Snyder, Goodell requested to testify at hearingSnyder, Goodell requested to testify at hearing
Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have been requested to testify at a Congressional hearing on June 22.
Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have been requested to testify at a Congressional hearing on June 22.
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says the team will not trade Juan Soto, insisting instead that Washington intends to build around the star outfielder.
When Adam Scott showed up to Muirfield Village Golf Club on Monday for the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, he had a set of unique Titleist 681.AS irons in his golf bag. That was no surprise, though, since Scott has been using the custom-made irons since THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT in October. The Titleist 681.AS irons are special because they’re made to match Scott’s exact preferences; he prefers more offset, higher toe sections and longer blade lengths. The 681.AS irons are essentially updated versions of the Titleist Forged 680 irons that Scott has used for the majority of his 14-win PGA TOUR career. The 680s came out in 2003. “When you’re old and stubborn, you like what you like,” the 41-year-old told PGATOUR.COM in October. “I’ve been stuck on the 680s for a long time now. … The (681.AS irons) are as exact a replica as you can get, but with the way they’ve been made, I could argue it’s a more solid head with a more solid strike.” Scott had been using the Titleist 681.AS irons for months. Interestingly, though, Scott had an old Titleist 680 Forged 8-iron in his bag on Monday that had its sole ground flatter to take some of the bounce out. Scott told GolfWRX on Monday that he was merely testing the 8-iron against his 681.AS 8-iron because of that flatter sole. During a Tuesday practice round at the Memorial Tournament, however, he had an entirely new set of blade irons in the bag. Only his logo was stamped on the clubs’ muscle backs. Scott told GolfWRX on Tuesday that he opened a box full of these mysterious irons just minutes before his range session. After passing the eye test, and his initial range tests, Scott put them into his bag for the Tuesday practice round; it would be the first time that Scott had ever hit the irons on a golf course. Now, what exactly are these the Scott-logoed irons? As he revealed to GolfWRX.com on Tuesday, they’re completely custom irons made by Miura Golf, which is a golf equipment company that specializes in Japanese forged irons. After the practice round, GolfWRX caught up with Scott to see how the testing went with his brand new one-of-one irons and to see if he’ll put them in play come Thursday. “It’s hard to say,” Scott told GolfWRX.com after his practice round. “I mean, it’s pretty early days. It’s not easy to just throw in a new set of clubs. But I enjoyed them, I think they’re a great set of clubs. I need some days to feel confident, but I think they’re doing everything they should.” According to Scott, the difference between his 681.AS irons and the Miura irons is the sole (remember, he was testing out a flatter-soled 680 Forged iron on Monday). “Really it’s the sole design that’s the difference,” Scott said. “It’s just a little less bounce. They’re a little flatter and wider on the sole. “My eye for a blade is very different than most of the stock blades that are being made by the companies today. I grew up with offset, which is almost a thing of the past. Even in larger headed irons these days, there’s little offset out here. But I like it, and it’s hard to find. Titleist made me an amazing set of 681.AS irons that had the offset and were pretty much like the clubs I were using (the Titleist 680 Forged). And this set was made with the idea of less bounce than those.” While Scott has a particular eye for blade iron designs, his desire for less bounce wasn’t aesthetic. It was actually based on statistics. “Getting into the nerdy, nerdy stuff like looking into stats on different turf conditions throughout the years, potentially there’s a better balance point with the bottom,” Scott told GolfWRX.com. “I had contacted Miura to see if they could make a set of clubs with my aesthetic looks. I hit one of their other irons, (the MB-101) that had that sole, and I asked if they’d build something with that sole, and they said, ‘Yes.’” Miura’s retail MB-101 blade irons typically have the company’s logo stamped on the rear portion of the irons, but Scott’s custom-designed heads have his personal logo stamped on them. As Scott admits, that added touch might have actually influenced him to