A Minnesota Vikings fan reacts from the stands during a home game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The season opener on Sep. 11, 2022, featured an energized crowd dressed in purple and gold as supporters watched the action unfold during the early moments of the regular-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings finished 9-8 last year with bottom-barrel quarterback play, and they’ll hope to fix the quarterback spot because the postseason is probably in reach next season if so. That all starts in free agency, which kicks off on Monday.
Minnesota enters the week with cap limits, clear priorities, and another quarterback move looming.
Here’s what to know about the process to get you ready.
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The 5 Forces Steering Minnesota’s Opening Week Plan
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell speaks with owner Ziggy Wilf during training camp activities as players and staff worked through summer preparations on Aug 3, 2023 at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, with leadership figures observing practice and discussing the team’s direction during the early portion of camp. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
1. The “Triangle of Authority” Is Back
During the Brett Favre era, for example, the Vikings featured an unorthodox style of leadership, with roster-building authority shared among Rick Spielman, Brad Childress, and the Wilfs (the owners). A few years later, the Wilfs tapped Spielman on the shoulder to take on full-time general management duties, and that model remained until January 2026.
The Wilfs fired Adofo-Mensah, who held the GM post for four seasons. What happened next? They returned to the previously model — a new triangle of authority.
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Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is technically in charge, the guy mostly known as the capologist or money wizard. Kevin O’Connell feels like the unofficial team CEO, and Brian Flores is expected to pick the defensive players.
Everyone insists this will work great — no disharmony.
We shall see what happens when one or more voices disagree on the final calls of personnel decisions.
2. The Funds Are Low
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At this time last year, websites like this one bragged about the Vikings having over $70 million to spend on free agents. It was a real thing. Entering the 2026 offseason, that money train has run out, as Minnesota embarked on February underwater by $30-$40 million.
They’ve recently cleared cap space with contract releases and restructures, but the 2026 free agency period won’t feel like last year, when Adofo-Mensah could pursue anybody and everybody.
Most expect the Vikings to target bargain-bin players, either men chomping at the bit for more playing time on their existing squads or guys coming off injuries.
3. A Quarterback Is Coming
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Brzezinski said at the NFL Combine late last month, “We’re exploring every option that can be out there. What we do know is we need a level of baseline quarterback play for us to be effective.”
“A lot of this has been J.J. in unfortunate situations with some of the injuries and things that he’s dealt with, but we’re going to explore every opportunity, and I don’t think there’s anything specifically we’re looking for. We can’t manufacture anything that’s not there. So, No. 1, what are the options? Is it reciprocal? Is it financially doable? All those things. There’s just a lot of factors that go into it.”
That means a passer like Kyler Murray or Geno Smith is on the way to Minnesota — an affordable quarterback tossed out by his old team who is now available for cheap.
That man will then take McCarthy’s job outright or force him to battle for it at training camp.
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4. Bargain Bin Free Agents Mandatory
Mentioned in No. 2, the Vikings will operate on a condensed budget next week.
Examples of bargain-bin free agents might include:
Kendrick Bourne | WR
Andre Cisco | S
Trevon Diggs | CB
Kenneth Gainwell | RB
Christian Kirk | WR
Isiah Pacheco | RB
Asante Samuel Jr. | CB
The list of bargain-bin solutions is actually quite large, but the players above make especially good sense for Minnesota, given price and roster needs.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) races downfield with the football after breaking free for a touchdown during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec 7, 2025 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, finishing the scoring play as Pittsburgh’s offense struck early in the AFC North matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images.
SI.com‘s Will Ragatz on the Vikings’ possible interest in Gainwell: “Kenneth Walker III is going to be out of the Vikings’ price range, and they may not even sign someone like Travis Etienne or Rico Dowdle to replace Jones. Instead, I like the idea of going after Gainwell, who had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, 73 receptions, and 8 touchdowns for Pittsburgh last season. Jordan Mason, Gainwell, and a third-round rookie would be a quality RB room.”
