If you’re wondering how to best prepare yourself for the round ahead on the greens, Drew Stoltz has a simple routine worth copying.

In the latest episode of Emergency 9, the Subpar co-host shared how he dials in his putting before each round.

Up first: straight shorties, which he said helps him get a feel for his tendencies on a given day.

“I like to start off with just some short straight putts,” he said. “All I’m focusing on is ball position and alignment. Speed doesn’t matter. I want a dead straight putt just so I can get some feedback. If it’s going in the right side of the hole, I know I may be aimed a little right. Same with the left side as well.”

Stoltz said he likes to see five or 10 short putts go in before moving to mid-range.

“I like to work my way around in a circle from about 6 to 8 feet,” he said. “That way, I’m getting putts that are right to left, I get putts that are uphill, downhill, left to right, you get all of it. It just gives you a good idea for the pace of the greens and how hard you need to hit it on your given line.”

After completing a circle around the hole, Stoltz moves on to the final stage of his putting warm-up: lags.

“Sometimes I’ll aim for the edge of the green, sometimes I’ll aim for a hole, whatever I can,” he said. “I just hit like, 40-footers over and over, uphill, downhill, just to get the pace dialed in for the longer putts. After that I try not to overthink it and head to the first tee.”

And Stoltz’s current flatstick, Cobra’s 3DP Tour Agera, makes alignment easier than ever.

“This thing’s been a game changer for me,” Stoltz said. “This putter has been really consistent for me ever since I put it in. Super consistent off the face, you get a lot of feedback too, whether you hit it on the toe or the heel, but you also get that consistent rollout.

“The main reason I think I like this is these two stripes on top make it super easy for alignment,” he continued. “That’s the thing I struggle with most, and I think that’s what a ton of golfers struggle with most is just getting set up correctly.”

Interested in testing Stoltz’s putter for yourself? Check it out in detail by clicking the link below. You can also watch Stoltz explain his pre-round putting routine in the video above.

Cobra 3DP Tour Agera Custom Putter

 

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Texas A&M’s 2026 season ended at the hands of USC in the College Station Regional less than two weeks ago, and while second-year coach Michael Earely deserves credit for leading the Aggies back to the NCAA Tournament after missing the postseason during his first year at the helm, but after firing pitching coach Jason Kelley, it’s clear that the Aggies are in need of better coaching and talent on the mound.

Despite his struggles, junior LHP Shane Sdao could easily depart for the 2026 MLB Draft, while elite closer Clayton Freshcorn will also have a tough decision to make regarding his future, knowing that his stock has steadily risen after ending the season with an impressive 2.82 ERA with 56 strikeouts.

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Another name to watch is incoming senior Weston Moss, who also struggled early in the year but settled in late, capping his season off with a record performance against Texas State. Pairing with sophomore ace Aiden Sims, the right pitching coach hire should help Moss, Sdao, and several other pitchers, including Gavin Lyons, improve significantly next season.

This week, it was revealed that the Aggies are in the mix for Texas State pitcher Wade Cooper, as On3 insider Pete Nakos confirmed that Texas A&M is now the leading favorite to land the standout freshman, who recorded five saves and 73 strikeouts last season.

“Cooper just finished his freshman season at Texas State with a 4.72 ERA, five saves in 66.2 innings pitched and 73 strikeouts. Sources tell On3 that Texas A&M is trending to land Cooper, and barring something unforeseen, he’s expected to land in College Station.”

Adding Wade Cooper would be the first step towards filling out the 2027 pitching rotation, but given the likely departure of Texas A&M’s top three hitters, Michael Earley and his staff have plenty of work ahead of them to rebuild the roster.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M is ‘expected to land’ Texas State transfer P Wade Cooper

