Aug 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speak after the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason is in full motion, evidenced by the termination of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah nine days ago. Things are changing. The club will embark on free agency in one month and the NFL draft in April. Expect three roster areas to get love and garner all the attention.
Minnesota’s offseason hinges on stabilizing the secondary and clarifying the QB room, with free agency and the draft both in play.
There is a litany of depth roster teams, as many teams encounter in February, but these are the biggies.
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Three Vikings Roster Areas Drawing Special Attention in 2026
It’s a three-horse race for Minnesota’s paramount roster need.
Arizona Cardinals defensive backs Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker go through pregame warmups in Glendale, with the scene set on Sept. 19, 2021, as Arizona prepared to face Minnesota while the duo loosened up, communicated alignments, and set coverage expectations ahead of the interconference matchup at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.
1. Safety
Who’s Under Contract in 2026:
Josh Metellus
Theo Jackson
Jay Ward
Kahlef Hailassie
The 2025 campaign might have been the end of the road for Harrison Smith, and if so, the Vikings will need an immediate replacement, mainly because Lewis Cine didn’t work out four years ago.
In theory, Brian Flores might be able to get by with Metellus, Jackson, and Ward. That just doesn’t feel likely, though. From free agency or the draft, Minnesota needs a Smith replacement if he walks away.
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It’s also worth mentioning that Smith could return one more time with Flores back in the saddle as defensive coordinator, allowing Minnesota to push the safety timeline in 2027.
SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad noted on Smith this week, “There remains no word on Smith’s plans, and that leaves the door ajar for the recently turned 38-year-old to continue playing. What could influence him? Many veterans will tell you that at the end of the season — and the few weeks that follow — that they give thought to walking away.
“This is a brutal sport, and the nearly constant in-season grind makes retirement seem attractive. Those same veterans will acknowledge that as they get into the offseason their minds drift toward what they love about the game. The camaraderie that comes from being in the locker room, the thrill of competing on game day, the ability to play a kids’ game into their 30s.”
Who the Vikings Could Target:
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Dane Belton (NYG)
Reed Blankenship (PHI)
Nick Cross (IND)
Andre Cisco (NYJ)
Alohi Gilman (BAL)
Jalen Thompson (ARI)
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Rookie, Toledo)
Dillon Thieneman (Rookie, Oregon)
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis recommended Thompson this week: “If Harrison Smith retires, safety will be one of the team’s primary needs for 2026. Thompson is similar to Mays. He’s only 27 and has played for the Arizona Cardinals since 2019. He has the smarts to man the controls for Flores’ defense, and his athleticism would help the Vikings stick with receivers on the back end.”
“There are plenty of enticing free-agent safeties. The Los Angeles Rams’ Kamren Curl feels like a perfect player for Flores’ system, but Minnesota might be priced out of a rangy ball hawk like him.”
2. Cornerback
Who’s Under Contract in 2026:
Byron Murphy Jr.
Isaiah Rodgers
Dwight McGlothern
Zemaiah Vaughn
Vikings fans have yearned for a productive young cornerback from the draft since the days of Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander — guys drafted a decade ago. In fact, various Vikings general managers have swung and missed on virtually all cornerbacks in the draft, to the tune of eight and hopefully none counting.
The purple team limped into 2025 with an extremely skimpy CB room, got away with it, and will probably take measures to get deeper at the roster spot in 2026. Remarkably, Murphy Jr. and Rodgers didn’t miss a single game in 2025.
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New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott secures a fourth-quarter interception at MetLife Stadium, with the play occurring on Oct. 9, 2025, as Flott undercut the route and took away a throw intended for Philadelphia wide receiver Jahan Dotson during a tense late-game sequence as momentum swung sharply in the final minutes. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
This one is for all the marbles. Minnesota will likely enter 2026 with McCarthy somewhere on the roster, but he’s no longer guaranteed a starter’s job “just because.”
McCarthy has played in 30% of Vikings games since joining the team in 2024. That isn’t enough. He’s officially injury-prone. And in his first season as a starter, he played about five good games, missed seven due to injury, and played poorly in the other five contests.
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. brings down Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Soldier Field, with the contact happening on Sep. 8, 2025, as Chicago’s interior pressure collapsed the pocket and ended the play during first-half action amid early drives, crowd noise, and shifting protection calls on a critical snap. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images.
Whether it’s a competition this summer or just an insurance policy, Kevin O’Connell will add a quarterback or two from this list:
Mar 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) responds to interview questions after the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Andrew Painter struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings in his major league debut as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the visiting Washington Nationals 3-2 on Tuesday.
