Ben Hayes has learned through Madiyya’s career that opportunities don’t always come readily in each preparation.
Consequently, the narrow defeats suffered in her last two starts have been particularly difficult to swallow.
The Super Seth filly has been edged out in tight finishes on her previous two outings, each time finding herself unable to get clear until approximately 250 metres from the post, which was about 50 metres too late.
Madiyya, a mare nearing five years of age, has not competed in more than four races in any single campaign. However, Hayes has seen enough this preparation to feel confident she can bounce back in Saturday’s $130,000 Sportsbet Feed BM78 Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield.
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“That’s been her problem as a horse, she’s never really handled her training,” Hayes shared.
“But this prep she’s actually held weight and doing really well.”
“She’s an older mare now and hopefully we can get the result, because when she gets it all together she’s got the ability.”
The two close calls, both occurring at Flemington, followed a fourth-place finish on her return, also at Flemington, where she was beaten just over 1-3/4 lengths by Capper Thirtynine.
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Madiyya’s record across 10 starts shows she has never finished worse than fifth, with three wins, two second placings, and two thirds to her credit.
She has drawn barrier 11 for the 16-horse field on Saturday, and will be ridden by Jamie Mott, a jockey actively pursuing the metro jockeys’ premiership title.
Madiyya has a perfect record at Caulfield, winning her only two starts there. Saturday’s race will be the mare’s first attempt beyond 1600 metres, a distance Hayes considers her ready for, competing in the Trelawney Stud colours.
“I think (benchmark) 78, over 1700 should be ideal for her and she’s building fourth-up,” stated Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brothers Will and JD.
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Madiyya, currently listed at $4.80 in the betting, will be joined in Saturday’s event by stablemate Oriental Smoke. Oriental Smoke, a $51 outsider, is making his fourth start since returning from a Hong Kong campaign, with Jackson Radley in the saddle.
Explore the leading sports betting platforms for the most competitive racing odds.
Man Utd have conducted their usual end-of-season works to the Old Trafford pitch, relaying a new surface for 2026/2027.
Manchester United have released behind-the-scenes footage of the renovation of the Old Trafford pitch. United resurface the pitch every summer, but they have completely dug up the turf for the first time in 14 years.
United said the project has been undertaken to improve player welfare and water drainage. The pitch is not being lowered, but the grass is being slightly extended, and protection around the drop-off will be added.
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The slope around Old Trafford’s pitch has caused problems in the past. Angel Di Maria was slammed into the brickwork by Ashley Young in a game between United and Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, while more recently, it was a factor in Benjamin Sesko’s injury against Liverpool last season.
“Ben got a bang on his shin when he fell down the side of the pitch,” Michael Carrick explained to MUTV. “It’s something that he’s been carrying for a little bit as well, so we’ve had to manage him a bit, but he’s certainly had a bang right on the same spot.”
The club has released footage online to show the progress of the renovation over the last few weeks. United have hired Fineturf to help with the renovation, which has seen a fleet of heavy-duty vehicles enter the ground to dig up the pitch. The waste material is set to be recycled and reused within the trade.
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The pitch at Old Trafford is a hybrid surface consisting of 96 per cent natural grass that’s reinforced by 4 per cent artificial fibres stitched deep into the soil.
Used by leading teams around the world, this process allows grass to intertwine with plastic to create a durable, even and well-draining surface. It is being regrown from scratch for the final time at the current Old Trafford, with a proposed new stadium being worked on.
United now own a significant portion of land around Old Trafford to accommodate a 100,000-seater stadium. Now that the land has been secured, Foster + Partners can resume design work after sharing initial impressions last year.
The Reds have earmarked July 9 to announce more stadium details, including further details of the stadium site, and to reveal the formal consultation period.
Prior to Sunday, the 2026 Boston Red Sox didn’t have much in common with the 2018 Red Sox, but they do now.
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Boston completed a stunning four-game sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway Park over the weekend, overcoming a 4-2 deficit in extra innings on Sunday to win the series finale on Jarren Duran‘s walk-off single.
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Not only was it the Red Sox’s first four-game winning streak of the season, but it was also their first four-game sweep of the Yankees since August 2-5, 2018.
Boston went on to win a franchise record 108 regular-season games that year and the World Series, capping off the greatest season in team history.
The 2026 campaign has not been as successful for the Red Sox, who have no active players remaining from that 2018 squad. Even after sweeping their top rivals, they are still last in the AL East at 36-46.
