This week, PGA Tour players competed in the second signature event of the season, The Genesis Invitational. The tournament was held at the Riviera Country Club from Feb. 19 to 22.
Jacob Bridgeman was phenomenal in the game and registered a win in the tournament. He outperformed his odds. Below are the five golfers who overperformed their odds at the 2026 Genesis Invitational:
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5 golfers who over-performed their odds at The Genesis Invitational 2026
#1 Jacob Bridgeman
Jacob Bridgeman (Image Source: Getty)
Odds: +8000
Result: Winner
As per FanDuel, Jacob Bridgeman had odds of +8000. However, he had an impressive play this week. He started the game with an opening round of 66 and then played the next round of 64. The American golfer was amazing with his game and played another round of 64 to take the lead in the game after 54 holes. He carded the final round of 72 and settled with a score of 18-under. He registered a one-stroke win in the game.
#2 Kurt Kitayama
Kurt Kitayama (Image Source: Imagn)
Kurt Kitayama is another golfer who outperformed his odds at the 2026 Genesis Invitational. He started the game with an opening round of 71 and then played the next three rounds of 64, 68, and 64. He had odds of +7500 but outperformed them and settled in second place.
#3 Adam Scott
Adam Scott (Image Source: Imagn)
Another golfer who overperformed his odds at the 2026 Genesis Invitational is Adam Scott. He had odds of +5500 (via FanDuel). However, he outperformed them and had a phenomenal outing in the tournament. The Australian golfer started the game with an opening round of 70 and then played the next round of 63. He carded the final two rounds of 72 and 63 and settled in solo fourth place.
#4 Pierceson Coody
Pierceson Coody (Image Source: Imagn)
Pierceson Coody also overperformed his odds at the 2026 Genesis Invitational. He started the game with an opening round of 68 and then played the next round of 71. He carded 68 and 67 in the next two rounds and settled in a tie for 16th place. Per FanDuel, his odds for the event were +6000.
#5 Alex Noren
Alex Noren (Image Source: Imagn)
Alex Noren also overperformed his odds at the Genesis Invitational. Per FanDuel, his odds for the event were around +8000. He had a tough start to his game and carded 74 on Thursday. However, he then played rounds of 66, 67, and 66 and settled in a tie for 12th place.
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Tiger Woods’ chances of playing in the Masters, Jon Rahm’s curious decision and takeaways from the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing.
Tiger Woods was on-site and even in the TV booth as the host for this week’s Genesis Invitational. Tiger spoke on a variety of topics and somewhat surprisingly said there’s still a chance he’ll play the 2026 Masters. Woods, 50, hasn’t played since the 2024 Open Championship as he’s been recovering from different injuries. But do you buy this? What’s the realistic chance you think he plays at Augusta National? Do you have a percentage chance you’d put on it?
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): The latest odds I saw from people who make a living setting them were 2-to-1. That seems reasonable. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him try to make a go of it. But I’d be a bit surprised to see him make the cut and walk for rounds.
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): Judging based on his demeanor at Riviera, I’d couch him at a 61.25 percent chance of playing. I’m not sure he’d entertain [gulps] the Champions Tour as a legitimate competitive option unless he thought it meant that he might be able to USE the Champions Tour to start elsewhere. Like, for example, at Augusta National.
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Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I buy that Tiger believes there’s a chance he can play, and he’s going to try to push it to be able to tee off at Augusta. I’d still put it at around 40%. He said he’s hitting full shots, but then pumped the brakes when Nantz said he could hit the kind of 7-wood Jacob Bridgeman hit into 11 on Saturday. He’s a maniacal competitor and wants to play. But the body has to be able to go where the mind wants, and it’s unclear where his body is in the rehab process.
Speaking of those other topics Tiger touched on, what did he say over the past week that was of most interest to you?
Sens: I wasn’t exactly shocked to hear it, but I would say I raised my eyebrows when he said he hasn’t decided on a Ryder Cup captaincy. Deep down, you and I know he’s going to be the captain. And I think he knows it, too. Also: the idea that riding a cart on the Champions Tour appeals to him. Could you have ever imagined a young Tiger saying that?
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Colgan: I was shocked to hear Tiger admit that the Tour is considering moving at least one of the two premier early-season PGA Tour events (Pebble Beach and Riviera) to August to accommodate the new schedule. That change would certainly fix the problem of California rain the Tour currently finds in February, but I wonder if it’d help make the “Playoffs” FEEL bigger, too. I know each of those events feels bigger now solely by proxy of their golf courses. I’m in favor.