The Phillies’ top pitching prospect, Painter (1-0) allowed one run, four hits and a walk against a Nationals team that entered the game tied for the major league lead in runs scored. Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies, who had lost three of their first four games.
Daylen Lile had three hits for Washington, which had won three of its first four contests. James Wood came up with the tying run on second and two outs in the ninth, but Brandon Marsh tracked down his liner to deep left for the final out.
Philadelphia scored a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings against Zack Littell (0-1) to stake Painter to a 3-0 lead. Jhoan Duran worked the ninth for his second save.
Giants 9, Padres 3
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Willy Adames led off the game with a homer and finished with a career-high-tying four hits to go with two RBIs and San Francisco’s offense finally exploded during a victory over host San Diego.
Jung Hoo Lee had three hits and three RBIs, and Matt Chapman (solo homer) and Rafeal Devers had two hits apiece as the Giants racked up 16 hits. Heliot Ramos drove in two runs for the Giants, who went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position while beating San Diego for the second straight night. Giants starter Logan Webb (1-1) gave up three runs and three hits over six innings.
Jackson Merrill and Miguel Andujar had RBI hits for the Padres, who have lost four of five games to start the season. German Marquez (0-1) struggled in his San Diego debut, serving up two homers while pitching just three innings. He gave up four runs and eight hits.
Yankees 5, Mariners 0
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Max Fried pitched seven innings of three-hit ball as New York blanked host Seattle, their third shutout win in five games this season.
Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as the Yankees evened the three-game series at one victory apiece. New York’s Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice each had two hits. Fried (2-0) walked one and struck out six.
Seattle’s Josh Naylor lined a single to center with two outs in the fourth inning. It was Naylor’s first hit of the season, breaking an 0-for-20 slump. The Mariners’ only other hits off Fried came in the seventh, an infield single by Julio Rodriguez and a two-out liner to right by Brendan Donovan. Logan Gilbert (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Dodgers 4, Guardians 1
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Shohei Ohtani gave up one hit over six scoreless innings in his season pitching debut and Max Muncy hit a home run as Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Cleveland.
Andy Pages collected two hits and two RBIs and Teoscar Hernandez drove in his first run of the season. Ohtani (1-0), who was placed in the No. 5 spot of the rotation to start the season as the Dodgers look to manage his pitching workload, walked three batters and struck out six.
Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-1) gave up one run on four hits over four innings after his start was in doubt because of shoulder inflammation that developed during his Opening Day outing at Seattle. Brayan Rocchio broke up the Dodgers’ shutout bid with an RBI single in the ninth.
Cardinals 3, Mets 0
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Andre Pallante and a quartet of relievers combined on a three-hit shutout for host St. Louis, which beat New York in the middle game of a three-game series.
Ivan Herrera had a two-run double in the third and Ramon Urias added a homer leading off the seventh for the Cardinals, who recorded their first shutout since last Sept. 16. Pallante (1-0) gave up all three hits over five-plus innings.
Kodai Senga took the hard-luck loss after whiffing nine over six innings. The Mets were blanked for the first time since a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins in the season finale last Sept. 28 — a defeat that eliminated New York from playoff contention.
Rangers 8, Orioles 5
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Danny Jansen hit a three-run homer for one of his three hits as Texas beat host Baltimore.
Ezequiel Duran and Corey Seager also homered for the Rangers, who have won four in a row. Rangers starter Jacob deGrom was strong through three innings, but he was charged with three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in his rescheduled start. Neck stiffness delayed his season debut from the weekend.
Pete Alonso, the Orioles’ highly acclaimed free-agent signee, smacked his first home run with his new team. Taylor Ward had four hits from Baltimore’s leadoff position, and he and Gunnar Henderson each produced a two-run double.
Pirates 8, Reds 3
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Oneil Cruz hit a pair of home runs and Ryan O’Hearn and Bryan Reynolds hit back-to-back home runs as Pittsburgh’s offense broke out during a win over host Cincinnati.
O’Hearn and Reynolds’ successive homers highlighted a five-run second inning. Cruz smacked a towering 444-foot blast in the fourth inning, and later added a two-run homer in the ninth to pad Pittsburgh’s lead after Cincinnati cut it to 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler didn’t allow a hit but issued six walks through 4 1/3 innings. The Reds were held to one hit through seven innings before Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart opened the eighth with back-to-back home runs.
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Angels 2, Cubs 0
Jose Soriano allowed two hits over six shutout innings and Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning as Los Angeles won at Chicago.
Relievers Chase Silseth, Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano followed Soriano to complete a four-hit shutout. Romano got the last two outs for his second save.