give the irons a test run faster than he would have otherwise. “I didn’t even ask really for them to stamp my logo on them, but they sent them, which is very cool,” Scott said. “They probably knew if they stamped (my logo) on them I couldn’t resist. I got them out on the range pretty quick. They went from the box to the range in about 1.5 minutes.” Looks and performance aside, Miura’s irons are made in Japan, as the hosel stampings confirm, so do they feel any different to Scott compared to his Titleist 681.AS irons? “The 681.AS irons use an incredible material,” Scott said. “I know that the material – if it’s not the same material as the Scotty Cameron putters are, then it must be similar, but I always thought it was the same. So that’s a really nice material. The Miuras are renowned for using nice materials. I think they both have a great feel. It’s really the turf interaction that I’m looking for.” Due to the turf conditions at Muirfield Village, Scott implied that the course isn’t necessarily ripe for new irons with a flatter sole, but upcoming tournaments with firmer turf, such as the Open Championship, are on his radar. “Here this week isn’t the best test; it’s so plush and nice,” Scott explained. “It’s more the Bermudagrasses, and then on Open Championship-like tight lies where I’m trying to improve my strike.” So, will we see Scott’s new one-of-one Miura irons in play this week at the Memorial Tournament? Even he isn’t sure just yet. Tuesday was his first day ever using the irons, but if the flatter soles end up improving his turf interaction like he hopes, and with the Open Championship at St. Andrews right around the corner in July, we could see them go into play sooner rather than later. We’ll keep you updated on whether Scott makes the switch, or whether he sticks with the Titleist 681.AS irons.
John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach who died Dec. 28, will be on the cover of all three editions of this year’s Madden video game, which will be released in August.
Patrick Cantlay, the reigning FedExCup champion, returns to defend his title at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. The deep field includes seven of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Those in the field at Muirfield Village Golf Club include Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. The winner will receive 550 FedExCup points. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action, including Featured Groups for PGA TOUR LIVE and newly expanded and extended coverage on ESPN+. Click here for more details. Leaderboard Full tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS) Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR PGA TOUR LIVE PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+ • Main Feed: primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course • Marquee Group: new “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group • Featured Groups: traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups • Featured Holes: a combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes FEATURED GROUPS THURSDAY Marquee Group Jordan Spieth, Sepp Straka, Adam Scott Featured Groups Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa Featured Holes: No. 4 (par 3), No. 12 (par 3), No. 15 (par 5), No. 16 (par 3) FRIDAY Marquee Group Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry Featured Groups Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed Featured Holes: No. 4 (par 3), No. 12 (par 3), No. 15 (par 5), No. 16 (par 3) MUST READS Jack Nicklaus’ impact on the modern PGA TOUR The First Look Power Rankings Expert Picks Five Things to Know: Muirfield Village Jon Rahm returns to site of win, bizarre WD
Bart Bryant had to wait nearly two decades to win on the PGA TOUR, enduring injuries and multiple trips to Q-School before handing Tiger Woods the largest defeat of his career. Bryant had considered quitting the game after a shoulder injury sent him off the TOUR in the early ‘90s but his perseverance paid off with three victories after he turned 40. Two of those wins came in his career year of 2005 when he won two of the TOUR’s biggest events, the TOUR Championship and Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. Bryant died Tuesday in a car accident at the age of 59. His first wife, Cathy, preceded him in death. She passed away in 2017 from brain cancer, 11 months after her diagnosis. He is survived by wife Donna, daughters Kristen and Michelle and his stepchildren. His brother, Brad, also is a former TOUR winner. “The PGA TOUR is saddened by the tragic passing of Bart Bryant