Arizona Cardinals helmets rest along the sideline bench before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, offering a quiet pregame moment before kickoff. Dec 31, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: The equipment lines the bench area as players prepare for the matchup. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter, who spent most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, is not impressed with the Arizona Cardinals as an organization. In short, he thinks that franchise is “awful.”
A fresh start in Minnesota could rewrite the entire Kyler Murray conversation.
Carter has intimate knowledge of the Cardinals’ interworkings because his lifelong pal, Larry Fitzgerald, played 17 seasons for the franchise. And the curtain peel-back is not pretty.
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The Cardinals’ Mess Adds Context to Murray’s Vikings Arrival
Carter was not afraid to rip the Cardinals.
Minnesota Vikings legends Jake Reed, Jared Allen, and Cris Carter connect with young fans during an NFL flag football event at The Grove, with smiles and interaction highlighting the league’s grassroots outreach efforts on Oct 4, 2024, in Watford, United Kingdom, as former stars help grow the game internationally. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Carter on ARI
The Hall of Famer hopped on the Fully Loaded Podcast last week and unleashed: “I’m gonna tell you something that you’ve never heard before about the Arizona Cardinals. They have one of the worst ownership groups. They do not know what they’re doing. And I couldn’t say this for a long time because my kid was playing out there — Larry Fitzgerald. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer; now, I can let go. They’re awful. The way they do things is awful. He was lucky to survive his career there.”
“They’re so inconsistent. They have no plan. They have no rhyme. They have no action plan — like what they’re going to do. And — they ruin a lot of good players. Players don’t go to Arizona and become Hall of Famers, typically. They’re fortunate with Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald that they escaped, but they were who they were.”
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The funny part? Most non-Cardinals fans already thought this about Arizona. Carter merely confirmed what most commonly believe.
Carter added about the Vikings’ new quarterback: “Kyler Murray, to me, could be a Baker Mayfield. He could be a Sam Darnold. He’s got talent. Put it in the right system and support it the right way. He’s played some hell of a football. To keep him healthy and keep him confident — that’s what they need.”
The Murray Angle
Murray is now the Vikings’ quarterback, and because Carter played for the purple from 1990 to 2001, he has a vested interest in Murray’s upcoming stint. It’s still shocking to process that the Cardinals offloaded Murray in favor of Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck, while paying him to play for the Vikings in 2026.
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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown takes part in pregame warmups while sporting a Crucial Catch decal on his helmet on Oct 15, 2023, in Inglewood, California, emphasizing the NFL’s cancer awareness initiative ahead of a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-USA TODAY Sports.
If Carter has it right, Murray could be the product of poor ownership, never able to fully take off, as Arizona hasn’t empowered many — outside of Fitzgerald and Warner — to thrive.
Think: one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
NFL Report Cards Confirm It
Carter isn’t alone with his assessment of the Cardinals’ ownership and the enterprise. Annually (although 2026 could be the last, as owners don’t want them anymore), the NFLPA releases team report cards, with the Cardinals habitually near the bottom.
In 2026, they ranked second-to-last. These are the details from ESPN:
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Treatment of Families: D+ Home Game Field: B Food/Dining Area: C- Nutritionist/Dietician: B Locker Room: F- Training Room: D+ Training Staff: B- Weight Room: D+ Strength Coaches: B- Position Coaches: B+ Offensive Coordinator: B- Defensive Coordinator: C+ Special Teams Coordinator: B Team Travel: C+ Head Coach: B+ General Manager: B Team Ownership: F Overall Rank: 31
Strangely, the Pittsburgh Steelers finished dead last in overall rank this year.
Arizona Sports‘ Tyler Drake on the Cardinals’ NFLPA grades: “In previous years, the report cards were posted with details to the NFLPA website and included plenty of breakdowns from team owner to cafeteria. This time around, however, the report cards are now internal after the NFL won a grievance filed against the NFLPA to not make the scores public.”
