Troy Parrott scored his first Real Betis goal as the Republic of Ireland striker delivered an 81st-minute winner in a dramatic 1-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Troy Parrott made an immediate mark on Spanish football by scoring the winning goal as Real Betis defeated Real Madrid 1-0 at La Cartuja on Friday evening.
The Republic of Ireland striker came off the bench in the 69th minute and broke the deadlock with nine minutes of normal time remaining, opening his Betis account following his summer transfer from AZ Alkmaar.
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Parrott reacted quickest after Thibaut Courtois parried a headed effort from a Betis corner. The Dubliner reached the loose ball inside the six-yard area and forced it past the Real Madrid goalkeeper to spark jubilant celebrations in Seville.
Parrott strikes 12 minutes after introduction
Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini introduced Parrott in place of Cucho Hernández after 69 minutes, with the home side attempting to turn an increasingly competitive performance into a winning one.
The decision paid off just 12 minutes later. Parrott showed the instincts of a penalty-box striker by anticipating where Courtois’ save would fall and getting to the rebound before the Real Madrid defenders could clear.
It was a hugely significant moment for the 24-year-old following his reported €20 million move from AZ. Parrott arrived in Spain after an excellent spell in the Netherlands and has now announced himself to the Betis support by scoring against one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
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Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid
Goalscorer: Troy Parrott, 81 minutes Parrott introduced: 69 minutes Disallowed goal: Carlos Espí, 87 minutes Late penalty: Álvaro Vallés saved from Kylian Mbappé Venue: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville
VAR denies Real Madrid an equaliser
Real Madrid appeared to have equalised six minutes after Parrott’s goal when Carlos Espí found the net with an acrobatic finish.
The celebrations were cut short following a VAR review, with the goal disallowed for offside. Parrott’s strike therefore remained the difference between the teams as the match entered stoppage time.
There was still another major twist. Real Madrid were awarded a late penalty after Vinícius Júnior was fouled by Natan, presenting Kylian Mbappé with an opportunity to rescue a point.
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Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés produced the decisive save, denying Mbappé and preserving the home side’s advantage until the final whistle.
Landmark night for Ireland striker
The result inflicted Real Madrid’s first defeat of the La Liga season following three consecutive victories. For Betis, it was a memorable victory achieved through Parrott’s opportunism and Vallés’ stoppage-time intervention.
Parrott’s goal will also be welcomed by Republic of Ireland supporters. His development during his time in the Netherlands helped him become an increasingly important member of the international attack, and a successful move to La Liga would represent another substantial step forward.
Scoring against Real Madrid is an ideal way to make an early impression. Parrott was only on the pitch for 12 minutes before delivering the decisive touch and ensuring his first Betis goal would also be remembered as a famous match-winner.
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Troy Parrott scored his first Real Betis goal as the Republic of Ireland striker delivered an 81st-minute winner in a dramatic 1-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Troy Parrott made an immediate mark on Spanish football by scoring the winning goal as Real Betis defeated Real Madrid 1-0 at La Cartuja on Friday evening.
The Republic of Ireland striker came off the bench in the 69th minute and broke the deadlock with nine minutes of normal time remaining, opening his Betis account following his summer transfer from AZ Alkmaar.
Advertisement
Parrott reacted quickest after Thibaut Courtois parried a headed effort from a Betis corner. The Dubliner reached the loose ball inside the six-yard area and forced it past the Real Madrid goalkeeper to spark jubilant celebrations in Seville.
Parrott strikes 12 minutes after introduction
Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini introduced Parrott in place of Cucho Hernández after 69 minutes, with the home side attempting to turn an increasingly competitive performance into a winning one.
The decision paid off just 12 minutes later. Parrott showed the instincts of a penalty-box striker by anticipating where Courtois’ save would fall and getting to the rebound before the Real Madrid defenders could clear.
It was a hugely significant moment for the 24-year-old following his reported €20 million move from AZ. Parrott arrived in Spain after an excellent spell in the Netherlands and has now announced himself to the Betis support by scoring against one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Advertisement
Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid
Goalscorer: Troy Parrott, 81 minutes Parrott introduced: 69 minutes Disallowed goal: Carlos Espí, 87 minutes Late penalty: Álvaro Vallés saved from Kylian Mbappé Venue: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville
VAR denies Real Madrid an equaliser
Real Madrid appeared to have equalised six minutes after Parrott’s goal when Carlos Espí found the net with an acrobatic finish.
