ARDMORE, Pa. — Walking into a U.S. Amateur with four players gives you a unique perspective on preparation. They’re playing the same golf course, facing the same conditions and competing for the same championship, but that doesn’t mean they should prepare — or play the golf course — the same way. That has been one of my biggest focuses this week at Merion and Philadelphia Country Club.
My four players have very different games. One has tremendous power. Another wins with patience, positioning and putting. One relies heavily on precision and his scoring clubs, while another is a complete player who simply loves to compete. My job isn’t to give all four of them the same game plan. It’s to help each player understand where his strengths can give him an advantage, where his weaknesses can’t get exposed and how his particular game fits Merion.
At a championship like the U.S. Amateur, we aren’t trying to rebuild golf swings during practice rounds. We’re trying to create a unique game plan that each of them can execute under pressure.
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1. Learning the course
A lot of our work at Merion had very little to do with the golf swing. We talked constantly about course management: Where can we be aggressive? Where do we need to be patient? Where is par a great score? And, maybe most importantly, where can we absolutely not miss?
On approach shots, we weren’t simply getting numbers to flags. We wanted to know how far the ball needed to fly onto each green, where it needed to land, what the contours would do to it after it landed and where the proper miss was.
The fifth hole is a great example. Players are hitting longer clubs into the green, which already makes controlling the approach more difficult. The green also has significant slope from right to left. If you miss on the right side, getting the ball up and down can become almost impossible because you’re recovering from the wrong side of the slope.
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So instead of simply asking, “What’s the number to the flag?” we want our players asking better questions: How far does the ball need to fly onto the green? Where should it land? How will the slope move it once it gets there? And if I don’t hit this shot perfectly, where can I leave it and still have a reasonable next shot?
That is what a practice round should accomplish. By the time a player faces that shot during the championship, I don’t want him discovering the answer. I want him to already know it.
2. Sometimes less is more
One of my players has close to 130 mph of clubhead speed. There are things he can do on a golf course that most players simply can’t. But one of our biggest conversations was about patience. When you have that much speed, it can be tempting to stand on every tee and immediately search for the most aggressive option. At Merion, that isn’t always necessary. In fact, his power sometimes allows us to be more conservative.
The 11th hole is a perfect example. The priority for him is hitting the fairway. He can hit a 5-iron from the tee and still leave himself a wedge into the green. Why introduce additional risk when his length has already created the advantage? If he misses the fairway, the hole becomes significantly more complicated.
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The 12th presents a similar decision. It’s a slight dogleg to the right, and missing the fairway to the right can make getting the ball onto the green extremely difficult. Again, the question isn’t, “How far can we hit this tee shot?” It’s, “Where does this tee shot need to finish?”
His advantage isn’t simply how far he can hit the driver. It’s what his speed allows him to hit next. He can choose a more conservative club from the tee and still have a scoring club in his hands for the approach. We talked about being willing to make a lot of pars and not getting greedy.
There will certainly be moments when his power creates an opportunity other players don’t have, and when those opportunities come, we want him to take advantage of them. But he doesn’t need to overpower Merion on every hole. Sometimes the smartest way to use power is knowing when you don’t need it.
3. Positioning is key
The conversation with my second player is different. For him, we talked constantly about staying in position. Being in the fairway is extremely important, even if that means leaving the driver in the bag. There is very little value in gaining another 20 or 30 yards if those yards leave him playing his next shot from the wrong place. I want him thinking one shot ahead: Where does this tee shot need to finish to give me the best opportunity with my approach?
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That thinking continues around the greens. We talked a lot about avoiding the short side. At Merion, missing a green isn’t always the mistake. Missing it in the wrong place can be.
There will be hole locations where the flag simply isn’t the target. The correct play may be the middle of the green or an area that leaves the easiest possible next shot if the approach isn’t perfect. That style fits his personality and his game. He’s comfortable being patient, understands that par is a good score and is a very good putter. He doesn’t need to manufacture birdies.
If he continually keeps himself in position, he can allow his putting to become an advantage and let opportunities come to him.
4. Don’t compound errors
With my third player, the message may be the simplest of all: We can’t afford big numbers. His strengths are accuracy, his scoring clubs from 50 to 150 yards and his short game. Our strategy needs to give those strengths as many opportunities as possible. That may mean choosing more conservative clubs from certain tees, but the bigger conversation is about what happens when something goes wrong.