“Arizona’s locker room amenities have been a primary sore spot since the report cards were first created. They again received an F- in this year’s report card. As for head coach, which was a category added in 2024, Arizona saw no less than a B+ with Jonathan Gannon running the show the past three years. Gannon was fired this offseason and replaced by head coach Mike LaFleur.”
A New Beginning for Murray
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Murray will get a chance to re-prove his status as a two-time Pro Bowler in Minnesota. He has Kevin O’Connell, widely known as a “quarterback whisperer,” at his side. Even better, there’s Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and the NFL’s third-ranked defense from a season ago to further help the newcomer.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray prepares during warmups before an NFC Wild Card playoff clash against the Los Angeles Rams on Jan 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, California, getting loose ahead of a high-stakes postseason matchup under the bright lights at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic.
Carter claimed Murray could become “another Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold,” but the ironic part is that those two quarterbacks were punchlines before they turned their careers around. Mayfield flamed out of Carolina; so did Darnold. They didn’t have two Pro Bowls like Murray, nor did they boast Murray’s efficiency and volume stats through seven seasons.
While Mayfield and Darnold needed full-scale career reclamation, Murray merely needs to be himself and continue his production from Arizona — and stay healthy.
Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri feels that the lack of consistency and poor backing between batting and bowling units have played a key role in Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Lucknow Super Giants slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat after going down by six wickets to the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, despite posting a formidable 228/5. Mumbai chased down the target in 18.4 overs, riding on a commanding 143-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma (84) and Ryan Rickelton (83).
Analysing LSG’s campaign, Shastri highlighted the team’s inability to deliver collectively with both bat and ball. He also believes that back-to-back losses can dent the confidence of any side
“The problem with LSG is that when their bowling unit performs, the batters fail to back it up, and when the batters score runs, the bowlers go for plenty. There’s no consistency. Six losses in a row can really dent a side’s confidence, and even in games where you are in a comfortable position, there are thoughts like, ‘Will we win, won’t we?’” Shastri told Jio Hotstar.
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He further pointed out how LSG failed to capitalise on strong starts, especially in batting-friendly conditions.
“You are 100 for one in 7 overs, and in the next 13 overs, you score less than 130, which means you have faltered. And you won’t get better batting conditions than this,” he added.
Shastri stressed that the team management needs to reassess their approach, particularly in crunch phases of the game, as they look for an outside chance at the playoffs.
“So, they’ll have to sit down and think about what went wrong in the last three overs while batting, and how they can tighten up their bowling,” he said
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Shastri also urged the bowlers to adapt better to varying conditions across venues.
“The bowlers have to adjust their lines and lengths according to the conditions. The Lucknow wicket tends to assist fast bowlers, but when you go to Bengaluru or Mumbai and get good batting wickets, that’s where the real test lies,” he concluded.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash
Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in a decisive second leg of their UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semi-final. The tie remains finely poised after a tense 1-1 draw in Madrid, where Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez both scored from the penalty spot.
Mikel Arteta’s side will draw confidence from their strong home form and their push to reach a first Champions League final in 20 years. Another victory would also extend their unbeaten run in Europe to a club-record 14 matches. Arsenal regained momentum domestically with a convincing 3-0 win over Fulham, suggesting they are peaking at the right time.
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However, Diego Simeone’s Atletico remain a dangerous knockout team. Despite inconsistent league form, their defensive discipline and counter-attacking threat make them formidable opponents. With everything to play for, expect a tightly contested battle, where fine margins — possibly even another penalty — could decide who advances to Budapest.
UCL 2026 S/F 2nd Leg: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid team news
Arsenal team news:
Arsenal have received a major boost with the return of captain Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, both declared fit by Mikel Arteta. Their presence adds creativity and attacking depth ahead of a crucial tie. Bukayo Saka, who was taken off at half-time in the last match, is expected to start, while Martin Zubimendi should return after being rested.
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However, Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino due to a foot injury and Jurrien Timber with a groin issue, slightly weakening their squad depth.
Atletico Madrid team news:
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Atletico Madrid are boosted by the return of Julian Alvarez, who missed their last league outing but is fit and expected to start. Diego Simeone emphasised his importance, particularly given his familiarity with English football and his impact in the first leg.