The celebrations were cut short following a VAR review, with the goal disallowed for offside. Parrott’s strike therefore remained the difference between the teams as the match entered stoppage time.
There was still another major twist. Real Madrid were awarded a late penalty after Vinícius Júnior was fouled by Natan, presenting Kylian Mbappé with an opportunity to rescue a point.
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Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés produced the decisive save, denying Mbappé and preserving the home side’s advantage until the final whistle.
Landmark night for Ireland striker
The result inflicted Real Madrid’s first defeat of the La Liga season following three consecutive victories. For Betis, it was a memorable victory achieved through Parrott’s opportunism and Vallés’ stoppage-time intervention.
Parrott’s goal will also be welcomed by Republic of Ireland supporters. His development during his time in the Netherlands helped him become an increasingly important member of the international attack, and a successful move to La Liga would represent another substantial step forward.
Scoring against Real Madrid is an ideal way to make an early impression. Parrott was only on the pitch for 12 minutes before delivering the decisive touch and ensuring his first Betis goal would also be remembered as a famous match-winner.
After they shockingly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs on the last day of the regular season in 2025, the New York Mets were expected to bounce back in 2026.
However, this season has been even worse than the last, and the team has spent pretty much the entirety of the year rooted to the bottom of the NL East standings. At the moment, they have a 63-77 record.
Most fans have blamed president of baseball operations David Stearns for the Mets’ failures, claiming his decisions to let go of important players without adequately replacing them have led to the team’s downfall.
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Now that we find ourselves in the final month of the regular season and with the postseason out of the equation, Mets fans have already turned their attention to preparing for 2027.
David Stearns took questions from reporters on Friday, and he was asked if he plans on hiring a general manager over the offseason. He kept things quite vague with his response.
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“We’re always going to look to see if there are ways we can improve our organization in any way. That’s inclusive of the front office,” Stearns said. “That’s been the case every offseason since I’ve been here, and will be the case this offseason as well.”
Reacting, several fans took shots at Stearns on social media.
“Why even ask the questions—he never gives a concrete answer,” a fan wrote.
Why even ask the questions—he never gives a concrete answer.
“He sounds like a robot. Guy has the personality of a mashed potato,” another fan commented.
He sounds like a robot. Guy has the personality of a mashed potato
“The problem with baseball is the politically correct answers. Keep it real. Lay off the word salad. Are you trying to win games or no? Simple questions, simple answers,” another fan responded.
“That most likely means no,” another fan responded.
“So ‘no’ is what he’s saying, because he alone has done such wonders with this team 🙄,” another fan shared.
“He’s said that since day one. I don’t think he’s gonna give up that much power,” another fan posted.
“David Stearns is smart” – Mets owner declares support for executive amid rough 2026 season
The 2026 season has been a rough one for David Stearns, as most fans have singled him out as the man to blame for the long list of issues the Mets are facing this year.
Despite all this, owner Steve Cohen continues to trust the executive’s ability.
“I’m committed to David,” Cohen told The Athletic’s Will Sammon on Aug. 20. “We’re going to move forward. I thought we had a great trade deadline. David is smart. He knows what he’s doing. He’s very adaptable. He learns from mistakes. That’s what I want in a leader.”
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen – Source: Getty
Mets fans will be hoping Cohen and Stearns can work together over the offseason to set the team up for success in 2027.
Michigan State vs. Toledo betting odds (via DraftKings)
Michigan State vs. Toledo money line:
Michigan State -440, Toledo +340
Michigan State vs. Toledoover/under:
48.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
Michigan State vs. Toledo spread:
Michigan State -10
Michigan State vs. Toledo betting preview
Things have to get better for Michigan State at some point, right? The Spartans haven’t had a winning season since 2021, a tough pill to swallow for a school that big with as much of a sports identity. The Big Ten is an unforgiving conference but Spartans fans must be getting impatient.
The quest for .500 begins with a meeting with the MAC’s Toledo Rockets. Toledo is breaking in a new head coach as Jason Candle departed for UConn after 10 seasons with the Rockets. New boss Mike Jacobs was the head coach at FCS team Mercer for the past two campaigns. Jacobs will have nearly an entirely new roster to work with — Toledo retains just 17% of its total snaps from last season. Michigan State doesn’t rank much higher with just 27% of snaps returning.
