. "We lost in every way imaginable," general manager Ray Shero said, "[the start] set a lot of things back."

Yet the Devils were 7-8-4 on Nov. 16 following an overtime win in Montreal. They went 2-5-0 after that, and the past two losses were the end of Hynes: A 4-0 defeat to the rival New York Rangers at home on Saturday, followed by a 7-1 shellacking at Buffalo on Monday night in which the Sabres scored three goals before the Devils registered their first shot. "The Buffalo game ... I don't even know how to describe it," Shero said. "We couldn't make a five-foot pass."

Hynes was scheduled to coach the Devils against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, but his dismissal was announced hours before faceoff. Shero said he went to Devils ownership with the recommendation to relieve Hynes of his duties, and they signed off on it. The timing seems awkward, but not nearly as awkward as it would have been to have an arena of fans amplify the "Fire Hynes" chants that had started echoing through the Prudential Center. "It wouldn't be fair to John," Shero said.

How much of this mess was John Hynes' fault?

Kaplan: I think ownership views the situation this way: We just won the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL draft and the right to draft generational (and very marketable) talent Jack Hughes. That sped up our window to contend. Our GM went out this summer and made big splashes, like trading for former Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban and signing veteran winger Wayne Simmonds to an expensive one-year deal. We have Taylor Hall, just two years removed from his MVP campaign, playing for us in a contract year. We have all the tools to win, and you gave us ... a last-place team?

That of course isn't the whole story. Shero bought some expensive concealer to dab on his roster, but there were still plenty of blemishes. There are too many weak links in the defensive group. There isn't enough secondary scoring. There was too much faith put into 33-year-old goaltender Cory Schneider bouncing back from multiple ailments, and too much hope that 22-year-old prospect Mackenzie Blackwood would be ready. Hynes was able to squeeze the most out of his group in the 2017-18 season when they had no business making the playoffs, but that was a different team. Hynes works best developing young players and convincing them to buy in. There was a different makeup in that locker room. His message might have worn thin on this group.

Wyshynski: Analyzing Hynes is a real conundrum for me. By any measure, his term in New Jersey was a failure, with a .487 points percentage in four-plus seasons and a single playoff appearance. The team had become a pushover in the past two seasons, posting the fourth-worst record in the NHL in that span (40-54-1). This season, the symptoms got worse: For example, the Devils have lost four games at home when they had at least a two-goal lead. That's the outsider perspective.

Around the league, Hynes had the respect of his peers as a solid NHL coach who simply wasn't given enough talent with which to win in New Jersey. That point can be argued, except when it comes to the Devils' goaltending: The Devils started the season with Blackwood, who had 23 games of NHL experience, and Schneider, who had been among the NHL's worst goaltenders over the previous three seasons and who the Devils hoped would regain his form because he had $18 million left in his contract through 2022. He didn't: Before being sent to the AHL, Schneider had a negative-4.6 goals saved above average, by far the worst in the NHL.

Porous goaltending in front of a roster that was already defensively deficient was a recipe for this disaster. And frankly, despite his struggles, that's not the coach's fault.

Tell me about Alain Nasreddine

Wyshynski: Nasreddine was hired in 2015 along with Geoff Ward, currently an interim head coach with the Calgary Flames, as Hynes' assistants. He's a familiar face for Shero, having served as an assistant coach under Hynes with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for five seasons.

The 44-year-old Montreal native played 74 games in the NHL from 1998 to 2008. His last season in the league as a player was with Pittsburgh in 2007-08 when Shero was the GM, before he finished his career in Germany. His stint as Devils assistant is his only NHL coaching experience.

He coached the defense with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and on his watch the team gave up the AHL's fewest goals four times. While the Devils had the fourth-worst goals against average in the NHL over the past two seasons (3.38), they were 10th in that span in expected goals against at 5-on-5 (195.91), a metric that takes shot quality into account.

One of the intriguing bits about his promotion is Horachek moving over from the scouting staff to behind the Devils bench. Horachek himself was an interim coach for the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Shero knows him well, and hired him for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals when he was an assistant general manager in Nashville. Horachek went on to be an assistant coach under Barry Trotz for 10 seasons. Shero called him a strong communicator with players.

