When 80 lucky First Tee participants arrived at the PURE Insurance Championship, they already had plenty to look forward to.

Four rounds across Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. The chance to play alongside PGA Tour Champions professionals. And an experience most young golfers could only dream about.

Then Chevron found a way to make the week even more memorable.

On Tuesday, participants headed to The Hay at Pebble Beach for Play Day at The Hay, where juniors got the chance to play the famed short course—and compete in Chevron’s closest to the pin competition to earn an extra $2,000 for their local First Tee chapter.

As groups made their way around the nine-hole routing, they eventually arrived at the second hole—modeled after Pebble Beach’s iconic seventh hole.

The hole was only playing about 100 yards, but these short shots had the potential to go much farther, with the 10 closest shots—the top five boys and top five girls—earning $2,000 for their respective First Tee chapters.

With $2,000 on the line, the pressure was real. So was the opportunity.

More than $5 Million behind the First Tee’s next generation

Later that evening at the PURE Insurance Championship pairings party, Chevron announced a $125,000 donation to the First Tee. 

The closest-to-the-pin winners were also recognized. The top five boys and top five girls were originally set to earn $2,000 for their respective First Tee chapters, but when the girls’ competition ended in a tie for fifth, Chevron matched the additional prize.

What started as a fun afternoon at The Hay generated $22,000 in donations to First Tee chapters across the country.

Chevron’s support is part of a relationship with First Tee that stretches back 16 years and over 5 million dollars in total donations—including contributions to the organization’s College Scholarship Program, which began in 2020.

That sustained commitment, along with support from other First Tee partners, has helped more than 143 young adults receive ongoing mentorship, professional development and financial assistance as they transition to and through college. 

And stories from scholarship recipients illustrate just how meaningful that support can be, and the lasting impact it can have on their lives.

One example of the First Tee College Scholarship Program at work is Aarya Shewale of First Tee – Greater Houston, who is beginning his freshman year at Texas A&M University, where he’ll study aerospace engineering. After eight years with the First Tee, Shewale earned Ace certification and founded the Katy Chess Academy, a service project that teaches children life skills through chess.

The scholarship program has also supported Carlie Matengula of First Tee – Greater Austin, who begins studying political science at Baylor University this fall. Matengula spent seven years with First Tee – Greater Austin, most recently serving as a junior coach. She also created Tee Her Up, a golf clinic that introduced the game to 100 minority girls in her community.

For these young golfers, the lessons extend well beyond the course. With Chevron’s continued support, players receive opportunities and resources that leave a lasting impression, shaping not only the golfers they become, but the people they grow into along the way.

Frank Vogel did not come as part of the Warriors‘ Great Pitch, first off. No mere pawn, in pursuit of the King.

Could one connect the dots between Steve Kerr‘s mid-July hire of Vogel – the Lakers’ championship-winning head coach in 2019-20 – and Golden State’s run at LeBron James in free agency? Obviously, Vogel said. Could that have helped the Warriors’ case with James? Sure, Vogel acknowledges.

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“LeBron and I still have a great relationship, so that may have been something that could’ve been enticing to him,” Vogel told the Chronicle Wednesday at Chase Center. “But whether we had LeBron or not – and we, from what I understand, felt like it was still a long-shot to get him. So that was not the purpose in hiring me.”

The purpose was to gain a new defensive mind, with a relationship built by handshakes across eras. Kerr has told Vogel he’s admired his approach as the two have squared off over the past decade. After the Suns fired Vogel in 2024, Kerr reached out that summer to meet for lunch in Manhattan Beach, pitching Vogel on joining his staff.

Vogel wasn’t in the headspace, at the time. He’d held four head-coaching jobs in the past nine years with Indiana (through 2016), Orlando (2016-18), Los Angeles (2019-22) and Phoenix (2023-24). And he was prepared to likely take a sabbatical this summer, too, after a couple years consulting and then assisting the now-fired Jason Kidd in Dallas.

But Kerr rang again, and Vogel’s mind flashed back to that lunch two summers ago.

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“Most scenarios or situations in the NBA,” Vogel said, “it would’ve been a ‘no,’ for me to jump right back into another job.”

