GOLF

Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from the Abu Dhabi Championship, which starts Thursday, citing a rib injury.

The European Tour said Monday the second-ranked McIlroy underwent tests after he was hurt during the SA Open, revealing a stress fracture.

The Northern Irishman played with the injury for the final three rounds in Johannesburg, where he lost in a playoff to Graeme Storm.

The tournament is headlined by Americans Dustin Johnson and defending champion Rickie Fowler.

BASEBALL

MAJORS: The Royals and Danny Duffy agreed to a $65 million, five-year contract that will keep the popular left-hander in Kansas City.

Duffy will make $5 million this year, $14 million in 2018, $15.25 million each in 2019 and 2020 and $15.5 million in 2021.

• Outfielder Michael Saunders and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed on a $9 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations said.

Saunders’ deal was first reported by MLB.com.

A 2016 AL All-Star with Toronto, Saunders hit a career-best 24 homers and batted .253 with 57 RBI last season.

• Outfielder Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays are “working really hard” to bring him back to the club, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told the Associated Press.

The sides are discussing one-, two- and three-year agreements.

Bautista hit 22 homers with 69 RBI last year while batting .234 in an injury-slowed season.

SOCCER

U.S. MEN: LA Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe has replaced Seattle’s injured Stefan Frei on the training camp roster leading to exhibitions against Serbia and Jamaica.

Rowe has never played for the U.S. team. Coach Bruce Arena left the Galaxy in November to start his second stint with the Americans.

CHINA: The governing body of Chinese soccer plans a series of measures in response to what is termed “irrational” spending by clubs on transfer fees and player salaries, amid concerns that foreign stars are crowding out local talent and harming the country’s goal of becoming a global force in the sport.

Spending by Chinese clubs on players such as Argentina’s Carlos Tevez has drawn global attention, raising fears among some that domestic players will be denied opportunities.

AUTO RACING

FORMULA ONE: Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas will race alongside three-time champion Lewis Hamilton with team Mercedes this season.

Bottas, 27, will fill the seat left by world champion Nico Rosberg’s retirement.

With Bottas moving on, Felipe Massa will come out of retirement to race.

OLYMPICS

2024 GAMES: Organizers trying to land the Summer Olympics for Los Angeles would include a new football stadium in the games’ ceremonies.

The NFL stadium being built in Inglewood near Los Angeles International Airport would be used for ceremonies along with Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as part of the committee’s concept to create a “new games for a new era,” LA2024 said.

The stadium is expected to seat 70,000 spectators for a Hollywood-produced spectacle of musical performances and a live viewing and virtual reality experience of all ceremonies at the NFL stadium.

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