Running back Trent Richardson is one of the early success stories of the AAF, with three touchdowns in two weeks to lead his Birmingham team to an undefeated start. But for Richardson himself, his own journey has been so long and troubled that he had to find motivation beyond football. After some early
Local favorite Abraham Ancer is ready this time. When the World Golf Championships moved to Mexico, an exemption category was included to ensure the best Mexican player in the world would be included. In the first two iterations of the event at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City, some in the main stream dismissed the place in the field as nothing more than placating the local fans. But it was always included for a much deeper purpose – a purpose that is coming to fruition. As the title suggests the World Golf Championship–Mexico Championships is about bringing together the world’s best golfers. It’s also about growing the game across the globe. Showcasing the wide array of talent. And while Lorena Ochoa had been a dominant force at the top of women’s golf for Mexico, the men’s game had failed to really take any sort of foothold in the sport. Until now. Those in the know were not concerned when Roberto Diaz was given the first WGC–Mexico Championship exemption two years ago with his world ranking nearing 500. At the time Ancer was in the 700s but looked up and saw a serious attainable goal. All of his contemporaries did. A year later it was Ancer, now 260th in the world, who got the spot. It was the start of a serious drive that now sees four Mexican players on the PGA TOUR this season in Ancer, Diaz, Jose de Jesus Rodriguez and Carlos Ortiz. The most the country has ever boasted at one time. Ancer returns to Mexico City this season ranked 61st in the world, a ranking that while is outside the top 50 who get automatic invites, would have netted him a place regardless of his heritage thanks to a handful of withdrawals. He is the current Australian Open champion having travelled down under to win in Sydney last November, a result he followed up with a T2 for Mexico with Diaz at the ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf. He truly belongs on this stage. So much so he’s been slated to play with 80-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods in the opening two rounds. And this time – thanks in part to last season’s experience – he’s ready. “Last year was my first WGC in my career and while I had so much support and had a lot of fun, I put a little bit too much pressure on myself to play really well,� Ancer said. “I certainly learned from that and I intend to try to make a better appearance this year. My game has elevated. “After Mexico City last year I started playing some really solid golf and it gave me a lot of confidence. I also got a win in Australia which gave me more confidence. It showed me I can win. I feel I am way better prepared this year.� The results show Ancer’s words aren’t just cliched lip service. Over his next three starts he finished no worse than 16th. At the Quicken Loans National in the summer Ancer shot a blistering third-round 62 to share the 54-hole lead with Francesco Molinari. History shows the Italian played a near flawless final round to win before weeks later doing so again at The Open Championship. No one would’ve beaten Molinari that day. Ancer responded with another top-5 finish at the RBC Canadian Open before once again contending heavily at the Dell Technologies Championship where he led after 54 holes but faded to seventh. Learning to close out tournaments is a process. Ancer found a way in Australia, much like Jordan Spieth did as a youngster before going ballistic the following season to win two majors, five events and the FedExCup. Ancer isn’t banking on five wins this season but he already has two top 10s and is a solid 42nd in the FedExCup standings heading into this week. One goal firmly in his mind in making the International Presidents Cup team. If he is able to do so, he will be the first ever Mexican player to take part. Ancer is currently sixth on the points list. “It’s obviously early now but I think about it every time I tee it up. I use it as drive, keeping in my mind that I am also playing for something else, something bigger than myself,� Ancer admits. “It is a primary goal of mine this year. I know that if I make that team it means I have had a successful season – it is something that I am really looking forward to. I love playing in a team atmosphere. And I couldn’t ask for a better stage to do that than the Presidents Cup.� International team captain Ernie Els is a fan. He paid close attention to Ancer’s form in Australia. After all, the 2019 Presidents Cup is being held at Royal Melbourne. Els expects to add at least a few new countries to the 14 who have previously been represented. Along with Mexico (Ancer) and China (Haotong Li) being likely to come aboard the likes of Chinese Taipei (C.T. Pan), Chile (Joaquin Niemann), Malaysia (Gavin Green) and the Philippines (Miguel Tabuena) have the chance to surge into contention. “It would be really amazing to be the person to add Mexico to the list for the first time,� Ancer says. “This year is very exciting for Mexico. Not only in the men’s side but the women also. Mexican golf is trending in the right direction and we are all very excited about that and very determined to take Mexico and golf to the next level.