Over the course of World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player’s legendary career, few places have held more importance than Augusta National. And few tournaments have been more special than the Masters.
But this week, Player, a three-time Masters champion and longtime honorary starter, offered a rare public criticism of the club. The criticism, leveled in an interview with Golf Monthly, arose from Augusta National’s alleged rejection of Player’s request to play a round with his grandsons at the historic course.
Here’s what you need to know.
Gary Player criticizes Augusta National over round with grandsons: ‘They won’t do it’
Player, 90, captured nine major titles in his career, including three Masters wins in 1961, 1974 and 1978. He, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were known as the “Big Three” pro golfers of their era, all making their mark at Augusta.
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Beginning in 2012, Player joined Palmer and Nicklaus as honorary starters at the Masters, a tournament he has played more than anyone else. He maintains that role to this day.
But unlike Palmer and Nicklaus, Player was never granted membership at Augusta National. While his past champion status allows him the privilege to play Augusta, because he is not a member he is not allowed to bring guests to play alongside him.
And that’s the source of Player’s animosity toward the club, which he explained in his Golf Monthly interview.
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“I have been an ambassador for Augusta for all these years, yet they won’t let me have one round of golf in my life with my three grandsons,” Player lamented. “My grandsons are dying to know about their grandfather’s episodes on that golf course.”
He continued by claiming any other major championship host course would have accepted Player’s request, but Augusta rejected him, blaming the decision on the club’s “current management.”
“All the golf courses that have hosted the Open [Championship], the U.S. Open and the PGA [Championship] would oblige, but they won’t do it at Augusta,” Player argued. “It is just this current management there, but these are the times we live in and I accept it, but I accept it with sadness.”
Player went on to sing the praises of Augusta National co-founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, as well as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a notable member of the club, arguing they set the foundation for what the club became.
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He continued by claiming that he, Palmer and Nicklaus then “made Augusta” with their inspired play at the Masters in the 60s and 70s.
“[Jones, Roberts and Eisenhower], they basically made Augusta. Then Arnold [Palmer], Jack [Nicklaus] and I came along and we fought it out every year, and then we made Augusta thanks to the coverage and publicity we generated around the Masters, whether the club likes to admit it or not. They won’t admit it, but we made Augusta.”
Gary Player’s history of controversy at Augusta National
This is not the first time Player has complained about his lack of privileges at Augusta National.
“A lot of people assume that I have those privileges, but they’re wrong. If I want to play a practice round with friends, I can’t just call the pro shop and make those arrangements,” Player said at the time.
To play with a guest, he needs to find a full-fledged Augusta National member to host, a project he claimed was “not easy.”
When asked to rate the four men’s majors in order of importance earlier in 2023, Player said “never mind the Masters” and ranked it last.
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“I rate the Open [Championship] at one, the U.S. Open two, PGA [Championship] three and Augusta four; Four marvelous tournaments,” Player told the UK Daily Mail.
At the 2021 Masters, Player’s son Wayne got in hot water for an impromptu golf ball advertisement during a ceremony honoring Lee Elder. Wayne was reportedly banned from Augusta National for life over the incident.
United States’ Nosthush Kenjige celebrates the wicket of Netherlands’ Michael Levitt during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Netherlands and United States in Chennai, India, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP)
The United States secured a 93-run win over the Netherlands in a group-stage match of the T20 World Cup on Friday, riding on Saiteja Mukkamalla’s 79 and a four-wicket spell from former India U-19 cricketer Harmeet Singh. It was USA’s first T20I victory against the Netherlands.Mukkamalla’s 51-ball 79 anchored the innings as USA posted 196 for 6 in 20 overs. Shubham Ranjane contributed 48 not out from 24 balls to push the total close to 200.
