Bryson DeChambeau has become the latest high-profile player to shun the PGA Tour and join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The 2020 US Open winner, who has eight PGA Tour titles to his name in total, joins the likes of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson in switching to the rival circuit.

DeChambeau's involvement was made official on Friday by LIV Golf, which launched with its first event on the outskirts of London on Thursday.

His first appearance will be in the second of the eight-series event in Portland later this month.

LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman said in a statement: "Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf's supercharged style of play. 

"He is passionate about the sport, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing the boundaries in pursuit of excellence.

"He's not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission of doing things differently to grow our game.

"The power and energy he brings to the course will deliver added electricity to our competition in Portland and beyond."

DeChambeau is currently 28th in the world rankings after slipping out of the top 10, where he had spent most of the past two years, due to a niggling injury issue.

The American missed the cut at last week's Memorial Tournament and will now be blocked from competing in any further PGA Tour events, likely including next week's U.S. Open.

That comes after the Tour confirmed on Thursday that all players competing in the opening event this week, and any who play in future events, are indefinitely suspended.

DeChambeau is the eighth major champion to defect to LIV Golf, along with Sergio Garcia, Johnson, Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he is working on a Formula One movie with Brad Pitt.

It was reported this week that seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton had taken on a producer role in a film starring Hollywood legend Pitt for Apple TV+.

Hamilton says he has relished the opportunity to work on such an alternative project.

He said during a media conference ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: "It's a really cool project and we are already working on the script. 

"I'm much involved in the script, which is fun, and spending good time with Brad, which is pretty epic… and really from my responsibilities and something that I take on is just making sure the cast and crew in the background is diverse – something I really highlighted at the beginning.

"It's been very difficult, if you look at all the racing movies, you can't necessarily say all the racing movies that have been in the past have been spectacular and that's something we want to change.

"It's really about showing how great this sport really is to people that have never watched it and also making sure that we keep the real heritage and the true racing spirit within the movie and within the script, so that's part of my role."

The Mercedes driver says a cast has not yet been finalised.

Hamilton added: "We're going to need drivers I'm sure at one stage. What I think will be important is - it's not my movie, it's Formula One's, it's for all of us, so there's lots of people within the sport who are being a part of this, helping educate those who are trying to create this movie, so it's going to include lots and lots of people and there's talk already of how we're going to capture the footage and it's going to take us drivers to be involved in that.

"But we're not actors. We don't want it to be crap… which is probably why I'm not going to be a part of it! We need some good actors."

World number one Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the bett1open next week due to a shoulder injury.

Swiatek, who won her second grand slam title at the French Open last weekend, was due to start her grass-court season in Berlin a fortnight before Wimbledon gets under way.

But the all-conquering Pole pulled out of the WTA 500 tournament on Friday, revealing she will take time to rest ahead of the third major of the year at SW19.

Swiatek tweeted: "Due to a recurrent discomfort I am feeling in my shoulder, unfortunately I need to withdraw from the bett1open in Berlin.

"I'm sorry I will not be able to play there. I will focus on recovery and rest in order to be ready for Wimbledon."

Swiatek beat American teenager Coco Gauff 6-1 6-3 to regain the title at Roland Garros last Saturday.

That took the 21-year-old's winning run to a staggering 35 matches, one more than Serena Williams' best streak back in 2013. 

Venus Williams is the only other woman since the start of 2000 to have reeled off 35 consecutive victories, while Swiatek and Serena Williams are the only women in the same period to have won six titles in the first six months of a year.

Swiatek was beaten by Ons Jabeur in the fourth round at Wimbledon last year but is a strong favourite to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time next month.

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to a two-year extension.

Renfrow has emerged as a critical part of the Raiders' offense since being drafted in the fifth round in 2019.

And he has been rewarded with a $32million extension that includes $21m in guaranteed money, according to multiple reports from NFL Network.

He becomes the third high-profile Raider to receive a lucrative extension this offseason, following quarterback Derek Carr and edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

With his future now secured, Renfrow will hope to form a prolific pass-catching triumvirate with tight end Darren Waller and Davante Adams, for whom the Raiders traded in a blockbuster deal in March.

Renfrow has caught 208 passes for 2,299 yards and 15 touchdowns across his three seasons in the NFL.

Renowned as one of the NFL's best route runners from the slot, Renfrow enjoyed a career year as the Raiders made the playoffs in 2021.

He finished last season with 103 catches for 1,038 yards – his first 1,000-yard campaign – and nine touchdowns.

Max Verstappen says it would be "completely wrong" to introduce a salary cap for Formula One drivers who "put our lives at risk".

F1 introduced a budget cap at the start of last season and that figure was reduced to $140m (£119m) a team this year.