How long either of them will remain behind the bench is anyone's guess. Shero said he'll compile a list of potential candidates for the next head coach, but at the same time seemed willing to give this staff (and his players) a chance to prove themselves. He might have tipped his hand Tuesday when he said that "we know that at the end of the year there will be more possibilities" for the next Devils coach.

What does this mean for Taylor Hall?

Kaplan: Before Hynes was fired, I was convinced Hall was going to be traded before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Now that Hynes is fired ... I am convinced that Hall is going to be traded before the Feb. 24 trade deadline.

The Devils can't afford to lose Hall for nothing -- i.e., another John Tavares situation -- and all signs point to Hall wanting to play for a different team. Firing a coach midseason usually doesn't foreshadow immediate success. In training camp, I talked to Hall and I asked him if being on a Stanley Cup contender was his biggest priority when he becomes a free agent. "I think that's probably the highest priority," Hall said. "Lifestyle-wise, I'm not married or anything. I don't have kids. I'm not really at a point in my career where location matters to me, if I want to be on the West Coast or East Coast or anything like that. You can make any city great if you're playing well and you're winning there. So that's basically my priority."

The Devils don't look anything close to being a Stanley Cup contender. I think Hall wants a fresh start, and New Jersey should pave the way to make that happen (and get some draft picks, prospects or roster players in return when it does).

Will the Devils make any big trades in tandem with this move?

Wyshynski: Shero said that making a trade is like hiring a coach, that "you know one when you see it." The Devils have $4.777 million in cap space per Cap Friendly, but Shero sounded as if he wanted to spend some time with Nasreddine behind the bench to get a grasp on whether this roster is fundamentally flawed before making deals. Sitting 10 points out of the last wild-card spot on Dec. 3, there's a much better chance the Devils begin selling players -- like Hall -- before they make a dramatic move to bolster the current roster. (And, for the record, Shero did evoke the name of Blues coach Craig Berube in discussing Nasreddine and his potential impact, for those dreamers out there.)

Can they turn it around and make the playoffs?

Kaplan: Everybody in the NHL loves "the Thanksgiving stat." Since 2005, 76% of teams that are in playoff position on American Thanksgiving end up making the playoffs. So the odds are stacked against the Devils, and they have a lot of catching up to do -- especially in a division that includes two very strong teams in the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders, a vastly improved team in the Philadelphia Flyers, and a plucky team in the Pittsburgh Penguins who just won't go away despite enduring a plethora of injuries.

The Blues were in last place on Nov. 19 of last season when they fired their coach and went on to win the Stanley Cup (bucking the Thanksgiving trend), but they were also a team with Stanley Cup aspirations to begin the season and a veteran, seasoned roster. Goaltender Jordan Binnington came to save the day as well. The Devils are a much less cohesive group and I don't believe they have a Binnington stashed away in the wings.

What was the highlight of John Hynes' time in New Jersey?

Wyshynski: The run to the last wild-card seed in the 2017-18 season. On the one hand, it was a miraculous roll for the Devils, who went on a 7-0-1 run to secure the final spot in the postseason, highlighted by Hall's Hart Trophy-clinching 17 points in nine games and an eight-game unbeaten streak for goalie Keith Kinkaid. On the other hand, the Devils needed a miracle to make the playoffs once under Hynes during his five seasons.

Kaplan: No doubt it was making the playoffs in 2018. The franchise hadn't been to the postseason in six years -- when New Jersey made it to the Stanley Cup Final -- and the Devils were in the middle of a rebuilding phase. The roster was young (13 players 24 or under suited up that season) and there was a serious lack of secondary scoring behind Hall (he had 93 points, and the next closest player had 52). But somehow they got it done, finishing one point ahead of the Florida Panthers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. It was a testament to Hynes' potential as a coach.

The next season, the Devils awarded Hynes with a multiyear extension. "John is representative of who we are and what we look to become," David Blitzer, Devils co-managing partner, said at the time. "His commitment to help create an organization that is respected by our competitors and admired by our fans is essential to us." Oh, happier times.

Grade the decision

Kaplan: B+. It needed to happen. This team is a train wreck, and I'm not just talking about letting five goals in the first period to the Sabres on Monday night. I'm glad the Devils didn't let the situation fester any longer, but it already seems like a lost season.

