NFL’s lack of action on Rooney Rule is troublingNFL’s lack of action on Rooney Rule is troubling
Washington appears to have skirted the rule requiring it to interview minority candidates for coaching and executive positions. Why no punishment?
Day: November 5, 2020
The NFL enhanced its Rooney Rule. But will league enforce it, particularly in case of the Washington Football Team?The NFL enhanced its Rooney Rule. But will league enforce it, particularly in case of the Washington Football Team?
The league hasn’t answered a glaring question about the summer hire of a front-office executive.
Memorial Park provides a test at Vivint Houston OpenMemorial Park provides a test at Vivint Houston Open
HOUSTON - Memorial Park isn't your typical muni. It proved that Thursday, when the world's best players were challenged by a public course that costs less than $40 to play. A score in the low 60s would be almost guaranteed if Dustin Johnson or Brooks Koepka showed up to your average public track. There wasn't a single one of those in the first round of the Vivint Houston Open, however, on a course that hosts amateurs of all abilities the other 51 weeks of the year. RELATED: Players welcome sight of spectators in Houston Brandt Snedeker's 5-under 65 was the low round of the day and gave him a two-shot lead. The field averaged more than 2 strokes over par per round. Only the U.S. Open had a higher first-round scoring average in this young season (+2.6 per round). Olympia Fields, site of the BMW Championship, was the only other course this calendar year that offered a tougher start (+2.8). And this was in spite of the fact that Memorial Park played 300 yards shorter than its scorecard yardage. Firm greens, thick rough and tricky greens complexes presented a challenge on the TOUR's newest venue. “It’s a pretty relentless golf course. It demands a lot of good hitting,” said Adam Scott, who shot 68 on Thursday. This is the first time in more than 50 years that Memorial Park has hosted the PGA TOUR. The course, which is located in the midst of the country's fourth-largest city, underwent a dramatic renovation before this year's tournament. When asked if Memorial Park was comparable to any other venues on TOUR, Dustin Johnson couldn't think of one. Tom Doak, one of today's leading architects, led the radical renovation of Memorial Park. His designs can be found on the various rankings of the world's top golf courses, but this is the first of his designs to host the PGA TOUR. Doak was tasked with making a course that is playable for the average golfer but challenging for TOUR players. He accomplished that, in part, by replacing bunkers with steep slopes of short grass. Those allow amateurs to putt the ball after they miss the green, while asking pros to use deft touch to chip off of tight lies. Those slopes repel approach shots, as well, sending them farther from the hole. Memorial Park has just 20 bunkers. "Around the greens out here is very, very difficult to get up and down. You can get into some spots where you start playing ping-pong across these greens. It’s brutal," Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Rookie of the Year, said after shooting 67. "Fairways and greens is definitely at a premium this week." It wasn't uncommon to see chip shots roll across greens as players tried to bang bump-and-runs into the slopes, or to see a chunked chip roll back to a player's feet. Memorial Park can be stretched to more than 7,400 yards but Doak wanted to prove that there are other ways to test players besides distance. The 15th hole was just 110 yards Thursday but played over par. As did the ninth hole, which was just 177 yards. It's not often that TOUR players average over par with a short-iron in their hand and their ball on a tee. The 15th hole features a small green, however, and the pin was located near a slope that could repel balls toward the creek below. The hole location on 9 was atop a small plateau tucked behind deep bunkers. The par-4 13th measures just 389-yards but it played over par, including multiple "others", despite not having a single penalty area or bunker. The small green is perched several feet in the air and surrounded by short grass. "The penalty for just missing on the wrong side becomes really big because the ball just rolls away," said Cameron Davis, who shot 67. "It’s been a while since I’ve played a course on Tour that’s really done that and it’s great."