Schrock: I agree with James, but I’ve also really enjoyed Tiger getting a little more introspective now that he’s 50. He talked about being single-minded in his work on the FCC because he wants part of his legacy to be creating a Tour that allows the next Tigers to thrive. Cool to see him peel back a layer and artfully address competitive mortality.
On Sunday at Riviera, Woods watched Jacob Bridgeman take a six-shot lead into Sunday and edge Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama by one to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. Bridgeman, 26, didn’t necessarily come out of nowhere — he was top 20 in all four of his previous starts this season — but what is it about his game that’s most impressed you during this run? Has he shown you enough to convince you this isn’t a fluke?
Sens: A fluke is when I compress an iron shot. Bridgeman is no fluke. A strong college career at a top golf program (Clemson). A bunch of top 5’s last year. In the second-to-last group last week at Pebble. There aren’t many Tiger career arcs out there. This is how most talented young players progress toward their first win. He was impressive across the board this week. Didn’t find a greenside bunker until the 16th on Sunday. Dead-eye putting and approaches. But I was especially struck by his demeanor on the homeward nine. McIlroy holing out for birdie on 12 might have rattled someone less composed. Bridgeman just kept on with his business.
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Colgan: I will admit that, around the time he took roughly 43 hours to play the final hole from the ocean at Pebble Beach last week, I may have allowed myself to believe certain things about Jacob Bridgeman’s credibility as a PGA Tour contender. I may have even suggested that he replay the final hole in the nude as penance for his poor pace. His victory this week erased those feelings, and replaced them with the sense that he might be the Tour’s next J.J. Spaun — a guy who felt like he came out of nowhere when he started winning … but we probably should have seen coming all along.
Schrock: I think his composure on Sunday, especially as a seven-shot lead started to dwindle, was incredibly impressive. I thought when Rory holed that bunker shot on 12 that things might start to move fast and he could unravel. But he was impressively cool under pressure. Lest we forget, he made the Tour Championship last year and had to play well alongside Rory at the BMW to punch his ticket to East Lake. He has been playing good golf for a while now, and I won’t be surprised if he starts becoming more of a leaderboard fixture.
Eight DP World Tour members were granted conditional releases to play LIV Golf events this year, although Jon Rahm did not apply. What does this mean, big picture?
Sens: A future LIV-DP merger. The DP World Tour needs money. The Saudis have that. LIV needs more competitive juice. The DP World Tour could help with that.
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Colgan: I’m really confused by this decision. Barring Josh’s merger idea, Rahm seems to be betting that he’s important enough to earn a major Ryder Cup exception. The reality is that he IS, especially if you ask his RC teammates. But it’s one thing to rally the support of Luke Donald … and another entirely to stand squarely against a major tour and ask for special status. He knows the landscape better than I, and he certainly wants to be in Ireland in ‘27. But I’d love to hear his explanation!
Schrock: Honestly, it’s a fascinating gambit by Rahm. His friend and teammate, Tyrrell Hatton, who was in the lawsuit with him, paid the fine and bowed out. So now Rahm, who was paid however many millions upfront to join LIV, is going to bet that they’ll make a rule allowing him to be on the Ryder Cup team without being a DP World Tour member, instead of just compromising and paying the fines. It feels like it’s a decision that could cost Rahm things money can’t buy. I feel like the DP World Tour offered a reasonable olive branch, and I don’t see how this goes in Rahm’s favor outside of a merger. Is he important enough to the team to warrant a special exemption? Of course. But you already have Rory McIlroy, the leader of that team, saying he should pay the fine. Hatton, who was standing with him, has paid his fines. I’m also fascinated to hear his explanation and see where this goes.
Goodbye, West Coast Swing, and hello, Florida. What did you learn over the last two months on the PGA Tour?
Sens: That the only way Scottie Scheffler doesn’t win most starts is if he gives the field a first-round head start. It’s been a strange few weeks, watching him struggle out of the gate.
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Colgan: Scottie is still the best around … but the first round hiccups are weird. Xander Schauffele is trending again – that’s fun! And welcome back, Collin Morikawa! Golf is more fun with him in the conversation.