5. Expect Brian Flores Fingerprints Everywhere
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For a few weeks of the offseason, it was a true mystery whether Flores would return for Year No. 4.
And then something strange happened. The Vikings extended Flores — and fired Adofo-Mensah a few days later. Throughout the last three seasons, Adofo-Mensah would often draft defensive players, and then Flores wouldn’t do much with them: CB Mekhi Blackmon, DT Jaquelin Roy, and ILB Kobe King.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches the field from the sideline during the second half as Minnesota faced the New York Jets on Oct 6, 2024 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, staying locked in while directing the Vikings defense during the international regular-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The working theory suggests that Flores returned to Minnesota because he could wield more power over personnel decisions, effectuating the old Bill Parcells slogan: “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota probably won’t be a part of any Tua Tagovailoa sweepstakes; the two didn’t see eye to eye.
Four of the ever-present Championship sides since 2020-21 are also among the top six current second-tier clubs hardest hit by losses.
Bristol City (£111m), Preston (£84.4m), QPR (£82.9m) and Middlesbrough (£80.4m) have all failed to record a profit for five consecutive seasons – as have Derby, Millwall, Oxford, Portsmouth and Swansea.
Coventry City, who are on course to win promotion to the Premier League this season, have lost £29.5m in the past five years, while Ipswich Town are down £72.4m.
Maguire likened Championship owners striving for the top flight to “buying a EuroMillions ticket” with clubs chasing a TV deal worth £106m plus parachute payments in the Premier League compared to £12m in the second tier.
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“If I’m a Championship owner, I know at the start of the season, in theory, I’ve got a one in eight chance of getting promoted,” he said, which is in turn causing owners to “act like the the bank of mum and dad”.
“They hand over money effectively unquestioningly, which is nominally a loan, but both parties know there is no chance of repayment.
“The owner of Stoke wrote off £90m, the Hemmings family in Preston put in £1m a month.
How to watch Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper – TV channel, live stream and ring walk time – Manchester Evening News
Need to know
Caroline Dubois is set to face Terri Harper in the main event of a ten-fight card in London on Sunday as she puts her WBC title on the line
Caroline Dubois will take to the ring on Sunday evening(Image: Getty)
Everything you need to know as Caroline Dubois clashes with Terri Harper:
Main Event Details: Caroline Dubois will face Terri Harper in a lightweight world title unification bout at the Olympia London in Kensington. Dubois defends her WBC lightweight title while Harper puts her WBO lightweight championship on the line.
UK Broadcast Channel: Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the entire event live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event. This card marks the debut of the “MVPW” series as part of a new exclusive broadcast partnership with Sky.
US Viewing Platform: For audiences in the United States, the full card is available to stream live on ESPN+. American viewers can access both the preliminary bouts and the main card through the ESPN app on supported devices.
Event Start Times: The live broadcast of the preliminary fights is scheduled to begin at 5pm. The main televised card is set to follow two hours later, starting at 7pm.
Main Event Timing: Ring walks for the headline unification fight between Dubois and Harper are expected to take place at approximately 10pm This timing is subject to change based on the duration of the preceding undercard matches.
The card includes an undisputed world title clash between Ellie Scotney and Mayelli Flores for the super bantamweight championship. Scotney defends her IBF, WBC, and WBO titles against Flores, who is the reigning WBA world champion.
A third world title bout features former undisputed champion Chantelle Cameron moving up in weight to face Michaela Kotaskova. They will compete for the vacant WBO super welterweight world championship during the main broadcast.
The early portion of the card includes a fourth world title fight between Irma Garcia and Emma Dolan. Garcia defends her IBF super flyweight title in a scheduled 10-round contest starting shortly after the 5pm broadcast begins.
Former world champion Shannon Courtenay returns to action in a competitive bantamweight match against Sasha Booker. The undercard also features Elizabeth Oshoba facing Chelsey Arnell in a featherweight contest.
