LIV Golf’s future is in doubt, but 53-year-old Richard Bland knows one thing about where his professional career is headed next — it won’t be on the PGA Tour Champions.

Bland, who won the Senior PGA Championship and U.S. Senior Open in 2024, said on Friday at LIV Golf Virginia that he can see the end of his playing days coming. While former LIV members Pat Perez and Henrik Stenson have opted to serve a one-year suspension before teeing it up on the PGA Tour’s senior circuit, Bland won’t be following in his former LIV-mates footsteps.

“From what I’ve been told, I’m not hugely welcome there,” Bland said on Friday.

“I wasn’t given the exemption. I’m the only senior major champion never to get that exemption, and that’s fine, I don’t have an issue with that,” Bland said. “I think the Champions Tour have made it pretty now impossible for anybody to come and play. I’m not going to go chasing it. I’ll be 54 years old, but I’m going to be banned for a year anyway.”

The Senior PGA Championship and U.S. Senior Open are run by the PGA of America and the USGA, respectively, while the PGA Tour operates PGA Tour Champions.

LIV Golf is in uncharted waters after the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund announced that it will withdraw its financial backing for the league after the 2026 season. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is working to secure outside investment to keep the league running beyond this season.

For Bland, either way, he knows the end of his professional days is near. That’s something he has made peace with.

“I know it’s coming quite soon,” Bland said of retirement. “I kind of earmarked next year would probably be my last year of playing full-time, as I do right now. Then going forward, really kind of scattered, but play where I want to play. For me right now, I’m 53. For me, the travel is the hard bit. … That’s been the hard thing for me, is recovery, getting ready for tournaments.

Bland turned pro in 1996 and became the DP World Tour’s oldest first-time winner when he captured the Betfred British Masters in 2021. He jumped to LIV Golf during its inaugural season in 2022 and that, at the moment, will be the final chapter of his professional career. He doesn’t feel the need to try to extend it on a senior circuit.

“Semi-retirement, it’s getting a lot nearer — and that’s fine,” Bland said. “I’m okay with that. I’ve had one helluva ride out here and the best decision I ever made.”

Any doubt over Joshua Van’s bona fides as UFC flyweight champion after capturing the title when Alexandre Pantoja suffered an injury less than 30 seconds into their title fight were erased on Saturday night when Van survived a tough-as-nails challenger in Tatsuro Taira. Van scored a fifth-round stoppage in the co-main event of UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.

Taira opened the fight with a heavy leg kick, wanting to circle at distance before suddenly changing tactics and shooting for a takedown. Taira quickly got to the body, scored the takedown and quickly advanced to full mount. A positional battle followed, with Van looking to utilize a butterfly to get back to his feet, only to nearly be caught in a guillotine choke.

Van eventually escaped from the choke attempt and got back to his feet, where he popped off a few solid punches. Van’s solid jab was eventually neutralized by another double-leg takedown by Taira. Van again escaped to his feet, only to be taken down yet again, with Taira again getting to mount and doing a little damage before the end of the opening round.

Van did a much better job of defending the takedown early in Round 2, allowing him to pop off hard combination punches that connected cleanly to Taira’s face. Taira remained relentless, however, again scoring a takedown and quickly achieving mount again. Again, Van worked the butterfly guard to get out of the worst possible position and threaten to scramble to his feet again. Despite Taira being on top, it was Van who was landing more strikes, throwing off his back as Taira was overly concerned with positioning.

After the fighters went back to their feet, Van scored a big knockdown with a right hand and attempted to drop big shots before the horn sounded to end the second round.

Taira still looked rocked coming out of the corner for Round 3 and Van took advantage with sharp punches as Taira was suddenly fighting off the back foot. Taira shot for takedowns from too far out, making it easy for Van to defend and go right back to his pinpoint boxing.

After another takedown attempt, Van landed a big knee, hurting and bloodying Taira.

A sudden jab from Van resulted in a delayed knockdown as Taira’s legs betrayed him. Van followed up with another flurry and a takedown, immediately taking the back and working for a rear-naked choke. Taira somehow survived the position and ended up back on his feet. Despite the accumulation of punishment, Taira ended the round with another big takedown, landing in side control.

Somehow, Taira continued to bring the attack in the fourth round, immediately putting Van on his back and again working to full mount. This time, Van seemed to have less energy to explode out of the bad position. When Van finally attempted to explode, he was nearly caught by a Taira triangle choke in transition.

The momentum continued to swing as Van again was able to connect with clean shots as the fight went back to standing, forcing Taira onto the defensive once again.

