Bangladesh’s men’s cricket team created history on Sunday as it beat Australia in the first Test in Darwin, registering its first win in the format in Australian conditions. Bangladesh had previously played two Tests in Australia, losing both. However, the win in Darwin was a historic result for the Tigers, who are now the quickest Asian side to win a Test on Australian soil. Pakistan had to wait seven matches for their first win in Australia, while India secured theirs after 12 Tests.
Among the other Asian Test-playing nations, Sri Lanka remain the only side yet to beat Australia in their own backyard, despite playing 15 Tests there.
After bowling Australia out for 284 and needing 57 to win, the visitors cruised past the total when Mominul Haque slashed Beau Webster to the backward point boundary.
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Unfancied Bangladesh dominated a full-strength Australia throughout and the margin of victory will send shock waves through the cricketing world.
When Australia resumed Sunday on 161-4, their hopes lay with Alex Carey and Green.
Carey lived dangerously in the opening 30 minutes, twice edging seamer Hasan Mahmud through the vacant slips cordon for boundaries.
But on 30 off-spinner Mehidy produced a beautiful ball, pitching in line then turning sharply to take Carey’s outside edge to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
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He struck again soon after, bowling Webster for five to leave Australia 193-6 and in deep trouble.
A famous victory edged closer when Cummins pushed forward to a Mehidy delivery and got an inside edge to short leg, where Shadman Islam took a sharp chance.
Australia were 207-7, still 21 runs behind Bangladesh’s first-innings total.
Green and Mitchell Starc batted sensibly to ensure Bangladesh had to bat again.
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Starc fell for 18 caught behind but Green was playing well.
But despite looking increasingly comfortable, he was undone when a Hasan ball kept low, hit the toe end of his bat and cannoned into the stumps.
Mehidy wrapped up the innings when he trapped Nathan Lyon plumb in front leg before.
Despite losing Tanzid in the first over, Mominul and Shadman cruised to victory.
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(With AFP Inputs)
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“Winning World Cup Most Beautiful thing”: Golden Ball Winner Rodri
Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry retains her Grand Prix Freestyle title in Aachen, Germany – becoming the first rider in the history of the FEI World Championships to win both individual dressage titles back-to-back.
MASON, OHIO – AUGUST 15: Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina celebrates his win against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during day 5 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 15, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Thiago Agustín Tirante has pulled off the biggest win of his career, stunning Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
The 25-year-old Argentine looked in trouble after Djokovic comfortably took the opening set, but Tirante stayed in the match and turned things around.
Djokovic began struggling with the heat and humidity early in the second set and needed medical attention after that. Tirante remained composed and eventually broke the Serbian at 4-4 in the deciding set before serving out the biggest victory of his career.
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For Tirante, beating Djokovic was clearly an emotional moment. The Argentine had never faced the 24-time Grand Slam champion before, and he struggled to hide his disbelief after the match.
“He is the GOAT of tennis. You say tennis and immediately Novak comes to mind.”
Tirante also spoke about what the victory meant to him and the people supporting him from Argentina.
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“I’m thinking about my family and my friends who are in Argentina right now. They are in Argentina, but they are in my heart as well.”
The victory is Tirante’s fourth win against a Top-10 player and puts him into the third round in Cincinnati, where he will face Spain’s Martín Landaluce.
Abbie Donnelly hailed an ‘out-of-body experience’ after becoming the first British woman to win a European Championship marathon medal – six weeks before her PhD is due for completion.
Donnelly mastered the undulating eight-lap route around Birmingham city centre to land a breakthrough bronze in 2:27.33.
Britain have not troubled the individual marathon podium at this competition since Ian Thompson won men’s gold in 1974 while Donnelly’s performance also helped the host nation win team gold.
“I can’t believe it,” Donnelly said. “It was such an exciting race, it was just about managing the pace, being cautious in the early surges and just staying strong.
“Even in the last lap then I wasn’t sure (about a medal), it was probably only on the last 200 metres. I thought ‘it could happen’, I still wasn’t certain though.