� A win on the PGA TOUR is not far away for Ancer. And winning on home soil this week is seriously not out of the question. But to the thousands of Mexican fans watching this week he is already a winner. Ancer is happy to be someone they can get behind. “I like challenges and I try to be a role model on the golf course,� he says. “I am not trying to stand up and say you should be like me… I just try to do my best every time I’m out there. I take this game, and my place in it, very seriously and hopefully that can inspire some young people to start golf.�
With a record five additional events on the docket this season, I applaud all entrepreneurial gamers who built a One & Done private game consisting solely of these tournaments. It’s not unlike popular pools that include only the majors. They’re easy, focused and fun. Those of you with Cameron Champ at the Sanderson Farms Championship would be leading the way entering this week’s Puerto Rico Open. The PGA TOUR rookie is taking the week off, but there are 132 hopefuls vying for immunity on the island. Experience at Coco Beach Golf Club isn’t the worst thing in the world in which to invest in the pursuit of 300 FedExCup points. Scott Brown, David Hearn and Rafael Campos have been among the most reliable in this week’s field. Each has done more than enough recently to retain an elevated expectation and you’re not going to miss any of them. Cachet in an additional event can include a burden of unfair expectations, but the less you think about it, the more it makes sense. That’s why Daniel Berger, Peter Uihlein, Chris Kirk and Charl Schwartzel should resonate when the ownership percentages are locked in. Berger is only a month into his return from the injury to his right wrist, but that’s enough. Consider him an easy bonus for he may not need to appear in another additional event for some time. Uihlein deserves a look as he also has positive experience in Puerto Rico. The rub is that we still don’t have details about the unspecified injury that forced him to withdraw during the Waste Management Phoenix Open. From that standpoint, he’s a risk, but he’s chalk properly played. Kirk and Schwartzel are reeling. Avoid both. Matt Every sits atop my Power Rankings, so I’m not hesitating. His blend of success, overall experience and surging form unites at a time when I hope he’s competing with a chip on his shoulder for having to stay warm on the Web.com Tour due to his Past Champion status on the PGA TOUR. Aaron Baddeley surprises when we least expect it, which is to say that it’s better than not at all. It also slots him as a wild card as a One & Done. He tied for eighth in his only trip to Coco Beach in 2016 and comes off an unexpected T49 at Riviera where he open-qualified for entry. Two-man gamers can have a field day with the options, but Corey Conners leads that corps of the complements. Nate Lashley also deserves consideration. If you’re keen on a long shot, I love how D.J. Trahan fits the profile of all things PRO. FUTURE POSSIBILITIES NOTE: Select golfers committed to the tournament are listed alphabetically. Future tournaments are sorted chronologically and reflect previous success on the courses on which the tournaments will be held in 2018-19. The numerical values in parentheses represent the order of relative confidence of where to use each golfer if multiple sites are listed (e.g. 1 for strongest, 2 for next-strongest and so on). To present weighted confidence in real time, numerical values will not change all season no matter how many tournament remain listed for each golfer. All are pending golfer commitment. Daniel Berger … Travelers (1) Chris Kirk … PLAYERS (5); Valero (3); Charles Schwab (2)
It wasn’t long ago that Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby was viewed as one of the more exciting, young, up-and-comers at cornerback in the NFL. The general consensus was that the Broncos had three starting-quality cornerbacks with Chris Harris Jr., Aqib Talib and Roby, which is why the “No-Fly Zone
Follow all the action from Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya here, where F1 teams are testing ahead of the 2019 season.
The Stanford tailback’s regression and torn ACL as a senior will surely hurt his draft stock. Even his desire to be a doctor may be viewed with trepidation. But he has no regrets.
Here’s your updated source for all the latest on the NCAA tournament bubble.
Here’s your updated source for all the latest on the NCAA tournament bubble.
First, the collusion case against the NFL. Then, Colin Kaepernick snubs the fledging AAF. Both might sound crazy, but it’s indeed paying off for Kap.
If Kaepernick wanted to play a high level of football that wasn’t the NFL, he could have been playing in the CFL. He’s not going to jump into a lesser-established league that may have payroll problems.
