This interview was first published in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication exclusively for USGA Members. To be among the first to receive Golf Journal and to learn how you can ensure a strong future for the game, become a USGA Member today.
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Only six men — Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — have won golf’s career Grand Slam. EJ Tackett became just the ninth to capture the Professional Bowlers Association’s equivalent, the Triple Crown, at the 2023 U.S. Open in his home state of Indiana. Needing a strike and eight pins in the last frame to defeat his rival, friend and golf buddy Kyle Troup, Tackett “shoed up and stepped up,” as they say on the lanes, crushing the pocket twice for strikes to fulfill his childhood dream.
Well, one of his childhood dreams — it could have been a U.S. Open golf triumph, too.
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Tackett, now 33 and starring alongside Troup in HBO Max’s new documentary series, “Born to Bowl,” was an elite junior golfer as well as bowler, competing against the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas at the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur and Junior PGA championships and later playing Division I golf before turning his attention to knocking down pins with a bowling ball instead. The four-time and reigning PBA Player of the Year has since won 27 tour titles, including seven majors, and will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Tackett’s career numbers put him at least in line with what Scheffler, Spieth and Rory McIlroy have achieved in professional golf, except for his Q rating and bank account — bowling’s popularity and prize money, while on the rise again, still lag golf’s by a country mile and a half. The highly entertaining “Born to Bowl” has the potential to change that, at least marginally. Regardless, if Tackett only recently stopped having to share hotel rooms on the road, he hasn’t just left his mark on bowling but also still finds time to maintain a better-than-scratch golf game. Which begs the question: Can JT bowl a 300? Color us doubtful.
Before winning bowling’s U.S. Open, Tackett had dreams of winning golf’s version.
courtesy EJ Tackett
How did you get started in golf?
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I was 3 or 4 years old when I started going out with my dad. He used to play a skins game on Saturday and Sunday morning, small-town stuff with maybe 30 guys. Dad would let me drive off the tee, pick up my ball, take it to his ball and let me hit from there, then chip and putt around the green. The grandson of the guy who owned the course was the same age as me — he actually owns the course now. As I got a bit older, he and I would play chipping and putting games and hit balls at the range. So, I had someone challenging me to get better.
When did youbeginplaying junior tournaments?
When I was about 12. In Indiana, there was a tour sponsored by Pepsi, and it was broken up into age groups named after pop brands — the Pepsi Tour, the Mountain Dew Tour. There was one summer I won every event I played in, and that was the year (2010) I qualified for the U.S. Junior Am and the Junior PGA.
What were those experiences like?
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The Junior PGA was at Sycamore Hills in Fort Wayne, 30 minutes from where I lived. The first round I was nervous and played absolutely horrendously — I think I shot 85. Justin Thomas set the course record that day with 65. The next day got rained out, and me and Dad went to the driving range and got my swing straightened out. I shot even-par 72 the second round, which wasn’t good enough to make the cut but at least I redeemed myself. At the Junior Am at Egypt Valley in Michigan, I shot, like, mid-to-upper 70s both rounds and missed making the cut for match play by a few strokes.
And you’re doing this while becoming one of the nation’s best junior bowlers. In 2011, you made Junior Team USA — and as a teenager made it through qualifying at bowling’s U.S. Open, finishing 20th. When did you finally decide to pick bowling over golf?
When I decided that I wasn’t good enough to play golf. I played golf at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (now Purdue Fort Wayne), a D1 school. I went for three semesters. I wasn’t seeing the results that I thought I should see. I hated school and just didn’t want to do it anymore. My parents owned a bowling center my whole life, and they haven’t been well off, so I always worked a lot at the center, too. I wasn’t living on campus, I was commuting an hour back and forth to school, trying to work every day — it was maybe a little too much for me to handle. I decided to try a different path. I knew I was always really good at bowling. I got my PBA card in October of 2012, and here we are.
Do you feel like there’s a lot of overlap between the sports in terms of technique?
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There are a ton of parallels. I’m not a big guy — 5-foot-8, 150 pounds, but I’m pretty powerful in each sport. My swing path goes out-to-in on the backswing in each. If you look closely at my footwork in bowling, when I get to the [foul] line, you’ll sometimes see my heel coming off the ground. That’s using the ground as leverage, just like a golfer does. They load up the left knee, and it straightens as they turn through the ball, and sometimes that left heel is coming off the ground. Then there’s the old term: “Wait on it.” If you’re trying to make things happen too early in your swing, it throws your timing off and you get herky-jerky.
