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Sports

I walked all 18 at Augusta National. These little details jumped out

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3 weeks ago

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — A couple hours after the 2026 Masters began Thursday morning, I set out to walk all 18 holes with three goals in mind: Watch some golf, offset the caloric intake of Augusta National’s press center (which Willy Wonka would deem a bit decadent) and take some time to admire the little things.

Our photographer Darren Riehl did the hard work. I mostly just pointed at stuff. Here begins our tour.

Editor’s note: This may be a strange, wandering story but it has good pictures, so feel free to skip the words and skim those.

No. 1

The entire Masters Tournament relies on a certain assumption of orderliness from its patrons. Even its insistence on calling them “patrons” helps set the tone. It’s easy to roll your eyes at some of that stuff, but here’s the result: When players walk from the clubhouse toward the first tee, they very often just walk through the sea of people gathered there. There are a few officials with ropes who can establish temporary order, if need be. Often need don’t be.

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We’re behind Wyndham Clark, who’s bobbing and weaving without issue toward the practice green adjacent the first tee. If he tried this at the WM Phoenix Open, he’d emerge soaked in cheers and light beers. The group ahead is getting ready to play. Saquon Barkley is among those looking on from the left side of the tee. The green jacket makes an announcement.

Fore please! Now driving, Andrew Novak.

Fore please turns into fore left. The patrons duck for cover. It’s an organized setting but an unpredictable game.

Augusta National's first hole.
No. 1: first tee, first umbrella

Darren Riehl

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No. 2

You know the hazards on the second nine here; there’s water on 11, 12, 13, 15, 16. You may not know there’s also a creek down the left side of the second hole. And you really may not know the way Augusta National marks that creek; rather than automatically conforming to the usual shape and size of your standard penalty-area stakes, in line with Masters minimalism, the club has innovated with these undersized, understated mini-stakes.

A small, upright red rectangular marker stands in soil beside a concrete edge—reminiscent of the precise markers found at Augusta National golf course—with blurred brown mulch and green foliage in the background.
No. 2: undersized, understated hazard stakes

Darren Riehl

No. 3

This is the trendiest hole at Augusta National; it’s always been excellent, but as a brain-bending short, tricky par 4, it seems to be having a bit of a well-deserved moment of appreciation. Also trendy: Drake Maye, who’s on the right side as we arrive.

A couple hours after our pass-through, Scottie Scheffler will drive the green, but that’s a rarity. What’s far more common are tricky, in-between wedge shots. In the span of two minutes, we see Andrew Novak playing a clever spinner from the pine straw that zips back past the hole, which one onlooker immediately declares “the shot of the tournament.” We see Brian Campbell taking the safe way out of his half-wedge, flying it well past the front hole location to the middle of the green. We see Tom McKibbin hit one low, glancing cleverly off the bank and trickling just past the hole. These guys are good. This course is hard. A leaderboard looms behind them.

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A large golf tournament leaderboard stands on a green fairway at Augusta National, surrounded by tall pine trees. Golfers and caddies who have walked all 18 are playing as spectators watch in the background.
No. 3: this year’s trendiest hole: the wee 3rd

Darren Riehl

No. 4

Augusta National’s lone palm leans over, glancing at the front right bunker. There used to be more of these.

A golf tournament scoreboard elevated among dense trees at Augusta National shows player Novak with a score of 1 through 3 holes on a sunny day. Fans who walked all 18 enjoy the picturesque scene.
No. 4: Augusta’s lone palm

Darren Riehl

No. 5

Do all the trees have numbers? And tags? Here, down the left side of the brutish par-4 5th, is No. 2230. There’s a lot of monitoring going on here, amidst the nature.

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A silver coin or medallion, perhaps a keepsake from Augusta National for those who’ve walked all 18, is pinned to the rough bark of a tree trunk, with pine needles and grass scattered at its base in this softly blurred, golf-inspired forest scene.
No. 5: here’s No. 2230

Darren Riehl

No. 6

The hill at No. 6 provides a particularly unique spectating perspective; I can’t think of any other hole in professional golf where the golfers hit directly over your head, with you facing their target. You can see the par-3 16th from here, too — it may be my favorite Thursday-Friday spot to sit and watch. (The sixth tee is at the top of the photo, if you use some imagination.)

Patrick Reed makes eagle, up ahead. It takes a minute for the leader board to change to a red 5, explaining the roar.

Spectators sit on foldable chairs and grass, watching a golf event on a sunny day. Trees and blue sky are visible in the background, evoking Augusta National vibes. Some wear hats and sunglasses, many relaxed—perhaps after having walked all 18 holes themselves.
No. 6: the rare seat where players hit over you

Darren Riehl

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No. 7

The strange thing about Rory McIlroy’s miraculous recovery shot from the trees left of No. 7 — last year, that is, in the final round — is that he missed the short birdie putt that followed. The same strange thing is true of his miraculous approach at No. 15, which resulted in a short miss for eagle. That was a clean, miraculous result after a day of contradictory, messy storytelling. McIlroy double-bogeyed the first hole, opening the door to the rest of the field. Then he slammed it shut with a run of good play, then opened it again, etc. The only clean narrative came in retrospect, with his win.

