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Finau Storms Back at 3M Open

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BLAINE – Beginning the final round five strokes off the lead, Tony Finau earned his third PGA Tour title by setting the largest final-round comeback by a winner in 3M Open history.

Sungjae Im earned his third career runner-up finish, while Emiliano Grillo collected his sixth on Tour.

Scott Piercy, who held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, played the final round 5-over (76) and finished T-4.

Defending champion Cameron Champ finishes T-16 in his bid to become tournament’s first repeat winner.

TPC Twin Cities now has the distinction of the most balls in the water on TOUR this season with (303).

3M Open | Final Leaderboard

Tony Finau 67-68-65-67—267 (-17)

Sungjae Im 65-70-67-68—270 (-14)

Emiliano Grillo 67-65-67-71—270 (-14)

James Hahn 69-70-67-65—271 (-13)

Tom Hoge 67-68-66-70—271 (-13)

Scott Piercy 65-64-66-76—271 (-13)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Piercy Leads at Wet & Windy 3M Open

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BLAINE – Scott Piercy set a 3M Open 54-hole tournament record in his bid for fifth career PGA Tour win and first individual stroke-play title since the 2015 Barbasol Championship.

Following his T-2 at the John Deere Classic three weeks ago, Emiliano Grillo is chasing his second Tour title and first since 2015

With one bogey through 54 holes (No. 1/R2), Doug Ghim’s score of (200) marked his lowest 54-hole score on Tour

Two years removed from his T-3 finish at the 3M Open, Tony Finau is in position for third career Tour title but is five strokes off the lead.

PGA TOUR rookie Greyson Sigg birdied seven of his last 11 holes for a 7-under (64) in bid for first title (36th start).

Leaderboard at 3M Open | After 54 Holes

Scott Piercy 65-64-66—195 (-18)

Emiliano Grillo 67-65-67—199 (-14)

Doug Ghim 67-68-65—200 (-13)

Tony Finau 67-68-65—200 (-13)

Tom Hoge 67-68-66—201 (-12)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Note: With the threat of severe weather, third-round tee times were moved-up and featured threesomes off tee Nos. 1 and 10 from 6:50 – 9:02am (local). Due to inclement weather, the third round was suspended from 10:57am until 5:35pm (6 hours, 38 minutes). High temps of 85-degrees. Winds E/SE 10-15 mph, with gusts to 20 mph. The round was completed.

All-Star Break Turns to Sox Break Down

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By TERRY LYONS

FENWAY – The score of 28-3 has significant meaning to New England sports fans as it was the score the New England Patriots trailed by when they came back to win 34-28 over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI held in Houston in 2017. As of Friday night at Fenway Park, the new score to reckon with for all Boston Red Sox fans is 28-5.

Twenty-eight to five! In baseball!

Universal sign of distress

You have to look back in the record book a full 99 years to see that Friday night’s 28-5 Toronto Blue Jays shellacking of the Red Sox which set a franchise record for most runs allowed in a single game. The previous record of 27 runs came on July 7, 1923 in the first game of a twin bill scheduled that woeful summer day in Cleveland.

Aside from the record-setting embarrassment of the Sox in front of a sold-out but stoic Fenway, the loss marked Boston’s third consecutive game in the “L” column. They are (1-7) over their last eight games and (3-11) over their last 14 games, dropping Boston to fourth place in the competitive American League East and just one game in that important and previously mentioned “L” column ahead of the surging Baltimore Orioles.

On the flip side of the ledger, the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian football League are envious of the Blue Jays who set franchise records in both runs scored (28) and hits (29) in a single baseball game.The Blue Jays are only the sixth team in MLB history to score 28+ runs in a single game with the most recent being the Atlanta Braves scoring 29 against the Miami Marlins on September 9, 2020.

Other team records were plentiful

  • Toronto Became the first team to have all nine starters record multiple hits and runs scored
  • The Jays had multiple players record six or more RBI in a game for the 1st time in franchise history (Tapia and Jansen)
  • Toronto scored 11 runs in the top of the 5th inning, their most runs in one inning since 9/11/21 at BAL-G2 (7th inning, also 11 runs)
  • 12 straight Jays’ batters reached base via hit or walk in the 5th inning, all with 2 outs (10 H, 2 BB)
  • Toronto tied the major league record for runs scored in a game’s first 5 innings (25, also CHC on 8/25/1922 vs. PHI).

