The Ulsterman joined the exclusive club of grand slam winners in emotional fashion last year after overcoming Rose in a playoff, but had to fight his way back to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday after trailing Rose, overnight co-leader Cameron Young and even Russell Henley at different points during a rollercoaster final round.
Rory McIlroy pulled on the green jacket again (Getty Images)
After two days this tournament had seemed as good as over, with McIlroy six shots clear – the greatest margin in Masters history after 36 holes – and playing with a peace and tranquility that comes with being the defending champion.
But a one-over 73 on Saturday gave hope to those in pursuit and rocked McIlroy’s confidence, forcing him to seek answers at the practice range deep into Saturday evening.
(AP)
If there was one thing that stood out about the chasing pack on Sunday morning, it was the quality of those golfers willing and able to chase.
Sam Burns and Cam Young are the young bucks of the PGA Tour, both seeking a first major after success on tour and Ryder Cup appearances. Justin Rose, Jason Day and Shane Lowry are all major winners with the experience and temperament to mount a Sunday pursuit while Scottie Scheffler is Scottie Scheffler. If you need to know more than that then welcome to your first Masters – have you tried the pimento cheese?
With the most bunched leaderboard for a Sunday morning since 2017, it was still only the final four pairings really in contention, and even then needing to play the best golf of their life to have a chance. The first hour or two posed a question of who could make gains or even just stay in the hunt.
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Scottie Scheffler put the pressure on but could not reel Rory McIlroy in (AP)
Burns was the first to fall out of it. Louisiana born-and-bred, Burns had managed to play some highly competitive golf all weekend and shot under-par all weekend – which was more than could be said of McIlroy, Scheffler and others – but a bogey on the first and a double-bogey second sunk him simply too far back to recover.
As Burns retreated from the battle, the overnight co-leaders continued to jostle for position in the final pairing. Elsewhere, Rose became only the second golfer to birdie the fifth on Sunday to put him level with Scheffler in a tie for third. The race was showing signs of being down to just five.
Shane Lowry was the next to drop, finding sand from his tee shot on five but, significantly, catching the front wall of the bunker on his second shot with an iron that ended up further from the hole than where he had started. By the time the ball was eventually in the hole, he had carded a double-bogey six and plunged down the leaderboard to further narrow the hunt. Day followed soon after.
There was always likely to be one interloper, and Henley turned out to be that guy. The 37-year-old is something of a local favourite, hailing from down the road in Macon, Georgia, and had four birdies through the first eight holes to be tied for second. Somewhat understated, Henley had four top-10 finishes in his last eight majors and has figured out how to compete at the highest level.
(Getty Images)
At different times we had almost all possible combinations of leaders. McIlroy and Young began the day joint, then Young had sole custody before Rose joined him, Young took a step back and then Rose had it all to himself for a while. While Henley appeared from nowhere to hold the joint-lead, a bogey on 12 set him back into the chasing pack, where he would remain for the rest of the day after missing too many key putts.
By just after 5pm, five golfers were separated by just one shot; McIlroy the sole leader and four on his tail. His par putt on the 11th prevented him falling back to a five-way tie for the lead that essentially would have started the tournament again – a mini-Masters for the select few.
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When it mattered, though, Young continued to err and McIlroy surged.
Rory McIlroy held off playing partner Cameron Young (REUTERS)
On 12, he went closer to the pin than anyone else had on Sunday to pick up another shot. He then birdied the 13th to open up a two-shot lead on his familiar foes, Rose and Scheffler.
(Getty Images)
In the end, Scheffler’s undoubted class was not enough to overcome the mistakes of Thursday and Friday. A two-over 74 in his second round had stranded him down the leaderboard and while he threatened a memorable Sunday charge he never led the Masters and 11 straight pars on Sunday featured a number of missed opportunities to press the defending champ.
Rose kept himself in the battle all day but went bogey, bogey and then three-putted for par through Amen Corner. Those holes, in the end, were the difference between him and his Ryder Cup teammate who picked up shots on the most (in)famous three-hole stretch in golf and used that momentum to carry him over the finish line.