There’s also a new coach in East Lansing with Pat Fitzgerald taking over on the sideline. The longtime Northwestern coach — who spent the last three seasons out of the college game following the controversies that ended his tenure in Evanston — brings a ton of Big Ten experience to the job. He’ll have redshirt sophomore Alessio Milivojevic starting under center.
Michigan State was 7-5 to the Over last season while Toldeo was 7-6, but with such heavy roster turnover and two new head coaches in place, it’s difficult to consider those results as meaningful guides. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, has the Under hitting nearly 60% of the time. That makes sense given this will be the first competitive action for the two overhauled rosters and things could take time to mesh on the offensive side of the ball.
September 4, 2026; New York, United States; Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning the second set during his third round match against China’s Yibing Wu. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Second-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz continued to show little rust from his four-month layoff due to a wrist injury, sweeping China’s Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Open on Friday in New York.
This victory extended Alcaraz’s Grand Slam winning streak to 17 matches as he continues his pursuit of becoming the first man to win back-to-back U.S. Opens since Roger Federer won five straight from 2004-08.
Although he hadn’t played a singles match since April, he’s dropped just one set through three matches in his return to action.
The scoreline of the match wasn’t quite indicative of how competitive it was. Each of the first two sets was tied at 3 before Alcaraz pulled away late. The third set was less competitive, with Alcaraz winning the final five games to close out the match in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Wu, who matched his deepest run at a Slam with a third-round appearance in the 2022 U.S. Open, saved 8 of 15 break-point chances on his serve to hang around in the match despite finishing with 12 winners and 39 unforced errors.
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“I think today there was a really high rhythm,” Alcaraz said after the win. “The way (Yibing) plays is unbelievable, the rhythm he has on every shot: forehand, backhand. His balls skid a lot on the court and, for me, it’s really difficult to control sometimes. But I think I stayed there. I played aggressive; I played smart in the toughest moments.”
Alcaraz will face his first seeded opponent since his return, No. 20 Tommy Paul, in the fourth round. Paul rose to the occasion late to knock off No. 15 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-3 Friday afternoon, reaching the fourth round of his home country Slam for the third time in his career.
After dropping the final three points of the third-set tiebreaker to fall into a 2-1 hole in sets, Paul broke his opponent in his first return game of each of the final two sets, opening a 5-1 lead in the fourth set and a 5-0 lead in the fifth, facing just one break point over the final two sets.
Alcaraz has a 6-2 lead in the head-to-head series against Paul and has won the last five matchups, the last four of which came at Grand Slam tournaments or the Olympics. If Paul can beat Alcaraz for the first time since 2023, he would become the only active American who has reached the quarterfinals of all four majors.
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No. 7 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia continued his strong start to the event with his third straight-sets victory, this time a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over No. 26 Arthur Rinderknech of France.
The 2021 U.S. Open champion overcame six double faults by winning 85% of his first-serve points and facing just two break points, saving one of them.
He’ll next face the winner of Friday night’s matchup between No. 11 Frances Tiafoe and No. 22 Valentin Vacherot of Monaco for a quarterfinal spot.
Victor Osimhen scored for Galatasaray again, but his latest goal was overshadowed by an injury scare during their thrilling 3-2 away victory over İstanbul Başakşehir in the fourth round of the Trendyol Süper Lig on Friday.
The Super Eagles striker opened the scoring in the 16th minute after creating space near the edge of the penalty area before firing a powerful shot that struck the crossbar and bounced down near the goal line.
After a VAR review, the goal was awarded to Galatasaray.
It was another impressive moment from Osimhen, who has continued his excellent start to the new campaign. The Nigerian has now scored in all four league matches he has played this season, taking his tally to six goals and two assists.
However, the mood changed in the 33rd minute when Osimhen was forced off after picking up an injury. He had shown signs of discomfort before eventually being replaced by Barış Alper Yılmaz.
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The injury has raised concerns at Galatasaray, particularly with the club preparing for an important UEFA Champions League meeting with Sporting CP.
