Going into this week’s US PGA Championship, there was a fascination with how Aronimink would play and what challenge it would present.

There was a strong feeling the Pennsylvania course might be ripe for being tamed.

Instead of having its belly tickled and rolling over, Aronimink bit back on day one of the season’s second major. It bit back hard.

At the completion of Thursday’s first round, only 32 players – barely a fifth of the 156-man field – had finished under par.

The world’s best struggled to get to grips with the task presented by an undulating course with thick rough and sloping greens.

Fittingly, it was the world’s very best – Scottie Scheffler – who coped as well as anyone.

The defending champion is part of a seven-way tie for the first-round lead after plotting a three-under round of 67 which encapsulated his ability to play with relentless diligence and barely a flicker of fluster.

The world number one has often struggled to make fast starts – a trait which has proved particularly costly this season – but is now leading a major after 18 holes for the first time in his career.

But the 29-year-old American is not surrounded by the usual suspects.

Scheffler finds himself alongside German pair Martin Kaymer and Stephan Jaeger, South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, Australia’s Min-Woo Lee, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and Alex Smalley of the United States – none of whom many would have expected to see at the top of the leaderboard.

England’s Dan Brown is one shot behind the leaders on his overseas major debut.

“Earlier in the week there was some chatter where people thought 15 to 20 under par was going to win. And I think that got to somebody in the PGA [of America], and they did something about it,” said Spain’s Jon Rahm, who finished one under par.

Rory McIlroy is 18 holes into his PGA Championship, and there are a handful of ways you could describe what went down in a four-over-74 round at Aronimink Golf Club that has him tied for 105th. 

Poor scoring? There was that. Starting on No. 10, McIlroy played the back nine at even par, and he was even through 14 holes. Then he bogeyed 6. Then he bogeyed 7. Then he bogeyed 8. Then he bogeyed 9. According to stats guru and GOLF.com contributor Justin Ray, Thursday was McIlroy’s 990th PGA Tour round, including majors — and the six-time major winner had previously never made bogey or worse on each of his four closing holes.  

Could you also call McIlroy’s round an ugly driving day? You could. He hit just five of 14 fairways, which tied him for 139th in the 156-player field. 

“I started missing fairways,” McIlroy said. “I missed the fairway right on 4, the fairway right on 6, the fairway right on 7, fairway right on 9. From there, it’s hard — you know, I didn’t have great angles either. Then obviously you start missing it just off the edges of these greens, it gets tricky.

“Yeah, I felt like I did OK. I made that birdie on 5 to get back to even par after the soft bogey on 4, then I just got on that bogey train at the end.”

What’s happening off the tee?

“I’ve sort of got, like I miss it right, and then I want to try to correct it,” McIlroy said. “And then I’ll overdo it, and I’ll miss it left. It’s a little bit of back and forth that way. So that’s pretty frustrating, especially when I pride myself on driving the ball well.

“I just need to try to figure it out. I honestly thought I’d figured it out. Coming in here, I hit it well on Sunday at Quail Hollow, and then hit it good at home on Monday. Then … hit it decent yesterday.

“Just sort of, once I get under the gun, it just seems like it starts to go a little bit wayward on me.”

Was Aronimink itself behind McIlroy’s play? It might have been. Several players struggled. The leaders are only at three-under. 

“I wasn’t expecting it to be as windy today as it was,” McIlroy said. “I think it’s the breezy conditions that are sort of making the scoring what it is. It’s hard to get the ball close. Some of the pins are tucked away. You’ve got — say you have a pin tucked over on the left side of the green and the wind’s coming off the left, it’s hard to get it over there.

“Probably just seeing a lot of guys hit it to 20 and 30 feet. They’re good shots. It’s just hard to make a lot of those putts.”  

But how would McIlroy describe his opening round?

In his press conference, he was asked that exact question by moderator Greg Dillard. 

Charlotte Littlefield looks forward to witnessing her dynamic filly Concord Connie match her prior brilliance before contemplating elevated goals.

At her third start on Anzac Day at Flemington, Concord Connie unleashed a spectacular victory, prevailing by six lengths in quick time.

The filly makes her return to Flemington on Saturday for the K A Morrison Handicap (1400m) against the colts.

“We’re just trying to keep a lid on her at the moment and not get ahead of ourselves,” Littlefield said.