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Ian Happ saw his three-game homer streak come to an end, as he went 0-for-2 with two walks.
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Astros 9, Red Sox 2
Hunter Brown allowed one run and struck out eight in six innings to help Houston stretch its winning streak to four games by beating visiting Boston.
The only hit Brown (1-0) allowed was a Connor Wong RBI double in the fifth. Cody Bolton struck out five over the final three innings to earn his first career save.
Yordan Alvarez and Cam Smith each hit solo home runs for the Astros. Alvarez, Christian Walker and Carlos Correa each had two hits and two RBIs in the win. Ceddanne Rafaela homered for the Red Sox. Brayan Bello (0-1) yielded six runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings.
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Marlins 9, White Sox 2
Griffin Conine, Liam Hicks and Owen Caissie drove in two runs apiece as host Miami defeated Chicago.
After Janson Junk’s 4 1/3-inning start, four relievers — Andrew Nardi, Anthony Bender (1-0), Calvin Faucher and Pete Fairbanks — combined to deal eight strikeouts and hold Miami hitless over the final 4 2/3 frames.
Erick Fedde (0-1) took the loss, allowing six hits, one walk and four runs (three earned) in five innings. The White Sox, who are coming off three straight 100-loss seasons, made three errors, all on throws to the plate. Two of the miscues were charged to center fielder Luisangel Acuna.
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Athletics 5, Braves 2
Andy Ibanez and Jacob Wilson both drove in their first two runs of the season to help the Athletics earn their first victory of the year over host Atlanta.
Ibanez went 2-for-4, scored a run and drove in two. Wilson was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. A’s starter Aaron Civale (1-0), signed as a free agent in the offseason, worked five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and one walk, striking out three.
Drake Baldwin hit his third homer of the season to lead the Braves.
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Blue Jays 5, Rockies 1
Max Scherzer pitched six effective innings in the 41-year-old’s season debut and Toronto defeated visiting Colorado.
Scherzer (1-0) allowed one run, four hits and one walk while striking out four in six innings. Jesus Sanchez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes each had two hits and an RBI to help Toronto split the opening two games of the three-game series. It was the fourth win in five games for Toronto, while Colorado has dropped four of five.
Hunter Goodman hit a solo home run for the Rockies. TJ Rumfield added three hits. Colorado starter Ryan Feltner retired his first eight batters before Andres Gimenez lined an infield single off his right hip with two outs in the third. Feltner finished the inning with a walk and groundout but did not return for the fourth because of a contusion in the hip area. He allowed no runs, one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in three innings.
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Brewers 6, Rays 2
Gary Sanchez and Jake Bauers homered and Brandon Woodruff pitched five effective innings in his season debut, pacing Milwaukee past visiting Tampa Bay.
The result spoiled the first appearance for Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan in 972 days. McClanahan, who was back on a major league mound for the first time since Aug. 2, 2023, allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three in a 79-pitch outing.
Woodruff (1-0), who sustained a season-ending lat injury in late September that kept him out of the playoffs, allowed two solo homers and four hits while striking out six without a walk. Woodruff also missed all of 2024 following shoulder surgery.
Bjorn Baker has the durable sprinter Overpass, unlikely to chase a third Quokka success out West, meticulously readied for his seasonal bow as a seven-year-old gelding.
Overpass instead lines up for a third bid in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) come Saturday at Randwick, after fifth to Nature Strip in 2022 and second to Briasa in the previous edition.
His first-up ledger stands impressively at 4 wins with 4 further placings across 10 goes, prompting Baker to apply rigorous measures for the seasoned Vancouver gelding whose prizemoney exceeds $12 million.
Two powerful trials have been administered to Overpass, culminating in a 1050m hit-out on March 27th ridden hands and heels, aimed at peaking him for the $3 million spectacle.
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“He’s in really good order. As we know, he’s great first-up,” Baker said.
“The track definitely didn’t suit him in that trial, but Josh says he’s going as well as ever.
“We’re just mindful as he gets older, a bit stronger and bigger every preparation, we’ve got to make sure he’s that little bit fitter and we do that touch more.
“He’s had a couple of good trials, a gallop away from home. We’ll give him an easy gallop on Tuesday and into the T J.”
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This season’s Australian sprint division lacks a standout star, leaving Baker optimistic of claiming the TJ Smith should Randwick firm for Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ under expected warm spells.
“The firmer the track, probably the better, but he can get through a softish track as well,” Baker said.
“If you look at his first-up runs in recent campaigns, he was a very good fourth in the Everest. In the T J Smith last year he was second first-up as well.”