Schrock: I’m enjoying the Scottie spots guys one round bit that’s going on. It’s a nice wrinkle and further illustrates the gap between him and everyone else. Despite not winning, I think Rory’s game is in a really good place as we head toward Florida and the Masters. He made a ton of birdies at Pebble but hit a few into the ocean. There was no Ocean at Riviera, so the big numbers went away. Xander is trending, and Jordan Spieth believes he has tapped back into his putting magic, which can bleed into the rest of his game, or so his theory goes. The PGA Tour is in a good spot with API and the Players on deck.
Team USA men’s hockey honored the late Johnny Gaudreau on Sunday as players carried his jersey and his children onto the ice as they celebrated a gold medal win at the Olympics.
Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver in New Jersey in August 2024. They were in town for their sister’s wedding. The former Columbus Blue Jackets player likely would have been on the team if it wasn’t for the tragedy.
United States’ Dylan Larkin (21) holds Johnny, the son of the late player Johnny Gaudreau while posing with teammates after a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
United States’ Matthew Tkachuk (19) carries Noa Gaudreau, following a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Katie Gaudreau appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” and thanked the team for what they did.
“Team USA really went above and beyond. It meant the world,” she said Monday. “Even just having his jersey out when Matthew (Tkachuk) went out with his jersey round-to-round with the jersey. It really meant a lot. And we thought it was just going to end there.
“And then I remember watching the jersey when they were giving out the gold medals and thinking, ‘Wow, it’s still there,’ and as the celebration went on, when they went to do the picture, they stopped for a little bit. We were like, ‘What are they doing? What are they doing?’ And I thought I heard them say earlier, ‘There’s Meredith in the crowd,’ and when they went and got Johnny (Junior) on his second birthday and Noa, it truly meant the world to us because, honestly, this is what John wanted for his children. He wanted them to experience these experiences, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he worked so hard for.”
Team USA pose for group photo Johnny Gaudreau’s children during the Men’s Gold Medal match between Canada and United States on day sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy.(RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)
Team USA won the game, 2-1, thanks to Jack Hughes’ score in overtime. Canada missed out on a handful of chances to bust the game open.
Katie Gaudreau said she thought there may have been some kind of divine intervention for Canada to have missed some of the opportunities they had.
“They would be very proud. They like a nail-biter, so they probably would’ve been chirping everyone. But they would’ve been proud,” she said. “I think there were a couple goals that … they might have had a little help in saving. They didn’t go in. There was a couple times I was watching, ‘How did that not go in?’ I think they might have had some help behind the net. They were never quite defensive so I don’t know if they woulda made their way back in the defensive zone to stop that puck.”
She added that the grief of losing her brothers was still there, but thanks to the hockey community, she and her family have been able to take it day by day.
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“There’s no processing. We’re still taking it day by day,” she said. “But because of the help of the hockey community and really North America as a whole, we’ve been able to go one step everyday further and I’m so thankful for the community’s help. No parent, wife, sister, children should ever have to experience this tragedy.
Auston Matthews (34) of the United States, Zach Werenski (8) of the United States and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States hold up the jersey of John Gaudreau after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026.(Amber Searls/Imagn Images)
“The fact that we’re still here and taking it step by step to honor the boys and their legacy is really in thanks to the community and things like Team USA and what they did yesterday. Just the outpour of love and support for John’s kids, Matthew’s trip, it’s truly incredible what this community can really do.”
With a Group 1 triumph already recorded, Observer approaches his top-tier reappearance this Saturday at Flemington with some lingering aspirations unfulfilled.
Ciaron Maher’s charge, the colt, seeks to claim the $1 million Australian Guineas to pair with his Victoria Derby score from the prior spring at that circuit.
The Ghaiyyath-sired runner confirmed his prowess at 2500 metres against contemporaries via the Derby, emerging previously from the Caulfield Guineas with bad luck, and Maher anticipates a 1600m Group 1 addition to his achievements.
“I think he showed there that he’s good enough to win at that level over that trip,” Maher said of his Caulfield Guineas run, when beaten 2-1/2 lengths by Autumn Boy.
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“I hope he can do it for him and his future.
“You would think he’ll only better at Flemington, just with the style he races and the set-up of the track.
“He was good first-up, but he’d be much better at the mile and beyond.”
Observer has notched victories in his three races after the Caulfield Guineas, including the Derby after an impressive success in the Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), and he opened this prep with a solid pace-setting win in the Autumn Stakes (1400m).
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Maher passed on that 1400m test for the 2021 Victoria Derby-Australian Guineas hero Hitotsu, and regards Observer’s run on February 7 there as proof of his advancing maturity.
“With Hitotsu, we were very confident to go in fresh at the mile, but with this horse, I wanted to give him a run,” Maher said.