However, Atletico will be without midfield options Nico Gonzalez and Pablo Barrios, both sidelined with thigh injuries. Despite these absences, Atletico’s experienced core and tactical discipline ensure they remain a serious threat heading into the second leg.
UCL 2026 S/F 2nd Leg: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid probable starting 11
Arsenal starting 11 (probable): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard; Viktor Gyokeres
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Atletico Madrid starting 11 (probable): Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Mateo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Johnny Cardoso, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Head-to-head
Total matches: 4
Arsenal won: 1
Atletico won: 1
Draw: 2
UEFA Champions League semifinal: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid 2nd leg live telecast and streaming details
When will the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be played?
The 2nd leg of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be played on May 6.
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What time will the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid begin on May 6?
The UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will start at 12:30 am IST (May 6).
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What will be the venue for the UCL 2026 semifinal match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid?
The Emirates Stadium in London will host the UCL 2026 semifinal match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
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Where will the live telecast of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be available in India?
The live telecast of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be available on the Sony Sports Network.
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Where will the live streaming of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be available in India?
The live streaming of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.
Rasmus Hojlund is set to make his transfer to Napoli a permanent one this summer as he leaves Manchester United
20:06, 05 May 2026Updated 20:07, 05 May 2026
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Outgoing Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is set for an immediate pay rise with his loan move to Napoli on the brink of becoming a permanent switch. The Italian side are on the brink of sealing Champions League football next season, which will see the Dane trigger an obligation in his loan deal with Gli Azzurri.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, United are set for a considerable PSR boost when the €44million (£38m) move is triggered. A win for Antonio Conte’s side over Bologna on Monday, so long as Roma in fifth fail to win against Parma on Sunday.
Napoli are all but guaranteed a spot in Europe’s elite competition, which would see Hojlund leave Old Trafford permanently.
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The Mirror reports Hojlund has already agreed a ‘new and improved’ long-term deal with the Italian club. The 23-year-old arrived at United from Atalanta for £76m in 2023, yet went on to become one of the club’s most costly disappointments.
He mustered only 26 goals in 95 appearances across all competitions before United opted to cut their losses on the striker and allow him to seek pastures new.
Since linking up with Napoli, however, Hojlund has flourished, netting 11 times in 30 Serie A outings for Antonio Conte’s side.
Napoli must secure Champions League qualification in order to sign Hojlund at the agreed fee and sporting director Giovanni Manna has insisted the club will bring him in regardless.
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He said in March: “There are no doubts. Rasmus will stay here.
“We have an obligation to buy from Manchester United, in case of Champions League access, but he is in our plans regardless of this condition.”
United icon Peter Schmeichel believes his former club are making an error by allowing Hojlund to leave.
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Schmeichel said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast: “A bit of a shame because I like Hojlund by the way and think he could have been absolutely fantastic. But I don’t think he wants to come back.”
Schmeichel’s former team-mate Nicky Butt added: “What they did with Hojlund was wrong because they brought a young boy in who’s not got any Premier League experience and asked him to carry Manchester United.
“I’m scared they’re going to do that with (Benjamin) Sesko. I know Sesko has done really well of late but they still need to get another centre forward, we had four top players in that position.”
Pat Carey may be assured of Recon’s talent, but after the four-year-old’s first-run fifth position in Flemington’s Listed race, he scarcely envisioned single-figure quotes for a Group 1 soon after.
A remarkable second-up score in the Hareeba Stakes all but mandated that the clever Mornington handler contemplate the $1 million The Goodwood featuring the lightly tested gelding.
With few races under his belt, the gelding surged forward to overwhelm foes in the 1200m Listed affair on his venue’s annual flagship day, April 18, solidifying Carey’s view of his readiness for South Australia’s signature sprint.
“After he won the Harbeeba, he jumped something like 17 (ratings) points, so it ruled out a lot of the last bit of progress through the grades he had,” Carey said.
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“So, he’s basically obliged to run in sort of Listed-plus races now, anyway.