Golden State, though, presented a golden rung back up the ladder, even if the current makeup isn’t the same as the juggernaut he once knew from shaking Kerr’s hand back in Indiana. Vogel’s lips twisted into a knowing smile Thursday, when posed a question about low external expectations for these Warriors. He wants to be a head coach again, when the time is right; in the process, he has chosen a job to build the defense of a roster that is banged-up. And aging.

He has chosen this job, though, because he feels Golden State still has “plenty of defensive talent to be great,” as he said Thursday.

“Any team with Steph and Draymond can win,” Vogel said. “They’ve just had injuries, the last couple years. That’s the only reason. So, that starting point alone gives you confidence that you can win at a high level.

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“And obviously, we’re being counted out because Jimmy Butler‘s not available and (Moses) Moody’s not available, early on,” he continued. “But if you can keep your head above water to start the season, those guys come back – now you become one of the most dangerous teams in the league. And you can have a very high ceiling.”

On Thursday, the Warriors officially announced Vogel as Kerr’s de-facto defensive coordinator, a key external addition to a staff that’s seen a major overhaul. Former assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse departed with the expirations of their contracts in May, as Golden State also promoted former player-development coach Everett Dayton as an assistant coach and director of player development.

And Vogel will now effectively replace Stackhouse and also be named Golden State’s associate head coach, a title that these Warriors haven’t bestowed upon an assistant since Mike Brown left in 2022.

Vogel isn’t shy about where he wants to go. Even after that Lakers ring, he feels his “best head-coaching years are ahead of me,” he told the Chronicle. But he was fired two years after that title in Los Angeles amid an incongruent James-Russell Westbrook pairing, and fired after one year with the Suns because of a first-round playoff sweep.

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“They’re all scars,” Vogel said, asked about head-coaching lessons. “The scars accumulate. And they protect you from other areas. And every failure is an opportunity to reflect, and grow. So, there’s definitely things that I could have done better in those spots. But there’s also things that are out of your control as a head coach that sometimes get pinned on the head coach – not sometimes, but very often.”

He grinned. Knowingly.

“I don’t know how much I want to say about it publicly, but I have a lot of confidence in what’s ahead of me, when the time comes,” Vogel continued. “But it’s very important to me that, your piece – that’s for when it happens. I am not hunting it. I’m excited about being in this role, for this team, and supporting Steve, and helping Steph and Draymond get another chance at a ring.”

That last point is no easy task, at the moment. Vogel will have to implement a new defensive system without two key wing defenders in Butler and Moody, who are both rehabbing knee injuries. Still, he sees a path.

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That starts with Green, the nine-time All-Defensive supercomputer who Vogel said was a “big reason” he took the job.

“You want your defense to have teeth, you know what I mean?” Vogel said. “And he scared the s- out of me every time I played against the Warriors. I know that if he’s playing, it’s going to be hard to win that game, and it’s going to be hard to score.”

Vogel’s eyes lit up, too, amid a conversation of his core defensive principles. In 11 full seasons as an NBA head coach, his teams have finished first in the NBA in defensive rating three times and finished top-10 seven times; the philosophy has never changed, built upon protecting the rim from inside out. Every player on the floor in Vogel’s defense is required to protect the rim, regardless of size, he implores. Seven-footers must be shot-blockers. Smaller guards must play vertical, or take charges.

Enter guard Brandin Podziemski, who has finished top five in charges drawn in each of his three NBA seasons.

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“I joke with BP that he’s every bit of a great rim protector as (Kristaps) Porzingis is,” Vogel said. “Because you put your body in front of the ball and take charges – one of the best charge-takers in the game – you’re protecting the rim.”

Speaking, then, of the 7-foot-3 Porzingis: Vogel’s best defenses have been anchored by a legitimate rim-protecting big. He had two-time All-Star Roy Hibbert in Indiana. He had a rotating cast of Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee in Los Angeles.

And now he has Porzingis, for as often as the 31-year-old center’s body will allow.

“We feel like Kristaps can fill that role,” Vogel said. “And I’m really excited about putting him in my defensive system. Because there’s a lot of details I believe in with my defensive system and how I use shot-blocking bigs that really gets a lot out of ’em on that side, and I really look forward to putting KP in those spots.”

