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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | 8/31

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

NORTON (Mass) – The stars are aligning in the game of golf. Let us count the ways:

  • The PGA Tour concluded with a very entertaining FedEx Cup Playoffs (won by England’s Tommy Fleetwood in grand Fashion).
  • The LPGA tour is cruising through Massachusetts during this great Labor Day weekend as the best female golfers in the world compete in the FM Championship at TPC Boston – formerly the site of a PGA Tour/FedEx Cup Playoff round.
  • The Ryder Cup is on the horizon and United States Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley, had a very difficult decision this week as he made is choices for Captain’s picks to round out the 12-player USA team. England’s Luke Donald will do the same and make his Captain’s selections on Monday (September 1). The Ryder Cup will be contested between Europe and the USA from September 26-28 at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, NY.
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While readers of WWYI might’ve expected a full column on the Baseball home stretch, the start of college football or a preview of the NFL season ahead, you’ll be keen to know that an amazing connection to the PGA Tour-LPGA Tour-and-Ryder Cup walked right into the path of your intrepid columnist earlier this week. Thus, footy can wait a week or so and WWYI will educate you on the great Pat Bradley, aunt of Keegan, and one of the classiest athletes in history – any sport, anywhere. Ms. Bradley was publicizing the 2025 FM Championship when WWYI ran into her and reminisced about rainy summer days on Long Island.

From this observer’s point of view, the FM Championship at TPC Boston is the LPGA equivalent of the Traveller’s Championship, held each June at TPC River Highlands near Hartford.

Why?

They are both the best run, organized, challenging but reward for risk golf tournaments on the circuit. The Traveller’s is a Signature Event (elevated purse) and it comes at a challenging time, usually right after the U.S. Open. Nevertheless, the pro golfers all turn up, as the tournament has the best reputation of taking good care of the golfers and their families.

So it says for the (relatively) new FM Championship for the LPGA. Raised purse, great course in a great place (players stay in locales near either Boston or Providence). The sponsors have dedicated time, hard work, money and Human Resources (volunteers as good as they get) to staging what will surely be the model for all future LPGA events in the years to come.

Bradley was on hand as the media met the powers that be in staging this weekend’s FM Championship in Norton. She was fabulous and this columnist remembers watching her play on Long Island at the Meadowbrook Golf Course in the Western Union International (1979-1982). Pat Bradley was often high on the leaderboard and came from the Commonwealth and was quite accustomed to golf in the Northeast.

“I remember playing the LPGA Championship at Pleasant Valley in 1975 when I was on tour, so the history of professional golf has always been strong in Massachusetts,” said Bradley. “To be back here at TPC (Boston) is a huge treat. The talented athletes are great ambassadors, not only to the game of golf, but to the world of golf. It’s a joy to walk the fairways and watch them do their thing.

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“I am celebrating my 50th year on the LPGA Tour, and when I think back, gee wiz, when I joined the tour in ‘74, the LPGA was about 25 years and here we’re celebrating 75 years. It’s been a tremendous organization and it gets stronger and stronger every year. And, when you have sponsors like FM believing in you as an organization, as athletes, as golfers, it just makes your heart grow and full. You just can’t wait to play these fairways.”

Bradley was joined by Brockton, Massachusetts native Megan Khang who proudly noted she winters in Boston, although it’s a short break with the fact the LPGA Tour runs from about January 18 to November 24. This weekend, Khang sits T-18 after a (-3) score of 69 on Saturday.

“I love being around Massachusetts,” said Khang. “It’s where my family is. For me, being from Massachusetts and playing MassGolf growing up, it’s cool to say, you don’t have to move somewhere warm full-time.’

Bringing it back to Pat Bradley, the 1981 U.S. Open champion, she’ll always have eyes on the LPGA, but this week she was watching her nephew on television, first at the TOUR Championship where he finished T-7 and pocketed a cool $1,121,667 for his efforts after shooting 70-64-63-70 on the championship weekend. Despite his No. 11 ranking on Tour, (No. 8 if you only look at USA golfers), Keegan did not pick himself to play on the Ryder Cup and his aunt had faith in his decision.