“She has to back-up that performance before we start jumping up and down, but she’s in really good order.

“She’s doing everything you want to see, she’s ticked all the boxes, and we’ve got to get through one more day.”

Providing Concord Connie’s second success this campaign, the Flemington win prompts Littlefield to adopt a cautious approach moving forward.

A sharp gallop at Pakenham on Tuesday, preceded by a course proper hit-out last week, has the trainer confident in the three-year-old’s readiness.

“She’s a naturally athletic, fit and a gifted horse aerobically,” Littlefield said.

“I can’t fault the horse, and we’ll see how she goes on Saturday.”

Littlefield experienced similar anticipation with retired Group 1 placegetter She’s Bulletproof, though she insists Concord Connie isn’t at that pressure point currently.

That said, the aftermath of the filly’s last-start dominance has heightened buzz, with Saturday’s outcome potentially amplifying it.

“We haven’t gone to lofty heights, we’re in a handicap for three-year-olds,” Littlefield said.

“We haven’t gone too high and this might be her last run before she heads to the paddock with spring aims.

“She’s a filly that is still quite fragile at times, quite sensitive and I think doing too much at this time will be detrimental to her future.”

Discover competitive betting markets for the race featuring Concord Connie in the K A Morrison Handicap.

The situation surrounding all of Oleksandr Usyk’s world titles is now set in stone ahead of his clash with kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.

The WBC has controversially put its belt on the line for the fight, meaning that Verhoeven, despite being given little to no chance of winning, could win the belt on May 23 in Egypt.

Today, the WBA announced that the fight will count as a successful world title defence if Usyk wins, but the challenger will be unable to claim the belt even if he causes a seismic upset. Should that be the case, a committee will convene on the next steps.

The IBF has taken a similar stance, but, whilst Verhoeven cannot win that title either, the sanctioning body will immediately declare its heavyweight belt vacant if Usyk loses.

The conditions under which Usyk has been permitted to take the fight while remaining champion are:

1. If Usyk loses on May 23, 2026, the IBF Heavyweight title will be declared vacant immediately.

2. If Usyk wins on May 23, 2026, the IBF will acknowledge the WBC’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.

3. If the WBA grants a special permit, the IBF will acknowledge the WBA’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.

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4. The IBF reserves the right to amend the mandatory date in the event of substantial delays in the rotation.

Usyk will be ordered to face WBC mandatory Agit Kabayel following the Verhoeven clash, with promoter Frank Warren confident he would be stripped should he fail to fulfil the obligation.

Nikita Shulchenko is the MPTC Tour of Luzon champion. –JONAS TERRADO

The MPTC Tour of Luzon formally announced its 2027 edition during the close of this year’s 14-stage summer cycling odyssey in Baguio on Wednesday.

And the enthusiasm that greeted the announcement was understandable.

“It’s a happy [development] because the race continues and it will help a lot of cyclists,” said 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ Ronnilan Quita, who placed fifth in the general classification standings.

For the second straight time, a visiting cyclist ruled the annual derby on wheels, with Russian Nikita Shulchenko taking home the top purse of P1 million after donning the yellow jersey since Stage 3 and holding off the late charge of Quita’s 7-Eleven teammate Antoine Huby.

Shulchenko, the ace rider of LCW UAE Cycle, won with a final lead of one minute and 34 seconds.

It’s unclear if Shulchenko and some of his prominent LCW teammates, like third-placer Ibrahiem Alrefai and two-stage winner Ivan Anisimov will run it back next year or if a new batch of foreign riders will try to steal the limelight anew from local riders.

Whatever the field will look like next year, it will certainly face greater tests.

There are plans to push the Tour farther south, putting into play the famed “Tatlong Eme,” the steep and tight-curling zigzag mountain pass connecting the municipalities of Pagbilao and Atimonan in Quezon Province that has bedeviled several legendary cyclists in the past.

The Tour could also reach as far as Bicol, although Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Pato Gregorio, whose office supported the race, wants to go beyond Luzon.

“The Tour de France doesn’t start in France, right? It starts in a different country,” Gregorio said. “In the near future, maybe we can start in Visayas, but still call the race ‘Tour of Luzon.’”

