Panthers owner David Tepper has spoken to Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh about the soon-to-be-vacant Carolina coaching job, a source told ESPN’s David Newton.
The NFL announced Tuesday that the Bills-Bengals game, suspended Monday night after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest, will not resume this week.
A GoFundMe page started by Damar Hamlin in 2020 aimed at buying toys for kids has seen more than $5 million donated since the Bills safety suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game against the Bengals.
The Vikings placed starting right tackle Brian O’Neill on injured reserve Tuesday because of a calf injury.
It was pro-am day at the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course, everyone in that liminal state somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the horn blew. With play done for the day, the soaked players scrambled for shelter in the clubhouse. Tom Kim, another force of nature and the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on the PGA TOUR before turning 21, sat in the middle of it all on a plush couch in front of a World Cup game he wasn’t really watching. (His beloved South Korea would play later.) He’d been asked what it’s like to be a super-rookie –Trevor Immelman, the International Team’s captain at the recent Presidents Cup, has called him the next global superstar – and whether he gets teased. “Those guys give me such a hard time,” Kim said, smiling and shaking his head at the players 10, 20 and even 30 years his senior, many of whom he grew up watching on TV. “It’s hard to say what they do specifically, because they change it up a lot.” A wet towel came flying in, chucked by Shane Lowry, and landed in Kim’s lap. “Just like that!” Kim said. “That’s a perfect example!” All of which is to say that everybody loves Joohyung “Tom” Kim, named for his childhood fascination with Thomas the Tank Engine, and one of the most exciting young players to rumble up the tracks in years. Converts include even Rory McIlroy, who played a nine-hole practice round with Kim at the BMW Championship, watched the Presidents Cup on TV and relished being paired with him at THE CJ CUP in South Carolina in October. McIlroy won to return to world No. 1, Kim tied for 11th, and they shared a hug afterward. Game recognize game. Converts also include Immelman, who understandably loves the player who was the heartbeat of his team, and Lowry, who showed his affection with locker room hijinks at the Hero. “I played with Tom in Hong Kong in January 2020, an Asian Tour event, I was 32 or 33 at the time,” Lowry said. “I remember walking down one hole and I said to him, ‘How old are you?’ And he was like, ‘Seventeen.’ I was like, ‘Oh, for f— sake.’ (Laughs) I thought he was good then and obviously he’s kicked this year and he’s done some great things.” Kim was impressive at the Wyndham Championship in August. He made a quadruple-bogey on his first hole of the tournament but still won by five thanks to a final-round 61 (including an incredible 27 on Sunday’s opening nine that was one off the TOUR’s nine-hole scoring record). He was mesmerizing as he blistered a 240-yard 2-iron and rolled in the earth-shaking birdie putt to keep hope alive for the International Team at the Presidents Cup in September. And he was humble after making not a bogey for the week and outlasting Patrick Cantlay at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas in October. The youth, the talent, the googly Presidents Cup glasses – Kim has it all, a gift from the Golf Gods that seems to have fallen out of the sky fully formed. He will be among the headliners at this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions. A product of the world Born in Korea to father Changik Lee and mother Kwanjoo Kim, Kim and his older brother, Jaewook Kim, were moved to China for a few years before the family picked up again and alighted for Australia so the brothers could learn English. After living Down Under for seven years the family picked up and moved yet again. “Once we learned English we moved to the Philippines because Australia was getting a little expensive,” Kim said, “and we knew people in the Philippines.” It was in the Philippines that Kim really took to golf, initially under the tutelage of his father, a teaching professional. (Somewhat surprisingly, Kim says their swings are not similar.) The game was accessible there, and Kim went all in, getting homeschooled. With designs on playing the Asian Tour, he and the family moved again, this time to Thailand, which was more conveniently located for travel purposes. He turned pro at 15. Too young for the Asian Tour, Kim played professionally in Thailand until he was 16, when he failed to get through the Asian Tour’s qualifying school. Three quick wins on the Asian Development Tour followed, earning him special temporary membership on the Asian Tour, where he won in his second start. He was just 17. Just as impressive, he was fluent in Tagalog, English and Korean. Kim speaks Korean to his parents, English to his brother. He says he dreams in both languages. Those dreams still hadn’t become a reality as he missed by a shot at the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School in 2021, but again, he didn’t stay down for long. He won the Korean Tour Order of Merit, and when