“If I said anything to Keegan, it was whatever decision you make, it will be the right decision,” noted Aunt Pat, keeping the family business as close as a Corleone might practice. “I know he’s been dealing with it (Ryder Cup pressure) and he’ll be dealing with it for a little more time. Keegan is the right guy for Bethpage Black, and he and his team will bring the Cup home. He’ll let the fellas know to keep their focus, because otherwise Bethpage Black will let them know.

“It’s been a tremendous moment for Keegan and his family,” added Ms. Bradley. “I’m so proud of all that he has done. I’ve never been so proud of him than the day he took that phone call (to be the US Ryder Cup captain) a couple years ago.

“When a young man goes into Yankee Stadium with a Red Sox baseball cap, you know he’s got guts,” she concluded in her sum-up of the USA’s captain.

FOR THE RECORD: These United States pro golfers made the Ryder Cup team by points earned during the past season:

  1. Scottie Scheffler
  2. J.J. Spaun
  3. Xander Schauffele
  4. Russell Henley
  5. Harris English
  6. Bryson DeChambeau

Then to round out the team, Bradley’s Captain’s picks were: (in alphabetical order)

Sam Burns

Patrick Cantlay

Ben Griffin

Collin Morakawa

Justin Thomas

Cameron Young

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There’s been no better moment for the college football season than watching the retiring ESPN commentator and former coach, Lee Corso,make his final pick of the week in front of 100,000 Ohio State fans on Saturday at Noon. ESPN College Game Day ranks neck and neck with the Inside the NBA crew of Turner Sports as the best two wrap-around shows in the business. Game Day might have the edge, as it’s always a live remote on a pumped-up college campus, always the “biggest” game of the week, the best match-up, the most important game. It was no surprise to see Corso pick Ohio State to please the hometown fans. Corso donned the head piece of Brutas the Buckeye mascot to a standing ovation, possibly the loudest in college sports. Second to the Lee Corso tribute, was the college football pageantry on display at the legendary “Horseshoe” in Columbus. Saturday proved to be a perfect, 70-degree, 44% humidity, deep blue postcard blue sky day. Can you imagine being a first-year student just enrolled at The Ohio State University and on campus for a week or two? (Corso was correct, by the3 way, as Ohio State defeated No. 1 ranked Texas, 14-7).

On the other hand, the vaunted Army Black Knights football team suffered one of its most stunning defeats in history, falling 30-27 in double overtime to the Tarleton State Texans football team, an FCS program.

PREDICTIONS: Making these College Football Playoff prediction with the benefit of seeing the Ohio State win over Texas, here are the WWYI thoughts for CFB Playoffs 2025-26:

  1. Ohio State
  2. Clemson
  3. Penn State
  4. Georgia
  5. Notre Dame
  6. Texas (lost Saturday)
  7. Oregon
  8. LSU
  9. Alabama (lost Saturday)
  10. Miami (Florida)
  11. Texas Tech
  12. Arizona State

TL’S – In the Hunt: Illinois, South Carolina, Michigan, Florida, Ole Miss and SMU.

NFL Predictions will come next week.

THIS JEST IN: The bat tossed in the air by a New Jersey Little Leaguer to celebrate a home run which earned him a suspension (lifted by a judge in appeal) was sold Friday for nearly $10,000 at auction. The proceeds from the sale of 12-year-old Marco Rocco‘s autographed bat will be donated to the program he plays for, Haddonfield Little League. The auction was conducted by the reputable firm of Goldin Auctions and it drew 68 bids. The winning bid was $9,882, but the name of the winning bidder was not announced. Marco’s bat flip on July 16 in the final of the NJ Little League sectional tournament resulted in an ejection, a one-game suspension and a legal fight won by the flipper.

THIS JUST IN: In Saturday’s semifinal of the AmeriCup men’s basketball tournament, the United States (3-2) fell to Brazil (4-1), 92-77, in Managua, Nicaragua. Canada and Argentina were playing in the other semifinal at press time. The USA will face the loser of that game for the 2025 FIBA Men’s AmeriCup bronze medal.

Over in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, the Group stage is just being completed and the tournament will advance to the Final phase this week. See the STANDINGS.

