INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 15: Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates match point against Daniil Medvedev during their Men’s Singles Finals match on Day 12 of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 15, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Jannik Sinner produced one of the most dramatic comebacks at the Indian Wells Open, defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-6, 7-6 and claiming his first title in the California desert.
The turning point came late in the match. Down 0-4 in the second-set tiebreak, Sinner won seven consecutive points to seal the championship.
With the win, Sinner became the youngest player in history to win both hard-court Grand Slams and all six hard-court Masters 1000 titles.
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Speaking after the match, Sinner praised Medvedev and his team.
“First of all I want to start with Daniil and your team. It’s great to see you back playing this kind of level. I know you practice very hard. Keep pushing and I wish you all the best for the rest of the season.”
He also thanked his own team for helping him prepare for the tournament.
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“We came very early to prepare for this. Now it’s even more special holding this beautiful trophy. Thank you for all the support.”
The victory also made Sinner the first man to win consecutive Masters 1000 titles without dropping a set.
With 28 wins in his last 30 matches, the 24-year-old continues to build one of the most dominant runs in men’s tennis.
Regis Prograis looks to hand Conor Benn his second defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.
Benn fights at the 63,000 capacity venue for the third time in a row next month, having first suffered a close defeat to Chris Eubank Jr there in April 2024 but returning to beat his rival convincingly in their rematch seven months later.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Prograis said he took the fight, even at a disadvantage with the weight, because he simply ‘knows’ he is better than the Brit.
“I just feel like I’m better. That’s it. I know I’m better than Conor Benn. Listen, if he didn’t have the last name from his dad, who is a legend, he wouldn’t be where he is right now. I didn’t have no daddy that boxed. I’ve been a world champion, at the top twice already, doing out the mud. He had a big old push. I know I’m better skill-wise, and don’t be surprised if I’m stronger than him.”
Asked specifically about the fact that Benn – who is reportedly being paid close to $15 million for the bout – is dropping down and he is moving up, Prograis believes he can match, and even surpass, the bigger man when it comes down to raw power.
“Let him come with that charging s**t. I got power, and, like I said, don’t be surprised if I’m stronger. Conor Benn fought on my undercard in 2019 when I fought Josh Taylor. I watch his videos. I know he likes to be on the weights and that type of s**t. They think that weight transfers to the ring, and maybe it does, but I know I’ve got power. We’re gonna see if he can take those same shots with me … My coaches got the confidence, I got the confidence, I know it’s gonna be a real good night.
“If he want to come and slug it out, we can do it. I’m with it that too. Then we’re gonna have to see who’s more of a dog. And I don’t back down.”
Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes recorded two assists in the 3-1 win against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Bruno Fernandes wants to contribute more at Manchester United after breaking David Beckham’s 26-year assist record. Fernandes recorded two assists against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, meaning he moved past Beckham’s previous club record of 15 in a season.
The midfielder delivered a cross into the box from a corner for Casemiro’s headed goal, and played a superb pass to set up Matheus Cunha to restore the advantage in the 71st minute.
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Fernandes has 16 assists in the Premier League this term. He is now four shy of equalling the top-flight assist record, which is shared between Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
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Speaking to MUTV, Fernandes said of beating Beckham’s assist tally in 1999/2000. “Obviously, it’s very nice. It’s a very good achievement. We’re talking about one of the best players, certainly [the best] strikers of anyone in the box. So I’m very pleased to do that.
“It’s not going to change anything for what I want, but being there with a name who, obviously, was one of the players everyone looks up to, in the way of crossing and the way of passing.
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“Like everyone in their own garden tried to do it like Beckham and was doing it, even if you’re just swinging your arm, like he used to do it, not as much the ball! I’m very happy to do that.”
Fernandes has now recorded 100 assists for United and added: “Obviously, it’s not something I dream about or thought about but I always want to help the team to get [what we want] in most of the games.
