Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Paul Casey and defending champion Emiliano Grillo will be among the 144-player field on Thursday when the PGA Tour opens its 2016-17 schedule with the Safeway Open at the Silverado Resort & Spas North course in Napa, Calif.But much of the talk for the past few weeks surrounding the Safeway Open centered on Tiger Woods, who committed to playing in the event last week before withdrawing Monday.Not even four days in the California wine country and a $6 million purse could entice Woods back from his 14-month injury sabbatical.My health is good, and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be, Woods wrote on his website Monday. When I announced last week I was going to Safeway, I had every intention of playing or I wouldnt have committed. I practiced the last several days in California, but after a lot of soul searching and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA Tour.Just the notion of having Woods play the first two days, and his Thursday and Friday pairing with Mickelson, doubled ticket sales. Those that will tee it up for 72 holes of stroke play through Sunday will give those golf fans plenty to enjoy.Mickelson said he was still on an emotional high from being part of the winning United States team in the Ryder Cup two weeks ago.The tournament here is so well run and the course is such fun that I cant wait to get the season started, Mickelson said.Grillo won here last season in his first PGA Tour event, becoming the first player to do so since Russell Henley at the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii.On Wednesday, Grillo was named the tour rookie of the year based on that victory and two additional top-10 finishes the rest of the season (a tie for second at The Barclays and a tie for 10th at the season-ending Tour Championship during the FedExCup playoffs). He also finished tied for eighth in the mens Olympic golf competition in Rio.This is the fourth year for the PGA Tours wraparound schedule that bridges two years with 47 events. Seven events will be played during the fall of 2016, all of which will award FedExCup points. After a seven-week break, the season will resume in January with the traditional swing through Hawaii before moving to the West Coast.Four of the seven winners from the fall portion of the 2015-16 season (Grillo, Justin Thomas, Russell Knox and Kevin Kisner) qualified for the Tour Championship and two others (Smylie Kaufman and Graeme McDowell) finished inside the top 50. Dale Hunter Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Dennis Maruk Jersey . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. http://www.officialcapitalsfanstore.com/authentic-lars-eller-capitals-jersey/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Custom Washington Capitals Jerseys . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. T. J. Oshie Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Washington Capitals keep picking up victories and points. The problem: So is just about everyone else in the brutal Metropolitan Division.Washington earned its sixth straight win by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Friday night after T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored in the shootout.Four of the divisions top five teams -- including Washington -- entered Friday night on winning streaks of five or more games.I think more important than the six games, we want the point, Oshie said. We can see the standings -- theyre posted up in the room -- but were working on our game right now. We had a tough start, and were building our identity each night. I think the points are following that because were playing some good hockey, so we want to continue that and the points, I think, will follow.Oshie also scored the tying goal on a deflection with 6:04 left, Alex Ovechkin scored his team-leading 14th goal and Justin Williams also scored for the Capitals, who improved to 1-2 in shootouts this season and earned points for the seventh consecutive game.We seem to have won six straight just to keep pace with the division, Williams said. It is what it is, and its good competitiveness, and its something that, as athletes, we enjoy.Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and an assist, Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk scored and rookie Sebastian Aho had two assists, but the Hurricanes had their seven-game home winning streak snapped.I thought both teams had a lot of good chances, Carolina coach Bill Peters said. It wasnt for a lack of chances for us. ... I liked the effort, I really did.Oshie beat Cam Ward high on Washingtons first attempt in the shootout, and after Jaccob Slavin hit the post with a backhand to start the second roound, Kuznetsov put a backhand high past Ward to end it.ddddddddddddWard made 23 saves for the Hurricanes, who fell to 1-4 in shootouts this season.Philipp Grubauer stopped 27 shots for Washington, which trailed for most of the third period after Teravainen put Carolina up just 40 seconds in by redirecting in Ahos shot.Oshie tied it when he deflected a blast by Dmitry Orlov past Ward late in the period.Orlov made a great, great shot there -- you tip them and hope they get a good bounce, Oshie said. And I got a fortunate one.Ovechkin pulled Washington even at 1 when he beat Ward high from the circle on a rush. The Hurricanes had killed 17 of their previous 18 penalties on home ice before that goal.After Williams put the Capitals up 2-1, Faulk tied it 2:18 later when he took a slick pass from Aho on a 2-on-1 and beat Grubauer.That came after Skinner got his third goal this week and fourth in four home games when he slipped a loose puck past Grubauer for a 1-0 lead 5:46 in.Game notes Washington D Matt Niskanen had two assists. ... The Capitals have scored a power-play goal in six of their last seven games. ... Kuznetsov set up Williams goal, giving him assists in six straight games. ... Hurricanes C Jordan Staal rang the post midway through the third period. ... Carolinas home winning streak started with a 5-1 win over Washington on Nov. 12. The Capitals arent scheduled to return to Raleigh this season.UP NEXTCapitals: Washington returns home to play Atlantic Division leader Montreal on Saturday night.Hurricanes: They play host to Buffalo on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game homestand. ' ' '