Turkish doctor Gürkan Kubilay reportedly suggested that the injury could involve ligaments inside the muscle and may require three to four months of recovery if confirmed. Such a timeline could keep Osimhen out until around January 2027.
However, the exact nature and seriousness of the injury have yet to be confirmed by Galatasaray’s medical team.
Galatasaray Complete Dramatic Comeback
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Despite losing Osimhen early in the match, Galatasaray continued to fight for the victory.
Eldor Shomurodov equalised from the penalty spot in the 66th minute before Lucas Torreira restored Galatasaray’s lead five minutes later.
Davinson Sánchez then scored an own goal to make it 2-2, but Gabriel Sara produced a stunning free-kick in the 90th minute to give Galatasaray a dramatic 3-2 victory.
For Osimhen, however, the result was overshadowed by his injury.
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The goal also extended his remarkable scoring run for Galatasaray. He has now been directly involved in at least one goal in each of his last 16 Süper Lig appearances for the club, scoring 16 goals and providing seven assists during that run.
Nigeria Also Await Medical Update
The injury could also be a major concern for Nigeria, with the Super Eagles expected to face Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying action on September 23.
If Osimhen is ruled out for an extended period, Nigeria would have to prepare for the qualifiers without one of their most important attacking players.
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For now, Galatasaray and Nigeria will wait for further medical examinations to determine the extent of the injury and how long the 27-year-old striker could be sidelined.
Ryan Garcia has offered a few words of advice to rising star Moses Itauma, who suffered the first defeat of his career against Filip Hrgovic last Saturday.
The Brit was bidding to become the youngest world heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson, only for Hrgovic to pull off a major upset at London’s O2 Arena.
Itauma had, indeed, been made an almighty favourite and looked to be in control, dominating their exchanges with a pronounced speed advantage.
As a result, Hrgovic claimed the vacant IBF strap and now looks set to face mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez, who stepped aside and allowed the Croatian to become his country’s first-ever heavyweight champion.
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Itauma, meanwhile, appears to have some rebuilding to do, with many hoping that he makes the necessary improvements and eventually fulfils his full potential.
Speaking during a media scrum, WBC welterweight champion Garcia suggested Itauma should start with focusing on his conditioning.
“It seemed like he had asthma. It’s a marathon – don’t look too much into this defeat. Look into what you need to fix, for sure, but don’t let it get you down completely.“
“You were obviously the better fighter – you just weren’t conditioned and you just don’t have enough experience at this current time.“
“He was doing pretty good, but I don’t know what was going on in his head. If you watch his interviews before, he was saying that he’s not the best physically right now, nor mentally, but that it would be enough to beat Hrgovic.”
While many have attributed Itauma’s defeat to a lack of fitness, it was perhaps more a result of his inexperience and overall approach to a 12-round fight.
Dec 13, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The fine folks at Vikings Territory make an effort to keep the Vikings news flying. Sometimes, things still get lost in the shuffle.
3 Vikings News Updates | Friday, September 4th, 2026
News No. 1 — Captains Named
Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) talks with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) and head coach Kevin O’Connell before the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The team has made the announcement. Consider the eight players to see a “C” slapped onto their chests:
Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker (81) runs against Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chaz Chambliss (57) during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lately, the updates about Vikings number switching has largely focused on depth outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss. Why? Well, he snagged a number in the preseason so that he could play fullback. It’s a good day for football whenever a linebacker gets to play fullback.
Craig Peters documented the journey: “Chaz Chambliss’ jersey number has been on quite a ride. He began this offseason at No. 32, but the Vikings wanted Jamal Adams to be able to line up at safety, so Adams went from No. 54 to 32, and Chambliss reverted to the 57 he wore as a rookie.”
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🚨 NEW NUMBERS ALERT 🚨
#5 Zemaiah Vaughn #19 Brett Thorson #29 Jacob Thomas #32 Chaz Chambliss #35 Bryce Phillips #81 Michael Briscoe— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 3, 2026
More: “He is primarily an outside linebacker, but the Vikings tested his versatility as a backup fullback, which necessitated a change to No. 40. Adams sadly was lost for the season in Minnesota’s opener, so 32 became available again for Chambliss, keeping open the option of lining up at fullback and allowing him to return to the number he wore in college at Georgia. That reversion and other jersey changes were announced by the Vikings on Thursday.”