‘We weren’t good enough,’ says Australia’s Matt Renshaw after 23-run defeat to Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup
In reply, the Netherlands were bowled out for 103 in 15.5 overs. Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh returned figures of 4 for 21, the best by a USA bowler in a T20 World Cup match.Harmeet did not extract sharp turn but benefited from errors by the batters. Opener Max O’Dowd (13) and all-rounder Bas de Leede (23) were dismissed off short deliveries that were hit to fielders. He also bowled a flat delivery that beat captain Scott Edwards and another straight ball that trapped Roelof de Merwe lbw.Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige accounted for Michael Levitt with a ball that stayed low.Chasing on a surface that slowed as the match progressed, the Netherlands did not build partnerships and fell well short of the target.Earlier, Mukkamalla set the platform with his 79. He shared a 55-run stand for the second wicket with captain Monank Patel (36) and added 54 for the fourth wicket with Ranjane.Mukkamalla, who trained at the academy run by VVS Laxman in Hyderabad, struck five fours and four sixes. He scored freely through the off side, including shots over cover.Ranjane attacked in the closing overs and handled the short-ball approach used by the Netherlands bowlers. He hit Roelof van der Merwe for a straight six and pulled both Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek.At one stage, with Mukkamalla and Ranjane at the crease, USA were positioned for a total beyond 200. However, van Beek and de Leede varied their pace on the Chepauk surface to restrict further damage.Bas de Leede, son of former Netherlands seamer Tim de Leede, finished with figures of 3 for 37.
Serena Williams back in training after Super Bowl Ad
Serena Williams has responded to criticism surrounding her Super Bowl commercial by sharing a training clip on social media, showing her practising pole fitness.
The 44 years old appeared in an advert aired during Super Bowl LX, promoting a weight management service from telehealth company Ro. The commercial drew mixed reactions online, with some fans criticising the former tennis champion for endorsing weight loss medication.
Days later, Williams posted a short video on Instagram Stories, captioning it, “I’m back to training on my two favourite devices.”
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Williams has previously spoken about changes to her body following childbirth and life after professional tennis. She retired from the sport in 2022 as a 23 time Grand Slam singles champion and remains one of the most influential figures in women’s sport.
While the advert sparked discussion across social media, Williams has not directly addressed the criticism beyond continuing to share aspects of her training and lifestyle.
Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks on before the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Sam Darnold just completed the ultimate reclamation this past weekend, winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
It’s a far cry from where his career stood just a couple years ago when he was mostly known for “seeing ghosts” with the New York Jets before becoming a primary backup QB for both the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.
Now, after starting his comeback with the Minnesota Vikings last season with a 14-3 record and a playoff berth, Darnold is now standing on the football mountaintop. But could there be other QBs set to follow a similar trajectory in the next few years?
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Mac Jones
Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Mac Jones feels like the most obvious choice of this bunch right now. He is heading into free agency this offseason after spending a season with the San Francisco 49ers; the exact position Darnold was in before he headed to Minnesota.
After being selected with the 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones had one solid season with the New England Patriots, which just so happened to be his rookie year. Since then, Jones has not surpassed thresholds of 3000 yards or 20 touchdowns in a season.
However, we may have seen a bit of a turning point with Jones with the 49ers this year. In eight starts, San Francisco went 5-3, and he completed a career high 69.6% of his passes while averaging nearly 269 passing yards per game in those starts. Stretched to 17 games, that pace would have given him about 4571 yards, which would have ranked second in the NFL behind only MVP Matthew Stafford.
Now Jones is set to hit free agency to try and get a full-time starting job somewhere. If he lands in a competent organization with a solid structure in place, he could easily be the next QB to follow the Darnold path.
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Tua Tagovailoa
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) takes the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Miami Dolphins seem to be on the verge of giving up on Tua Tagovailoa after another losing season in which the offense scuffled mightily. Or, maybe new faces on the coaching staff could be what Tua needs to revive his career with the Dolphins.
There certainly is talent within Tua, especially when we think back to that 2023 campaign in which he led then NFL with 4624 passing yards, threw 29 touchdowns, and completed 69.3% of his passes while leading Miami to a playoff berth.