With the fight potentially hanging in the balance in the final round, Van opened up with big strikes. While Taira attempted to secure another takedown, Van cracked with heavy shots, eventually sending Taira reeling. As Van followed up with more big shots, the referee jumped in to halt the fight.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:32 of Round 5.

“I said I was going to finish him inside three rounds, and I almost did, but he’s a tough motherf—er,” Van said of his hard-fought victory. “As soon as I went to the body, it was over.”

Van’s next title challenge is expected to be a rematch with Pantoja, who suffered an arm injury in their title win. Van had no problem with the idea of a rematch.

“Pantoja, you better get your shit right,” Van said. “We can run it back if you want.”

Man Utd drew 0-0 with Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday and here are the moments you might have missed at the Stadium of Light.

Michael Carrick learned more about his Manchester United squad this weekend. Carrick made five changes to face Sunderland on Saturday, giving Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount starts for the first time in his tenure, but the goalless draw stressed the importance of adding more quality in the transfer market.

Sunderland headed into the clash against United after two disappointing results, however, they would have felt unfortunate not to have secured a win considering the number of chances they fashioned.

During his post-match press conference, Carrick said he would be offended by any suggestions that his team are “on the beach”, but the Reds now have the challenge of securing positive results against Nottingham Forest and Brighton to end the season on a high.

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Here are the moments you might have missed from the game:

Fernandes led the inquest

Sunderland made a brilliant start to the game, pressing aggressively to keep United in their own half, which led to a golden opportunity for Noah Sadiki, who was denied by a superb Senne Lammens save.

United were under the cosh and Lammens was called into action again. Fernandes became increasingly frustrated with United’s start and launched an inquest to determine how to bypass Sunderland’s press.

Fernandes started by passing on instructions to Mount, and he was in conversation with Harry Maguire a few minutes later. The midfielder recognised the build-up was a problem and was trying his best to fix it.

It was interesting that Carrick did not intervene or speak with his assistant Steve Holland as Sunderland overpowered United, instead placing trust in Fernandes to find the solution.

Carrick stood in disbelief

Sunderland midfielder Lutsharel Geertruida was an inch away from breaking the deadlock in the second half, smacking the post from the edge of the box as Lammens attempted to scramble across his goal.

Carrick was motionless on the touchline, standing with his hands in his pockets. The United interim boss stood in disbelief and seemed shocked by the dismal performance his players had served up.

Sunderland were the better team from the first whistle, and Carrick arguably waited too long to make changes.

The Zirkzee mistake

A different side of Fernandes’ leadership skills appeared to be shown when Joshua Zirkzee made the wrong choice by crossing into the box instead of pulling the ball back to the Portugal international, who was unmarked.

Sunderland blocked the cross and it was sent for a corner. Chances were at a premium for United, so it was a costly mistake from Zirkzee, and Fernandes’ reaction was fascinating to watch.

Fernandes placed his hands on his knees in frustration, but he appeared aware of the optics and shifted to pretend to sort his boots. The reaction seemed deliberate to disguise his disappointment with Zirkzee.

Zirkzee stood with his hands on his hips. It was difficult to say whether the Dutchman had spotted Fernandes’ reaction, but if the United captain meant to hide his frustration, it spoke volumes about his leadership.

Mount did the dirty work

Sadiki had another good chance to score not long before half-time, but Mount was there to get his body in the way of his effort, which Lisandro Martinez immediately recognised the significance of.

Martinez smacked Mount on the back to thank him for his defensive contribution, and Maguire then approached to give him a high five. It was an important moment, as Sunderland were denied a lead at the interval.

Mount isn’t afraid of doing the dirty work, which makes him a valuable asset in the squad. He made his first start since Carrick’s appointment against Sunderland, and just needs to stay fit.

Warm reception for Amad

Amad said he only had good things to say about Sunderland in an interview before Saturday’s clash. The winger enjoyed a hugely successful loan stint at the Stadium of Light and was welcomed back with open arms.

When Amad got off the team bus, he was applauded by Sunderland’s fans, and he held his hand up to give them a wave. He was applauded again by the home supporters inside the ground when he took a corner.

Bryan Mbeumo replaced Amad in the 75th minute, and he received a standing ovation from most Sunderland fans. A Mackem standing in front of the press box even shouted: “We love you, Amad.”

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.

Cris Gambaré and Camilla Orlando closely followed Brazil’s title-winning campaign at the South American Women’s U-17 Championship on Saturday night (9). Speaking directly from Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asunción, Paraguay, the CBF Women’s National Teams coordinator and the Women’s U-20 National Team head coach congratulated the Young Canaries on their triumph under coach Rilany Silva.