“Scoring goals and assisting is a big part of my game. I’m very pleased today worked out and made us win the game. Until the end of the season, I want to try to keep helping the team and improving on that, results-wise.”
Michael Carrick was asked about Fernandes’ future during his post-match press conference. “Bruno’s definitely not someone we’d want to lose, I can say that. He’s important for us and he’s definitely one we wouldn’t want to lose,” he said.
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“Bruno has done it for a long period of time now, in the big moments and making the difference, whether scoring or creating he’s normally around it. Two very different [assists] today.
“He has a really good understanding with Case and working with Jonny [Evans] on the set plays. There’s also the bit you can coach and then there’s a little bit of the players and the understanding. They’ve got a great connection there with that and have done it a few times before, so that was good.
“Then the passing around it, getting in positions where you can play that final pass, and it was one we’ve seen before and then he plays Ben in as well I think after that, so there’s not a lot else to say that I’ve not sat here and said before about Bruno.”
Fernandes is contracted until the summer of 2027, with the option of another year.
Bruno Fernandes is well on track to break the all-time record for most assists in a single PL season
1 min read Last Updated : Mar 16 2026 | 12:50 PM IST
Bruno Fernandes moved closer to breaking the Premier League ‘s assists record as Manchester United tightened its grip on Champions League qualification with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Fernandes provided assists for two of United’s goals to take his tally for the season to 16. The record for a single Premier League campaign is 20, with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne both reaching that mark.
Fernandes has up to eight more games to set a new record in English soccer’s top division.
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Of more importance to United was a seventh win in nine games under head coach Michael Carrick. United is third – three points clear of Villa in fourth.
At the other end of the standings Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone with a 0-0 draw against Fulham.
Crystal Palace and Leeds also drew 0-0.
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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As they walked toward the 17th green, you could hear it. U-S-A. U-S-A. U-S-A. “It does have a little feeling of a Ryder Cup,” announcer Dan Hicks said on NBC’s broadcast. On the 18th tee, you heard things again, though this time it was a few boos in the direction of Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, who was all squared with American Cameron Young on the 72nd hole of the Players Championship played at TPC Sawgrass in, yes, U-S-A.
But there, Fitzpatrick laughed.
After all, he said afterward, all of it was just noise. He said he’s used to it — though he did say that you probably wouldn’t hear it back in his home.
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But did it influence play?
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Notably, on 17, Fitzpatrick had led by a stroke over Young, then Young made a birdie to Fitzpatrick’s par on the famed island-green par-3. Then, following the boos on 18, Fitzpatrick pushed his tee shot to the right and into pinestraw, and he bogeyed the hole while Young parred, giving the Players crown to Young.
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But when asked for his thoughts on the crowd and whether it affected him at the end, Fitzpatrick said he has heard things before — and heard worse things. He named the unruly crowds at last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York, along with what sounded like his 2023 RBC Heritage victory, which was won in a playoff over American Jordan Spieth.
Below is Fitzpatrick’s complete answer:
“Listen, the crowd, that was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage. If they think that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York.
“Listen, that’s how it is. That’s how it is. I would hope it’s the exact same if — well, it probably wouldn’t be because we’re a little bit more polite in Europe, I would say, but I would hope it would be of similar intensity in Europe.
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“I knew it was coming. I had it with Jordan Spieth in 2023. Yeah, it’s funny to me. I find it hilarious.”
As for the tee shot on 18, Fitzpatrick said he believed he pushed it slightly, but thought it would be good. He’d seen Young just hit a draw with some wind coming from the right and thought his ball would do the same — but “just gone dead straight” and into the rough.
“Once you’re out of position,” Fitzpatrick said, “it’s difficult to make your par.”
Still, the bogey was one of two he made on the day, against six birdies. His circle on 13 gave him the lead, then another one on 15 helped him recover from a bogey on 14. Added all together, Fitzpatrick said he’s encouraged. There has been progress with coach Mark Blackburn.
