Matt Fitzpatrick is one of the hottest players in the game right now.
The 31-year-old Englishman is the only PGA Tour player with three wins thus far this season, and is fresh off a 22nd-place finish at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock.
Fitzpatrick is a famously data-driven player in his approach to each golf course, and is known to take copious notes on every shot he hits. Those insights are aided by his official performance data partner Protiviti, which works closely with Fitzpatrick and his team to help turn his practice observations and tournament-round statistics into actionable insights for smarter preparation via a custom-built analytics platform, mobile app and AI powered tools.
On this week’s episode of Subpar, hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz asked Fitzpatrick if he would be willing to share one of his written observations after something bad happened on the course.
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“None of them were written down,” Fitzpatrick said with a laugh. “They were more said out loud.”
Fitzpatrick has played in 12 U.S. Opens since 2014 and won the 2022 edition of the championship at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Stoltz decided to put Fitzpatrick on the spot: Which U.S. Open venue is his favorite, excluding the course where he won?
Despite the recent sting of a difficult weekend in Long Island with rounds of 74-73 on Saturday and Sunday, Fitzpatrick acknowledged that Shinnecock would still be his pick.
“I really like Shinnecock, to be fair,” he said. “I’ve played two U.S. Opens there. I think that’s the place I’ve played the most. I really liked the setup in 2018. I thought it was really difficult, but it was really fair.
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“I think people forget that the one thing that I feel that that place offers you, for the most part, apart from maybe a couple of greens, is that if you are out of position, you can get it into a position where you still have a chance of an up and down,” he continued. “And I think that is a big thing. Yeah, the up and down is tough, but you could still be fat side of the green and have a chip, and I felt, that year, it played well from that standpoint. I figured it was the same this year, obviously different conditions with how soft the greens were the first two days, but I would honestly say, Shinnecock is a great venue.”
For more from Fitzpatrick, including a course he’d like to see host a U.S. Open return, check out the full episode of Subpar below.
TORONTO — If it feels like every Toronto Blue Jays game of late has been the same, well, it’s because that’s the truth.
Each of the three games in this series against the Texas Rangers has followed the same blueprint: Blue Jays starting pitcher puts team in early hole, offence tries to climb back, injects the crowd with hope, yet ultimately fails.
Kevin Gausman struggled on Thursday while rotation mate Patrick Corbin did the same the next day. On Saturday, it was right-hander Dylan Cease’s turn, and the song remained the same in what was a 7-4 loss to the Rangers in front of 41,657 at Rogers Centre that stretched the Blue Jays’ losing streak to five games.
Cease struck out the first two batters he faced and, for a moment, it looked like things were going to change. He then promptly issued three walks with a single as the Rangers opened the scoring.
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The right-hander managed to settle down over the next three frames, but in the fifth, he struggled again, allowing a walk and two singles before being removed for left-hander Mason Fluharty, who allowed the inherited runners to score.
In total, Cease’s final line was an unflattering four runs on four hits over 4.1 frames, with five walks and 10 strikeouts.
He threw 107 pitches and continued a troubling trend of short, inefficient outings from the Blue Jays’ rotation. Amazingly, Toronto starters have pitched at least six innings only five times in June. That’s led to an unsustainable workload for a bullpen that ranks fourth in MLB with 354 innings pitched.
Meanwhile, down by six runs, the Blue Jays’ offence rallied with home runs from Yohendrick Pinango and Alejandro Kirk that energized the crowd. As well, corner infielder Sean Keys — called up from triple-A on Saturday along with Pinango, with Davis Schnieder sent to Buffalo and Jesus Sanchez to the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain — notched a single in his major-league debut.
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The comeback fell short, however, and up next is Sunday’s series finale, with Shane Bieber toeing the rubber against Rangers’ right-hander Kumar Rocker as the Blue Jays search for a rewrite to the familiar script.
First place in the 2026 World Cup Group K standings is on the line when Colombia battle Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Saturday. Colombia, 11th in the FIFA rankings, need a win or draw to finish on top of the group, while a Portugal victory gives the 8th-ranked FIFA team the top spot. Colombia, who did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup, reached the Round of 16 in 2018. Portugal, meanwhile, placed eighth in 2022 after reaching the quarterfinals.