On the player side:

  • OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 6-for-7, scoring three runs, hitting a double, and recording five RBI which tied the Blue Jays’ franchise record for hits, joining Frank Catalanotto on 5/1/04 at CWS-G2.
  • OF Ramiel Tapia went 3-for-7, scoring twice, hit a 2B, and had six RBI, four resulting from an inside-the-park grand slam in the third inning to extend the Toronto lead to 10-0. He set his career high in RBI.
  • Catcher Danny Jansen recorded his fourth career multi-HR game (previous: 5/24 at STL) and tied a single-game franchise record for RBI by a catcher (6 RBI – four times with the previous: J.P. Arencibia 5/18/12 vs. NYM).
  • Pitcher Kevin Gausman went 5.0 IP, with seven hits allowed, three runs, 10 strike-outs) tied a season high in strikeouts
  • Gausman has struck out 28 batters in his three starts against Boston this year (20.0 IP).

“It was tough to be in the dugout to be honest with you,” said Boston Manager Alex Cora to the Boston Globe. “And, they know that it’s not a lack of preparation. It’s not a lack of effort, because we keep working on our stuff and we keep going through the process the right way. I love to say that this happens, but it doesn’t happen often, you know, and we just got to turn the page.”

The page is turned and the book re-opened at 4:10pm Saturday afternoon. Same two teams.

Piercy Putts Way to 3M Open Lead

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BLAINE – Scott Piercy’s 36-hole (129) total is one stroke shy of his career-best on Tour and one stroke shy of the tournament record which was enough to provide him with a three-stroke lead heading into the third round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Emiliano Grillo shoot (65) on Friday to reach 10-under through 36 holes, marking his eighth round of (65) or better this season. In 2020, Grillo shot 64-65 on the weekend to finish T-3 at the 3M Open.

England’s Callum Tarren posted a (63) (-8) in the second round of the 3M Open, bettering his lowest 18-hole score on Tour by two stokes (65), four times, most recently R-3/2022 John Deere Classic).

The top three players on the leaderboard represent different countries: USA, Argentina, England.

Robert Streb is the only player without a bogey through 36 holes

This weekend marks first time in tournament history that the 36-hole cut is not under par (2019 (-3), 2020 (-2), 2021 (-2).

Defending champion Cameron Champ birdied four of his last five holes to make the cut on the number.

Leaderboard at 3M Open | After 36 Holes

Scott Piercy 65-64 – 129 (-13)

Emiliano Grillo 67-65 – 132 (-10)

Callum Tarren 71-63 – 134 (-8)

Five players – 135 (-7)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

They Gave Me a Break, Now Play Ball

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MLB All-Star Break is Over; It’s Time to Play Ball

BOSTON – The hometown Boston Red Sox (48-45) will play a 10-game, 10-day homestead to begin the second half of their MLB season and they do so with an (11-6) record over their last 17 games at Fenway Park. The 10-game stretch will be followed by another seven straight games (three at Houston and four at Kansas City), making Boston’s next day off August 8th.

It’s safe to say, that between July 22 and August 8, the Red Sox season will set sail, and they’ll do so – most likely – without Chris Sale, who left the game last Sunday at New York with a fractured left fifth (pinky) finger. The Sox ace was in the very first inning of his Major League Baseball return and he fell victim to an Aaron Hicks line drive that came back at the pitcher clocking 106.7 mph off his pitching hand. Sale was placed on the 15-day IL list today, retroactive to July 19th.

As the post MLB All-Star break begins, the Red Sox will throw right-hand pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Kutter Crawford in the first two games against the Toronto Blue Jays, but then the Sunday matinee is marked with the same pitcher the Sox tossed in the last week before the break – a guy named TBD.

Sale and Eovaldi’s absence contributed to the problem as Boston was forced to start pitcher-after-pitcher straight from Triple A Worcester. From May 28 to June 8, Eovaldi enjoyed a three-game win streak, while in two of his other recent games, the Red Sox registered a “win.” Eovaldi’s Friday night start will be his second after missing 33 games. (June 8-July 15).

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The All-Star break was just what the Red Sox needed to assemble something that might pass for a major league starting rotation. With Sale a goner, James Paxton no where to be seen, Michael Wacha out with right shoulder inflammation and Rich Hill out with a left knee sprain, that is likely to be:

  • Nathan Eovaldi
  • Kutter Crawford
  • Nick Pivetta
  • Garrett Whitlock
  • Possibly Austin Davis or Josh Winckowski (out with COVID+ as of July 14).