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Soon, he said, he thinks he’ll make his own noise.
“I was saying last night to my psychologist,” Fitzpatrick said, “I feel like I’m very good at getting myself into position between 15 and five. I don’t feel like — I don’t feel like I get in enough positions between five and first. I feel like if I can do that, obviously it’s easier said than done, then I believe I will win more.
Bjorn Baker has his Golden Slipper duo on distinct trajectories toward the $5 million prize, with Paradoxium facing a demanding session Tuesday and Warwoven opting for a relaxed schedule.
The colt Warwoven punched his ticket to the two-year-old crown via a powerful triumph in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), entering the March 21 contest after a mere seven days’ rest.
This backup scenario deviated from Baker’s preferred plan, though the colt needed the extra stakes to secure entry, leaving the trainer no alternative.
“You never quite know on the back up. It’s always a tricky business,” Baker said.
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“But he couldn’t have done much more (on Saturday).
“It’s good to see him back and win that way. He had to do a fair bit early. Obviously, we will be very interested to see how he recovers and comes through and hopefully he can be there with Paradoxium, in the same (Cunningham family) colours, next week.”
Warwoven prioritizes rest, but Paradoxium wraps his prep with a firm hit-out Tuesday, as per Baker.
“Paradoxium will have a good gallop on Tuesday. He galloped on Thursday, and I was thrilled with him. He has definitely improved,” Baker said.
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“(Warwoven) will be able to have a very easy week and relax, unlike his trainer and connections.”
Late entry deadline hits Monday, paving the way for the official Golden Slipper (1200m) field and draws on Tuesday.
No juvenile has asserted dominance beforehand, rendering this year’s event unpredictable and the gates pivotal, Baker noted.
“So important. You can’t worry about it, but it definitely has a big impact,” he said.
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The rides stay consistent: Rachel King on Warwoven, Jason Collett with Paradoxium.
“And I’d say there’s probably not too much between them on what we’re seeing at the moment,” Baker said.
Head to the racing odds at top sports betting platforms for Golden Slipper action.
MIAMI — Ten days later, the United States and the Dominican Republic would have kept on playing.
Geraldo Perdomo watched Mason Miller’s full-count slider appear to drop just under the strike zone and took a step toward his team’s dugout on the third-base side, thinking he walked to put runners at the corners.
Then plate umpire Cory Blaser emphatically signalled strike three, stranding the potential tying run at third base and giving the United States a 2-1 win Sunday night that advanced the Americans to the World Baseball Classic championship game against Venezuela or Italy.
“He knew he was wrong,” Perdomo said. “I knew it was 100 per cent wrong.”
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Major League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System will launch when the season starts March 25, and it likely will be adopted for future editions of the WBC. The Dominicans would have been able to appeal to the so-called robot umpire if they had a challenge remaining.
“It looked a little down. Yes, I’m glad we had no ABS,” U.S. outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m happy that the human element was in full effect.”
Perdomo heard the call, found it hard to believe and while still holding his bat, lurched it overhead in an arc, nearly tapping the wood against his butt.
“We didn’t lose the game there,” the Arizona star said.
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MLB announced in September that ABS will be used during the regular season and post-season in 2026, following testing that started in the minor leagues in 2019.
“I don’t want to focus on the last pitch,” Dominican manager Albert Pujols said. “I’m disappointed about the way that the game ends, but I don’t want to criticize any of that. It just wasn’t meant to be for us.”
Miller threw 13 of 22 pitches at 100 m.p.h. or higher. He gave up a one-out walk to Julio Rodríguez, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and Oneil Cruz’s groundout.
Perdomo fell behind 1-2, worked the count full, then fouled out a pair of triple-digit heaters. Miller followed with his second slider of the at-bat.
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“He called strike three. That’s all I care,” American first baseman Bryce Harper said.
With 11 teams from the West or aligned with conferences in the region making the Big Dance, there’s plenty to discuss.