It was another Masters near miss for Justin Rose (Getty Images)
A winner had not come from outside the final pairing since Englishman Danny Willett stunned the golfing world a decade ago this week, and McIlroy’s scramble to save par on 15 averted the final true threat to this remarkable achievement, becoming only the fourth person ever to defend a Masters championship.
Ultimately, though, this win figures to be a milestone for much greater achievements for McIlroy, a man who must now look at major wins as a counting stat rather than singular peaks of a career.
Rory McIlroy was presented with the green jacket by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley (Getty Images)
By entering the grand slam club last year, McIlroy confirmed his place among the all-time greats. How many more he can add to his six major triumphs will decide exactly where he sits in the golfing pantheon.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 11: Kirsty Hanson of Aston Villa celebrates scoring her team’s second goal with teammate Miri Taylor and Rachel Maltby during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park on January 11, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Morgan Harlow – WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
Aston Villa Women have confirmed they will take part in the upcoming World Sevens Football tournament in London.
They join Manchester United Women as the only teams announced so far, with six more clubs yet to be confirmed.
The tournament will run from May 28 to 30 at the Gtech Community Stadium and will feature a 7v7 format, with shorter matches played on a reduced pitch.
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A total of eight teams are expected to compete, with further announcements on participants and broadcast details still to come.
Speaking on the competition, Villa managing director Maggie Murphy said:
“We’re delighted to be part of the upcoming World Sevens Football competition.”
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“Innovative formats like this bring a different kind of energy to the game, and we’re excited to see how it unfolds.”
“It will be an engaging and fun experience – not only for the fans, but also for our players and staff.”
“It’s a great opportunity to be part of something a little different in the women’s game, and we’re looking forward to it.”
The competition will also include a $1.5 million prize pool, adding further attention to a format designed to bring a different style of play to the women’s game.
LONDON — Awaiting a corner from the left hand side, Manchester City might just have done what every player in the Premier League has learned from experience is the optimal approach for winning in 2026. Get the ball into the great mass of bodies around the six-yard box and see what happens. For most teams, it is just the shrewdest way to use that possession.
Most teams, though, are not blessed with Rayan Cherki. And so it was that the season of the set piece found a little room for some true No. 10 play of old. Rather than lobbed into the mixer, the ball went short, a give-and-go with Jeremy Doku that allowed Cherki to drive along the edge of the box. Jorrel Hato could lay a glove on his man, but not enough to slow Cherki’s progress. Estevao bought the shimmy as Abdoukodir Khusanov wisely concluded that it was best to give his teammate a clear runway.
Even after that, there was still an awful lot to do. Two blue shirts converged on Cherki but they left the slightest of gaps. The flick of the left boot was so diffident that Malo Gusto did not seem to compute what had happened until the ball was at the feet of Marc Guehi. City’s center back delivered the striker’s finish that the assist deserved.
This game might have ended as a procession, Jeremy Doku adding a third after Cherki had put it on a plate for Nico O’Reilly and Guehi, but it is worth considering how tight this contest was with 45 minutes played. Five shots to five, City were seeing the bulk of the ball without applying overwhelming pressure. Doku’s purposeful drives into the box were a threat, just as the speed of Chelsea’s counters were. As Guardiola told his team at halftime, someone needed to step up. This was a game in need of breaking open.
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In the 2025-26, Premier League that usually means a set piece, a big cross onto a big bonce. And in a fashion, that is what changed this game for City. It’s just that Cherki didn’t have to wait for a dead ball. That has been the story of his season so far. A 22-year-old, in his first season in England, has found himself in a league that might be the most athletic and physical it has been in a generation. It seems uniquely well designed to brutalize even the most talented of young ingenues. And yet there can be no disputing that Cherki trails only Bruno Fernandes as the outstanding creative force of the season.
