Staying neutral is no longer an option. It’s time for baseball to take action to improve itself — and be an example for all of America.
The Flyers didn’t get a shot at a national title because of the coronavirus pandemic, but two of their 2019-20 men’s basketball players have a chance at glory in The Basketball Tournament.
Renault has confirmed Fernando Alonso will partner Esteban Ocon at its Formula One team next year.
Several teams face a major question as to who starts Game 1. We examine each club’s choices and make our picks.
Here comes the Dublin double. In a one-year cameo, the Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village Golf Club will take over for the John Deere Classic, which will return in 2021. Chalk it up to the pandemic, and yep, the Workday will be at the very same Muirfield Village that will host next week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. But don’t be fooled: The Workday is no warm-up act, with five of the top 10 in the world, including Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay, who won the Memorial last year. Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day will also tee it up this week on a Muirfield Village course that will have somewhat slower greens and shorter rough. RELATED: Featured Groups, tee times | Power Rankings | Expert Picks THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER The ideal tee shot at the 529-yard, arrow-straight par-5 15th hole is straight and long enough to crest the hill. A creek runs the length of the hole on the left, and sweeps around to bisect the hole in front of the green. Long hitters who go for the green in two will also be thwarted by the steep hill in front of the putting surface, making it difficult to chase the ball onto the elevated green. Be that as it may, the hole presents one of the best birdie chances in the closing stretch – players racked up 146 birdies and six eagles there at the Memorial last year. LANDING ZONE The par-4, 483-yard 18th hole, to which 40 yards were added in 2013, is no pushover. The sharp dogleg right ranked as the toughest hole (4.276) at the Memorial last year, and while it may play differently for the Workday, it’s still a bear. Three right bunkers lurk at the corner of the dogleg. Left of the fairway a creek threads through the tree line. Players who go too far through the fairway could be blocked out by a cluster of black walnut trees in front of the huge, heavily contoured, two-tiered green surrounded by bunkers. The hole yielded only 47 birdies compared to 87 bogeys, 27 double-bogeys, and four “others” at the Memorial last year. WEATHER CHECK From meteorologist Wade Stettner: “Hot and humid conditions are expected on Thursday with just a slight chance for an afternoon shower or thunderstorm. Thursday will be the hottest day of the week with heat indices near 100 degrees. Thunderstorm chances increase for Friday as a low pressure system approaches Ohio. Thunderstorms will remain possible through the weekend with slightly cooler temperatures expected.” For the latest weather news from Muirfield Village, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK It seems to be a top-10 or a missed cut. It is great to actually stay in the same place for two weeks and play a tournament. My grandpa basically put my hands on the club. BY THE NUMBERS 1 – Players in their 40s to win this season: Tiger Woods at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Meanwhile 11 players in their 20s have won 12 tournaments this season, and 11 players in their 30s have won 13 times this season. 23 – Number of weeks in the FedExCup top 10 by Sebastián Muñoz, most on TOUR. He fell out of the top 10 for the first time this season after missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. -19 – Patrick Cantlay’s winning score at the Memorial last year. The course is expected to play easier for the Workday. SCATTERSHOTS Wolff ready to bounce back: Matthew Wolff is back at it after a runner-up finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where he was the 54-hole leader but lost to Bryson DeChambeau. “I just didn’t get off to the best start,” Wolff said from Muirfield Village on Wednesday. “My mental game probably wasn’t as strong as I thought it was at the beginning of the week.” Be that as it may he birdied four of the last seven holes at the Rocket Mortgage, so he’s coming in hot. He stalled after his breakthrough at the 3M Open last year, trying to fix what wasn’t broken; his solo second at Detroit Golf Club was his first top-10 finish since the 3M. The keys to his comeback, he said, have been to stick to his strengths, tune out the noise, and not care as much. “It’s not that I actually don’t,” he said. “It’s just getting myself in the right frame of mind to not put that extra pressure on myself. … I know that I haven’t been the most consistent player out here, but I’m looking to change that and I feel like I’m working on the right things mentally and physically.”
The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA TOUR jointly announced today that both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned. The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for Sept. 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for Sept. 21-26, 2021. Likewise, the Presidents Cup, initially slated for Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2021, at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played Sept. 19-25, 2022. The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority. “Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. We are grateful to PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the TOUR for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar. “As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option. We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.” Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides. “While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion. “We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA TOUR for their willingness to move the dates of the Presidents Cup. “We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.” With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years: 2023/Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy); 2025/Bethpage Black (Farmingdale, New York); 2027/Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland); 2029/Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota); 2031/Europe (to be determined); 2033/The Olympic Club (San Francisco); 2035/Europe (to be determined); 2037/Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland). With the momentum of the successful 2019 Presidents Cup played in Melbourne, Australia, the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup will now be hosted for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club in 2022. “These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said Monahan. “With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin, and the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option. We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club, our long-time annual title sponsor in Charlotte and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit. We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.” Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow Club in 2021, at TPC Potomac in 2022 during the Presidents Cup year and will return to Quail Hollow in 2023. Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined at a later date. The Ryder Cup, which began in 1927, brings together the finest tour professionals from the United States and Europe. “While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” said U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker. “At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.” Pádraig Harrington, Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time. “When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be. “I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.” For Ryder Cup qualifying, both the United States and European teams will revisit their respective selection processes in the near future. Tickets purchased for the 2020 Ryder Cup via rydercup.com will be automatically valid for the corresponding day(s) in 2021. In the coming weeks, the PGA of America will contact those who secured tickets via rydercup.com to facilitate refunds for those unable to attend in 2021. Further details regarding this process are available on the Ryder Cup website. Those who have purchased tickets and hospitality packages on the secondary market must contact that specific site directly. The PGA of America will be unable to process refunds for those purchases. In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for Sept. 20-21, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for Sept. 21-22, 2020.
In his first intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole threw five innings of one-hit ball, with six strikeouts and two walks on 67 pitches.
The PGA TOUR continues Thursday in Round 1 of the Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village. The star-studded field features players such as Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Round 1 leaderboard Round 1 tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured groups), Saturday-Sunday 7:00 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups). Saturday-Sunday 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). FEATURED GROUPS (ALL TIMES ET) Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day Thursday: 7:45 a.m. (No. 10 tee); Friday: 1:10 p.m. (No. 1 tee) Patrick Cantlay, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth Thursday: 1:10 p.m. (No. 1 tee); Friday: 7:45 a.m. (No. 10 tee) Patrick Reed, Matthew Wolff, Rickie Fowler Thursday: 12:59 p.m. (No. 1 tee); Friday: 7:34 a.m. (No. 10 tee) Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, Gary Woodland Thursday: 7:34 a.m. (No. 10 tee); Friday: 12:59 p.m. (No. 1 tee) MUST READS Power Rankings Expert Picks The First Look
The Eagles blew it with Riley Cooper in 2013 and set a precedent that they are now following with DeSean Jackson instead of correcting a longstanding mistake.
Becoming the poster boys for the NBA’s coronavirus shutdown wasn’t the beginning of tensions between Utah’s All-Star duo.