Celtics fans want to know: Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 16.7 points per game while playing 26.8 minutes per game for Latvia. The Celtics traded Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks this past June in a three-team deal that sent TeranceMann and the No. 22 pick (Drake Powell) in the 2025 NBA Draft to the Nets, while Georges Niang and a second-round pick headed to Boston. In another move to clear additional salary off the books, the Celtics subsequently sent Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie wing RJ Luis Jr., out of St. John’s.

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CAN’T MAKE IT UP: As reported annually by the Associated Press with a dateline of BUÑOL (Spain), thousands of people from all around the world seeking a challenging date for their Tide detergent skills and a messy thrill to boot, spent one fun-filled hour flinging bushels of overripe tomatoes at each other during Spain’s “Tomatina”celebration this week. It was dubbed, “the mother of all food fights” as a packed street in the town of Buñol went deep red as revelers squished, smashed and hurled 120 tons of the overripe garden favorite. Tarps covered building fronts as an estimated 20,000 people let loose amid screams and laughter. The gazpacho didn’t stand a chance, but it beats getting gored by an angry Bull.

STREAKING: Heading into today’s (Sunday) series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates, arguably the worst hitting team in MLB, the Boston Red Sox have lost five home games in a row. That’s after the Sox won nine of the previous ten (July 26-August 16). Adding to the woes of inconsistency for this hometown team, the Sox have lost four of their last seven series after winning four straight series from July 25-August 6. … Boston has scored three or fewer runs in 11 of their last 16 games. Boston is now (75-62) and are positioned as the American League’s 2nd World Card team, trailing the New York Yankees by one game. Boston is 3.5 games back of AL East division leader Toronto (78-58) … The Seattle Mariners are the 3rd Wild Card team and trail the Red Sox by 2.0 games.

IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY: Here’s the way the teams would match-up if the MLB postseason began today.

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

(1) Blue Jays vs. winner of (4) Red Sox vs. (5) Yankees

(2) Tigers vs. winner of (3) Astros vs. (6) Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

(1) Brewers vs. winner of (4) Cubs vs. (5) Padres

(2) Phillies vs. winner of (3) Dodgers vs. (6) Mets

Second Round at The Open

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PORTRUSH (Northern Ireland) – The 2024 British Amateur champion Jacob Skov Olesen of Denmark holds his first lead/co-lead after any round on TOUR. He has two prior starts on the PGA TOUR, the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon (T60), and last week’s 2025 ISCO Championship where he missed the cut.

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Haotong Li of China finished solo-third in his debut Open Championship start in 2017, his best finish in 47 prior TOUR starts. He holds his second 18-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR, the last being the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions (T24).

Matt Fitzpatrick of England recorded his best opening-round score in his 10th start at The Open Championship. His previous best opening round was a (69) in 2017.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa posted his best score in 17 Open Championship rounds with the previous best being (68s) in R1/2021, R3/2022. Bezuidenhout holds his first lead/co-lead after any round in 119 PGA TOUR starts.

Harris English is making his 10th Open Championship start, with his lone Top-25 finish coming in 2013 (T15). He holds the first-round lead/co-lead for the sixth time on TOUR, and is 2-for-5 to date converting to victory (2013 FedEx St. Jude Championship and 2021 The Sentry.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (T6/-3) carded an opening-round (68) in bid to become the second straight player to win the PGA Championship and Open Championship in the same season (Xander Schauffele/2024). Scheffler is the only player to finish inside the Top 10 in the first three majors of 2025 (4th/Masters Tournament, 1st/PGA Championship, T7/U.S. Open).

The 2025 Masters Tournament champion and World No. 2 Rory McIlroy (T20/-1) could become the first player to win the Masters and Open Championship in the same year since Tiger Woods in 2005. McIlroy opened in 2019 at Royal Portrush with a (79).

The 2019 Open Championship winner (at Royal Portrush), Shane Lowry (T20/-1), recorded a 70 in R-1, but opened with a 67 in 2019.

In bid to become the first player to successfully defend at The Open since Padraig Harrington (2008), 2024 Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele (T32/E) posted a par (71).