the Asian Tour resumed after the COVID hiatus, he won its Order of Merit for the 2020-21 season, too, to get into the 2022 U.S. Open and Open Championship. His goal was to play the Asian Tour and head back to Korn Ferry Tour Q-School last fall. As it turned out, he bypassed that circuit entirely. The quantum leap came not when he finished 23rd at the U.S. Open but when he finished solo third at the Genesis Scottish Open in July. After finishing T47 at The Open he joined the PGA TOUR as a Special Temporary Member. A T26 at the 3M Open and solo seventh at the Rocket Mortgage Classic preceded his life-changing victory at the Wyndham. Kim, the first TOUR winner to be born after the year 2000, was suddenly a card-carrying TOUR pro. “My childhood was always about golf,” he said at the Hero. “I didn’t really have a life outside of that. There were a lot of sacrifices made to do what I’m doing right now.” Making a splash Don’t expect a booze-soaked celebration when Kim turns 21. “I’m not a big drinker,” he said. “I’ve never even tried alcohol.” When the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis interviewed Kim and McIlroy at THE CJ CUP, Kim said he hadn’t so much as sipped a beer after either of his wins. “All right,” McIlroy said, “when you turn 21 and you win your next PGA TOUR event, I’m going to bring you out for a few drinks.” “Oh, that’s awesome,” Kim said. At the Hero in the Bahamas, Kim was pretty sure he wasn’t even old enough to be in the casino. That said, he was still the life of the party. He relished getting a chance to talk to his golf idol, tournament host Woods, for the first time, even if he was slightly nervous. “I didn’t really know what to say to Tiger,” he said. “I told him, ‘We really miss you. We really wish you were playing this week.’ He’s like, ‘Good playing this year, and congratulations.’” The next day, Kim, Woods, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Billy Horschel, and Tommy Fleetwood were mic’d up for the so-called Hero Shot, a pitch of around 85 yards to a floating bullseye. Kim was so intent on winning that at one point he called for a video replay, and when he finished second to Fitzpatrick, he had his head in his hands as if crushed. You got the feeling he was only half-joking. “I mean, how can you not like Tom Kim?” said Spieth, who at the Hero was sharing a house with his wife, Annie, and their son, Sammy, plus Justin Thomas and his wife, Jill. “We use the same physio, and he got worked on at the house we’re staying at, and when he left, Annie and Jill are like, ‘Is he not the nicest human being?’ That’s what everyone says about him. “He’s so happy to be out here, loves the game,” continued Spieth, the only player since World War II to win on TOUR at a younger age than Kim. “It’s cool. It reminds me of the way I thought about it when I was his age and makes me want to get back to thinking that way.” It’s partly his enthusiasm that makes Kim so magnetic. In the Hero locker room, Spieth asked him about the food in Japan, where Kim tied for fourth at the Dunlop Phoenix in late November. Lowry threw the towel. Others no doubt observed him and thought some version of, Oh, to have his future. “Tom Kim is absolutely poised as the next global superstar,” Immelman said. “He has an uncanny ability to have amazing self-confidence but still be humble. He’s like a shining light. He makes you want to root for him. He makes you want to be around him.” His precocity accounts for a lot of that, but don’t shortchange his sense of humor. When he wasn’t wowing with his shot-making at the Presidents Cup, Kim was cutting up and lightening the mood. First, he kept busting out of his team-issued trousers and laughing along as his teammates poked fun. Then he said he didn’t want to play in black golf shoes because they would make his feet too hot. And then there were Kim’s goofy, bug-eyed glasses. “Oh, yeah, I kept those glasses,” he said. Ask him to pinpoint his most indelible moment and he points to the 240-yard 2-iron approach and 10-foot birdie putt to give him and Si Woo Kim a 1-up victory over Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in a Four-ball match late Saturday afternoon. The other matches were complete, so Kim delivered this thunderbolt in front of not only his teammates but also a who’s who of American golf. The Internationals, who had trailed 10-4 that morning, had now cut the margin to 11-7 going into the Singles, still behind but now energized beyond measure thanks to Kim. “It felt like such a big time for our team to have that,” he said. “We did lose (the next day), but whoever gets on that team going to Montreal, playing on home soil, I feel like it’s going to give us some momentum. Beating that elite team in the way we did, being 1 down with three to go and winning 1 up, that’s a memory that’s going to last who knows how long.” Settling in for the long haul At the Wyndham, Kim said, everything happened so fast he didn’t have time to think. He wanted to show it wasn’t a fluke at the Shriners, where Cantlay, the 2021 FedExCup champion, came unglued on the 72nd hole. Kim became just the second player since Lee Trevino in 1974 to win on TOUR without making a bogey or worse (J.T. Poston also did it at the 2019 Wyndham). These days, Kim has begun renting a house in Dallas, which will be his U.S. base. He can fly non-stop