Anyway, when you walk No. 7, it’s tempting to see where McIlroy played that approach shot through the trees. But that’s not pictured below. Here’s a little rope in its little rope spot. This is how they keep order at the walkways. They let you cross as soon as the players pass. The whole process seems to work more smoothly here than elsewhere.

A folding chair sits next to a tall pole with a round sign reading 7 Cross Way on the grassy golf course at Augusta National, where fans who walked all 18 holes relax amid trees and a blurred crowd in the background.
No. 7: a little rope maintains a lot of order

Darren Riehl

No. 8

The leader boards are famous around here. You likely know about the Masters no-phone rule; one of its effects is that there’s an outsized pressure on the changing of the boards and thus the updating of the patrons.

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What that means is that it’s important to match the correct names with the correct scores. Here’s a look at how they do that, from the rear of the leader boards: by writing the names in light-green chalk. Simple done right.

A metal wall with names MCILROY, HOWELL, and SPAUN written in white chalk across three panels—evoking the feel of Augusta National after you’ve walked all 18. A metal grate is partially visible at the bottom of the image.
No. 8: leader board chalk to keep track

Darren Riehl

No. 9

You’re never far from much as a patron on No. 9, and as you work your way toward the green, you can hang a left, cross the first fairway and get to the merchandise shop, or the concession area, or a rocking chair. If you’re a golfer you can also hang a left and play down that same first fairway. Here’s Nico Echavarria taking the alternate path, though not on purpose.

A golfer at Augusta National in mid-swing hits a shot from the grass near a tree, sending up a small spray of dirt, while spectators who walked all 18 holes stand closely behind, watching attentively.
No. 9: as played from No. 1 fairway

Darren Riehl

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No. 10

We’ve caught Bryson DeChambeau’s group now, which is alternately known as Xander Schauffele’s group, or Matt Fitzpatrick’s group, but based on the ooh that goes up as DeChambeau hits a towering draw around the corner, there’s one guy commanding outsized attention. Kevin Hart is in this gallery. So is Kai Trump. None of the above are pictured. Instead here’s a tree down the right side, an outlier among the pines, that Darren particularly liked.

A tree branch with clusters of small white flowers and green leaves is illuminated by sunlight against a soft blue sky, evoking the serene beauty of Augusta National on a perfect golf day, with a gentle bokeh effect in the background.
No. 10: a tree Darren liked

Darren Riehl

No. 11

The course is firm and fast and it’s separating the guys in full control of their distance and their spin from those without. Here are Patrick Reed and Tommy Fleetwood and Akshay Bhatia. They’re a combined nine-under par — for now. This must be the hottest group on the property. It’s a back pin and downwind, which means it’s playing less perilous than usual. None of them has to visit the lonely drop zone down the left.

A green golf putting surface with a faint circular outline and a sand trap on the left, surrounded by dense trees under bright sunlight, evokes the iconic beauty of Augusta National—perfect for anyone who's walked all 18 in search of golf perfection.
No. 11: a lonely drop zone

Darren Riehl

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No. 12

I’m struck by the stark difference between Augusta National’s two iconic second-nine par-3s. No. 16 is a hub of crowd activity from tee to green, while at No. 12 you play toward solitude. It must feel quiet over there.

Golfers and caddies walk over a stone bridge on Augusta National’s lush golf course, surrounded by trees and greenery, with sunlight filtering through the foliage after having walked all 18.
No. 12: the bridge boys

Darren Riehl

No. 13

As we walk toward the green at No. 13, Shane Lowry pitches his ball over the creek and onto the middle of the green. It checks up and rolls in for a triumphant eagle. Later I’ll watch highlights and see that Ludvig Aberg has a chip for eagle from behind the green that trickles all the way back into this tributary. No. 13 is easy until it’s not. Here’s a side angle you’re not used to seeing, with the azaleas a few days past full bloom.

A golf course with a green fairway, a sand bunker on the right, and a small stone-lined creek running through the grass—reminiscent of Augusta National—surrounded by dense trees and shrubbery in the background.
No. 13: the hidden tributary

Darren Riehl

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No. 14

There’s a large, thick stand of bamboo behind the tee box at No. 14. It seems out of place, but nothing’s really out of place on the former grounds of Fruitland Nurseries. Dustin Johnson tees off. Wayne Gretzky is just outside the rope line. Johnson instinctively tosses his broken tee on the ground at the end of the tee box — then reconsiders. He picks up the tee and hands it to his brother. A tee stub stands out here more than it might elsewhere.

Tall, dense bamboo stalks grow closely together, their green and yellow stems reaching upward—like the fairways at Augusta National. Dry leaves and bamboo sheaths cover the ground, and a thin wire runs horizontally near the base of the plants.
No. 14: bamboo behind 14 tee

Darren Riehl

No. 15

A cheer goes up as Fred Couples’ name appears atop the leaderboard; at 2 under through four holes, he’s been deemed worthy of the spot. He’ll still be under par when he gets to this hole a couple hours later — but he won’t be under par by the time he leaves.

A crowd watches a golf tournament at Augusta National in front of a large leaderboard displaying players' names and scores, with tall pine trees in the background under a clear sky—many have walked all 18 holes to catch the action.
No. 15: Fred Couples appears, to cheers

Darren Riehl

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No. 16

Augusta National’s tee markers, like most everything here, are simple, minimal and just about right.