There has been talk of a limit being place on the wages drivers are paid, but world champion Verstappen made it perfectly clear what he thinks about the prospect of that being implemented.

"It's still a bit vague. I think no one really knows where it is going to go but from my side, it's completely wrong," he said ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 

"I think at the moment, F1 is becoming more and more popular and everyone is making more and more money, including the teams and FOM [Formula One Management].

"Everyone is benefitting, so why should the drivers, with their IP rights and everything, be capped? We actually bring the show and put our lives at risk, because we do, eventually. So for me, it's completely wrong."

Verstappen says youngsters making their way in junior categories would also be affected.

He added: "Also, in all of the junior categories, if you see how many of the drivers have a sponsor or a backer who will have a certain percentage of their income in F1 or whatever.

"I think it's going to limit that a lot because they'll never get their return in money and if you get a cap, so it will hurt all the junior categories as well and I don't think you want that."

Sebastian Vettel does not believe there has been a "changing of the guard" in Formula One, saying older drivers would thrive with "the right tools" 

Max Verstappen won his first F1 world title last season, dethroning Lewis Hamilton in the most dramatic fashion in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Red Bull's Verstappen leads Charles Leclerc by nine points in the battle for the 2022 title, with the 37-year-old Hamilton sixth.

Vettel, 34, has picked up only five points for Aston Martin, while the 40-year-old Fernando Alonso having 10 points to his name

Verstappen, Leclerc and George Russell – all aged 24 – have emerged as a new generation of drivers with long careers ahead of them.

Four-time F1 champion Vettel says they are fortunate to have cars that enable them to challenge for victories. 

Asked about the young drivers coming through, the German told Stats Perform: "I think it very much depends how competitive your environment is.

"Obviously, usually you're saying that there's a changing of the guard, Lewis has been arguably fighting for the title until the very last lap last year, so it's not too long ago.

"I think it depends always on the situation you're in for sure. There's drivers that are a little bit older like Fernando and Lewis then myself, but I'm sure that you give us the right tools, we still can do the right work."

Vettel hopes Ferrari can give Leclerc every chance of winning his first F1 title.

He said: "Obviously, Charles is one of them and in a good car he deserves to be up there. Hopefully the car will be good enough for him to fight for the title this year until the end.

"We will see, throughout the field you have more that one or two drivers that will be able to battle for victories.

"But usually the right drivers get the right package at the right time, so I'm very happy for him and hopefully he has the car to do it until the end."

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The New York Yankees survived a disappointing starting performance by ace pitcher Gerrit Cole to come back and defeat the Minnesota Twins 10-7 on Thursday.

Cole, who entered the contest with an ERA of 2.78, got beat up in the very first inning, giving up three consecutive home runs to the top of the Twins' order. Homers by Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa all travelled at least 396 feet, and would have been home runs in all 30 major league stadiums.

The pain did not end there for Cole, as Buxton launched his second long-ball with a three-run shot in the second inning, before giving up his fifth home run of the game courtesy of a 441-foot bomb from Trevor Larnach an inning later.

Larnach's blast spelled the end of Cole's night, finishing with seven earned runs in two-and-a-third innings, and five conceded home runs from seven hits.

But the Yankees made sure their ace would not have to take a loss on his record, with two home runs from Joey Gallo in the first five innings, the second cutting the Twins' lead to 7-4.

D.J. Lemahieu then hit his own solo home run in the fifth inning, before Aaron Hicks tied things at 7-7 with another two-run homer in the sixth.

RBI base hits to Anthony Rizzo and Hicks in the seventh inning gave the Yankees some breathing room, before Rizzo came home on a wild pitch in the eighth to ice the game.

The win moves the Yankees' to 41-16 as the best record in baseball, four games clear of the field.

Harper's heater continues

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper hit his fifth home run in six games as his side defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8-3 on the road.

Harper, who is trying to win his second consecutive NL MVP, was one of three Phillies to go deep off the Brewers' Cy Young candidate Corbin Burnes.

After Milwaukee's Hunter Renfroe hit a solo shot to cut the Phillies' lead to 3-2, Harper's solo homer restored the margin. Then, a 432-foot, two-run shot by Kyle Schwarber in the eighth inning, and another two-run shot by pinch-hitter Odubel Herrera in the ninth secured the win.

Ohtani carries Angels to first win in 15 games

The Los Angeles Angels' franchise-record of 14 consecutive losses finally came to an end as Shohei Ohtani delivered with both bat and ball in a 5-2 home win against the Boston Red Sox.

Ohtani started on the mound and pitched seven strong innings, conceding one earned run from four hits and two walks, striking out six. 

He also provided his own run-support, scoring the Angels' first runs of the night with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, giving his side a 2-1 lead they never relinquished.

