Sports
NBA Finals: Knicks detail plan to adjust, bounce back vs. Spurs in Game 4
NEW YORK — On Tuesday, the day after handing the New York Knicks their first loss in 46 days — a 115-111 decision in Game 3 of the NBA Finals — San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle recalled a different, much less exhilarating game at Madison Square Garden. On the first day of March, the Spurs were flying high, winners of 11 straight games, and New York sent them crashing back down to earth with a 25-point rout. It was their first loss in more than a month, and it was an eye-opener.
“It made us realize that we’re not invincible,” Castle said. “If we don’t do the things we’re supposed to, we’re still a beatable team.”
Now it’s clear that the Knicks, up 2-1 in the series, aren’t invincible, either. And maybe they were overdue for this kind of wake-up call. For all of the discussion of what changed in Game 3 — more alley-oops for Victor Wembanyama, fewer buckets from Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, etc. — there hasn’t been much made of how similar it was to Game 2: San Antonio built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, New York stormed back to take a lead into halftime and the Spurs went on a run in the fourth quarter, during which the Knicks’ offense fell to pieces. The difference is that New York didn’t escape Monday’s game with a victory.
Three games in, the Knicks have outscored San Antonio by 2.8 points per 100 possessions (or seven total points) in the series. New York is only two wins away from a championship, but if it loses a second straight game at home, the Spurs will be in the same spot, with home-court advantage.
How can the Knicks get their groove back?
New York has been playing a dangerous game
After the Knicks scored 91.3 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarter of their Game 2 win, several of their players said they needed to tighten up their late-game execution. Then they scored 87 per 100 in the fourth quarter of their Game 3 loss.
“There were a lot of times where the decisions weren’t made quick last night,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “One guy caught, held, held, held, held, held. Now the defense settles in. Now you’re in trouble.”
Against a defense like San Antonio’s, with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama patrolling the paint and sturdy, athletic defenders on the perimeter, you don’t want to get stagnant. Patience, however, has been a virtue for the Knicks throughout their magical run to the Finals. At their best, they find easy points in transition, move the ball in the halfcourt and demoralize opponents by making tough shots late in the clock.
Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Bridges and Deuce McBride all seem to have a knack for knocking down jumpers after an opponent has played 20-plus seconds of good defense. In Game 3, Anunoby and Jordan Clarkson both hit 3s that sent the crowd into a frenzy:
You need to make contested, late-clock jumpers in the playoffs. You do not, however, want to rely on them. In this respect, the Knicks have been playing a dangerous game. During the playoffs, a league-high 24% of their plays have gone down to the last four seconds of the shot clock; they’ve scored 94.3 points per 100 possessions on those plays, per Hoops Junkie. In Game 3, those numbers were 27.3% and 80 per 100.
Bridges said there was “too much ball-watching, standing around.” The combination of Wembanyama and the Spurs’ physical guards can sometimes cause “confusion,” he said, but “we just got to keep moving.”
With about four minutes left in Game 3 and the Spurs up by eight, Knicks guard Landry Shamet slipped to the rim and got San Antonio in the blender. It technically didn’t turn into a late-clock possession, by Hoops Junkie’s definition, but it was a masterclass in multiple-effort defense by San Antonio. New York had the Spurs scrambling, but they kept rotating until Shamet decided to drive a Wembanyama closeout and the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year swatted him at the rim:
Post-game, De’Aaron Fox said San Antonio knows the Knicks are going to try to draw Wembanyama out of the paint. The Spurs also know that they’re going to have to rotate, communicate and try to force the Knicks to play deep into the clock.
“If you’re playing 21, 22 seconds of great defense, they make a shot, tap ’em on the butt, good job,” Fox said. “That’s where we want to live. We want to live in the area of them trying to take tough shots at the end of the shot clock.”
The interesting thing about that particular possession, though, is that New York could also frame it as a positive. The offense was not stagnant. The ball pinged around the court. In the same way that San Antonio can’t be discouraged by tough shot-making, the Knicks can’t be discouraged by Wembanyama making an amazing block.
“We’ve forced them to take a lot of shots at the end of clock,” Johnson said. “They’ve made a lot of those shots. There’s some give-and-take there. I think we’ve shown that we can be impactful when we’re connected and doing it the right way. They’ve shown they do a great job moving the ball and making the basketball find the open man. I think it will be a little bit of tug-of-war until this thing’s over.”
How can the Knicks clean things up?
Towns had some harsh words for his team’s performance in Game 3: “Playing around with the game against a great team, you’re asking for a disaster, and that’s what we got.”