A log with rough bark and a visible orange cross-section lies on green grass, evoking memories of Augusta National after having walked all 18—a serene moment where gentle shadows dance in the soft, warm light.
No. 16: counting rings on the tee markers

Darren Riehl

No. 17

The Masters is an interesting cross-section of analog everything with groundbreaking technology. Here’s a well-sharpened pencil being used for some scoring-related purpose. You don’t see a well-sharpened pencil in use as much as you used to.

A person holding a clipboard with a printed form attached, appearing to review or fill out information—perhaps recording scores for a walk all 18 at Augusta National. The focus is on the hands and clipboard, with the background blurred.
No. 17: lots of stuff done by hand here

Darren Riehl

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No. 18

Have you ever seen a ladder like this? I have never seen a ladder like this. This is how Augusta National’s scorers get up to the big leader board beside the 18th green.

Close-up of a green metal ladder-like structure, reminiscent of Augusta National, with trees and a blurry sports field in the background. The focus is on the metal bars, echoing the feeling after you've walked all 18 at a classic golf course.
No. 18: Augusta has perfected ladders, too

Darren Riehl

18-hole summary

There’s a big scoreboard with everybody’s name and hole-by-hole score, listed alphabetically, by the first fairway — where most people enter and exit the course. When you finish, they put your name under the score you shot. It’s a good reminder that while the 60-something scores get all the attention, they’re heavily outnumbered.

A person updates scores on a large, outdoor Masters golf tournament leaderboard at Augusta National while spectators watch from the foreground. Various player names and numbers are displayed on the board.
Bonus: early score-posting

Darren Riehl

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If you’ve somehow made it this far, Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

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Kentucky Oaks brings out ‘pinch me’ moments for Churchill Downs crowd

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12 minutes ago

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1 May 2026

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Heading into Kentucky Derby Weekend, William and Dorothy Kania made the trip to Louisville from Northern Indiana with a plan.

They made the nearly five-hour trip from around Gary to the Wyndham East in Jeffersontown on April 30 and had burgers at Brass Social — “it was fantastic,” William Kania said in a May 1 interview at Churchill Downs. After that, it was time to rest up and get ready for a weekend at the races.

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“Don’t be afraid to bet horses that ran good in their last race,” he advised first-timers. “The true handicappers will say, ‘Oh, that’s too easy.’ The horses that run good, they keep running good.”

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The couple had their eye on Percy’s Bar in the Kentucky Oaks, the annual showcase for fillies run the day before the Kentucky Derby that was set to take place later that evening. A full card of 13 races was scheduled throughout the day, with the Oaks set to cap off the night at 8:40 p.m.

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Kentucky Oaks 2026 fashion, fans and fun at Churchill Downs

Whitney Ensor kisses her husband Howard Ensor while attending the 152nd running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 1, 2026. The Ensor’s got engaged at the Kentucky Derby.

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More Kentucky Oaks: Updated Kentucky Oaks odds for each horse in field at Churchill Downs

Oaks Day, which takes steps to recognize breast and ovarian cancer survivors, always brings a pink-filled crowd to Churchill Downs. There were 100,910 attendees in 2025 and 107,236 in attendance the year before.

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The 2026 forecast was cooler than usual, with temperatures not expected to rise past the low 60s, but rain was not expected. The forecast for the May 2 Kentucky Derby is similar, with temperatures not likely to rise past the upper 50s.

It’s a little chillier than the weather in Central Florida, where Johnna and Payne Luce live. The couple took photos outside Churchill Downs around noon on May 1 as they worked through the crowd to enter the racetrack.

They’re here for the weekend, shelling out for all-inclusive tickets in the Ford First Turn reserved section. Johnna said it’ll probably be the only time they make the trip, so they wanted the full experience. She didn’t grow up around horses but would watch the Kentucky Derby every year with her grandma — “I’ve watched it ever since I was little and I love it.”

1 / 21

Kentucky Derby 2026 fashion was bold, head-turning and chic. See photos

Fashion during Thurby at Churchill Downs during 152nd Kentucky Derby, Louisville, KY. April 30, 2026 (by Frankie Steele/Special to Courier Journal)

“This has always been her dream,” Payne Luce said. “She and her grandmother have shared a special bond over the Kentucky Derby.”

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Deb Woodcock also grew up watching the race. When she was young, she said, she wanted to be a Derby jockey when she was older.

“I had the height thing going,” she said with a laugh. “I love horses. I just love them.”

That particular dream may not have come to fruition, but Woodcook finally made it to the Derby this year in celebration of her 70th birthday. Her son, Eric Vavasek, surprised her with the trip from New York to Louisville for Woodcook’s milestone birthday.

“She doesn’t really watch a lot of live sporting events, but she never misses the Derby,” Vavasek told The Courier Journal. “To be able to do something for her that I know she’s really wanted to do just makes it extra special.”

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When Woodcook found out about the gift, she started crying.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “ I still can’t believe it.”

Sipping on an Oaks Lily and snacking on mac-and-cheese bites, Woodcook wore a long pink dress peppered with black flowers and a matching floppy hat, decorated with a lily.

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“Being here, it’s amazing,” she said of the “pinch me” day. “I don’t even have the words and I haven’t even seen the horses yet.”