“He’s a different style of horse, he’s a bit more relaxed this time around. He went from the Norton (bit) back to the normal bridle last start, so he is maturing as he goes and is getting stronger.”
Ethan Brown, Observer’s Caulfield Guineas pilot, substituted for the hurt Mark Zahra in the Autumn Stakes saddle and retains the role in the Guineas.
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For the Australian Guineas, Observer sits as the $2.40 market leader over Sixties, prepared by Chris Waller and fresh off the C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) win, at $3 in behind.
March is right around the corner, and the at-large resumes are coming under scrutiny.
Last week, UCLA helped itself with a critical win over Illinois while USC shot itself in the foot with two losses.
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At the same time, San Diego State played its way out of the projected field with two defeats, while Utah State hurt its projected seed by dropping a game to Nevada.
Over in the ACC, California stayed in contention while essentially knocking Stanford out.
This week, there are several critical games in the WCC and MWC that will affect the Bubble conversation.
Here’s how I view the Top 10 College Basketball Teams in the West with three weeks to go until Selection Sunday.
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1. Arizona (25-2, 12-2)
Without Koa Peat, the Wildcats took down BYU and Houston.
The victories underscore the depth of Arizona’s roster and the coaching staff’s ability to adjust. Sidi Gueye and Evan Nelson transitioned from bench warmers to rotational roles, contributing critical minutes in both games.
If anything, the absence of Peat and Dwayne Aristode has made Arizona stronger in the long run.
2. Gonzaga (27-2, 15-1)
The Zags crushed San Francisco and beat Pacific last week. But nobody has forgotten about that loss to Portland earlier this season.
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Facing the Pilots in Spokane on Wednesday, Gonzaga has the chance for revenge. Looking further beyond to the Big Dance, it’s probably unwise to doubt Mark Few.
Yet, it’s reasonable to wonder if the Bulldogs go deeper than the Sweet 16.
3. BYU (20-7, 8-6)
Kevin Young and his players are beginning to adjust to the loss of Richie Saunders. In the win over Iowa State, Mihailo Boskovic and Kennard Davis Jr. stepped up.
Young needs his supporting players to continue increasing their production while AJ Dybantsa keeps dominating.
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If the season ended today, Dybantsa would be the betting favorite to win the Big 12’s Player of the Year award.
4. Utah State (23-4, 13-3)
A shot at a 5-seed just went out of the window with the road loss to Nevada. Now, the prospect of the dreaded 8 or 9-seed is becoming more realistic.
Utah State does have the talent to get out of the First Round in that scenario, but it likely won’t beat any of the projected 1-seeds.
To make a Sweet 16 run, the Aggies might need to win their final four regular-season contests and at least make the Mountain West Tournament Championship Game.
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5. UCLA (18-9, 10-6)
Mick Cronin got another signature win this season with a victory over Illinois. Combined with the previous result against Purdue, the Bruins have effectively moved off the cut line.
And with games remaining against USC, Minnesota, and Nebraska, UCLA could enter the Big Ten Tournament on a five-game winning streak.
Even so, any unexpected stumbles could put the Bruins back into the danger zone.
6. Saint Mary’s (25-4, 14-2)
The Gaels escaped with a two-point win over Seattle and then crushed Washington State.
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The close margin of victory over the Redhawks is concerning at this stage of the season. But none of that matters with Santa Clara and Gonzaga coming to Moraga this week.
Beat both opponents, and Saint Mary’s becomes a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Lose both, and the Gaels might drop outside of the projected field.
7. New Mexico (21-6, 12-4)
It took a historic comeback to beat Fresno State on the road. Yet, at the end of the day, a win is a win.
There’s no time to dwell on the result with Nevada and San Diego State up next. The Lobos play the Wolf Pack on the road after Steve Alford’s team just took down Utah State.
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Still on the cut line, New Mexico can’t afford to lose this week.
8. Santa Clara (23-6, 14-2)
Santa Clara’s NCAA Tournament hopes are on the line this week against Saint Mary’s. Facing the Gaels on the road, the matchup could wind up being a de facto elimination game.
The WCC probably only gets one at-large bid, which leaves three teams fighting for two spots.
Anything can happen, yet the Broncos will feel much more comfortable on Selection Sunday if they beat Saint Mary’s on Wednesday.
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9. California (19-8, 7-7)
Mark Madsen has the Bears in position to make the NCAA Tournament. If the Selection Show were held today, it would be a toss-up.