In Towns’ estimation, New York was “not executing the little details that made us special.” The Knicks turned the ball over twice before they scored a single point. They sent the Spurs to the line for 24 free throws in the second half. He was hardly the only Knicks player who was disappointed; Bridges described his own individual showing as “terrible.”
“We were making turnovers that was uncharacteristic of us, just being sloppy with the ball, not being on the same page,” Anunoby said. “During the course of the game, stuff like that happens. We’re going to try to clean it up.”
Hart noted that, because San Antonio was at the free-throw line so often, “it was tough to run.” In the postseason, New York has generally been locked in on both ends, quick to adjust to whatever defensive coverage is thrown its way and disciplined in its defensive game plan. Against this opponent, though, everything is more difficult, as it is supposed to be at this stage.
The Spurs’ ball pressure has been relentless, and so has their rim pressure on the offensive end. Hart said that they need to be better about “not letting the ball touch the paint,” but that’s a lot easier said than done when Castle, Fox and Dylan Harper are in attack mode, especially if Brunson is either involved in the action or providing little resistance as the low man.
Towns hasn’t scored in the fourth quarter in any Finals game. Bridges, generally a good barometer for the offense, scored just two points on 1-for-5 shooting in 29 minutes in Game 3. Brown gives the Knicks the freedom to play out of concepts rather than run many set plays, but this demands they play with purpose. Towns had smaller defenders on him for more of Monday’s game than he did in either of the previous two, and New York didn’t make the most of that advantage.
In Brunson’s view, the fixes for Game 4 on Wednesday are simple: don’t turn the ball over, stop fouling and “continue to be who we are.” In Fox’s view, though, the Spurs have been “in control” as long as they’ve taken care of the ball themselves, kept the Knicks out of transition and protected the defensive glass. We’re at the stage of the series where both teams understand exactly what the other one wants to do, both teams think their wounds are self-inflicted and the margins are extremely thin.
“At this point, it’s a battle of wills and a battle of who can execute the most,” Fox said.
Jul 26, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates with center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) after hitting a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill homered in the four-run eighth inning to help the visiting San Diego Padres rally for a 5-3 win on Sunday and extend the Miami Marlins’ losing streak to a franchise-record 12 straight games.
Machado also had an RBI double in the fifth that sparked the comeback after being down 3-0. Jake Cronenworth contributed three hits and scored twice, and Ty France, Luis Rengifo and Merrill had two hits each for San Diego, which swept the three-game series.
Padres starter Walker Buehler surrendered three runs (two earned) and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander struck out seven and walked two. Mason Miller pitched the ninth for his 27th save.
Kyle Stowers doubled and homered for the Marlins, who had lost 11 in a row three other times in team history, most recently in June 2011. Miami starter Janson Junk went 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run and scattering seven hits before Lake Bachar (1-2) allowed two homers in the first four at-bats of the eighth.
Rays 1, Guardians 0
Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit over seven shutout innings while Chandler Simpson manufactured the game’s lone run as Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep of Cleveland in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rasmussen (9-5) walked one and struck out nine after allowing Steven Kwan’s double to begin the game. Simpson (two hits) led off the Rays’ fifth with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ben Williamson’s groundout before scoring on Cedric Mullins’ bunt single.
Parker Messick (8-6) was a hard-luck loser for the Guardians after giving up one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six with zero walks.
Braves 3, Orioles 2 (11 innings)
Austin Riley doubled in the go-ahead run, Tyler Kinley protected the lead and Atlanta beat host Baltimore in the rubber game of the three-game series.
Dominic Smith drove in two runs with a pair of singles and finished with three hits while starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez threw 5 2/3 shutout innings for the Braves, who won for the eighth time in their last 11 games. Kinley delivered 1 1/3 scoreless innings, leaving the bases loaded in both the 10th and 11th innings.
Pete Alonso homered for the Orioles, who tied the game in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a costly Ozzie Albies error but then wasted game-winning opportunities in the next two innings. Andrew Kittredge (1-3) took the loss after Shane Baz allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Pirates 8, Cubs 7
Ryan O’Hearn celebrated his 33rd birthday by belting his second grand slam of the season and fourth of his career as host Pittsburgh held on to beat Chicago.
The Pirates’ Shawn Ross launched a two-run homer in his second MLB game while rookie Esmerlyn Valdez also went deep and added an RBI single. Brandon Lowe collected three hits and two runs as Pittsburgh snapped a three-game losing streak.
Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Cubs. Pete Crow-Armstrong ripped an RBI triple and Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Pedro Ramirez each added an RBI single.
Nationals 10, Diamondbacks 7
CJ Abrams and James Wood each homered twice as Washington beat visiting Arizona to take the rubber game in the series between National League wild-card contenders.
Abrams finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs to boost his numbers to seven homers and 14 RBIs in his last seven games. Wood became the fifth MLB player to reach the 30-homer mark this season, while Dylan Crews added three hits.
Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte homered for the Diamondbacks and Gabriel Moreno had two doubles and a sacrifice fly.
Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 1
Boston starter Ranger Suarez and four relievers combined to shut down visiting Toronto to clinch the team’s sixth straight series win.
Suarez, pitching for the first time since July 5 due to a groin strain, was taken out after four scoreless innings and 64 pitches, allowing four hits. Jarren Duran and Jahmai Jones each delivered two-run hits to give the Red Sox pitching staff plenty of run support. Boston has won 17 of its last 19 games.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman (4-10) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Toronto has lost eight straight Gausman starts, and the 35-year-old has not won since May 22. Andres Gimenez prevented the shutout with an RBI single which plated Daulton Varsho with two outs in the ninth.
Royals 5, Tigers 4
Michael Massey hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning and visiting Kansas City hung on for a win over Detroit.
Massey’s eighth homer made a winner of Nate Pearson (2-0), who was making his Royals debut after being acquired in a trade with Houston. Lane Thomas had a solo homer and Luke Maile added an RBI double as the Royals salvaged a split of the four-game series.
Dillon Dingler had two hits and drove in two runs for the Tigers.
Mets 8, Dodgers 3
Tyrone Taylor’s go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning propelled New York to the victory over visiting Los Angeles.
The veteran outfielder greeted reliever Evan Phillips with a 405-foot blast into the left field seats for his eighth homer of the season and fifth since July 4. Marcus Semien added another three-run shot for the Mets as they snapped a three-game skid.
Freddie Freeman had an RBI while going 2-for-4 for his fourth straight multi-hit game. Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernandez also went 2-for-4.
White Sox 12, Astros 3
Miguel Vargas hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the sixth inning and Munetaka Murakami added a pair of homers as host Chicago routed Houston to avoid a series sweep.
Murakami went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs. Sean Newcomb (1-2) worked around a hit and walk to get the final two outs in the sixth to notch the victory.
Jeremy Pena cracked solo homers in his first two at-bats and Taylor Trammell added a solo homer for the Astros, whose five-game winning streak came to a close. In his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery, Ronel Blanco (0-1) scattered five runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts.
Twins 11, Athletics 8
Ryan Jeffers went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and Minnesota held on to beat the Athletics in Minneapolis.
Ryan Kreidler finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI for the Twins, who won the rubber match of the three-game series. Kody Clemens went 3-for-5 with two triples and an RBI.
Nick Kurtz hit a three-run home run to lead the Athletics. Jeff McNeil was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Brewers 11, Rockies 2
Jacob Misiorowski retired the first 14 batters he faced and finished with 12 strikeouts, Andrew Vaughn homered and host Milwaukee beat Colorado to take the rubber match in the series.
Misiorowski (11-4) struck out seven in a row to start the game and 12 of the first 13 batters he faced with pitches consistently above 100 mph. Cole Carrigg ended the bid for a perfect game with an opposite-field homer to left in the fifth inning.
Carrigg’s home run was his fifth of the season and Willi Castro hit a solo home run in the seventh for the Rockies, who finished with five hits and fanned 15 times.
Reds 5, Cardinals 3 (10 innings)
Cincinnati scored three times in the top of the 10th inning to take the rubber match over host St. Louis.
Nathaniel Lowe went 3-for-5, including a two-run RBI single in the 10th. Elly De La Cruz added a home run for the Reds. Starter Andrew Abbott allowed two runs on three hits and fanned four in six innings. Brock Burke (4-4) retired all four batters he faced in the eighth and ninth, and Julian Garcia picked up his first career save.
Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy struck out a career-high nine batters while holding Cincinnati to two runs on six hits in six innings. Reliever Matt Svanson (2-3) allowed all three runs (two earned) in the 10th. Alec Burleson went 3-for-5 for St. Louis, scoring once and driving in a run.
Mariners 6, Rangers 4
Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena hit back-to-back homers in the seventh inning as Seattle rallied to defeat Texas in an American League West showdown at Arlington, Texas.