Kickoff for Colombia vs. Portugal is 7:30 p.m. ET from Miami Gardens, Fla. The latest Colombia vs. Portugal odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list Portugal at -105 (risk $105 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line, with Colombia at +250 and a draw at +280. The over/under for total goals is 2.5, with the Over priced at -140. Ronaldo has the lowest odds for anytime goal scorer at +360.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He’s been red-hot on his soccer betting picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. He’s also off to a fast start in the World Cup, entering Saturday on an 25-13-2 run on WC picks (+587). Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
After examining Colombia vs. Portugal from every angle, Eimer is leaning Over 2.5 total goals (-140). Both sides have proven they can find the back of the net. Colombia have scored nine goals over their past four matches, including three goals twice in that span. Portugal have scored 10 goals in their last four matches, which includes a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
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He expects Colombia’s offensive prowess continues, which will force Portugal to try to follow suit. “This Portugal side was able to get some confidence back after their 5-0 beatdown over Uzbekistan, and will be desperate to pick up three points and top the group. Colombia have shown already in this competition they’re struggling to play defense with Uzbekistan breaking their backline, and DR Congo, even though they didn’t score, finding chances. Even though Colombia only needs a draw, I don’t see them being able to sit back for 90 minutes, and they’ll be forced to a position where they need to push back.” See Eimer’s best bets for Colombia vs. Portugal at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Portugal vs. Colombia at FanDuel here:
How to make Colombia vs. Portugal picks
After studying the Colombia vs. Portugal matchup from every angle, Eimer has found a critical x-factor and locked in four best bets that all return plus money. You can head to SportsLine to see what they are.
A day after receiving the bitter news that four-star athlete Bode Sparrow had chosen Oklahoma over them in a decision that the Davis High star said was razor-close, BYU’s football coaches got some news Saturday afternoon that will erase that crushing disappointment.
Rising senior receiver Blake Wong, a four-star recruit and the No. 3 rated receiver in California, committed to play for BYU during a live stream on 247Sports from his high school in Norco, California.
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Wong picked the Cougars over four other big-time finalists: Ohio State, UCLA, Oregon and Utah.
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Wong, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, is a much-needed boost to BYU coach Kalani Sitake’s recruiting efforts, and the athlete of Chinese-American ethnicity becomes the ninth member of the 2027 recruiting class to commit to BYU.
I really wanted to see the full culture, and see how I fit in with the players, and what the whole program and organization represents.
Blake Wong on visiting five different colleges
“For the next three to four years, I will be committed to BYU,” Wong said as he picked a BYU cap off the table, surrounded by family members. Wong is a member of the faith that supports BYU, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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“BYU is the choice just because how much of the culture I fit in, and the way Kalani is, and Fesi (Sitake) is, as a head coach and a position coach for me,” Wong said. “I really fit in well with them, and also the early opportunities I have (to play) there.”
Wong caught 84 passes for 1,470 yards and 20 touchdowns in 10 games last fall as a junior, soaring up recruiting boards after one of the most productive seasons in the history of his high school. He’s one of the top 50 receivers nationally in the class of 2027.
Wong said the fact that BYU made him its No. 1 receiver priority also played into his decision to choose Provo.
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“Just seeing how much belief they have in me to make an impact, and how much they care, and how much they value who I am (was impressive),” he said. “They care about me not just as a player, but as a person.”
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Wong attended the same high school as a freshman as BYU’s Bear and Tiger Bachmeier, Murrieta Valley High in Southern California.
He said the Cougars are getting “just a great person overall (who is) coming to make an impact, whether it’s off the field or on the field.”
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Wong visited Utah first, then UCLA. He visited BYU on June 15 and June 16, then concluded his trips with visits to Oregon and Ohio State.
“I really wanted to see the full culture, and see how I fit in with the players, and what the whole program and organization represents,” he said.
Wong thanked his high school coaches and teammates, his family and Heavenly Father for helping him get where he is today.
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“Without Him, I am nothing,” he said. “And my coaches and my family, I am with them every day, and I work hard with them. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. They help give me motivation every day.”