That makes this week’s game against SMU critical. In some ways, it’s Cal biggest game of the year. Beat the Mustangs, and the Bears will probably move into the projected field.
A loss wouldn’t eliminate California, but it would be a substantial missed opportunity.
10. San Diego State (18-8, 12-4)
The Aztecs are on the wrong side of the conversation. The prospects of an at-large bid were already in question, even prior to the losses to GCU and Colorado State last week.
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Fortunately, there are opportunities remaining. San Diego State faces Utah State, New Mexico, Boise State, and UNLV to close the year.
Go 4-0 over that stretch, and a bid seems much more likely.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
The stakes are high for both teams when UCF travels to No. 23 BYU for a pivotal Big 12 Conference showdown on Tuesday in Provo, Utah.
With two straight wins, the Knights have firmed up their place squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. UCF (19-7, 8-6 Big 12) is ranked No. 46 in the NCAA NET. It is 9-7 in Quadrant 1 and 2 games. The Knights are 10-0 in Quad 3 and 4 games. So while UCF doesn’t have any bad losses, it did start February with a three-game losing streak.
Consecutive wins, an 82-71 home win over fellow bubble mate TCU on Tuesday was followed up with a 73-71 nailbiter of a road win at Utah on Saturday. Themus Fulks led the way against the Utes with 24 points and hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds for the Knights to escape with a win.
It was a win that kept the Knights’ Quad 3 and 4 sheet clean and it came without their co-leading scorer Riley Kugel (14.0 points per game). Kugel was injured late in the TCU game. The senior guard had started all 25 games. Reserve guard Carmelo Pacheco (5.0 points) was questionable before the Utah game but offered six points off the bench.
“Riley is still day-to-day,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “Pacheco did a great job of giving us a lift in both halves (against Utah).”
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Conversely, it appears BYU (20-7, 8-6) is inside the NCAA Tournament cut line. The Cougars are No. 19 in the NET and picked up a valuable 79-69 home win against No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday.
But it has been an up-and-down month for the Cougars. BYU is just 3-3 in February and lost second-leading scorer Richie Saunders, who averaged 18 points per game and 5.8 rebounds, to a torn ACL on Feb. 14 in a home win over Colorado.
“We’ve faced a lot of adversity and no one has blinked,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “They’ve stayed together and have kept working.”
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Against the Cyclones, the Cougars sprung the upset as AJ Dybantsa stuffed the stat sheet with 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. In Saunders absence, Kennard Davis Jr., who averages 7.8 points per game, racked up 17 points and pitched in four rebounds. Mihailo Boskovic (3.5 points) also exceeded his average with 13 points and five rebounds.
The senior from Serbia, Boskovic had just three starts this season and played 28 minutes against Iowa State, well above his season average of 12.9.
“I think there’s a lot to be said for opportunity and confidence,” Young said. “Those guys understand with Richie out their numbers are going to get called more. There’s a little more of a deep breath. They don’t have to press because they know the ball is going to come to them a little more.
“With Mihailo he knows he is going to play more minutes, so it’s a little easier to get into a rhythm when you have that mindset. At the same time, they get all the credit because they have stayed ready and they have been able to deliver.”
Team Akwa Ibom tennis player Etoro Bassey has described her victory over Lorelay Holzendorff as “thrilling” after reaching the women’s singles final at the 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City, Edo State.
“The feeling is thrilling. Last year (1st Edition of the Niger Delta Games) was basically the same thing as we met in the semifinals and I won and to defeat her again is a good thing for me,” Bassey said after her 2-0 (6-1, 6-1) win in the semifinal held on Monday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
The 18-year-old said she had no fear going into the match despite Lorelay’s improvement. “I didn’t feel fear at all. I was confident in my game,” she stated.
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Etoro Bassey and Lorelay after their women’s singles semifinal at the 2nd Niger Delta Games
Bassey also said she is hoping for a repeat of last year’s final against fellow Team Akwa Ibom player, Favour James. “I am really looking forward to a repeat of last years final. I want to face Favour James in the final but if it happens otherwise fine.”
She praised the organisers of the Games for their support and welfare of athletes. “The competition is okay. They are treating us well, giving us good food and everything is okay.
“It has been fun in Edo State. I am getting to meet new people and our team we are supporting each other and so I am enjoying myself here.”
Bassey, who is competing in youth events, also revealed her ambition to reach the top circuit and become a professional tennis player.