and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The Bryants have been a part of the PGA TOUR family for over four decades and we are grateful for the impact and legacy he made on our organization and countless communities. Bart will be dearly missed.” Bart Bryant was 41 years old and had just six starts remaining on a major medical extension when he arrived at LaCantera Golf Club in 2004 for the Valero Texas Open. A third-round 60 gave him a three-shot lead over Hunter Mahan, and Bryant maintained that advantage with a 67 on Sunday. The win came in his 187th start on the PGA TOUR. “One tournament does not make a career,” said Bryant, who was born in Gatesville, Texas, but grew up in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where the Bryant brothers dominating junior and high school golf. “This is just the beginning, that’s what I’d like to think.” He was right. The next year, Bryant accepted a trophy from Jack Nicklaus, beat two World Golf Hall of Famers, finished in the top 10 on the money list and cracked the top 25 in the world ranking. Bryant already had won Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament when he arrived at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club in 2005 for his TOUR Championship debut. He started the week with a course-record 62 and held at least a share of the lead after every rounds. Bryant won by six shots at East Lake to collect the biggest paycheck of his career. Tiger Woods, winner of two majors that year, finished second. It is the furthest back Woods has ever finished in a tournament where he was the runner-up. Woods could drive it 50 yards past Bryant, but the veteran overcame Woods’ power advantage with pinpoint ballstriking, leading the field in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation. “I certainly don’t put myself in the same category as Retief (Goosen) and Vijay (Singh) and Davis Love and Tiger Woods,” Bryant said. “I mean, these guys are the elite players in the world. … But I have found out that if I’m on top of my game under the right conditions, I definitely can compete with these guys.” Bryant beat another of the game’s stars, Fred Couples, earlier that year to win the Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club. This win required more drama than the one at East Lake. After taking the lead with a birdie on 17, Bryant drove into a hazard on the final hole and had to make a 15-foot par putt to beat Couples by one. Woods tied for third, four shots back. Bryant’s success in his 40s was the fruit of incredible perseverance, coming 19 years after the preacher’s son turned pro in 1986 out of New Mexico State, where he was a two-time All-American. Bryant graduated Q-School a half-dozen times, the first coming in 1990. He finished 124th on the money list in his rookie year before a shoulder injury derailed his 1992 season. His game got so bad that he considered quitting. He was off and on the TOUR for the next decade, playing just six full seasons between 1991 and 2003 and cracking the top 125 on the money list just once. “Things got so bad in the middle ‘90s that I never bothered going to qualifying school,” Bryant said after his win at East Lake. “As long as I was able to feed my family on what I was making on the mini-tour, I was OK.” When he won the Texas Open, he was the oldest first-time winner on the TOUR in nine years. Bart’s older brother, Brad, who earned his lone TOUR win at the 1995 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic, was at the 18th green when Bart won for the first time, making them the 12th set of brothers to win on the PGA TOUR. “I think this is bigger for me than when I won,” Brad Bryant said of his brother’s victory. “He has been through so much, and he’s persevered. For our family, this is so big.” They both won on PGA TOUR Champions, as well. Bart won the DICK’S Sporting Goods Open in both 2013 and 2018, while Brad’s four wins included the 2007 U.S. Senior Open. Bart also paired with Ian Baker-Finch to win the Raphael Division in the 2013 Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf. After his career year in 2005, Bart Bryant would post just seven more top-10s on TOUR as the injuries that delayed his success quickly took it from him. He did finish runner-up to Jim Furyk at the 2006 RBC Canadian Open and Woods at the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, which was Woods’ fifth consecutive win on TOUR. Woods had to sink a 24-foot birdie putt on the final hole to do it, however. “I’m lucky to get up there and compete with him every now and then,” Bryant said. And beat him, the reward for patiently waiting for his opportunity.