back to Korea, and he’s centrally located to play the TOUR. He’ll practice out of Dallas National and Trinity Forest, giving him plenty of time to rub elbows with luminaries like Spieth, Will Zalatoris and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. And Kim has begun working with Cameron McCormick, who’s best known as Spieth’s coach since childhood. What exactly Kim might do for an encore in ’23 is a tantalizing prospect. “He is just damn good,” Immelman said. “He has a crazy amount of talent.” And like his countrymen – Kim, Si Woo Kim, Sungjae Im, and K.H. Lee made up a third of the International Presidents Cup Team – he has the work ethic to match. He’s also cleaned up his diet, severely curtailing if not eliminating the Del Taco, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A. Granted, Kim has some courses to study up on, as he has never played TPC Sawgrass, Augusta National or this year’s other major venues: Oak Hill (PGA Championship), L.A. Country Club (U.S. Open) or Royal Liverpool (Open Championship). “I think I know every hole at Augusta from TV,” he said. “I think Jason Dufner was the last winner at Oak Hill?” (He was. Kim was 11.) As for the other courses, Kim’s veteran caddie, Joe Skovron, formerly the bag man for Rickie Fowler, should help him fill in the gaps. Kim already works out, but said he’ll be “more specific” in the gym. Courses in Asia have much narrower fairways, and he wants to get more comfortable hitting the ball hard. His 240-yard approach shot at Quail Hollow – he admittedly heeled his drive into the wind, leaving him way behind Si Woo, Cantlay and Schauffele – was insanely great, but perhaps not repeatable. His brother, five years his senior, just graduated from the military and is getting ready to go for his master’s degree. His other older brother, of sorts, is Im, who is 24 and just got married in Seoul. Then again, the way everyone has taken to Kim, he’s got big brothers in Lowry, McIlroy and up and down the TOUR. He’s got a home. All there is to do now is let the Tank Engine run. “It’s up to me to play well now,” Kim said. “I know my schedule, I’m more comfortable. It’s up to me to put in the work. There are so many ways I can get better. “I’m still a kid around these guys,” he continued. “I’m curious to find out what they do, how they think. I am very aware of how lucky I am to play the PGA TOUR at 20 years old. It’s easy for people to take things for granted; I want to make sure I don’t lose that feeling.”
Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III has suffered a right hand injury and is expected to miss extended time, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
The 2023 portion of the PGA TOUR season begins with spectacular views from Maui at the lovely Plantation Course in Kapalua for an incredible 25th year running, but to steal a theme from PGA TOUR player Kevin Kisner… this ain’t no holiday. Kisner (who has picked up a cult following using his phrase, “this ain’t no hobby”), is sadly not one of a field of 39 players in Maui for the first of the TOUR’s new designated events that sees a huge purse increase from $8.2 million to $15 million and FedExCup points for the winner also rise to 550. As such the holiday isle will see a stacked field with 17 of the top 20 players in the world gearing up for a shootout as Mother Nature isn’t ready for prime time just yet. Of course there will be breezes but the Coore/Crenshaw layout is designed for just that as Kapalua provides the largest targets off the tee and into the greens on TOUR. The Par-73 layout stretches to 7,596 yards but there’s plenty of tract playing down the mountain to shorten the length. Judging the elevation changes, uneven lies and just over two inches of Bermuda will provide the challenges, relatively speaking, this week. Defending champion Cameron Smith (not entered) set the PGA TOUR tournament scoring record on 34-under and did so without breaking the course record. That was left to Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Matt Jones (not entered this week) as they posted 12-under 61 to establish the new mark. The fact is, the Golfbet crew cannot ignore the scoring stats this week when looking for a gaming or fantasy edge. Key Statistics Only players listed are competing this week; click stat headline for additional players; Stats from 2021-22 completed season. Strokes Gained: Approach the Green The first key in a shootout is finding as many Greens In Regulation (GIR) as possible. With some of the largest targets on TOUR I’m looking for the snipers who can hone in on flag sticks and create prime scoring chances. Of the last eight winners only Harris English (2021) has finished outside of the top seven in this category. Note: Billy Horschel (1), Tom Hoge (3), Tony Finau (4), Tom Kim (5), Cameron Young (6) and Collin Morikawa (13) all rank inside the top 15 of this stat so far THIS season. Birdie or Better Conversion Percentage Welcome aboard! Now, it’s time to pay off the approaches. TifEagle installed before the 2020 edition won’t be the issue. The greens will be ready, as they are annually, to accept eagle and birdie chances. Aggressive lines and speeds will pay off as the Stimpmeter (around 11 feet) is protection if the wind picks up. The last two seasons the Plantation Course has ranked in the top three on TOUR in this category. Of