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There’s still time for them to turn things around, however, and their thrilling sweep could be the spark they need to finally get their season back on track.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer drops back to pass during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. The rookie signal-caller continued gaining valuable game experience while Minnesota evaluated its quarterback depth late in the 2025 season. Nov. 30, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings had some vivid “winners” this offseason, including center Blake Brandel, who is on tap to start at center after the club added no starting-caliber alternative, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who now has Kyler Murray to throw him the pigskin on Sundays.
But what about the losers? The Vikings, through their actions, caused some of those, too. Counted down to the biggest loser of the 2026 offseason, here’s the pecking order.
Vikings’ New Depth Chart Squeezes Several Young Players
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Walter Rouse (78) goes through warmups during training camp practice on Aug. 2, 2024, in Eagan, Minnesota. The rookie lineman worked through summer drills while trying to build momentum, earn trust from the coaching staff, and carve out a depth role on Minnesota’s offensive line this summer. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
5. Walter Rouse | OT
Rouse’s path to making the team is actually straightforward.
If the Vikings view him as a guard, he has a much clearer shot at securing a roster spot. If they still see him as a tackle, however, his prospects become challenging. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill are entrenched starters. Ryan Van Demark was acquired for veteran depth in March, and Caleb Tiernan joined the team in Round 3 of April’s draft. None of these players suggests a need for a “fourth tackle.”
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That places Rouse in a difficult position.
He likely wasn’t pleased with Minnesota’s offseason moves unless a position switch is imminent. A move to guard could offer him more opportunities, but remaining at tackle could lead to a numbers game in August that he might not win amid roster cuts.
Adding Van Demark and Tiernan wasn’t ideal for Rouse — unless he’s a guard now.
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4. Levi Drake Rodriguez | DT
After Minnesota drafted Caleb Banks in Round 1, there was just no way it would pick another defensive tackle in the first three rounds, right? Wrong.
The Vikings chose “Big Citrus” Domoninque Orange from Iowa State, a run-stuffing nose tackle who profiles to play sooner rather than later. Without the Orange selection, all signs pointed to Rodriguez’s uptick in playing time because Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were dropped in March.
Instead, Rodriguez is back right where he was in 2025 — hoping to snag defensive snaps in a DT room that has three others (Jalen Redmond, Caleb Banks, and Domonique Orange) in front of him.
3. Tai Felton | WR
Felton’s situation has changed rapidly.
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For a time, he appeared to be one of the quiet beneficiaries of the offseason. Minnesota did not draft a wide receiver in April, seemingly clearing a path for him to advance on the depth chart. But Rob Brzezinski’s acquisition of Jauan Jennings suddenly provided the Vikings with their strongest WR3 option on paper since Jake Reed.
Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton secures a contested catch as Giants cornerback Deonte Banks closes in on Dec. 21, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The young wideout showed route timing and reliable hands while Minnesota evaluated its receiver depth against starting-caliber defensive backs in live regular-season action that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Yannick Peterhans-Imagn Images.
And that wasn’t the only development.
Dillon Bell has been impressive at minicamp. Myles Price is a strong candidate to stay due to his return game abilities. And, of course, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are not going anywhere. Considering all these factors, Felton may have to earn a job in August rather than simply inheriting it.
There’s another complication: the general manager who drafted him in Round 3 last year was canned in January. Ergo, it’s conceivable that Minnesota could retain Jefferson, Addison, Jennings, Price, and Bell, potentially ending the Felton era after just one season. While this outcome seems drastic, it’s not impossible.
Felton’s future now rests entirely on his performance. He must stand off the page to prove he’s not another failed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah draft pick.
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2. Max Brosmer | QB
This one is pretty elementary: the Vikings signed Murray as the QB1 solution in March and re-upped with Carson Wentz. Those moves drove Brosmer to the QB4 spot, which means he’ll either become a practice-squader or be cut in late August.
Without the Wentz re-signing, Brosmer could’ve been the QB3 for the 2026 Vikings. Not happening now.
1. J.J. McCarthy | QB
McCarthy’s 2026 season presents two starkly different possibilities.
By December or January, he could solidify his position as Minnesota’s long-term starting quarterback, fulfilling the Vikings’ original belief in him. On the other hand, he might find himself facing a trade by 2027, left to ponder how quickly his fortunes turned.
