Sports News Roundup: Suns end Lakers' postseason hopes; Motor racing-Albert Park upgrade offers hope for the fast and furious and more

Woods, who suffered career-threatening leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash, arrived at Augusta National early and played the back nine along with 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples and world number seven Justin Thomas. Soccer-American Kirchner named preferred bidder for Derby American businessman Chris Kirchner has been named as the preferred bidder for second-tier side Derby County, the English Championship club's administrators said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Golf-Woods puts finishing touches to Masters preparations

Five-times champion Tiger Woods put the finishing touches to his preparations for this week's Masters by playing nine holes at Augusta National on Wednesday ahead of his highly-anticipated return to competition. Woods, who suffered career-threatening leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash, arrived at Augusta National early and played the back nine along with 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples and world number seven Justin Thomas.

Soccer-American Kirchner named preferred bidder for Derby

American businessman Chris Kirchner has been named as the preferred bidder for second-tier side Derby County, the English Championship club's administrators said on Wednesday. Kirchner, 34, said in October he wanted to take Derby out of administration and was seeking approval from the English Football League (EFL) to become owner of the club.

Horse racing-Blackmore back with Minella Times for Grand National

Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times will be reunited at the Grand National on Saturday as they seek to repeat last year's history-making success at Aintree. Blackmore in 2021 became the first female jockey to win the famous jumps race. Last month she was also the first woman to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Transgender women should not compete in female events - British PM

Transgender women should not be competing in female sporting events, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told broadcasters on Wednesday. Johnson was speaking as the country looked set to abandon plans to hold a flagship conference designed to promote LGBT+ rights around the world.

Greenpeace wants TotalEnergies dropped from Rugby World Cup sponsors

Environmental organisation Greenpeace on Wednesday urged organisers of the 2023 Rugby World Cup to exclude oil and gas group TotalEnergies from its list of official sponsors, notably because it did not exit Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. In an open letter to Claude Atcher, general manager of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, Greenpeace wrote: "The sponsoring of the 2023 Rugby World Cup was already a real aberration in view of the climate emergency, it is all the more aberrant as the oil an gas major maintains its activities in Russia, taking the risk to participate in the financing of Vladimir Putin's war."

Soccer-Haaland transfer price speculation is 'crazy', says Liverpool's Klopp

Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday he was not interested in trying to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland because the player's price tag is exorbitant. The 21-year-old Norway international is set to leave the German club at the end of the season with almost every top European team interested in signing him, and a reported 75 million-euro ($82 million) release clause attached to any move.

NBA roundup: Suns end Lakers' postseason hopes

Devin Booker scored 32 points and made six 3-pointers in three quarters on Tuesday night to help Phoenix post a 121-110 victory over visiting Los Angeles, a triumph that eliminated the Lakers from the play-in berth race as well as providing the Suns with a franchise-record 63rd victory. LeBron James sat out with an ankle injury for the fifth time in seven games as Los Angeles lost its seventh straight game. The setback stomped out the Lakers' final hope after the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets earlier in the night.

Motor racing-Albert Park upgrade offers hope for the fast and furious

Australian Grand Prix organisers will hope the days of single-lane racing at Albert Park are over as they unveil long-awaited changes to Melbourne's lakeside circuit this week. Albert Park has hosted Formula One's Australian stop since the state government snatched it from Adelaide some 25 years ago, turning public roads and car parks into a race track for a few weeks every year.

NHL roundup: Panthers escape 4-goal hole, beat Leafs in OT

Jonathan Huberdeau scored his second goal of the game at 2:47 of overtime and the Florida Panthers overcame a four-goal deficit to defeat the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 7-6 on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla. Toronto led 5-1 in the second period, but Florida rallied with five straight goals. Huberdeau, who also had three assists, tied the game at 2:45 of the third period, on a power play. Aleksander Barkov then scored at 8:01 of the third to give Florida the lead.

Soccer-Maradona's 'Hand of God' shirt expected to fetch $5.23 million at auction

The shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his infamous "Hand of God" goal against England at the 1986 World Cup is expected to sell for at least 4 million pounds ($5.23 million), auctioneer Sotherby's said on Wednesday. The shirt is owned by former England midfielder Steve Hodge, who swapped shirts with Maradona after Argentina won the match 2-1 thanks to two goals by the forward, the second a solo effort considered to be one of the greatest ever scored.