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He spoke of 6-9, 250-pound rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, meanwhile, as almost the final piece of a three-man puzzle with Green and Porzingis (or another center). Vogel’s best defenses, too, have been “big and strong and powerful,” as he described; in Butler and Moody’s absences, Lendeborg will likely be tasked early and often with leveraging his strength against scoring wings.

“Most rookies get overpowered, early in their career,” Vogel said. “Ain’t nobody gonna punk this kid.”

This is far from a crystal-clear picture. It requires Porzingis, who re-signed on a two-year, $40 million deal this summer, to be available when historically he has often not been. It requires little physical decline from the 36-year-old Green. It requires Lendeborg to be capable of holding his own, at times, against quicker-footed scorers.

But Vogel wouldn’t have answered Kerr’s call, after all, if he couldn’t see it.

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“It wasn’t a fair fight for them, the last couple years,” Vogel said, reflecting on Golden State’s run of injuries. “So hopefully we have some health, and some buy-in to a new defensive system that’ll help us be great.”

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This article originally published at How Steve Kerr convinced Frank Vogel to skip a sabbatical and revive Warriors’ defense.

Justin Thomas is not the Lorax but he speaks for the trees.

He thinks golf courses cut down too many of them.

Thomas said as much this week in a social-media post, citing a hole on a famous course to underscore his point: the par-4 16th at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

At 400 yards from the tips, the hole plays gently downhill from the tee, followed by an approach over a gully and between goal posts of Monterey cypress trees. At least, it used to. In early September, Pebble Beach removed the tree on the right, which stood some 90 yards short of the green.

In his commentary, Thomas criticized the change while making a broader case against tree removal.

“Such a great hole,” he wrote. “Makes no sense to me why they’d do this. When are places going to realize getting rid of trees is not the answer to making courses better.”

A prominent player knocking a prominent course was always going to draw attention, especially on a subject that arouses strong opinions. Tree removal has become a familiar flashpoint in an era defined by Golden Age restorations aimed at stripping courses back to the way they used to play, tree-lined corridors included.

Sure enough, armchair architects were quick to chime in. Some backed Thomas; others bashed Pebble. Still others blamed the USGA, claiming — without evidence — that the governing body ordered the tree gone to prep the course for next year’s U.S. Open, which returns to Pebble Beach for the seventh time. Turns out some critics were barking up the wrong tree.

Thomas himself had committed an error of omission by failing to address the why. Courses remove trees for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with design philosophy. Some are agronomic: trees compete with turf for sunlight and water, they can choke off the airflow healthy grass needs, and their roots have a knack for cracking drainage pipes and cart paths. Courses plant trees for plenty of reasons, too — sometimes for strategy, but also for aesthetics, or safety, to keep golfers on tightly routed holes from getting in each other’s crossfire.

In the case of the tree on the 16th at Pebble, the USGA had nothing to do with it. A spokesperson for the government made that plain in an email to GOLF, and Pebble Beach corroborated it.

The real explanation for removing the tree, a Pebble Beach spokesperson wrote in an email, was health. The tree “had become diseased and infested beyond recovery, despite our best efforts to treat it over the past two years. It was removed upon recommendation from a local certified arborist to prevent the risk of spreading to neighboring trees.”

Courses lose trees all the time, and Pebble is no exception. This past spring, the resort replaced a Cypress tree in the 18th fairway that had been toppled in a 2014 storm. In 2002, an 80-foot Monterey cypress was planted beside the 18th green, taken from the 1st hole to replace the original, which had died of pitch canker disease.

That transplanting — digging a giant hole, maneuvering a giant root ball into a place — was something of a spectacle. But it wasn’t spread and distorted by social media.

The facts are these: The tree is gone, and it was removed because it was sick. Reasonable people can disagree as to whether the hole is better or worse without it. Pebble Beach told GOLF that it will stay in touch with its arborist about the possibility of planting something new in its place. That’s TBD. If it remains a bare spot, count on Justin Thomas being asked about it at the U.S. Open next year.

Hawthorn’s disciplined young side faces the reigning premier at the MCG, with Brisbane attempting to continue its pursuit of a historic third consecutive premiership.