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“It was an optimistic goal coming in. I had a bit of hamstring trouble in April so my block has been a bit different to normal, which probably wasn’t a bad thing. It’s easy to be a bit overcooked so if anything I maybe timed it just right.”
The 29-year-old, who hails from Lincoln, is a five-time medallist at the European Cross Country Championships and helped Britain’s women win half marathon team gold at this event in Rome two years ago.
Her morning build-up here was not ideal as she realised on her to the start line that she was wearing shoes of two different sizes, requiring a hurried change prior to the race getting underway.
But performing in front of a home crowd in the second city proved crucial to helping Donnelly find the required power in her legs to navigate the relentless ups and downs of the course.
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Britain had not had an athlete on the European marathon podium since 1974 and no woman had ever won a medal prior to Donnelly (Reuters)
“It was a lot better than I was expecting because there was a lot going on in terms of race tactics, so it was quite nice knowing what was coming,” she said.
“It got tough with about three laps to go because you know the hills by that point so you know exactly where the hard points are. It was a proper rollercoaster.
“They (the crowd) got me to the end. I had a bit of an out-of-body experience and was just being screamed at, which I love. They definitely got me through to the finish.”
There is no rest for the wicked and Donnelly will now throw herself straight back into her studies as another finish line looms into view.
The Loughborough University history graduate is researching a PhD entitled ‘Popular Imperialism in the Provinces, 1851-1914’ across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire.
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“It’s due in six weeks, so this event did not come at a well-timed place in the year,” she joked.
“I might give myself tomorrow, then I have a lot of writing to do. If my supervisor is reading this, then I’m sorry – I will finish it!”
Natasha Wilson finished fifth, with Rose Harvey 14th, to secure the team gold, awarded based on each nation’s best three finishers.
Novuna is the Official Finance Partner of British Athletics and proud sponsor of the GB & NI Athletics Team. From everyday goals to world-class dreams, Novuna backs the ambition of millions across the UK — from supporting British businesses and individuals’ plans, to powering British Athletics on the global stage. Find out more at www.novuna.co.uk
Aug 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) adjusts his hat the during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Cy Young Award candidate Dylan Cease will aim to help the host Toronto Blue Jays complete a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees on Sunday afternoon.
Toronto followed a 3-1 win on Friday with a 4-1 decision Saturday to clinch a series victory.
Cease (7-5, 2.40 ERA) will provide a challenge for the Yankees, who are batting .203 since the All-Star break.
The right-hander has a good chance to improve Toronto’s position in the crowded race for the third wild card in the American League — the Jays are only a half-game out — while enhancing his credentials for the AL Cy Young Award.
The Yankees can look to the past for some encouragement. Cease sports just a 1-3 record with a 5.84 ERA against them in seven career appearances (all starts), including a 1-0 record with a 9.00 ERA in one outing this season.
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The Yankees will start Ryan Weathers (5-7, 3.69 ERA), who has had problems with the Blue Jays. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three career starts against them, including two this season in which he is 0-1 with a 10.24 ERA.
The Yankees were held to four hits by seven Toronto pitchers on Saturday. Their run came in the second inning against Ricky Tiedemann, who made his major league debut.
“Maybe shake up the order a little bit here and there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
New York’s Cy Young candidate, Cam Schlittler, was the victim of a lack of run support. He allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision.
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The Yankees’ base running was questionable at best. George Lombard Jr. failed to slide into second base to avoid the tag on the second half of a double play after the out was recorded at first. Also, Heliot Ramos did not run hard to first base on a bobbled sixth-inning groundout.
Most troubling was the team’s two singles after the second inning.
“Broken record,” Boone said. “Obviously, we know we’ve got to be better. This is who we’ve got. These are our guys, and I continue to believe wholeheartedly, looking at these names, all capable of doing really big things for us. But we’ve got to go do it. We can talk all about that, but we’ve got to go make it happen.”
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Toronto opened a seven-game homestand by winning three of four games from the Boston Red Sox this week.
“I like the fact that we’ve won the last two series at home against division opponents,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “There’s still a whole lot of baseball to go, and there’s so much action going on with five or six teams. Just keep the foot on the gas and keep trying to stack wins.”