Reliever Gabe Speier (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts to earn the victory, and Andres Munoz struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save of the season. The Mariners snapped a four-game skid and moved past Houston to regain second place in the division, 1 1/2 games behind the Rangers.
Ezequiel Duran went deep for Texas, which had won the first two games in the four-game series that concludes Monday.
Angels 4, Giants 3
Jorge Soler and Jo Adell hit fourth-inning home runs, Jose Soriano threw five sharp innings and Los Angeles salvaged one game in their road interleague series against San Francisco.
Mike Trout went 4-for-4 for the Angels, who snapped a three-game losing streak. The four-hit game was Trout’s first since April 2021 and 21st of his career. His other three hits were singles.
Both starters went five innings. Soriano (9-6) allowed just the unearned run and three hits, with three walks and five strikeouts. The Giants’ Carson Whisenhunt (2-1) was charged with all four Los Angeles runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
–Field Level Media
Luke Littler bulldozed his way to a second consecutive Betfred World Matchplay title as he crushed Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool.
The 19-year-old averaged 111.53 in the final, setting an average for the tournament as a whole of 111.04 to break Phil Taylor’s record of 106.31.
Littler also broke his own competition record for 180s as he hit 12 in the final to reach 66 for the week.
Littler became only the third man to successfully defend the Matchplay final after Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who did it most recently in 2016.
It keeps Littler on course for a clean sweep of trophies in 2026, having already won the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League and the Masters, while he will defend the Grand Slam, Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals.
Littler was on a charge from the start, taking a 3-1 lead with a 167 checkout to leave Price feeding on crumbs.
A third bullseye finish of the night made it 11-3, but he twice missed double 10 to allow Price a brief moment of hope, as the Welshman cut the deficit to 14-7.
Price hit a nine-darter to get to 15-9 but Littler responded with a 148 before finishing it off in short order.
“It’s been a crazy week, one of the best weeks of my life with the darts I’ve played,” Littler said. “It’s not been easy, it’s been tough.
“The stats make it look easy but when you’re on this stage with how hot it is, I’ve definitely played some of the best darts of my life.
“I feel like it’s the best version of myself. I have just played so well.”
Littler is eyeing a clean sweep of the majors, and will now turn his attention to the Pro Tour in order to qualify for the Player Championship Finals.
“I don’t think my dad is too happy because we were meant to be going to Spain but now we will be going to Leicester for some Pro Tours!” he said.
Price, appearing in his first final since 2022 having never won the trophy, had said earlier in the week that if he brought his best to the final he could beat Littler, but it was not the case as, even averaging 104.97, the Welshman was blown away.
“Luke is one in a million,” Price said. “I think I played pretty decent.
“In that game I missed a couple of opportunities but the bull checkouts, the 167, it was a big turning point even though it was early in the game.
“I didn’t play brilliant, but I played decent.”
Earlier Beau Greaves claimed her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years as she edged out Fallon Sherrock 6-5.
Greaves started the final with finishes of 148 and 144 in consecutive legs, but Sherrock kept pushing, and took back-to-back legs to level at 5-5 and force a decider.
They shared maximums but Greaves came out on top with a checkout of 56 to secure the crown.
“I’m not one to celebrate but it was relief in the end,” Greaves said. “Fallon is a great lass and an even better darts player. I knew I had to play well but to hit that last dart was an outpouring of relief.”
Luke Littler warned he can still get better after crushing Gerwyn Price 18-9 to retain his Betfred World Matchplay title in Blackpool.
Littler was in imperious form as he set a new record for the final with an average of 111.53, lifting his average for the tournament as a whole to 111.04 to break Phil Taylor’s previous high mark of 106.31.
Littler also broke his own competition record for 180s as he hit 12 in the final to reach 66 for the week.
The win keeps Littler on course for a clean sweep of trophies in 2026 having already won the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League and the Masters.
But while the 19-year-old said this was the best version of himself to date, there is still plenty more to come.
“I can still get better,” Littler said. “I can get a lot better. Through the matches, I was up to a 120 average at one point and I didn’t make it stick. Maybe in a few years’ time I will stick it and go up to a 120 average.
“At the minute I’m playing some of the best stuff and I’ve just got to keep it there…
“The main goal was to win every major once. I don’t know how many years are left in me. We’re still only two and a half years into my professional career. It’s far from done.”
Littler suggested his relentless scoring reflected his deep desire to become only the third man to successfully defend the Matchplay title after Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who achieved it 10 years ago.