Wyshynski: C-. This is a move that should have been made well before the calendar flipped to December. They loaded up for a run this season, and instead fell on their collective faces out of the gate. It wasn't working. Something had to change, and change before a debacle like the Sabres' loss, the kind of pathetic effort the franchise hasn't seen in three decades. The season is a lot less salvageable now than it might have been had a move been made sooner. It's a season that seems relegated to being a months-long autopsy, with Shero saying, "I think they're better than this, but we'll have to see." And it's a season that's likely to be Hall's last in New Jersey, with only five playoff games to show for it.

NASSAU, Bahamas – When Tiger Woods made the decision to replace the injured Brooks Koepka with the popular Rickie Fowler, the move was well received by Fowler’s U.S. teammates.

The universal praise, however, did not translate to the opinions of several pundits.

Fowler hasn’t played competitive golf since the Tour Championship in August. He got married in October, and then contracted a bacterial infection on his honeymoon that kept him out of the Mayakoba Classic, the only fall-season tournament he had planned to play.

“Tiger opted for someone who was going to have great chemistry with anybody,” said Golf Channel’s Notah Begay, a close friend of Woods. “From a personality standpoint, everybody on the team likes Rickie. … The only question mark around Rickie is he hasn’t played.”

Which make this week’s Hero World Challenge a pivotal tournament for Fowler. The U.S. team leaves for Australia shortly after the final putt drops Saturday at Albany, and Fowler is coming off the longest break of his competitive career, a 15-week hiatus.

While Fowler is a Swiss Army knife when it comes to whom he can pair with and his skill set is compatible with the challenges of Australian golf, if he arrives Down Under too rusty, his many redeeming qualities won’t matter.

But what if there isn’t that much rust to shake off? Fowler contended Tuesday that while he’s never taken this many weeks off between tournaments since his first full year on Tour in 2010, “I was mobile, I wasn't laid up [in bed] or anything.”

It took about a week for Fowler to get blood tests back and start antibiotics to combat the infection. His prep for Mexico was hindered, which prompted the withdrawal, but otherwise Fowler has been hard at work on his game – and body – back home in Jupiter, Fla.

Fowler knew he was on “standby” when Woods initially bypassed him for a captain’s pick. When he got the second call, Fowler was already preparing with long days of practice and gym sessions, capped, of course, by nightly dinners with his new bride, Allison.

There’s also been a steady dose of competition at home. Fowler has been playing two-man fourball matches with some of his Presidents Cup teammates, including Justin Thomas, Gary Woodland, Patrick Cantlay and Woods. Last Saturday, he and Woodland lost a close match to Woods and Cantlay.

“When you're playing with some of the best players in the world … that's the best way to push yourself and make yourself better,” Fowler said.

Despite the time away, Fowler believes he’s done his job in getting ready for his seventh international team competition as a pro. He feels confident about his game “across the board.”

“I would say I've had a lot more preparation going into this week than I've had off of other breaks, which has made it nice knowing coming in here I put work in and I'm ready to go play,” Fowler said. “It's just getting back to tournament golf.”

That’s the pressing question. Can Fowler deliver in his return to official competition? Albeit against the same guys, there’s a difference between tournaments and rounds at the Bear’s Club and Medalist.

Sure, Hero’s limited field and relaxed atmosphere isn’t exactly a pressure-cooker, but Fowler’s performance in the Bahamas could serve as a predictor to what we can expect out of Fowler in Australia.

Will Fowler contend at Albany and keep the momentum going by earning a good chunk of points at Royal Melbourne? Or will he struggle to find a rhythm and then have to sit out a couple sessions in favor of more in-form players?

So far, Captain Woods isn’t worried about all the possibilities.

“Rickie just needs to go play,” Woods said. “He's been playing and practicing quite a bit at home; he's getting his game ready. … Just go out there, play, compete. He's won here before, so he knows what he needs to do to get ready for this week and shake off a little bit of rust – if he has any – and be ready to go in two weeks.”

BURNLEY, England -- Pep Guardiola says it is "crazy and stupid" for Manchester City to think about the title despite a 4-1 win at Burnley on Tuesday night.

City moved to within eight points of leaders Liverpool thanks to a Gabriel Jesus double and further goals from Rodri and Riyad Mahrez at Turf Moor but Guardiola is playing down their chances of overhauling Jurgen Klopp's side.

"For the distance we have with Liverpool it would be crazy to think about the title," said Guardiola.

"Like everyone say we are out, we have no chance.

"We are thinking about ourselves and the next game. To think how many ways to win to be close is a stupid way to think."