Toronto is without struggling first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who went on the seven-day concussion injured list Saturday after a collision at third base on Friday.
Charles McAdoo played at first base for the Blue Jays on Saturday. He doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, then added an RBI single in the eighth.
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“We like his profile,” Schneider said. “He can play anywhere on the corners, in the outfield, and he’s got a lot of energy.”
Pinch hitter Ernie Clement singled to start the seventh and scored on McAdoo’s hit.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Schneider said. “You’re trying to create some traffic and get the big hit. (It is) how this roster is built, guys knowing when they’re going to be in there, knowing what they’re going to be asked to do and then not trying to do anything other than that.”
The Canadian senior men’s national flag football team punched its ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on Sunday, securing a historic berth with a 34-26 victory over Mexico in the bronze-medal game at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The result gives Canada one of the six spots in the men’s Olympic flag football tournament, which will make its debut in Los Angeles.
Canada entered the tournament knowing there was little room for error. With the United States already qualified as the host nation, the top two remaining men’s teams at the world championship would earn Olympic berths.
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The Canadians came up just short of the championship game, falling to Italy in the semifinal on Saturday. That left Canada’s Olympic hopes resting on Sunday’s bronze-medal matchup against No. 3-ranked Mexico.
Longtime CFL coach Paul LaPolice was named head coach of the men’s national team in 2025, bringing more than two decades of professional coaching experience to the program.
The 2026 team was assembled through a national identification and selection process before the final 12-player roster was announced in July. The athletes represented the culmination of months of evaluation, training camps and preparation for the World Championship.
The Canadian women have already secured their own Olympic berth on Saturday, meaning both Canadian senior national teams will compete in the sport’s Olympic debut.
Yes, we’re serious. James’ first YouTube video is live as of 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 14, kicking off a golf-centric channel chronicling the journey of new obsessive.
In some ways, James’ debut video echoes any other buddies’ trip: it’s an epic reunion of old friends in an epic new place, in this case Castle Stuart in Scotland. The difference between his buddies’ trip and yours, though, is that this is a reunion of the 2016 NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Their collective presence is a reminder of James’ basketball greatness — you’ll recall that 2016 team came back from 3-1 down in the finals to upset the Golden State Warriors — but their chosen reunion activity is a reminder of their shifting priorities: It’s golf season all the time now.
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The video, which features James alongside former teammates Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye, was released on James’ inactive-until-now personal YouTube channel, @LeBron. The plan for the channel, per James’ team, is a golf-themed video to be released every month, showcasing James’ journey with the sport, a mix of golf talk, competition, off-course adventure, local culture, food, wine and more.
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So — why do this now? James just signed with the Philadelphia 76ers and is gearing up for his 24th NBA season. He’s an all-time great putting the finishing touches on an unparalleled career. Why put himself through the wringer, publicly, in a secondary sport where he’s a beginner?
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I briefly exchanged messages with James, who was gearing up for a trip but wrote there was “so much” that he’s grown to love about golf.
“It’s unbelievably challenging, but it’s also an escape. It brings me a sense of calm while also fulfilling my drive for competition. I’m just mad it took me 40 years to find it,” he said.
It wasn’t until I checked his Instagram on Friday that I learned his trip’s destination: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. (He posted a photo from No. 3 at Bandon Trails.)
As for what he hopes people will take away from his channel?
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“I hope people will come along for the ride and just feel the sense of joy and all the fun we’re having out there,” he said. “This is about my journey of falling in love with golf and you’ll see the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s a steep learning curve, but I’m loving every bit of it.”
THERE WERE PLENTY OF SIGNS that this was coming.
There was James live-tweeting Tommy Fleetwood’s run at the Tour Championship, his first victory, last August.
What a start so far by Fleetwood! Feels like to day is the day
There was the way he reeled off YouTube’s main characters — the Bryan Bros, Grant Horvat, Bryson DeChambeau, etc. — like they were his teammates. There was ample evidence that he watched last year’s Internet Invitational. And when he made his YouTube Golf debut alongside Robby Berger and the Bob Does Sports crew, he greeted each member of the crew by name. He knows this world already.