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Merion can punish the instinct to immediately try to recover everything. If we get out of position, sometimes the best decision is simply to put the ball back in play. Accept the situation. Give yourself an opportunity to save par — or even make bogey — and move on.
That’s where emotional control becomes part of course management. One poor swing doesn’t have to become a poor hole, and one poor hole certainly doesn’t have to affect the next one. For him, eliminating big numbers isn’t only about execution. It’s about eliminating the decisions that turn a small mistake into a much bigger one.
5. Stay in the moment
My fourth player is different because he does just about everything well. He has plenty of speed, he’s a very good ball striker, he keeps the game fairly simple and, most importantly, he loves to compete. With him, I don’t want to overcomplicate things. Our conversations have been about staying present and accepting that shots don’t have to be perfect.
A U.S. Amateur at Merion is going to create uncomfortable situations. There will be difficult lies, awkward shots and moments when a good swing doesn’t produce the result you expected. The challenge is not allowing those moments to create frustration. Accept where the ball finished, understand the situation in front of you, make the next decision and compete.
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Part of that is having an honest understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses. Great course management isn’t just knowing the golf course. It’s knowing yourself well enough to make decisions that fit your game. For him, I want to keep the message simple: Stay present. Accept imperfect shots. Compete from wherever the ball finishes.
6. Don’t under read on the greens
The greens at Merion created another important conversation that applied to all four players. I was constantly reminding them to play enough break, particularly on putts outside 20 feet. With greens this fast, an under-read can become expensive very quickly.
Once a putt misses on the low side, the slope can take over and the ball begins running away from the hole. Suddenly, a 25- or 30-foot birdie putt has turned into a five- or six-foot putt coming back. That’s why playing enough break is also part of speed control.
From longer distances, we’re not simply thinking about making the putt. We’re thinking about controlling where the ball finishes when it doesn’t go in. Playing enough break allows the player to use the slope and match the read with the proper speed instead of fighting the slope by hitting the putt harder. Great lag putting isn’t simply about how hard you hit the ball. Your read determines the speed you need to use.
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Over 36 holes of stroke play, eliminating those unnecessary five- and six-foot comeback putts can be just as valuable as making a few extra birdies.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Zach Neto had an RBI single and scored during the Angels’ three-run third inning, and Los Angeles snapped its three-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
Nolan Schanuel and Vaughn Grissom also drove in runs during the only scoring rally by the MLB-worst Halos, who won for just the fourth time in 14 games.
Joc Pederson hit his seventh leadoff homer of the season and Jarred Kelenic drove in his first run since May 15 for the Rangers, who lost for only the second time in seven games.
The Rangers, 60-60, hold down the final wild-card spot but the Tigers (59-60), Twins (59-62), Guardians (59-62), Orioles (58-62) and Blue Jays (58-63) are all within 2.5 games.
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Cody Bradford (0-1) pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for Texas in his second start since returning from elbow surgery, which had sidelined him since 2024.
Ryan Johnson pitched three-hit ball into the fifth inning for the Angels, striking out five. Reliever José Fermin (4-2) got four outs, and rookie Samy Natera pitched the ninth for his third save.
Pederson hammered Johnson’s third pitch 416 feet into the ficus trees behind center field for his 21st homer of the season and the 33rd career leadoff shot by the former Dodgers slugger.
Wade Meckler singled in the third and scored on a single by Neto, who stole third and scored on Schanuel’s flyout before Grissom doubled home Mike Trout.
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Brandon Nimmo singled in the sixth and eventually scored on a soft single by pinch-hitter Kelenic, who rejoined the Rangers’ roster earlier Tuesday for his third stint with the club that designated him for assignment in June and released him in July, only to re-sign him twice.
Texas didn’t get another hit after Kelenic’s single. The Rangers stranded eight.
The Angels fired former Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux and two of his assistants earlier Tuesday.
George Klassen (0-1, 7.27 ERA) starts for the Angels on Wednesday in the third meeting of this four-game AL West series. Cal Quantrill (4-4, 3.56) pitches for the Rangers.
The Vancouver Whitecaps made it to the MLS Cup final last year before losing 3-1 to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami crew in Florida.
This year they are tied for first in the Western Conference with Los Angeles F-C, and pursuing a record fifth straight Voyageurs Cup, awarded annually to the Canada’s soccer champions.
But this year’s Leagues Cup has not been one of the team’s many success stories.