Further down in that Peters piece, there’s news of CB Zemaiah Vaughn going with #5, P Brett Thorson going with #19, S Jacob Thomas going with #29, and OLB/FB going with #32.
The Peters piece then digs into other number updates for new signings (there has been a lot of work done on the roster). Go ahead and see what else has been going on for Minnesota’s number changing in that Peters article.
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News No. 3 — Former MIN Players Earn More Work
Nov 3, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Nick Vannett (84) celebrates his touchdown against the New England Patriots during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Taking a look at the list of the NFL’s recent signings means seeing several former Minnesota players getting their next opportunity. Consider at least a few to have put pen to paper:
TE Nick Vannett <—> Baltimore Ravens (PS)
CB Fabian Moreau <—> Washington Commanders
DT James Lynch <—> Chicago Bears
TE Tyler Conklin <—> Detroit Lions
Not major news, it’s still good to see these some of the former players earn more work in the NFL.
The Canucks and defenceman Zeev Buium agreed to an eight-year, $75.04-million contract extension on Friday, the team announced.
“Zeev has settled in nicely with our organization since his trade to Vancouver last season, and we are extremely happy to see him make this long-term commitment to the Canucks,” Canucks GM Ryan Johnson said in a statement. “He is a key member of our young core and a player we will build around moving forward. Zeev has a lot of upside, and we feel with his abilities he will flourish in the system and environment we are creating inside our locker room. We look forward to working together and creating a strong partnership and foundation for our future.”
Buium, 20, was acquired by the Canucks last season in the blockbuster trade that sent Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
He recorded three goals and nine assists over 45 games with Vancouver.
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The Wild selected Buium with the 12th-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Yesavage threw a bullpen session on Friday, his first time throwing off a mound since he had surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee three weeks ago.
“Trey threw a 23-pitch pen today,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said on Sportsnet 590 The Fan’s Blair & Barker Friday. “He was up to 92 m.p.h. and said he felt great.”
Schneider said Yesavage will throw another bullpen on Monday, and if that goes well, he will throw two simulated innings on Thursday.
As far as what Yesavage’s rehab game schedule will look like, Schneider said the 23-year-old right-hander will need at least one game before rejoining the Blue Jays.
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“I think it will probably be most beneficial to do at least one game,” Schneider said of Yesavage. “But I think if he continues to feel good, it will be like 30 pitches on Thursday to live hitters after another pen, then you can bump him up to like 45, 50 (pitches), and then kind of make a decision.”
However, Schneider did say this week that if Yesavage does return to the Blue Jays this season, it will most likely be in a bulk role instead of going back to being a traditional starter.
“That would make it interesting for a bullpen-y bulk day, with him being part of it,” Schneider said on Thursday. “That would be nice. It just depends on how much time he’s missed, how much he can build up. Is it an inning or two? Is it three or four? We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
The 23-year-old Yesavage left Toronto’s loss to the Houston Astros on Aug. 4 after throwing 16 strikes over two innings. His left knee appeared to buckle as he warmed up for the third inning, and he was checked by a trainer before exiting the game.
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Yesavage (5-5) has a 3.65 earned-run average over 18 starts this season with 91 strikeouts over 93.2 innings pitched.
Despite the loss of Yesavage, the Blue Jays enter Friday’s game (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, Sportsnet and Sportsnet+) against the Kansas City Royals just 0.5 games back of the Guardians for the final wild-card spot in the American League.
Not only did McIlroy switch back to his TaylorMade RORS Proto blades before his season debut at Pebble Beach and ultimately used them to win his second-straight Masters, the first five events of the PGA Tour season were also won by blade players.
Ultimately, blade players won 17 of the FedEx Cup regular season’s 37 events, a not-so-insignificant share. Players still value the precision and control offered by muscle back irons en masse on the PGA Tour.
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But just because a large number of PGA Tour pros are still playing muscle backs doesn’t mean they’re completely giving up forgiveness. Quite the contrary, in fact.
Twenty-eight of this season’s winners used multiple models in their iron sets. Specifically, more than half (15), opted to use something more forgiving for just the 4-iron slot. Two winners, Aaron Rai and Alex Fitzpatrick, had the same iron model throughout the bag, but didn’t have a 4-iron at all! World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was a prime example, as he accounted for three of this season’s six wins by players using a utility iron as their 4-iron.