Rounding out the 10-fight card are appearances by rising prospects Gemma Richardson, Chloe Watson, and several other developmental athletes. These bouts are designed to fill the opening hours of the Sky Sports and ESPN+ coverage.
Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora left it to the judges after twelve all-action rounds.
Many had predicted the fight – number 50 for both men – would end inside the distance, with Chisora backed to take advantage of what many assumed to be a faded Wilder, or Wilder to find his form and finish it with one of those famous right hands.
Speaking on the DAZN broadcast, WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley agreed that Wilder did enough to earn the nod.
“Deontay for me. Hard fight to score, it was a fight. It was a lot of what you like. But at the end of the day I do think the right man won.”
While Chisora – who believes he won the fight – may retire following the defeat, Wilder’s message was loud and clear – he intends to have another crack at the very top of the division. One route back to becoming champion would be against Wardley, who has often been likened to the American due to his own one-punch power.
If fans felt Wilder-Chisora was unlikely to go the distance, you would be hard pressed to find anyone at all betting on a fight with Wardley requiring the judges.
As ‘The Bronze Bomber’ now recovers from an injured, perhaps broken, hand, Wardley prepares for the first defence of his belt against Daniel Dubois next month.
There was a familiar presence on the touchline in a Liverpool FC game. Pep Lijnders belongs in a tradition of successful Liverpool assistant managers, even if his destiny, unlike those of Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, was not to get the top job at Anfield.
Instead, Lijnders has, via an ill-fated spell in charge of RB Salzburg, traded a role as Jurgen Klopp’s sidekick for one as Pep Guardiola’s second-in-command. With the Catalan banned, he was in charge in the technical area as Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup, beaten 4-0 by Manchester City. Lijnders had been on the winning side in these clubs’ previous FA Cup clash, too: Klopp’s team had been outstanding in the 3-2 semi-final win in 2022.
Lijnders coined one of the mottos of Klopp’s Liverpool: “Our identity is intensity”. A reason, perhaps, why the Dutchman has not succeeded as a manager in his own right is that such phrases sound more convincing when said by Klopp. But, in his time at Anfield, he wrote a book called Intensity. Unsurprisingly, it is out of stock in the Liverpool club shop now.
Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup (Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
But Liverpool have lost their intensity in another respect. “Our second half, the intensity we didn’t match,” said a downcast Virgil van Dijk after his hopes of lifting the FA Cup this year ended. Klopp had called his team “mentality monsters”. On Saturday, Dominik Szoboszlai reflected: “The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough. The mentality wasn’t there enough.”
And if, over eight-and-a-half years under Klopp, Liverpool were not always mentality monsters, or intense, or playing heavy-metal football, there is the sense they have lost their identity now. That they have lost 15 games this season, their most in a campaign since 2014-15 culminated in a 6-1 thrashing at Stoke, shows they are not as hard to beat. They have lost to late goals too often this year, but there have also been too many emphatic defeats. This was a fifth by at least three goals. Each, in its own way, has been a limp, lame loss.
There are times when Arne Slot’s Liverpool lose their way in games even before they lose them. It is not entirely his fault, but it raises the question of what Slotball actually is. It had seemed a hugely efficient tweak, rendering Klopp’s football calmer, more efficient, more effective. Yet Arne Slot won a Premier League title with players he inherited, rather than those purchased on his watch.
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Arne Slot inherited an excellent squad but has struggled to forge his own (PA Wire)
This year, Liverpool – apart from when they score their own late winners – have tended to lack the visceral excitement Klopp’s football offered. Slot can sound like a man dreaming of a different time when he complains about low blocks and set-pieces. A broader failing – again, not entirely his – is that Liverpool are not intense enough.
