“Due to the developing situation in the region, U.S. Soccer has decided to postpone traveling to Qatar,” the USSF said in a written statement. “We are working with the Qatar Football Association to find an opportunity in the near future for our team to experience Qatar’s world-class facilities and hospitality.”

The 25-player delegation was to train at Aspire Academy in Doha until Jan. 25 before returning to Los Angeles to play Costa Rica in a Feb. 1 friendly in Carson, California.

Late Friday, the USSF announced training camp would take place in Bradenton, Florida. The national teams typically gather in Carson.

However, the federation changed course this winter and suggested Qatar to experience the facilities and weather conditions in the small Persian Gulf nation that will host the next FIFA World Cup, in November-December 2022.

While in Qatar, the MLS-heavy U.S. squad was to play multiple closed-door scrimmages. It’s unclear whether the federation will be able to arrange such games stateside on short notice.

The friendly against Costa Rica at Dignity Health Sports Park will go on as planned.

Though Doha is 950 miles from Baghdad, where Qasem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. missile attack early Friday, tensions in the region have escalated and U.S. outposts and personnel have braced for retaliatory attacks. Bordered to the south by Saudi Arabia, Qatar occupies a small peninsula sticking into the Persian Gulf.

FIFA’s controversial choice of Qatar to stage the tournament will bring the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time.

Although Ish Smith sprinted back to the locker room just ahead of tip-off, a luxury afforded to a bench player who does not have to be on high alert in the opening moments, he would soon have to play starter’s minutes at point guard because Isaiah Thomas was kicked out. Troy Brown Jr., who weighs no more than 215 pounds, moonlighted as a power forward and needed every ounce of muscle he could find while defending the stronger and savvier Carmelo Anthony.

At times, the Wizards can mask such shortcomings when everything clicks at both ends of the floor – when their shooting is on and defending with purpose. Against the Blazers, however, they could neither trust in their offense nor sustain a solid stretch of defense.

Washington’s bench scored 76 points, led by Jordan McRae’s career-high 35, and yet the team still lost in a blowout. But if that had been the only head-scratching moment Friday night, then this would not have been a Wizards game.

Less than two minutes into the contest, Thomas was ejected for making contact with official Marat Kogut.

On the team’s third offensive possession, Thomas got trapped near Washington’s sideline by Anthony and Damian Lillard. Kogut stood directly in front of where Thomas was bottled in, beyond the sideline while watching the play. Then, with Anthony crowding his left side and Lillard on his right, Thomas appeared to grow frustrated and extended his right hand into the chest of Kogut with 10:32 on the game clock.

Kogut stumbled into two court side Monumental Sports & Entertainment partners, but did not fall completely over. As Kogut gathered to his feet, he immediately gestured as though he was tossing Thomas out of the game.

Thomas followed Kogut on the court, raising his palms and pleading: “What did I do?!” However, after a review, the three referees confirmed the call and Thomas was ejected.

This is the second ejection of the season for Thomas. On Dec. 21 in Philadelphia, Thomas was ejected and later suspended two games for entering the stands to confront two fans.

Over the past three games since serving his suspension, Thomas has averaged 12.3 points on 26.2 percent shooting. Following Wednesday night’s loss to the Orlando Magic when he went 3 for 10, Thomas returned to the court to work on his jumper.

Although Thomas officially played only 1 minute and 28 seconds, he can expect a fine to follow Friday’s event. Recently, the NBA issued a $25,000 fine to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroeder for “intentionally making contact” with a game official.

With Thomas off the court, Smith played 33 minutes and finished with 16 points and five assists, but he also accounted for the bench’s production along with Garrison Mathews and McRae.

With the restructured starting lineup underperforming – only Brown scored in double figures – Washington relied on the offense from three reserves. Mathews zipped around screens, searching for shots and made 6 of 9 overall and five 3-pointers for 18 points. He did a fine Bradley Beal impression.

Beal did not play for the third time in four games while Rui Hachimura emerged from recovery isolation and joined the team publicly for the first time since injuring his groin on Dec. 16. After Hachimura greeted teammates at the start of the game, he took a seat at the end of the bench.