The issues include controversy surrounding seeding, brackets, and placement within the four regions.
I break down each team’s position below and give a short preview of each program’s outlook.
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Arizona 1 seed — West Region
The Wildcats face a challenging path to the Final Four. Receiving the No. 1 seed in the West was expected, but the top half of the bracket is tough.
A Second-Round matchup against either Villanova or Utah State won’t be easy. The Aggies are better than a 9-seed and would have a decent fan presence in San Diego.
After that, the most likely matchup is Wisconsin or Arkansas in the Sweet 16. There’s history with the Badgers and the Razorbacks, who just won the SEC Tournament.
If Tommy Lloyd gets his team all the way to the Elite 8, the potential matchups are Purdue, Gonzaga, or BYU.
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Tommy Lloyd | Ed Zurga/Getty Images
That’s a moderately tough draw for the No. 2 overall seed. But in some ways, it doesn’t matter who Arizona plays.
In 1997, the Wildcats beat three 1-seeds and won the National Championship. And in 2001, the Cats beat two 1-seeds before losing to 1-seed Duke in the finals.
If this team is going to do something special, they must beat all the lower seeds they play, regardless of how good those teams actually are.
The perception around Arizona is that it always underperforms in March. It’s up to Lloyd and this year’s team to prove that reputation wrong.
Gonzaga 3 Seed – West Region
Gonzaga is the 3-seed in the West and has a somewhat favorable path to the Sweet 16. Landing in the West region was key because it put the Zags in Portland for the first two rounds.
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The Bulldogs should take care of Kennesaw State and will probably face BYU in the Round of 32. The Cougar fans travel well, though, and will likely show out for the game.
Michigan State and Illinois are the other 3-seeds that might have easier paths. But Virginia arguably has a tougher draw than Gonzaga.
At the end of the day, the placement is roughly in line with expectations and might even be a seed higher than some were predicting.
Staying out West could turn out to be a deciding factor. Purdue seems like a vulnerable 2-seed, and there’s potential for an Elite 8 matchup with Arizona.
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The knock on Gonzaga, however, is that they haven’t beaten any great teams this year.
Many might pick them to be upset in the Second Round, and a run deeper than the Sweet 16 would be unexpected.
BYU 6 Seed – West Region
Staying out West might be the reason BYU ends up in the Sweet 16.
The only other option was the South Region, where the winner of the 6-seed vs. 11-seed game is likely to get a matchup with Illinois.
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Instead, the Cougars get a potential showdown with Gonzaga. From an objective standpoint, Gonzaga is an easier opponent than Illinois this year.
Avoiding the South Region also prevented a potential matchup with Houston in the Sweet 16. But that’s where the good news ends.
The 6-seeds have not performed well against 11-seeds. It’s one of the most common upsets in the entire tournament.
And to make matters worse, the Cougars have to face one of the teams from the First Four, a group that’s known to make runs.
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All that without even mentioning the potential opponents: NC State or Texas. Most are surprised that the Wolfpack were forced into the First Four, and the Longhorns are capable.
It might be a trendy upset pick to have BYU losing in the First Round. But if the Cougars can avoid the stumble, they are good enough to beat Gonzaga and reach the Sweet 16.
Then, who knows?
Purdue is a tough second-weekend opponent, and BYU was swept by Arizona during the regular season.
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UCLA 7 Seed – East Region
The seeding is not as much of an issue for UCLA. It’s the region. Getting shipped off to the East was the worst-case scenario.
The Bruins have struggled outside the Pacific Time Zone and would have much preferred to be out West.
The matchup with UCF is one of the more difficult 10-seeds, too. Santa Clara would certainly have been an easier draw, and even Missouri or Texas A&M might have been preferable.
The Second-Round matchup would be even worse. Playing UConn in Philadelphia is a nightmare. If the matchup were to be played in San Diego or Portland, the Bruins would have a stronger chance.
