Sports News Roundup: Motor racing-Good to be back home for struggling Ricciardo; Golf-Cantlay staying on his toes at Augusta in latest Masters bid and more

The Woods watch moved into overdrive as hordes of spectators flooded into Augusta National to catch a glimpse of the 15-time major winner who has kept fans in suspense, saying on Sunday his Masters participation will be a "game-time decision." Soccer-Rooney would choose Pochettino over Ten Hag for next Man United manager Wayne Rooney said he would pick Paris St Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino over Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag to take over his former club Manchester United.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Bryson DeChambeau: Phil Mickelson has 'gone dark,' no contact

Bryson DeChambeau was asked Monday at Augusta National Golf Club if he had been in touch with Phil Mickelson since fallout from comments he made about a potential league to rival the PGA Tour. "I've tried to reach out, but he's gone dark," DeChambeau said. "There's no contact."

Motor racing-Good to be back home for struggling Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo thinks he might once have taken the Australian Grand Prix for granted but three years without any Formula One action at Albert Park has left him hankering for a race on home soil. The 32-year-old will get his wish this weekend when the world championship circuit returns to Melbourne for the first time since the 2020 race was called off at the 11th hour as the COVID-19 pandemic first took a grip on Australia.

Golf-Cantlay staying on his toes at Augusta in latest Masters bid

Tour Championship winner Patrick Cantlay expects Augusta National to keep him on his toes as he renews his quest for a maiden major title at the Masters this week. The American missed the cut at Augusta in 2021 but has three PGA Tour wins to his name since, including the Tour Championship in September before earning PGA Tour Player of the Year honours.

Exclusive-Tennis-ATP warns of stricter action for misconduct

Tennis officials will dish out stricter punishments for on-court misconduct, the ATP warned players in an internal note on Monday as the men's governing body also simultaneously reviews its guidelines to clamp down on repeat offenders. Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios was fined $60,000 for a series of angry outbursts at the Indian Wells and Miami Open events, with many observers saying he should have been disqualified.

NHL roundup: Auston Matthews ties Leafs' single-season goal mark

League-leading goal scorer Auston Matthews netted his seventh career hat trick and tied Toronto's season record for goals with 54, leading the Maple Leafs to a 6-2 win over the host Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. Matthews scored twice in the second period and once in the third to match Rick Vaive's goal-scoring mark from the 1981-82 season. Toronto's Mitchell Marner had a goal and two assists to stretch his point streak to 10 games (six goals, 16 assists).

Soccer-Qatar will host a World Cup but not as we know it

November's World Cup in Qatar will be unlike any other finals that have previously taken place and the logistical challenges facing organisers, from providing enough accommodation to dealing with unruly fans, will only intensify. The Gulf state will host the first World Cup in the Middle East, the first in a Muslim state, and no other tournament has ever been held in the northern hemisphere winter.

Desperate Lakers must catch fire against Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers remain in desperation mode as they inch closer to being eliminated from play-in berth consideration. The Lakers have lost six straight contests and 19 of their past 24 as they enter Tuesday night's must-win road game against the NBA-best Phoenix Suns (62-16).

Golf-Tigermania sweeps Augusta as Woods keeps Masters guessing

Tigermania returned to Augusta National in full force on Monday as a cagey Tiger Woods kept the golf world guessing on whether he will be in the Masters field. The Woods watch moved into overdrive as hordes of spectators flooded into Augusta National to catch a glimpse of the 15-time major winner who has kept fans in suspense, saying on Sunday his Masters participation will be a "game-time decision."

Soccer-Rooney would choose Pochettino over Ten Hag for next Man United manager

Wayne Rooney said he would pick Paris St Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino over Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag to take over his former club Manchester United. British media has linked Pochettino and Ten Hag to the top job at United, with interim manager Ralf Rangnick's tenure set to end after this season.

Soccer-Arteta apologises for Arsenal's 'unacceptable' performance at Palace

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta apologised for his team's "unacceptable" performance in Monday's 3-0 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace. Arsenal's hopes of securing a top-four finish suffered a blow after they slipped to fifth, a spot below Tottenham Hotspur, who have played a game more.