Andrew Velasquez finally allowed the home fans to breathe in the sixth inning, with his three-run blast opening up the margin to 5-1, letting the bullpen coast to the win without issue.

In a battle between arguably the two best goaltenders in the world, it was the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy who came out on top in a 3-1 road win against the New York Rangers and Igor Shesterkin in Game 5.

With the win, the Lightning pulled ahead 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, with a chance to close it out in front of their home fans in Game 6. If needed, Game 7 will head back to Madison Square Garden.

Each team lived up to their staunch defensive reputations early on, leading to a scoreless first 30 minutes, before Ryan Lindgren finally found the breakthrough halfway through the second period.

Lightning defensman Mikhail Sergachev equalised with three minutes remaining in the second term, setting up a nail-biting finish.

After 18 minutes of tight, scoreless hockey, Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat was able to deflect in a shot on goal, forcing New York to pull their goalie in a desperation move, only for Brandon Hagel to put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter.

Speaking to ESPN after the win, Lightning winger Pat Maroon said his side is no longer rattled by these massive games after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.

"I think [our recent success] leads to confidence, it calms the nerves," he said. "When you get settled in, and it's a 1-1 game there, our nerves are calm, we're relaxed.

"We know what it takes, we know how to win hockey games, we know how to close out games.

"When we've been put in situations like we have the last two years, you kind of get that swagger a little bit. We've had that adversity with winning in the bubble, and some other things, but like [Steven Stamkos] said, a good road win would be nice.

"The guys played hard, it's a gutsy win."

When asked about what it feels like to live out every young hockey player's dreams of being part of a great Stanley Cup-winning team, Maroon was thankful for the position he is in.

"I just try to go out there and be a part of it," he said. "Be an impact in the room, or on the ice, whatever I can do.

"Certainly these runs have been remarkable for me, and my family, but it's been fun just to be with the boys, and to see how relentless we are in the room, and what it takes to win.

"Guys do whatever it takes – it's so fun to look around the room and to see all the sacrifices we've put together these last three years, it's honestly amazing. I'm happy to be a part of that."

He added: "I remember playing in the basement with my two brothers… playing street hockey, [dreaming of] scoring that game-winning goal, being a part of the Stanley Cup.

"You want to be a part of those moments. Obviously I'm living it right now – I never thought I'd be in the NHL, winning cups – but I'm living it, I'm having fun with it, and I'm enjoying it. 

"We have a great group of guys in there that make everything special."

Despite missing all of last season due to injury, Zion Williamson remains very much in the long-term plans of the New Orleans Pelicans, according to executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin. 

Appearing on a podcast, Griffin expressed confidence in signing Williamson to a maximum-salary extension this offseason and said it’s an "easy decision". 

Williamson said in his postseason press conference that he’s eager to sign long-term with the Pelicans after the team made a late run to the playoffs. Griffin said it’s essentially a no-brainer that he will get a max offer of five years and at least $182 million. 

"We feel really confident he wants to be here, and we’re equally confident we can come to an agreement," Griffin said. 

Because Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a foot injury and has played in just 85 games since entering the league in 2019, the Pelicans could seek protections within the deal. 

"It’s not a big decision. It’s a pretty easy decision," Griffin said. "This is a max player. That’s easy. The kid is historically good when he plays.

"What becomes significant with a team that’s a small-market team that can’t make mistakes in terms of injuries over time, you have to indemnify yourself in some way." 

Williamson was recently cleared to play this offseason without any restrictions after recent imaging on the fifth metatarsal in his right foot showed continued improvement. 

Barring any setbacks, he should be ready to return next season and take the court for the first time since May 2021.  

Williamson has been an extremely effective player when healthy, averaging 25.7 points, 7 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting just over 60 percent from the field for his career.  

Offseason work pic.twitter.com/scnFaHUil3

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 7, 2022

Wyndham Clark leads the Canadian Open after the first round of play, shooting a seven-under 63 in Toronto on Thursday.

Amid an awkward atmosphere around the course with LIV Golf's commencement outside London on Thursday and suspension for players part of the rebel tour, Clark was able to hold his lead against the afternoon wave of players.

After securing a berth at next weekend's U.S. Open in a qualifier on Monday, the 28-year-old carried some confidence into the opening day at St. George's Golf and Country Club, starting with five birdies on the opening nine.

He went bogey-free on the closing nine holes, scoring birdies on the par-four fourth and seventh holes.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll didn’t seem overly concerned that star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf did not attend this week’s mandatory minicamp – subjecting himself to a $93,000 fine in the process – and said he expects a new contract to get finished this offseason. 

Metcalf, who is in line for a huge extension as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, stayed away from camp this week in a somewhat surprising decision. He did attend the voluntary portion of team’s workout program earlier this spring amid his unsettled contract situation and his recovery from foot surgery. 