If you don’t remember what we wrote in the opening last week, here’s the timely and relevant excerpt: “It’s unlikely that we’ll see this kind of real-time fluidity on the extreme again, but we didn’t expect to see it the first time.” That referred to Justin Thomas’ board values of +30000 and +25000 during his final round of the PGA Championship, both landing for multiple users en route to paydirt. Last week, it was Sam Burns who was positioned at +20000 on Sunday at Colonial Country Club. Again, boom! All of that suggests that you never know what you’re going to see and experience in PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live. It’s also blazing evidence of what to do with those odds when you do. Navigate to PointsBet and lay the wager. Even just $5 bets on JT and Burns would’ve netted as much as a total of $2500. That equals the top prize here and only when other levers would need to be pulled at the right time to contribute to the title. The commonality of the last two events extends to this week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Workday; that is, par will be a good score most of the time. If you think about how JT and Burns prevailed – both recorded the lowest rounds in their respective finales – they were the nuggets that emerged and without threatening course records. Think about it – and, anecdotally, you already know this – it’s much more likely for exactly one of the world’s best to have a great day at the right time in extreme conditions than it is for the same talent in a shootout. Who knows, maybe lightning can strike thrice in the same spot! Register for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live here and monitor Rob’s and Glass’ progress as Influencers. For a broader explanation of the format and FAQs, click here. TOURNAMENT TO WIN Glass … Kevin Streelman (+15000) As always with this selection, shooting the moon is the No. 1 priority JUST IN CASE. The flexibility of changing, swerving and ducking is the best part of this game. There’s absolutely no reason to ride chalk Thursday. Or even Friday. Streelman hasn’t missed in his last seven here and five of them have cashed T18 or better. He’s a stalwart at Valspar because he’s had the reps and this week is similar. minus claiming the ultimate prize. You know what they say, Rob: The 14th time is a charm! Rob … Bryson DeChambeau (+9000) To win?! That’s so Bryson. Pure and simple, when are you going to find him at these odds? His opening line is based entirely on the mystery of his health, so to paraphrase Al Czervik, let’s pounce! If DeChambeau is above the projected cut line at the conclusion of R1, then you know the kickback will drop. But look, given how the winners of the last two weeks have reached the summit, I’m not holding my breath even if he’s poised for a wire-to-wire victory. TOP 10 Rob … Matthew Wolff (+1400) He’s a default fade for me in, where else, in Draws and Fades, but where isn’t he a fade? In PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live! Brendon Todd opened at +1100 last week, and I didn’t have to touch the remote control. He finished third. I don’t expect that to be the case with Wolff, but he’s more explosive than Todd, and we know he won’t slump forever. Take your cuts when the wind is blowing out, gang. Glass … Cameron Champ (+1100) If there is an angle to MVGC and ANGC this week, I’m going to ride it a bit. Champ has found his form on Magnolia Lane over the last few seasons and his ball-striking has a chance to carry over. He’s never broken 72 here in five rounds, but that’s why we’re getting +1100. He’ll have no problem eating it up if he finds a way to keep it in play. TOP 20 Glass … Brendan Steele (+400) Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me for two months, well SHUT UP, I GET IT. I’ve learned my lesson, finally, about trying to sync this angle up. NO LUCK. Steele has cashed in six straight here and has top 10s at both the PGA Championship and Zurich Classic (in two of his last three and among six straight paydays), so I’m not begging for form to appear. Connect dots. ANY DOTS! Rob … Patrick Rodgers (+425) Playing it safer with this bet. Only the Top 10 has opened regularly (during awake hours in Arizona), but we’ve learned not to expect the same here. The veteran of 207 PGA TOUR starts as a professional has logged six of them here. Two resulted in top 20s — T8 (2018) and T18 (2020). He’s comfortable to return to the FedExCup Playoffs, so it’s like old times. He has only one top 20 on his own ball in seven months, but he has the length and the precision to deserve this hope. ROUND 1 LEADER Glass … Cameron Young (+4000) I’d prefer him to be going off the front but my hedge is he’s in the first group out. His ride of podiums over the last three weeks has covered bermuda, bent and a major, but most importantly all new venues. I’ll highlight 66 at Riviera and 63 at Harbour Town – not exactly easy places to play or score – as my evidence to ride this rookie. And if not, I’ll recalibrate throughout the morning/afternoon. Rob … Patrick Cantlay (+2800) Let my Cameron go. Glass sniped me on the rook. This isn’t a draft, but I’ll counter with the defending champion and two-time winner who goes off No. 10 at 8:00 a.m. ET. If you include the Zurich Classic of New Orleans where Cantlay and his partner, Xander Schauffele, went wire-to-wire, he’s connected as the FRL twice in his last eight stroke-play starts (Amex). It’s a coincidence that Cantlay is in the same threesome as the 2021 FRL, Collin Morikawa, but I’ll take the cosmic connection. NOTE: While Glass and Rob typically stick with their selections as detailed in Pick ‘Em Preview, they are allowed the right to make changes at any time.
The playoffs are halfway through. Here are the biggest trends and topics happening right now — and what comes next.
The Colorado Avalanche hung on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers, 8-6, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday, but the home team lost starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper to an upper-body injury in the process.
After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder’s future remains unclear and a possibility exists that he could decide to end his eight-year tenure with the franchise, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night.