The Sox experimented by promoting RHP Brayan Bello (recalled from Worcester today) and RHP Connor Seabold (10-day IL) with a right forearm extensor strain). Too say the least, it wasn’t pretty.

Boston begins its second half 15.5 games behind American League East leader New York (64-30), the best team in baseball. But after losing six of their last seven games before the break, Boston fell to 4th place in the AL East, trailing the Yankees, Tampa Bay and their opponents this weekend, Toronto (50-43).

During the recent span, the Seattle Mariners are on a 14-game winning streak and have moved into Wild Card slot No. 2, at (51-42). That places Boston two games behind in the American League Wild Card race, bunched up with those pesky Cleveland Guardians, the surging Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox.

As of this beautiful, but warm, Friday night at Fenway, it’s time to Play Ball.

Can anyone pitch?

Two Tied for Lead at 3M Open

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Scott Piercy, Sungai Im Tied After 18 Holes at TPC Twin Cities

BLAINE – Scott Piercy’s 6-under (65) marked his lowest round of the season and he holds his ninth first-round lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour with Sungjae Im who recorded his third career 18-hole lead/co-lead on Tour with his opening round (65).

At T-3, the last time Tony Finau was inside top-three of the leaderboard after an opening round on Tour was the 2020 3M Open (finished: T-3).

Defending champion Cameron Champ (T-106) and 2020 champion Michael Thompson (T-51) seek to become the tournament’s first repeat winner.

First-round scoring average of 72.78 marks the highest scoring average in 13 rounds of 3M Open history.

Former professional tennis player and Minnesota native Mardy Fish opened with 10-over (81) in his PGA Tour debut.

Robert Garrigus (fatigue) withdrew during round one and Hideki Matsuyama (sore wrist) and D.A. Points WD after round one of the 3M Open.

Leaderboard at 3M Open | After 18 Holes

Scott Piercy 65 (-6)

Sungjae Im 65 (-6)

Five Players 67 (-4)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Sixers Contemplate New Arena for ’31

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Report) – Will there be the “Fashion Street Bullies” of the NBA? The Philadelphia 76ers organization is proposing a privately funded new arena in the downtown, intended to be complete by the time the Sixers’ lease expires at the Wells Fargo Center in 2031, a building largely run by the parent group of the Philadelphia Flyers, once known as the “Broad Street Bullies,” because of the old Philly Spectrum’s location.

“We’re committed to building a world-class home in the heart of the city and creating a privately-funded arena that strengthens ties within the local community,” said Josh Harris, the Sixers’ managing partner.

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At 18,000 seats, the capacity of the new indoor arena would shrink by about 2,000 compared to the Wells Fargo Center.

The project is a joint venture between the Sixers, the Fashion District shopping center’s California-based operator Macerich, and Philadelphia real estate magnate David Adelman, the owner of Campus Apartments.

Car parking would be an issue at the new location, especially for fans travelling from southern New Jersey, Delaware and suburban Pennsylvania.

PGA Tour: 3M Open Preview

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BLAINE – The 3M Open, which is being contested for the fourth time since its inception in 2019 and is the 42nd of 44 events during the FedEx Cup regular season. With only three weeks remaining until the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the 3M Open provides an opportunity for players looking to secure one of the 125 spots in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Three-time PGA Tour winner Cameron Champ returns to the 3M Open to defend his title. Champ is in his fourth season on the PGA Tour and has won in each of his first three seasons (2018 Sanderson Farms Championship, 2019 Fortinet Championship, 2021 3M Open). With a win, he would become the fourth player with a win in each of the last four seasons (including the current season), joining Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas. Four defending champions have won this season, the most in a season since 2016-17 (4).

Four PGA Tour rookies are currently in the Top 40 of the FedExCup standings and two of them are in the field this week: Davis Riley (No. 23 in the FedExCup standings) and Sahith Theegala (No. 38). The Rookie of the Year as voted on by PGA Tour membership at the end of the season will receive the Arnold Palmer Award.