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The stakes are exceptionally high — through the roof for the young passer. Unlike last year, when the Vikings essentially handed McCarthy the QB1 role without any competition whatsoever, this season promises an intense battle. Murray’s arrival in Minnesota signals his clear intention to play, not to sit behind a 23-year-old quarterback.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) delivers a pass during second-quarter preseason action against the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 10, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The rookie passer showed poise and clean mechanics while giving fans an early glimpse of his long-term upside in Kevin O’Connell’s offense that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
McCarthy faces a true test. He could emerge as the hero of 2026 or become trade fodder in 2027. The coming months will begin to reveal which path his career will take.
The Vikings could’ve brushed aside the idea of signing Murray and rolled with McCarthy. Instead, they signed Murray and fired the guy who drafted McCarthy. Unless he prevails as the QB1 to start the regular season against all odds, the offseason was utterly terrible for McCarthy.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford looked sharp for England as they won their group at the World Cup.
Manchester United fans have all thought the same thing during England’s games at the World Cup. Why did Barcelona sign Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford?
Gordon started England’s first two games of the tournament, but Rashford scored off the bench against Croatia and looked like the player the Three Lions had been missing when he came on against Ghana.
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He earned a start in England’s final group match against Panama, and was one of the brightest attacking threats on the pitch.
Gordon should not start for England for the remainder of the tournament. It was a coin toss between the pair before the World Cup began, but Rashford has outshone the player who Barca snubbed him for.
Thomas Tuchel would have pulled his hair out watching Gordon in the opening two games. He ran down blind alleys, offered zero attacking threat and did not play crosses into the box to service Harry Kane.
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Tuchel will like what he’s seen with Rashford. The 28-year-old has been direct and aggressive when he’s been on the ball. He has looked like someone with a major point to prove after missing out on his dream move.
Barcelona paid £70million to sign Gordon from Newcastle when they could have signed Rashford for £26m from United. They have almost paid three times the price for a player half as talented as Rashford.
The decision to sign Gordon over Rashford becomes even more confusing when a closer look at the numbers is taken. Gordon scored 26 goals for Newcastle across the last two seasons, but 11 of those came from the penalty spot.
It’s not difficult to do the math. Gordon has scored 15 non-penalty goals in two years, averaging just over seven per season. Rashford contributed 14 goals and 14 assists during his Barcelona loan spell last term.
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The wage demands of both players must have been a significant factor because the footballing reasons don’t add up. Gordon earned around £150,000 per week at Newcastle, while Rashford’s wages have returned to £325,000-a-week by virtue of United securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Barcelona could have doubled Gordon’s salary and still pay him less than Rashford earns. For context, Rashford signed his current United contract in the summer of 2023, following an impressive 30-goal campaign.
Even when the players’ wages are considered, is that enough reason to pay £44m more to sign Gordon? Perhaps Barcelona’s stubbornness in negotiations to sign Rashford again forced their hand.
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United agreed a £26m buy option when Barcelona signed Rashford on loan, but noise emerged during the campaign that claimed the La Liga giants wanted to pay a reduced fee. They wanted to haggle.
Barcelona may have got what they wanted in the past, but United’s board are aware they can no longer be taken for mugs in the transfer market, and insisted that Barca cough up £26m.
Still, it wasn’t a good look for Rashford when Barcelona paid a significantly higher fee to sign Gordon, although, to Rashford’s credit, his performances at the World Cup have flipped the situation, making Barca look daft.
The question now is what happens with Rashford. Some United fans who are strongly opposed to the idea of him returning were concerned to read Harry Maguire say he would welcome him back with open arms.
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There are other supporters who would like to see Michael Carrick reintergate him to the squad. Those fans argue that if United want to strengthen their left flank, then why not reintroduce Rashford to the dressing room?
Rashford is set to report for United’s pre-season once he enjoys a break after the World Cup and United are fine with the possibility of him returning.
Carrick has played with Rashford, coached him, and briefly managed him. In April, the Old Trafford boss suggested the door was open for Rashford to return at a press conference, though those comments felt like a stock answer.
United’s bargaining power with Rashford would have been damaged if Carrick had come out swinging and said he wouldn’t return to the club, even though he’s not the kind of character who would make such a statement.
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It feels like Rashford’s future has become a saga, and we’re only two weeks into the transfer window. United are relaxed about the situation and know strong performances at the World Cup can only stir up interest.
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss the details of the future PGA Tour schedule and the end of Nelly Korda’s impressive major streak.