How about the mental side?A lot of “perfect” shots in bowling don’t produce strikes.It seems like dealing with bad breaks, or what feel like bad breaks, is critical.
In golf, at least in stroke play, you’re really playing against the course. In bowling, you’re bowling against the lane conditions. The guys who can overcome, who don’t overthink things and play what’s in front of them, they’re the ones you see on TV week in and week out. In golf and in bowling, it’s one shot at a time. Because you can’t change what already happened, and you can only control what’s about to happen. And that’s it.
Tackett says in bowling he uses the ground as leverage, just as a golfer does.
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Bowling and golf are both parallel-play sports — you’re competing alongside someone but can’t influence what they do. How do you handle that?
I’m just out there trying to do the best I can. I pay attention to what the other guys are doing in that we’re always moving lanes, changing bowling balls because of the conditions. If someone is bowling really well, I might look at what kind of ball they’re using, where they’re standing to start, the line they’re playing, trying to get a better visual that might help me. It’s not like I’m sitting in the back rooting someone else on or yelling for them to get a split. If someone makes a split, yeah, I’ll give him a high-five, or if he bowls a 300 game, it’s like, “Good job — happy for ya.” It’s probably the same way on the PGA Tour. You’re out there doing your job. If someone does something cool, you give ’em a thumbs-up. Throughout normal play, though, it’s pretty much business.
One difference, sadly, is the amount of money in pro golf vs. pro bowling. Do you ever think about that?
All the time, because I did play golf and still always watch it. I won five times (including two majors) in 2023. I bowled extremely well — and I was $40,000 from making half a million dollars. So, if you get to a high level, you can be, not rich, but definitely not poor. But would it be nice to make those million-dollar paychecks? Absolutely. If bowling was making what golf made, I would’ve earned 15 or 20 million dollars before the FedEx Cup. It’s, like, dang, if we had bowling for, you know, half a million or even a million dollars in major championships, that revolutionizes the sport and takes it to a different level. I know that the people in charge of bowling are doing their best. It’s always a work in progress.
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Not to romanticize it, but PBA pros will often caravan from event to event, share hotel rooms — it sounds like the PGA Tour back in the ’40s and ’50s. Does that create more camaraderie than today’s golfers’ private jets and five-star hotels?
I would say so. We spend more time with each other than we do with our families. I’m gone 200 days a year. There’s a bunch of my buddies that are always getting dinner when we’re done, going for lunch, having a few beers, hanging out. It is fun, like having a family away from home. I did start staying by myself in rooms a bit more recently. I’ve got to the point in my career where I don’t have to share a room with someone to save a bit of money every week.
Fair to say the average person doesn’t understand how hard both sports are at the top level — the old “they’re not real athletes” or “there’s a guy at our club who shoots par all the time….”
I don’t think people understand at all. The misperception goes with the fact that you can play both sports, and play them well, your whole life — and you can eat and drink while you do it. And in bowling, the ball comes back to you, and in golf someone’s carrying your clubs. They don’t understand the preparation that it takes — gym time, practice, eating right, and everything that goes into being successful.
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On the PBA Tour, you’re often bowling on oil patterns as difficult as U.S. Open golf conditions.As in golf, the precision needed is unreal.
On these harder patterns, we’ve got one, maybe two boards to hit — so you’re talking about 1-2 inches. Plus, you need the right speed, the right rev rate, the right rotation. Just like in golf — How much spin do I want? Draw or cut? Is this an 80 percent shot? — all these things get calculated into what you do. What makes both sports so great is that you are in control of so much but also in control of so little at the same time.
The Sigor Bounty in Crimson Desert requires you to find and apprehend an Orc named Sigor in the Delesyia region. The notice suggests he is wanted for public urination, and bringing him in to the authorities can help you receive 15 silver. As such, you will want to look for him to make some quick bucks.
This article explains how to complete the Sigor Bounty in Crimson Desert.
How to start Sigor Bounty in Crimson Desert
Pick up Sigor’s bounty poster (Image via Pearl Abyss || YouTube/@manugames92)
Since the Sigor Bounty in Crimson Desert can only be completed in the Delesyia region, you must first unlock the region by completing Chapter 11 of the game. Afterward, you can find a bounty poster for Sigor while exploring on bounty boards, poles, walls, and more.
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How to complete the Sigor Bounty in Crimson Desert
Head to the marked location (Image via Pearl Abyss || YouTube/@manugames92)
Once you have found a bounty poster for Sigor, the next objective is to find him. The culprit is located at a camp north of the “S” of Delesyia on the main map, as marked on the map above.