The Open | Notes

  • Winds were blowing from SE 10-15 mph, with gusts to 23 mph
  • Five players sharing the first-round lead is the most at The Open Championship since a record six shared the lead at Royal St. George’s in 1938 (Jimmy Adams, Bill Cox, Ernest Whitcombe, Marcel Dallemagne, John Fallon, Jimmy Bruen Jr.).
  • A victory by any of the co-leaders would mark the 12th consecutive first-time Open Championship winner; the event has currently had 11 first-time winners, equaling the longest streak from 1994-2004; Ernie Els in 2012 is the last player tobecome a multiple winner of The Open Championship.

The Open | Leaderboard after 18 Holes

T1 Jacob Skov Olesen 67 (-4)

T1 Haotong Li 67 (-4)

T1 Matt Fitzpatrick 67 (-4)

T1 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 67 (-4)

T1 Harris English 67 (-4)

T6 Four Players 68 (-3)

Full Leaderboard: (The Open)

The Open Championship

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PGA Tour, LIV Players Tee-it-Up at Royal Portrush

PORTRUSH (Northern Ireland) – The 2025 Open Championship is the 33rd of 36 FedEx Cup regular season events. It is the final major of the season. Also being contested this weekend, The Barracuda, is the 34th of 36 events. There are only three weeks remaining until the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs

This weekend:

  • It’s the final major championship of the season (Previous Winners: Rory McIlroy/Masters Tournament, Scottie Scheffler/PGA Championship, J.J. Spaun/U.S. Open)
  • The Open returns to Royal Portrush for the third time: 1951 (won by MaxFaulkner), 2019 (Shane Lowry)
  • Adam Scott is scheduled to make his 97th consecutive major championship appearance, dating to the 2001 Open Championship; only Jack Nicklaus (146) has played in more than 100 straight majors
  • Chris Gotterup, winner of last week’s Genesis Scottish Open, qualified for The Open Championship via The Open Qualifying Series as one of the top three finishers, not otherwise qualified (others: Nicolai Højgaard, Matti Schmid).
  • The last player to win on TOUR and win a major the following week: RoryMcIlroy (2014 WGCBridgestone Invitational, 2014 PGA Championship). (The PGA used two be the final major of the season).

The 153rd Open | Royal Portrush

  • 54 players in the field competed in the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, including nine of the Top 10.
  • The last 11 winners of The Open Championship won the event for the first time, starting with Phil Mickelson in 2013, tying the longest streak of first-time winners at The Open (1994-2004).
  • With three weeks remaining until the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, notable players in the field outside the Top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings entering The Open Championship include: Rickie Fowler (No. 71), Nicolai Højgaard (No. 73), Wyndham Clark (No. 78), Adam Scott (No. 83), Rasmus Højgaard (No. 84), Tom Kim (No. 87)

The Open | Tournament Preview

COURSE: Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush Northern Ireland

YARDAGE/PAR: 7,381 yards and a Par 71

ARCHITECT: Harry Colt

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Xander Schauffele

PRIZE Money (Purse/Winner’s Share): $17,000,000/$3,100,000

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @TheOpen

PGA TOUR SITE: (The Open)

U.S. Open: Spaun Leads After 18

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OAKMONT, (Pennsylvania) – J.J. Spaun (1st/-4) carded his low 18-hole score in a major with the previous low: (67) coming at the 2018 PGA Championship/R4). Spaun’s previous low in a U.S. Open was (75) at (2021/Torrey Pines/R2).

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Thursday marked Spaun’s first career bogey-free round in a major and he was the lone player in the field without a bogey (or worse).

This is Spaun’s seventh time leading/co-leading after the first round on TOUR but he’s 0-for-6 in such instances.

South Korea’s Sungjae Im (T3) and Si Woo Kim (T3) each opened with 2-under (68) and each look to become the first Korean player since Y.E. Yang(2009 PGA Championship) to win a major.

Two-time U.S. Open champion (2017, 2018) Brooks Koepka (T3) eagled No. 4 on his way to 2-under (68). He looks to become the seventh player to win three U.S. Open titles (Jack Nicklaus/4; Ben Hogan/4; Bobby Jones/4; Willie Anderson/4; Tiger Woods/3; Hale Irwin/3).

Now seeking his third win in seven starts, Ben Griffin (T6) opened with 1-under (69) as he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (with partner Andrew Novak) and Charles Schwab Challenge. Griffin finished 2nd in his most recent start (the MemorialTournament presented by Workday).