“We still think that there’s more to come with him at 1400 and maybe further, but he deserves his opportunity at this level, at this time of his career.”
The Hareeba Stakes provided his sixth victory across 11 starts, having previously topped out at benchmark 84 prior to the current campaign.
Carey, who teamed up with Harris Walker for training in 2023, delights in campaigning a horse so respected in a prominent sprint.
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His four Group 1 conquests have all been at 2400m or beyond, including Cederberg taking the Tancred Stakes, plus Oaks successes with Arapaho Miss and Gondokoro, and Ethiopia’s ATC Derby win.
Post the Hareeba Stakes, Carey has noted positive signs from Recon and foresees a competitive run at Morphettville.
“He’s been kept up to the mark, he had a nice gallop on the course proper at Mornington today and he’s continued to hold good form,” Carey said from Bendigo on Saturday.
“We’re optimistic about where his future is going to take him.”
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Recon trades at $7 in The Goodwood markets, with $5 joint heads Extragalactic and Flying For Fun out front.
The finalists for the 2026 Marc-Vivien Foé Prize have been unveiled, ensuring that this year’s award will go to a first-time laureate.
On the heels of their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Senegal’s Lions of Teranga are well represented, with both Lamine Camara and Moussa Niakhaté in the trio of finalists.
Standing in their way is Mamadou Sangaré, who is vying to become the first Malian to pick up the annual award.
Still only 22, the Senegalese prodigy continues to live up to the hype, having become a fixture of his club Monaco and the Lions of Teranga.
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The midfielder started every match of the Africa Cup of Nations, right through to the title won on the pitch against Morocco – a title Senegal have, for the time being, been stripped of pending a final appeal.
His 2025/2026 season with Monaco: 22 matches played, 1 goal, 4 assists.
His 2025/2026 season with Senegal: 11 matches played, 1 goal, one Africa Cup of Nations final.
At 30, Moussa Niakhaté has become equally indispensable in defence for Senegal and his club Lyon, whose 24 clean sheets this year are largely down to him.
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A win against mighty PSG last month allowed Niakhaté to showcase his newfound stature by keeping the Parisian attacking armada at bay. The 24 clean sheets recorded by OL this year are largely down to him. And so is Lyon’s return to the brink of the Champions League.
His 2025/2026 season with Lyon: 30 matches played, 2 assists.
His 2025/2026 season with Senegal: 11 matches played, one Africa Cup of Nations final.
RC Lens’s standout signing this year, the 23-year-old has been a key factor in the northern club’s outstanding season, which has seen them push PSG for the title.
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A tireless ball-winner with a left foot that works wonder, Sangaré is hoping to become the first Malian to win the Marc-Vivien Foé Award.
His 2025/2026 season with Lens: 28 games played, 3 goals, 4 assists.
His 2025/2026 season with Mali: 9 games played, AFCON quarter-finals.
The prize for the best African player in Ligue 1 is named after Marc-Vivien Foé since 2011, in tribute to the Cameroonian player who died suddenly while playing for his country in a match against Colombia at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon on June 26, 2003. Players who have been capped for an African national team and played in at least 15 Ligue 1 matches over the past season are eligible for the prize.
Welcome to our weekly PGA Tour gambling-tips column, featuring picks from GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator, Brady Kannon. A seasoned golf bettor and commentator, Kannon is a host and regular guest on SportsGrid, a syndicated audio network devoted to sports and sports betting, and is a golf betting analyst for CBS Sportsline. You can follow Brady on Twitter at @LasVegasGolfer, and you can read his picks below for the 2026 Truist Championship, which gets underway Thursday in Charlotte.
Like a deteriorating autograph on an old baseball card, is some of the “signature” fading on these two most recent PGA Tour Signature Events?
As we spoke about last week, Trump National Doral and Quail Hollow Club are two of the finest golf courses — and tournaments — on the PGA Tour calendar, but we have jammed so many high-profile events into such a small window that it tends to suck some of the “out of the ordinary” from each of them.