You can easily reach the location by first fast traveling to the Abyss Nexus north of the “L” of Delesyia on the main map. From here, move up the cliff toward the east. Then jump down here and use your flight ability to slowly glide down toward the camp.
Chase Sigor at the camp and catch him (Image via Pearl Abyss || YouTube/@manugames92)
As soon as you arrive in the vicinity of the camp, you will spot Sigor running away from you while wearing a mustard yellow shirt. Simply chase after him to apprehend him.
Following that, tie him up and carry him on your horse to Delesyia cityand hand him over to the guards to claim your silver.
Also check out our other Crimson Desert articles:
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You’ve waited many long months, and now the 2026 Masters has arrived at Augusta National. But did you know you can watch the entire tournament free of charge online? Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the Masters for free this week.
How to watch Masters free online
The Masters has always featured limited TV coverage compared to other major championships. While the coverage has increased over the years, fans are still limited to four-and-a-half hours on ESPN Thursday and Friday, and five hours on CBS Saturday and Sunday.
Alternatively, in recent years Masters streaming options have exploded. This year, there are more platforms than ever offering Masters streaming coverage. They include the ESPN App, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ and DirecTV. Paramount+ will provide early coverage on the weekend, and Prime Video will stream early coverage on Thursday and Friday for the first time.
But before you tear your hair out trying to make sense of the streaming schedule (or empty your bank account to sign up for new streaming platforms), we have some very good news. You don’t actually have to pay anything to watch all of the 2026 Masters this week.
That is thanks to the good people at Masters.com and the Masters App.
In addition to multiple featured hole streams, featured group streams and videos of every shot hit at the tournament, Masters.com and the Masters App are offering something truly rare this year. You can watch all of the TV coverage, plus the early Prime Video and Paramount+ streaming coverage for free.
You read that right. While Prime Video and ESPN are splitting the coverage for Round 1 and Round 2, you can watch both for free on Masters.com from 1-7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday. Similarly, Paramount+ and CBS are sharing coverage on Saturday and Sunday. But you can catch watch it all free of charge on Masters.com from 12-7 p.m. ET each day.
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A tradition unlike any other, indeed.
You can check out the full 2026 Masters streaming schedule below.
2026 Masters streaming coverage schedule
THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Honorary Starters: 7:30 a.m. (Masters.com, Masters App) Masters On the Range: 8:30-10-30 a.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+) Featured Groups: 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Featured Holes (4, 5 and 6): 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, ESPN App) Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Featured Holes (15 and 16): 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Round 1 Prime Video Coverage: 1-3 p.m. (Prime Video) Round 1 ESPN Telecast: 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN App) Full Round 1 Stream: 1-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
FRIDAY, APRIL 10 Masters On the Range: 8:30-10-30 a.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+) Featured Groups: 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Featured Holes (4, 5 and 6): 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, ESPN App) Featured Holes (Amen Corner, 11, 12 and 13): 10:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Featured Holes (15 and 16): 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App, Paramount+, Prime Video, ESPN App, DirecTV) Round 2 Prime Video Coverage: 1-3 p.m. (Prime Video) Round 2 ESPN Telecast: 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN App) Full Round 2 Stream: 1-7:30 p.m. (Masters.com, Masters App)
A “peace gesture” was made before the start of a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 game between Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen on Wednesday, as team captains Babar Azam and Marnus Labuschagne, along with PSL CEO Salman Naseer, released a white dove during the toss. The act came in the aftermath of the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran concerning geopolitical tension in the Gulf region. However, the PSL’s “peace gesture” received criticism from several users on social media.
These people were saying that there should be no politics in cricket a few months ago, what are they doing now?
Meanwhile, Babar Azam found himself at the centre of a heated moment off the field after dismissing comparisons with Virat Kohli during a post-match press conference in the Pakistan Super League 2026.
The Peshawar Zalmi skipper, who guided his side to a tense last-ball victory over the Hyderabad Kingsmen, appeared visibly displeased when questioned about his ability to finish games in comparison to Kohli.
While Babar contributed a measured 43 off 37 balls in the chase of 146, he was not at the crease at the end, prompting the query.
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Responding in a seemingly frustrated manner, Babar brushed aside the suggestion and urged the journalist to move on from such debates. “Finish these things. Keep these things to yourself. End the comparison and move on. It’s your misconception that I have not finished matches,” he said.
The exchange quickly gained traction, once again highlighting the scrutiny surrounding cross-border comparisons between leading cricketers. Widely regarded as Pakistan’s premier batter, Babar has often been praised for his consistency, though his approach in T20 cricket has drawn criticism, particularly around strike rate and finishing ability.