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former India pacer S Sreesanth has urged teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to remain focused on cricket and avoid getting distracted by professional managers following his rapid rise to fame.The 15-year-old prodigy recently earned a place in India’s squads for the tours of Ireland and England, becoming the youngest player ever selected for the Indian men’s team. In doing so, he eclipsed a 36-year-old record held by legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar, who made his India debut at the age of 16 against Pakistan in 1989.Speaking about the youngster’s success, Sreesanth showered praise on Suryavanshi’s commitment, discipline and the sacrifices made by his family.“Man, no matter how less we say about Suryavanshi… it won’t be enough. I mean, no matter how much we praise him, it will still fall short.”“So I will say that Sooryavanshi’s family… and the young kids who are watching and thinking ‘I want to be like him too’ – you can achieve it because he has shown the way. First, Sachin Paji showed us, then Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma came along. But I would say what Vaibhav… what Vaibhav has shown, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, that is a prime example of commitment and perseverance.”The former fast bowler recalled seeing videos of Sooryavanshi training relentlessly during the Covid-19 pandemic and highlighted the role played by his father and coaches in shaping his journey.“Even during Corona times, they were showing his videos of practicing on the terrace. His father, man, lots of respect to him. Respect to all his coaches, respect to everyone because… as you know, I am from Kerala. And when people talk about ‘opportunities, opportunities’ – even in cricket today, that’s all we talk about, getting an opportunity.”“But traveling for four hours without even having an assured opportunity, practicing, staying back, going back every single day… and that too playing 750 to 1000 balls daily, doing drills… and he still says, ‘I don’t feel good when I get rest.’ I will learn from him. I… with all respect to all the legendary cricketers, respect to everybody, but what this kid has shown… just leave him be, man. Leave him as he is. A lot of managers will come around now.“Sreesanth then issued a word of caution, advising the youngster to stay grounded and let his family take care of off-field matters.“Vaibhav, if you are watching this, my request to you is to leave these managers aside and focus on yourself. Your father will handle things, and your family members will handle things. Stay away from these professional managers.”

Conor Benn is expected to challenge for Ryan Garcia’s WBC welterweight world title later this year, looking to claim a major belt for the first time and put an early end to the Californian’s reign. Paulie Malignaggi has weighed in on how the fight might play out.

In February, Garcia returned after a defeat to Rolando Romero to enter his third consecutive title fight and finally get his hands on a belt, trumping Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world championship. In September, Garcia is expected to defend that belt against mandatory challenger Benn.

Speaking with Froch on Fighting, two-division champion turned analyst Malignaggi said that he has not been impressed with Benn’s recent performances, and doesn’t believe the Brit has earned his place on the world stage.

“If his last name wasn’t Benn, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the level that he is on. Does that mean that I don’t like the fact that he is here? No. He has taken advantage of the name, he has been promoted well, he has been moved well, I don’t think that he is a world-class fighter, though.

“His best performances were around the PED suspicion, he has not looked good since, he looked bad against the corpse that was Regis Prograis. I don’t think that he is that good, honestly.”

Benn failed two doping tests in 2022, cancelling a Chris Eubank Jr fight that was not rescheduled until 2025.

Malignaggi then went on to forecast a knockout win for Garcia in his the mandatory fight, before offering some words of advice to Benn.

“He gets knocked out [against Ryan Garcia]. I look at Conor like he is so determined to show everyone that he has power after the PED suspicions., he tries too hard to punch.

“You can see it in the last fight [vs. Prograis], he is putting too much weight on his jab, he is trying to show people, ‘No, I am really a natural puncher’ – mate, you weren’t and you are not a puncher.

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“By trying so hard to be a puncher when you are not a puncher, you are going to look worse. Just snap your punches out, be that fighter and that is it. Be the boxer.”

Garcia has said that the fight will take place on September 12 in Las Vegas, however, there is yet to be an official announcement.

The New York Knicks outscored the San Antonio Spurs by 28 points after the Wu-Tang Clan’s halftime performance to complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.

Down by 29 at one point, the Knicks stormed all the way back, putting Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.

But before that, just about every ounce of momentum was in the Spurs’ hands – and the Knicks had few answers.

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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots against New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby in the fourth quarter during game four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, on June 10, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

So, how did they just become the victims of one of the greatest collapses in the history of sports?

“We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half,” Victor Wembanyama admitted.

Wembanyama was once again Public Enemy No. 1 in New York, getting booed in intros and treated to expletives from the crowd. When a defensive foul on him early was reversed to an offensive foul he drew, he again was jeered. It obviously continued throughout the night.

But after Mitchell Robinson was called for a flagrant foul for hitting Wembanyama, he appeared to relish the moment.

“I’m in your head!” cameras caught Wembanyama saying.

Wembanyama was in the Knicks’ heads. Wembanyama was in the Knicks’ fans’ heads. And after winning two games on the road to begin the series, losing all the momentum was in the Knicks’ heads.

But the Spurs scored just 30 points in the second half and turned the ball over nine times in the final 24 minutes. A 20-point lead in the fourth quarter vanished in minutes.

OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks celebrates after scoring the go-ahead basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 10, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

KNICKS OWNER, MAMDANI TRADE BARBS OVER CANCELED KNICKS WATCH PARTY OUTSIDE MSG: ‘DON’T WANT THE CELEBRATION’

“To put as much good work into that first half as we did and get the lead that we had and not finish the job, it’s disappointing to say the least…” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. “We got away from playing the brand of basketball that got us the lead. And then you saw at times, the aggressiveness and conviction that we played with early on dissipated and they made some shots. We needed a couple of more tough-minded plays to finish the job.”

“It was painful, of course. It feels like we worked too hard and give up our leads. It’s as simple as that. It just hurts,” Wembanyama added.

Now, the Spurs have no choice but to be the hungrier team, as they need to win three games in a row to avoid the Knicks winning their first NBA championship since 1973.

“It’s going to go one of two ways: a bad one and a good one. The bad one will be giving up. The good one will be getting stronger through this, getting more together and that’s what we’re going to do,” Wembanyama said.

Members of the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

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“Holding each other accountable, communicating, not pointing fingers. After that, we either got it or we don’t. We’ve proven that we can surpass these difficulties but even though we haven’t been there it before, I’m convinced we are built this way. We’re going to get better from this and It’s going to tighten us up.”

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As the 48 teams gradually arrived in North America, every image further setting a grand stage, a thought struck managers like Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti.

They were right to make the sheer scale of this World Cup more of a priority in planning. “United 2026” – as it is officially known – is enormous in every sense, from size to serious issues.

That only deepens the distinctive challenge a World Cup poses, and only elevates the meaning of victory.

A team can be brilliant and do everything possible to gear up for a four-year cycle over the long term, but the lifting of that great trophy really comes down to having everything – form, spirit, mood, fitness, tactics – just right for five weeks in one summer.

It’s really about a moment in time, and one that makes you immortal, although this time in a far greater space.

If the classic line is that people measure their lives in World Cups, this one is so immense it’s almost impossible to quantify.

That could lead to a few other predictable lines about an American World Cup: that it was always going to be super-sized, that size will matter, that more may be less.

The most immediate numbers, at least, do illustrate this. This World Cup involves: the most ever teams, at 48; the most ever hosts, at three; the most ever venues, at 16; and the greatest ever distance between venues, at 4,780km, with all of this adding up to unprecedented astronomical cost for fans and even federations.

The avaricious ticket pricing had been the dominant controversy in a largely shambolic build-up for Fifa, but has since been overtaken by the conflict with Iran and connected visa scandals.

So much for this World Cup being a return to the familiar after the highly politicised police-state sportswashing spectacles of Russia and Qatar.

It has instead thrown up more unprecedented issues than ever before – another one for the scales; another illustration of bloated indulgence. Such issues have only been added to by another more familiar element, which is the promise of record revenue at $14bn.

And yet one of the great uncertainties about this World Cup, which is causing nervousness at the top of Fifa, is whether all this will mean there is nothing like the record attendances of USA ‘94.

That competition will constantly offer a mirror to this one, especially when the memories remain so vivid due to its bright lights – in football and look.

There are instead so many shades to 2026, and a real darkness. For all Gianni Infantino’s vapid claims about the World Cup uniting the world, we here have a host at war with a participating nation for the first time.

The Fifa president’s own relationship with Donald Trump, meanwhile, weighs over the entire competition, especially with how just one decision from the US president has the potential to cause chaos.

Trump’s putative lack of decisions have already created enough chaos, since Fifa has received almost no help on anything it actually needs. So we have the farce of a long-vetted referee denied entry, and Iran forced into constrained travel around their games.

That darkness has also served to obscure otherwise uplifting elements of this World Cup, like the return to perhaps the competition’s most historic stadium: the Azteca in Mexico City.

It was the arena where Pele and Diego Maradona created their most lasting images. Now, 40 years after the “Hand of God” and the goal of the century, it isn’t considered worthy to host games after the last 16.

Canada has, meanwhile, been the forgotten host, and even the last games staged there and in Mexico will be overshadowed by the 250th anniversary of US independence – all amid a stilted embrace with the global game.

We will at least have a sense of the atmosphere by then, and whether this World Cup’s many issues can really allow that sense of international festival around the stadiums.

And all of this is why size is so much more than a defining detail.

The expansion affects what the World Cup is – and how it will go.