The return of Hachimura, who has missed nine straight games, meant the Wizards would have another player in street clothes on a sideline where the suits outnumber the jerseys.

So when a reporter started a question by describing the Wizards as “down,” McRae squinted and made a face. The events of the night wouldn’t allow him to wallow in the misery that has been the 2019-20 season. After this improbable 123-105 victory over the Miami Heat, McRae and the Wizards felt buoyant.

“It’s a good win for us,” McRae said. “For us to get a win like that over a really, really, really good Miami Heat team, that builds everybody’s confidence.”

Although seven players were inactive Monday night, the Wizards led a healthy Heat squad by as many as 20 points before comfortably winning by 18. And the point differential doesn’t begin to tell the story of Washington’s wildest win of the year.

The Wizards’ trio of Ian Mahinmi, McRae and Mathews played as perhaps the least likely Big Three in NBA history. Mahinmi made his first seven shots and scored a career-high 25 points. Mathews poured in 28 points – including a remarkable 20 in the second quarter – on 6-for-9 shooting overall and 4-for-7 shooting from beyond the three-point arc, by far the best night of his young professional career. McRae finished with a season-high 29 points, shooting 6 for 8 from beyond the arc, and eight assists, a career high.

“A lot of guys [came through with] spectacular play,” Wizards Coach Scott Brooks said. “Ian did a great job [on] both ends of the floor. Garrison coming in and playing aggressive and being confident.

“Then Jordan,” Brooks continued. “Jordan’s a scorer who can come in and get buckets. I thought everybody chipped in.”

Mahinmi started at center, but Mathews and McRae powered a second unit that scored a franchise-record 80 points off the bench. And although Miami (24-9) had a robust team led by Jimmy Butler, who finished with 27 points, and a large contingent of fans who periodically started “Let’s go, Heat!” chants at Capital One Arena, the Wizards (10-22) closed the decade with three unsung players celebrating career highs and the team finally reaching double digits in the win column.

“This is part of building character,” Mahinmi said. “When you’re down and you have a lot of injuries and a lot of stuff not going your way, having the toughness as a young player to come out and step up and make good plays . . . is huge. I think all of our young guys are taking tremendous advantage of their opportunities.”

The 2010s for the Wizards have been filled with more groans than gains. Under former team president Ernie Grunfeld, who spent most of the decade in charge before being fired in April, the Wizards amassed a .438 winning percentage (353 wins, 453 losses).

There have been positive moments. Paul Pierce called “Game!” in 2015. John Wall (drafted No. 1 in 2010) saved the season in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2017. And Bradley Beal (taken third overall in 2012) rewrote the franchise record books last season.

But as 2019 comes to its conclusion, the franchise’s two biggest stars were unavailable: Wall is nearing a full year away rehabilitating his Achilles’, and Beal missed his second straight game with soreness around his right knee.

In their place, understudies stepped in surprisingly well.

“Obviously, we are missing a ton with a ton of injuries, and a lot of offense, and it was time for somebody to step up,” Mathews said. “Jordan McRae played great, and Ian played great. Once I saw the first [shot] go down, I was just fortunate a few other ones fell.”

Mahinmi, a defensive-minded center who had never reached 20 points in a game in his three-plus years with the Wizards, could not be stopped in the paint. Mathews, a rookie without an official player profile on a popular fantasy basketball website, introduced himself to the masses during a career night. And McRae channeled the forces of both Wall and Beal, working as a facilitator and a scorer.

While the Heat ripped through Washington’s defense in the opening quarter, Mahinmi returned the favor. Cutting to the rim and finishing an array of layups, Mahinmi scored 14 points through his first nine minutes of action.

Despite Mahinmi’s production, Washington still lagged behind the Heat, 39-29, after one quarter. Mathews, however, carried the Wizards to halftime while accounting for much of the team’s blazing 42-point second quarter.

As McRae found equilibrium by making four shots and setting up teammates for three assists in the quarter, Mathews scored. He fearlessly launched quick-trigger threes, hitting four attempts. With his catch-and-shoot three off a McRae pass with 5:15 left in the half, Mathews pulled the Wizards ahead for the first time in the game.