From open play, there’s a case to be made that he is in a class of his own. All 10 of his Premier League assists have been adjudged by Opta to have come when the ball is live — his second today breaking from a set piece when he dribbled by his first opponent — as opposed to half of Fernandes’ 16. His 0.46 expected assists per 90 leads the Premier League by a margin of well over 33%, and the overwhelming majority of it comes from open play. His 0.41 was a tally bettered only twice in the previous five seasons. Naturally, that was by Kevin De Bruyne.
It feels faintly sacrilegious to suggest that City might have found the heir to one of the greatest playmakers the English game has ever seen. Keep this up, though and someone is going to be hammering 95 theses against the walls of Manchester Cathedral.
“The numbers, incredible,” said Guardiola. “And the quality in the first season in the Premier League is something unique.”
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Having, in Guardiola’s view, spent too much of the first half too close to Gianluigi Donnarumma, he got into the positions where he could best exert himself on this contest.
“Play close to Haaland and the wingers, attacking midfielders, use the talent that Mum and Dad gave you,” was Guardiola’s message to Cherki. “If he starts to do that he will become an extraordinary player because of his mindset and mentality… He has to learn to do what you have to do for 95 minutes.
“Rayan has something special. The second goal, the pass for Marc Guehi, not even myself being outside, could see it. He’s a top, top, top talent.”
One who delivered the moment that the arc of the season bent towards Manchester City? It is too early to say. Even after Arsenal’s loss on Saturday, this team could still win every game left and miss out on goal difference. The bookmakers and prediction models will still tell you that it is the Gunners who should be counted as favorites. Even as they crawl to the finish line, they have a defense that is conceding less than a goal per Premier League game in 2026. Their fixture list after next week’s clash at the Etihad is more favorable too.
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What they don’t have, though, is Cherki, the sort of talent who can break a game open with a pass no one else can see. Or if they do, those players have seen the pitch too rarely of late. “Are you watching Arsenal,” came the cry from the away end at Stamford Bridge. Those that were would be entitled to have that sinking feeling.
He might be a newcomer to the Etihad Stadium but Cherki already has that feel of a true City player, one who shrugs the scale of the moment off with utter indifference. “I don’t feel pressure,” he said after ladelling so much of it on Arsenal for their visit next week.
Cherki may not feel pressure but he creates it. At a time where the league seems to have zigged towards athleticism, size and set piece prowess, the most dangerous attacking force in the division might be an undersized, underpowered presser who can conjure something from nothing.
Rueben Bain Jr., a top-10 prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, was driving in a previously unreported March 2024 crash in which one of his passengers was hospitalized and pronounced dead three months later, according to a crash report and court records obtained by OutKick.
The standout Miami edge rusher was cited at the scene by the Florida Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle in a “careless or negligent manner.” The charge was later dismissed because of a “defective citation,” after Bain Jr. entered a not guilty plea, according to court records.
The crash report indicates that Bain Jr. did not show any impairment, and was not suspected of alcohol or drug use and that no tests were given at the time.
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Rueben Bain Jr. was driving in a previously unreported March 2024 crash in which one of his passengers was hospitalized and pronounced dead three months later, according to a crash report and court records obtained by OutKick. ( CFP/Getty Images)
Three NFL teams told OutKick’s Armando Salguero over the weekend that they are aware of the crash, but no team would comment to what extent the incident would affect the first-team All-American defensive end’s status for the April 23-25 NFL Draft.
The news of the first crash was first reported by Oliver Connolly.
OutKick has reached out to Bain Jr., the University of Miami and the Florida State Attorney’s office, but has yet to receive comment from either.
Rueben Bain Jr of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.(ustin Casterline/Getty Images)
The incident occurred March 17, 2024, when Bain Jr. was driving on South Florida’s Interstate 95 shortly after 4 a.m. and he hit another vehicle from behind. That collision sent Bain Jr.’s vehicle — a 2021 Land Rover registered to a corporation named Miami Sports 27 — into the concrete wall on the east side of the highway, and then careening all the way across the entire multi-lane highway and into the west side concrete wall, according to the crash report.
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Miami Sports 27 is a non-profit company owned by Eric Dounn, an agent, who also works with LAA Management, that also has ties to a memorabilia store on Ebay.
