Some bizarre NFL and college football history could be made soon, and not everyone’s happy about it. 

Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright was on track to become the first player to play college football after being rostered by an NFL team following his release from the Cleveland Browns this week. But as he was set to join head coach Lane Kiffin at LSU, Wright and several other college athletes learned on Tuesday that the SEC would be joining the Big Ten in disallowing players who had already signed an NFL contract from playing in their conferences. 

Wright was among 16 former college football players who sued the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility and were granted a temporary restraining order that would allow them to play college football in 2026. That order allowed opportunistic college head coaches, like Kiffin, to explore adding players signed to NFL contracts to their rosters in recent weeks. 

While college head coaches and conference administrators are starting to make their feelings known on the matter, how are people around the NFL reacting to players potentially returning to play the collegiate game? Here’s what we learned from some of our conversations with people around the league. 

Scout: NCAA Has To ‘Get Their S— Together’

Ralph Vacchiano: The recent news that some NFL players will potentially be allowed to return to college football this season did not go over well in NFL circles. And it only added to their confusion over what is currently happening in the NCAA.

“They really have to get their s— together,” one NFL scout told me. “It feels like they’re the Wild Wild West and the rules are changing every day.” 

The recent one could be the most confusing. It was sparked by court rulings in Colorado and Louisiana that appear to allow NFL players who entered college in 2022 to return to school for a fifth year of eligibility in the NCAA. To add to the confusion, the Big Ten went against the courts and banned players from returning from the NFL. The SEC announced it opposed the rulings, but wouldn’t stand in the players’ way.

Dae’Quan Wright spent training camp with the Eagles and Browns before agreeing to join Lane Kiffin at LSU. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It’s unclear if any other conferences will join the Big Ten and the SEC. But the courts probably haven’t had their final say on the matter yet, which is why the NFL is bracing for an even bigger mess.

“All that NIL money was bad enough. It basically wiped out the talent in the later rounds of the draft because too many marginal players could afford to stay in school,” the scout told me. “But now we’re going to have guys who would’ve stayed on the practice squad leaving too? We’ll spend 3-4 months investing in their growth, developing them as a player, only to watch them go back to LSU?”

“It all looks bad,” an NFL executive told me by text. “But we don’t know where all this is going yet. It feels like just the beginning of a really big mess.”

Not Everyone In The NFL Is Sounding The Alarm, Though

Eric D. Williams: The situation surrounding Wright and over a dozen other players has caused some to panic about the future of college football. However, not everyone in the NFL is worried about the recent court rulings and whether this will cause more players to return to college. 

One NFL agent pointed out to me that what’s happening this summer is likely a one-time thing due to the NCAA’s new eligibility rules. 

Former FSU QB Thomas Castellanos is among the former college football players who could benefit from a rules loophole. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

“It only applies to this tiny group of players this year who made a decision prior to the rule change,” the NFL agent told me. “It would never apply again because any other player in the future would make whatever decision they made after the college season based on the 5/5 rule, if it stays in effect.

“So, this really isn’t a long-term issue. It’s a one-off, so the NFL won’t and shouldn’t care about these few guys who weren’t making teams to begin with. These are the only players the ruling applies to – players who under the new rules would be eligible to play college in 2026 that under the old rules would not have been eligible. That’s it. A player at the end of 2026 who has a fifth year can decide to take it or not, and if he doesn’t and goes to the NFL, why would he get his eligibility back? He made the decision to leave knowing he had a year left. No different than a true junior leaving with two years left.”

Players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their pro contract and repay any pro earnings. A handful of other players in this year’s draft class could benefit from this new ruling, like Wright. However, that loophole will be closed for the 2027 draft class and beyond.

What To Make Of Players Returning To CFB

Williams: If players wind up returning to college after signing with NFL teams, that also begs the question about what their future draft status will be. 

Jack Pyburn, who is now with the Buccaneers, is among the players considering a return to college. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

No one seems to know what the NFL will do yet about the draft eligibility of those specific players. But an NFL scout told me league evaluators will have to reevaluate the prospects, while proposing an idea for the league on how to handle the situation. 