Dressed in a long light pink cape, Linda Bonilla from West Palm Beach, Florida, said her look was inspired by “ballerina vibes” and staying warm. And Carrie Sweet, from Northern California, was dressed in pink polka dots with a scene from “Pretty Woman,” featuring superstar Julia Roberts, in mind.

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Sweet, who chose to celebrate her upcoming 60th birthday with a trip to the Kentucky Oaks, said her dress “just spoke to me.”

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“It’s just the best sporting event,” Sweet said. “The people watching, the drinks, the whole vibe is so much fun.”

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See the best 2026 Kentucky Derby hats, fascinators inside Churchill Downs

Ashlyn Roberts enjoys a mint julep on Thurby during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2026.

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Always scheduled for the first Saturday in May, this year’s Kentucky Derby is set for May 2 at Churchill Downs. Gates at the famed Louisville racetrack open at 8 a.m. while the first race’s post time is set for 11 a.m. The Derby, which will air on NBC, should start at 6:57 p.m.

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Reach Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Oaks brings crowd to Churchill Downs for Derby Weekend

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Red Bull Just Unveiled a Macarena Rear Wing in Miami And It Might Be Faster Than Ferrari’s

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26 minutes ago

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1 May 2026

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The 2026 cars were always going to be strange. New rules, active aero, a power unit split nearly 50/50 between combustion and electric, and a grid full of engineers handed a clean sheet for the first time in years. What nobody quite predicted was that the most talked-about device of the season would be a rear wing that flips itself upside down on the straights and earned its nickname from a 1990s line dance.

Ferrari rolled into the Miami International Autodrome this weekend with a revised version of that wing. Red Bull, after a quiet test session at Silverstone during the five-week gap caused by the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds, has shown up with one of its own.

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The technical FIA document for Miami reveals that 10 of the 11 Formula 1 teams have brought new parts to Florida, but the only updates anyone in the paddock is genuinely talking about are the two on the back of the SF-26 and the RB22.

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How the Macarena Wing Actually Works

The 2026 regulations replaced traditional DRS with a broader active-aero concept that lets teams design rear wings capable of changing shape between cornering and straight-line modes. Most of the grid interpreted that as a hinged flap that opens like a slightly fancier version of what we had before. Ferrari did not.

Ferrari dominated headlines during pre-season testing in Bahrain when it first revealed its unique rear wing design, which rotates at the end of straights to help reduce drag. The upside-down rear wing made its first race weekend appearance at the Chinese Grand Prix, but Ferrari reverted to its more traditional rear wing design after debuting it in first practice.

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The wing earned the Macarena tag because, in motion, the upper element swings through such an extreme arc it looks like the car is doing a dance move on the back straight.

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The Ferrari version can rotate up to 270 degrees. Red Bull’s interpretation, debuted in FP1 on Friday, is substantially different.

The Red Bull version seemingly rotates 160 degrees in the opposite direction compared to the Ferrari concept. The aim in terms of lift and further reducing drag is, logically, the same.

Red Bull, when asked, has insisted the design isn’t a copy. The submission to the FIA describes it in deliberately bland terms – language about revised attachments and a tweaked third profile near the centerline – but Laurent Mekies’ team explained that it simply could not bring its own version to the track in time for the first three race weekends, which is why it is being used for the first time in Miami following a successful test at Silverstone.

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The reaction in the paddock has been telling. “That rear wing is opening much more than the Ferrari, and even the Alpine,” one observer said of the Red Bull design, and 2009 world champion Jenson Button added: “It seems a lot faster than Ferrari’s.”

Whether it’s actually quicker or just more visually dramatic is a question for qualifying. Ferrari, meanwhile, hasn’t been still during the five-week break.

Ferrari was testing an updated version of its own Macarena rear wing during a filming day run at Monza last month. The Scuderia appears to have brought an all-new version to Miami.

The team’s own filing describes the focus as maximising drag shedding in straight mode while keeping cornering load. There are also reworked endplates with upwashing volumes to clean up flow around the new wing geometry.

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Everyone Else Brought Something, Except Aston Martin

The rest of the grid filed updates that range from comprehensive overhauls to just a single bracket.

Ferrari has made the most changes of any team with 11 upgrades to the car , covering the front wing endplate, front corner, suspension, floor, diffuser, beam wing, rear suspension and the rear wing assembly. McLaren brought seven updates centered on a completely new floor and a new rear wing of its own, with revised front and rear corner furniture, modified bodywork and a sidepod louvre option to handle Miami’s notorious cooling demands.

Red Bull’s package goes well beyond the Macarena. The submission lists revised front wing elements including the now-permitted diveplane, new front wheel bodywork ducts, a reshaped sidepod inlet, a new engine cover, revised floor bib geometry and updated rear corner work.

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The RB22 is still overweight but, according to insiders, significantly less so than during the first three race weekends of 2026. At the start of this season, the new car from technical director Pierre Wache was around 12kg overweight, after which this upgrade should roughly halve that excess fat.

Mercedes, the team everyone is chasing, brought almost nothing. Just a repositioned exhaust with a new slotted bracket and a slight increase in front drum lip chord. When you’re already winning, you don’t reinvent the car at race four. Williams filed seven items including a new floor, sidepod, and a profiled tailpipe bracket that copies Ferrari’s earlier exhaust-blowing concept. Racing Bulls brought a new rear wing with revised mainplane and flap profiles, plus an optional shorter-chord front flap to widen the balance window for Miami specifically.