When: Saturday September 19, 2026 at 5:15 pm

Where: MCG

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Hawthorn Hawks vs Brisbane Lions Odds

Hawthorn Hawks vs Brisbane Lions Preview

Hawthorn returns from a week’s rest after securing a home preliminary final with a disciplined 72-40 victory over minor premier Fremantle. James Sicily controlled the back half with 26 disposals, 12 intercepts and 10 marks as the Hawks restricted one of the competition’s strongest attacks. Brisbane reaches the MCG after defeating Adelaide 144-91, keeping its pursuit of a third consecutive premiership alive. Zac Bailey contributed 23 disposals and three goals, while the Lions expect Logan Morris to be available despite a calf concern late in the match. Brisbane dominated the Round 22 meeting between these teams 125-58 and has won its past seven Saturday matches at the MCG. Hawthorn’s pressure and extra recovery time should make this far closer, but Brisbane’s finals experience and scoring depth provide the stronger overall case.

The Roosters and Sharks renew their finals rivalry at Allianz Stadium, where the winner advances to face the Dolphins and the loser’s season comes to an end.

When: Saturday September 19, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: Allianz Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla Sharks Odds

Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla Sharks Preview

The Roosters and Sharks meet at Allianz Stadium with a preliminary final against the Dolphins awaiting the winner. Sydney enters after a 19-12 loss to Penrith, its fourth consecutive defeat, but retains the core of the side that beat Cronulla twice during the regular season. Salesi Foketi returns to the starting team because Egan Butcher is unavailable following a concussion, while Angus Crichton is named on the interchange. Cronulla kept its campaign alive with a 26-16 win over North Queensland and makes only one squad change, adding Jayden Berrell to the extended bench. The Sharks won last season’s elimination final between these clubs, but the Roosters answered with victories of 34-22 and 27-8 this year. Cronulla’s edge threats remain dangerous, particularly Sione Katoa, yet Sydney’s recent record in the matchup and home setting provide the stronger platform.

Lionel Messi scored the 100th goal of his Inter Miami career and Casemiro added another as Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 on Wednesday night to win the Campeones Cup.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a cross from Luis Suárez for his 100th goal in 115 appearances across all competitions with Miami.

The milestone came against the same club Messi scored his first Inter Miami goal against. He scored on a stoppage-time free kick to beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in his Miami debut in July 2023.

Casemiro made it 2-0 in the 81st minute, heading in a corner from Messi.

The Brazilian midfielder has scored four goals, all headers, in his last five matches after scoring in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United and Chicago before being held scoreless Saturday against Nashville.

The victory gave Inter Miami another trophy three years after Messi’s arrival. Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and MLS Cup in 2025.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

David Benavidez is aiming to take over boxing over the next 12 months, but two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi believes there is one fighter he would favour to hand ‘The Mexican Monster’ his first defeat.

Benavidez made the 25lb jump up from light-heavyweight to cruiserweight and knocked out unified WBA and WBO world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in a performance of the year candidate back in May.

Now, he looks set to challenge newly-crowned WBC ruler Michal Cieslak in a three-belt unification bout in December, with the victor of that contest mandated to take on cruiserweight poster boy, Jai Opetaia.

Speaking to BoxingScene, Malignaggi admitted that Benavidez’s showing against Ramirez enhanced his interest in a possible clash with Opetaia.

“I think that this is a very tough fight to call, this is very, very difficult. Benavidez’s performance against Zurdo put me on a different level as far as going from ‘I don’t know if he can compete with a cruiserweight as big as Opetaia’ to ‘OK, he can compete with Opetaia’.

“Now, winning? I don’t know. I don’t take it as a foregone conclusion. I do think that it is now a competitive fight to where I want to see it, whereas before it was like ‘nah, you are just going to get a really good fighter like Benavidez hurt if you make him fight too heavy, and that is not fair’.”

Malignaggi would lean towards Opetaia if he were to meet the ‘The Mexican Monster’ in the ring.

“I would probably still edge Opetaia slightly, but it’s not something that would shock me if Benavidez is not only competitive but possibly wins the fight. But, it’s not one of those fights that I look at and say ‘I am changing my pick and I am picking Benavidez,’. I think that’s way too soon, man.”

Benavidez-Cieslak is expected to take place on Saturday, December 12, in Phoenix, Arizona, where a victory for the 29-year-old could tee up a 2027 Cinco De Mayo meeting with Australia’s Opetaia.