Making his 96th consecutive major appearance (the longest active streak), Adam Scott (T11) posts even-par 70.

World No. 1 and FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler (T49) shoots 3-over 73; seeks his fourth win in five starts (THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson; PGA Championship; the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday).

125th U.S. Open | Leaderboard After 18 Holes

J.J. Spaun 66 (-4)

2 Thriston Lawrence 67 (-3)

T3 Si Woo Kim 68 (-2)

T3 Brooks Koepka 68 (-2)

T3 Sungjae Im 68 (-2)

Full Leaderboard: (PGATourCom)

Scheffler Wins Third Major

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CHARLOTTE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Scottie Scheffler was not at the top of his game but survived a mid-round scare from Jon Rahm to win the PGA Championship by five strokes at Quail Hollow Club on Sunday.

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It wasn’t as easy as many expected, but the 28-year-old Scheffler collected his third major title with an even-par 71 that was enough for the Olympic champion to pick up something much bigger than a gold medal — the huge Wanamaker Trophy.

“I’m just really proud of the way we fought this week,” Scheffler said. “I was battling my swing the first couple days. … I’m looking forward to celebrating this one.”

He finished at 11-under 273, while fellow Americans Bryson DeChambeau (70), Harris English (65) and Davis Riley (72) tied for second at 6 under. Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas (72), the tournament’s 36-hole leader, finished at 5 under alongside Canadian Taylor Pendrith (68) and J.T. Poston (73).

The large margin of victory disguised the fact that the final result was very much up in the air until Rahm self-destructed over the final three holes and plunged all the way down to tie for eighth at 4-under.

The World No. 1 started the day with a three-shot lead but several poor tee shots that he pulled on the front nine eventually caught up with him as he ran up three bogeys on the outward half, along with one birdie.

After Rahm, playing two pairings ahead, piled up three birdies in four holes around the turn, Scheffler arrived at the 10th tee tied for the lead.

But Scheffler got his driving back on track with a good tee shot at the par-5 10th, eventually making an up-and-down birdie from a greenside bunker to regain the sole lead. He did not let it slip again.

A 7-foot birdie at the drivable par-4 14th, where he got up and down from a greenside bunker, extended his lead to two shots and there would be no further drama, at least in the battle for victory.

“I just kept hitting it left (on the front nine),” Scheffler said. “I knew it was going to be a challenging day. Finishing off a major championship is always difficult, and I did a good job of staying patient on the front nine. I didn’t have my best stuff but I kept myself in it, and I stepped up on the back nine and had a really good nine holes.”

Scheffler bogeyed the first hole, but after a pulled drive at the par-4 second somehow avoided a clump of pines and ended in prime position in pine straw only 85 yards from the hole, he took advantage of the lucky break to make a birdie. At that stage it seemed the final round might be devoid of drama, but Rahm had other ideas.

In the end, the two-time major winner from Spain could not close the deal.

His birdie putt at the 13th hole somehow lipped out. Had it dropped in, the last few holes might have unfolded differently, but when Rahm bogeyed the 16th his race had been run. A 6-iron into the water at the brutal par-3 17th only confirmed his fate, and consecutive double bogeys on the final two holes marked an ignominious finish for the LIV player.

He shot 73 to finish seven strokes behind Scheffler.

“Yeah, the last three holes, it’s a tough pill to swallow right now,” Rahm said. “… Pretty fresh wound right now. But there’s been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.”

Rahm’s fellow LIV member, DeChambeau, briefly held sole possession of the lead in the third round before unraveling on the Green Mile. DeChambeau carded four birdies and three bogeys Sunday, never quite threatening Scheffler the way Rahm did.

It marked DeChambeau’s fourth top-five placement in the past five majors, including a runner-up finish to Xander Schauffele at last year’s PGA and his victory at the U.S. Open.

“Always proud to top-five in a major,” DeChambeau said. “I feel like I’m playing good when I’m doing that but I mean, it’s disappointing not to get the job done because that’s what I came here to do.”

Scheffler has been so dominant since he burst onto the scene that only three years and 94 days have passed between his first PGA Tour victory and his 15th. Since 1950, only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus took less time to accomplish the same feat, and only by a few days at that.