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The Niger Delta Games is organised by Dunamis-Icon Limited and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Events will run until the closing ceremony on February 26
As the second edition of the Niger Delta Games enters Day-3 in Benin, Edo State, the Scouting Committee has said that it has a mission to identify the next generation of star sportsmen and women from the region.
Chairman of the committee, Godwin Enakhena and his team has been moving round the games venues from morning sessions till the close of the day, monitoring and liaising with the screening committee to ensure that the right athletes were scouted.
“We’re ready to help discover the next Blessing Oborodudu, Victor Ikpeba, Victor Osimhen, Nwankwo Kanu, Efe Ajagba, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Blessing Okagbare, Ese Brume etc for the Niger Delta region”, he asserted Sunday afternoon when he joined a group of former athletics stars at the track and field events at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday.
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The line up of athletics greats includes Mary Onyali, Henry Amike, Gabriel Okon, Gabriel Opuama and Enefiok Udo-Obong among others.
“We are happy with the job done by the screening committee to ensure that true U-20s are the ones participating in Benin City.
“We’re going to be meticulous in beaming the searchlight on very talented younger athletes that are being showcased at the Games”, he said amidst the din of cheers that trailed the completion of the 400m hurdles final.
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Enakhena recalled that at the last edition in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, 644 athletes were identified as having the potentials to thrive in the future.
He believes that there exists a possibility to exceed that number given that the states are beginning to embrace the vision of going to the grassroots to discover budding talents.
“To make this happen, we’ve put together experienced coaches and scouts. Blessing Oborududu leads wrestling scouts and Rolake Olagbegi-Kassim leads tennis. She was the first Nigerian female professional tennis player and the first to win Gold and Silver medals at the All-African Games. The longest serving NPFL player, Victor Ezeji will lead the football scouts, amongst others”, he disclosed.
The NDG has been programmed to provide a platform for states in the region to discover, test and nurture indigenous budding talents to become national and international champions.
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The games is organised by Dunamis-Icon Limited led by Sir Itiako Ikpokpo and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
The 2024 Paris Games revitalized what those five recognizable Olympic rings mean as a symbol of athletic competition, global community, ambition and achievement on the world’s stage. As soon as the most recent Summer Games concluded, the reviews were near-universal in agreement. The Olympics were officially back, with Paris’ moment widely recognized as one of the best Games in history for a bevy of irresistible reasons: the jaw-dropping backdrops and unique stages for competition; the record-setting performances; the star power drawn in by one of the most famous cities in the world; and, crucially, the return of a normal Olympics after COVID had severe impacts on the previous two.
The just-concluded Milan Cortina Games couldn’t hit the same highs or have quite the same worldwide reach of the Paris Games — the Summer Olympics will always out-rate Winter — but all medals and moments considered, what we just watched over the past 16 days immediately vaults this fortnight competition near the top of the list of the best Winter Games of all time.
What’s more, for the first time since Vancouver in 2010, the world’s best cold-weather athletes competed in a place that was both visually stimulating for TV watchers and viewership-friendly in the United States.
As for the U.S. delegation, this has to be regarded as the country’s greatest go on snow and ice ever. Those in red, white and blue put on an epic showing, with Americans bringing home 12 gold medals, the most in any Winter Olympics. The 33 total medals were four off their best haul during those Vancouver Games 16 years ago.
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My primary gig for CBS Sports is to write and talk about men’s college basketball, but longtime readers know all too well how much I love the Olympics. And even in the midst of what I think will wind up being an all-time season in college hoops, I had my attention split for two weeks between American hardwood and Italian ice due to the gorgeous vistas, powerful storylines, emerging star power and ever-reliable drama that came across my TV screen with 16 disciplines in eight sports taking place an ocean and a continent away.
The redemption stories and breakout stars and anguishing images of failure that developed over two-plus weeks in the mountains of Northern Italy produced enough narratives to fill a 500-page novel. I’ll go much shorter than that, but please join me on a look back at the stars and moments that made the Milan Cortina Games one of the best Winter Olympics ever.
Team USA sweeps hockey gold
We start with ice hockey. The United States men’s and women’s teams won gold in the same Olympics for the first time, which is a monumental achievement in its own right. But then consider the details: The two teams did it three days apart in games, in games that that both ended 2-1, in games that both reached overtime, in games that both downed a perfect rival, Canada.
It’s only the third time men’s hockey has won the Olympic tournament; 1960 being the first. The 1980 team has been subject to documentaries. Both of these champions will be as well.