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Donovan Dent in Big Ten Tournament | Michael Reeves/Getty Images
But facing Dan Hurley in the Eastern Time Zone is a problem. That could be where UCLA’s season comes to an end.
There may be an argument that the Bruins should have been as high as a 6-seed. UCLA has several respectable Big Ten wins over Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State.
There are some injury concerns, but that’s not enough to justify the 7-seed. And definitely not in the East bracket.
It’s hard to see UCLA getting to the Sweet 16. But if it does get passed UConn, then it’s good enough to get to the Elite 8.
Saint Mary’s 7 Seed – South Region
After losing to Santa Clara in the Semifinals of the WCC Tournament, it’s not much of a surprise to see Saint Mary’s as a 7-seed.
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There’s no doubt that avoiding the 8 or 9-seed line was a positive outcome. The opening matchup against Texas A&M is not the worst, either.
The SEC is perpetually overrated, and the Gaels are favored to win the game. The fact that the contest is in Oklahoma City does slightly favor the Aggies, though.
But looking past the first game, Houston is looming in the Round of 32.
Of all the 7-seeds, the Gaels might have the toughest path to the Sweet 16. UConn and Purdue are both more vulnerable than Kelvin Sampson’s team.
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UCLA and Miami each received more favorable draws than Saint Mary’s. Yet, that’s what happens when you don’t take care of business in a mid-major conference and have no marquee nonconference wins.
Utah State 9 Seed – West Region
The Aggies are under-seeded. The Committee messed up. Plain and simple.
The Regular Season and Tournament Champions of the Mountain West are not a 9-seed under any objective measuring stick. The Committee viewed Saint Mary’s as worthy of being two seed lines higher.
The difference shows just how little the Mountain West was respected this year. Blame that on the league’s horrible nonconference results.
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But falling to the 9-seed might be the price that was paid to stay in the West. Yet, getting matched up with Villanova was no favor.
TCU and Saint Louis both received more favorable opening round games than Utah State did. And that’s without even mentioning Arizona, the No. 2 overall seed that looms in the Round of 32.
Maybe the only positive outcome is the location of the opening round. Getting to play in San Diego should give Utah State an advantage over Villanova.
If the Aggies advance to face Arizona, it will be a different story. But the Vegas oddsmakers like USU in the First Round.
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Regardless, the Aggies should have been a 7-seed.
It’s hard to see Utah State getting to the second weekend with this much of an unfavorable draw.
Santa Clara 10 Seed – Midwest Region
Santa Clara got a good draw with a matchup against Kentucky in the First Round. The Wildcats are not the same program that they used to be, and the game might be the most common upset pick of the Tournament.
The contest is in St. Louis, which does moderately favor Kentucky. Yet, the 10-seed line is not bad considering that some were predicting that Santa Clara would end up in the First Four.
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Santa Clara basketball celebrates selection | Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group
The potential Second-Round matchup with Iowa State is a problem, though. The Cyclones have Final Four potential and won’t overlook the Broncos if they beat Kentucky.
Even so, out of all the 10-seeds, Santa Clara got one of the better draws. Kentucky is an easier opponent than UCLA or Miami. The SEC is mostly hype and the Broncos have a reasonable chance to advance to the Second Round.
Then, Santa Clara will likely need to play its best game in several years to upset Iowa State in the Round of 32.
Hawai’i 13 Seed – West Region
The Warriors received the auto-bid from the Big West in their final year in the Conference. Staying in the West region was a great outcome, even if the opening game is a tough draw.
Arkansas just won the SEC Tournament and is coached by the legendary Jim Calipari. It’s not impossible for a 13-seed to pull off an upset, but it seems unlikely considering the opponent.
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The game being in Portland helps, and there’s no doubt the crowd will be on Hawaii’s side. Yet, it’s probably a one-and-done for the Big West Champions.
If anything, it sets the stage for a successful transition to the Mountain West next season.