In his most recent start prior to the PGA Championship, Scheffler won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament by eight strokes.

Since 1970, only one other player has won consecutive PGA Tour appearances by at least 5 strokes: Woods, who did so twice.

Scheffler is also the first player since Seve Ballesteros more than four decades ago to win his first three majors by at least three shots.

Scheffler’s performance here was a reminder, if any was needed, that though Rory McIlroy is golf’s biggest current star, he has competition for the title of the game’s best player.

Five weeks removed from completing the career Grand Slam, the Northern Irishman was out of sorts all week, finishing in a tie for 47th at 3-over 287.

– Field Level Media

PGA: Scheffler Surges Ahead

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CHARLOTTE – (Wire Service Report) Golf’s reigning Player of the Year, Scottie Scheffler, broke out from of a logjam of leaders with a brilliant finish to seize a three-stroke lead as the cream rose to the top in the third round at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.

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On a day when strong, capricious winds tested the patience, judgment and execution of the game’s best, Scheffler rose to the challenge with a 6-under-par 65 that was little short of brilliant under the circumstances.

The world number one and two-time Masters champion posted an 11-under 202 total with one round remaining, while Alex Noren vaulted into second place with a similarly barnstorming finish for a 66.

The Swede, who birdied four of the final five holes, was alone on 8-under.

Davis Riley (67) and J.T. Poston (68) were four shots behind in a tie for third.

Scheffler was far from perfect, accruing three bogeys, but he more than made up for those blemishes with seven birdies and a brilliant eagle at the driveable par-four 14th, where he hit his tee shot to inside three feet.

He added birdies at the 15th, 17th and 18th holes to stamp himself as a hot favorite for a third major title.

Only a few holes earlier, five players had been tied for the lead.

“I hung in really well today,” Scheffler said. “I just battled really hard. Did a good job of staying patient and hit some nice shots. I definitely struck the ball a lot better today than the last couple of days.”

While Scheffler will clearly be the man to beat on Sunday, Noren, 42, cannot be totally discounted.

He holed a 30-foot bunker shot at the 15th, then an eight-footer at the 17th followed by a 15-footer at the last.

This is just his second start back since missing more than seven months with a severe hamstring tendon injury.

“Today was probably the best scoring day I’ve ever had,” he said. “I had so many bunker shots that kept me in the game.”

Noren said he had enjoyed time with his family during his enforced absence, but was delighted to be back in action.

“It’s good to take a break sometimes. It’s also great to be back with a purpose in life again,” he said.

Halfway leader Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela fell into a tie for fifth with a bogey on Hole 18, leaving him at 2 over on the day, alongside South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (71) and Spain’s Jon Rahm (67).

Masters champion Rory McIlroy continued his struggles with a 72 to trail by 13 shots.

Even a 50-foot putt he holed for par at his 16th hole did not raise a smile.

Earlier, the start of the third round was delayed due to lightning in the Charlotte area. The round was slated to begin in twosomes at 8:15 a.m. ET. Instead, officials regrouped the players in threesomes and play began off the first and 10th tees at 11.43 a.m.

PGA Championship: All Vegas

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

CHARLOTTE – We’re 36 holes into the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and Jhonattan Vegas still leads. Even the guys in Vegas didn’t have that one.

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With rounds of 64-70, Vegas has consecutive under-par rounds for first time in 17 major championship starts (46 rounds). This is his seventh second-round lead/co-lead on the PGA TOUR but stands only 1-for-6 to date (2011 American Express) in converting to a “Dub.” His most recent 36- hole lead came at the 2019 John Deere Classic (T37)

Vegas became the 16th player to hold the outright lead after the first and second rounds of a PGA Championship, with six of those going on to win. The most recent: Xander Schauffele/2024).

Over the many years, the PGA Championship has had only five wire-to-wire winners (outright lead after each round), with Brooks Koepka (2019) the most recent.

Vegas is the first Venezuelan to hold the lead/co-lead in a major championship.

International players have won 14 of the first 22 events this season.

Alex Smalley (T7/-4) became the last player in the field following Sahith Theegala’s WD on Wednesday b/c of a neck injury.

Notables to Miss the Cut at (+1) include: Jordan Speith, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Reed, Sungjae Im, Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson, among many others.