Ranked last in the Big 12 in 2027 football recruiting by 247Sports and other sites when the day began, BYU almost certainly will jump in the national team rankings.
Recruiting expert Casey Lundquist of Cougs Daily on the Sports Illustrated online network said Wong’s commitment could jumpstart a BYU run over the course of the next two weeks.
“While BYU’s class certainly would have been better with Sparrow on board, and BYU doesn’t have the luxury of finding another top 100 prospect to take his spot, I wouldn’t panic quite yet,” Lundquist said Friday after Sparrow picked Oklahoma.
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“A lot of BYU’s top prospects are still on the board, and there’s a long time before signing day.”
Also Saturday, three-star athlete Peyton Higginson of Salem Hills High in Utah County told the Deseret News that he has narrowed his three finalists to BYU, Michigan and Utah State.
Higginson said he will likely made a decision in the middle of next week, or the week following the 4th of July holiday weekend.
The third round of the 2026 Travelers Championship gets underway Saturday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the tournament on Saturday, including full TV coverage, streaming info and Round 3 tee times.
How to watch the Travelers Championship on Saturday
Seven top-10 finishes. Thirteen cuts made in 13 tries. And nearly $13 million in prize money. For most golfers, that would qualify as an astounding stretch. For Scottie Scheffler, it constitutes a dry spell. He hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since — gasp! — January at the American Express.
But the World No. 1 is in position to change that this weekend at the Travelers. He enters Saturday’s third round atop the leaderboard, fresh off a scorching 10-under 60 on Friday that featured 11 birdies and one bogey. Scheffler is at 16-under for the week, two shots clear of a resurgent Viktor Hovland, who shot 61 on Friday, and four ahead of Akshay Bhatia and Eric Cole. Cole is seeking his first Tour win.
Scheffler and Hovland tee off in the final pairing Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
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You can watch the third round of the Travelers on TV via Golf Channel, which will air coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Live TV coverage on NBC begins at 3 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide streaming coverage starting at 7:45. ET., with Peacock joining the streaming coverage at 3 p.m. ET.
Below you will find everything you need to know to watch the third round of the 2026 Travelers Championship
How to watch on TV Saturday
Golf Channel will provide third-round TV coverage of the 2026 Travelers Championship from 1-3 p.m. ET on Saturday, followed by NBC coverage from 3-6 p.m. ET.
How to stream online Saturday
You can stream the second round of the 2026 Travelers Championship via PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, which will offer streaming coverage 7:45 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET on Saturday in addition to featured group and hole coverage. Live streaming starts on Peacock is from 3 – 6 p.m. ET. You can also stream a live simulcast of Golf Channel’s TV coverage on the GOLF App.
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Check out the complete Round 3 tee times and pairings for the Travelers Championship below.
2026 Travelers Championship tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)
Tee No. 1
7:50 a.m. – Lucas Glover, Sepp Straka 8:00 a.m. – Ryan Fox, Cameron Young 8:10 a.m. – Jake Knapp, Adam Scott 8:20 a.m. – Sahith Theegala, Min Woo Lee 8:30 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Mark Hubbard 8:40 a.m. – Nick Taylor, Jacob Bridgeman 8:50 a.m. – Matt McCarty, Gary Woodland 9:00 a.m. – Sam Stevens, Andrew Novak 9:15 a.m. – Jason Day, Ryo Hisatsune 9:25 a.m. – Harry Hall, Ludvig Åberg 9:35 a.m. – Tom Hoge, Nicolai Højgaard 9:45 a.m. – Alex Smalley, Daniel Berger 9:55 a.m. – Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman 10:05 a.m. – Tony Finau, Russell Henley 10:15 a.m. – Mac Meissner, Ryan Gerard 10:30 a.m. – Collin Morikawa, Chris Gotterup 10:40 a.m. – Jackson Suber, Alex Fitzpatrick 10:50 a.m. – Keith Mitchell, Denny McCarthy 11:00 a.m. – Rickie Fowler, Michael Kim 11:10 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Alex Noren 11:20 a.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas 11:30 a.m. – J.T. Poston, Brandt Snedeker 11:45 a.m. – Taylor Pendrith, Sungjae Im 11:55 a.m. – Nico Echavarria, Aaron Rai 12:05 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Shane Lowry 12:15 p.m. – Kristoffer Reitan, Corey Conners 12:25 p.m. – Ben James, Robert MacIntyre 12:35 p.m. – Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark 12:45 p.m. – Harris English, Keegan Bradley 1:00 p.m. – Maverick McNealy, Kurt Kitayama 1:10 p.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Cantlay 1:20 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Justin Rose 1:30 p.m. – Matt Fitzpatrick, Brian Campbell 1:40 p.m. – Bud Cauley, Ben Griffin 1:50 p.m. – Akshay Bhatia, Eric Cole 2:00 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell watches minicamp work from the practice field in Eagan. O’Connell continued overseeing offseason preparation as Minnesota evaluated roster battles, quarterback timing, and early installation before training camp. June 2026. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
The Minnesota Vikings put minicamp behind them last week, and it’s time to start thinking about training camp, which starts in late July. Oddsmakers believe Minnesota will win roughly eight or nine games this season, so it’s up to head coach Kevin O’Connell and friends to prove them wrong.