“I’ve come out with the best outcome there is in any tournament by lifting the trophy, but the way I’ve done it, I’ve definitely surprised myself but it’s down to the commitment I’ve got.
“I wanted to win this trophy more than anything, go back to back, put my name on that list and that’s what I’ve done. I wasn’t playing the best (in the World Series) but I’ve come here with a different mindset.”
Price, appearing in his first final since 2022 having never won the trophy, had said earlier in the week that if he brought his best to the final he could beat Littler, but it was not the case as, even averaging 104.97, the Welshman was blown away.
“Luke is one in a million,” Price said. “I think I played pretty decent.
“In that game I missed a couple of opportunities but the bull checkouts, the 167, it was a big turning point even though it was early in the game.
“I didn’t play brilliant, but I played decent.”
Earlier Beau Greaves claimed her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years as she edged out Fallon Sherrock 6-5, taking the win with a checkout of 56 in the deciding leg.
“I’m not one to celebrate but it was relief in the end,” Greaves said. “Fallon is a great lass and an even better darts player. I knew I had to play well but to hit that last dart was an outpouring of relief.”
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One of MLB’s top trade candidates ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline might be out for the remainder of the season.
Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, who was enjoying a career year behind the dish and in the batter’s box, suffered a torn meniscus that could force him to miss the rest of the season, per ESPN.
The 28-year-old hurt his knee while running on the basepaths, and now he and the team are deliberating over whether he should undergo surgery to repair the tear in the knee.
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Shea Langeliers of the Athletics is seen in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Phoenix, Ariz. (MLB Photos)
If surgery is the decision, ESPN reports it would be the end of Langeliers’ 2026 campaign.
But either way, teams that were interested in potentially trading for the All-Star catcher are very likely out of the running now. Langeliers is considered one of the best at his position in MLB, which is why the A’s had no plan to move him despite a 44-60 record on the year that puts them on the outside looking in at playoffs.
REDS’ DANE MYERS CARTED OFF FIELD AFTER CRASHING INTO WALL MAKING ACROBATIC CATCH VS BREWERS
Langeliers has been the team’s top player, representing them at his first-ever All-Star Game earlier this month. And he’s doing so while others like Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson are dealing with injuries themselves.
Langeliers is slashing .263/.332/.497 this season with a .829 OPS, 23 home runs and 51 RBI. These are the numbers the A’s were hoping Langeliers would post this season after a successful 2025 campaign that included 31 homers and a career-high .861 OPS.
Shea Langeliers of the Athletics bats during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 21, 2026, in Phoenix, Ariz. The Diamondbacks defeated the Athletics 6-5. (Getty Images)
He was on pace to break some more career highs, but this injury puts a damper in it all.
And those postseason contenders are just as bummed if they were hoping the A’s would change their position about moving Langeliers before the deadline. The New York Yankees, for one, are a team that’s expected to be in the catching market before the deadline, and calling the A’s about Langeliers would likely have occurred.
Now, catchers like Colorado Rockies’ Hunter Goodman and Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman could see an uptick in interest among teams hoping to bolster that position for a playoff push.
Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics gets ready in the batter’s box against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 20, 2026. (Getty Images)
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The A’s will have to go with Jonah Heim moving forward with Langeliers sidelined, and he himself has been among trade conversations as well due to his veteran prowess. He vaults to a starting role, though, and may not be as available.
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It looked like Mayo would be on the end of another defeat when David Clifford – widely considered one of the greatest players of his generation, perhaps even of all time – netted to put Kerry in control in the early stages.
But Mayo dug deep and fought back, and trailed by a single point at half-time.
Things changed four minutes after the restart when Darragh Beirne finished off a flowing move to put Mayo into a lead they would not relinquish.
Kerry, as great champions do, never folded and there was a late scare as the pressure grew, but Mayo were not to be denied in a three-point victory.
The tears and emotion at the final whistle meant everything.
Manager Andy Moran, a former Mayo player and in his first year in charge, went to his wife and family in the stands.
The new generation, such as Beirne and the superb Aussie Rules-bound Kobe McDonald, soaked in every moment on the Croke Park pitch.
There was over 80,000 people in attendance, and for those in green and red, plus the many neutrals in attendance, there was barely a dry eye in the house.
While the so-called ‘curse’ is one thing, Mayo also wore a special white jersey in a final for the first time since 1951 due to a clash between the green home kit of Kerry. Perhaps it was fate.
“To every man, women, boy and girl in Mayo, wherever you are, dream big things,” said captain Jack Coyne, who delivered one of the all-time great speeches before lifting the Sam Maguire.