It’s been a long fall since that point, and in 2025, he was benched for Quinn Ewers.
The problem with projecting a ton of success with Tua moving forward is his concussion history. The QB managed to stay clean in 2025, but he has suffered at least four documented concussions to this point in his career. If he is able to stay injury free moving forward, there is a decent chance that he can put together strong football seasons either in Miami or elsewhere, but that is no guarantee at this point.
Zach Wilson
Jul 29, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson (0) throws the football during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The ties between Darnold and Zach Wilson are undeniable. Both were top five picks by the New York Jets, and both were stuck with a franchise that offered little to no support. Furthermore, Wilson was brought in immediately after the Jets decided they were done with Darnold.
After three failed seasons with the Jets, Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in the spring of 2024 where he spent the season as a backup in Sean Payton’s offense behind Bo Nix. He was then released last spring and signed by the Miami Dolphins.
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Now, Wilson is hitting free agency for the second straight year looking to find his chance to get real reps at the NFL level again. Perhaps two years of being able to sit back and learn have him in a better head space than he was in while with the Jets.
Malik Willis
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) on the sideline following an injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Ravens defeated the Packers 41-24. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
There’s been some growing hype around Malik Willis’ future in 2026 after filling in for a game against the Chicago Bears and starting against the Baltimore Ravens.
It was for good reason as the former 2022 third-round pick put together some very strong games in those two weeks, completing a ridiculous 27-of-32 passes while throwing for 409 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. He also added 19 carries for 104 additional yards and two rushing touchdowns.
That came after a 2024 campaign in which he started two games and played a chunk of the Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears. He was equally sniper-esque with his passing, completing 74.1% of his passes during the year for 550 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also added 20 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Willis comes from a 2022 QB class that is remembered as being one of the worst over the past decade, but maybe he can glimmer of hope that someone from that year’s draft can remain a solid starter after a failed stint with the Tennessee Titans.
Elite rider James McDonald succeeded in reducing his whip breach penalty through an appeal process, making him available for the Silver Slipper program at Rosehill.
Racing NSW authorities imposed a 10-day suspension and $20,000 fine on McDonald due to whip overuse riding the Chris Waller runner Fireball in the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) from Randwick on Saturday.
Rulings showed nine whip uses prior to the 100m, four over the Australian Rules of Racing cap, amounting to 20 in all.
The jockey conveyed his dismay at the sanction during the stewards’ hearing that day, deeming it “harsh”, and then pursued an appeal before the Racing NSW Appeals Panel on Wednesday.
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The proceeding took under two hours, as stewards highlighted the fault with an unseasoned, young horse.
Upon weighing the evidence, the Panel lowered the ban from 10 to six days while doubling the fine to $40,000.
The season’s premier Sydney jockey gets to ride in the vital Silver Slipper and Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill on February 21, with no Saturday metropolitan meetings lost.
Michael Carrick has thrived with Manchester United since stepping up as head coach on an interim basis in January, but the Reds could find it tricky to land him permanently come the end of the season
To date, Carrick is unbeaten at the helm of the United first-team, thanks to convincing wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Spurs, as well as a 1-1 draw with West Ham on Tuesday evening. As a result of his flying form, there is speculation that United could opt to offer the head coach a permanent role this summer.
However, they could face competition from Spurs for Carrick’s signature, if recent reports are anything to go by. Thomas Frank was handed his walking papers from the club on Wednesday morning after a disastrous eight-month stint in north London.
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After going eight Premier League matches without a win, leaving Tottenham languishing in 16th in the standings and facing a growing chance of relegation, the Spurs board decided on a change of direction.
While there was speculation that the club would appoint a permanent manager to take up tenure ahead of next weekend’s North London Derby, it now appears that the once dominant force are following in the footsteps of United.
Reports suggest that former Juventus boss, Igor Tudor, will arrive in the capital to steer the ship until season’s end on an interim basis, when Spurs will also consider their options going forward.