Along the way at training camp, a handful of players will be under more pressure than most. These are those men, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = player under the most pressure).
Vikings’ Roster Bubble Has Real Names This Summer
Oklahoma offensive lineman Walter Rouse participates in drills during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine on Mar. 3, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The athletic blocker showcased his movement skills before eventually hearing his name called in the NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
5. Walter Rouse (OT)
Rouse could not have enjoyed the offseason — unless the Vikings move him to guard.
Minnesota added veteran Ryan Van Demark and rookie 3rd-Rounder Caleb Tiernan, putting Rouse on the back burner because neither of those men is slated to be a fourth depth tackle on the depth chart. Think of it this way: if Rouse is shifted to guard, he’s not under very much pressure. If he remains a tackle, it will be difficult to maintain a roster spot with Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, Van Demark, and Tiernan in the way.
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4. Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
Minnesota started the offseason with ginormous question marks at off-ball linebacker. Eric Wilson was a free agent, so was Pace Jr. The team dropped rookie Kobe King out of nowhere during the 2025 regular season and also booted Austin Keys off the roster.
Then the Vikings re-signed Wilson and Pace Jr. and drafted Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday. Blake Cashman is also under contract through the end of 2026.
If Golday is deployed as an ILB and he’s game-ready in September, Pace Jr. could be an under-the-radar cut casualty.
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3. Tai Felton (WR)
Felton was floating along this offseason, relishing life after Minnesota drafted no rookie wideouts in April. Soon after, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski landed Jauan Jennings in free agency, and he’s in town as the Vikings’ best WR3 since Jake Reed, at least on paper.
UDFA wideout Dillon Bell has also turned heads at minicamp. Kick and punt return man Myles Price is likely safe in the regular season.
Felton must stand off the page in August. The guy who drafted him in Round 3 last year got fired in January. There’s a world where the Vikings keep Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jennings, Price, and Bell on the 53-man roster and end the Felton era after just one season.
It’s all up to him.
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton (13) warms up before the preseason opener on Aug. 9, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The rookie wideout prepared for his first NFL exhibition while competing for a meaningful role in Minnesota’s passing attack during training camp. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Our Brevan Bane noted on Felton earlier this month, “Now that the Vikings have signed WR Jauan Jennings to be WR3 behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, things are looking a bit murky for Tai Felton. Maybe, he’s still in the long-term plans since Jennings is on a one year deal. However, it’s not a great look for those that have high hopes for Felton to be a major piece of the Vikings’ offense.”
“The Vikings likely do value Felton’s special teams ability, and to be fair, that is how Adam Thielen got his start in Minnesota. He grinded a couple seasons away on the special teams unit, and played so well that he eventually got put into a major role in the offense. Maybe that’s the scenario we’re dealing with here with Felton, but that is quite unlikely.”
It’s time to find out if Felton is the real deal — or a wasted draft pick, which has been all too common in Minnesota since 2022.
One thing is certain: Felton has the speed to thrive.