City prepared for the game by singing Oasis' Wonderwall in the away dressing room after the lights went out before kick-off.

And Guardiola joked he would turn them off at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the meeting with Manchester United in a bid to produce a similar performance.

Jesus warmed up for the derby with his first goals since October and Guardiola admitted it was important for the Brazilian's confidence with Sergio Aguero still sidelined with a thigh problem.

"We need him to score these goals," said Guardiola. "They will help him and the team. We've lost an incredible striker in Sergio.

"It was a good result. We are so satisfied with the way we played and the way we've played the last games. Now we train a bit and prepare for the derby.

"We need our fans for next Saturday, we have four days. Now we watch the game against Tottenham and see the way we can do it. To play these games is the reason why we are here."

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is recovering from hip surgery, said that whether he'll enter the upcoming NFL draft will be a "business decision" that he plans to make with the help of his family.

The junior has not made use of a redshirt season and has a year of eligibility remaining, should he decide to return to school.

"You think of risk-reward on coming back. You think of risk-reward on leaving," he said during an interview with ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit. "And when I look at it, I kind of look at it, if I come back, the risk is what if I get hurt again? But the reward could be maybe I jump back to the top of the charts, the boards for all these teams."

Tagovailoa said he hasn't spoken with his family about the decision, and it will come down to whatever he thinks is the right thing to do.

As for when he'll come to a decision, he said, "whether it's tomorrow or on the 20th of January, that'll be it." Jan. 20 is the deadline to enter the draft.

ESPN's Todd McShay dropped Tagovailoa from No. 2 to No. 13 in his latest rankings.

"I'd say the reward in all of that is, yeah, I'll be getting paid millions," Tagovailoa said of entering the draft. "But a lot of the money that I could've made, you can't make that money up now. So that'd be me leaving money on the table."

"But then, at the same time, I still gotta talk with my family about all this, see what their input is. Now is not the time to be making emotional decisions. But now you gotta change into thinking as a businessman. You gotta make business decisions."

Tagovailoa separated his hip and fractured his posterior wall when he was tackled during a game against Mississippi State last month. He also broke his nose and suffered a concussion.

He was initially flown to a hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, for treatment, and he underwent hip surgery in Houston days later. Alabama team orthopedic surgeon Lyle Cain said in a news release Nov. 18 that the surgery was successful and Tagovailoa is expected to make a full recovery.

Cain told ESPN's Laura Rutledge that Tagovailoa should be able to begin athletic activity within three months of the procedure and should be ready to begin throwing again by the spring.

"If I leave, the risk is do I still go in the first round, or do I even make [it] to the second round?" Tagovailoa said. "These guys don't even know if I can play with the hip injury yet, too."

Tagovailoa, who burst onto the scene by coming off the bench at halftime and leading Alabama to a national championship as a true freshman two seasons ago, amassed 2,840 passing yards this season, completing 71.4% of his passes for 33 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Last season, he threw 43 touchdowns with six interceptions and finished as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting to former Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray.

With Mac Jones as its starter, Alabama beat Western Carolina but lost to Auburn 48-45 on Saturday in the Iron Bowl, effectively knocking the Crimson Tide out of the College Football Playoff race.

With Ohio State, LSU, Clemson and Georgia remaining atop the College Football Playoff rankings, Alabama's loss to Auburn opened the door for Utah and Oklahoma to move up to No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, entering this weekend's conference championship games.

Taking advantage of Minnesota's loss to Wisconsin, Baylor moved up two spots to No. 7 entering Saturday's Big 12 title game against the No. 6 Sooners.

"We spent considerable time on [ranking teams] 4 through 7 and we understand where those are this week and we'll look to see the games this weekend," Rob Mullens, the CFP selection committee chairman, said Tuesday on ESPN. "There's a bunch of teams that are tightly matched."

Mullens said ranking Georgia, Utah, Oklahoma and Baylor -- all 11-1 -- was the focal point of this week's discussion while completing the rankings.

"We spent more time on those teams than anybody else on the board," Mullens said. "That right there tells you that there's a lot of conversation among the committee on those teams."

Alabama -- which will miss the playoff for the first time since its inception in 2014 after suffering its second loss of the season in Saturday's thriller at Auburn -- fell to No. 12.