This year’s Tour of Luzon started in Calatagan, Batangas, with Stage 1 ending in Tagaytay. It was the only time that it was held in the southern part of the region.

The race ran through Central Luzon before heading up north, passing Clark (Pampanga), New Clark City (Capas, Tarlac), Palayan (Nueva Ecija), Bayombong (Nueva Vizcaya), Santiago (Isabela), Tuguegarao (Cagayan), Pagudpud, Paoay and Laoag (Ilocos Norte) for the first half.

The latter phase had stops in Candon and Cervantes (Ilocos Sur), San Juan and Agoo (La Union), Mangatarem and Lingayen (Pangasinan).

Suncorp Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 11 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and
St. George Illawarra Dragons. The game kicks off at 6:25 pm with Penrith Panthers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Penrith Panthers vs.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday May 17, 2026 at 6:25 pm

Where: Suncorp Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Penrith Panthers vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Odds

Penrith Panthers vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Preview

Penrith enters the final game of Magic Round with an opportunity to continue refining its evolving attacking structure around Nathan Cleary. The Panthers have experimented with a slightly different shape in recent weeks, showing glimpses of their trademark fluency while still ironing out timing and execution. Against a vulnerable defensive opponent, this could be the perfect stage for Penrith’s attack to fully click into gear.

The Dragons were unable to capitalise on a chance to make a statement following the bye and defensive concerns remain significant, particularly on the edges. Their young middle rotation, led by the Couchman brothers and Hamish Stewart, continues to show promise, but the pack is still struggling to absorb sustained pressure against elite sides. If Penrith controls possession and wins the ruck early, the Panthers’ outside backs may enjoy a productive evening.

The tag team duo known as Jet Speed had a big night on All Elite Wrestling (AEW)’s “Dynamite” on Wednesday night.

“Speedball” Mike Bailey squashed Westbrook with relative ease to pick up his third win in three shows on AEW. Meanwhile, Kevin Knight successfully defended his TNT Championship against a returning Brian Cage.

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Kevin Knight enters the ring during New Japan Pro-Wrestling at National Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 17, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

Afterward, Knight expressed his support in Bailey’s own pursuit of some gold. Bailey made it clear he was going after the AEW World Championship next. Darby Allin, the current title holder, defended it against Konosuke Takeshita as he gears up for a hair vs. title match against Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Knight gushed about his tag team partner.

“Man, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey is a savant – a wrestling savant. He’s been wrestling for almost longer than I’ve been alive,” Knight said. “He’s been in every single situation that you can think of. He’s wrestled thousands of times. He watches wrestling all the time. He talks about wrestling all the time. He knows how to put everybody in the right place to get the best reaction from the crowd.

Mike Bailey enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Best of the Super Jr. Final at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 28, 2023. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

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“So, the fact that I got somebody like that on my side … and he kicks extremely hard. So, I think he’s extremely smart and I don’t have to feel those kicks, it’s a great combination for me. So, it’s no complaints from me.”

Knight shared some of the wisdom that Bailey has imparted on him through the years.

“The No. 1 thing is don’t over think it. Don’t over think it and do what you do,” Knight said. “Like, as simple as that sounds, that’s literally the advice that he gives you. And you just take that and go, ‘OK, don’t over think it and just do what you do.’ And you just go out there and do what you do and you come to the back and everybody’s happy and you just get ready for the next one.”

Both men have crushed it since joining AEW.

Mike Bailey enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Best of the Super Jr. Final at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 28, 2023. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

The two have been two-thirds of the AEW trios championship twice. They won the belts with “Hangman” Adam Page and then again with legendary Lucha Libre competitor Místico.

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The ceiling is high for both competitors as they each look for more singles gold.

Capital1 Solar Spikers’ owners and its newest recruits Vanie Gandler, Erika Santos and Jaja Maraguinot. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Capital1 has assembled one of the most dangerous and promising trios in the Premier Volleyball League, with MVPs Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos joining forces with top rookie Bella Belen.

Following Cignal’s leave of absence just a week after its runner-up finish—and Gandler’s coronation as the latest All-Filipino Conference MVP—the Super Spikers’ deadly one-two punch found a new home at Capital1 during the blockbuster signing press conference at GameVille on Wednesday.