2. Theo Jackson (S)
Harrison Smith hasn’t made his return-or-retire plans known, but if he comes back, the safety room will be a little crowded. Brzezinski and defensive coordinator Brian Flores drafted Miami’s Jakobe Thomas in April, the pick used as a fruit from the Jonathan Greenard trade.
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Jackson’s roster spot could be in jeopardy, as Smith (if he returns), Thomas, Josh Metellus, and Jay Ward would be roster locks. Jackson feels like the quintessential roster-bubble guy in June, especially after Ward stole his starting job down the stretch of 2025.
1. J.J. McCarthy (QB)
This one probably doesn’t need an explanation.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) drops back to throw during the first half on Sep. 8, 2025, against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The young passer continued his first season as Minnesota’s starting quarterback in a pivotal NFC North matchup. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images.
Last year, the Vikings handed McCarthy the QB1 job with no fight whatsoever. This year, he has the fight of a lifetime because Kyler Murray didn’t come to Minnesota to be some 23-year-old’s backup. By the end of the 2026 season, McCarthy could be the Vikings’ unabashed starting quarterback for the long haul — or he could be pondering his next NFL destination via trade.
The stakes are enormous for McCarthy. He’s on deck to prove if he’s the Vikings’ savior in 2026 or tradebait in 2027.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Man United are hoping to offload Manuel Ugarte and bring in another midfielder but the task of moving on the Uruguayan has been made even tougher.
Offloading a player with a book value of around £30million who made just eight league starts last season always looked an arduous task, but the World Cup offered Manchester United a lifeline in their desire to cut ties with Manuel Ugarte.
Starting for a team some fancied to reach the latter stages offered Ugarte the chance to place himself firmly in the shop window after what has been a hugely underwhelming two years in Manchester. It all sounded great on paper but it hasn’t gone to plan.
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Ugarte carried his club form onto the international stage, starting all three group games as Marcelo Bielsa’s side limped to an early exit with just two points to their name.
To make matters worse, Ugarte picked up what looked to be a nasty injury in his side’s final game of the competition against Spain in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Shortly before Álex Baena fired home the winning goal, Ugarte twisted awkwardly as he tried to make a tackle in the build-up. The United midfielder looked distraught as was carried off the field on a stretcher. United must now wait for Uruguay’s medical staff to give them an update on the injury, but the early signs didn’t look good.
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The Manchester Evening News reported on Saturday that United planned to sign a third midfielder during the transfer window as long as they could find a buyer for Ugarte. If Ugarte remains at Old Trafford it looks set to be a case of two and done.
There have been glimpses of the quality United thought they were buying when they paid Paris Saint-Germain £50.8m for Ugarte back in 2024.
His maiden year in England was written off as a season adapting to life in a new country and a new league, and some stellar showings in United’s pre-season tour of America last summer suggested his Old Trafford career could soon have lift-off. Alas, Ugarte summed his 2025/26 campaign up when writing on social media back in May: “A season with many difficult moments.”
It’s a waiting game now for United as they hope for positive news on Ugarte’s injury. If it’s a lengthy spell on the sidelines then United’s plan to sign three midfielders might just have gone up in smoke.
Manchester United will have learned the positions of Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui heading into the 2026/27 season
Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are set to compete for Manchester United’s right‑back spot next season, with both players clear about their Reds futures. There had been speculation that United might look abroad for another right‑back, with the club aiming to reinforce both defence and midfield this summer.
United’s need to strengthen midfield is no secret, with mainstay Casemiro departing following the expiration of his contract. Ederson will become the club’s first signing of the window, though he is yet to be unveiled – with that expected to happen after Brazil’s World Cup campaign.
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United are set to pay an initial €40.5million (£35m), plus €4.5m (£3.8m) in add‑ons for the 26‑year‑old. The former Atalanta midfielder made his World Cup debut off the bench in the 3‑0 win over Haiti last Friday after being called up to replace the injured Wesley.
However, he is not expected to be the only addition to Michael Carrick’s squad. West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes has been identified as a potential target alongside Adam Wharton, while Elliot Anderson had also been on the list before Manchester City moved ahead and completed the £116million deal.