With IANS inputs
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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss
Gyms could provide vital to support governments and the healthcare systems to tackle obesity / shutterstock_Amorn Suriyan
Trade associations from around the world have joined forces to lobby governments and health systems on the importance of prescribing lifestyle interventions, including physical activity and nutrition, alongside GLP-1 medications.
The World Obesity Federation, UK Active, the Health and Fitness Association, AUSactive, Exercise New Zealand and Fitness Industry Council of Canada have worked together to outline a global framework for integrating prevention, treatment and long-term health outcomes.
The message of the statement is that obesity medications are not a standalone solution and reliance on medication alone may lead to poor long-term outcomes, including loss of muscle mass, diminished functional capacity and widening health inequalities.
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Richard Beddie, CEO of Exercise New Zealand, said although GLP-1 therapies can be a significant tool in addressing obesity if they’re not paired with strength training and other lifestyle changes, “the result will be increased long-term health costs for the health system and worse health outcomes for individuals.”
The organisations call for a wraparound approach that combines pharmacological treatment with sustained investment in physical activity, nutrition and supportive environments. The organisations have also committed to advancing evidence-based, integrated approaches that combine medication with physical activity and nutrition support.
“Medication is only one piece of the puzzle,” said Zach Weston, executive director of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada. “For these therapies to deliver true, sustainable health outcomes, they must be anchored by the professional guidance and supportive environments found in our fitness centres.
“Our facilities are more than just places to exercise; they are essential community hubs for maintaining the muscle mass and functional capacity that are often at risk during rapid weight loss.
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“By integrating fitness infrastructure into the global rollout of these medications, we ensure that patients aren’t just losing weight but are gaining the strength and long-term vitality necessary for a healthier life.”
Almost three billion adults worldwide are overweight or living with obesity and the figure is projected to rise to four billion by 2035.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which collaborates with The World Obesity Federation, published its policy on GLP-1s in December 2025.
European knockout rugby takes centre stage again this weekend with Leinster, Ulster and Connacht all facing huge tests in the EPCR Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. Leinster welcome Sale Sharks in a heavyweight Champions Cup clash, while Ulster and Connacht are both in Challenge Cup action against French opposition. Below is a full look at the expected handicap lines and match predictions for all three fixtures.
Leinster v Sale Sharks prediction, handicap and preview
Competition: Investec Champions Cup Date: Saturday Time: 5:30pm
Leinster look capable of putting up another huge score this weekend. They were ruthless in the previous round and, on current form, they have the firepower to blow most teams away once they get on top physically. Sale Sharks deserve real credit for being the only away side to win in the Round of 16, but this is a much bigger challenge altogether.
The injuries to Luke Cowan-Dickie and Bevan Rodd are major setbacks. Against a Leinster side that can dominate at the set-piece, flood the breakdown and punish mistakes with ruthless efficiency, those losses could be badly exposed. Leinster’s depth, pace and power should tell over 80 minutes, especially if they build scoreboard pressure early.
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Sale will need a near-perfect display to stay in touch, but it is hard to see them living with Leinster for the full contest. The Irish province should control territory, possession and the physical battle.
Expected handicap: Leinster -20
Prediction: Leinster to win comfortably
Likely margin: 30 to 40 points would not be a surprise
Ulster v La Rochelle prediction, handicap and preview
Competition: EPCR Challenge Cup Date: Friday Time: 8:00pm
This looks one of the ties of the weekend. Ulster at home always makes life awkward for any visiting side, but La Rochelle bring serious pedigree and huge motivation into this one. With their season having lacked consistency, there is every reason to think Ronan O’Gara will send his team out with full focus. Winning this competition would go a long way towards rescuing their campaign.
Ulster will believe they have a real chance if they can bring energy, accuracy and emotion from the first whistle. Ravenhill under the lights can be a serious venue when the home side get momentum, and that makes this far trickier than a straightforward French power game.
La Rochelle probably shade it on raw quality and big-game experience, but not by much. This feels like one that could swing on discipline, maul defence and who handles the pressure better in the final quarter.
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Expected handicap: La Rochelle -5
Prediction: Too close to call with confidence
Verdict: Genuine toss-up
Montpellier v Connacht prediction, handicap and preview
Competition: EPCR Challenge Cup Date: Saturday Time: 12:30pm
Connacht come into this game in excellent form after five straight wins, but this is a serious jump in class. Montpellier have far greater power, depth and top-end quality than the teams Connacht have been beating, and that is what makes this fixture so difficult to assess positively from an Irish perspective.