To read the full crash report, click the link.
The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched at 4:17 a.m. and once a trooper arrived at the scene, he found 22-year-old Destiny Betts, who was riding in a passenger seat without a seat belt, incapacitated, per the crash report. Betts was transported to Ryder Trauma Center by the Miami-Dade Fire Department.
According to a GoFundMe setup by a family member, Betts lost consciousness as a result of the crash. A note on the crash report indicated that Betts was pronounced dead three months later, on June 13, 2024, by a Northshore Hospice nurse.
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The report does not specify an official cause of death.
OutKick has reached out to the family attorney of Destiny Betts and received the following statement, which indicates they are not open to answering questions around the circumstances of the wreck and what happened in it’s aftermath.
“As her family, we remain deeply committed to honoring her memory in a meaningful and appropriate way. Destiny’s passing was the result of a tragic accident that occurred several years ago. While the loss remains incredibly painful for our family, we have worked hard to find peace and move forward. At this time, we are not seeking public attention surrounding this tragedy and respectfully request that our family’s privacy be honored. We also wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career. Thank you for respecting our wishes during this difficult matter.”
Miami Hurricanes football players Nyjalik Kelly and Wesley Bissainthe and one other female passenger named LaDreama Roberts were also occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash. All three were listed as having possible injuries, but only the female passenger was taken to a hospital, according to the FHP report.
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OutKick reached out to all three, but has not received a response as of publication.
Both Bissainthe and Kelly, who finished his college career at UCF, are also eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft, although neither is expected to be drafted nearly as high as Bain.
In addition to the crash in March 2024, court records show that Bain Jr. was issued a citation on Oct. 10, 2025, driving a 2025 Tesla Cybertruck, in which he was again cited for careless driving. The citation, shown below, lists a violation of Florida statute 316.1925(1), which is careless driving.
OutKick has inquired about who the owner of the Tesla was, but has not yet received that information.
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Records state there was an “accident indicator” that came with the charge, meaning he was involved in a crash, which the citation states. That case was dismissed in February of this year, also because of a “defective citation.”
Rueben Bain Jr. (4) of the Miami Hurricanes participates in the 2026 Miami Pro Day at Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility on March 23, 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Bain would go on to finish the season with Miami as one of the best defensive players in college football, helping lead the Hurricanes’ to the CFP title game, where they lost to Indiana.
The NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh next week.
OutKick has reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol for comment on what led to the citations being dismissed. OutKick has also contacted the University of Miami for comment on whether it was aware of either incident. Neither has responded as of publication of this article.
AAMI Park will play host to Saturday’s
Round 6 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and
New Zealand Warriors. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs.
New Zealand Warriors
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Melbourne finds itself in unfamiliar territory, looking to avoid a fourth straight loss after a heavy defeat to Penrith. Historically, the Storm has dominated this matchup, winning 17 consecutive meetings against the Warriors — a record that looms large. New Zealand is also battling inconsistency, dropping consecutive games after a strong start. With key players returning, Melbourne will view this as the ideal opportunity to reset. Given their remarkable record in this fixture, the Storm should be strongly favoured to bounce back.
Melbourne Storm vs New Zealand Warriors Teams
Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Moses Leo 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Cooper Clarke 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Davvy Moale 18. Lazarus Vaalepu 19. Manaia Waitere 20. Preston Conn 21. Hugo Peel 22. Trent Toelau
Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 4. Adam Pompey 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Tanah Boyd 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Jackson Ford 11. Leka Halasima 12. Jacob Laban 13. Erin Clark 14. Samuel Healey 15. Marata Niukore 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith 18. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava 20. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 21. Morgan Gannon 22. Luke Hanson 23. Ali Leiataua
WASHINGTON — Logan Thompson stopped 24 shots, and the Washington Capitals kept their slim playoff hopes alive by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Sunday in perhaps the final home of Alex Ovechkin’s brilliant career.
To reach the postseason, the Capitals must defeat Columbus in the season finale Tuesday night and hope Philadelphia fails to win either of its last two games.