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James isn’t pretending he’s a pro; he just started playing last year, and at last check he estimated his handicap in the 20s. But it’s clear from this first video — like his yelling “pace of play!” at his teammates as he hustles them off the tee — that he’s already picked up on plenty of golf culture.
Berger, who says he regularly corresponded with James about his videos, couldn’t believe how down-to-earth he was when they played that first time.
“He really is probably the most criticized, speculated athlete I think of our time,” Berger said. “A lot of people are either on one side or the other with him. But he’s a family guy and he’s a big kid. He just loves to have fun. He loves to mess around. He’s a huge jokester.”
That’s likely the side of him James would love the public to see, too.
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JAMES’ MOVE TO YOUTUBE IS FUN. BUT IT’S ALSO the collision of several broader trends.
There’s the ongoing golf boom. James is hardly the only person new to the game; golf participation keeps setting new all-time records, breaking those records and then breaking them again continuing an upward trend that began in 2020.
There’s a wave of top athletes all obsessed with golf. Think Mike Trout or Carlos Alcaraz or Josh Allen or Lando Norris or Caitlin Clark or Harry Kane or dozens and dozens of others, not to mention the retired greats — Roger Federer, Tom Brady, any ex-NHL player anywhere — who have caught the bug.
There’s been a trend towards golf on YouTube; over the last several years James’ new peer group has been racking up millions and millions of views and stacking up subscribers. This is big business.
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There’s also a trend of athletes continuing to own and expand their media presences, even while still active; this is the era of the player podcast — James has been there, done that — and this feels like an extension of the same idea.
We have seen active pro golfers build out their YouTube pages, like DeChambeau, Tommy Fleetwood, Jason Day, Padraig Harrington and more.
We’ve also seen pro athletes dip their toes in the YouTube Golf world, like the NFL quarterback scramble or Tom Brady taking on Morgan Wallen.
But we haven’t seen an athlete in LeBron’s tier of celebrity (are there any?) take this deep a plunge until now.
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The good news is he won’t have any trouble finding help.
“He’s the most unbelievably gifted athlete … but it doesn’t look like it when he’s on the golf course,” said Rory McIlroy with a laugh. “I’d love to give him a lesson.”
Perhaps a sign of things to come.
THERE IS, IT SHOULD BE SAID, a timeless quality to James’ obsession, too.
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There’s nothing new about athletes playing golf. Just ask Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb. (As Ruth told a New York reporter in the late 1930s, “I played 365 rounds last year. Thank God for whoever invented golf.”)
More to the point, ask Michael Jordan. James passed Jordan on the all-time points list back in 2019. It’s unlikely he’ll ever catch Jordan, an all-time golf obsessive, in total holes played.
On the other hand, as of Saturday, James has passed Jordan — and Ruth, for that matter — in YouTube subscribers.
Minnesota Vikings preseason football officially kicked off Saturday as they headed out east to face off against the New York Giants.
While the 13-10 victory may not have any impact on the team itself, it could play a factor it who makes the final 53-man roster at the end of the summer. Here are five players who may have seen significant impacts to their stock during this afternoon’s game.
Stock Up: S Jay Ward
Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward sets up in coverage along the boundary on Sep 14, 2023, at Lincoln Financial Field as the Vikings defended Philadelphia in a primetime matchup. Ward locked into his assignment while the Eagles motioned pre-snap, giving a snapshot of an early-career rep in a challenging road atmosphere. The play illustrated Ward’s positioning and awareness in a high-pressure situation. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
With Harrison Smith no longer in Minnesota and looking more and more by the day that he won’t be suiting up in a Vikings uniform this year, the team needs a player to step up as a starting caliber player at the safety position.
Jay Ward is the most obvious choice to fill that role, and in Saturday’s game, he showed his versatility on the defensive side of the ball by picking up a sack of Jaxson Dart to end the first quarter while the Giants were trying to put together a drive.
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Stock Down: RB Zavier Scott
Nov 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott (36) runs the ball during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.