“Anything is possible and we’ve shown it today. I’m over the moon.”
Britain’s Francesca Jones made it back-to-back wins on the Challenger Tour by successfully defending her title at the Palermo Ladies Open.
The top seed beat Fiona Ferro 6-0 4-6 7-6 (8-6) in two hours and 43 minutes.
Jones, who had dropped one set all tournament, took the opener in just 21 minutes.
The 25-year-old then fought back from 3-0 down to lead 4-3 in the second, but Ferro reeled off three straight games to level the match.
A tight deciding set went all the way to a tie break, where the French seventh seed spurned match point at 6-5, allowing Jones to close out victory.
It was her fourth career win on the Challenger Tour and second in eight days, following a victory at the ATV Rome Open.
“We both deserved to win. It was a close match until the end, and we did everything we could,” said Jones, who beat Anouk Koevermans of the Netherlands to win the title in 2025.
Bradford-born Jones will rise from 113 to 110 in the WTA rankings on Monday following this success.
3M Open final leaderboard
-25 J Koivun (US); -22 S Scheffler (US); -20 D McCarthy (US), B Harman (US), C Phillips (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn)
Selected others: -17 S Power (Ire), G Woodland (US) M Kim (US); -16 Knapp (US); -13 J Parry (Eng)
American rookie Jackson Koivun held his nerve to beat Scottie Scheffler by three strokes and claim his first PGA Tour win at the 3M Open on Sunday.
Playing in just his third tournament since turning professional, Koivun surged into a three-shot lead on Saturday during a round of 10-under 61.
The 21-year-old then stretched his lead to five in the final round at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, before world number one Scheffler applied pressure.
The four-time major winner began the back nine with three straight birdies, then claimed two more in the final three holes to finish with an eight-under 63 and trail compatriot Koivun by two strokes.
Former world amateur number one Koivun could have wobbled at that point, with holes left to play, but instead he made his fifth birdie of the day at 16 before wrapping up a five-under 66 to finish on 25 under par overall.
“I had some nerves coming down 18,” said Koivun. “All throughout the crowd I kept hearing ‘Scottie’s coming, Scottie’s coming’.
“I just tried to tune that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could and was able to find some good putts coming down the stretch.”
American trio Denny McCarthy, Brian Harman and Chandler Phillips finished five strokes behind Koivun, in a tie for third with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Michael Kim fired a 12-under 59 on Friday, but the American finished in a tie for 10th after closing with rounds of 70 and 69.
Originally scheduled for last spring, the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finally kicks off this Sunday in Rabat, Morocco. Algeria take on Senegal in the opening match, while defending champions Nigeria begin their quest to retain the title as the tournament favourites.
The Ciaron Maher-conditioned galloper, Tennessee Bound, has successfully maintained its winning form with a courageous performance at Caulfield.
Tennessee Bound extended its unbeaten run to six races with its victory in the Sportsbet Caulfield Cup Carnival Hospitality Handicap (1100m) held on Saturday, though the triumph was preceded by early race-day drama.
The Written Tycoon filly faltered slightly as the starting gates opened, requiring apprentice jockey Jabez Johnstone a few moments to find her rhythm.
“It wasn’t smooth sailing, that’s for sure,” Johnstone stated.
“She stepped awkward and had a bit of a trip but recovered well.
“I was under pressure coming into the straight and for that reason she did lay-out marginally, but for a horse to win six in a row, it’s a pretty fair effort.”
Sent to the post as the commanding $1.45 favourite, Tennessee Bound held off a tenacious Behaviour ($11) by a mere short head, with Luna Cat ($5.50) finishing a further two lengths adrift in third.
Maher indicated his intention to proceed with a measured strategy for Tennessee Bound, suggesting he would likely seek another handicap-based race in the coming weeks.
Saturday’s win was achieved in a Benchmark 84 event.
“We’ve been patient with her,” Maher remarked.
“She had a three-month break before this preparation, and I think that really helped her.
“I thought she stripped pretty well today, and I think the claim for Jabez definitely helped and getting close to the line, it got a bit interesting, but all she can do is win, so we can’t be too hard on her.
“We’ll see how she comes up, she’s progressive and keeps winning and it certainly gets tougher every time she steps out.
“However, she handles the track, so we’ll raise the bar again, but we won’t get too carried away and look for ratings races.
“She’ll probably jump up four or five points, so we’ll continue to use Jabez’s claim.”
Compare the latest Victorian racing odds with Australia’s leading racing betting markets.
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