Because his absence to the mandatory portion of camp was unexcused, he accumulated fines worth over $93,000 for missing all three days, but when Carroll was asked if the team plans to impose those fines, he declined to answer, citing his policy on not publicly discussing such matters. 

Carroll did, however, express the desire to have Metcalf back with the team, and said he had faith in general manager John Schneider's abilities to get a deal done.

"A decision had to be made," Carroll said. "We missed him. He had done a nice job of contributing, being part of everything we had done and then he is just not here.

"So I can’t say much about for what he hasn’t done here, but we’d love to have him with us. We've been through this for years, you know [with other star players] – and it's a challenging time. 

"We've had so many high-profile guys that have gone through this process – and how's that worked out for us? We figured it out in time.

"[Schneider] is on it, and he's as experienced as you can get at handling this stuff, and D.K.'s got great representation, and D.K. is a heck of a kid.'' 

Metcalf is due to earn about $3.99million for the upcoming season, and he figures to be in line for an extension similar to those awarded to new Philadelphia Eagle A.J. Brown, and reigning Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams, in excess of $20m per year. 

The 24-year-old has not missed a game since Seattle selected him with the 64th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, and has accumulated 216 receptions for 3,170 yards with 29 touchdowns.  

Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell have hit out at the PGA Tour for their handling of players who have decided to participate in LIV Golf, calling it a "power struggle".

The PGA Tour made the bold move of waiting until after the first LIV Golf event in London had teed off before announcing that any player who participates in the Saudi-backed promotion is "suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the President's Cup."

In the first round of LIV Golf's debut event, Charl Schwartzel earned the outright lead at five under, trailed by Hennie Du Plessis at four under, while Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were also among the 10 players to finish under par.

Speaking after the round, Poulter strongly disagreed with the PGA Tour's decision to force players to choose between the tours.

"I've played a lot of tournaments all around the world, this event is no different," he said. "It's a shame if they view this as something different.

"I will appeal for sure. It makes no sense. Having two tour cards and the ability to play golf all over the world, what's wrong with that? I believe I've been given permission in the past to play in events around the world.

"I don't know why [the decision was made] – we can all make assumptions as to why. Competition is probably the real reason. It's a power struggle, and it's just disappointing."

Fellow U.K. golfer McDowell echoed Poulter's sentiments, saying it is ridiculous that they are not allowed to compete in events relatively local to them.

"Some guys believe that they shouldn't be in the situation where they have to resign," he said. "They don't feel like they are doing anything wrong. 

"We haven't been issued releases, [but] we feel like we should have been issued releases. We've done it for the last 20 years, operated all over the world.

"We're in the U.K – you've players like myself and Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, we are in our home markets here.

"We should be allowed to operate here as professional golfers. But hey, we all know the situation is about something bigger.

"It's competition and it's not liked. They are having to play the game the way they feel they have to play it, which is playing hard ball.

"We feel confident that we are well-protected and we are going to just try and do our best."

In the end, All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams chose the Las Vegas Raiders over staying with the Green Bay Packers.  

The five-time Pro Bowl selection confirmed to reporters that the Packers offered him more money this offseason than the Raiders, with whom Adams signed a five-year, $141.25million contract extension after being traded.  

After the Packers traded Adams in March for a first-round draft pick and a second-round draft pick, reports surfaced that Green Bay was willing to pay the star receiver just as much – and maybe more – than Las Vegas.  

Adams confirmed those reports in a press conference Thursday.  

"You guys have heard Green Bay offered this, which is higher than what I was [going to make with the Raiders] and all of that. And, yeah, I’ll say it, it was true. OK, it was true," Adams said.

"But there’s much more that goes into it. And family is a big part of it for me. So, geographically being here, it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family year-round. 

"And this isn’t year two, or I’m not trying to necessarily fight for a job or anything like that to where you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do – you’ve got to stay out there. I had the choice, and the choice was for me to come here and raise my family on the West Coast and come out here and have some fun in the sun." 

Adams, who ranks second all-time in Packers history with 73 receiving touchdowns, leaves four-time MVP and 38-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers to reunite with Derek Carr, who was Adams' quarterback at Fresno State.  

"[Rodgers and I] talked throughout the whole process," Adams said in his press conference.  "Just like what he said the other day, we had talks about his future and what he thinks his duration in Green Bay or just football in general would look like. 

"And that played into my decision as well because where I am in my career – and this isn’t a shot at any other quarterbacks in Green Bay. I love Jordan Love especially, he’s a great guy. But I’ve got aspirations of doing really, really big things and being remembered.  

"And it just wasn’t really a point in my career that I was willing to sacrifice Aaron not being there after a year or two. So my decision was to be here and he respected that, he understood that."