World No. 40 Joohyung Kim, competing on a sponsor exemption, joined the PGA Tour this week as a Special Temporary Member. A native of South Korea, Kim is now eligible for unlimited sponsor exemptions for the remainder of the season as he attempts to earn his Tour card for the 2022-23 season. To earn full status for the 2022-23 season, Kim must earn as many or more non-member FedEx Cup points as the final eligible player from the 2021-22 FedEx Cup standings to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Kim currently has 296 points, which would fall between Nos. 131 and 132 in the standings.

Former professional tennis player and Edina, Minnesota, native Mardy Fish, winner of six ATP Tour titles and silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games, is competing on a sponsor exemption. Fish is making his PGA Tour debut and is the first professional athlete from another sport to receive a sponsor exemption since former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo at the 2019 Fortinet Championship. Romo has made four starts on TOUR and missed the cut in each of them. Fish defeated Romo in a playoff to win the celebrity competition at the 2022 ClubCorp Classic on PGA Tour Champions and has won the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions celebrity tournament three times.

When Brendon de Jonge WD from the 3M Open, he was not replaced as there were no more alternates available to play.

Players to successfully defend a title this season:

  • Rory McIlroy RBC Canadian Open
  • K.H. Lee AT&T Byron Nelson
  • Sam Burns Valspar Championship
  • Viktor Hovland World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

2021 Masters Tournament champion Hideki Matsuyama is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 14 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Matsuyama has won twice on Tour this season (ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, Sony Open in Hawaii) and with a victory, would become the fifth player to win three times this season.

 

FSG: Calls on Swinehart

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BOSTON – (Staff Reports from Official News Release) – Fenway Sports Group named Julie Swinehart as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. In her role, Ms. Swinehart will oversee finance and accounting practices across FSG’s portfolio, serve as an advisor on all strategic investment initiatives, and have lead responsibility for financial reporting to FSG’s ownership group, investors, and banking partners.

“Over the years, we have assembled a group of impressive executives who have helped build the company into the global platform it is today,” said FSG principal owner John Henry. “With a background of public company experience as a CFO Julie brings a wealth of talent and strategic experience. We look forward to her leading our financial group for the next chapter of FSG’s evolution.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining this proven, high-caliber organization and group of talented professionals,” said Julie Swinehart. “Drawing on my past professional experiences with public companies, I’m excited to further elevate the FSG platform and position the company for continued growth.”

Ms. Swinehart is a seasoned finance and accounting professional who joins FSG at an important phase in the company’s growth, bringing more than 15 years of public REIT experience and eight years of accounting experience. She previously worked for Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI) where she most recently held the position of Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer before the publicly-traded company was merged with Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE: KRG). During her time at RPAI, Swinehart helped take the company through its IPO in 2012 shortly after being appointed Vice President of Financial Reporting. She was later promoted to Corporate Controller, to Chief Accounting Officer and in 2018, named CFO.

Ms. Swinehart holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and is an active member of the American Institute of CPA’s and the Illinois CPA Society. Her current community involvement includes serving as Treasurer and Trustee at the Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove, Illinois, and as Finance Committee Chair and board member of Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois.

Cameron Smith Takes The Open

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McIlroy’s Open Champ Dreams Crushed at St. Andrews

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Making his 25th major championship appearance, Cameron Smith defeated Cameron Young by one stroke to win the 150th Open Championship. It marked his sixth win on Tour and first major championship title.

At 20-under, Smith equals the lowest score in relation to par in major championship history. With a 6-under (30) (including five straight birdies on Nos. 10-14), Smith carded the lowest closing nine-hole score by a winner in Open Championship history.

Smith’s (268) marks the lowest winning score by a champion at St. Andrews (269, Tiger Woods, 2000) while he became the fifth Australian to win The Open and first since Greg Norman in 1993. He joined Peter Thomson(1955) and Kel Nagle (1960) as Australian winners at St. Andrews.

Smith also joined Jack Nicklaus (1978) as the only players to win THE PLAYERS Championship and The Open in the same year.

This season marks the first time since the Masters Tournament began in 1934 that all four majors were won by players under the age of 30.

PGA Tour rookie Cameron Young’s runner-up finish is the best by a player in his Open debut at St. Andrews since Tony Lema won in 1964.

The Open | Final Leaderboard

Cameron Smith 67-64-73-64—268 (-20)

Cameron Young 64-69-71-65—269 (-19)

Rory McIlroy 66-68-66-70—270 (-18)

Tommy Fleetwood 72-69-66-67—274 (-14)

Viktor Hovland 68-66-66-74—274 (-14)

Full Leaderboard: (link)