From a brand and model standpoint, Titleist led the count with 13 wins, which is right on par with their overall usage share on the PGA Tour of 34 percent. Titleist has been the most played iron on the PGA Tour for the past 13 seasons.
Keep reading below to see the winning iron brands on the PGA Tour in 2026.
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The winningest iron brands during the 2026 FedEx Cup season
No. 1 Titleist (13 wins)
Clockwise from top left: Wyndham Clark’s 2025 T100s, Cameron Young’s 631.CY MBs, Bud Cauley’s 620 MBs and Michael Brennan’s 620 CBs.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Not only did Titleist have the most winning iron sets on the PGA Tour, they also had the most different models among those 13 winners. Among primary iron set models, three generations of the T100 won this season, with the current generation 2025 model capturing five wins alone.
The other wins were made up of combo sets featuring the 620 MB, 620 CB and MB prototypes. Those prototype wins were by Cameron Young and his 631.CY MBs and Jackson Koivun, who was using the 620 MB Dot Prototype.
Just two players, Tom Kim and Ricky Castillo, played the same Titleist iron model in their set, 4-PW. The rest use either a combo set, like Wyndham Clark, who splits his set of T100s with T200s at the 5-iron, or have a more forgiving 4-iron like the T100 for MB and CB players, or the players distance T250.
Unmatched precision meets unrivaled feel with T100 Irons. Fully forged with more aggressive grooves in the mid/short irons, T100 offers pure player’s feel with improved consistency in variable conditions. Now with higher long-iron launch for optimal trajectory control in every club. Forged Player’s Design Masterfully forged into a pure player’s design that offers precision control and buttery feel. Superior Flight and Stability Split High-Density Tungsten produces optimal CG with remarkable stability for precise shotmaking. Consistent Speed & Spin New VFT technology and progressive groove design for consistent spin and speed across the face in variable conditions. Elevated Long-Iron Launch Lower CG and a new muscle channel help improve peak height and carry.
Clockwise from top left: Rory McIlroy’s RORS Protos, Aaron Rai’s P7TWs, Collin Morikawa’s P730s and Jacob Bridgeman’s P7CBs.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Thanks to Scottie Scheffler’s three victories and Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship win, the P7TW accounted for half of TaylorMade’s iron victories.
The only player to win with TaylorMade irons without any muscle backs in his set was Jacob Bridgeman.
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None of TaylorMade’s eight iron winners used the same model in the 4-iron spot. Rory McIlroy jumped from his RORS Protos to a P760 at 4-iron, Michael Thorbjornsen used a P7MC 4-iron from the P7MB, Collin Morikawa had a split set of P730 blades and P7CBs, and Bridgeman moved from the P7CBs to a P770 5-iron before using a utility 4-iron.
Rai’s only iron model was the P7TW, but he plays a 5-hybrid instead of a 4-iron.
BEST-IN CLASS FEEL Using Tour feedback and modal analysis we’ve strategically designed mass placement for best in class feel. Crafted using Compact Grain Forging and 2000 tons of pressure to deliver the purest feeling 1025 soft carbon steel possible. PRECISE CONTROL Precise milled face and grooves combined with a constant CG the P•7CB is designed to deliver an optimal launch and spin combination for the ultimate control and precision. CONSISTENCY Created to maximize accuracy and consistency. The P•7CB optimized perimeter weighting and co-forged tungsten designed to deliver a beautiful blend of stability and workability. COMPACT TOUR SHAPING Every aspect of shaping in this iron was intended to meet the needs of discerning ball strikers. A compact blade length and thin topline create a confident, clean look in the playing position while the sole camber and progressive bounce profile provide consistent turf interaction.
Perhaps no brand had a more interesting set of winning irons than Ping. Only two of Ping’s victories, Kristoffer Reitan (Blueprint S) and Brandt Snedeker (i240), were by players using irons still in Ping’s current lineup.
Matt Fitzpatrick collected three victories with the 13-year-old Ping S55 irons that he’s used for nearly all of his PGA Tour career. Viktor Hovland collected the last win with Ping i210 irons that are now two generations old.
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Interesting, not only were none of Ping’s victories by blade players, but also only Fitzpatrick played any semblance of a combo set by moving to an i210 4-iron.