The sudden burst by Mathews, listed as “Unknown Player” on ESPN’s fantasy basketball app, helped the Wizards take command and build a 71-63 halftime advantage. They remained in control for the rest of the game, providing one last highlight for the 2010s.

“A lot of stuff is not going our way,” Mahinmi said. “But I’m very proud of what everybody is doing.”

Donlaphatchai, who carded a bogey-free four-under-par 68 in the third round, completed a wire-to-wire victory to triumph by two shots with a winning total of nine-under-par 207 and claimed his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the Taifong Golf Club.

The 29-year-old Thai would take home a winner’s prize purse of US$28,000 and propel from 94th to third place on the final 2019 ADT Order of Merit, thereby securing his Asian Tour card for the 2020 season. He also receives six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points following his win.

“I am really happy. It’s a great ending to my season. I have been working very hard on my fitness for the last two years and I’m glad it has paid off. I have waited very long for this win too and I can’t wait to play on the Asian Tour next year,” said Donlaphatchai, who turned professional in 2010 and only claimed his breakthrough win on home soil last year.

Donlaphatchai is the third Thai, following Rattanon Wannasrichan (2015) and Pannakorn Uthaipas (2017), to win the Taifong Open, which was inaugurated in 2014 as the richest event on the ADT schedule.

Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-lun and Tseng Tzu-hsuan settled for second place with Japan’s Daisuke Yasumoto and young Thai Atiruj Winaicharoenchai following respective closing rounds of 67, 69, 68 and 69 in the season finale.

Naoki Sekito capped a season’s haul of US$50,942 following his tied-61st place finish at the Taifong Open and became the very first Japanese to win the Order of Merit on the ADT, which was inaugurated in 2010 as a gateway to the Asian Tour.

“I can’t explain how happy I am to win the ADT Order of Merit. It’s the first time a Japanese has won the Order of Merit so I feel really honoured. I am so excited for next year,” said the 22-year-old Naoki, who has notched two wins and five top-10s on the ADT this season.

Thailand’s Pannakorn Uthaipas, Donlaphatchai and Itthipat Buranatanyarat would end the season in second (US$29,794), third (US$29,697) and fourth (US$29,672) place respectively on the final Merit rankings.

With Wang, who has already secured his Asian Tour card by finishing inside top-60 on the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit, finishing fifth on the money list, the remaining three Asian Tour cards will be awarded to England’s Steve Lewton, American Trevor Simsby and Seung Park of Korea, placed sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.

The leading seven players, not otherwise exempted, on the final 2019 ADT Order of Merit following the conclusion of the Taifong Open earned their Asian Tour cards for the 2020 season.

The final round, originally scheduled to start at 7.10am local time, was delayed by 30 minutes three times before officials made the decision to cancel the fourth round of the popular event, which is celebrating its sixth consecutive edition on the ADT.

“After deliberation, the organising committee has decided to cancel the final round due to continuous rain which is expected to last throughout the day and conditions were deemed unplayable due to low visibility,” said Jittisak Tamprasert, Asian Tour Director of Rules & Competitions.

“The 2019 Taifong Open has been shortened to 54 holes and overnight leader Donlaphatchai has been declared the winner of the tournament,” added Jittisak.

Leading round three scores:

207 – Donlaphatchai Niyomchon 67 72 68

209 – Wang Wei-lun 73 69 67, Daisuke Yasumoto 73 68 68, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai 71 69 69, Tseng Tzu-hsuan 71 69 69

210 – Peradol Panyathanasedh 72 69 69

211 – Brett Munson 74 68 69, Lin Wen-ko 70 72 69, Lee Chieh-po 71 71 69, Seung Park 70 71 70

212 – Chinnarat Phadungsil 71 72 69

213 – Jesse Yap 73 73 67, Gregory Foo 70 71 72

215 – Ho Yu-cheng 71 73 71, Kasidit Lepkurte 75 72 68, Kwanchai Tannin 71 73 71, Nirun Sae-Ueng 72 72 71

216 – Sattaya Supupramai 74 72 70, Yeh Wei-tze 75 70 71, Amir Nazrin 76 71 69, Wolmer Murillo 68 76 72, Huang Hsiang-hao 75 73 68

217 – Yeh Yu-chen 72 73 72, Kazuki Higa 70 75 72, Koh Deng Shan 74 70 73, Chan Shih-chang 74 74 69, David Shen 68 75 74, Lien Lu-sen 73 68 76, Itthipat Buranatanyarat 69 72 76, Suttijet Kooratanapisan 75 73 69

For final results and earnings, please click here.