Alpine has a complete new rear wing assembly with a reprofiled endplate. Audi grouped its work into two front and rear submissions covering brake ducts, suspension covers, floor edge and diffuser. Haas filed exactly one update: a device on the floor winglet. Cadillac, the newest team on the grid, used Miami to debut its first proper upgrade package: nine items covering front wing endplate, flap profiles, mirror stay, floorboard, floor body, diffuser, rear suspension, rear corner and tailpipe bracket.

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Surprisingly for a team in need of a change of fortunes, Aston has not made a single performance update, with the outfit instead focussing on reliability improvements.

Whether any of this closes the gap to Mercedes is the question of the weekend. Mekies has already warned that fans should “not expect miracles” after the very difficult start to the season.

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Bleacher Report Delivers Brutal Take on Vikings Draft Pick

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38 minutes ago

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1 May 2026

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Caleb Banks speaks to media at Florida Pro Day after workouts at Sanders Practice Fields.
Caleb Banks (88) addresses reporters following his on-field workout, discussing performance and draft outlook during Florida’s Pro Day session, March 26, 2026, at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville. The defensive lineman showcased his size and movement skills in front of NFL scouts while taking questions about his development and readiness for the next level. Mandatory Credit: Alan Youngblood-Gainesville Sun.

The Minnesota Vikings shocked the masses one week ago, selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in Round 1. Most draft pundits had labeled Banks as a 2nd-Round pick. This week, Bleacher Report wasn’t shy about the selection, naming it one of the draft’s worst selections and criticizing Banks’s injury history.

Minnesota bet big on upside, and national skepticism arrived almost immediately.

Banks will now have to prove them wrong. He’s already a lightning rod from the 2026 NFL draft, and only stellar performance will change that.

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Vikings DT Enters the NFL with Boom-or-Bust Attention

The Banks pick wasn’t universally praised.

Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Caleb Banks hears his name called as Minnesota makes its selection, stepping into the spotlight after being chosen in the first round, Apr. 23, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Florida defensive lineman joined the Vikings as a highly regarded interior presence, expected to bolster the defensive front with size and disruptive ability. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

BR on Banks

BR’s Brent Sobleski delivered his takes on the NFL’s “worst draft picks,” and regrettably, Banks made the cut.

Sobleski opined, “The Issue: Caleb Banks is a massive and mega-talented defensive tackle, who barely played during his final season on campus and has significant concerns over previous foot injuries. How to Make it Work: A healthy career and continued progression from Banks is the only way to validate this selection.”

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“Once again, Banks broke a bone in his foot at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. The Vikings still pulled the trigger, because Minnesota’s decision-makers felt they had a good grasp on Banks’ health and his talent was well-worth the first-round investment.”

Before Thursday night, Minnesota hadn’t drafted a defensive tackle in Round 1, 2, or 3 since 2013.

Sobleski added, “First-round picks tend to be a 50-50 proposal even in optimal situations. Banks has an added strike against him before walking into Minnesota’s building. The Vikings must now cross their fingers and hope the defensive lineman can stay on the field.”

“The pick was the type of high-risk, high-reward opportunity multiple other franchises wouldn’t have considered, particularly among the top-20 selections.”

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It Really Is Boom or Bust

Large humans with foot injuries always raise concerns. They just don’t heal ideally, or at least such injuries make big headlines when they occur to such people.

Prior to the Combine, when Banks broke a bone in his foot, the mock draft community projected him as a sure-fire Round 1 selection. The injury truly changed that. What does this mean? Well, Banks undoubtedly has the size and talent for a 1st-Round commodity. It’s all about the injury.

If Banks hits, no one will care that the Vikings “reached” for him. If the foot injury lingers or leads to others, it will be easy to say, “I told you so.” Plain and simple.

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SB Nation‘s Scotty Payne noted on Banks a week before the draft, “Banks is very boom/bust. You love the traits, and he has the potential to be a Chris Jones-like player in the middle of your defense. However, the inconsistent play, lack of production, and injuries could give you a dud.”

A Summer of Watchful Eyes

With the draft in the rearview and the NFL schedule release around the bend, the Vikings and all 31 teams will turn to organized team activities (OTAs), minicamp, and later, training camp. You better believe all eyes will be on Banks, with fans waiting to see if the early gamble pays off.

Caleb Banks recovers a fumble during a Florida Gators game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Caleb Banks (88) secures a loose ball during second-half action, reacting quickly after a turnover opportunity, Nov. 16, 2024, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. The Florida defensive lineman capitalized on the play as the Gators controlled momentum in a home win over Missouri in Southeastern Conference competition. Mandatory Credit: Doug Engle-USA TODAY Network.

For example, if Banks is off and running by early August, that will provide a positive signal about his Week 1 readiness. On the contrary, if Banks simply doesn’t do much this summer, many will roll their eyes and think or say, “See, this is a guy you could’ve got in Round 2 or 3 if you knew he wouldn’t be ready for 2026.”

The easiest path for all parties is for the Vikings’ diligence on Banks’s medicals to pan out in the next few months, enabling him to be an active participant this summer.