“You have to reevaluate them because they will be getting more reps to develop and grade, similar to getting reps in the UFL or CFL,” a longtime NFL scout told me. “If they like them, then they should be considered as a street free agent to sign if they were previously in an NFL camp. That’s how the NFL should handle it in my eyes.”

Right now, the noise around the Minnesota Vikings and J.J. McCarthy has grown very loud. Many believe that a trade is a realistic outcome. The conversation has grown so raucous that even the NFL’s website has jumped into the mix.

Kevin Patra pulls off the ambitious task of constructing a piece that details trade candidates for all of the NFL’s teams. Consider his lonely trade candidate for the Vikings: “I don’t believe the Vikings outright cut McCarthy, but if anyone calls about a trade, the Vikings should jump at the chance to move the third-year QB. Despite what Kevin O’Connell has said, I think the club would trust Carson Wentz more than McCarthy as QB2 in the event Kyler Murray goes down. The former No. 10 overall pick caddying as QB3 could present some issues.”

The NFL Website Jumps into J.J. McCarthy Trade Chatter

Look around the internet. Finding speculation about where things are going for McCarthy in Minnesota isn’t going to be too difficult.

Earlier in the week, Jeff Diamond (the Vikings’ GM from 1991-98), wrote about McCarthy: “With [McCarthy’s] lackluster play in these first two preseason games (seven drives with no points produced, albeit with the No. 2 offense) and Carson Wentz performing better, it’s opened the door to media speculation on who should be QB2 on opening day against the Packers on September 13.”

There’s then Tom Rudelius. Not a former NFL executive, Rudelius is a certified numbers nerd who dug into comparable trades from recent history to arrive at an approximation for what Minnesota could get back in a swap.

“To begin, if the Vikings want to trade McCarthy, now is probably the time. The former Michigan QB has two years left on his contract, and it’s not outlandish to think that some other team might want to take a chance on the young QB,” Rudelius writes.

And then a firmer guess on what could come over to Minnesota: “On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine that McCarthy could net more than a 5th Round pick at this point. Part of the reason why the price for former 1st Round QBs has dropped in recent years is probably because none of the QBs in the table above have brought any meaningful value to the team that traded for them.”

To be clear, what’s included above is plenty of speculation and conjecture. Some analysis and insight gets sprinkled into the mix but there aren’t any updates so far to suggest that Minnesota is shopping the kid to the NFL’s other teams.

What is known, though, is reasonably ample.

J.J. McCarthy got drafted at No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Snagging him followed a small jump up the board. He has since played in just ten of a possible thirty-four games due to various injuries. When he has been available, McCarthy has overall played poor football while demonstrating potential. The GM responsible for making the selection, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, is no longer employed as the Vikings’ GM. Kyler Murray is now the QB1.

Part of the problem with trading out McCarthy is that the NFL isn’t going to offer anything close to fair value. Think a Day 3 draft pick(s) rather than something that gets anywhere close to being a top-ten selection.

Maybe the best comparable of recent history is Trey Lance, an athletically-gifted quarterback who went to San Francisco but who was plagued by injury and inconsistency. The 49ers sent him packing for a 4th. Would a team such as the Chargers (coach connection) or Jets (QB starved) take the gamble at that price? Would the Vikings accept?

According to Over the Cap, Minnesota’s cap would see close to $2.8 million saved with a trade.

J.J. McCarthy, 23, is preparing for the Denver Broncos preseason game. That contest will take place on Friday, August 28th. Teams will then move from 90 players to 53 by August 30th.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Limerick hurling star Cathal O’Neill has celebrated another major milestone, graduating from the University of Limerick just weeks after being named Man of the Match in the All-Ireland final.

The Limerick star graduated with a BSc in Physical Education with Irish, joining more than 3,000 students at UL’s autumn conferring ceremonies.

His graduation comes just weeks after one of the biggest performances of his hurling career.

O’Neill scored 1-4 in the All-Ireland final and was named Man of the Match, with his memorable second-half goal among the defining moments of Limerick’s victory.

“I remember getting free and in fairness to Aaron Gillane, he played an unbelievable pass inside and I just decided to go for it. It’s a lovely moment to look back on for sure.”

For O’Neill, returning to the top of the hurling world carried extra significance following the disappointment of the previous two seasons.