Connacht have shown real resilience and confidence in recent weeks, and there is no question they are playing with belief. Even so, Montpellier at home is a different proposition entirely. Their physicality through the middle of the pitch, combined with the ability to turn pressure into quick scores, means they can put teams away in bursts.
For Connacht to stay in the contest, they will need to start well, manage territory intelligently and avoid letting the game become a loose, broken-field battle dominated by the hosts. On paper, though, Montpellier look too strong.
Expected handicap: Montpellier -16
Prediction: Montpellier to win
Likely margin: Somewhere around the handicap looks about right
European rugby weekend predictions summary
Leinster look the most straightforward call of the three Irish provinces this weekend and should have too much for Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup. Ulster against La Rochelle has all the ingredients of a classic and feels the hardest match to confidently pick. Connacht’s recent run deserves respect, but Montpellier away in the Challenge Cup looks a step too far.
Best bet on the handicap: Leinster -20
Hardest game to call: Ulster v La Rochelle
Most dangerous away trip: Connacht at Montpellier
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Expected Handicaps & Predictions – Champions Cup Weekend
Harry Maguire will remain at Man Utd for an eighth season but his time at the club has featured some painful lows as well as some memorable highs. He reflected on that in Ireland this week.
Harry Maguire can remember the day he hit rock bottom. It had been building up for a couple of years, but at Hampden Park in September 2023, it all became too much, if not for Maguire, then for his family at the very least.
He was a half-time substitute in the fixture between Scotland and England, and so low had his reputation sunk that his every touch was greeted with cheers from the Scottish fans. The same had happened when he came on for Manchester United at Arsenal a week earlier.
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This was where Maguire now was. The world’s most expensive defender, in the team of the tournament in the European Championship in 2021, but now considered such a figure of fun that his mere presence on the pitch gave encouragement to opposition supporters. It had gone from abuse to mockery.
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Maguire played pretty well in that game but still scored an own goal. Afterwards, he tried to work out why he had gone from a cult hero in 2018, loved for being one of the lads and serenaded for drinking the vodka and the Jäger, to the most derided and abused footballer in the country.
“Sometimes it did cross my mind at the time just thinking, ‘Why? I don’t know why it has done this. I don’t know where it’s come from’,” he said.
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“My form dipped a little bit, yeah, of course, everyone does that in their career. But I was in a situation where I was just a lad from Sheffield playing for such a huge club.
“I thought this is what happens – this is the fault of the club not performing well. But when you look back it probably did go a little bit too far. At the time, I can remember thinking I just don’t know how this has really happened. I don’t know how it’s changed so quickly.”
It was still before 9am when a punctual Maguire strode into the Fitzgerald Suite in Carton House, taking up a seat on a plush sofa with the grounds of an idyllic rural retreat visible from the bay windows behind him.
The 33-year-old held court for 25 minutes on the highs and lows of an Old Trafford career that is unlike any other. Maguire can sometimes be formal in interview situations, but this was a figure who looked relaxed and at ease. It was more in line with his reputation as the funniest player in the squad.
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It is the first time he has returned to Ireland with his club side since being booed at the Aviva Stadium when playing for United in a pre-season friendly in 2023.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
A year earlier, he had been jeered by United fans in Melbourne, while he was given the same treatment in Las Vegas in 2023. It was the middle of a slump that it felt like Maguire might never recover from. United stripped him of the captaincy and tried to sell him to West Ham that summer, and had a deal been reached over his wages, he would have gone.
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Then came the Scotland game in September. Maguire insists that being so laid back meant he usually shrugged off the struggles and the abuse, but for his family it wasn’t so easy. Mum Zoe took to social media after that game to label the treatment of her son as “disgraceful”.
Maguire asked his mum not to put the post out, but she told him she wasn’t listening to him on this occasion and went public. Then the tide began to turn, helped by an improvement in his own performances. Now the 33-year-old has just signed a new contract, taking him into an eighth season at Old Trafford, and he is the poster boy for the kind of character and resilience needed to make it at United.
“I think there’ll be a lot who want to maybe just close the book and just go elsewhere and restart their career,” Maguire said of that period.
“I think it’s probably broken them a little bit earlier. I think it got to a point where it got really that low, the mocking and the abuse – if you want to call it abuse – that there was only one way it could go.”
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Maguire believes there was a three or four-year period around his move from Leicester City to United when he was in the conversation to be the best centre-back in the world. That culminated with the Euros in 2021 and, like several of his international teammates, he struggled after a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in the final, having also seen United lose the Europa League final to Villarreal in the same manner.