The 29-year-old Thai, who had opened his campaign with a 67, marked his card with four birdies against two bogeys and a double-bogey in blustery conditions to remain atop the leaderboard with a five-under-par 139 total at the highly acclaimed Taifong Golf Club.

Local prospect Tseng Tzu-hsuan and Thai teenager Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned with matching rounds of 69s to share second place at the US$160,000 event, which is celebrating its sixth consecutive edition on the ADT this week.

Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat battled to a 72 to lurk two shots off the pace in fourth place alongside compatriot Peradol Panyathanasedh (69), Japan’s Daisuke Yasumoto (68), Singapore’s Gregory Foo (71), local veteran Lien Lu-sen (68) and Korea’s Seung Park (71).

“I fought well today. It was windy and cold out there, very different from yesterday. I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday but I’m happy to finish well with two birdies in my last three holes,” said Donlaphatchai, who sits in 94th place on the Order of Merit.

Playing in only his seventh start on the ADT this year, Donlaphatchai needs a victory at the season finale to give himself a chance at breaking into top-seven on the final rankings and secure his Asian Tour card for 2020.

Tseng, also chasing for his first ADT win, said: “I hit a lot of greens today. That helped a lot. I made 30 putts in total but I think it’s still alright because the greens are really challenging here. The pin positions are difficult too. I am happy with the way I played today.”

Atiruj, who has claimed three top-five finishes on the ADT this season to sit in 24th place on the Order of Merit, kept up his chase for an Asian Tour card by firing five birdies against two bogeys for a commendable 69.

“I hit it close to the pins and I hit a lot of greens. It was windy and the greens are firm. The game’s trending in the right direction. I hit a very good second shot on the par-five 17th to about 10 feet. Missed the eagle chance there but it’s still a good hole,” said the 19-year-old, who is making his debut appearance in the Taifong Open this week.

A total of 63 players, including one local amateur, survived the halfway cut set at four-over-par 148 in the popular event, which was inaugurated as the richest event on the ADT in 2014.

Defending champion Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei and ADT Order of Merit leader Naoki Sekito of Japan made the cut right on the mark after registering identical rounds of 74 at the 2019 ADT season finale.

The leading seven players, not otherwise exempted, on the final 2019 ADT Order of Merit following the conclusion of the Taifong Open on Sunday will earn their Asian Tour cards for the 2020 season.

Leading round two scores:

139 – Donlaphatchai Niyomchon 67 72

140 – Tseng Tzu-hsuan 71 69, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai 71 69

141 – Seung Park 70 71, Itthipat Buranatanyarat 69 72, Gregory Foo 70 71, Lien Lu-sen 73 68, Peradol Panyathanasedh 72 69, Daisuke Yasumoto 73 68

142 – Lee Chieh-po 71 71, Lin Wen-ko 70 72, Wang Wei-lun 73 69, Brett Munson 74 68

143 – Chinnarat Phadungsil 71 72, David Shen 68 75

144 – Koh Deng Shan 74 70, Nirun Sae-Ueng 72 72, Wolmer Murillo 68 76, Sung Mao-chang 71 73, Huang Yi-tseng 75 69, Kwanchai Tannin 71 73, Ho Yu-cheng 71 73

145 – Yeh Wei-tze 75 70, Kazuki Higa 70 75, Yeh Yu-chen 72 73, Naras Luangphetcharaporn 75 70, Tarik Can 74 71, Sam Gillis 74 71

146 – Lin Yung-lung 74 72, Sattaya Supupramai 74 72, Jesse Yap 73 73, Abdul Hadi 71 75, Hung Chien-yao 70 76, Matt Killen 75 71

The jackets were made from natural materials such as leaves, bark and heartwood creating beautiful colours and patterns. Thailand’s flag was embroidered on the left sleeve while the right sleeves sported the Union Jack.