“I think it was particularly special given the two years previous we had. 2024 and 2025 hurt us a lot and just to get to the top again means a great deal.”

Balancing Limerick hurling and university life

A recipient of a UL Sports Scholarship, O’Neill believes the university environment played an important role in allowing him to combine elite inter-county hurling with his studies.

“I think in UL it’s actually easier than most colleges to balance your studies and sport because you are looking around at hundreds of other athletes doing the very same thing.

“The facilities for training are top notch and also you’ve the library there to put in hours needed for studying.”

From Crecora-Manister to Limerick

A native of Crecora, O’Neill’s GAA journey began with Crecora-Manister and at Scoil Naomh Iósaf in Adare.

Former Limerick hurler Stephen Lavin was among the teachers who helped develop his passion for hurling, Gaeilge and teaching.

“Scoil Naomh Iósaf had a profound impact on me with regards to hurling. The school is steeped in GAA tradition and the teachers there had a massive enthusiasm for sport.”

His development continued at Ardscoil Rís, where O’Neill emerged as one of the country’s outstanding young hurlers.

As a third-year student, he scored 2-19 across three games as Ardscoil Rís won the 2018 Dr Harty Cup. He was subsequently named on the 2018 Minor Hurling Team of the Year before captaining Limerick to the Munster minor title in 2019.

In 2021, O’Neill made his Limerick senior debut while he was still a secondary school student.

Fitzgibbon Cup success with UL

University of Limerick was a natural destination for O’Neill, who had spent years attending Limerick underage training and Fitzgibbon Cup matches at the campus.

“I chose UL because I had grown up going to training for Limerick underage out there. My father also used to take me to Fitzgibbon Cup games so, I suppose, I was never going to go anywhere else.”

He went on to become a major figure in UL hurling.

O’Neill won his first Fitzgibbon Cup medal in 2023 before adding another in 2025. He returned to the competition in 2026 and produced an outstanding display against Mary Immaculate College in the final as UL secured a record 10th Fitzgibbon Cup title.

O’Neill begins teaching career

Graduation also marks the beginning of the next chapter of O’Neill’s life away from the hurling field.

The 24-year-old is beginning a teaching position at Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom, teaching the two subjects he studied at UL – PE and Irish.

“I’m starting a teaching job in Coláiste Chiaráin the day after my graduation. I’m teaching PE and Irish with full 22 hours so I’m delighted with that.

“I did my last placement there and I loved it so I’m very excited to go back now as an actual teacher.”

Club championship now the focus

After an extraordinary summer with Limerick and another milestone off the field, O’Neill’s attention has already turned back to hurling.

His immediate focus is now on the club championship with Crecora-Manister.

“As an athlete I think you are always trying to just look forward to the next thing and the club has my full attention at the moment.

“I’m aware how fortunate I am to be part of this Limerick hurling team at this time and have some incredible memories of the last six years.”

SportsNewsIRELAND – Irish sport news, interviews and analysis.

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Places Leisure is scaling up its reformer Pilates offering, with plans to roll out dedicated studios across selected sites over the next 12 months as the modality continues its rapid move into mainstream fitness.

The first 12-bed studio will open at Wokingham Leisure Centre in September, offering more than 30 classes a week, with programming divided into three ability levels.

The move reflects the rapid democratisation of reformer Pilates, which is spreading beyond its boutique roots into health clubs and public leisure as operators respond to growing demand across a wider range of demographics.

The Wokingham centre is already offering £5 taster sessions ahead of the full launch, while reformer Pilates is also included in future investment plans at Balham Leisure Centre under Places Leisure’s new Wandsworth contract.

Sam Bryant, head of fitness at Places Leisure, says: “As a public sector operator, we’re committed to making physical activity more accessible to all and that includes keeping up with growing fitness trends and weaving them into our offering.

“Our mat Pilates classes offered across our estate continue to grow in popularity and we hope to grow our reformer Pilates offering by opening several new studios in the next 12 months.

“Previously, reformer Pilates was reserved for more boutique-style studios and not often found at a local leisure centre. With the growing demand for the class across the country and from varying demographics, it is encouraging to see many private and public operators beginning to offer reformer Pilates at more of their centres.”