They have contrived to spend £450m and yet look short on players, rendering it harder to play high-speed football when the overworked know they have to manage their energy and Slot is forever substituting those he fears will get injured. On Saturday, Van Dijk conceded a fourth penalty of the campaign; but a man nearing his 35th birthday has already played 4,131 minutes for Liverpool and a further 675 for the Netherlands. Szoboszlai, at fault for Tottenham’s late equaliser three weeks ago – albeit when used out of position at right-back – is now up to 3,938, plus 717 for Hungary.
Liverpool have spent huge money and yet seem short of players (Action Images via Reuters)
If there is one team ill-equipped to consistently play at the high speed Liverpool showed in their 4-0 win over Galatasaray, it may be them. They entered the season with too small a squad in which two young players, Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, and two senior players, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa, were never going to start much.
Add in three long-term injuries, to Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley, and Slot’s attempts to make sure that Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez don’t break down and Liverpool look a team simply trying to survive, an exhausted group rather than one who can tire the opposition with their own running. They lack the pressing that was Klopp’s trademark: two of those who defended so energetically from the front were Luis Diaz and the late Diogo Jota, one sold, the other tragically killed.
Meanwhile, they have lost their efficiency. Slot bemoans missed chances and how other teams overperform their expected goals against Liverpool. Yet a side who have conceded 63 goals in all competitions have not been defensively tight enough. Much as Slot feels that, across the country, there are too few goals in open play, they were unlocked by the creativity in open play of City’s Rayan Cherki on Saturday.
Florian Wirtz has not provided the desired creativity (Getty Images)
Liverpool may have assumed that Florian Wirtz would have had a similar impact. But if they are not the creative team or the efficient side, the mentality monsters or the ones with the intense identity, what are they? And if there is not likely to be an answer to their identity crisis until next season, it would help if Slot could present a compelling vision of what his Liverpool should look like.
1 min read Last Updated : Mar 28 2026 | 3:36 PM IST
Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters after having skipped the Miami Open with a right shoulder injury.
“We send him our best wishes and hope to see him back on court very soon,” the clay-court tournament wrote Friday in announcing Djokovic’s withdrawal in an Instagram message.
The post didn’t specify the 38-year-old Djokovic’s reason for pulling out, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t played since losing in three sets to Jack Draper in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open two weeks ago.
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A year ago at Monte Carlo, Djokovic lost in the second round to Alejandro Tabilo.
Djokovic, ranked No. 3, has not commented on his social media channels about the withdrawal.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ambassadorial’s form has surged since he entered the Melbourne Cup-winning yard run by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, with his latest highlight being a triumph in the Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
Achieving a hat-trick of wins, the gelding sired by Fiorente registered his top achievement to date, winning at $4 favouritism for jockey Logan Bates, the apprentice.
The victor edged Sea What I See ($6) by 1½ lengths, leaving Immediacy ($17) a mere short half-head adrift in the runner-up position? No, third.
“A big thank-you to Anne Peacock and Jane Chapple-Hyam for sending us the horse and giving him the opportunity with us,” Tony McEvoy said.
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“He’s been such a pleasure (to train). There will be no problem rehoming him as everyone in the stable just adores him.
“He’s such a gentleman and what a magnificent racing pattern he has.
“He’s gone from strength to strength.”
McEvoy joked that part of the gelding’s improvement had come from a change in approach.
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“We’ve decided not to train him,” he said.
“We’re still charging training fees – I hope Jane didn’t hear that, but we’re keeping him really fresh.
“He’s a very light-fleshed, athletic horse and doesn’t require a lot and if you look at his CV, he has been with trainers that do train them, so we decided to make a change.”
Trained earlier by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and subsequently by Alex Rae, the horse now has three successes and two podium finishes from five efforts with the McEvoys.
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Plans call for testing his staying ability, positioning the Mornington Cup (2400m) on April 18 as a key upcoming race.
“He’s a gelding, he’s perfectly sound and he’s in rare form,” McEvoy said.
“What we need to know is whether he runs a mile-and-a-half. If he does that, it opens a brand-new chapter for him.”