With Ohio State (56-27 over Michigan), LSU (50-7 over Texas A&M), Clemson (38-3 over South Carolina) and Georgia (52-7 over Georgia Tech) all winning easily Saturday, the focus entering Tuesday's rankings was squarely on Utah and Oklahoma, to see which would emerge with the fifth spot.

Both teams moved up one spot after the Utes beat Colorado 45-15 and the Sooners beat Oklahoma State 34-16.

"You're looking at Oklahoma and their win over a ranked opponent, so you check that box there," Mullens said when asked to characterize the discussions. "You look at Utah, you say, 'Boy, they have been so consistent all season long and they've been dominant. Their defense is incredible.' Those are the kind of conversations."

Utah will look to state its case for a spot in the College Football Playoff on Friday night when it meets No. 13 Oregon (10-2) for the Pac-12 title.

The question for Utah, Oklahoma and Baylor is whether a victory this weekend in their respective conference title games will be enough to earn a top-four spot; the Utes and Bears are seeking their first CFP berth, while the Sooners are aiming for a fourth appearance.

LSU (12-0) and Georgia square off for the SEC title on Saturday afternoon, and Ohio State (12-0) meets 10-2 Wisconsin in Saturday night's Big Ten title game. Clemson (12-0) faces Virginia (9-3) in Saturday night's ACC championship game.

A loss by Georgia could open the door for Utah, Oklahoma or Baylor to gain a CFP berth.

"[Baylor] played Oklahoma really tough," Mullens said, referencing the Sooners' 34-31 road victory against the Bears. "They followed that up with an impressive win over Texas. They put a third win together (61-6 over Kansas) this weekend, so there's a lot of respect for Baylor."

The final rankings, which will reveal the New Year's Six teams and set the field for the College Football Playoff, will be released Sunday

Wisconsin's victory at Minnesota saw it move to No. 8, a gain of four spots, while Florida moved to No. 9, gaining two spots. Penn State held its position to round out the top 10.

WELCOME, N.C. – Anthony Alfredo will join Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program next season to share driving duties of the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro with Myatt Snider.

“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to compete in the Xfinity Series for Richard Childress Racing in 2020,” said Alfredo. “It’s every racer’s dream to drive for such an iconic organization like RCR. I’m very thankful for everyone that has helped put this together, including my family, friends and our partners. This is a career-making opportunity for me, and I plan to take full advantage of it.”

Alfredo, a 20-year old native of Ridgefield, Conn., spent the 2018 season racing full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He earned one win at South Boston Speedway and ended the year ranked fifth in the series standings.

This year he moved to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with DGR-Crosley, competing in 13 races and earning two top-10 finishes.

“I’ve watched Anthony drive in the Truck series this past season and I’m certain he’ll do well in our Xfinity Series cars,” said Richard Childress, chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “RCR has had a lot of success over the years producing young, talented drivers through our development program. I believe that Anthony will fit right into that same mold.”

NASSAU, Bahamas – When Tiger Woods was formally announced as U.S. Presidents Cup captain back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2018, he was asked if he had thought about being a playing captain.

“Yes, I have,” Woods said without hesitation, inciting an eruption of laughter in the room.

Woods admitted Tuesday at the Hero World Challenge that he wasn’t fully serious at the time. After all, though Woods was coming off a runner-up showing in Tampa, he also was just months into yet another comeback and outside of the top 100 in the world rankings.

“It was a joke, but [it] turned into reality,” said Woods, who went on to win the Tour Championship that year and has since added another Masters title and PGA Tour victory No. 82 two months ago in Japan. At No. 7 in the world rankings, Woods will do something next week in Australia that only one man – Hale Irwin in 1994 – has done before him.

“Here we are,” Woods added. “I'm the second playing captain in the history of the Presidents Cup, so it's a pretty neat responsibility. And the role's not easy. There's a lot of moving parts, whether it's talking to the guys, talking to my vice captains, organizing what we need to have done down there, not only to be ready, but also I need to keep sharp. I need to keep practicing. I need to keep working on my game, make sure I have all my feels and my game is sharp and ready to go, because at minimum next week I'll be responsible for two points.”

Woods is wearing plenty of hats this week at Albany. He is the tournament host. He is itching to win this title for the first time since 2008. But he also has a big match to prepare for in a week’s time in Australia.