The investment forms part of Places Leisure’s wider strategy to broaden health, fitness and wellbeing experiences across its estate and reflects a wider premiumisation trend in public leisure, as operators add formats previously associated with boutique and private-sector clubs.

Background

Places Leisure recorded turnover of £174.6 million in the year to 31 March 2025, up 19.4 per cent from £146.3 million, although the accounts say underlying growth was around 6 per cent once the impact of a subcontracted delivery arrangement is excluded.

The business generated £24.2 million in cash, invested £11.3 million directly in facilities and ended the year with cash holdings of £24.6 million, almost double the previous year.

It now operates 106 leisure centres, gyms, pools, sports facilities and community hubs through 34 local authority partnerships, while health interventions delivered through its facilities reached 110,000 people and generated an estimated £161 million in social value.

The company recorded a statutory loss after tax of £279,000, although the company has stated that without an unusual subcontracted-delivery provision, profit before tax would have been around £6.9 million, compared with £5.8 million in FY24.

Places Leisure is part of Places for People Group.

The PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the 2025/26 season has been announced, with Arsenal and Manchester City dominating the selection.

Arsenal have five players in the XI: David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice. Manchester City also have four representatives, including Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland.

Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s sole representative after a remarkable campaign in which he recorded a Premier League-record 21 assists and nine goals. The midfielder was also named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

Brentford’s Igor Thiago completes the team after an impressive season in front of goal.

PFA Premier League Team of the Year 2025/26

David Raya

Nico O’Reilly, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber

Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Rayan Cherki

Antoine Semenyo, Igor Thiago, Erling Haaland

The selection underlines the quality of Arsenal and Manchester City during the campaign, with the two clubs providing nine of the 11 players.

The conclusion to another fantastic season on the PGA Tour goes down this week in Atlanta as the 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs wrap with the final leg held at East Lake Golf Club. A massive $10 million winner’s share is on the line for whoever finishes atop the leaderboard at the 2026 Tour Championship, though, unlike last year when Scottie Scheffler was a heavy favorite, no individual enters the Tour Championship as the expected victor.

Scheffler will be looking to become the third multi-time FedEx Cup champion, joining Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, while picking up his third win of the season and potentially clinching another PGA Tour Player of the Year award. McIlroy’s up-and-down season has continued in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and he could claim a record fourth crown this week in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Matt Fitzpatrick, Chris Gotterup and Wyndham Clark will continue competing with Scheffler for the year-end honor. Each has won three times on the PGA Tour this season, and any of the three has an opportunity to break the tie to stand atop the circuit as the most successful player of 2026.

Even if one does not lift the FedEx Cup at the end of the Tour Championship, there are still eight other seven-figure paydays available. Second place will earn $5 million while eighth will bring in a shade over $1 million for playing the final 72 holes of the season. Golfers will be able to add to their massive totals from the season even if they don’t come out on top.

Will the Tour Championship ultimately come down to Scheffler, McIlroy or the field? Could Tommy Fleetwood bounce back from another winless regular season and become the first to go back-to-back at the Tour Championship? Our CBS Sports experts debate exactly that below. Let’s take a look at a full set of Tour Championship picks and predictions as we attempt to project who will win — and what will happen — at the final PGA Tour event of 2026.

2026 Tour Championship picks

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Patrick McDonald

Winner —  Patrick Cantlay (16-1): With all the fanfare around Fleetwood, most forget that Cantlay was right by his side in last year’s final round. The 2021 FedEx Cup champion has not won a tournament in over four years, but this is the time of year that grabs his attention with his game peaking at precisely the right moment. Over the last three months, he ranks third in this field in strokes gained tee to green and second in iron play. The question is whether he can make enough putts.

Sleeper —  Adam Scott (44-1): One of those players to miss the postseason in 2025 and make his way to the Tour Championship this year. The Australian has shown consistent output throughout the season with both of his top-five finishes coming in signature events. Scott arrives with three straight top-16 finishes, buoyed by elite ball-striking numbers. The broomstick has been brushing them consistently for the last month or so, too.