The Athletic also claim that the 47-year-old may not have the option to take up a permanent role this summer.
Instead, TEAMtalk report that Spurs could eye up the prospect of securing Carrick’s services this summer, with further suggestions that the club considered taking a gamble with the former Middlesbrough manager ahead of their appointment of Frank.
It comes as a number of experienced names have been linked with taking up a role at United this summer, from Oliver Glasner and Gareth Southgate to the likes of Luis Enrique and Andoni Iraola.
Carrick, meanwhile, has also emerged as a candidate to extend his own stay at Old Trafford, dependent on how he fares over the next 12 matches. However, the Reds have been dealt a couple of hammer blows in terms of managers ruling themselves out of the running as of late.
Roberto De Zerbi has also found himself linked with Spurs after leaving his post with Marseille the same day Frank was sacked. There’s no doubt that Carrick will not be focused on the outside noise, however, instead dedicating his full attention to securing the best-possible finish for United.
Up next for United is a trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on Everton come Monday, February 23. Currently fourth in the Premier League standings and looking at a real possibility of securing Champions League football for 2026/27, Manchester United will look to hold their position while amping up the pressure on a top three of Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.
Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has criticised the referee after his side beat Bologna on penalties in the Coppa Italia quarter-final.
Sarri said Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson should have been sent off for a foul on Nigeria’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in the first half.
Dele-Bashiru, who started the match and played the full game, was pulled back as he ran towards goal, but no red card was given.
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“Much worse has happened to us,” Sarri said.
“This guy is at fault and he blows his whistle in other areas of the pitch, but not there. Because if he blows his whistle there, he should give a red card. But the foul is there.”
Bologna scored first through Santiago Castro, but Lazio equalised in the second half when Tijjani Noslin finished a cross from Dele-Bashiru.
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The match ended 1-1 and went to penalties, where Lazio won the shootout to reach the semi-finals.
The victory also extended Lazio’s unbeaten run away from home to six matches.
Fabio Wardley has booked his first heavyweight world title defence, a cracking match-up against Daniel Dubois.
The champion from Ipswich beat Joseph Parker last year to take the WBO interim belt and was upgraded to full champion when Oleksandr Usyk decided to vacate. The Ukrainian was coming off the back of a stoppage win over Dubois, who has been out of the ring since but will look to bounce back in the biggest way with this shot at Wardley.
The fight is fantastic news for fans, and Wardley should be commended for not opting for a lesser challenge. As well as being an all-British affair, the pair are two of the division’s most destructive punchers, with 40 knockouts between them. Following reports that both had signed, Queensberry Promotions has now made the news official and announced the fight for May 9 at the Co-op Live, Manchester.
Fans, analysts and fighters are split on who comes out on top, with many feeling Wardley’s momentum and grit can see him keep his undefeated record against ‘Dynamite’ Dubois, who has been stopped in all three of his defeats so far. The challenger, however, would be quick to remind us of an impressive run of wins against Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua to become champion himself in 2024. He will be the the first truly elite puncher Wardley has faced.
This announcement only adds to what looks to be a standout year for boxing’s top division. It will follow Tyson Fury’s comeback – who may target the winner if he comes through – as well as a veteran’s affair between Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Throw in the continued rise of Moses Itauma and whatever Usyk decides to do, as well as Agit Kabayel’s title charge, and the heavyweight division is booming.
Former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has said Ademola Lookman decided to play for Nigeria after he failed to get a call-up from England.
Lookman was born in London to Nigerian parents and was eligible to play for both countries. He represented England at youth level and won the 2017 U-20 World Cup, scoring three goals in the tournament.
However, he switched his international allegiance to Nigeria in 2020 and made his senior debut in 2022.
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Peseiro revealed that the winger was disappointed after England stopped calling him up.
“He was just a kid, but he always told me how sad he was because after winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and reaching the Under-21s, England stopped calling him up,” Peseiro said.