The stable of Bjorn Baker extends to the card’s other trio of Group 1s, with Green Spaces eyeing the Australian Derby, Pericles the Futurity Stakes winner in the Doncaster Mile, plus Paradoxium tackling the Inglis Sires.
The 2026 Valero Texas Open begins Thursday, April 2, with the opening round at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course in Texas. You can find full Valero Texas Open tee times for Thursday’s first round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 1
Popular veteran Rickie Fowler has only one thing on his mind heading into the Valero Texas Open: winning.
Beyond capping off a resurgent start to the 2026 season, a victory this week would accomplish two important things for Fowler.
First, it would break a nearly three-year win drought and give Fowler seven career PGA Tour victories. But perhaps just as importanly, it would earn him a spot in next week’s Masters, where he’d make his first start since 2024.
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But the same is true for most of the field at the Valero Texas Open, so Fowler won’t be the only one hoping to translate a Texas Open victory into tee times at Augusta National.
You can watch Thursday’s first round of the 2026 Valero Texas Open from 4-7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. ET in addition to featured group coverage.
Check out the complete Round 1 tee times and groupings for the Valero Texas Open below.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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2026 Valero Texas Open tee times for Thursday: Round 1 (ET)
Tee No. 1
8:30 a.m. – Lanto Griffin, Kevin Streelman, Max McGreevy 8:42 a.m. – Nick Hardy, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Austin Smotherman 8:54 a.m. – Taylor Moore, Sam Ryder, Bronson Burgoon 9:06 a.m. – William Mouw, J.T. Poston, Lucas Glover 9:18 a.m. – Sami Valimaki, Webb Simpson, Charley Hoffman 9:30 a.m. – Adam Schenk, Matt Kuchar, Alex Noren 9:42 a.m. – Joe Highsmith, Davis Thompson, Ryo Hisatsune 9:54 a.m. – Rafael Campos, Emiliano Grillo, Rico Hoey 10:06 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Peter Malnati, Doug Ghim 10:18 a.m. – David Ford, Neal Shipley, Davis Chatfield 10:30 a.m. – Frankie Capan III, Luke Clanton, Austin Wylie 1:30 p.m. – Tom Kim, Lee Hodges, Alex Smalley 1:42 p.m. – Matt Wallace, Tom Hoge, Carson Young 1:54 p.m. – Erik van Rooyen, K.H. Lee, Eric Cole 2:06 p.m. – Ludvig Åberg, Robert MacIntyre, Jordan Spieth 2:18 p.m. – Sepp Straka, Brian Harman, Billy Horschel 2:30 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Stephan Jaeger 2:42 p.m. – Mark Hubbard, Kevin Roy, Danny Walker 2:54 p.m. – Matthieu Pavon, Denny McCarthy, Johnny Keefer 3:06 p.m. – Kensei Hirata, Adrien Saddier, Paul Waring 3:18 p.m. – Pontus Nyholm, Marcelo Rozo, Charlie Crockett 3:30 p.m. – Jimmy Stanger, A.J. Ewart, John VanDerLaan
Tee No. 10
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8:30 a.m. – Ryan Palmer, Dylan Wu, Mac Meissner 8:42 a.m. – Joel Dahmen, Bud Cauley, Chandler Phillips 8:54 a.m. – Will Zalatoris, Patrick Rodgers, S.H. Kim 9:06 a.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler 9:18 a.m. – Maverick McNealy, Tony Finau, Max Homa 9:30 a.m. – Si Woo Kim, Michael Thorbjornsen, Marco Penge 9:42 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Garrick Higgo, Sudarshan Yellamaraju 9:54 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Adam Svensson, Thorbjørn Olesen 10:06 a.m. – Seamus Power, Michael Kim, Vince Whaley 10:18 a.m. – Kris Ventura, Chandler Blanchet, Zach Bauchou 10:30 a.m. – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Dan Brown, Christo Lamprecht 1:30 p.m. – Brendon Todd, Jimmy Walker, Hank Lebioda 1:42 p.m. – Camilo Villegas, Takumi Kanaya, Kristoffer Reitan 1:54 p.m. – Nick Dunlap, Andrew Putnam, Justin Lower 2:06 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, Jhonattan Vegas, Brandt Snedeker 2:18 p.m. – Nick Taylor, Matt McCarty, Kevin Yu 2:30 p.m. – Steven Fisk, Karl Vilips, Chris Kirk 2:42 p.m. – Mackenzie Hughes, Chad Ramey, Beau Hossler 2:54 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Keith Mitchell, Jordan Smith 3:06 p.m. – Zecheng Dou, Jackson Suber, Gordon Sargent 3:18 p.m. – Patrick Fishburn, Alejandro Tosti, Jesper Svensson 3:30 p.m. – Haotong Li, John Parry, Jeffrey Kang
Welcome to Fully Fit 2026, GOLF’s new platform for providing you with real-golfer insights into what 2026 gear might be best suited for your game. To this end, we assembled six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and ran them through the gauntlet of six full-bag fittings (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. Our hope: that you might see shades of your own game in one of our panelists’ and take some learnings and inspiration from their fitting experiences. In this installment (below), Jack Hirsh details the one club he can’t live without from Fully Fit 2026, his Cobra 3DP MB 5-iron. You may browse each of our panelists’ full 2026 dream bags here:
If I was shocked by one thing during my Fully Fit 2026 journey, it’s how easy this muscle back 5-iron could be to hit.