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Joining an Already Good Defense

From the moment defensive boss Brian Flores arrived in the Twin Cities in 2023, Minnesota’s defense has ranked second in the NFL per EPA/Play and DVOA and placed No. 3 last year behind the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. Banks is joining a sweet system; Flores and the rest of the gang don’t need him to kickstart a unit from the bottom rung of the ladder.

Think of it this way: in 2025, Flores’s defense produced the NFL’s third-best efficiency rankings while employing Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, two expensive free agents from the 2025 class who did not play up to their contractual value. A third-ranked defense with two middling iDL performers suggests the group can become even more dominant if Banks is worth his salt early on.

Caleb Banks answers questions from reporters during SEC Media Days in Atlanta.
Caleb Banks speaks with reporters during a media session, answering questions about his progress and outlook for the season, July 16, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The Florida defensive lineman drew attention from media members while discussing development, preparation, and expectations entering the upcoming campaign. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images.

Flores and the Vikings also drafted Iowa State nose tackle Domonique Orange one night after Banks. The interior defensive line may cook in 2026.

It’s just that Sobleski isn’t a fan of Banks’s lower-than-50-50 odds to succeed. It’s now on Banks and the Vikings, as an organziation, to prove everyone wrong.

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IPL 2026: KL Rahul goes past Virat Kohli with record knock vs Rajasthan Royals | Cricket News

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IPL 2026: KL Rahul goes past Virat Kohli with record knock vs Rajasthan Royals
Delhi Capitals’ KL Rahul (ANI Photo)

KL Rahul etched his name in the record books with another dominant outing against Rajasthan Royals, becoming the Indian with the most 50-plus scores against the franchise in IPL history. With this effort, Rahul moved to eight 50+ scores against RR, going past Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, who both had seven. He now sits level with AB de Villiers at the top of the list.Most 50+ scores vs RR in IPL8 – AB de Villiers (20 inngs)8 – KL Rahul (18 inngs)*7 – Shikhar Dhawan (24 inngs)7 – Virat Kohli (33 inngs)Chasing a stiff target, Rahul led from the front and found strong support in Pathum Nissanka, who scored a fluent 62 and registered his maiden IPL fifty. The pair stitched together a century opening stand, laying a solid platform for Delhi Capitals in the pursuit.Earlier, Rajasthan Royals were powered by a captain’s knock from Riyan Parag, who smashed 90 off 50 balls to take his side to 225 for 6. Coming in at 12 for 2 after early setbacks, Parag absorbed pressure before turning the tide with an aggressive counterattack, including a decisive over against Kyle Jamieson.He brought up his first fifty of the season in 32 balls and shared a crucial 102-run stand with Dhruv Jurel. Contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and a late blitz from Donovan Ferreira ensured RR posted a formidable total.However, Rahul’s consistency against RR once again stood out, as he added another milestone to his impressive IPL journey.

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RR vs DC LIVE Score, IPL 2026: KL Rahul Solid After Fifty, Nitish Rana On Fire; DC Cruise In Chase

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Rajasthan Royals Squad: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja, Ravi Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Adam Milne, Aman Rao Perala, Vignesh Puthur, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kwena Maphaka, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Sushant Mishra, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeep Sharma.

Delhi Capitals Squad: Sahil Parakh, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel(c), Dushmantha Chameera, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Auqib Nabi Dar, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Tripurana Vijay, Abishek Porel, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prithvi Shaw, Pathum Nissanka, Rehan Ahmed, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Karun Nair.

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Smith confident Way to the stars will fire in 2026 Hawkesbury Gold Rush

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Jockey in red helmet and white-red silks rides a dark brown horse at full speed on a grassy racetrack with rails in the background

Seasoned quick Way To The Stars heads back to his native state after more than 12 months interstate, tackling Hawkesbury with trainer Matt Smith forecasting a competitive effort.

As a two-time Listed winner, the gelding encountered fair issues in recent runs, drawing wide in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) with no luck, then struggling on the soft Flemington surface last occasion.

The Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m) offers his ideal firm footing, and Smith highlights barrier three as a bonus for the 14-horse lineup.

“We had no hope in the Oakleigh Plate from the outside gate. We probably should have scratched,” Smith said.

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“And then we ran on a track that was wet in Melbourne, and he didn’t like that at all.

“I think he is back to his best. He’s a horse that needs to get his first 400 right, and if he can get that right, he can be competitive.”

With five weeks off and a trial under his belt, Way To The Stars is primed for Saturday.

Smith rates Nash Rawiller’s mount highly in this wide-open affair.

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“He’s been up at the farm for a few weeks and has done a bit of work on the sand. He had that trial and he’s good to go. He’s fresh, fit, well,” he said.

“It’s a good race. There are plenty of chances in it, and he’s one of them.”

Barnmate World Alliance is on standby for a Hawkesbury Gold Rush berth pending more scratches, and entry would see him as a threat.

Three-from-four first-up wins, track and distance suitability, plus draw four next to Way To The Stars enhance his claims for the six-year-old.

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“If he gets the right set-up, he is always dangerous,” Smith said.

“He needs tempo, which he’ll get here.

“He’s fit, and he’s well and I can’t fault him. His work was sharp on Tuesday morning so he’s ready to go.”

Promising gelding Golden Straand gets Smith’s backing to keep climbing in the Blake’s Marine Handicap (1100m), after a fresh win at Warwick Farm took him to four successes from nine starts.

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“He’s a really good horse. He could be in that stakes race, but he’s going through his grades,” Smith said.