“He didn’t understand it; he thought he had a future there, but he had to accept it.
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So, since his parents were Nigerian, he accepted the call a few months before I arrived.”
The Portuguese coach added that Lookman struggled at first with Nigeria but improved after he became a regular starter.
“Although he had made his debut, he didn’t always play. I saw his potential, made him a consistent starter, and he exploded,” Peseiro said.
“He began to have fantastic seasons and was crucial in getting us to the Africa Cup of Nations final and in Atalanta winning the Europa League with his three goals.”
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Lookman has become one of Nigeria’s key players, scoring several goals and assists for the Super Eagles. He recently joined Atletico Madrid and is expected to play an important role for the Spanish club.
Nothing says happy new year quite like the arrival of Bernhard Langer in a media center at a senior event in Florida, and there Langer was the other day, 68 years old and still very much at it, taking questions about the state of his game in the preamble to the Chubb Classic presented by Servpro at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, a two-hour cross-state drive from Langer’s home in Boca Raton.
I am not there this year but I’ve been there in the past and if you like your golf tournaments mellow and under control — well, let me just say this: the Chubb Classic presented by Servpro at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples will never be confused for the 2025 Ryder Cup at the Black course at the Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y.
The last question posed to Langer was a doozy, a classic example of a category we like to call Only in Golf.
Tiger Woods turned 50 and he may be competing with you this year. Do you see yourself trying to beat him?
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Langer: ”I try to beat everybody. It doesn’t matter who comes out here. The goal is to win. If you want to win, you need to beat him. So yes, that would be the goal.
“But my goal is not to play against Tiger Woods. My goal is to play against the golf course and myself and shoot the lowest score and then see if anybody can match that. If Tiger Woods is better, so be it.
“I’m sure we’re going to have some good matches. I hope he comes out. I hope he’s healthy enough. Nobody knows. He won’t let us know until a few weeks before. Usually that’s how he works.
“But it would be a thrill to play against him again.
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“We had a great time about a year and a half ago when we played the PNC Championship together on Sunday, when he played with Charlie, his son, and I had Jason, my son, and we spent a Sunday together. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed each other’s company.”
Three quick notes.
I. Langer, born and raised in German, speaks perfect, precise English without a wasted word.
III. It is conceivable that Langer and Woods could play in the same senior event and Langer could finish ahead of Woods, despite the 18-year age gap. But not likely.
For totally unscientific comparison, I looked at the 11 major events in which Woods and Langer played in the same fields since Langer turned 50, in the summer of 2007.
For instance, in April 2008, Langer missed the cut at the Masters and Woods finished in a tie for second.
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In 2018, Langer — at age 60! — had a T38 finish at Augusta and a T24 finish at the British Open. But Woods, on another of his many comeback journeys that year, went T32 and T6, respectively, at those same events.
Langer is 1-for-11 in this odd comparison. In 2020, he had a T29 finish at the Masters and Woods, as the defending winner, had a T38 finish, when he famously made a 10 on the par-3 12th hole on Sunday.
Could it happen? Could Langer finish ahead of Woods in (for the sake of argument) a 72-hole, walking-only senior major, the senior events he would be most likely to play? Of course. Will it happen? It would be fun to see.
In the meantime, two quick images that tell you something about these two World Golf Hall of Famers.
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When Woods won the 2019 Masters, there was a congo line of players waiting to high-five, fist-bump and bro-hug the winner on his way to the scoring room. Langer was the last person Woods saw before ducking into the clubhouse, scorecard in hand. They shook hands in a manner Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer would have recognized.
When Langer made a putt to win the 2024 PNC to secure a father-son win Tiger and Charlie Woods, as best I can tell, said this to Langer: “Bernhard? You’re the best. You’re the best, dude. Awesome.”
Well, that was Tiger at a glorified exhibition. A U.S. Senior Open is a whole different thing.
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