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Long irons and I have always had a love-hate relationship.
I’ve hit some incredible shots with them. You know the ones that launch high off the face and rocket into the air directly on line before gently rolling over to the left as they fall back to earth, landing gracefully on the green and releasing toward the pin? Bliss.
But even when I play some of my best golf, long-iron shots can still give me the most trouble. Despite finishing runner-up in my club championship this past summer, the multiple 200-plus-yard par-3s at my club often left me feeling like I couldn’t get a shot airborne. Thank god for match play — but still, I bowed out of the final match after pulling a 5-iron 25 yards left on one of those par-3s.
And that was with an iron set that included a larger and more forgiving 5-iron.
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Fast forward to the start of 2026 and now I have a 5-iron — a Cobra 3DP MB — I can stand over and be truly confident that I’ll hit it flush, exactly how I want to. The surprising twist? It looks nothing like the 5-iron I thought would be my solution.
How I ended up in an MB 5-iron
Heading to Cobra’s fitting day for Fully Fit 2026, I had expected to find a set of the new 3DP MB and Tour irons that would be best for my game.
I just didn’t think the long irons would wow me so much.
At first, the new muscle back intimidated me. I’ve never played blades seriously before. Surely I was going to skull or, worse yet, present the hosel, with these compact irons. But I was shocked by how easy they were to hit. That’s owed to the unique 3D-printed construction of the 3DP MB, which you can read more about here.
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I compare the feeling to hitting a mini driver off the deck for the first time. It seemed like I was about to drive the ball into the ground, but the soles on modern mini drivers make them almost as easy as a 3-wood to hit from the deck.
Working with Cobra fitter Andrew Lusty, we started with the 7-iron, as most iron fittings do, and it didn’t take us long to see how effortlessly I could hit the new 3DP MB while getting similar numbers to my gamer. We also dialed in a shaft change and a flatter lie angle that has virtually eliminated the left side of the golf course for me.
Still, as small as the 3DP MBs look to me, I couldn’t wrap my head around playing the line’s long irons.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
That’s when Andrew offered me stock 4- and 5-irons to hit to see if I could hit the intended ball speeds. These were softer and shorter shafts than what I’m spec’d for, but the idea is if you can hit designated ball speeds and peak height windows with stock setups, you should easily be able to with the proper specs.
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I was shocked when it took me just one swing to flush the stock MB 5-iron: 141 mph, 110 feet in the air. Exactly the numbers we were looking for.
We broke the set with the 4-iron because I was only able to muster around 141-143 mph out of the MB 4-iron, short of the required 5 mph ball-speed gap. Past the 5-iron was clearly my point of diminishing returns. Switching to the 3DP Tour 4-iron, the feeling of effortlessness returned.
The 3DP MB iron combines the looks and feel of a traditional forged muscle back with the forgiveness of a cavity back iron. The most forgiving blade on the market, the MB has captivated Tour players by checking all the boxes and exceeding expectations with its exceptional stability and feel.
FORGIVING MUSCLE BACK BLADE SHAPE
A slightly revised shape from the KING MB inspired by feedback from PGA Tour player Max Homa, the MB features a thinned topline and enhanced offset. The internal 3D printed lattice and heel, toe and hosel tungsten increases MOI for stability, and positions the CG perfectly centered and lower than the KING MB to promote higher launch.
EXTREME FORGIVENESS MEETS SOFT FEEL
The 3D printed internal lattice structure not only optimizes weight savings, but also provides the stiffness and strength to support the face and fine-tune the acoustics of each iron to produce the most appealing impact sound and feel.
TUNGSTEN WEIGHTING
The discretionary weight savings from the 3D printed lattice allowed for up to 55g of tungsten to be positioned low in the heel, toe and hosel resulting in the perfect blend of a compact blade shape with a low CG and high MOI that mirrors a game improvement iron.