Formerly the Wells Fargo Championship and now the Truist Championship, this week’s tournament has been one of the premier events on the calendar since moving to Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C., in 2003. Personally, it just seems to lose a bit of luster being sandwiched between another Signature Event and a major championship. That being said, I can’t wait for next week’s PGA Championship and we will have an article out later this week with some of our early selections for the battle for the Wanamaker Trophy at Aronimink Golf Club. But for now, let’s embrace yet another star-studded field and see if we can find a winner.
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George Cobb originally designed this golf course in 1961 but I believe that it is really considered now to be a Tom Fazio design as he has been brought in for tweaks, renovations, and redesigns roughly a half-dozen times since 1997. Quail Hollow hosted the 2017 and 2025 PGA Championships and the 2022 Presidents Cup. It is the home to four PGA Tour victories for Rory McIlroy, including his first-ever, and was also home to the first-ever Tour win for Rickie Fowler back in 2012 when he defeated McIlroy in a playoff.
Right there with Trump Doral and Torrey Pines, Quail Hollow is very much a big-boy golf course, stretching to nearly 7,600 yards and playing to a par 71. The fairways are on the narrower side but the rough is not especially brutal, being cut to what would be considered average Tour height at around two inches. The greens are above average in size and are typically very firm and fast. They are a Bermudagrass surface overseeded with Poa Trivialis, but from what we can tell, that Bermudagrass is certainly beginning to come out of its dormancy and be reestablished as the primary species with overnight lows beginning to reach temperatures near 60 degrees in the Charlotte area.
I looked at Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and Strokes Gained: Approach this week along with Driving Distance and Greens in Regulation Gained. Total Driving and Ball Striking will go a long way this week in determining a champion. I looked at Hole Proximity from 175-200 yards, Scrambling, Bogey Avoidance, and scoring on the Par 4s measuring 450-500 yards.
Let’s not forget, this is another limited, 72-player field with no 36-hole cut this week.
I have always leaned on the connection between Quail Hollow and Torrey Pines as it feels like one of the strongest correlations that we see on Tour, with Total Driving being a very big asset at both courses. Jason Day and Max Homa have each won at both properties. I also used other Fazio designs, Congaree (2022 CJ Cup) and Caves Valley (2021 BMW Championship) to provide some pointers. And finally, I took a glance at the aforementioned Trump National Doral, along with Los Angeles Country Club (2023 U.S. Open) and Oakmont (2025 U.S. Open).
Tommy Fleetwood (27-1)
I was on the fade train of Fleetwood last week as he has been trending in the wrong direction as of late. That concerns me here as he lost strokes on approach last week at Doral and after a red-hot start to the season, his last three finishes have been 33-52-23. His price has now drifted and combined with that, he arrives at a course at which he has had great success in the past with a 13th, 14th, and fifth-place finish. He was also fifth at Torrey Pines last year when the Genesis Invitational was played there, fifth at the U.S. Open at LACC, and was fourth at Congaree in 2022 — so the set-up seems to be one that suits his eye and maybe that will be enough to jump start his game once again. We really haven’t seen a price this high on Fleetwood all season, yet he is still a top 10 player in the game and one of the shorter-priced favorites to win here this week. He ranks eighth on Tour in SG: Tee to Green, is 10th for Driving Accuracy, and is 24th in Scrambling. He could also be a very strong top 20 play.
Si Woo Kim (30-1)
This number is getting harder to find but I don’t mind anything better than 25-1. Quite impressively, Kim has finished top 10 in half of his starts this season, taking third and fourth in his last two times out. Last week in South Florida, Kim was fifth in that field for SG: Approach and No. 1 for SG: Around the Green. He does that again, and he’ll likely be right there again, in contention to win. He took eighth here at Quail Hollow in last year’s PGA Championship and was 16th at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. Earlier this season he was runner-up at Torrey Pines. I believe he is one of the better, if not best, value prices on the board this week.