The stable sealed a memorable card with a double as Rue De Royale took the Geoff Murphy Handicap (1200m).
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Following that, a tilt at the Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville next month is under consideration for the winner.
Keep tabs on Ambassadorial’s staying prospects and compare betting sites offering the keenest markets for the Easter Cup.
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Justin Skule (67) lines up during second-half action, engaging at the line of scrimmage as protection schemes unfold and the offense works through a drive Sep 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, during an NFL International Series matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
By now, NFL free agency is about a month old, and all attention among fans and front offices has fixated on the draft, which is about two and a half weeks away. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have six free agents from the 2025 roster who remain in limbo.
A few former Vikings from last season are still waiting for their next NFL opportunity.
This happens every offseason, so consider this the 2026 edition.
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Familiar Ex-Vikings Names Remain on the Market for Now
Needing employment, these are six Vikings from last year’s roster still hunting.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Brett Rypien goes through pregame warmups, loosening his arm and preparing for action ahead of kickoff Sep 21, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rypien worked through routine drills on the field prior to facing the Vikings in an interconference matchup. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Brett Rypien (QB)
Rypien’s situation is a stark contrast to last year, when he was the Vikings’ QB2 during the offseason. Now that the Vikings are pursuing other quarterbacks, Rypien will likely seek opportunities elsewhere. He realistically projects as a QB3 or QB4, where his experience and backup capabilities would be valuable.
For the Vikings, it’s Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer instead.
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Fabian Moreau (CB)
Moreau provided quietly effective, albeit largely unnoticed, play for the Vikings in 2025. As a veteran corner, he capably handled his assignments, holding opponents to an impressive 54.2 passer rating in 11 games, a noteworthy figure for a CB3. Given their need for reliable depth at the position,
Minnesota would benefit from re-signing him as CB4 insurance. A reunion feels mutually beneficial. Stay tuned.
Harrison Smith (S)
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Although the Vikings officially released Smith last month, his career in Minnesota may not be over. He was re-energized at the end of 2025, playing his best ball in December and January.
The Vikings will open him back with open arms if he’s not ready for retirement. The prospect of the Vikings contending in 2026 with Kyler Murray while Smith is absent feels incongruous. What if they won the Super Bowl without him? Should send shivers down your spine.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick noted on Smith last month, “It seems safe to assume that if Smith comes back for the 2026 season, it will be in a Minnesota uniform and not with another team. The All-Pro defender has spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, and there haven’t been any indications that he would want to join another franchise.”
“What are the chances of Smith returning for another season in Minnesota? Well, Brian Flores remaining the Vikings’ defensive coordinator for at least another year doesn’t hurt. Smith has expressed multiple times in the past how much he loves playing in Flores’ defense, and Minnesota’s defensive play-caller would obviously love to have his top safety back on the field in 2026.”
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Jeff Okudah (CB)
Okudah struggled to find his footing in Minnesota. Injuries hampered his performance, and opponents frequently targeted him with success.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey breaks free from Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Okudah, creating separation for a touchdown catch in second-half action Oct 23, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The scoring play highlighted McConkey’s route-running and speed against Minnesota’s secondary coverage. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
His career has veered significantly from the high expectations that accompanied him as a top three draft pick in 2020. The consistent talent that made him a coveted prospect has been elusive, giving the Vikings little incentive to re-sign him.
His career may be on the verge of irrelevance.
John Wolford (QB)
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Wolford served as the emergency quarterback last season, providing a veteran option during periods of injury and roster instability. While valuable in the short term, this role rarely offers long-term security. As Minnesota moves in a different direction in 2026, Wolford will likely seek practice squad opportunities or emergency depth roles with another team.
Justin Skule (LT)
Skule presented a compelling case for re-signing early in the offseason. Given Christian Darrisaw’s recovery from a significant knee injury and the unpredictable nature of offensive line recoveries, tackle depth is crucial. Furthermore, Brian O’Neill’s age underscores the need.