While Demond Claiborne made a strong impact out of the backfield, Zavier Scott did not have as much success against the Giants.
Scott had two carries for just six yards, and while Claiborne’s box score won’t jump out at anyone with 12 carries for 34 yards, his explosiveness out of the backfield was apparent with multiple runs being a block away from being broken for big gains.
The RB3 spot is going to be the saving grace for Scott to make the final roster, but for now, he hasn’t jumped off the page.
Stock Up: OLB Dallas Turner
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner celebrates after a sack, with 2025 marking his second NFL season and the year he finished with 8 sacks for Brian Flores’ defense. Turner’s reaction captures the burst and confidence that helped him grow into a larger role for Minnesota during his early-career climb inside a surging pass rush. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
Dallas Turner didn’t play a ton on Saturday, but when he was on the field, he was impactful. That’s all that matters at this point.
On the first defensive drive of the game, Turner found his way into the backfield on third down and brought down Dart for a seven-yard loss to force a punt. These are the types of plays that the Vikings are going to need from the third-year pass rusher this season.
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Stock Down: QB J.J. McCarthy
Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) takes part in drills during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
J.J. McCarthy wasn’t necessarily bad on Saturday, but a lot of the same flaws that were seen last year are still apparent. He doesn’t seem particularly confident in the pocket right now, and Carson Wentz certainly outperformed him on Saturday.
This will be a big week for the young QB as the Vikings will be hosting joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens before their second preseason game. This upcoming week could very well decide if he is the QB2 or the emergency QB3 heading into the year.
Stock Up: WR Myles Price
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Myles Price (31) returns a kickoff against the New England Patriots during fourth-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium, Aug. 16, 2025, accelerating upfield with open space while showcasing his burst and vision as a dynamic special teams weapon pushing for a larger offensive role in the preseason. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Myles Price was the big winner on Saturday, catching the sole touchdown for the Vikings to seal their 13-10 victory.
Price already has value for the team has a special teamer, but his four catches for 51 yards, including a 28-yarder, and the score will certainly boost the coaching staff’s confidence in trusting him on the offensive side of the ball.
The much-anticipated return of Aaron Donald to the Los Angeles Rams that NFL insiders have reported is quite likely isn’t ready to happen, according to coach Sean McVay.
And he doesn’t sound certain whether it will. Or won’t.
McVay was asked for an update on the possible return of the 10-time Pro Bowl player and three-time Defensive Player of the Year after the Rams played their first preseason game on Saturday.
Sep 26, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) celebrates after a play in the second half of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium.(Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports)
McVay told reporters he didn’t want to say a lot about that. Then he delivered 361 words on the topic.
We counted.
Yes, that’s a lot but it all boils down to this: “We are not at that point quite yet,” McVay said.
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That may sound a bit surprising because we’ve read multiple reports that Donald is coming back or would announce his intentions to do so once the Rams returned to their training facility in Woodland Hills on Aug. 7.
One report, meanwhile, made the point it’s not quite so simple.
This space reported on Aug. 5 that “there’s a catch for Donald: He wants to be close to if not as good as he’s always been. He doesn’t wish to look diminished in what could then be portrayed as a selfish chase for a Super Bowl ring rather than a valuable addition to a Super Bowl contender.”
McVay confirmed that on Saturday night.
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Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald plays against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Nov. 26, 2023.(Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think he earned the right to be able to say he knows himself in terms of, ‘Am I able to stack back-to-back days? Am I able to do some of the different things?’ Some of those benchmarks that he set out for himself,” McVay said.
Again, the Rams want Donald to return. He obviously would like to return if and when his 35-year-old body that has been away from the game since 2023 cooperates.
But to say it is a certainty is incorrect.
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Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay walks on the field at Lumen Field after the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Washington, on Jan. 25, 2026.(Kevin Ng/Imagn Images)
“If he puts himself in a position where he says yes or no, I think he has earned the right to have clarity on that,” McVay said. “We are not at that point quite yet.