Developed following extensive testing with PING’s top tour pros to meet their “must haves” — control and precision — Blueprint S delivers the score-lowering performance demanded by the best players in the world. COMPACT SHAPE The compact shape fits the discerning eye with a thin top line and minimal offset. The 8620 carbon steel head boasts a clean cavity design, distinguished by an eye-catching forged textured pattern and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish. PRECISION POCKET FORGING This patented forging technique allows PING to forge a pocket into the cavity of the 3, 4 and 5 irons. The pocket saves 10 grams of weight, which is re-allocated to increase the MOI and optimize the center of gravity position for more distance and trajectory control.
(L) Ryan Fox’s ZXi7 7-iron and J.J. Spaun’s 4-iron
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
While it didn’t duplicate the success of 2025, Srixon again had another solid year in 2026, with three wins, including Ryan Fox winning the Open Championship in July.
Fox and Nico Echavarria both won with the same composition of Srixon ZXi7 in the 6-iron through PW and the larger ZXi5 in the 5- and 4-iron. J.J. Spaun had a similar setup, but played the ZXi5 only in the 4-iron.
Chris Gotterup’s three victories came as the only player on the PGA Tour using Bridgestone’s 220 MBs. Durring his wins, Gotterup played the muscle backs through his set from 4-iron to PW, but starting in the playoffs, he added a new, Japan-only Bridgestone cavity-back at the 4-iron spot.
Forged players muscleback clubhead design Tour Groove Design with super precise .02mm groove for stable consistent spin on all shots Consistent ball flight from the balanced center of gravity throughout the set Compact clubhead to maximum workability
Callaway’s two iron victories this year came from their top two Tour irons. Akshay Bhatia used his Apex TCB set at Bay Hill while Stefano Mazzoli used the new Apex MB ’26 in the Dominican Republic.
As with the trend, both players had different 4-irons, with Bhatia choosing a utility iron and Mazzoli using Apex TC 4- and 5-irons.
Since Xander Schauffele put a TCB iron in play,his strokes gained in approach have significantlyincreased year over year. Now in 2024, he is top 5 inthe world in strokes gained on the field, and has wontwo major championships with the new ’24 TCB Iron. MAJOR SUCCESS Trusting the ‘24 Apex TCB iron, Xander Schauffelewent on to secure two major championships in the2024 season. TOUR FEEL Combining our best in technology, the ’24 TCB usesa 1025 tour cavity back body with a 17-4 tour tunedface for consistent spin and control up and down thebag. The feel is second to none. Just ask Xander. PRO LOOKS The beautiful raw aesthetic and overall footprint isexactly what Xander was looking for. With a compact controllable shape, and shorter blade length, TCB ’24 are players irons for discerning golfers.
Carlos Alcaraz covered his modesty as he cruised into the fourth round of the US Open.
The Spaniard’s baggy sleeveless top has been raising eyebrows this week as it occasionally revealed a nipple during matches.
The sight even prompted former player-turned-pundit Genie Bouchard to post on social media: “Love you Carlos but we’ve got to put the nip away.”
Alcaraz wore a vest to cover his modesty at Flushing Meadows (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP) (AP)
So Alcaraz fixed his malfunctioning wardrobe by wearing a skin-tight vest underneath as he beat China’s Wu Yibing 6-3 6-4 6-1 in a two hours and 19 minutes.
The 23-year-old, back to defend his title after four months out with a wrist injury, said he has surprised himself with how well he is playing.
“I think today was a really high rhythm, the way he played was unbelievable,” he said.
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“I played aggressive, I played smart in the toughest moments which I’m really happy about. I did everything good. Could be better, but I’m proud of the performance today.
“To be honest I’m better than I thought. I thought I would be dead after the first match, but I’m recovering really well. Right now my level is really good.”
In the fourth round Alcaraz will play American Tommy Paul, the former Queen’s Club champion, who came through a titanic five-setter with Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik.
“He’s going to play at home which is going to be an advantage for him,” added Alcaraz. “But hopefully he will be a bit tired from today’s match.”
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Russian seventh seed Daniil Medvedev beat France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6-4 6-4 6-4 while, in the women’s draw, third-seeded American Jessica Pegula recovered from a disastrous first set to knock out former runner-up Leylah Fernandez 1-6 6-4 6-3.
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