Skule provided solid snaps for the Vikings in 2025, demonstrating the reliability and composure expected of a swing tackle. But Minnesota signed Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills, effectively ruling out a Skule contract.
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San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Justin Skule stands on the field during pregame moments, preparing for kickoff and working through final adjustments Sep 13, 2020, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Skule readied himself for action along the offensive line ahead of a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Our Kyle Joudry wrote about Skule two weeks ago, “In saying ‘yes’ to OT Ryan Van Demark, the Vikings seem to be saying ‘no’ to OT Justin Skule. The decision is to move on, at least if the expected occurs. In fairness, the decision to say goodbye to Justin Skule isn’t totally shocking.”
“At any point, Minnesota could have re-signed him in January, February, or the early portion of March since he was an in-house employee. And then there was Kwesi Adofo-Mensah seemingly tipping the team’s hand, publicly explaining (before being fired) that the team would look to improve at OT3.”
Matt Nelson (LT)
Nelson represents the type of roster depth typically considered when planning the practice squad. His quiet presence in free agency reflects the league’s perception of his limited role. While not without value, his opportunities are restricted, and he appears destined to remain on the fringes of rosters.
Minnesota, in theory, could sign him as a depth guy after the draft.
For right-handed players who favor a fade, Augusta National presents several uncomfortable tee shots. That means the opposite is true for left-handed players, seemingly baking in an inherent advantage for those able to deliver the shot shape that’s most frequently asked of them every other week on Tour.
Start with the first nine, where holes 2, 5 and 9 each move significantly right to left. On the second nine, 10 and 13 move in the same direction. Both par-3s on that side — 12 and 16 — also lend themselves to a left-handed fade.
All of this, one might presume, would help explain why, since 2003, left-handed players have won the Masters six times (Mike Weir, 2003; Phil Mickelson, 2004, ’06 and ’10; Bubba Watson, 2012 and ’14). In that same period, lefties have combined for only four wins at the other three men’s majors.
But what does a deeper data dive say? On what parts of the course are the advantages most significant for left-handers? Or, conversely, does the math not back up the long-standing theory?
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We analyzed shot-by-shot strokes-gained data from every Masters from 2015 to present — including more than 3,200 rounds and 234,000 strokes — in search of meaningful answers to our question.
The data set
The left-handed rounds we analyzed come from an eclectic mix of players at different points in their respective careers, including past champions (Weir, Mickelson, Watson); major contenders and winners (Robert MacIntyre, Brian Harman); emerging stars (Akshay Bhatia); and journeymen (Ted Potter, Jr.).
While lefties account for six Masters victories in the last 23 years, they make up a relatively small percentage of the fields. Since 2015, just 4.6% of Masters rounds have been played by left-handers.
When it comes to elite players, that share is even smaller. Since 2015, less than 3.5% of left-handed entrants have been ranked in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking. And just three lefties in that span have been ranked in the top 10 in the world, accounting for only 2.7% of field makeups in the selected time span. It’s important to factor in those numbers when considering that right-handed players in our study window outscored left-handed players by an average of 72.92 to 73.25.
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Overall trends
Because most elite players are right-handed, it’s difficult to make broad assessments comparing the average performance of lefties vs. righties.
Off the tee, the numbers are a wash. The two groups produce almost identical overall fairway hit percentages (69.2% to 69.1%). In terms of strokes gained, left-handed players since 2015 have gained an average of 0.03 strokes per round compared to right-handed players.
What about overall approach play? Since 2015, left-handed players have had positive strokes gained approach in 52.7% of their rounds played vs. 51.3% for righties. When looking at elite-level approach performances, though, the numbers drift in favor of the bigger group of high-level righties: while 22.0% of rounds from “elite” lefties result in a full stroke gained or more with approach play, 28.6% of right-handed rounds check that box.
The more interesting data reveals itself when looking at individual holes.
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Hole analysis
Statistically, some holes produce surprising results.
