Sports News Roundup: Formula One champions Mercedes confirm Bottas for 2021; Murray, Clijsters receive U.S. Open wildcard entries and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Tiger adjusting to a new normal at spectator-free PGA Championship

Tiger Woods said the absence of an adoring and raucous crowd at the PGA Championship on Thursday was part of the "new normal" for the sport, which is holding its first major without any fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Woods, who is playing for just the second time since the PGA Tour returned to action in mid-June, shot an opening round 2-under 68 at an eerily quiet TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

Formula One champions Mercedes confirm Bottas for 2021

Valtteri Bottas will continue to race for Mercedes until at least the end of next season, the Formula One champions said on Thursday ahead of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. The news was expected, with Mercedes having made clear they intended to retain the 30-year-old Finn for a fifth successive season.

Day, Todd share lead, Koepka one back at PGA Championship

Jason Day and Brendon Todd shared the lead after the first round of the PGA Championship while Brooks Koepka got his bid for a three-peat off to a solid start and Tiger Woods found success with a new putter in the first major of the COVID-19 era. Former champion Day, who had top-10 finishes in each of his last three starts on the PGA Tour, carded a bogey-free five-under-par 65 at TPC Harding Park, where the absence of spectators due to the virus gave the event a unique feel.

After reliving glory days, Kaymer comes out firing in San Francisco

Martin Kaymer did not expect much coming into the PGA Championship given how little he has played this year but rust did not seem to be a factor after he carded a four-under-par 66 to sit a stroke back of first-round leaders Jason Day and Brendon Todd. The former world number one, who missed the cut in his only start of the year at last week's Barracuda Championship, stumbled early at San Francisco's TPC Harding Park with a bogey on his second hole.

Cycling: Groenewegen apologises for crash with Jakobsen

Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen has apologised for the crash that resulted in compatriot Fabio Jakobsen being placed in a medically induced coma. Groenewegen, who rides for the Jumbo–Visma team, was jostling for position with Jakobsen in the final metres of the first stage of the Tour of Poland when the pair came together.

James not bothered about losing Trump as a viewer amid kneeling criticism

LeBron James has said he has no qualms about losing U.S. President Donald Trump as a viewer as the Los Angeles Lakers forward defended NBA players for kneeling in protest before games. NBA teams have been protesting against racial injustice before games, with players wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts, bowing their heads and kneeling when the U.S. national anthem is played.

Murray, Clijsters receive U.S. Open wildcard entries

Former U.S. Open champions Andy Murray and Kim Clijsters each received wildcard entries to 2020 edition of the tournament, organisers said on Thursday. The tournament will take place in a quarantined setting from Aug. 31-Sept. 13 in New York. The Western & Southern Open, which was relocated from Cincinnati this year, will be held from Aug. 20-28 as a warm-up event for the Grand Slam.

Quarantine waived for traveling South American soccer teams

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) agreed with national governments on Thursday that teams traveling around the continent to compete in club competitions do not need to quarantine for 14 days before playing matches. The Copa Libertadores, South America's equivalent of the Champions League, and the Copa Sudamericana, akin to the Europa League, are to restart on Sept. 15 and Oct. 27, respectively, with 64 teams from 10 nations taking part.

Martic, Kontaveit dig deep to advance to Palermo quarter-finals

Top seed Petra Martic was forced to recover from a set down to beat Russian qualifier Liudmila Samsonova 5-7 6-4 6-2 to book her spot in the quarter-finals of the Palermo Ladies Open on Thursday. Samsonova, ranked more than 100 places below Martic, impressed in the opening set to break the Croatian and take the lead in the match but the 21-year-old soon discovered that beating a top 20 player was no easy task as Martic dug in.

NFL: Dozens of players positive for COVID-19 since training camps open, opt-out deadline passes

Fifty-six National Football League players have so far tested positive for COVID-19 since training camps opened to rookies July 21, according to players' union data compiled through Wednesday. Camps opened for all players July 28, and the season is scheduled to kickoff Sept. 10 with health and safety measures in place designed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.