From being one of the league’s youngest clubs, the Solar Spikers instantly transformed into legitimate contenders, with Belen—fresh off a stellar rookie campaign that earned her Best Outside Spiker honors in the All-Filipino Conference—teaming up with two of Cignal’s breakout stars.

With three prolific scorers now sharing the floor, Gandler sees the setup less as a challenge and more as a strength.

“It’s a good problem to have. I don’t think it’s something we need to adjust to too much. What’s important is learning how to cover for each other,” said Gandler. “There will be games where I might struggle more than the others or maybe Bella will struggle, so it’s really about having each other’s backs.”

Belen, who had been recruiting Gandler, Santos and other Cignal players during their stint together in the All-Star Game in Candon City, was grateful her efforts eventually convinced the MVP duo to join her squad.

“As a competitive player, they used to be my opponents, so my mindset before was always, ‘I have to beat them,’” Belen said. “But now that they’re my teammates, my mindset has changed into figuring out how I can raise my own level so I can complement what they already bring to the team and contribute even more.”

“I’m really excited to see how we’ll play together as a team because I’ve always faced them as opponents before. With Ate Vanie, I was only briefly teammates with her on the national team and we weren’t always together on the court. And with Ate Erika and Ate Jaja, this will really be my first time playing with them.”

And Belen believes their troika could unlock even more from each other.

“Volleyball is a team effort. The more players who can score, the easier it is for the team to win,” she said.

Martin Kaymer was asked by a PGA of America official during Tuesday night’s PGA champions dinner if he still played golf, to which Kaymer, mildly offended, responded, “I’m not flying from Europe to here to have a New York strip with you guys. Of course I’m playing.”

“That really motivated me,” Kaymer said Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club, where the 41-year-old LIV Golf member turned back the clock to the days, over a decade ago now, when he was winning two majors and the Players Championship.

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Kaymer was one of several players to card a leading 3-under 67 around a difficult layout bolstered by tricky, sticky rough and challenging green complexes, plus cool, gusty conditions.

But as surprising as it is to see names such as Aldrich Potgieter, Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger atop this leaderboard – I’ll give you Min Woo Lee – none of them entered this week with a recent resumé like Kaymer’s.

Since accompanying the first exodus of signings to LIV in June 2022, Kaymer has played just four majors, including two PGAs, where he’s gone T-73 and MC the last two years. Go back further and Kaymer has missed five of his past six PGA cuts.

He’s currently ranked No. 1,160 in the world rankings, which he topped for eight weeks back in 2011, a year after his 2010 PGA triumph.

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And on LIV this season, Kaymer has played seven events with a low finish of T-25. Three times he’s finished outside the top 50 or withdrawn – LIV fields boast 57 players.

“I’ve been struggling since 2021,” Kaymer said. “And obviously, I had a couple surgeries then and other issues came with it the years after. And it was quite disappointing for me that playing out there on the LIV Golf league, I could never really perform, because I could never really practice, because I was always hurt. … So, I always came into tournaments never prepared. The other guys were ready to play. They were playing great. To be honest, it really pissed me off.”

Kaymer, who has battled left wrist and most recently left elbow issues, says he’s been pain-free for the last four to five weeks, which has allowed him not only ample time to practice but also rediscover his passion for the game. He called Monday-Wednesday of this week some of the most fun he’s had on the course.

“Playing those tough golf courses and doing well executing the golf shots the right way, that is really fun,” Kaymer said.

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Kaymer ignited Thursday’s round by throwing a dart into the par-4 11th to set up his first birdie and then canning a 44-foot birdie bomb on the par-4 12th. He added a birdie at No. 2, then bogeyed No. 7 before nearly walking off with the solo lead. From 295 yards out and in the fairway at the par-5 ninth, Kaymer went driver off the deck and hit it to 15 feet.

“I said to my caddie, ‘Do you think 3-wood can get to the front of the green?’ And he said, ‘There’s no chance,’” Kaymer recalled. “I practice a lot driver from the fairway. It was a lovely lie on the fairway. The grass grows with you, so you know you’re not going to hit it fat. That’s usually the mistake that you do. And again, I practice it a lot and there’s no reason, if you can do it in practice, why shouldn’t you be able to do it in the tournament. So, and it was a nice one.”

Kaymer missed the putt, but the tap-in birdie still earned him a share of the first-round lead.

That’s steak-worthy, if he wants another.