In some ways, Woods’ captaincy responsibilities will be limited this week at Albany. Eleven of the 12 U.S. players are teeing it up, and each player – including Woods – will be working to make sure their game is in order before the team boards their charter for Australia after Saturday’s final round. But as captain, Woods also had a say in Wednesday’s first-round pairings.

Woods will play with Justin Thomas, while four other twosomes feature potential Presidents Cup pairings. Strategy? Anything to read into? Maybe, though Woods, as expected, downplayed the matchups.

“I would say that trying to pair up the guys so they had fun this week, we're looking at that,” Woods said. “This is a week in which a lot of the gears, it's the end of the year. I know they want to gear up for next week as well, but I want them to have a good time. The only time I'm able to do that and pair up guys with friends is the first day. We re-pair after that, so pairing guys that are friends, having a good time, that was key.”

Manchester City closed the gap - at least for one night -- with Liverpool to eight points with a 4-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

A double from Gabriel Jesus and goals from Rodri and Riyad Mahrez helped City bounce back from their draw with Newcastle and exert some pressure on Jurgen Klopp's Premier League leaders ahead of their game against Everton on Wednesday.

Jesus, deputising for the injured Sergio Aguero, put City ahead in the first half with a curling effort into the top corner, before volleying in Bernardo Silva's cross to make it two five minutes after half-time.

Rodri's second goal for the club, lashed in from the edge of the area, made it 3-0 on 68 minutes before Riyad Mahrez came off the bench to score a fourth three minutes from time. Robbie Brady's late goal for Burnley was the only blemish for City, who leapfrogged Leicester into second in the table.

Positives

Jesus scored for the first time October with a wonderful right-foot finish whipped into the far corner and then an instinctive finish at the back post. It was a well-timed return to form with Jesus set to lead the line again when Manchester United visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Sergio Aguero's thigh injury is likely to rule him out for at least the next game and the responsibility in front of goal will fall to the Brazilian

Negatives

It is a minor gripe when you've won 4-1 but Pep Guardiola will be unhappy not to come away from Turf Moor with a clean sheet. The game was done and dusted at 4-0 with just a couple of minutes to go but a lapse in concentration allowed the Republic of Ireland international, Brady, to score a late consolation and extend City's run of conceding at least one goal to eight games.

Manager rating (out of 10)

7 -- The City boss chose to drop John Stones and bring back Nicolas Otamendi in an attempt to deal with Burnley's physical threat. It worked, and the visitors barely conceded a chance until the final minutes when Brady beat Ederson from 10 yards.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Ederson, 6 -- Alert to a Dwight McNeil free kick that got up and down over the wall but didn't have much else to do.

DF Kyle Walker, 7 -- Defended well and gave Burnley a problem when he pushed into midfield alongside Rodri to give City an extra outlet in the middle.

DF Angelino, 6 -- His delivery could have better into the box but didn't give the home side anything down the left.

DF Nicolas Otamendi, 7 -- Handed his first league start for two months, he was asked to deal with the threat of Chris Wood and he did it well enough that the Burnley striker was substituted after an hour.

DF Fernandinho, 7 -- Probably thankful that Sean Dyche did not start with both Wood and Ashley Barnes. Left the physical stuff to Otamendi but passed the ball well.

MF Rodri, 7 -- On the bench against Newcastle but back in the team here. Scored a screamer from the edge of the box to make it 3-0.

MF David Silva, 7 -- Busy around Burnley's penalty area and was involved in the goals without doing anything spectacular.

MF Kevin De Bruyne, 8 -- Wonderful driving run after collecting the ball from Ederson in the build up to City's opener. At the centre of most things City did well.

FW Bernardo Silva, 7 -- Tested Nick Pope with a good strike from the right-hand side of the box and later made Jesus' second goal with an inviting cross that the Brazilian latched on to.

FW Raheem Sterling, 6 -- Would have scored in the first half but for a fantastic save from Pope and was substituted in the second when the result was wrapped up.

FW Gabriel Jesus, 8 -- Scored his first goal in nine games and it was a belter to give City the lead after 24 minutes before doubling his spoils after the break.

Substitutes

FW Riyad Mahrez, N/R -- Came on late for Sterling and managed to get himself a goal.

MF Phil Foden, N/R - Gave De Bruyne a well-deserved break for the last 10+ minutes.

DF Eric Garcia, N/R -- The Spaniard made his fourth appearance of the season with a late cameo.