PGA Championship Leaderboard | After 36 Holes

1 Jhonattan Vegas 64 70 134 (-8)

T2 Matthieu Pavon 71 65 136 (-6)

T2 Matt Fitzpatrick 68 68 136 (-6)

T2 Si Woo Kim 72 64 136 (-6)

T5 Max Homa 73 64 137 (-5)

T5 Scottie Scheffler 69 68 137 (-5)

Full Leaderboard: (PGATourCom)

PGA Championship Today

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

CHARLOTTE – Quail Hollow Club will host the PGA Championship for the second time. The previous PGA tournament was back in 2017, and it was won by Justin Thomas.

The field is headlined by 49 of the Top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, with only Billy Horschelmissing because of hip surgery. The players are headlined by World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Rory McIlroy, No. 3 Xander Schauffele, No. 4 Collin Morikawa and No. 5 Justin Thomas.

International players have won 14 of the first 22 events this season: Hideki Matsuyama/Japan, Nick Taylor/Canada, Sepp Straka/Austria/twice, Rory McIlroy/Northern Ireland/three times, Thomas Detry/Belgium, Ludvig Åberg/Sweden, Karl Vilips/Australia, Viktor Hovland/Norway, Min Woo Lee/Australia, Garrick Higgo/South Africa, Ryan Fox/New Zealand.

Quail Hollow certainly plays to McIlroy. The reigning 2025 Masters Tournament champion and World No. 2 is a four-time winner at Quail Hollow Club, winning the Carolina’s Truist Championship in 2010, 2015, 2021 and 2024.

The 2025 PGA Championship | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Quail Hollow Country Club (Charlotte, NC)

ARCHITECT: George Cobb

YARDS/PAR: 7,626 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: TBA

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Xander Schauffele

PAST RESULTS: (link)

OVERVIEW: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup

OFFICIAL SITE: (PGA Championship) – (Official Tournament Site)

PGA Championship | Field, Updates and Tee Times

Field: (link)

The Masters: It’s Rory’s Time

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AUGUSTA – (Staff Report) – Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy bested England’s Justin Rose in a one hole playoff after they ended up tied after 72 holes at The Masters, the most prestigous golf tournament in the world.

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After Rose missed a challenging birdie putt on the 18th green and putted out for par, McIlroy drained his three foot birdie putt to win the hole and a career Grand Slam of wins at the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship The Open and, now, The Masters.

McIlroy was overcome with emotion and fell to his knees, flipping his putter, after making the putt to win his Green Jacket.

“This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” the Northern Irishman said. “I think the last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that — yeah, I’m sort of wondering what we’re all going to talk about going into next year’s Masters.”

McIlroy’s 1-over-par 73 left him tied with England’s Justin Rose, who posted 66 and waited for McIlroy to finish. They both shot 11-under 277 for the week.

Re-playing the 18th hole at Augusta National Golf Club, McIlroy’s approach shot rolled back toward the hole and inside Rose’s ball. After Rose missed a birdie attempt and notched a par, McIlroy didn’t flub another chance for a victory.

“There was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green,” McIlroy said. “A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”

It marked the fifth major championship for McIlroy, and his first since capturing the PGA Championship for the second time in 2014.

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McIlroy needed par at No. 18 to win in regulation, but after blasting from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole he rolled a 5-foot par putt too far to the left.

It was a starkly different reaction from when he departed the 18th green following Thursday’s first round, which included a pair of backside double bogeys and dodging the media on the way to the practice area.

Rose spoke briefly to McIlroy after the playoff and later added perspective to what just happened.

“This is a historic moment in golf, isn’t it — someone who achieves the career Grand Slam,” Rose said. “I just said it was pretty cool to be able to share that moment with him. Obviously, I wanted to be the bad guy today, but still, it’s a momentous occasion for the game of golf.”

The new champion — who gave away his two-shot lead through 54 holes with a double bogey at No. 1 — also recovered from a disastrous stretch on the back nine to birdie the 17th hole for a brief one-stroke lead. McIlroy’s bogey on No. 11, double bogey on No. 13 and bogey on No. 14 appeared to send him on track for another final-round collapse at a major.

McIlroy said sending his ball into the creek on a wedge shot on the par-5 13th could have doomed his chances.