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“I feel very proud of the work being done by the CBF, this integration between the coaching staffs bringing another title. I can only say that we are on the right path, the staff did an impeccable job, and the players dedicated themselves a lot to the tournament. I believe we still have a lot more to achieve”, said Cris Gambaré.

Cris Gambaré attended the South American Women’s U-17 finalCredits: Samara Moumei/CBF

“I was very happy to be able to come because it is very important for us to stay connected. We grow stronger as coaches, we grow stronger as the Brazil national team, and we grow stronger with the idea of what we want to build and bring to the senior team. It was a great match, and it was very important for me to see the title won against a great opponent”, said Camilla Orlando.

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Brazil went unbeaten in the South American Championship, with five wins and one draw. Winning their sixth title marks coach Rilany Silva’s first trophy in charge of the Brazil national team.

It is also worth noting that, during the continental tournament, the Young Canaries secured a place at the World Cup in the category, which will be played between October and November this year in Morocco.

Camilla Orlando attended the final between Brazil and ArgentinaCredits: Samara Moumei/CBF

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The highly anticipated 30th WNBA season tipped off Friday with three games, including the expansion Toronto Tempo’s first-ever contest.

The action continued Saturday with a full slate, including Caitlin Clark’s return after an injury-riddled sophomore season.

Clark and the Indiana Fever hosted the Dallas Wings on Saturday afternoon in a matchup featuring the four most recent No. 1 overall picks. The Wings outlasted the Fever 107-104, but the game was defined by Azzi Fudd’s — the most recent top pick — underwhelming debut.

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Dallas Wings guards Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers react during the first half of the Fever’s season opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on May 9, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Fudd played 18 minutes off the bench, scoring three points — the lowest ever by a No. 1 overall pick in a WNBA debut.

Wings coach Jose Fernandez addressed Fudd’s performance after the game, encouraging the rookie to, “Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got five really talented backcourt players.”

EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION

In addition to Fudd, Dallas’ backcourt features last year’s top draft pick Paige Bueckers, last season’s No. 12 overall pick Aziaha James, four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale and starting guard Odyssey Sims.

Until Saturday, Kelsey Plum held the record for the lowest-scoring debut by a No. 1 pick. Selected first overall by the then-San Antonio Stars in 2017, she scored just four points in her debut. The Stars relocated to Las Vegas in 2018 and was subsequently rebranded as the Aces.

Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd warms up before the game against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 9, 2026. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Despite the slow start to her first season in the league, Plum ended the year with All-Rookie team honors. In the years since, she’s been named to four All-Star teams and won two championships with the Aces.

The Wings’ decision to take Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick drew controversy, raising questions about whether Bueckers’ personal relationship with her influenced the selection. Late last month, Bueckers said last month it did not.

Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed in New York City on April 13, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)

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“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is as a basketball player,” Bueckers said, according to ESPN.

Neither Bueckers nor Fudd has publicly updated their relationship status since the April draft.

“Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own,” Bueckers also said in April. “And what we choose to share is completely up to us.”

Next up, the Wings play their home opener on Tuesday when they host the Atlanta Dream.

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The game Anthony Kim left in 2012 and then returned to in 2024 was very different, and perhaps no aspect was more different than the equipment.

Back in 2012, TaylorMade was still selling a white driver, Callaway just released their first adjustable one, Fujikura was still six years from releasing Ventus and Nike was still making golf clubs. Not to mention the practice of fitting had advanced leaps and

Needless to say, Kim did a lot of catching up between then and his breakthrough win earlier this year in Australia.

With Kim returning on LIV Golf, lot of that re-education fell to Ben Giunta, the owner of the Tour Van, LIV Golf’s lone Tour Truck. On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, Giunta reflected on what it was like to reintroduce Anthony Kim to modern equipment.

Giunta worked with Kim previously back when he worked as the Nike Tour rep and Kim was coming up as a young player.

“I remember walking down, we were at Doral, and I was walking across the range and about halfway down the range, he sees me and throws his arms out,” Giunta said. “The funniest part actually is I still wear a bunch of Nike garb… He thought I still worked for Nike.”

After the two shared a laugh, they got to work and Giunta brought out a “this orange box” to watch him hit balls on the range.

“And he’s like, what the hell is this? Yeah, like he had no idea. He didn’t know anything about numbers,” Giunta said. Kim had never used a Trackman before.

Kim had always relied on his feel and watching ball flight to determine if equipment was working because launch monitors simply weren’t as useful as they are now.

But he and Giunta slowly got to work as Kim got back into the swing of playing regular competitive golf. As Kim got more in the groove, his speed came back and even increased, resulting in more changes to his bag.

It eventually culminated in his win at LIV Golf Adelaide in February.