The 40-year-old Ovechkin intends to wait until the offseason to decide whether to retire or return for a 22nd season. The all-time NHL leader in goals with 929, Ovechkin has played in every game this season and leads the Capitals in goals (32) and points (63).
The spirited, sellout crowd saluted Ovechkin during the game with chants of “One more year!” and “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!”
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Ovechkin helped seal the victory by picking up an assist on an empty-net goal by Connor McMichael, who scored earlier in the third period.
NEW YORK — Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist to pass the 100-point mark for the season and Montreal beat the Islanders 4-1, eliminating New York from playoff contention.
Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal, which continues its push for home-ice advantage in the opening round and a potential Atlantic Division title. Jacob Fowler made 30 saves, and defenseman Lane Hutson added three assists.
Casey Cizikas scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots but the Islanders lost for the sixth time in their last seven games to be eliminated from post-season contention.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mark Kastelic scored with 9:38 remaining and Boston snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Columbus that moved them into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot while virtually eliminating the Blue Jackets from playoff contention.
Sean Kuraly had a goal and two assists against his former team, and Henri Jokiharju had a goal and an assist for Boston. Kastelic also added an assist. Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves. James Hagens, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft, contributed an assist and a penalty in his NHL debut.
Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli scored for Columbus, which has lost five of its last seven games to fall out of playoff contention after sitting as high as second place in the Metropolitan Division on March 24. Jet Greaves made 19 saves.
The Blue Jackets are two points behind idle Philadelphia and one point behind Washington with a game against the Capitals remaining.
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NEWARK, N.J. — Nico Hischier scored his second goal of the game on the power play with 1:45 left in overtime to give New Jersey a win over Ottawa.
The Devils trailed 3-2 after two periods, but Dawson Mercer scored a short-handed goal with 7:32 left in the third period to tie it at 3-3, setting the stage for Hischier’s winner.
Connor Brown also had a short-handed goal for the Devils and Nico Daws made 27 saves.
Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto on the power play, and Fabian Zetterlund all scored in a roughly seven-minute span of the second period for the Senators, who had their four-game win streak snapped.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Marco Rossi scored with 9.5 seconds left in overtime to help Vancouver beat Anaheim and prevent the Ducks from clinching a playoff spot.
Anaheim has 90 points and can secure a playoff spot with a win Tuesday at Minnesota.
Curtis Douglas, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser each added a goal for Vancouver. The Canucks’ 56 points this season are the fewest in the NHL, 17 fewer than Calgary, the next closest. Nikita Tolopilo had 24 saves.
Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and Leo Carlsson added a goal for the Ducks. Gauthier has a career-high 40 goals this season. The 22-year-old is the fourth player in franchise history to score 40-plus goals in a single season.
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Rossi scored with a one-timer from the right circle that beat goaltender Lukas Dostal glove side to win it. Dostal finished with 22 saves.
CALGARY, Alberta — Brayden Pachal scored his first NHL goal of the season and added two assists as Calgary’s hot streak at home continued with a 4-1 victory over Utah.
Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, which is 7-0-1 in its last eight games at home. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves.
Lawson Crouse scored for Utah, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a three-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings, who have a game in hand.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was never scheduled to be at the team’s pre-draft press conference on Monday, a team spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Sunday.
Vrabel’s absence coincided with the scrutiny he’s received after he appeared in photos published in Page Six last week showing him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini being questionably close together.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026.(Ross D. Franklin/AP)
However, the Patriots issued a notice to reporters in March that Vrabel wouldn’t be at the pre-draft press conference. ESPN reported that Vrabel isn’t expected to talk to reporters until the draft. Patriots executive Eliot Wolf will hold the pre-draft news conference at 2 p.m. ET on Monday.
The NFL is more than a week away from welcoming in the next crop of college football talent into the league. The Patriots have the No. 31 pick in the first round, which begins on April 23.
While The Athletic initially defended Russini, sources familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that the journalist was being investigated.