Favorite who definitely won’t win — Cameron Young (16-1): He seemed as if he could not miss in the middle stretch of the season, and now it appears as if he cannot make anything of substance. The Players Championship winner has grown frustrated on the greens, and that frustration appears to have bled into the rest of his game. Young has not had the best postseason up to this point, and that won’t change at the Tour Championship.

Surprise prediction — Both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler play well: It may not seem that surprising when said aloud, but when was the last time both of them had late tee times over the weekend at the same golf tournament? The Masters? For being the top two players in the world, the two rarely have their A-games at the same time. They’ll both finish the season in stride, given Scheffler’s form and McIlroy’s affinity for East Lake.

Robby Kalland

Winner —  Sam Burns (16-1): Sticking with my pre-playoffs pick here and rolling with Burns to get his first win of the year in Atlanta. He had an off week at the BMW Championship but looked great in Memphis, and given the way he’s hitting it this year, combined with his putting, it would feel wrong for him not to get into the winner’s circle by season’s end.

Sleeper — Russell Henley (30-1): Last year’s runner-up to Fleetwood, Henley has had a fairly quiet 2026 while still putting together a quality season. He’s comfortable back in Georgia and knows how to get it around East Lake and score well. Look for him to be on that first page of the leaderboard on the weekend with some of the other top stars. 

Favorite who definitely won’t win — Xander Schauffele (12-1): Schauffele’s record at the Tour Championship is spectacular, and he’s had a really solid season but has just not been quite sharp enough to get a win. He’s been too prone to mistakes that have cost him the chance to win all season, and while he might contend, that trend will continue in Atlanta. 

Surprise prediction — Scheffler or McIlroy will finish outside the top 10: It’s seemingly a rule that one of the top two players in the world must struggle when they’re in the same field. That’s been especially true in the playoffs with McIlroy spraying it around Memphis while Scheffler won, and then last week, it was Scheffler having a rough go early as he dealt with hand, foot and mouth disease, while McIlroy finished second. Fans desperately want a proper duel between these two at some point, but that won’t happen in 2026.

Who will win the 2026 Tour Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out. 

The 2026 GAA Rounders All-Ireland Championship Finals were officially launched in Croke Park on Wednesday, with all nine finals set to be streamed live with commentary on TG4 Sport’s YouTube channel.

The launch marks the beginning of three huge Sundays for GAA Rounders, with Women’s, Men’s and Mixed All-Ireland champions to be crowned across Junior, Intermediate and Senior grades.

GAA President Jarlath Burns and GAA Rounders President Paula Doherty were joined in Croke Park by representatives from the clubs who will contest this year’s finals.

A total of 103 teams began the 2026 Championship season back in April, with just 18 now remaining to contest the nine All-Ireland finals.

Women’s All-Ireland Finals – Sunday 30 August

Venue: NGDC Abbotstown, Dublin 15

Junior Women – 11am

St Kieran’s (Limerick) v St Senan’s (Limerick)

The opening game of the finals series will make history as the first all-Limerick pairing in a GAA Rounders All-Ireland final.

Intermediate Women – 1pm

Elphin (Roscommon) v Galway City Rapparees (Galway)

Elphin return to All-Ireland final day after finishing runners-up in the Junior Women’s competition last season.

Galway City Rapparees are one of the stories of the 2026 Championship, with the Galway club reaching three All-Ireland finals across the Women’s and Mixed competitions.

Senior Women – 3.30pm

Breaffy (Mayo) v Limekiln (Dublin)

Breaffy will attempt to complete a remarkable five Senior Women’s All-Ireland titles in succession.

Men’s All-Ireland Finals – Sunday 6 September

Venue: Offaly GAA Centre of Excellence, Kilcormac

Junior Men – 11am

Gusserane (Wexford) v Myshall (Carlow)

Two Leinster clubs will battle for the opening Men’s title of the afternoon.

Intermediate Men – 1pm

St Clare’s (Cavan) v St Senan’s (Limerick)

St Senan’s are back on All-Ireland finals weekend after winning both the Junior Men’s and Junior Mixed titles in 2025.

Senior Men – 3.30pm

Carrickmacross Emmets (Monaghan) v Erne Eagles (Cavan)

The Senior Men’s decider is a repeat of the 2025 final, which was won by Carrickmacross Emmets.