Cal Baptist 13 Seed – East Region
It took a miracle to get here. So why can’t the dream continue?
Cal Baptist was given a respectable 13-seed only to be pitted against a Big 12 opponent. Kansas has been up and down all season, yet the Jayhawks are a tough draw.
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KU is more talented, more athletic, and better coached. To beat them, the Lancers must hit their threes. And a lot of them.
The game being played in San Diego is certainly favorable. A Southern California team playing in Southern California against a blue blood is a recipe for an upset.
The crowd will be foaming for a Cal Baptist win.
Other than the opponent drawn, CBU was treated surprisingly respectably by the Selection Committee. Staying out West and playing 1.5 hours away from campus is a clear nod to the season the Lancers have played.
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Nobody is expecting this to be an upset, which is exactly why it might happen.
North Dakota State 14 Seed – East Region
The Bison won the Summit League Tournament and get a matchup with Michigan State in Buffalo.
The seed line is somewhat questionable after the Committee gave Cal Baptist a 13-seed and let the Lancers stay in Southern California.
NDSU won the Summit League championship | Zachary Lucy for NDSU Athletics
After winning the Summit League Regular Season and securing the auto-bid, you would have expected the Committee to show a little more respect.
But if NDSU can upset the Spartans, then a magical Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 is not out of the question.
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Both Louisville and South Florida are beatable if North Dakota State is good enough to take down MSU.
Idaho 15 Seed – South Region
Out of all the 15-seeds, Idaho received the toughest draw.
Houston is arguably the strongest 2-seed in the field, and the matchup is in Oklahoma City.
It’s very rare for this matchup to result in an upset. And it’s even less likely with Kelvin Sampson on the other bench.
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It was a magical run to win the Big Sky Tournament and make the Big Dance. But the story likely ends in the First Round.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
Head coach Andy Farrell says he will “have a conversation” with the Irish Rugby Football Union about what comes next after Ireland’s Triple Crown-winning Six Nations campaign.
Speculation about Farrell’s departure from the role he has held since 2019 rose during the tournament, with English Prem side Saracens releasing a statement to distance them from “disrespectful” reports they had offered Farrell a coaching role for after the 2027 Rugby World Cup when his Ireland deal ends.
But after the 43-21 win over Scotland which closed their Six Nations campaign on a high, focus has again turned to Farrell’s future.
And as he did before the Wales game, Farrell said he will talk to the IRFU, jokingly adding that while he would not want to step away, he would sometimes rather watch Ireland from the bar than from his coaching position.
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“We’ve already spoken about having a conversation. That won’t be too far away. So, we’ll see how that goes,” Farrell said.
“Nobody wants to give those away [days like Saturday]. I’d like to watch it though, sometimes. Walking down from the Shelbourne and doing a bit of a pub crawl, it sounds nice to me!
“The staff that we’ve got is second to none. Great people. Great at their jobs. As a coaching staff, I think we’re getting better. We’re learning about each other more. We’re getting more cohesive and getting better as well. It’s not just the players.
“You know that I love this. There’s all sorts of stuff that needs to be talked about. I’ve no doubt.”
Olympique Lyonnais could only manage a 0-0 draw on the road against Le Havre. Lyon (4th) has fallen behind Marseille (3rd) and is seeing Lille (5th) close in.
In the Premier League, Tottenham stay in the race thanks to an unexpected draw at Liverpool. France finish sixth at the Winter Paralympics. Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka won their titles at Indian Wells. Félix Lebrun makes table tennis history.
Cameron Young’s post-Players press conference was an unexpected delight. Young has always been more interesting than he’s presented outwardly — there’s humor and perspective hiding beneath the beard — but even by those standards, this was a terrific showing. The glow of victory combined with the exhaustion of four days at TPC Sawgrass was an effective combination: Young was honest, direct, thoughtful, insightful. He even grinned a couple times.