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Gary Woodland at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
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Gary Woodland (80-1)
This was another big price I found but I am still seeing it available at major books. Quite the discrepancy in the market as I am seeing Woodland as low as 50-1 at some shops. Let’s remember, this was one of the feel-good stories of the year when Woodland found the winner’s circle at the Houston Open back in March. He is one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the world, ranking second on Tour in Driving Distance. He is 31st in Ball Striking, 13th for SG: Off the Tee, and the flatstick is firing too, ranking 30th on Tour in SG: Putting. Woodland has two top-5 finishes at Quail Hollow, and three top-12 finishes at Torrey Pines.
Taylor Pendrith (130-1)
Pendrith is probably another great candidate for a Finish Position play but getting all the way to the pole position is possible too, as the big-hitting Canadian has proven in the past. He’s been as high as 10th at the Wells Fargo and was fifth here last year at the PGA Championship. He has twice finished top 10 at Torrey Pines. Pendrith has been very mediocre since finishing sixth at the Sony Open to begin the season, but last week at Doral, he showed some signs, shooting under par on three of the four days. He ranked eighth in the field last week for SG: Off the Tee, was ninth in Driving Distance, 18th for SG: Approach, and was No. 1 for Greens in Regulation.
PETA sent a topless model to pose at the 2026 Met Gala red carpet as a protest against celebrities and models using real feathers in their outfits.
On May 5, a model representing PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) posed on the Met Gala red carpet, in protest of feathers used in some of the other attendees’ outfits. A banner with “Feathers: A Look That Kills” was also held behind, while the attendee wrote it on her chest as well. The model was seen naked, her body painted grey, and wearing artificial feathers on her arms.
In a video shared online by the organization’s official account, they shared clips of the PETA model and wrote:
“Showed up and showed out at the #MetGala. Our “plucked bird” exposed the birds who die behind every feathered frock on the red carpet.”
The organization’s statement appears to hint at the fashion industry’s use of birds’ feathers in their collections. Birds such as ostriches, peacocks, and emus are killed and their feathers are plucked to be used by major designer labels across the world. The model’s message called out the practice, aligning with the organization’s overall stance against animal cruelty.
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PETA President Tracy Reiman gives statement about their stance at the Met Gala
The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” – Inside – Source: Getty
In a press release shared by PETA, President Tracy Reiman opened up on the organization’s stance at the Met Gala. She stated:
“Behind every feathered frock on the red carpet is a bird who felt pain and fear and didn’t want to die for a fleeting fashion statement. We are calling on designers and consumers to leave feathers on the birds who were born with them and embrace compassionate vegan couture.”
The practice of using birds’ feathers in fashion has been an age-old practice that has been condemned by animal rights activists over the years. For instance, industry workers reportedly retain ostriches as young as one year old, electrocute them, and pluck their feathers while they are still breathing. Other birds such as emus, peacocks, turkeys, pheasants, and chickens, also go through similar practices.
These feathers are used by fashion labels across the world. However, many brands have gone cruelty-free over the years, including certain luxury labels such as Stella McCartney. The popular designer, who remains feather-free in her brand, also urged other labels to sign PETA‘s feather-free pledge and stop using feathers in their collections.
Further, fashion shows such as Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Copenhagen Fashion Week have also banned the use of real feathers in their events.
In 1946, Patty Berg won the inaugural U.S. Women’s Open at Spokane Country Club, beating a field of 39 players for a first-place prize of $5,600, paid entirely in war bonds.
She might not recognize the event today.
Eight decades on, the 81st U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally arrives this June at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, where 156 of the best female players in the world — whittled from a pool of 1,897 entries — will compete on one of the game’s most storied stages for a total purse of $12 million.
Do the math. The numbers alone tell a striking story about the evolution of women’s golf. But as with most good stories, statistics only go so far.
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Golf is booming as never before, and female players have helped power that surge. Nearly 8 million now play the game in the United States, according to the National Golf Foundation, a 46-percent increase since 2019. They account for a record 28 percent of all golfers and contribute significantly to the billions spent in the game each year.
And yet, for many women from all walks of life, golf still often seems like someone else’s pursuit: governed by unfamiliar rules, elusive codes of conduct and a culture that falls shy of feeling fully inclusive. For all the strides that golf has made since Patty Berg was in her prime, a divide remains, limiting women’s access not only to the camaraderie and competition of the game but also to the relationships and opportunities so often forged around it.