Mikaela Shiffrin’s redemption arc
Mikaela Shiffrin, 30 years old and far from finished in her one-of-a-kind career, has become one of my favorite athletes. Shiffrin got the third Olympic gold medal of her career on Feb. 18, but it was the only one of these Games. It came in her best discipline, the slalom, and in staggering fashion. Shiffrin exorcised her previous eight non-podium skis in the Olympics by winning her two slalom races by 1.50 seconds, marking the largest margin of victory in an Alpine Olympic event since 1998. The gap in her win was so large, it was actually a longer amount of time than the advantage of the six previous Olympic slalom winners — COMBINED!
She entered Milan as the only two-time slalom gold medalist in U.S. history. And now Shiffrin is the first Team USA skier to ever win three gold medals, too. She was already the youngest (18 in 2014) to win the women’s slalom event at the Olympics, and with last week’s gold she’s also now the oldest to ever do it as well. One barrier after another, broken.
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She did it after failing to medal in giant slalom and also shockingly blowing a first-place lead in the Olympics debut of the team combined event with teammate Breezy Johnson — whose downhill gold was one of the United States’ 12. Shiffrin responded with one of the best races of her life. She earned it not because of the hard work, but because of how she so willingly put herself out there, time and again, with her struggles.
Every time I heard Shiffrin talk, or saw one of her social posts, it was nothing but positivity, affirmation of teammates and competitors and transparency over accepting the challenges of these moments, of living through them instead of going against them. When she won gold last week, cameras caught her expression, goggles still over the eyes, and the first word out of her mouth?
Dad.
I almost cried when I watched it live.
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Shiffrin unexpectedly lost her father to an accident in 2020. She’d won races since then, and had high-profile failures too. But winning a medal on the Olympic stage hadn’t happened since he passed. Her honesty at her medal-winning press conference about processing grief is something everyone should watch.
Women provided so many inspirational performances
Johnson, not only won gold here, she did so on the course that was the stage of a pre-Olympics crash in 2022 that caused her to miss the Beijing Games. And so not only did she make a grand comeback at 30, she also got engaged after her final race.
The Netherlands’ speedskating duo of Femke Kok and Jutta Leerdam each won a gold and a silver and they have flipped a niche sport into must-see competition. They are bona fide uber celebrities in their home country, where speedskating is treated there like football is in the States. Italian Arianna Fontana made history by competing in her final Olympics at 35 and winning a gold and two silvers in short track speedskating, and finishing with a medal at six straight Olympics. No one else has ever done that! She’s got 14 medals to her name, second most ever to Norways Marit Bjøgen’s 15.
Speaking of peaking at the end: Elana Meyers Taylor competed in her fifth Olympics and finally, as a 41-year-old mom of two, won her first gold in the monobob. Imagine hitting the peak of your athletic life after the age of 40? Lindsey Vonn tried to do that, only to see it end in disaster. But Vonn’s tragic final Olympic race — which has required three surgeries already and will need at least one more — served as a scary reminder of the very real stakes of competition in the Winter Olympics. Nothing compares.
Men who seemed to be immortal, and a ‘God’ who proved to be human
American speedskater Jordan Stolz hoped for four medals, perhaps even four golds, but came away with two and a silver. His pair of individual first-place finishes represented the only American to pull off the feat in Italy. Stolz was a breakout star, though his failure to medal in Saturday’s mass start means he’ll likely enter 2030 as the male face of Team USA while also having all the motivational storylines to set up what could be his grand Olympic moment.
The same can be said of the Quad God, Ilia Malinin, whose failed routine in the men’s free skate goes as the biggest stunner of them all at these Games. A shocking reminder that, although there is so much storytelling attached to the Olympics, the Games can never be scripted.
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But they sure are sculpted. Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo might be one of the 10 most fit humans on the planet. Cross-country skiing isn’t a sport so much as it is an action in pain tolerance. Klæbo has done the impossible and become a global star. His six gold medals over a two-week span are a Winter Olympics record. He skied almost 62 miles in Italy. The 29-year-old joins Michael Phelps as the only Olympians ever to have double-digit gold medals (Klæbo now has 11; Phelps is untouchable with 23). Klæbo’s six helped get Norway to the top of medal table; the country finished with 18 golds and 41 overall, both records.
Klæbo wasn’t the only cross-country skier to earn big headlines. The weirdest story of the Games goes to his countryman, Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who decided to cry and admit to being a cheater on television, only to see the story go global. To date, there is no indication he’s won back his ex-girlfriend. (Seriously, man. What was the plan here? Yikes!)