It was also a season that unravelled spectacularly at club level. Maguire was sent off in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final game, a 4-1 defeat at Watford, and the way his form collapsed left him feeling regret for letting the Norwegian down. The appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager only made matters worse.
“I was coming off the back of two big final defeats. The Euros on penalties, Europa League on penalties. I probably just didn’t handle that as well as I should have,” he said.
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“I think there were so many lads who struggled in that period after the Euros. When you’re Manchester United captain and when you’re a central defender, you can’t get away with that. You can’t get away with struggling.
“There were lots of different things in that season. Losing Ole was a big, big loss. I felt a lot of responsibility for that as performances leading up to Ole losing his job weren’t good enough.
“The back end of the season was a mess. It really was a mess. I was the captain, and I took a lot of the brunt for it. We were all over the place, the back six months of that season.
“It wasn’t to do with Ralf, it was more to do with how us as players and as a squad handled it. I just felt like we didn’t handle it as well as we should have with an interim manager coming in, compared to how we’ve handled it this time under Michael.”
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Maguire’s slump would eventually end with him losing the captaincy, unceremoniously dumped by Erik ten Hag in favour of Bruno Fernandes. He admits to “anger and disappointment” at that decision at the time, although his form since losing the armband has improved again.
But his Old Trafford career survived and as he looks ahead to what he hopes will be a title challenge, he rightly takes pride in the fact that he has lasted so long, pointing to David Beckham and Wayne Rooney for inspiration as players who also emerged from their own dark days at United.
“When you play at the top level, unless you are one of the superstars and a world, world-class player, you have ups and downs and you have things that you have to deal with,” Maguire said. “That’s why you see so many players have two or three years at the top, then they drop off and they wander off and go into a different country and you don’t hear too much about them again. To play at the top, you’ve got to deal with the ups and downs.
“I always looked to the experience with players like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney and how they overcame it. They were unbelievable, world-class players, so if it happens to them, it can happen to anyone.
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“I just kept my head down. I have great self-belief, more importantly, that I’m a top player, and I believe that. I think that’s what helps me when things are tough.”
Mark Calcavecchia, the winner of the 1989 Open Championship, was allegedly removed by Augusta National Golf Club security for using his phone this week at the Masters.
Golfweek spoke to Calcavecchia, who didn’t deny taking out his phone out on the grounds, which is automatic dismissal.
Mark Calcavecchia of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the continuation of round one on day two of the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Golf Club in The Woodlands, Texas, on May 3, 2025.(Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
“I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now,” he said.
While Calcavecchia, 65, isn’t a previous Masters winner, he did play in the event 18 times during his career from 1987-2008. He even finished in second place in 1988.
Winners of the three other majors like Calcavecchia had do get a five-year exempt invitation to play in the Masters, and then they become “honorary invitees” for life.
But the rules are the rules, especially at Augusta National. No one is above the law on the premises, and the Masters official website says so when it comes to cell phones.
Mark Calcavecchia plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Boeing Classic at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge in Snoqualmie, Wash., on Aug. 9, 2024.(Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
“The use of any device for phone calls, emails, text messaging, or to record and/or transmit voice, video or data is strictly prohibited,” the website reads.
Augusta National does provide phone service on the grounds. Designated phone banks, where AT&T provides service as a “champion partner” with the Masters, are found on the course to make phone calls if needed.
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Any other technological form of communication is strictly forbidden, and Calcavecchia is paying the price.
Mark Calcavecchia of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the continuation of round one on day two of the Insperity Invitational 2025 at The Woodlands Golf Club in The Woodlands, Texas, on May 3, 2025.(Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
It’s the unfortunate reality for some who don’t abide by the rules, but the Masters is all about logging out and living in the present, adding to the wonder and mystique that is the first golf major of the golf season.
Dec 8, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Calgary Flames at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
All eyes will be on Peter DeBoer as he takes his place behind the New York Islanders’ bench for a crucial tilt against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
The Islanders (42-31-5, 89 points) parted ways on Sunday with Patrick Roy, their head coach of two-plus years, after an ill-timed four-game losing streak near the tail end of the season.
The last time New York took the ice, 36 saves from goaltender Ilya Sorokin weren’t enough to keep out the high-flying Carolina Hurricanes, who prevailed 4-3 on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. The Islanders managed just 16 shots on goal in Roy’s last stand.