But despite losing the first two games of Group A at home — 3-1 to Juarez and 1-0 to Atlante — the Whitecaps refused to quit in their third and final game on Tuesday against the host Tigres UANL, but lost 5-4 in penalties to the Mexican pro football club that competes in Liga MX.
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Rodrigo Aguirre opened the scoring in the 19th minute for the Tigres. Vancouver’s Emmanuel Sabbi netted the equalizer in the 80th minute, and the Whitecaps couldn’t capitalize on late red cards to Tigres Diego Lainez and Nahuel Guzman.
The hosts outshot the Whitecaps 10-5 (5-3 on target), but the visitors controlled 55 per cent of possession. The Tigres took 14 of the match’s 25 fouls, two of four yellow cards and the only two red cards issued in the game.
The Whitecaps took five corners, while the Tigres had two.
Juan Brunetta, Fernando Gorriaran, Romulo Zwarg, Diego Sanchez and Joaquim Henrique scored penalties for the Tigres, while Ryan Gauld, Sabbi, Oliver Larraz and Edier Ocampo scored from the spot for the Whitecaps.
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After the ‘Caps took a 4-3 lead in penalties, Mathias Laborda, Ralph Priso and Rayan Elloumi all missed consecutive shots for the visitors.
The Leagues Cup features all 18 Liga MX teams and 18 top-performing or playoff qualified MLS sides.
Pep Chavarria has joined Chelsea from Rayo Vallecano on a five-year contract for a fee understood by the Press Association to be £16.3 million plus £1.7m in add-ons.
An agreement was finalised last week for the 28-year-old to move to Stamford Bridge as the club’s squad overhaul continues under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The left-sided defender, who featured in last season’s Conference League final against Crystal Palace, is expected to battle with Jorrel Hato for the left full-back role following Marc Cucurella’s departure to Real Madrid.
He told Chelsea’s website: “I’m so excited to get started. This is a dream for me as Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Marc Cucurella joined Real Madrid earlier this summer (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
“It is a big opportunity but I am prepared and will work hard to help the team achieve success.”
Despite his age, the defender possesses just four seasons of top-flight experience, having moved from Segunda Division outfit Real Zaragoza in 2022.
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His signing continues a pattern of adding experienced players under Alonso, following 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck’s arrival from Brighton and 36-year-old Jordan Henderson joining the Blues after leaving Brentford.
Chavarria is the Chelsea’s third defensive signing this summer, following right-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta in July and Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace earlier this month. Meanwhile, England international Trevoh Chalobah left Chelsea to join Serie A side Como on Sunday.
After a dismal 2025-26 campaign that saw the team finish down in 10th, the club’s hierarchy acknowledged a recruitment shift was needed, moving away from inexperienced players towards those who can help challenge for the title.
However, Chelsea have also spent big on younger players as they broke their transfer record in July to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m, while Argentina international Valentin Barco joined from Strasbourg.
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Trevoh Chalobah left Chelsea to join Como (PA Wire)
Striker Emmanuel Emegha and winger Geovany Quenda have also signed for the club.
Chelsea are due to play their final pre-season game against Real Sociedad on Saturday as they complete their preparations for the new season.
They will then begin their Premier League season with a London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 24 August.
New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson is just like so many of us: He can’t live without video games.
Brunson, 29, was asked about the one thing he couldn’t live without in an interview with his mother. His mother said family, and the two had very different answers.
“The one thing that I can’t live without is family,” Sandra Brunson said in a recent interview with Lindsay Czarniak. The full interview with Brunson and his mom will premiere during the third season of Czarniak’s podcast.
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks celebrates after winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026.(Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE)
“So my answer was going to be video games, but I can’t do that now,” Brunson said on the show, drawing a laugh from his mother.
Brunson said he is currently playing FC 26, EA’s latest soccer game, and is waiting for the next edition of the game.
As a kid, the NBA Finals MVP was allowed to play video games on the weekend, but he had to earn his time on the console.
Jalen Brunson is seen at the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes in New York City on June 18, 2026.(NDZ/Star Max/GC Images)
“Any amount of hours he put into the video games he had to give back in the form of education whether it was reading a book so that limited (it),” Sandra said.
The former Villanova star said there was a trick, though, because he was allowed to play video games as long as he had a friend over. If his parents’ old rules still applied to Brunson, he would still be able to play a lot during the NBA season, as two of his closest friends from college, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, are on the Knicks.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson speaks during a ceremony at New York City Hall on June 18 after the championship parade. Brunson was the Finals MVP.(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
That trio was instrumental in helping bring the Knicks their first title in 53 seasons in June.