You’d think that the par-5 2nd hole, which features the familiar right-to-left dogleg, would favor lefties. But left-handed players make birdie or eagle about 10% less frequently than righties there since 2015. By that statistic, it’s the largest negative differential lefties experience at Augusta.
The par-4 5th hole, which also works right to left off the tee, ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of approach shot difficulty for right-handed players, with the 9th-toughest green in regulation rate since 2015. For lefties, it ranks 5th-toughest, yielding a GIR rate 4.1% lower than their right-handed counterparts.
The 5th hole.
getty images
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The par-4 10th hole produces the largest green in regulation rate advantage for left-handed players. Since 2015, lefties have hit the green about 6% more often than righties.
On the famed par-3 12th, left-handed players make birdie 4% more often than righties, and the left-handed scoring average is 0.13 strokes lower than it is for righties (the second-largest advantage on the course).
No single hole has generated a larger statistical advantage for lefties than the hard dogleg-left par-5 13th. Since 2015, left-handed players have hit the 13th fairway 82% of the time, or 11.4% more than the field average. That has led to a birdie or better rate 11.5% higher for lefties than the rest of the field. The memories match the math: think of some of the incredible shots Mickelson and Watson have hit at 13.
The view back to the tee box on 13.
getty images
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The par-3 16th generates the largest disparity of green in regulation rate on the course. Since 2015, right-handed players hit the green in regulation at Redbud about 75% of the time. For lefties, that rate is 11% lower. A stock right-handed fade at 16 requires moving the ball over the water that sits left of the green. This wide differential suggests that righties are more prone to a conservative approach there (find the middle of the green) while lefties take on more risk (attacking the pin).
While Augusta National’s par-4 18th moves slightly left to right, lefties have a slightly higher fairway hit rate (+2.3%), green in regulation rate (+2.8%) and birdie or better rate (+0.9%) than right-handed players. Hole shape isn’t the only determining factor in these statistical differences, but it is inarguably the biggest one.
Conclusion
In broad strokes, the stats indicate that left-handed players in the Masters do not have a meaningful advantage over righties. But the course does ask different questions of the players depending on what side of the ball they stand — and in several key spots, the numbers tell you, it’s much more comfortable to be on the left side.
Jade Cargill is the SmackDown Women’s Champion, but she has had her work cut out since stepping into a feud with Rhea Ripley. Cargill has aligned with Michin and B-Fab in recent weeks, but it seems she had much bigger issues on this week’s show.
Following the event, Cargill shared a picture of her trousers that ripped on WWE SmackDown, which meant that she was forced to go with Plan B, and she then came out in shorts instead.
Thanks for the submission!
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Jade Cargill had a mishap (Via Instagram)
Cargill was still very much part of SmackDown despite the mishap and was able to stop at ringside for the match between Rhea Ripley and Michin, before she then tried to step up to Mami, but Iyo Sky came out and made the save, after weeks of Cargill getting the upper hand on her WrestleMania opponent.
Wardrobe issues have become common with the women in WWE over the past few years, but it seems that Cargill was able to prevent hers from happening in front of the live cameras.
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As noted, Cargill was spotted in shorts on the show instead, but it seems that she did initially have plans to match her team of B-Fab and Michin in yellow before her trousers ripped and she was unable to fix them in time.
Jade Cargill has her work cut out at WrestleMania
Jade Cargill has never been up against anyone like Rhea Ripley in her short career, and it’s clear that numbers will not help her at WrestleMania now that Iyo Sky has been added to the match.
It was announced on SmackDown that Sky will be in Rhea Ripley’s corner for the match to ensure that B-Fab and Michin are non-factors. The two women have been close friends for a long time, and now it seems that Sky will be the one stepping up for Rhea.
Cargill has been able to climb the ranks in WWE relatively fast since making the move over from AEW, but this means that she hasn’t been able to face many challenges, and Ripley will be the hardest of her career.
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