While I had hoped to have played more golf by this point in the year, I’ve hit enough shots to know how much of a game-changer this 5-iron is.
During indoor testing, I hit 8 shots with the 5-iron and recorded a 3.7-yard carry standard deviation with an average carry of 204.5 yards. That basically means my 5-iron is like a pitching wedge, but from 205 yards.
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Knowing that is confidence-inspiring, but the ease with which I can still work the ball up, down, left or right has really proved the club’s worth.
My goal with long irons is to make sure I’m just not losing strokes, but with this MB 5-iron, I feel like I finally have a weapon with which I can attack greens from 200 yards.
Trainer Glen Thompson from Flemington expects Benagil’s suitability to 2000m to spark a sharper display at Caulfield.
This Saturday’s Group 3 Easter Cup will be the mare’s fourth race back from rest.
Thompson recalled Benagil taking out a 2000m Group 1 contest as a three-year-old, and securing two Group 1 minor placings—at 2000m and 2200m.
Over 2000m most recently, she was well-beaten into last place by Via Sistina in the Champions Stakes at Flemington last spring.
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The track was notably heavy, occurring as her season wrapped up.
Three starts into the current campaign without a placing, yet Thompson is content with Benagil’s work.
Her freshest run was eighth to Treasurethe Moment in the 1600m Sunline Stakes at Caulfield, March 21.
“She’s going really well,” Thompson said.
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“Her first run, she wasn’t ready, then in her second run she was a little plain.
“I thought her run the other day was great. Her sectionals were the second fastest of the race where she was back last and ran on.
“She won at the 2000 metres in the Australasian Oaks (at Morphettville), and she got to 2200 metres, running third in the Queensland Oaks.
“I’m thinking getting her back up to 2000 metres, we’ll see an improved run from her.”
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Down the line, Thompson keeps options open for Queensland’s Winter Carnival, though after Saturday’s Easter Cup, attention turns to the April 18 Mornington Cup (2400m).
“At this stage she’ll go Easter Cup, Mornington Cup, and if she can win that, then she can go to the paddock and get ready for the spring,” Thompson said.
“It will then all be about one race for her.”
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Visit trusted betting sites to check out the best markets for the Easter Cup.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his annual SP+ rankings as Spring Practice gets underway across the country.
The Pac-12 got a great piece of news heading into its first full year.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I look at the pending quarterback battles in Chapel Hill (UNC) and Tempe (ASU).
Will the Sun Devils’ long-term outlook be as good as it seems for Kenny Dillingham?
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Tulane made the 12-team Playoff last year and lost Jon Sumrall to Florida.
Is Will Hall the right hire to keep the Green Wave in the national CFP landscape?
00:00 Pac-12 ranked best by metrics 04:17 Conference rankings and coaching impacts 07:05 Mountain West team rankings 14:38 Quarterback struggles and transfers 19:50 Arizona State quarterback depth plan 23:49 Tulane’s playoff chances 28:26 Tulane’s football program outlook
Nigeria are set to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in dramatic fashion, despite Democratic Republic of the Congo securing a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off final.
DR Congo had ended a 52-year wait for World Cup qualification after Axel Tuanzebe scored the winning goal in extra time. However, that result may now be overturned following an expected decision from FIFA.
Reports suggest that fresh evidence has emerged regarding the use of ineligible players by DR Congo during the CAF play-off stage.
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The development is linked to recent changes within Confederation of African Football, where a former secretary general from Congo resigned and was replaced by a Nigerian official. The new leadership reportedly made key documents available to the Nigeria Football Federation.
FIFA is said to be reviewing the documents, which are believed to provide strong proof in the case. A final decision is expected today, April 1 2026 and it would see Nigeria take DR Congo’s place at the World Cup.
Thank you for reading to the end. This report is powered by April Fools Day. NO 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP FOR THE SUPER EAGLES.
ATLANTA – Eighteen months and 24 matches after Mauricio Pochettino was named the head coach of the U.S. men’s national team, the group is now barrelling towards the looming deadline that is the much-anticipated World Cup ahead of what many hope will be a groundbreaking showing on home soil.
Pochettino’s stamp on the team has become increasingly clear by the game, even as he conducted a rigorous experimentation period. Scores of players have earned caps under the head coach, many breaking into a core group and giving the team a new look in the process. Pochettino has also introduced a variety of tactical styles, spending last fall working with three center backs before transitioning back to a four-person defense in March’s matches against Belgium and Portugal. By the time the World Cup approaches, the team will have a tactical variety that should, theoretically, position them to solve a wide range of problems.