The Knicks’ captain will look to try to follow up this year’s title with another one next summer, all while still managing to play a lot of video games.
Gulf Giants have strengthened their squad ahead of the ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction, securing the services of South African powerhouses David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen as pre-auction signings. The inaugural champions have also retained the services of Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, bringing four established international names into their squad for the upcoming season, which will run from November 22 to December 20, 2026. The signings give Gulf Giants considerable firepower across departments as they look to reclaim the title they won in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2023.
Gulf Giants head coach Simon Helmot welcomed the additions, saying, “We are delighted to welcome David and Heinrich to the Gulf Giants family while bringing back Azmatullah and Blessing. They are world-class players and proven match-winners who add tremendous quality and depth to our squad. We’ve built a strong foundation, and the Player Auction gives us another opportunity to complete our squad as we prepare for Season 5.”
Miller brings extensive experience to the Giants’ batting unit. The South African has featured in 571 T20 matches and accumulated more than 12,000 runs across international and franchise cricket. His résumé also includes a key contribution to Gujarat Titans’ IPL title triumph in 2022.
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Klaasen, meanwhile, adds another explosive option to the middle order while also providing wicketkeeping cover. The South African wicketkeeper-batter has scored more than 6,900 runs in 294 T20 appearances and is set to make his first ILT20 appearance in the upcoming season.
Omarzai’s return follows an impressive debut campaign with the franchise. The Afghanistan all-rounder contributed 233 runs and 12 wickets in 10 matches last season, establishing himself as an important two-way option for the Giants.
Muzarabani is also back after injury ruled him out of the previous campaign. The Zimbabwe quick has taken 22 wickets in 17 matches for Gulf Giants since joining the franchise in 2023. His most productive season came in 2024-25, when he claimed 16 wickets in 10 games.
With four key pieces now secured, Gulf Giants will head into the October Player Auction with the core of their Season 5 squad already in place.
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The franchise will be aiming to build on its status as the competition’s inaugural champions when the fifth edition of the ILT20 gets underway on November 22.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Aug 11, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Ryan Weathers (40) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Ryan McMahon and Trent Grisham each hit two-run singles in the seventh inning by capitalizing on defensive positioning by the Seattle Mariners as the New York Yankees earned a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night.
The Yankees had runners at second and third against reliever Michael Rucker (0-4) after Jazz Chisholm Jr. stole second during a strikeout by George Lombard Jr.
After Spencer Jones walked to load the bases, McMahon got ahead in the count and poked a 2-1 curveball well out of the reach of rookie shortstop Colt Emerson to easily give the Yankees a one-run lead.
Seattle replaced Rucker with Eduard Bazardo and appeared to be out of the inning. Instead, Austin Wells hit a bloop single that fell in front of right fielder Taylor Ward and moved the runners up a base. On the next pitch Grisham slapped a sweeper to left field through the shortstop hole as Emerson was positioned closer to second base.
The base hits by McMahon and Grisham gave the Yankees their 30th comeback win and highlighted an inning when they sent nine to the plate. New York also improved to 17-10 in its past 27 games and moved three games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the AL’s top wild-card spot.
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Before the Yankees went ahead, Randy Arozarena homered in the sixth off New York’s Ryan Weathers, who was in line for a tough loss prior to the comeback.
Weathers allowed one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked three in a 106-pitch outing.
Tim Hill (4-2) followed Weathers by getting the next four outs ahead of the rally. Brent Headrick worked a 1-2-3 eighth and David Bednar struck out Cal Raleigh with a runner on second to secure his 27th save.
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Seattle’s Bryan Woo survived a 33-pitch opening inning and held the Yankees to three hits in five innings. Woo struck out five, walked one and threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of 19 hitters.
The Mariners dropped their fifth straight and fell for the 14th time in 19 games. Seattle was held to three runs or fewer for the 13th time in its slump and was held to three hits or fewer for the 12th time.
SAN FRANCISCO — Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve left the team’s game at San Francisco on Tuesday night after getting hit on the left foot by a pitch.
The Astros called it a bruised foot for Altuve, who manager Joe Espada said was sore. Espada said Altuve had imaging done on the foot that came back negative, adding more is expected Wednesday.
Altuve was hit by an 82-mph slider from Giants starter Carson Whisenhunt in the top of the first. After getting looked at, he stayed in the game to run the bases.