The right‑back department, however, could remain unchanged, with Dalot and Mazraoui both keen to fight for their place in the starting XI. Sources close to the pair ‘insist’ neither is looking to leave, according to The Sun.
Dalot is heading into his ninth season at Old Trafford, while Mazraoui, who endured a stop‑start campaign with just 11 starts is said to be happy in Manchester. The Morocco international missed eight games between December and January due to injury.
West Ham have begun lining up reinforcements and have earmarked Leicester City’s Abdul Fatawu as a potential summer addition. Crysencio Summerville – along with Jarrod Bowen – has also attracted significant interest, with the pair emerging as two of the most sought‑after names following the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship.
Lewis Hall is also under consideration, albeit it’s understood that it has not resulted in a concrete offer from the Reds. He is under contract at Newcastle United until the summer of 2029.
Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.
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Official premium experiences at Old Trafford are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
Apr 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Ron Harper Jr (13) dribbles down the court during the second half against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics are re-signing Ron Harper Jr. to a new three-year, $9 million contract, ESPN reported Saturday.
The Celtics are declining the 26-year-old forward’s $2.6 million team option for 2026-27 to commit to the longer deal.
Harper averaged 4.2 points and 11.0 minutes in 29 games (three starts) in his first season with Boston in 2025-26.
He has averaged 3.7 points in 40 games (three starts) in parts of four NBA seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Celtics.
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Undrafted out of Rutgers in 2022, Harper is the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper and the older brother of San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper.
Jul 26, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi (30) looks on against FC Cincinnati during the first half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Inter Miami CF announced the transfer Saturday of homegrown midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi to Serie A side Parma Calcio 1913.
The 21-year-old Miami native spent last season on loan with the Italian club, which exercised its purchase option. He has appeared in nine matches for Parma.
Cremaschi becomes the first Inter Miami academy product to secure a transfer to one of Europe’s top leagues.
“Seeing a player who grew up in our academy, debuted with the first team, and is now making the leap to European football is a source of immense pride for everyone at Inter Miami. There is no greater satisfaction for a club, and this is the model we want to solidify,” sporting director Alberto Marrero said.
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“Benja demonstrates that talent, coupled with a solid development process and real opportunities with the First Team, can lead our players to compete in the best leagues in the world.”
Cremaschi recorded eight goals and nine assists in 72 MLS regular-season matches (49 starts) with Inter Miami from 2023-25. He helped the team win the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2024.
Still, DeChambeau said he was confident about the state of his game as he arrived on Long Island. A few days later, DeChambeau was packing up early after shooting 70-75 (five over) to miss the cut by one shot.
DeChambeau didn’t speak with the assembled media after missing the weekend at Shinnecock. But a week later, the Crushers’ frontman and YouTube content king posted a 34-minute video to his channel where he walked through every shot of his two rounds at Shinnecock and explained why he has underperformed at majors this year.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for a little bit now,” DeChambeu said to start the video. “I think it’s important for you guys, especially given that I show myself off in different ways, whether it’s entertaining on YouTube or playing professional golf, I want to do my best in every single event, and the way I’ve played recently is not a true reflection. Unfortunately, I’ve been working incredibly hard, and sometimes it just doesn’t pan out, which kind of sucks, and that’s golf, that’s life.”
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Most of DeChambeau’s video is him explaining how the softness of the greens confused him, or the wind didn’t hit certain shots the way he wanted or how he misread certain putts. He said “one of his favorite moments” of the tournament was the first drive he hit with his new TaylorMade prototype driver on the 12th hole. DeChambeau’s drive on the par 4 hit the road that intersects the hole and landed 427 yards away. He went on to make birdie.
When DeChambeau reaches Shinnecock’s first hole (the tenth of his first round), he notes an issue he has been working to figure out. DeChambeau’s drive found the fairway, but his approach landed left of his desired target. The shot landed hole high, but was indicative of one thing DeChambeau has been fighting.
“That’s one of the things I have to figure out with my wedges,” DeChambeau said. “Sometimes they feel like it slips on the face and it’s probably a shaft to head weight combo. So, that’s what I’m working on to figure that out right now.”
DeChambeau played his first 17 holes in one under par and seemed to be set to enter the mix at another U.S. Open.