Path to NASCAR title clear with Harvick out of the wayPath to NASCAR title clear with Harvick out of the way
Kevin Harvick was a sure bet to make the NASCAR finale and likely close out one of the most dominant seasons of the decade. Instead, he’s been eliminated and the hyped head-to-head matchup between Harvick and Denny Hamlin has been scrapped. For better or worse, NASCAR’s title-deciding format knocked the strongest team this season from contention for Sunday’s winner-take-all final four at Phoenix Raceway.
Where would the Bills pick if the 2021 NFL draft were held today?Where would the Bills pick if the 2021 NFL draft were held today?
Buffalo Bills currently 2021 NFL Draft pick if it were held today.
Ravens vs. Colts: 7 fun facts about this Week 9 matchupRavens vs. Colts: 7 fun facts about this Week 9 matchup
Seven nuggets for you to impress your friends with regarding this matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts in Week 9
Lions’ Griffen hurt by Zimmer’s ‘good’ commentLions’ Griffen hurt by Zimmer’s ‘good’ comment
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Everson Griffen was a “good player” for Minnesota, which Griffen says hurt his feelings as he thought he was a “great” player for his former coach.
Source: NFL probes mask use by 49ers’ BourneSource: NFL probes mask use by 49ers’ Bourne
The NFL and NFLPA have questions on whether the 49ers’ Kendrick Bourne has followed mask-wearing protocols and are looking into the situation, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Players welcome sight of spectators at Vivint Houston OpenPlayers welcome sight of spectators at Vivint Houston Open
HOUSTON - Adam Long was confused when he arrived for the first round of the Vivint Houston Open. Not because he was arriving at a new venue, one that hasn't been used on the PGA TOUR for more than half a century. He was surprised to see spectators for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. "There's people walking around and I was like, ‘What's going on?'" Long said after shooting 68 on Thursday. "Completely forgot. It's nice. It gets you excited a little bit, gets you fired up. It's nice to hear some claps out here when you're fortunate enough to hit a good shot." The Vivint Houston Open is the first PGA TOUR event in the United States to have fans on-site since March. Two thousand tickets were sold for each round of the tournament. Last week, five hundred fans per day were permitted at the Bermuda Championship. "It’s great having fans back out again," Texas native Scottie Scheffler said after shooting 67 on Thursday. "The energy was definitely a lot different than us just being out here by ourselves." The return of spectators is part of a measured approach by the PGA TOUR to re-introduce galleries. The PGA TOUR will work with local authorities each week to determine if spectators can safely attend and determine how many should be allowed on-site. There will be no spectators at the three events remaining on the PGA TOUR schedule this year. "As we work toward gradually permitting ticketed spectators and special guests at PGA TOUR events, we remain committed to health and safety as the No. 1 priority," said Tyler Dennis, the PGA TOUR's Senior Vice President & Chief of Operations. "Every week may look different, as we need to be cognizant of what is reasonable in each market, based on the current COVID-19 climate, local and state protocols and, of course, how the venue is set up to accommodate density guidelines. We appreciate the collaboration with the Bermuda Championship last week and Vivint Houston Open this week in their thoughtful participation in our Return to Spectators plan." Jordan Spieth described the presence of fans with a word that hasn't been uttered often in 2020. "It certainly felt more normal as we were playing today and especially as we were finishing up, just the look of it is way more normal," said Spieth, who is a Player Director on the PGA TOUR's Player Policy Board. "Obviously if we're able to do it safely, that's a huge win for the tournaments and the TOUR, so hopefully it continues to go well like it did this morning." Scheffler said he was "extremely comfortable" with fans on-site. "I think the PGA TOUR’s done a great job keeping us safe and keeping the fans safe," he said. "I think it’s great that they have the freedom to come out here and watch. Pretty much everyone was wearing a mask that I saw, so I felt very safe out there on the course." Tony Finau, who shot 69, said he appreciated hearing applause when he was announced on the first tee. "Right out of the gate, when they said my name on the first tee, it was cool to have some people kind of cheer. It's been awhile since I've heard that," Finau said. "It feels nice to have some of our fans back and just look forward to having all of them back in bunches."