The 36-year-old two-time World Series champion took the field for the bottom of the inning, but left before going back out on defence in the second. He was replaced by Nick Allen.
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Altuve is hitting .240 with 13 home runs and 35 RBIs in his 16th season in the majors. Despite losing 4-1, Houston remains in first place in the AL West, a half-game up on Texas.
One Manchester United rivalry stands tall above all when it comes to ferocity, according to Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United‘s fixtures against Leeds United were the scariest he managed. The long-time rivals meet again in pre-season on Wednesday at Croke Park in Dublin, in what is likely to be a raucous atmosphere at the 82,300-capacity stadium.
However feisty the crowd will be, it probably won’t live up to the shocking scenes Ferguson once witnessed when he faced the Yorkshire side. Ferguson’s team travelled to Elland Road in September 2011 in a third-round League Cup clash.
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United won in resounding fashion as they claimed a 3-0 win in enemy territory, but it was the animosity prior to the game that left Ferguson stunned by what he and his players had experienced.
The Premier League giants prepared for the game in Leeds’ city centre and required police protection, resulting in the legendary Scotsman ranking the matches against the Whites as the most ferocious he’d encountered.
Ferguson said: “Historically, it has been there for a long time. I have always said Liverpool-Manchester United games are fierce in many aspects. Sometimes supporters can play a bad part in that particular game.
“But it never reaches the levels of Leeds United. Never. It was frightening at our hotel. We had seven police vans round the hotel protecting the team. I don’t know why it is like that. I don’t understand it. But it is there and it is not nice.”
The fixture ended with 14 fans being charged with numerous offences, with sections of both sets of fans hurling insults at each other during United’s victory. The home supporters had cast taunts about the 1958 Munich air crash that resulted in 23 deaths, eight of those being United players.
Fans of the then-Premier League champions had held up a banner with the word “Istanbul”, a reference to the two Leeds fans who were tragically killed the day before their UEFA Cup semi-final clash against Galatasaray in 2000.
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Countdown to Kickoff: The Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
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Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
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This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.
United and Leeds have both lost one game in pre-season, with those defeats occurring against Wrexham. Michael Carrick’s side are unbeaten since the loss to the Championship side, with only AC Milan to play after Wednesday to round out their pre-season preparations.
Having lost 2-1 in the first leg, Lyon turned the tie around with a 3-0 victory over Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. OL will face Fenerbahce in the playoffs to secure their place in the group stage.
Paris Saint-Germain are back in action in the European Super Cup. It was a great evening at the European Swimming Championships, with three medals for France. In athletics, Laëticia Bapté won silver in the 100m hurdles. In tennis, Arthur Fils was once again defeated by Rafael Jodar.
Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Vikings officially made the call.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter sent along word: “ESPN sources: the Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting QB.” And then some more insight: “Kyler Murray signed a minimum deal with the Vikings this offseason while still getting paid by Arizona, with the hope of becoming their starting QB, which he now is. Murray has a no-tag clause, meaning he can become a free agent next offseason if he wants.”
The Vikings Officially Make the QB Call
Opting for Murray allows Minnesota to rally around the newcomer for a long time as the Vikings prepare for what is hoped to be a competitive 2026. Consider, as well, that we’re considering a two-way street. Murray gets to acclimate while the team gets to acclimate to Murray.
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Still, the timing isn’t going to go over well with some. Many will think that J.J. McCarthy wasn’t given a fair shot.
Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) takes part in drills during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Recent days have featured many insisting that McCarthy had the on-field edge. Worse yet, the reports insisted that he didn’t get the same amount of opportunities to work with the starters. What prompted the flip to Murray at this stage?
Ben Leber — the former linebacker and current team analyst — didn’t go that far while nevertheless saying that he was surprised by the timing: “Well this happened faster than I expected. No more splitting reps. Ownership of the offense starts now.”
Kevin Seifert of ESPN: “Kevin O’Connell will talk with us at 1 CT. This was the near inevitable final answer but was clouded by a rough weekend. But ultimately it was hard to see it going any other way.”
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No doubt, Mr. Murray was the favorite. Still, the timing is curious and will generate questions. Naming Murray as the main man means having roughly a month to rally around the passer to Week 1 versus the Packers. That debut game of the 2026 season occurs on Sunday, September 13th.
Let the record show that it was on Tuesday, August 11th that Minnesota anointed Murray as the QB1.
Sep 8, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
J.J. McCarthy is looking like the QB2 for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026. We’ll see, though, if there are any teams that make the call about a trade.
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