“After Page Six reached out to Dianna for comment on Tuesday, The Athletic immediately began an investigation. While the apparent conduct in the photos raised questions for Steven and leadership at The Athletic, an initial review suggested the images provided lacked context, specifically the presence of a larger group of friends,” a source said.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 31, 2026.(Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
“New details from the Page Six report and information from the investigation raised additional concerns that are now being further reviewed. The investigation is ongoing.”
The source added Russini’s coverage is being reviewed, which is expected to take time, and she will not be reporting for the outlet in the meantime.
The New York Times declined to comment.
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The photos showed Vrabel and Russini holding hands and hugging on the roof of the Sedona resort.
NWFL opens Pathway for new Clubs ahead of 2026 Season
The Nigeria Women’s Football League has opened registration for the 2026 Nationwide division, offering clubs across the country a chance to enter the league system.
The Nationwide division, which serves as the third tier, remains open to new and existing teams looking to compete at a structured national level.
Registration payments begin today, April 13, and will run until June 30, with a fee of ₦550,000 set for participating clubs. Teams from the previous season may also be required to settle additional fees where applicable.
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The registration process will be completed in phases: the official portal will open on May 30 and close on July 10 ahead of the new season, which is expected to begin in August.
League officials say the entire process will be handled online to improve efficiency and accessibility for clubs nationwide.
The move continues efforts to expand participation and strengthen the development pathway within women’s football in Nigeria.
Adelaide Oval will play host to Sunday’s
Round 5 AFL game between Port Adelaide Power and
St Kilda Saints. The game kicks off at 7:15 pm with St Kilda Saints heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Port Adelaide Power vs.
St Kilda Saints
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Port Adelaide carries confidence into this clash after a strong win over Richmond, particularly with a dominant third quarter showcasing their attacking potential. St Kilda, fresh from the bye, remains a work in progress, with issues around pressure and scoring efficiency lingering. While the Saints may have the talent to match Port, their inability to consistently finish games remains a concern. Recent history between these sides points to low-scoring encounters, and with both teams still searching for fluency in attack, another tight, defensive battle is expected.
Rory McIlroy further etched his name into Masters lore.
The Northern Irishman became just the fourth golfer in history to win back-to-back green jackets, finishing at 12-under par at historic Augusta National Golf Club.
Tiger Woods was the last to accomplish the rare feat, when he was repeat winner in 2001 and 2002.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates winning the 2026 Masters Tournament on the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
With multiple contenders in the mix, the margin for error was slim Sunday at Augusta National. Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler finished just one shot behind McIlroy at 11-under. Meanwhile, Justin Rose, last year’s Masters runner-up, finished in a tie for third.
For a brief moment, Rose held a two-shot lead in the final round at Augusta National, until a series of mistakes through Amen Corner and a couple of birdies by the defending champion over the same stretch dealt him another dose of disappointment.
“Just a chance that got away,” Rose, who McIlroy outlasted in a playoff last year, lamented afterward.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates holing the winning putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia.(David Cannon/Getty Images)
Despite a dismal round Saturday and a slow start Sunday, McIlroy bounced back in Sunday’s final round to fend off the competition.
McIlroy held a Masters-record six-shot lead after 36 holes, but an early stumble Sunday dropped him into a tie for fourth before he regained control and powered his way to consecutive titles.
Over the years, when the Masters opened the major championship season, McIlroy fended off questions about whether he could complete the elusive career Grand Slam. But last year’s sudden-death playoff victory over Justin Rose at Augusta National silenced those doubts.
“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket, and then I get two in a row,” McIlroy said before Masters chairman Fred Ridley put the green jacket on him.
McIlroy now joins a short list that includes Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
McIlroy teared up while speaking about his parents, Gerry and Rosie, who traveled to Georgia to witness his second Masters title.
Last year, they stayed home in Northern Ireland for their son’s first Masters victory. “I had to convince them to come because they thought the reason I won (last year) was because they weren’t here,” McIlroy joked.