For more from Giunta and co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow, listen to the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped here, or watch it below.

Want to find the best driver for your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

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Arsenal will continue their Premier League title chase when they face West Ham United in a London derby on Sunday at the London Stadium.

Arsenal head into the match full of confidence after reaching the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in 20 years.

The Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory in the semi-final.

Manager Mikel Arteta and his players are also leading the Premier League title race after Manchester City played a dramatic 3-3 draw with Everton.

Arsenal are now five points ahead of City, although Pep Guardiola’s side still have a game in hand.

The North London club also defeated Fulham 3-0 in their last league game and are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has been one of the team’s standout players this season.

The Swedish forward has scored 21 goals and provided three assists in 51 appearances in his first season with the Gunners. He also has 14 Premier League goals this campaign.

Arsenal’s defence has also improved in recent weeks, conceding just one goal in their last four games.

Meanwhile, West Ham are battling to avoid relegation after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Brentford last weekend.

Coach Nuno Espirito Santo knows his side must start winning quickly to improve their survival hopes.

The Hammers have conceded 61 goals in 35 league matches this season, making them one of the weakest defensive teams in the division.

Despite their struggles, West Ham received positive news as Nuno confirmed that all his players are fit and available for the match.

Arsenal, however, could still miss defender Jurrien Timber, who is recovering from injury, while captain Martin Odegaard is also battling a knee problem.

A victory for Arsenal would strengthen their hopes of winning their first Premier League title in 22 years.

The Minnesota Vikings took their time courting Jauan Jennings. He had made it known this offseason that he was looking for money that paid him like a top-two wide receiver on a team. The Vikings moved around cap space, but they still smartly weren’t going to break the bank.

On Thursday night, Jennings came to his senses and decided that working with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison put him in a really great spot. Now, as the third wide receiver in a dynamic Kevin O’Connell offense, the Vikings have the best trio in the sport.

Jennings Gives the Vikings a New Offensive Ceiling

In recent seasons, the Vikings’ third wide receiver has been either K.J. Osborn or Jalen Nailor. Both are no longer in purple, and each used their elevated exposure with Minnesota to secure a warranted payday. Jennings represents a significantly higher bar than either of them, which is why his deal can be worth up to $13 million.

Minnesota is getting a dynamic talent in Jennings. He operated in a Kyle Shanahan offense that asked him to do a lot for the San Francisco 49ers. With Brandon Aiyuk pouting all of last season, Jennings had plenty of runway to operate on his own.

Not only is Jennings a red zone threat with a 6’3″ stature, but his 212 pounds outman most any defensive back, and he’s an asset in the blocking game as well. In 2024, Jennings posted 975 yards for San Francisco, and he came back with 643 last year. Able to work in the middle of the field, he’s an athletic check-down option and will allow new quarterback Kyler Murray a big target to rely on.

Jennings has found paydirt 22 times in his career and scored a career-best nine times last season. Minnesota routinely struggled when closing in on the goal line last year, and Jennings should be expected to alleviate some of those issues.

There are other talented trios in the NFL, but having the league’s best wide receiver in Jefferson and a legitimate star in Addison, just ahead of Jennings, puts Minnesota over the top. If Murray was hoping to have weapons he didn’t experience with the Arizona Cardinals, he’s been handed an embarrassment of riches when going into this season.

The Vikings played their cards right and landed Jennings at the opportune moment. Now it will be on opposing defenses to pick their poison and decide who they will try to stop.

Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler

Gabba will play host to Friday’s
Round 9 AFL game between Brisbane Lions and
Carlton Blues. The game kicks off at 7:30 pm with Brisbane Lions heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Brisbane Lions vs.
Carlton Blues
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday May 8, 2026 at 7:30 pm

Where: Gabba

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Brisbane Lions vs Carlton Blues Odds

Brisbane Lions vs Carlton Blues Preview

Carlton’s season is quickly slipping away as the Blues prepare for a daunting Friday night trip to the Gabba to face Brisbane. Another second-half collapse against St Kilda last weekend intensified the pressure on coach Michael Voss, with the Blues now sitting at 1-7 after conceding eight third-quarter goals. Brisbane, meanwhile, looks every bit a premiership contender after dismantling Essendon by 64 points. Zac Bailey, Logan Morris and Kai Lohmann combined brilliantly inside forward 50 as the Lions surged into the top four. The contrast in confidence between these two clubs could hardly be sharper right now. Carlton continues to struggle defensively once momentum swings, while Brisbane’s attacking firepower is becoming increasingly difficult to contain. The Lions also won the most recent meeting between the sides comfortably, and they’ll enter Friday night expecting another strong performance on home turf.