That is true of the most elemental experience of a tournament: a child’s.

Perhaps appropriately for a competition held in the commercial capital of the world, it is possible to paraphrase one of its culture’s most famous depictions of marketing. The World Cup isn’t just a football competition, as Mad Men’s Don Draper might have said; it’s a fountain of nostalgia. “It takes us to a place where we ache to go again” – to childhood memories.

The joy of that is memorising the groups, knowing exactly what teams are where and what games are when. It is actually no trivial thing that this World Cup is far too big to even do that, long before you get to Group L.

Similarly, there are almost too many games, and that’s in one day, as much as in the tournament’s total of 104. It’s impossible to take it all in, to consume every storyline. United 2026 instead has just a wall of football, where more very much means less.

The World Cup experience is directly diluted.

That isn’t to discount the exhilaration that debutants like Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan will feel, or the release Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo or Iraq will enjoy, but there is a serious point amid that romance.

This World Cup articulates the disconcerting sense of a sport becoming so big you can’t get a feel for it, of a game being taken away from its community, of an elitist event where parts continue to be sold off without anyone who actually cares able to do anything about it.

Welcome to the “Trumpification” of Fifa.

The expansion may also dictate this World Cup as much as dilute it. A number like 48 just isn’t right for the tournament, because it doesn’t evenly split into an eventual two. That needlessly brings back distorting third-place group qualifiers, a convolution that Infantino was forced into after he somehow realised four-team groups were exciting as late as Qatar 2022. United 2026 was initially supposed to have groups of three.

And yet it speaks to so many of these wider themes that Infantino realised it was more exciting, but evidently didn’t understand this was because of the competitive intensity that came from two going through out of four, as well as a 32-team tournament just creating the right balance between quality and novelty.

The man overseeing all of this didn’t truly get the game he was overseeing.

It could yet create results that go against World Cup logic, too.

As an example, Argentina have been talked up as potentially winning again due to the 2022 World Cup victory coming in a run of three successive trophies. They are the only team to do that outside Spain 2008-12, but that also gives them the jaded feel of Spain 2014. Most of the team is still the same, and they won’t have the same lightning-in-a-bottle energy of 2022.

These are ingredients that leave champions ripe for a classic first-round exit… except the stage is so forgiving. Argentina may go into their last group game badly needing a win, but that comes against Jordan. The debutants are one of five sides considered forgiving opposition, and the presence of any one in a group gives the other three in it a huge advantage in this system.

One win and you’re likely through.

To go with that expanded schedule, since it takes eight games to win it rather than seven, this is the first major tournament happening after two seasons of expanded European football. More, more, more.

Players, especially the quantity in the major teams, are exhausted.

That could restore some romance by favouring the “dark horses” like Japan, Ecuador, Morocco, Norway, Austria and Senegal.

Except, just like with Iran’s constraints, Senegal has already faced the disadvantage of being subjected to a humiliating tarmac security search.

It is just one of many ways the non-football elements shape the football.

The favourites, Spain, almost illustrate the difficulty of getting your head around this as well as the bodies.

The European champions have the best team at the tournament, but have also had the most fitness issues and major injuries.

The biggest of those is Lamine Yamal. He may be the mere 18-year-old anticipated to crown his rise to the best player in the world by seizing this tournament, but he’s also hoping to recover from a hamstring injury for the first game.

That can nevertheless work both ways, especially in a World Cup this long. Spain and Yamal might be stiff at the start, but then evolve into the best possible condition for the most important stages.

That is exactly what happened with Andres Iniesta in 2010. Their possession game may also prove decisive in a tournament that is going to be dictated by punishingly hot conditions. In the same way that United 2026 has more unprecedented controversies, it also has more variables.

Tuchel is one of many coaches who have been deeply considering how to work around all this.

France, who have faced a lot of concerns about the Didier Deschamps era going stale, may now find his stultifying medium block suits the conditions.

They do have the best array of attacking stars just waiting to be released, with Kylian Mbappe badly needing a big World Cup.

England are up there, especially with the differential of a goalscorer like Harry Kane. They may not have a perfect squad, but no one does.

That points to how this World Cup is nowhere near as strong a field as in 1998, where at least eight teams looked truly elite. The offset is that this “second tier” of outsiders is stronger than ever, offering the potential for something else a World Cup has never had: a winner like a Denmark 1992 or Greece 2004.