It’s official: beginning in 2028, the PGA Tour will witness the biggest shift in its competitive structure in decades, a plan that’s been long teased and was further rolled out by Tour CEO Brian Rolapp at the Travelers Championship. There’s lots to break down — you can read up on all of it here — but in short it’s two different tracks (a Championship Series and Challenger Series) with more schedule certainty and promotion/relegation. Let’s keep it simple: Will it work? And is it an improvement?
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): It doesn’t solve the biggest problem, which is that so many players expect to get paid more than they’re worth in the market. I don’t see that going away. But this is definitely an improvement in the simplicity at the top and clarity of the schedule. Players know at the start of the season where and when they’ll be playing, and fans do, too. The relegation – and elevation – paths are also more straightforward. The total number of main events will be (slightly) fewer as well, which is good. The world does not need more professional golf. It needs more interesting events. On that front, how can you not like the shift to match play to determine the season-ending playoff winner?
Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): It does seem like an improvement, and I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan of this a couple of months ago (it seemed like still too much golf). But with more clarity now, I’m optimistic. I like that every event will know where it stands and fans can eventually figure out at which tournaments they’ll see Scottie Scheffler and at which ones they will not. And the match play tweak is a good addition. I can see why they shied away from it over the years but it’s time for a change and some added juice. Maybe they get lucky and get some marquee matchups along the way. Match play is simply too much fun, and too essential to golf’s history, to not be played more on the top tour.
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Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): It’s for sure an improvement. The PGA Tour was in desperate need of a shakeup that made its competitive model easier to understand instead of just being a large number of individual tournaments that lead to a convoluted postseason event that is hard to understand. Promotion and relegation is a system that is easy for every fan to understand and gives clear stakes to every tournament. Having a defined schedule for players on both tracks is a bonus for them. Having a clear structure that determines the best player of the season, rewards them and then goes into a match-play postseason is a huge win if the Tour can pull it off. I’m very optimistic about these changes and they come at a time when the Tour needs to elevate interest to get as big a chunk of the TV pie as they can as the NFL prepares to renegotiate.
Time to nitpick. What don’t you like? Or what still needs work?
Berhow: For this to work I think it needs to be cutthroat and I like that sponsor exemptions are being eliminated, although I’m curious if certain players will be grandfathered in (through career exemptions created) to make sure they are on the more desirable tour. If that’s the case I hope it’s not too generous because that’s how the sponsor exemption craze became an issue to begin with.
Schrock: I agree with Berhow. There seems to potentially be some wiggle room for big name players to drop out but be placed back into the Championship Series through career exemptions. Those need to be few and far between or else the Tour risks having this all fall flat. How good you are at getting the ball in the hole should determine what Tour you are on. I don’t want to see Tony Finau or Jordan Spieth or Popular Player X finish 110 on the Championship Series and not have to go down to the Challenger Series unless there’s a good reason. Career exemptions should have a high bar and be able to be used one time.
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Sens: Good points above. On a non-structural note, no serious effort to improve pro golf is complete without addressing the problem of pace of play. The game, like baseball before it, needs to pick it up. Rolapp’s from the NFL. Maybe they could institute a pass rush. At the very least, enforce the play clock mercilessly and without exception. I hope an announcement like that is coming next.
Which type of players are happiest with this schedule, and which aren’t?
Sens: The Track 1 guys are clearly the happiest as they’re guaranteed to be playing in the biggest events throughout the year. For the guys outside the top, it’s obviously the opposite. Eliminating sponsors exemptions (another good move) can’t be welcome news to certain players who have relied on their popularity more than their performance to get into events.
Schrock: I think the Track 1 guys are happy because of the defined schedule and the purses they will play for, but this is a big win for players on Track 2, especially those who would be playing on the Korn Ferry Tour or splitting their time between the two. The $4 million purses on the Challenger Series will be a big increase from the KFT and the Challenger Series gives them a clear competitive avenue to get where they want. There has to be enough churn between Track 1 and 2 to make it right, but I think almost everyone should be happy with this development outside of the players who have been feasting on sponsor exemptions, made-cut exemptions and career money exemptions while playing bad golf. They won’t be pleased.
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Berhow: It’s great for the middle tier of the top-track guys (are you following?) because they are safe on the most lucrative tour. I don’t think Scottie and Rory and those guys are much worried about dropping down. Although it puts pressure on the guys closer to the 100 range. For a lot of them, their spot on one tour vs. the other has significant ramifications.