They face one of the most successful teams in GAA Rounders history. Erne Eagles famously won ten consecutive Senior Men’s All-Ireland titles between 1998 and 2007.

Mixed All-Ireland Finals – Sunday 13 September

Venue: Mallow GAA, Cork

Junior Mixed – 11am

Galway City Rapparees (Galway) v Kilmore (Roscommon)

Galway City Rapparees will begin a remarkable day for the club when their Junior Mixed side face Kilmore.

Kilmore were Junior Men’s runners-up in 2025 and will now look to secure an All-Ireland title in the Mixed competition.

Intermediate Mixed – 1pm

Emo (Laois) v Galway City Rapparees (Galway)

Rapparees return to the field just two hours later for a second Mixed final, this time against Emo.

Emo will be looking to go one better after finishing runners-up in last year’s Intermediate Mixed final.

Senior Mixed – 3.30pm

Breaffy (Mayo) v Glynn Barntown (Wexford)

Breaffy will be chasing their third consecutive Senior Mixed All-Ireland title when they face Wexford club Glynn Barntown.

Galway City Rapparees Reach Three All-Ireland Finals

Galway City Rapparees have emerged as the only club appearing in three different finals this year.

The Galway club will contest the Intermediate Women’s, Junior Mixed and Intermediate Mixed finals.

It continues a rapid rise for Rapparees, who won the Junior Mixed All-Ireland title in 2024 before claiming the Intermediate Men’s championship in 2025.

St Senan’s Continue Remarkable Run

Limerick club St Senan’s will also have two teams competing for national honours.

They face fellow Limerick club St Kieran’s in the Junior Women’s final before their Intermediate Men take on St Clare’s of Cavan a week later.

St Senan’s won two Junior All-Ireland titles in 2025, taking both the Men’s and Mixed championships.

Jarlath Burns Welcomes Growth of GAA Rounders

Speaking at the Croke Park launch, GAA President Jarlath Burns welcomed the continued growth of Rounders and highlighted the importance of the sport in providing opportunities for people to become part of Gaelic Games.

Burns also praised TG4 for its long-standing contribution to Gaelic Games and welcomed the broadcaster’s decision to carry the 2026 Rounders All-Ireland Finals.

“The growth in the numbers playing GAA Rounders is a really exciting development for the sport.”

Paula Doherty: Three Outstanding Weekends Ahead

GAA Rounders President Paula Doherty congratulated the players, clubs and volunteers who have reached the final stage of the Championship.

She said the three finals weekends would showcase the quality of Rounders and the work being done by clubs and volunteers throughout Ireland.

“These finals weekends will showcase the very best of our sport.”

2026 GAA Rounders All-Ireland Finals Schedule

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) on Monday launched a new season-long competition that will determine the 2026 Order of Merit champion and create a clearer pathway to the India Championship called the Race to DP World India Championship.

The inaugural season will feature nine tournaments between August and October, with a combined prize purse of Rs 10 crore. The tournament phase will conclude with the inaugural Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship at Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida, from September 30 to October 3.

The top 24 players from the Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship will qualify for the India Championship, while the top 60 players on the PGTI Order of Merit will retain their playing rights for the 2027 season.

What is the Race to India Championship?

The Race to India Championship is a new season-long competition introduced by the title sponcers DP World and the PGTI for the 2026 season.

It has been designed to provide a clear competitive pathway towards the India Championship, which will be played at Delhi Golf Club from October 15 to 18.

Unlike previous seasons, the PGTI Order of Merit champion will not be decided before the season-ending India Championship. The tournament will instead play a decisive role in determining the 2026 champion.

How many tournaments are part of the Race?

Nine PGTI tournaments have been included in the inaugural Race. The first three events — the J&K Open, Coal India Open and Kolar Open — have already been completed in August.

The remaining six tournaments are the Telangana Open, Golconda Masters, Chennai Open, Nava Raipur Open, Bengaluru Open and Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship.

Together, the nine events will offer a combined prize purse of Rs 10 crore, taking the total prize purse for the 2026 PGTI season to Rs 41 crore.

What is at stake for the players?

The Race will determine which players earn qualification for the India Championship.

The top 24 players in the Race standings after the Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship will secure their places in the India Championship 2026.