I appreciated his forthrightness on several topics, including the specific challenge of executing under the gun down the stretch at one of the hardest, most chaotic finishes in golf.
One example: Just how hard was that tee shot at No. 17? Young offered two interesting details.
“You know, it is really hard. That wind was really difficult, downwind. I just so happened to have the best number you could have possibly asked for. I felt like if I hit just a full hard sand wedge it would carry that bunker by a yard or two, and trying to hit a softer gap wedge would have been a lot more difficult.”
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It shows a certain humility when a winner has the self-awareness to credit good fortune for helping him get across the line.
Another admission: Young gave himself a pep talk before his tee shot at No. 18, tied for the lead with Matt Fitzpatrick, with death to the left and trouble to the right.
“My thought process over that ball is, one, making sure that I’m committed to my line, and two, the overarching thought is I’m going to hit the best shot of my life right here,” Young said. “I don’t know if I can think of one that’s better.”
Sure enough, he pummeled driver 375 yards down the right-center fairway — the longest drive in the recorded history of TPC Sawgrass’ 18th. (Downwind, yes. Still!) Preposterous.
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Cameron Young’s drive at the 18th is the longest hit by any player on this hole in the ShotLink era (since 2004)
“No, honestly I don’t know if I’ve ever had that thought before,” he said. If he’s in a similar situation, I’d recommend he try it.
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Young’s most vulnerable admission was perhaps his most interesting. After his playing partner — and only remaining competitor — Matthew Fitzpatrick missed his par putt at No. 18, Young suddenly had a one-foot putt to win. And he felt something sudden: sheer terror.
Just how nervous was he?
“I was really, really good until I had to make the eight-inch putt on the last hole, and I just about fell apart,” Young said. ShotLink recorded the final putt at 16 inches; we’ll split the difference and call it about a foot. Young struggled to put his ball down after re-marking it.
“I couldn’t get my line to point anywhere near the hole, and I went and hit it anyway, which maybe I shouldn’t have. But it went in, so all is well,” he said.
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Pros have talked about this before, how short putts are the nerviest shot in golf because there’s no good outcome; everyone assumes you’ll make it and it’d be a disaster if you didn’t. Plenty of pros have missed remarkably short putts in similar circumstances. Young would have had company. Still, it showed a certain self-assuredness that Young was willing to admit his fear.
And now all is well indeed. Young is golf’s newest Players Champion, the owner of 4.5 million U.S. dollars, first-time entrant to the top 10 in the world ranking (and first time into the top five, if my math checks out — we’ll see on Monday morning) and certified winner. His future on Tour is secure, at least until the PGA Tour reshapes its future; he’s exempt on Tour through 2031 and he’s exempt into all four majors for the next three years. A year ago this time Young was outside the top 50 in the world. He’s ascendant, in every sense of the word.
One more admission, then: Why doesn’t Young look happier — when he’s playing or even when he’s winning? I wasn’t crazy about this question but I appreciated Young’s answer.
“I think, honestly, if you asked my wife, she would say ‘he’s a very, very happy person.’ And I am. I mean, I love my life, I love my family, I love my job. I couldn’t ask for much more. I’m healthy. I have healthy little children.”
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I enjoyed Young’s perspective there — and his honesty in the answer that followed. I often wonder whether athletes in press conferences find their brains wandering, or racing, and end up saying things they only sort of mean. Young seemed intentional about saying things he did mean. And up front about how exhausting it was to do so.
“Now why am I not happy [right now]? I am,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know. I’m thinking to answer questions and my brain is very tired after playing that golf course for four days. It takes a lot for me to come up with a reasonable answer. But yeah, I don’t know. I think just generally you’re not going to get a ton out of me, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not, you know, very, very happy to be sitting here with this.”
 "Bruno Fernandes is well on track to break the all-time record for most assists in a single PL season")
With 11 teams from the West or aligned with conferences in the region making the Big Dance, there’s plenty to discuss.