“We all love Patty and wish that we could have done better over the last 10 days,” Islanders center Mathew Barzal said after practice on Monday. “You look in the mirror and there’s chances that I missed. … As competitors, you feel disappointment, just thinking you could have done more.”
The bad string of results dropped the Islanders outside a playoff spot. They sit three points behind the Ottawa Senators, who occupy the second Eastern Conference wild-card position, and trail the Philadelphia Flyers by three points for the third slot in the Metropolitan Division. All of those teams have four games remaining.
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The Islanders will hope DeBoer’s postseason pedigree gets them over the hump. With a 97-82 record in 179 playoff games, DeBoer ranks fifth all-time in postseason wins — the most of any coach without a Stanley Cup. DeBoer reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 with the New Jersey Devils and in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks but lost in six games on both occasions.
“After 18 years in this league, I’d like to say that I think I have really strong beliefs on how a team needs to play, what’s important to winning and what’s important to winning in the playoffs,” said DeBoer, who had been out of a job since the Dallas Stars fired him after a loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the 2025 Western Conference finals. “I have a lot of non-negotiables on those things.”
The new-look Islanders will hope to claim both points against a battered Maple Leafs team entering the second night of a back-to-back. Toronto (32-32-14, 78 points) dropped a third consecutive game on Wednesday, an uninspired 4-0 loss to the visiting Washington Capitals.
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Toronto, eliminated from playoff contention last week, already was dealing with the absence of captain Auston Matthews for the remainder of the season. Now the Maple Leafs will find themselves even thinner on Thursday.
Brandon Carlo, Dakota Joshua and goaltender Anthony Stolarz all left the Washington game with injuries. None of them will play on Thursday.
In Stolarz’s place, Berube confirmed that 24-year-old Artur Akhtyamov would get his first NHL start. Akhtyamov has appeared in one game, making five saves in relief for Toronto against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 13.
“He has a great personality. He has played well down there (in the AHL), and he is a competitor,” Berube said of Akhtyamov. “He really has fast reflexes and is competitive as hell. I like the kid a lot.”
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Berube also indicated that center Luke Haymes, 22, would make his NHL debut against New York.
The Islanders, in turn, hope defenseman Tony DeAngelo can suit up for his first game since March 24, when he sustained a lower-body injury.
Today Toulon Golf is releasing their newest Small Batch putter; the Small Batch Columbus. The SB Columbus is a celebration of what many in the golf world view as the greatest Masters victory in the history of the tournament: Jack Nicklaus in 1986.
As Jack’s last “I’m still here” moment, the 1986 Masters is still talked about every single year, and is remembered by an iconic photograph where he raises his putter to the sky in a now infamous outfit. But that putter? There was a much bigger story to it. That’s the story of the new Toulon Golf Small Batch Columbus.
In 1986 Jack Nicklaus took home the trophy using a MacGregor Response MI 615 ZT. A putter that you can buy for about $40 on eBay. ZT standing for Zero Twist, which yes, was an early contender for the current Zero Torque trend that we see widely adopted in the modern game.
The idea behind Zero Twist was that if you could build the putter large enough with the hosel in the right spot, the putter would be more stable through the putting stroke and provide a better chance of rolling in putts. Again, yes, the same story we’re given today with super low-torque toe-up style putters. The irony though, is Jack was playing terribly heading into the Masters.
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As part of this Small Batch project, the Toulon family enlisted the help of Clay Long. Clay is an iconic, Hall-of-Fame level club designer, junkie, nerd, and one of the greatest personalities behind the scenes in the game of golf. He’s actually the one who designed the putter that won in 1986.
Sean Toulon and Clay Long in Clay’s workshop
Toulon Golf
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In a video on the Toulon Golf website, he tells Preston Toulon that they had no idea the putter was going to go in play. Jack’s first introduction to the putter was an accident. As an owner of MacGregor at the time, Jack didn’t regularly attend sales meetings. But in 1985, he decided to join. As part of that sales meeting Jack was going to go into the shop to see their new high tech woods-sanding robot. Yes you read that right. On the way to check it out, Clay stopped him and showed him the new Response lineup, including the 615. Jack’s first impression: “Is this a joke?”
Fast forward through a phone call from Jack showing interest in the putter after testing at home, making him some finishes in black rather than silver, and the putter going in play for a couple lackluster tournaments before the Masters including some several missed cuts, Jack shows up to Augusta with the putter. MacGregor was already thrilled with what their sales numbers were with the putter having had success at the PGA Show earlier in the year, and Jack having played the putter on tour. They were actually expecting Jack to swap the putter back out for an old George Lowe model. Instead, he wins.