One other juicy nugget: the Tour’s postseason will introduce match play and finish at a “prestigious” course the Tour wouldn’t otherwise use to host a full-field event. Do these mystery venues add any intrigue for your average fan?
Sens: Venues definitely matter, and not just for architecture junkies. The better courses pose more interesting questions, which makes for more interesting competitions, even if you don’t give a hoot about design. The rumors of the likes of Pine Valley, Cypress and Seminole being in the picture seem like just that. Rumors. And besides, I actually think it makes more sense for them to go to high-pedigree resort courses, somewhere the average fan can actually play. That formula works nicely at Pebble, Kohler, Pinehurst and such. There are others.
Berhow: I like the high-end public option, Sens. And venues matter, but honestly not just for fans but for players. Most of these guys are bigger golf nerds than the audience watching, so they’d love to change it up as well. Cypress Point, Pine Valley, whatever — they’d look great on TV. And many of the ones rumored are great match-play courses too.
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Schrock: Venues matter a ton for the players and the fans. As excited as I am about the match play championship, that’s something the Tour has to nail with the venues it chooses. If it leaks the possibility of Pine Valley, Seminole, Cypress etc., only to end up playing at East Lake, TPC Southwind etc., that will be a big loss. I think a rotation of these exclusive courses (if they are interested), along with prestigious courses, or even unique courses we’ve rarely seen like Chambers Bay, is the right combination the Tour is looking for to nail this format. But, in short, yes, venues are the most important part of this gambit in my eyes.
Haeran Ryu won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, shooting a final-round 70 to finish 13 under overall and end Nelly Korda’s quest for a third straight major title. Korda tied for 8th. Are you surprised Nelly wasn’t in the mix more at the end?
Berhow: The putter just failed her all week, especially over the weekend. She was working with her sister on the putting green after her third round and looked frustrated. And she missed a shorty for par on the opening hole on Sunday. The body language wasn’t great after it. She’s an epic ball-striker and does basically everything well, but it might always come down to good and bad weeks with the putter for her (which sounds a lot like another World No. 1 we know). Nothing wrong with a top 10 after winning the first two majors. I’d be surprised if she didn’t win one of the final two.
Schrock: She was still in the mix entering Sunday. Her putter has been the difference between good weeks and wins for years now. It’s a massive win that the balky putter week came at Hazeltine and not Riviera. No offense to the KPMG but the win at Riv was more important for Nelly and the sport. As much as the LPGA might want her to, she can’t win them all. Her run at the Nelly Slam added juice to the week. I expect her to threaten at both the Evian and the Women’s Open, be in the Hall of Fame by year’s end and potentially have four legs of the career Grand Slam in the bag. (I won’t call winning all five the Super Slam.)
Rising star Mathys Detourbet has joined Manchester City from sister club Troyes.
The French outfit, who won promotion back to the top tier this season, announced the 19-year-old’s departure with reports in France putting the fee at around £21.5million.
The Manchester Evening News understands the youngster has penned a five-year contract at the Etihad and is expected to join Monaco on loan for next season.
The teenager has come through the ranks at Troyes – also part of the City Football Group – and impressed last season with three goals and five assists in 33 appearances, most of which came off the bench.
The forward has been playing on the left hand side but is also comfortable through the middle. A move to Monaco, who finished seventh in the French top flight last season and missed out on European qualification, would offer City the chance to see how Detourbet fares in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
The City new boy has been with Troyes since the age of eight and has been capped at youth level by France.
In announcing his exit, Troyes said: “Having come through the club’s youth system and deeply attached to its colours, Mathys perfectly embodies the youth development work carried out by ESTAC for many years. His progression from the Academy to the first team is a source of great pride for the entire club and an example for the young players who are now continuing their journey within the training centre.
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“ESTAC is particularly proud to have supported Mathys in his development as a player and as a man, from his first steps at the club to this major new stage in his career. The entire club warmly thanks Mathys for his commitment, professionalism and dedication to the Troyes colours throughout his career. ESTAC wishes him every success and much success for the rest of his career.”
City have agreed a deal for Elliot Anderson for £116m from Nottingham Forest with that move expected to be completed in the coming days with the player to undergo a medical while on World Cup duty with England.
The PGA Tour’s best roll through Connecticut for the last signature event of the season
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The last signature event of the 2026 PGA Tour season was supposed to wrap up on Sunday, but after a weather delay, with 72 holes not enough to crown a champion, the Travelers Championship entered a playoff that darkness decided would require a Monday finish. The best in the game battled it out at the Travelers Championship for the final $20 million purse of the regular season at TPC River Highlands, but only world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland will compete in the playoff.