“I did a really good job of bouncing back from that,” he said.

McIlroy recovered for a birdie on the par-5 15th hole by drawing a tremendous second shot around a tree, over a water hazard and to 6 feet of the pin, where he two-putted for birdie.

Then he stuck his approach on No. 17 and sank the putt to take the lead.

Rose, seeking his first Masters title, had six birdies and two bogeys across the last eight holes, finishing with a 20-foot birdie putt.

“To make the putt on 18, the one you dream about as a kid, to obviously give myself an opportunity and a chance was an unbelievable feeling,” Rose said.

Rose was the leader after the first and second rounds, and after a tough 75 on Saturday he made a major final-round push. He had only four pars on his card — countering four bogeys with 10 birdies.

Patrick Reed (69 on Sunday) was third at 9 under. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler (69) placed fourth at 8 under, giving him four consecutive top-10 finishes at the Masters.

“I was just proud of the way we hung in there and put up a good fight,” Scheffler said.

Bryson DeChambeau, who figured to be McIlroy’s biggest threat and in the final pairing, took the lead after the second hole before stalling with back-to-back bogeys and a string of pars to skid off the path. By the time he double-bogeyed No. 11, he was tied for ninth and seventh strokes back.

DeChambeau’s 75 left him at 7 under, tied for fifth place with South Korea’s Sungjae Im (69).

DeChambeau said his troubles began with a putt on the third hole that scooted well beyond the cup.

“There’s no way that putt goes that far by,” he said. “I just didn’t realize how firm and fast it could get out here. It’s great experience. Won’t let that happen again.”

–Field Level Media

It’s Masters Sunday

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AUGUSTA – Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy experienced his share of “firsts” on Saturday. McIlroy became the first player in Masters history to start a round with six consecutive 3s on the scorecard.

He also had a “second,” as the second player in Masters history to record six consecutive 3s during one round (Jack Renner/1983/R1/Nos. 12-17).

But it was McIlroy’s first time making two eagles in one round at the Masters (Nos. 2 and 15) and he became the first player to do so since 2020 (three players).

McIlroy joined Jordan Spieth (2015), Tiger Woods (2005, 1997), Raymond Floyd (1976) and Johnny Miller (1975) as players with consecutive rounds of 66 or better at a Masters.

And, the big one: McIlroy can also join only five players who have won all four major championships, otherwise known as the career Grand Slam.

If McIlroy completes his career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, he’d be creating golf history:

  • 90 years after Gene Sarazen/1935 Masters
  • 60 years after Gary Player/1965 U.S. Open
  • 25 years after Tiger Woods/2000 Open

As the great sports day of “Sunday at the Masters” is now upon us, McIlroy will not be out there alone. With a final-round score in the 60s today, Bryson DeChambeau (2nd/-10) would join Cameron Smith (67-68-69-69/2020/T2) as the only players to shoot all four rounds in the 60s in a single Masters tournament. DeChambeau owns the most rounds in the 60s at major championships since the start of 2024 (11).

In each of the last eight Masters, the eventual champion sat T2 or better through 54 holes.

Corey Conners (3rd/-8) seeks his best finish in a major championship (previous, T6/2022 Masters Tournament) as he looks to join Mike Weir(2003) as the only Masters champions from Canada.

Patrick Reed (T4/-6), Scottie Scheffler (T6/-5) and Zach Johnson (T10/-4) are the only past Masters champions among players at T10 or better on the leaderboard. Johnson’s 6-under 66 marks a span of 28 rounds since his last round in the 60s at the Masters (68/R4) back in 2015.

The Masters | Leaderboard After 54 Holes

1 Rory McIlroy 72 66 66 204 (-12)

2 Bryson DeChambeau 69 68 69 206 (-10)

3 Corey Conners 68 70 70 208 (-8)

T4 Patrick Reed 71 70 69 210 (-6)

T4 Ludvig Åberg 68 73 69 210 (-6)

Tournament Leaderboard: (link)

The Masters

COURSE: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia

ARCHITECT: Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones Jr.; Perry Maxwell in 1937

YARDS/PAR: 7,555 yards/Par 72

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: TBD

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler

OVERVIEW: (link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 750

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @The Masters