“He’ll be very hard to beat in that race.

“He could end up in Queensland, for sure. The only thing with him is he needs good ground. His only blemish was on a wet track at Randwick, and he didn’t go on that at all.”

Discover the latest racing betting markets ahead of the Hawkesbury Gold Rush.

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Manchester United make contract decision on talented winger

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Man Utd academy talent Ethan Ennis has spent a hugely successful season on loan with Fleetwood Town.

Manchester United have activated their option to extend Ethan Ennis’ contract by 12 months. Ennis was out of contract at the end of the season, but he has enjoyed a hugely successful loan with Fleetwood Town.

Ennis has contributed six goals and eight assists for Fleetwood, demonstrating his durability across 45 appearances in League Two. United have been thoroughly impressed with Ennis during his loan stint.

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The Manchester Evening News understands new contract discussions will take place with Ennis this summer, and the youngster will have options on the table, with Championship clubs interested.

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Fleetwood staff were impressed by Ennis’ work ethic from the moment he arrived in Lancashire. That helped him to become a mainstay in their starting XI, and pick up their player of the month award in January.

Ennis is a goalscoring winger by trade. He scored 10 goals in 15 academy appearances for United in the first half of last season before joining Doncaster on loan in January 2025, but he has played at wing-back for Fleetwood.

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The 21-year-old won the FA Youth Cup in his first season in Manchester, playing alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

United gave Ennis a new deal in the summer of 2024. He played for the first-team in the opening two friendlies of pre-season against Rosenborg and Rangers, but was not included in the United States tour squad.

Ennis spent the second half of 2024/2025 on loan with Doncaster, where he was part of a team that secured promotion.

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.

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McLaughlin: Bears a Sleeper in the ACC Football Race?

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Primary Big 12 logo smallBrendan Sorsby seems more and more likely to be ruled ineligible for the 2026 football season.

That could open the door for BYU to win the Big 12 Championship.

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin discusses why Cal’s Spring Game bolsters their status as an ACC sleeper.

The Bears seem to have supported QB Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele quite well.

Washington State logoWashington State has its third head coach in three seasons, entering the new world Pac-12 conference.

Who leads in their QB battle for HC Kirby Moore?

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00:00 Thoughts on BYU and Big 12
04:13 Will Hammond’s injury recovery update
13:10 Cooper Perry on Cal
14:50 Discussing first-year head coaches
18:00 Promising football prospects discussed
20:44 Transfer rules enforcement discussion
23:53 PAC12 media strategy and visibility
27:30 Quarterback race for starting position

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

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LIV Golf changed the PGA Tour — but not for the better

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For a large swath of golf fans, the rise of LIV Golf has been unsettling. Even if the league does unwind here, and it may not, the damage already done will take years to fix. The billions of petro dollars that the Saudis pumped into the pro game via LIV, too good to be true or sustainable from the start, ultimately revealed a certain opportunism among some of our golfing heroes. The broader pro game has taken a hit.

Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm and others blithely broke off from tradition, the tradition that formed them. And for what, $100 million here and $300 million there? Who would have thought their loyalty could be bought at all? Did they not see that LIV Golf, creating this new hybrid model, was way too far removed from traditional tournament golf, the golf on which they were raised? Did they not see that the founding principle of LIV Golf was borrowed from The Dating Game?

We want you. We don’t want you.

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The players who LIV left behind, the stars and near-stars of the PGA Tour, lost their way, too. They have been diminished. They allowed their fearless leaders — commissioner Jay Monahan, Tiger Woods, the Strategic Sports Group investors and, more recently, CEO Brian Rolapp — to dismiss the very thing that made the Tour so singularly attractive: guaranteed nothing. Earn it, earn it, earn it. (I’m surprised that Woods even accepted that lifetime exemption into any event — doesn’t sound like the Tiger of yore.) Earn the right to play in 2026 based on what you did in 2025, that’s golf. Earn the right to play on Saturday and Sunday based on what you did Thursday and Friday. Yep. Has worked forever.

On that basis, Joel Dahmen and Scottie Scheffler started each week as equals. On that basis, every event was a fresh start, with a certain level of meaning (even if it was highly localized) baked into the Thursday starting times. The PGA Tour did not need a for-profit arm. Local charities, a different one every week, provided golf with all the fuel it needed. LIV Golf tried to turn tournament golf into something it is not, a global spectacle, 14 events in 10 countries this year. Just as all politics is local (Tip O’Neill), all fandom is, too. Most fandom is, anyway. The British Open belongs to the world. The Winter and Summer Games, the World Cup, the same. They’re on your calendar and always have been.

LIV Golf played an indirect role in the sunsetting of the PGA Tour’s mark-your-calendar Hawaii stops. (The PGA Tour, as we know it today, has been recreated in LIV Golf’s image, at least to a point.) Swaying palms in winter, swinging golfers underneath them, trying to get the new year off to a good start. The locals put on a show, and the rest of us could watch or not. What was there not to like? More tournaments will be 86ed here, in the name of Rolapp’s scarcity model. Fewer tournaments with fewer players for more money. How is that good for . . . us? Or Joel Dahmen? Joel Dahmen is American/PGA Tour golf every bit as much as Justin Thomas is.

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Jon Rahm speaks to media about DP World Tour during his 2026 LIV Golf Hong Kong press conference.

