Scheffler returns to No. 1

Scottie Scheffler is No. 2 at the Hero World Challenge and No. 2 in the world ranking. He’s in good shape to improve his position in both. The Masters champion is in the group one shot behind defending champion Viktor Hovland. Scheffler can go back to No. 1 in the world with a victory. He’d like that to happen. That doesn’t mean he likes the new world ranking formula. Scheffler says the formula doesn’t account for enough top players competing in a field. The math is easier to figure out on the course. He just needs the lowest score.

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins success shows value of elite WRs

Miami has the NFL’s No. 2 passing offense and sixth-best scoring offense thanks largely to the nearly unstoppable connection between Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tyreek Hill leads the league in yards receiving with 1,233 and trails only Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs in receptions with 87. Hill’s success and role inelevating Miami’s offense shows the value of having an elite receiver in today’s NFL. The Dolphins play San Francisco on Sunday.

If NFL had its way, Deshaun Watson’s return would be on hold

If the NFL had its way, Deshaun Watson wouldn’t be playing this week or anytime this year. The league wanted to suspend Watson for at least one season over sexual misconduct allegations but settled for 11 games after an independent arbiter initially gave him a six-game ban. Watson, who has been accused by more than two dozen women of sexual harassment and assault during massage therapy sessions, makes his debut for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday facing his former team in Houston. There won’t be any hype videos promoting his return. Nobody outside the Browns organization is welcoming him back with open arms.

Column: College coaching color barrier firmly entrenched

Associated Press Sports Columnist Paul Newberry says Hugh Freeze is returning to the Southeastern Conference with enough baggage to fill a jumbo jet. He also writes that Freeze had one big edge when the Tigers came looking for a new head football coach: He’s white. Newberry contends that an all-too-familiar pattern remains firmly intact at the highest level of college football: Black coaches need not apply. Chances are, they’re not even going to get a call back.

Capitals, Flyers, Avalanche handling injury woes differently

A handful of NHL teams are dealing with significant injury issues in the first part of the season. Leading the way are the Flyers, Capitals and reigning Stanley Cup champion Avalanche. Those three teams have very different sets of expectations going into the year from a rebuild in Philadelphia to the playoffs in Washington and a repeat bid in Colorado. They’ve also handled this adversity differently. Unsurprisingly the Avalanche have enjoyed the most success while missing captain Gabriel Landeskog and others. The Capitals are just trying to tread water until players like Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom can return.

By wire sources