The competition will also determine playing rights for the following PGTI season. The top 60 players on the PGTI Order of Merit will retain their playing rights for the 2027 season.

The Order of Merit champion, however, will only be confirmed after the India Championship.

When will the Race conclude?

The Race to India Championship will conclude with the inaugural Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship.

The tournament will be held at Jaypee Greens in Greater Noida from September 30 to October 3.

It will be the final PGTI event before the India Championship and will therefore have a major bearing on both qualification for the season finale and playing rights for 2027.

Which tournaments are part of the Race?

The nine tournaments forming the 2026 Race are:

The Golconda Masters will return for its 12th edition, while the Chennai Open and Bengaluru Open will be played for the fifth time. The Nava Raipur Open and Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship will make their debuts on the PGTI schedule.

Title sponsor reacts to new format

Hemant Kumar Ruia, Country Manager Subcontinent (India) at DP World, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the pathway for Indian golfers to compete internationally.

He said the Race would give India’s leading golfers an opportunity to earn their place alongside some of the world’s best players and help support the growth of golf in the country.

Ruia added that DP World was looking forward to welcoming India’s top golfers to Delhi Golf Club for the India Championship.

Kapil Dev gives his take on the new format

PGTI president Kapil Dev described the Race as an important step towards strengthening the pathway between Indian golf and the international stage.

He said the new competition would reward consistency and increase the competitive importance of the India Championship.

Kapil Dev also said aligning the PGTI season with the World Tour calendar would create greater opportunities for leading Indian players to make an immediate impact internationally.

How will the new calendar benefit Indian golfers?

One of the biggest changes is the timing of the PGTI season.

From 2026, the PGTI season will conclude with the India Championship in October instead of continuing until December, as it did in previous years.

The revised calendar is designed to align the Indian tour more closely with the World Tour season. This is expected to allow the PGTI Order of Merit champion to move more seamlessly onto the World Tour after earning exempt status.

The change could also provide Indian golfers with more immediate international playing opportunities.

Hiromu Takahashi made his WWE debut in a dark match as Kyoki before this week’s edition of Monday Night RAW. However, it appears that his new ring name isn’t the only change the Stamford-based promotion has made to the Japanese superstar’s character.

Kyoki faced off against Kit Wilson in a dark match, ahead of this week’s live show of the red brand from Ottawa, Canada. Interestingly, while WWE has retained much of the Japanese star’s presentation, one notable element was missing. Daryl, his plush cat that became synonymous with the former NJPW star, was nowhere to be seen, marking another massive change to his character beyond his new ring name.

Meanwhile, a wrestling fan took to X/Twitter to share a video of Kyoki’s WWE entrance, expressing his excitement at seeing the Japanese star live. However, the fan also pointed out the noticeable omission from the former NJPW star’s presentation, asking where Daryl was. The post highlighted the absence of the plush cat, which had become closely associated with Takahashi during his time in Japan.

Watch the video in the tweet below:

Meanwhile, Daryl was introduced in NJPW in 2017, after Takahashi began carrying the stuffed cat as an emotional-support companion following his loss of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. The unlikely duo quickly became a popular part of his presentation, with Daryl accompanying him to the ring and becoming a regular presence around his faction, Los Ingobernables de Japón.

Although the original Daryl was destroyed by Bad Luck Fale just weeks later, the character continued to feature alongside Takahashi for years, making the cat a memorable part of his NJPW run.

Name of new WWE tag team reportedly revealed

After several weeks of teasing a return to WWE alongside a partner, Shinsuke Nakamura finally revealed Kyoki as his mystery partner in a vignette aired on last week’s edition of SmackDown.

The vignette concluded with the new signing shouting out “Bakusai.” The word could also be seen on the TitanTron when Kyoki made his debut in the dark match against Kit Wilson.

Interestingly, False Finish reported on X/Twitter that ‘Bakusai’ is expected to be the official name for the tag team involving the two Japanese veterans. It also appears that the Stamford-based promotion has filed to trademark the term on June 26.

With both Japanese stars taking shots at reigning Tag Team Champions, The MFTs, it remains to be seen how this fresh feud will evolve, with Kyoki yet to debut on WWE television.