That’s where the competition comes down to more elemental qualities, the glorious intangibles, the very emotion the trophy inspires.

For all that everything about a World Cup changes, the meaning doesn’t.

It will still offer countries some of the greatest days in their national histories, with the very awareness of this global importance affording it a cultural significance beyond anything else in the planet’s history.

This is the emotional pinnacle, the peak of sport because the massif is so wide. It can be seen in the expressions of players, and even the great trophy itself. Those two arms “stretching out to receive the world… at the stirring moment of victory” – in the words of designer Silvio Gazzinaga – are representative of what everyone in football is reaching for.

Hence Infantino’s desperation for this to start amid so much controversy. The football still perseveres. The spirit perseveres. The competition is still, at its core, a global cultural good, no matter how it’s used.

As Maradona once said, “the ball never stains”. The World Cup retains a purity.

Duly, even a 48-team competition will evolve – as the writer Duncan Hamilton put it – “like a theatrical play”. While the numbers are gradually winnowed to two and then one, the drama, emotion and suspense only become more intense. Such feelings enrich the moments that really create World Cup legacies, but they are ultimately fostered by narrative, by stories.

This tournament has so many, even if it does not have many great teams.

Can Brazil somehow rise to that level under Ancelotti, and end a 24-year wait in the way they did for the last World Cup in the USA? Can a new band of successful club coaches show their acumen by showing everyone else what’s what, or will the different contours of international football embarrass them?

Will a surprisingly deep elder generation led by Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finally cede ground to a new era of Yamal, Jamal Musiala and Erling Haaland, or will a slower tournament allow for those who can still produce individual moments?

Can any of the hosts make an impression? Can Mauricio Pochettino avoid a furious social media post from Trump? Can Canada do “a Korea 2002”, in the way they are privately talking about? Can Mexico finally get past a quarter-final?

Can Germany finally get past a group stage again, to prove maybe the darkest horse of all? Can the fancied Netherlands at last win it after three lost finals?

Can there be a new name on the trophy?

Can England finally lift this trophy amid all of the symbolism connected to 1966, given that was the old Jules Rimet?

Amid all of the challenges, Tuchel and his players should perhaps be mindful of something that Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said at the draw back in December.

“Every day you are a world champion you feel younger.”

The sentiment, and the aspiration, may never be more important amid a World Cup so exhausting in so many senses. It’s an achievement of scale beyond anything else.

Winning the games you’re expected to win is the trademark of a consistently successful college football program.

That is especially true for ranked teams with a big target on their backs.

The tables below show the wins, losses, and win percentages as the underdog for the region’s top programs over the last 10 seasons.

Oregon leads the way, followed by Washington, Boise State, Utah State, and BYU.

The second half of the 2026 PGA Tour season offers a compelling blend of elite competition, iconic venues, and high-profile tournaments that continue to attract attention from golf fans worldwide. As the schedule progresses through summer and into autumn, several marquee events stand out for their competitive significance and unique course characteristics.

These tournaments not only influence season-long narratives but also generate considerable interest among followers of golf betting markets, adding layers of engagement throughout the 2026 PGA Tour calendar.

Key 2026 Golf Events Still to Come

Travelers Championship

Genesis Scottish Open

For those monitoring golf odds, the Scottish Open provides one of the most fascinating markets of the summer. Weather forecasts, tee-time advantages, and course-management skills can all influence pre-tournament expectations.

The international makeup of the field also broadens wagering engagement, drawing attention from audiences across Europe, North America, and other major golf markets.

FedEx St. Jude Championship

BMW Championship

Presidents Cup

PGA narratives point out that Medinah’s history as a major championship venue adds prestige to the event. The course provides a dramatic setting for international competition and memorable moments.

The United States team facing an International side creates compelling narratives that extend beyond traditional tournament storylines. National pride becomes a central component of the spectacle.

Betting interest surrounding the Presidents Cup differs significantly from standard stroke-play events. Team competition introduces a variety of unique markets and formats.

Match betting, session results, and overall team performance options create additional opportunities for engagement throughout the competition. These formats often appeal to a broader audience.

The event’s team structure also makes it accessible to casual sports fans who may not follow weekly PGA Tour tournaments throughout the season.

Combined with Medinah’s passionate atmosphere and rich history, the Presidents Cup serves as a fitting conclusion to one of the year’s most anticipated stretches of professional golf.

A Memorable Finish to the 2026 PGA Tour Season

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