LIV Golf to lose Saudi PIF funding: Answering 5 burning questions


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James Colgan



American tournament golf, from the early Ben Hogan years nearly 100 years ago to the rise of young Jordan Spieth a fast decade ago, represented the purest and most civilized form of hunting, of capitalism, of sport. A guy could (in Tour parlance) “stay out” until he played his way off the Tour. It was so . . . manly (before that word had its legs cut off). Also beautiful.

The beautiful game is a lovely and fitting phrase that has been attached to soccer for 60 or 70 years now. The whole world plays fútbol, because all you need is a ball (any ball) and a field (any field). That’s it. The way the ball and the players move through that field is truly beautiful. I only wish we, dues-paying members of the global tribe of golf enthusiasts, had come up with the phrase first. Because golfis a beautiful game, too, simple in theory, confoundingly difficult in practice, played on all manner of fields. Every true golf fan knows what I’m talking about here.

That’s why we have had held the best golfers in the highest esteem. They did what we did, but at a level we could not grasp. Their golf shots were magic tricks. But they also choked like grass-eating dogs on their way to the bottom of the 72nd hole. In one four-day tournament the human experience in all its richness, or close to all, could be revealed. At the biggest events — with the best fields on the most demanding courses — that was even more true. Exhibition golf cannot offer that. The Masters last month surely did.

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Back in the day, pre-LIV, the money the Tour players made was the money the Tour players made, there in agate form for all of us to see. But it never made any particular impression on any of us, except as a convenient shorthand for who was playing best. Yes, the fellas played for large sums of money but also, and much more significantly, handsome and often historic trophies. These men played a game. That’s all they did, and it was enough. Jordan Spieth created 18-hole scores like Paul and John created four-minute songs. They played and played until there was this . . . thing. A song, for the Beatles. A score, for the golfers. A place on the leaderboard. Work? Work was something you did for . . . money. For Jordan and Co. money was just a byproduct. It wasn’t the be-all and end-all. I grew up on Tom Watson. In his prime, he was a difficult and demanding person. He played golf the right way. I was mesmerized by it.


Two golfers walk on a sunny LIV Golf course, each holding clubs, with a caddie in a white bib following behind. Spectators and trees are visible in the background as players react to their shots.

‘Don’t know what’s going to happen’: PGA Tour players react to LIV news


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Josh Berhow



Our golfing heroes played a difficult game well. They played the game we dreamed about playing. That was and should be the glue of the fan-pro relationship. In that context, those LIV teams — the Crushers and the rest — were always going to be a tough sell. Those TGL teams, rosters packed with your favorite PGA Tour stars, the same — a hollow sideshow. Justin Rose down the stretch, spilling his guts out in a futile effort (so far) to win a second major, that’s the beautiful game. Is Justin Rose even on a TGL team? A special prize to anybody who can tell me whether he is — and why you care.

Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus, Watson, Tony Jacklin and Lee Trevino, Seve, Faldo, Norman, Tiger, young Jordan Spieth, thousands of others, played the beautiful game. If you halved the prize money for which they played, would they have done something else? Of course not. They were like us. First and foremost, they were golfers.

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I don’t fault Greg Norman for having an audacious idea for a global golf tour, and having enough self-belief and charisma to sell it, ultimately, to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, bossman of Saudia Arabia’s enormous national wealth fund, the oddly named Public Investment Fund. (What’s public about it?) The idea of having the best golfers in the world play one another on a more regular basis certainly sounds appealing. American golf fans will watch the British Open, because of its antiquity and to see these treeless royal courses. Japanese golf fans will watch the Masters, because of Augusta National’s lush beauty and the tournament’s social cache. But those events are outliers.

As for the golfers, most are homebodies. They don’t want to play the world. The only way to get them to do it is to pay them and that’s not good or healthy or sustainable. The answer to golf’s future lies in its past. That is, professional golf, played the world over by the best players in the world. The rest of us can get our tee times via the internet. That’s way better than the old system. Shortly after the PIF people made their statement about their LIV Golf exit, a friend happened to send me a photo depicting golfers on a dirt field. The beautiful game.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com

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SPFL will not overrule Celtic in derby ticket row with Rangers for 10 May match

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A Scottish FA investigation, led by sports event consultant Mark Blackbourne, has yet to report to the governing body on the cup tie.

The Ibrox club stressed they had “been clear in condemning the actions of certain individuals on 8 March” and had been “attempting to work with Celtic to mitigate any security concerns for the upcoming match”.

Rangers added that, for the forthcoming match that will help decide who wins a three-pronged title race involving leaders Hearts and the two Old Firm sides, “the removal of away supporters from one of the defining fixtures of the competition would introduce a clear and material sporting imbalance”.

Celtic had demanded the exclusion of a section of the Rangers support they say “identifiably engaged in serious violence and disorder”. The club expressed “surprise and disappointment” that Rangers had not agreed to the request and that they were happy to hold discussions with their rivals and the league body.

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The defending champions added their “priority will always be the safety of those attending Celtic Park and, following a detailed risk assessment with regards to the forthcoming match, the club has made a reasonable request of Rangers FC that tickets are not distributed to a section of supporters which very recently and identifiably engaged in serious violence and disorder involving Celtic supporters, staff, police and stewards”.

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