There was the glory of Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who won the first medal (a gold, nonetheless) for a South American country in a Winter Olympics ever, and then celebrated with an instantly iconic gesture atop the podium after winning the freestyle skiing competition.
The bravest moment of the Games didn’t happen on any course, ice, snow or field of competition. Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych was not allowed to compete in skeleton after he refused to compete in anything other than the helmet that bore the images of his fellow Ukranian athletes who were killed in the Russian invasion in recent years. By trying not to make a political statement, the IOC wound up making one anyway and Heraskevych emerged as a disappointed but principled and proud hero who was as clear-eyed in his pursuits as any of the 2,800-plus Olympians who earned invites to Italy.
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I loved American snowboarder Nick Baumgartner, a 44-year-old with the spirit of a happy kid. He’s still going for medals in snowboard cross, and he very much intends to be back in four years. If he can do it, so can Austrian Benjamin Karl, who won gold as a 40-year-old and celebrated by going topless.
Why next two Winter Games will likely top 2026
Here’s one major reason I’ve long loved the Winter Olympics: the skill it takes to be the greatest in the world in the toughest of settings. For the most part, no sports are tougher on mind and body. The big rule of these Games is that all competition must take place on the surface of snow or ice. And so there they went on those slippery surfaces every day. Downhill skiers barreling down an icy mountain piste at 80-plus miles per hour. Snowboarders and freestyle skiers scooping themselves dozens of feet in the air above a halfpipe. Balancing on the thinnest of edges while skating on ice, or uncorking acrobatics wonders before gracefully landing on a slim slab of riveted silver, those who put blades below their feet continued to push the boundaries of what is physically possible.
Luge, skeleton and bobsleigh athletes throw themselves down verglas slides on sleds at speeds going faster than the legal limit on most American highways. Others endure organ-bursting snow pursuits in cross-country skiing, or take on heart-stopping flight risks in a variety of ski and snowboard aerial competitions.
It’s truly some of the most thrilling athletic competition known to man.
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And I think we just witnessed an all-timer of an Olympics.
Now scroll back up and look at the names of the athletes that medaled. So many of them will be back, as will the likes of Eileen Gu, Chloe Kim and more. The United States outperformed expectations here in 2026. In four years, Stolz, Malinin, Shiffrin, Liu and more to come onto the scene will have gold medal expectations. In ice hockey, the American rivalries with Canada are sure to hit all-time highs.
The Winter Olympics are in the midst of a revival, and this is merely Phase 1. The next will hit big in France in 2030, and then just wait. In 2034, Salt Lake City will again play host after 32 years, and with it, the culmination of a renaissance on ice and snow both for the United States and the world.
Ronyell Whitaker #27 of the Minnesota Vikings smiles before a football game against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 11, 2006 at FedExField in Landover, Maryland.(Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
“Born on March 19, 1979, Ronyell lived a life marked by passion, perseverance and purpose,” the statement read. “A gifted athlete, he proudly played high school football for Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, Virginia, and college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies, where his talent, determination and leadership on the field made a lasting impact.”
Whitaker was a standout player at Virginia Tech before he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 as an undrafted free agent. He played four games for the Buccaneers and bounced from the main roster and the practice squad until 2005 when he was waived.
He signed with the Vikings in 2006. He played 27 games for Minnesota and had 31 tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.
Ronyell Whitaker of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in Tampa, Florida. (Getty Images)
Whitaker tried to continue his career with the Detroit Lions but never saw the field for them. He also played in NFL Europe and was on the roster of the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“His journey didn’t end there,” Whitaker’s family said. “He was a defensive backs coach at Chanhassen High School from 2014-18 and was the CEO/Owner of privately-owned Whitaker Group, LLC, specializing in relocation transactions and short sales since 2011.
“While many knew him for his athletic accomplishments, those closest to him knew him best for his generous heart, unwavering loyalty and deep love for his family. He was a protector, a mentor and a source of strength and laughter to all who had the blessing of knowing him.”
Whitaker’s family asked for privacy in the wake of his death.
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Ronyell Whitaker #27 of the Minnesota Vikings tries to get by Fred Smoot #27 of the Washington Redskins during an NFL game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Dec. 23, 2007 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Tom Dahlin/Getty Images)
“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask for prayers, love and privacy as our family grieves this tremendous loss and celebrates the life of a man who meant so much to so many.”
;)