“I am hopeful that it will be sooner rather than later, but I also want to respect when he does feel that clarity will come, I think there is a chance we will be closer to that than not but, again, I don’t want to say too much or put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn’t exist in my mind for him.”
Devdutt Padikkal struck a sublime maiden Test century as India dominated the opening day, reaching 288/2 at Stumps. Padikkal remained unbeaten on 131 off 178 balls, laced with 12 fours and a six, while Rishabh Pant was not out on 27 off 36 balls, with two boundaries.
Experienced opener KL Rahul retired hurt on 77 after sharing a 150-run partnership with Padikkal. The Karnataka duo took India firmly in control before Rahul was forced to leave the field after suffering cramps in his arm.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled hard for little reward, with left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya finally making the breakthrough in his 21st over, dismissing India captain Shubman Gill for 16 after the batter attempted a cheeky shot.
The other wicket to fall was that of young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was run out for 32 in the first hour of the day after a mix-up with Rahul.
Here are nine things we’re loving about this week’s U.S. Amateur at Merion.
1. Merion has always been cramped, charming, difficult, great. This week has proved once again that not only is Merion ideal for a match-play event, such as this U.S. Amateur, but that it will be superb for the three U.S. Opens on its docket, in 2030, 2040 and 2050. (Plus the Women’s Open in 2034 and 2046.) If you want to diminish the value of the smashed driver, you need a shorter course, not a longer one. You need a course with peculiar angles and sledding-hill slopes.
Enter Merion, at 6,900 yards, with two long par-3s and two longish par-5s and a selection of mix-and-match par-4s. So good. Like, one of the best. Obviously, as Dustin Johnson might add here.
2. This Jay Leng Jr., a rising junior at Stanford with the widest stance you’ve ever seen on a good golfer and one of Saturday afternoon’s four semi-finalists, does something every golfer should do when hitting an approach shot into a greenside bunker: He grabs his sand wedge right away! It’s not complicated, people. The second one shot has ended is the time to start plotting your next one.
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3. Leng’s Saturday afternoon opponent, Logan Reilly, a rising sophomore at Auburn, with a tangly and distinctive red mullet, has been a fixture in a clubhouse tent beside the 13th green, hanging with his people (his father is a prominent agent), iced tea in hand, in no rush to go anywhere, taking it all in.
4. This Jack Whaley from England, a rising senior at Florida State and one of Saturday afternoon’s four semi-finalists, endured the indignity of giving up three-hole leads twice in one match and never showed a moment of outward anxiety. This guy brings new meaning to Keep Calm and Carry On.
5. Whaley’s Saturday afternoon opponent, Carter Loflin, on the cusp of finishing his degree at Georgia after four years of golf there, sips water from a bottle that features a Grateful Dead Steal Your Face logo, wears a cotton golf shirt that Arnold Palmer would envy. The Last Days of Persimmon is paging this young golfer, welcoming him into the fold.
6. The USGA write-ups on these matches, posted in its website and written by a veteran newspaper writer David Shefter, a longtime USGA in-house writer: the pieces are loaded with information you’re unlikely to find elsewhere and have a style all their own, too, getting quotes down to their colorful essence. Carter Loflin, for instance, referring to Emilia Migliaccio Doran, the former Curtis Cup player, as “the Golf Channel lady.”
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7. The incredible level of courtesy shown by fans, marshals, police officers, members, USGA officials, players, caddies. There was not a moment of boorishness. There was never a time you could not see any shot you wanted to see. There was, at times, a 15-minute line to get into the pro shop. Nobody seemed to mind.
8. Forgive me: I missed last call for lunch one day. A server invited me into the kitchen, gave me a plate, pointed to the leftovers and told me to have at it.
9. The golf had wild and unexpected turns in it, the four gents still at it on Saturday afternoon, brilliant at times, on edge at others. Whaley and Loflin were tied going into 18. Whaley won the home hole . . . with a bogey. Not what you want to see, but what happened. Leng defeated Reilly 2&1. So Leng and Whaley will face each other in the Sunday finale, likely in the rain, the electric SEPTA trains whistling on by. Timeless Merion. I haven’t heard a ringing cellphone yet.
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