Clay Long’s signature adorns one side of the specially crafted headcover for the Toulon Small Batch Columbus
Toulon Golf
His victory in 1986 is still considered one of if not the best Masters moment in the history of the tournament. He wasn’t playing well. He wasn’t leading on Sunday, in fact he started 6 strokes back of the leader. Nothing about that day was supposed to end with him winning the Masters. Just like nothing about the MacGregor Response series was supposed to set sales records for a company with a dying putter lineup. But odds be damned, they did it. And the Small Batch Columbus celebrates that triumph.
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The Small Batch Columbus is a nod to the original design, with tweaks for the modern game. Although the original 615 ZT was more than 35% larger than a traditional blade shape, the SB Columbus is about 30% smaller than the putter Jack used to win. That being said, it still dwarfs a normal sized blade like the Toulon Golf Boston you see pictured here with it.
The size comparison of a Toulon Boston from their 2026 Collection Series to the new Small Batch Columbus
Jake Morrow / GOLF
In order to maintain a “normal” size and feel, they needed to figure out how to keep the putter at about 360 grams of weight. The original putter was made out of aluminum, but it was very fragile. As Sean Toulon states to Clay in their story video, “It wouldn’t have passed the BGLT or ‘Big Guy Lean Test’”. To combat that, and to stay true to the Toulon Golf Small Batch process, they constructed the face and hosel out of 904L Stainless Steel. 904L is a wonderful material that finishes beautifully, but it takes a long time to mill which makes it more expensive, so it’s reserved for Small Batch type projects.
The Toulon Golf Small Batch Columbus pays homage to Jack’s triumph at the 1986 Masters
Toulon Golf
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The back of the putter is then done in 6061 anodized aluminum to save weight. Toulon isn’t new to the world of multi-material construction, but they did have to be very careful about how the two pieces matched up to each other in a couple of ways. The first one being that they physically needed to match up well. There’s nothing worse than a beautiful project turning into a nightmare with a terrible seam or a visible difference in the lines of the pieces. Not here. The SB Columbus has beautiful lines between the materials that match perfectly with the same curves, lines, and flow as one another. The other big thing is matching the color. Since they are different metals, they react to finishing differently. It’s not super easy to match the exact color between two metals, especially when you’re talking about a black finish. It’s pretty easy to see when one black didn’t get quite as dark or tinted as another black. But again, they absolutely nailed the details here.
The Toulon Golf Small Batch Columbus cavity design mimicks the original design of Jack’s 1986 Masters winning MacGregor ZT MI 615
Toulon Golf
The sole of the putter features some Azaleas, a common nod to Augusta National. Some are paint-filled in their typical pink color and others are sort of shadowed in the background to give the design some nice depth without getting busy. The SB Columbus logo stands proud in the very center, with the ‘86 markings making their way into the lettering as the ‘b’ in Columbus.
The sole design of the Toulon Golf Small Batch Columbus features some large pink Azaleas to tie in Augusta National
Toulon Golf
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As you rotate the putter to the topline, you’ll see the a nod to the same alignment features on Jack’s original winning putter as well as a Toulon variant of the cavity markings from Jack’s old putter including the (86) marking where the old (ZT) marking used to be. The face is then finished off in their triple cut fly mill in a silver finish. It looks beautiful behind the ball. You can see the loft on the face, and the alignment cross in the back of the flange doesn’t distract at all.
Clay’s signature as well as the Small Batch icon come together on top of the TRIPLE fly cut face of the Small Batch Columbus
Toulon Golf
The one thing you’re probably asking is “Well how does it roll?” I have to say, it’s lovely. It’s a nice firm feeling putter off the face. It’s got a great click to it, and a very commanding sound and feel into the hands. For such a large putter, you’d be worried that the player would lose feel, but not in this case. It’s a wonderful feeling and actually rolls quite well too. I would say probably 70% of Small Batch putters never make it out of the case, but there’s a few collectors out there who believe in the idea of tools not jewels, and this could certainly make a very fun tool.
The Toulon Golf Small Batch Columbus is available now on their website at toulongolf.com. In the Small Batch package the player will also receive a signed certificate of authenticity with a matching shaft band.
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Toulon Golf x Clay Long – 2026 Small Batch Columbus
This Toulon Golf x Clay Long Small Batch collaboration celebrates the triumph at the Masters in 1986. Toulon has partnered with legendary club designer Clay Long, the designer of the winning putter in ’86, to celebrate the victory and bring a piece of history into your hands.
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