With less than two months to go until Pochettino names his World Cup roster, questions of which players will make the cut are natural. They are not the only uncertainties, though, as the World Cup rapidly approaches — his team still does not look like the finished product, perhaps because Pochettino has insisted on trying as many things as possible before this summer’s tournament actually begins.
Here’s a look at the questions that went unanswered in the U.S.’ defeats to Belgium and Portugal in March.
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Are the USMNT error-prone in defense?
The USMNT have made tangible progress under Pochettino, most notably as a more dynamic team in attack with an emphasis on a high press and offense-minded wide players. They have done this while problems in the back persist, issues that were magnified in a 5-2 loss to Belgium on Saturday and a 2-0 defeat to Portugal on Tuesday. They have not kept a clean sheet since a 2-0 win over Japan in September and have just one in their last 12 matches.
The errors themselves are wide-ranging but ultimately costly, likely the result of several contributing factors. The USMNT are generally better with Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson on the pitch, though Pochettino said Tuesday that substitutions made in high volume sometimes lead to confusion. Other times, though, their attack-minded approach proves costly and gets in the way of their intentions.
“[We need to figure] out the little things that we can do that doesn’t leave us exposed in some situations if we do lose the ball,” Weston McKennie said post-match on Tuesday, “but also just having the confidence to finish the chances that we have early on because I do think our type of game that we play is very energetic and more high press but we want to be structured. If we’re not finishing chances, we want to be able to hold the game to a 0-0 type thing and not allow the opponents to score.”
Pochettino will need to strike a perfect balance between personnel and strategy to actually tighten things up in the back, maintaining his argument that the pre-World Cup training camp will provide the continuity he needs to actually drill his points home.
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Can Christian Pulisic return to goalscoring form?
Christian Pulisic may have started the season in scintillating form with AC Milan, but the goalscorer’s goals have dried up in recent months, raising questions about his confidence heading into the World Cup. He has not scored for Milan since Dec. 28, and his last goal for the USMNT came in Nov. 2024, the 27-year-old is set to enter the pre-World Cup training camp 18 months after the fact. Pulisic has grown increasingly frustrated as he waits for his next goal, a dry spell not uncommon amongst attackers but ill-timed with the World Cup less than three months away.
His form did not necessarily justify a start against Portugal, but Pochettino was intent on giving Pulisic minutes, hoping the time on the pitch would end the rut. The head coach even tinkered with the lineup to assist Pulisic as he attempted to end his goalscoring drought, pushing him closer to goal and playing him as a No. 9, a strategy that saw the forward take three shots and generate 0.27 expected goals in 45 minutes.
“I think he was very active and I think he [did] a good job,” Pochettino said. “I think he was involved in too many actions. Unlucky, a shame a little bit that he didn’t score with the opportunity that he has. It’s normal … Yes, he feels frustrated, but that is what we want, what we expect, but he was fighting, he was committed in the phases that we demand more, and then with the ball, he’s going to score because he has the quality. I am sure that he is going to come back to his club and in the moment he scores, he’s going to start to score again.”
If the problem persists, though, it is worth asking if Pulisic runs the risk of being dropped from the starting lineup for important World Cup games. For the first time in a long time, the U.S. have actual depth in terms of goal scorers — Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are amongst the in-form players, while fringe players like Haji Wright and Patrick Agyemang will likely duke it out for a single spot in a nailbiter of a competition to make the World Cup squad. McKennie, too, has a newfound goalscoring ability that his coaches at club and country seem eager to exploit. Pulisic may still be the brightest of the bunch, but if the U.S. are in real need of goals and results this summer, Pochettino has no shortage of options available to him, and perhaps the platform to make a tough decision or two along the way.
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How many fringe players made their case in March?
The USMNT’s March friendlies were not exactly anything to write home about, in large part because there were opportunities for fringe players to make their case while more seasoned players missed out through injury. The results were mixed at best, only reinforcing the idea that the U.S. are one team with their mainstays, but a different one without.
Pepi was a likely World Cup participant, but left no doubt after playing an important role in Agyemang’s late goal against Belgium, while Agyemang joined him in impressing with some energy after it had otherwise been sucked out of the team. Johnny Cardoso, meanwhile, was effective in 45 minutes on Saturday and seems like the primary understudy to the oft-injured Tyler Adams. After that, the picture gets murkier.
Several of these players may still make the cut for the World Cup, but failed to make much of an impact in the March friendlies. Tanner Tessman, for example, was far from his best against Belgium despite using his experience as a center back at Lyon in a rare shift in that position with the national team, though Pochettino continues to value his versatility and soccer IQ. Center back Auston Trusty was solid against Portugal, but other players may have fallen behind in the depth chart. Joe Scally and Gio Reyna only played around a half hour each through two games, while Aidan Morris did not do enough to avoid the risk of missing a World Cup spot if Adams is fit.