Even though Leicester were beaten by Liverpool 0-4, footballers from all over the world still had an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Thai traditional art. The club had 100 jackets made for the event.

The 29-year-old Thai, who had made only a single cut in his last five starts at the popular event, exceeded his expectations when he returned with an eagle and seven birdies against four bogeys to take his place atop the leaderboard at the Taifong Golf Club.

Buoyed by the comforts of playing on his home course, David Shen of Chinese Taipei holed out for a closing eagle to share second place with tournament debutant Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela on matching 68s in the 2019 ADT season finale.

Thai hotshot Itthipat Buranatanyarat, who sits in third place on the Order of Merit, kept up his chase for the Order of Merit crown by posting a 69 to trail by two shots in fourth place at the event, which is celebrating its sixth consecutive edition on the ADT this week.

“I putted really well today. I think that was what made the difference today. It’s the best round I have ever shot on this course. I am really happy,” said Donlaphatchai, who needed only 25 putts around the greens today.

Shen, who had holed out from 89 yards for an eagle-three on the 18th hole, is playing in his sixth appearance at the Taifong Open this week. He enjoyed a tied-13th place finish in the popular event last year.

“I was able to hit it close today. I played my irons well. Didn’t get lucky on the first three holes but started rolling putts in for birdies on fourth and fifth. Happy to finish with an eagle on the last too,” said Shen, who hails from Changhwa county.

“I putted well and I was accurate with my iron shots. I think I hit like 15 greens today. It was quite windy out there. I started off thinking I should play conservatively today but changed my strategy on a few holes and decided to hit my driver off the tee. That worked out well.

“I was mainly focusing on hitting my irons good today. This is where I practiced for the last eight years. This is my home course and I guess that gave me some advantage. Hitting it good off the tee is the key to play well here,” Shen added.

Murillo, who did not play a practice round this week, battled through a calf injury to return with a round of six birdies against two bogeys. He sits in 30th place on the money list and needs a strong finish to break inside top-seven and secure his Asian Tour card for 2020.

“It’s my first time playing here. It was quite a walk out there but I felt good. I had a calf injury from gym work last week but overall, it was a steady round although I made a couple of mistakes. It’s an interesting golf course,” said the 38-year-old Venezuelan.

“I have been working hard for the last three rounds so I’m very happy with a good round today. It was nice to see on the score card that we have two par-fives to close the round. I made a few key putts, a few long putts like the one on 18th which is probably like 25 feet,” added Murillo, a one-time winner on the ADT.

Play was suspended at 5.45pm local time due to fading light. A total of three players will resume their round at 7.30am on Friday with the second round scheduled to commence at 6.55am as per original plan.

The leading seven players, not otherwise exempted, on the final 2019 ADT Order of Merit following the conclusion of the Taifong Open on Sunday will earn their Asian Tour cards for the 2020 season.

Leading round one scores (incomplete):

67 – Donlaphatchai Niyomchon

68 – David Shen , Wolmer Murillo

69 – Itthipat Buranatanyarat

70 – Hung Chien-yao , Kazuki Higa , Seung Park , Lin Wen-ko , Gregory Foo

71 – Atiruj Winaicharoenchai , Kwanchai Tannin , Ho Yu-cheng , Tseng Tzu-hsuan , Chinnarat Phadungsil , Lee Chieh-po , Sung Mao-chang , Peng Hung-ching

72 – Brian Jung , Peradol Panyathanasedh , Lin Chie-hsiang , Wang Wei-hsiang , Nirun Sae-Ueng , Yeh Yu-chen , Chiu Han-ting , Su Ching-hung

73 – Hung Chun-kang , Lien Lu-sen , Josh Salah , Hsieh Chi-hsien , Wang Wei-lun , Daisuke Yasumoto , Hsieh Tung-hung , Tseng Hong-sheng , Shinichi Mizuno , Huang Chi , Jesse Yap