That was the gap a recent gathering at Riviera set out to close.
Presented by the USGA and Ally, the presenting partner of the U.S. Women’s Open, an event called “Golf with Us” brought together 40 female business professionals, many of them newcomers to the game, for an immersive day of instruction and conversation. On the range, participants worked with eight teaching professionals across three stations covering full swing, short game and putting. They flushed some shots and bladed others. No one was keeping track. The goal was not to produce scratch golfers. It was something more impactful: to help women gain confidence and comfort with a game that carries profound benefits both on and off the course.
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“I’m someone who has been in (golf) my entire life,” said Tisha Alyn, a former professional golfer, media host, trick-shot artist and entrepreneur, who moderated a panel discussion that followed. “Every opportunity, the majority of friendships, the majority of connections and employees I’ve made in my life have been through this game.”
Alyn knew that made her an outlier in the room. A quick show of hands confirmed it.
“How many of you had played golf before today?” she asked.
Most hands went up.
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“And how many of you have made a business deal on the course?”
Most hands stayed down.
The panel discussion at Riviera.
USGA
Alyn’s three panelists had plenty to say about that gulf, which they’d each confronted in one form or another in their own winding paths into the game. Lauren Campbell, director of sports and entertainment marketing at Ally, was introduced to golf as a child through father-daughter outings to a PGA Tour event in Michigan and has spent much of her career since trying to make the game more accessible and inviting for women. Kat Harwood, U.S. sports practice leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP, got her start as a passenger in a cart, riding alongside her husband, taking in the fresh air and scenery, until curiosity finally got the better of her. When play ground to a halt, she began taking swings. She realized that she liked it. What’s more, she discovered, “I wasn’t terrible at it,” she said. Katie Conway, the USGA’s senior director of partnerships, grew up as a fan’s daughter, her childhood weekends structured around Jack Nicklaus’s tee times. She even worked at golf courses along the way, yet somehow never thought to pick up a club. Eleven years into her career at the USGA, she’s still early in the learning curve. She has yet to break 100.
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Which, as the panel made clear, is beside the point.
As Alyn teed them up, the speakers took turns sharing experiences and counsel. Conway talked about treating every round as a chance to learn something: a swing tip, a point of etiquette, a better feel for the rhythm of the game. She recalled playing Pebble Beach in a USGA outing, posting a score that was not the course record, but walking off focused on the positive: a single hole she’d played particularly well. She recommended adopting that mindset. “Women are less exposed to golf,” she said, “and we’re probably harder on ourselves than we should be.” Find the one good shot. Carry that with you.
Harwood offered a companion thought: Don’t make a production of the bad ones. No anguished post-shot commentary, no apology to your playing partners. “I realized I was drawing attention to my bad shots,” she said. Most of the judgment golfers fear on the course exists only in their imagination. Fact is, no one cares how you play as long as you’re not slowing down the pace. “Just pick up the ball and move on,” Harwood said.
Another pearl of hard-won wisdom: Don’t hesitate to go all in. For a while, Harwood said, she’d never taken a lesson, which she used as a built-in excuse, until she realized how absurd that was. “I wouldn’t do that in any other aspect of my life,” she said. If she wanted to learn to cook, she’d take a cooking class. Golf deserved the same respect and attention.
The women in the audience weren’t beginners off the course. They were accomplished professionals, mothers, wives. But Alyn was candid about how long it can take to feel truly at home in the game, and how to reframe the moments that feel most daunting. Being the only woman in a golf outing, she said, isn’t so different from being the only woman in a boardroom. Both can be intimidating. Both can be flipped with some mental gymnastics. “You might think, ‘Holy crap, there are only two or three women in this room,’” she said. “I’m like, ‘Heck yeah, I’m here.’” Confidence on the course, she added, can also be a matter of faking it until you make it. “You all are badasses in this room. You have so much conviction in whatever you try.” Apply that same mentality to golf, and eventually the feeling becomes real.