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But his issues started to rear their head on Friday. With the first round called due to darkness, DeChambeau had to come out early Friday to finish the final hole of his first round and then turn back around and play his second. While warming up on the range, his swing felt off. It was a problem he couldn’t solve — one he has been fighting for some time.
“Anyway, this is kind of where it gets weird,” DeChambeau said of Friday morning. “I get to the range on Friday, and all of a sudden, something feels a little off with my timing in regards to how I’m jumping off the ground to get the club to come out. You know, those little right misses that I was talking about became more pronounced. I couldn’t feel like the club was naturally turning over effortlessly. And yeah, it showed on nine and I missed it horribly right. Felt late.”
DeChambeau’s drive on the final hole of his first round flared right and landed in the fescue. He eventually made a 26-foot putt for bogey to finish the first round at even par.
“I’m just in a weird spot,” DeChambeau said after his first round. “So, I had a little frustrating moment after that. But then, I gather myself and I come out and I still can’t figure it out. I still don’t know what’s going on with my golf swing. It feels a little funky. It’s just not turning over like it was the day before.”
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DeChambeau’s tournament quickly came unraveled at the start of his second round. He opened with pars at one and two and then made back-to-back double bogeys to fall to five over for the tournament.
“That was my tournament,” DeChambeau said. “That literally was the tournament. If I finish at one over, right from all that, if I finish at one over, I’m what am I seven back? Something like that. You know, there’s plenty of people that were one over going in and [finished] top 10 or played well on the weekend. You just can’t do that. It was really unfortunate the way that whole situation happened. I didn’t feel like I played that bad for that to happen, but you can’t do that at majors. You can’t make two doubles in a row. You can’t just do that.”
DeChambeau further discussed his swing issues, the same ones he appeared to be fighting on the range at the PGA Championship at Aronimink, when he hit a smother hook off the ninth tee.
“Slap cut,” DeChambeau said. “I couldn’t time my golf swing for some reason and it wasn’t unloading. The club head wasn’t coming out from the top. Felt like it was being dragged like radially and just could never get the club head out.”
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The video ends with DeChambeau being asked a few questions from off-screen, the same questions he would’ve faced from the media had he taken the few minutes to stop and answer.
“Not good enough golf,” DeChambeau said about his three major missed cuts. “We could say it’s unlucky. We could say, bad judgment. We could say bad swings and all that. But ultimately it comes down to me making better decisions, having a couple things go more my way, and me being more comfortable over the golf ball and not holding it off and knowing why I’m I have that miss, knowing why I’m missing it, and then working on speed with my putting, working on my wedges, getting a better combo so that it’s not as erratic. So even though I wasn’t hitting it my best off the tee — I was still number one and driving off the tee, which is crazy. My iron play is just something I got to work on, man. I got to get it better.”
Unlike Jon Rahm, DeChambeau has been playing a pivotal role in securing outside investment for LIV Golf. Asked if his focus on YouTube and the future of LIV was impacting his play in the majors, DeChambeau dismissed that idea, saying that he just hasn’t felt as good as he used to over the ball and that he and his team are trying to recreate the feeling he had when he shot 58 at LIV Greenbrier in 2023 while noting that it wasn’t long ago he was one of the best major performers on the planet. Things change quickly in professional golf.
“Everybody’s going to have their opinion on it,” DeChambeau said. “But I can tell you I’ve been working harder on my game this past year after the Masters than I have in the past three, four years. The amount of effort I’ve put into understanding my golf swing and what makes that thing come out — what makes the golf club come out more effectively and more efficiently is mindboggling. But I haven’t figured it out. I’ve been working with a great team. We just haven’t cracked the code on why I did what I did at Greenbrier.
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“Put one foot in front of the other and keep going,” DeChambeau said to end the video. “There’s not much more I can do than that. Just last year, before the U.S. Open, I was one of the best major championship performers in the world. Come one year later, everybody says I’m the worst. It just is what it is. It’s life, it’s golf. Things don’t always go your way. But guess what? Keep going.”
With LIV Golf on a break, DeChambeau’s next chance to “keep going” will come at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where he will look to try not to miss all four major cuts in 2026.
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