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Rory McIlroy (R) of Northern Ireland celebrates with his father Gerry (L) during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning during the final round of the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia.(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
He added, “You’re the most wonderful parents, and if I can be half the parent to (daughter) Poppy, I know I have done a good job.”
During his return to Washington from Florida on Sunday evening, President Donald Trump congratulated McIlroy in a post on Truth Social, writing, “Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on another Great Championship, The Masters!”
Trump added that McIlroy “performed tremendously under intense pressure, something which few people would be able to even think about doing.”
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McIlroy’s first place finish earned him $4.5 million from the $22.5 million purse.
CALGARY — Long before the video tribute, the stirring ovation and his emotional response, MacKenzie Weegar was welcomed back to Calgary the way he wanted: with love from his former teammates.
They did by way of a shooting gallery during warmups, firing pucks at him from every angle.
“They came right at me right away,” beamed the popular defenceman who spent four years in Calgary before agreeing to a deadline deal to Utah.
“When I was getting interviewed, they were shooting pucks at me right away. Colesy (Blake Coleman), Backs (Mikael Backlund), Matty (Coronato)… I felt like I got more blocked shots in the warm-up than I did all season.”
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It says plenty when the perennial shot-blocking leader is on the receiving end of so many frozen reminders of how beloved he was in Calgary.
That point was driven home six minutes into his first game back in Calgary Sunday, when a lengthy video tribute during the first TV timeout brought the crowd to its feet for one of the heartier welcomes from a fan base that sure seems to be getting used to them.
“It was special,” said Weegar, who removed his helmet for the moment and sure seemed to be a tad misty-eyed as he waved in appreciation.
“Obviously, a lot of emotions going through that. Some laughs too — the boys kind of triggered me a little bit. I could see them peeking their heads over behind the red line.
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“Just a lot of great memories. I got some goose bumps over there, it was a great cheer. My appreciation for the fans, and their appreciation for me, never goes unnoticed.”
He too noticed the roars were just a little louder than most of the lads who’ve passed by with their new teams. After all, he heard most of them over the last handful of years.
“That’s the market here — they love their hockey, they love their players, and if you just buy into the system, and you work super hard every night, and you wear that jersey with a lot of pride, they’ll show it back to you here,” smiled the 32-year-old.
“So that’s all I wanted to do when I was here, just wear that jersey with pride and give it all I got here. I’m glad they noticed it. And it goes both ways.”
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Weegar said the love-in was similar to what he expected, minus the result — a 4-1 Mammoth loss in which he actually had a chance to flip the script early in the second when he walked in from the point and had a golden chance to beat Dustin Wolf to narrow the gap in a 2-0 game.
“I’ll sleep on that one for sure,” he said of the shot that found its way into Wolf’s glove.
“I’m thinking about it right now. I could have got him in a couple different areas, but he played great tonight. I’ll give him credit. It would have been a really great night if we got the two points. I really wanted to win that one.”
Wolf said playfully he loved getting a leg up on Weegar in his return to a city in which No. 52 was wildly popular with teammates and the masses.
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“He had a real nice look down the middle, and… you knew he was going there,” laughed Wolf, whose squad got goals from Connor Zary, Brayden Pachal, Coronato and Backlund.
“He tries to fool me, but he needs to try a little harder.”
The win saw the Flames pass the New York Rangers for 29th in the standings — an unpopular move for most Flames fans.
For the Mammoth, who are trying to avoid playing Colorado in the first round, the loss does nothing to derail the fact that they’re heading to the playoffs for their first spring fling since moving to Utah.
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“I can’t wait, it’s gonna be an absolute blast,” said Weegar, who assisted on Utah’s third-period goal to ruin Wolf’s shutout.
“Ultimately, I made the decision to come over here for that reason, to get an opportunity to get in the playoffs and make some noise.”
He insists that as the team bus drove past Scotia Place he resisted the urge to joke with teammates that he had a hand in making the new rink happen.
“They were kind of chirping me a little bit about that,” he smiled.
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“I saw the new building getting built, and I kind of just had a little thought in my head, kind of ‘what could have been.’ But the Saddledome here has given me a lot of great memories.”
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