Scheffler and Hovland will take the course at 9 a.m. ET with coverage airing live on Golf Channel. They will play the 18th hole, repeatedly, until one bests the other in the head-to-head playoff battle.
TPC River Highlands offered a much friendlier venue to a weary group of golfers who just battled through the difficulty of Shinnecock Hills for the U.S. Open, and Scheffler has the opportunity to prevail Monday after entering as the clear favorite. He is seeking his first victory since the opening event of the season, The American Express, while Hovalnd is eyeing his first win in 15 months after going winless in 2025.
The last time Scottie Scheffler won the Travelers Championship, he did so in extra holes, besting Tom Kim in a playoff in 2024.
On Monday, he’ll have a chance to do the same thanks to two massive par saves as darkness descended on TPC River Highlands on Sunday night.
Scheffler started the day one shot back of Viktor Hovland, but the two tossed the lead back and forth throughout the opening 12 holes. The duo had three one-shot swings and two two-shot swings in the opening five holes. By the time they got to the 12th hole, Scheffler led Hovland by two and seemed primed to pull away from the Norwegian.
Then came the downpour. Both Scheffler and Hovland birdied the par-5 13th in the rain before the horn blew due to lightning. After an almost two-hour delay, Hovland came out and birdied 14 and 15 to tie Scheffler.
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It was there on the drivable par-4 15th, that Scheffler made the first of two massive par saves.
The World No. 1’s tee shot landed in the left rough in front of the green. Expecting the soaked greens to slow down his chip, Scheffler tried to put a little extra on it to get it to the back-right hole location for an easy birdie. Instead, his chip raced past the hole and off the back of the green. His chip coming back left him seven feet for par. With Hovland already in for birdie, Scheffler needed to make the putt to stay tied. He buried it.
“I thought with it coming out and being a little bit softer, the greens would slow down a touch,” Scheffler said of his chip on 15. “I thought I cozied that one up there pretty nice, and it just seemed like it kept going. But did a good job of staying in it. That’s part of golf. When conditions change, the golf course changes, and you got to take the good with the bad. Did a good job of getting that one up-and-down and keep myself in it.”
The two exchanged pars on 16 and 17 before reaching the closing hole. With the sun about to set, the 72nd hole of the tournament would be Sunday’s final hole, whether a winner was crowned or not.
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Hovland split the fairway and hit his approach to 24 feet. Scheffler’s tee shot found the left rough, but he got a good lie and was able to land his approach on the back of the green. Scheffler’s birdie attempt was high the whole way and ran eight feet past the cup. Hovland missed his birdie attempt but tapped in for par, leaving Scheffler with a testy par putt to determine if there would be a sudden-death playoff on Monday or if Hovland would be the champion.
Scheffler surveyed the putt in the dark and poured it in the heart. As his ball found the bottom of the cup, Scheffler pieced the air with a massive fist pump to put an exclamation point on a chaotic day of golf in Cromwell, Connecticut.
“It’s nice to be able to hole those putts, keep myself in the tournament,” Scheffler said after the round. “It’s more fun when you’re making the ones to win, but to keep yourself in it is also nice. Like I said, I live another day until tomorrow, and will be coming out in the morning and see what I can do.”
Hovland said the weather delay allowed him to reboot, something he felt he needed as Scheffler started to pull away from him on the back nine. Once play resumed, Hovland felt he was in more control of his game.
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“I played a lot of great golf this week, so I’m feeling pretty good,” Hovland said. “Obviously I would have liked to have gotten it done in regulation, but to have a chance again tomorrow to win, feeling pretty good about that. So try to get a good night’s sleep and be fresh.”
It just wasn’t enough to vanquish the World No. 1. That will have to wait until Monday. Scheffler made sure of it.
The winless B.C. Lions have sacked special teams coordinator Cory McDiarmid.
The CFL club, last in the West Division with three straight losses, made the announcement Sunday, less than 24 hours after dropping a 41-33 decision to the Calgary Stampeders (1-2) at Kelowna’s Apple Bowl.
Lions’ general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said in a statement that McDiarmid’s release was effective immediately and thanked him for his hard work.
McDiarmid previously coached in the CFL with several teams and is a two-time Grey Cup winner with the Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
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The Lions play the unbeaten Edmonton Elks on Saturday in Kelowna.
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