74 – Liu Yu-jui , Chang Tse-yu , Chen Yi-tong , Chen Yi-chian , Fan Chiang Hao-chuan , Brett Munson , Sam Gillis , Chiang Chen-chih , Fang Yin-jen , Chang Chien-chi , Lin Yung-lung , Pisitchai Thippong , Koh Deng Shan , Naoki Sekito , Choo Tze Huang , Chan Shih-chang , Namchok Tantipokhakul , Tarik Can , Sattaya Supupramai , Settee Prakongvech

The 25-year-old, who has three ITF titles under her belt, ousted her teenage rival 7-5 3-6 6-2 in the qualifying competition, earning her a wild-card entry into the US$275,000 Thailand Open, the country’s biggest tennis event, scheduled at the same venue from February 10-16 next year.

“I’m so happy for the chance to compete in my first WTA level,” said Patcharin, who earned two bronze medals [women’s doubles with Luksika Kumkhum and mixed doubles with Sonchat Ratiwatana] from the SEA Games in the Philippines earlier this month.

Patcharin, however, realises the competitive nature of the WTA Tour and is determined to get into full gear in order to raise her level to match up with top players who will take part in the tournament.

“I will have to work a lot harder to get ready. I’m confident I can play with these top players,” she added.

Mananchaya Sawangkaew 

Mananchaya, 17, will receive a wild card into the qualifying competition of the Thailand Open.

The 32-field event will feature most of the top 100 players. In February this year, teenage prodigy Dyana Yastremska, now No 22 in the world, won the inaugural edition by beating Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in an epic three-set-final.

The programme will be held on January 18, 2020 from 9am to 4pm at the Sports Authority of Thailand, Hua Mark, Bangkok. Participants will have the opportunity to be selected for an exclusive internship to work on major golf tournaments overseas.

The Young Ambassadors Programme is free of charge but attendees will need to have a good command of English and must either currently be attending institutions of higher education or have just recently graduated from university. Students aged 18 and above who are interested can apply at www.hondalpgathailand.com from December 16 until January 14. Only the first 100 qualified applicants will be chosen.

The Young Ambassadors Programme has been organised for the second consecutive year as part of the Road to Honda LPGA Thailand 2020 to further develop golf in Thailand. The seminar will invite various experts from the industry to share their knowledge about golf and inspire a new generation of youth to get involved in the sport. Participants of the Young Ambassadors Programme will gain in-depth knowledge on several topics, including “The Future of the Golf Industry” and “The Importance of Digital and Social Media Marketing Today”.

After the programme, 30 students will be selected to serve as volunteers at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2020. Following the tournament, the performances of these students will be reviewed and the six most outstanding Young Ambassadors will be offered an exclusive internship with the chance to help organise and attend another major golf tournament overseas.

A total sum of US$225,000 will be channelled towards each Cash Distribution Committee of the affected prefectures and Tokyo Metropolitan government through the Japanese Red Cross Society with focus on relief and recovery efforts in Japan, which was hit by several typhoons in recent months.

Subsequently, First Tee Japan will receive US$25,000 for use towards its initiatives where the organisation’s mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programmes that build character, instil life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

Megumi Hatakeyama, Vice President, Marketing Department, Golf Division, ZOZO Inc said:

“We are delighted to provide financial assistance towards the affected people through the Japanese Red Cross Society which not only collects and transfer the cash grants to each Cash Distribution Committee of the affected local government, but also operates various type of disaster relief activities by themselves across the country. The amazing work that their staff and volunteers do brings tremendous relief for the people of Japan who were affected by the recent typhoons.

“It is also our privilege to extend our support towards First Tee Japan. Golf is an amazing sport as it teaches important life skills such as character education through programmes conducted by professionally-trained life coaches. We hope our assistance will greatly benefit the young people of Japan who are part of First Tee Japan.”

The inaugural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, which was staged at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, was a huge success with Woods claiming a historic record-tying 82^nd PGA TOUR victory.

He defeated a world-class field which included local hero Hideki Matsuyama, who finished runner-up, and reigning FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy and 2019 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, Sungjae Im, who finished joint third. U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland finished in fifth.