And whatever you’re feeling on the course, remember: It’s a game. It’s supposed to be fun.
Trouble is, it can seem so serious, walled off by barriers — some real, some imagined — that the industry is bent on bringing down. As evidence, take the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally itself, the oldest championship in women’s golf, and a tournament whose growth over eight decades is a shining reflection of the game’s changing face.
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As Conway made plain, you don’t have to be a pro to be part of the picture. She has no illusions about her game. She still has her sights on breaking 100. But her broader ambition can’t be measured in strokes. When work outings have come up in the past, she’s found herself asking hesitant questions. Would she be the only woman in the group? Were others aware of her skill level? She’d like to let go of that self-doubt.
“I’d love to get to a place where I just say yes,” she said. “I’d be happy to play with those clients without any caveats.”
She encouraged the women in the room to do the same, whether the invitation is to a driving range, a mini-golf outing or a company scramble.
“Just say yes to golf somewhere in your life,” she said. “It will change your life personally and professionally.”
Millions of soccer fans in the world’s two most populous nations may not be able to watch the World Cup that starts next month, due to a deadlock over broadcast rights in India and no official decision in China.
In India, a Reliance-Disney joint venture has offered $20 million for 2026 ??World Cup broadcast rights, a fraction of FIFA’s ask, which was not acceptable to soccer’s global governing body, two sources told Reuters on Monday. Sony held talks but also decided not to make an offer for FIFA rights for India, a third source with direct knowledge said.
There has also been no deal announcement for China, which FIFA says accounted for 49.8% of all hours of viewing on digital and social platforms globally during the 2022 World Cup.
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FIFA has concluded agreements with broadcasters in over 175 territories globally, it said in a statement to Reuters.
“Discussions in China and India regarding the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are ??ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage,” the statement said.
Reliance-Disney, a joint venture led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, did not respond to requests for comment, and neither did Sony.
The lack of a confirmed broadcast agreement with India or China is unusual at this stage.
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In past World Cups, including 2018 and 2022, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV secured the rights well in advance and began airing promotional content and sponsor-driven advertisements weeks before the tournament.
CCTV, which has extensive reach across television and digital platforms, did not immediately return a request for comment.
China accounted for 17.7% and India 2.9% of the global linear TV reach of the 2022 tournament. The two countries together accounted for 22.6% of total global digital streaming reach for that World Cup.
The 2026 tournament kicks off on June 11, leaving barely five weeks for a deal to be finalised, broadcast infrastructure to be set up and advertising inventory to be sold.
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For India, FIFA initially sought $100 million for broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, the sources said, declining to be named because the talks are private.
When the World Cup last aired in India in 2022, Reliance’s then-standalone media arm secured the rights for about $60 million, which was announced around 14 months before the event in Qatar.
“FIFA is looking for a similar ??amount for this edition of the tournament,” a FIFA source told Reuters.
Reliance and Disney have since formed a joint venture to emerge as a dominant force in India’s media and streaming landscape, and the $20 million FIFA offer ??underscores the negotiating power the Indian group commands.
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FIFA had significantly lowered its ask from the $100 million earlier, but has not been keen on the $20 million figure Reliance offered, one source said.
Reliance-Disney, which has spent billions on cricket broadcast rights, believes the World Cup will have lower viewership in India as the tournament is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and most matches will air past midnight in India, the sources said.
China has around 200 million soccer fans, more than any other country, but has failed to build world-class teams, ??partly due to a top-down approach where clubs pick players from a very small pool of pre-screened candidates.
The second source added that football does not command the commercial premium in India like its most popular sport cricket, and an advertising slowdown linked to the Iranian war has further eroded revenue expectations.
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“Football is a niche segment in India,” said the source.
Sony, which has TV channels and a streaming app in India, also decided not to purchase broadcast rights from FIFA as it did ??not make economic sense for the group, said the third industry source.
“Not much time is left but I won’t call it a stalemate. It’s more like we ??are at the end of a chess game with a couple of moves left,” said Rohit Potphode, managing partner for sports at advertising agency Dentsu India.
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