the last eight winners, six have ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 for the week. Note: Patrick Cantlay (1), Tony Finau (4), Jon Rahm (5), and Max Homa (8) all rank inside the top 10 of this stat so far THIS season. Par Breakers Nothing wrong with making pars this week as the absence of a cut will see all players complete four rounds. Those will grander aspirations and expectations will accept that birdies and eagles need to be the rule, not the exception. Of the courses used the last two seasons on TOUR, Kapalua has ranked first or second easiest in this category. Jon Rahm tied the TOUR record for most birdies in an event last year with 32. He didn’t win. Cameron Smith, who is not defending this season, circled 31 but also added three eagles. Note: Patrick Cantlay (1), Jon Rahm (2), Tony Finau (5), Seamus Power (7), Max Homa (8) and Brian Harman (1o) all rank inside the top 10 of this stat so far THIS season. Rounds in the 60s Of the top 15 players in 2022 only two of 60 rounds were posted at 70 or worse. In 2021 there were only seven from the top 12 finishers. With very similar conditions forecast this year this should hold again. Last year the top three players would have won the previous 23 Sentry TOC with their winning totals. The top 18 last year and top nine players in 2021 were all 20-under or better. Rounds under par are great but rounds in the 60s will be difference makers. Find guys who have no problem racking ’em up! Note: Seamus Power (8) ranks inside the top 10 of this stat so far THIS season. Justin Thomas has 20 career rounds of 63 or better, most on TOUR since 2015. The Bottom Line Not surprisingly two-time event winner Justin Thomas (Win: +1100; Top 5: +175; Top 10: -160; Top 20: -700) jumps off the page as does the hottest player from 2022 in Scottie Scheffler (Win: +900; Top 5: +140; Top 10: -225; Top 20: -1000). Xander Schauffele (Win: +1100; Top 5: +175; Top 10: -165; Top 20: -800) has had a ton of success in limited field, big money events and lines up almost as nicely. Sam Burns (Win: +2500; Top 5: +375; Top 10: +140; Top 20: -350) and Russell Henley (Win: +4000; Top 5: +550; Top 10: +220; Top 20: -200) have burning red hot track records on Bermuda surfaces also. Good luck! Responsible sports betting starts with a game plan. Set a budget. Keep it social. Play with friends. Learn the game and know the odds. Play with trusted, licensed operators. CLICK HERE to learn more at HaveAGamePlan.org
PGA TOUR winners Brad Faxon and Smylie Kaufman will join NBC Sports’ golf commentary team for 2023, the network announced Tuesday. Faxon, an eight-time TOUR winner and former Ryder Cup participant, is joining NBC Sports’ team as a hole announcer and will make his on-air debut at The Honda Classic next month. Faxon will also contribute to Golf Central and Golf Central Live From studio programming on Golf Channel. Kaufman, who won the 2015 Shriners Children’s Open and played in the final group of the following year’s Masters, will join John Wood, Notah Begay III and Arron Oberholser as on-course reporters throughout the season. Wood and Kaufman will walk the course this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Begay III will begin his year at The Honda Classic and Oberholser will start his assignment at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in March. Kaufman made his announcing debut last year, broadcasting from the PGA Championship and U.S. Open among other events. Longtime GOLF Channel commentators Damon Hack and Cara Banks will serve as golf reporters this year, conducting interviews with players, family members, executives and more, in addition to continuing in their current roles. Hack will continue to co-host Golf Today on GOLF Channel, while Banks will also anchor studio coverage of Golf Central and Golf Central Live From on the network. Banks’ first reporter assignment will be at The Honda Classic while Hack will begin at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. The 18th tower duo of Dan Hicks (play-by-play) and Paul Azinger (lead analyst) will return to lead NBC Sports’ golf commentary team for the fifth consecutive year. Faxon previously worked with NBC Sports in 2010 as a hole announcer and from 2013-14 as a studio analyst, while also providing commentary on Sky Sports. He also was the lead golf analyst on Fox Sports when the network held the rights to USGA events, including the U.S. Open. Faxon also has served as a putting coach to a number of players on the PGA TOUR and the LPGA Tour, including reigning FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy. Faxon was the 2005 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award, an honor presented annually by the PGA TOUR to a professional golfer who best exemplifies the values of character, charity and sportsmanship. NBC Sports’ 2023 golf coverage gets underway this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions from Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii, on NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock. Last week, NBC Sports announced its 2023 PGA TOUR broadcast schedule, totaling more than 450 hours of live tournament coverage across NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock.
Kansas is our new No. 1-overall seed. There is shakeout throughout the bracket with conference play underway.