USMNT’s World Cup timeline
Pre-tournament
May 26: roster reveal event in New York
May 27: World Cup training camp opens at the National Training Center in Fayetteville, Ga.
May 31: friendly against Senegal at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
June 6: friendly against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago
Group stage schedule
June 12: USMNT vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
June 19: USMNT vs. Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle
June 26: Turkiye vs. USMNT at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Golf star Tiger Woods said on Tuesday that he was stepping away to seek treatment and focus on his health after he was arrested on charges of driving under influence (DUI) following his rollover car crash in Florida last week.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” he said in a statement published on social media platform X.
“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
Tiger Woods pleads not guilty
Woods was driving his Land Rover last Friday when it clipped a pickup truck and rolled over on its side near his Jupiter Island home.
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No injuries were reported in the incident but the 50-year-old golfer was forced to exit his vehicle from the passenger’s side door.
Officers at the scene assessed him to be impaired and found two opioid pain pills in his pocket.
Woods was charged with suspicion of misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test.
He did not submit to urine tests after a breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system.
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He was released on bail later that night.
Earlier on Tuesday, the online court docket for Martin County showed that Woods had entered a written plea of not guilty and was planning to waive his April 23 arraignment hearing.
Woods is a 15-time major champion and is touted as the greatest golfer of his generation.
Woods was driving his Land Rover last Friday when it clipped a pickup truck and rolled over on its side near his Jupiter Island homeImage: Martin County Sheriff’s Office/dpa/picture alliance
No Masters for Tiger Woods — again
Woods’ decision to take time away means he would miss the Masters — where is a five-time champion — for a second consecutive year.
Fans were hoping to see the pro-golfer tee it up at the tournament taking place from April 9 to 12.
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Last week saw Woods making a return to competitive golf at the indoor TGL Finals, which combines elements of simulated golf with traditional play.
Woods said in his Tuesday statement that he was committed to taking the time needed to return in a “healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally.”
This would be the second time the golfer has taken a leave of absence after a car crash.
In 2009, his car rammed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando. He then announced a break to work on being a better person.
During his field sobriety test on Friday, officers noticed Woods — who had compression sock over his right knee — limping, an accident report from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Woods explained he had undergone over 20 surgeries on his right leg and his ankle seizes up while walking, the report said.
As per the report, Woods told authorities that he was looking down at his phone and switching radio stations and did not realize the truck in front of him had slowed down.
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Authorities also said that he was observed to be lethargic, slow, “sweating profusely,” with bloodshot eyes, pupils that were “extremely dilated” and was hiccuping during questioning.
Italy made heartbreaking history on Tuesday night, as they missed their third straight World Cup bid following a loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Italy is now the first World Cup-winning team to miss three consecutive tournaments following the penalty-kick shootout loss in the European playoffs.
The nation was once a soccer powerhouse, winning it all four times with its most recent in 2006. But recent years have not been kind to the Italian squad, and they were feeling the pain of the loss after the match.
Pio Esposito of Italy disappointment during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.(Image Photo Agency)
“We still don’t believe it – that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy’s Leonardo Spinazzola said to reporters, per the New York Post. “It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
After 90 minutes and extra time, both nations were stuck in a 1-1 tie, and the penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner. Italy eventually fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 4-1, in the shootout, as Esmir Bajraktarevic secured the victory with the final goal.
It didn’t help that Italy was playing with just 10 men on the field after Alessandro Bastoni received a red card before halftime. Bosnia and Herzegovina used the man advantage to tie the game in the 79th minute, as Haris Tabakovic scored the equalizer.
Italy’s defender Alessandro Bastoni receives a red card from the referee during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification final football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026.(Elvis BARUKCIC / AFP)
Moise Kean was able to strike first for Italy in the 15th minute, giving them the momentum they were searching for coming into the match. However, they were never able to rally in the end.
While Italy remains one of only three nations to ever win the World Cup four times in history, they can’t seem to find what it takes to get to the tournament.
In 2018, Italy fell at the hands of Sweden, while North Macedonia shocked them in 2022 in the qualifiers.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.(Srdjan Stevanovic – UEFA)
Now, Bosnia and Herzegovina will try their luck in Group B when the World Cup kicks off, starting with a match against Canada. They will also face Qatar and Switzerland in the group stage.
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Tulane made the 12-team Playoff last year and lost Jon Sumrall to Florida. 
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