Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) scans the field during fourth-quarter action against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cousins set up to deliver a pass as pressure closed in late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports..
The Atlanta Falcons will probably release Kirk Cousins in the next few weeks, and his next team can sign him for cheap. Because Cousins will basically be free in 2026 — he’s already been paid by Atlanta — so media members have already speculated that a reunion in Minnesota is on the table. Well, that’s an awful idea.
A Cousins return sounds familiar, yet Minnesota’s 2026 priorities at QB point toward younger upside and smarter team-building value.
Cousins might have a decent season or two left in the tank, but he should play them out with a squad outside Minnesota.
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Why a Cousins Reunion Fails the 2026 Test
The idea of a Cousins reunion is unflattering.
Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) brings down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) during second-half action on Nov. 17, 2024, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Bonitto closed quickly off the edge and finished the sack as the Broncos defense pressured Cousins late in the contest. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images.
The Age — 38
Cousins will turn 38 this summer. His talents will not increase as he ages; this never happens for athletes, except in rare cases of GOAT behavior like Tom Brady.
The Vikings turned the page on Cousins three offseasons ago because age and injury had entered the equation. It would be silly for decision-makers to convince themselves that an age-38 Cousins would have some big reclamation tour waiting.
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The Jared Allen Quote
With Cousins’s name floating around Minnesota’s rumor mill, Kay Adams asked Vikings Hall of Famer Jared Allen about a Cousins reunion.
Allen replied, “No — no. In his prime, we weren’t winning championships with him.”
This is the correct stance, a common Allen dub. The Cousins’ plan in Minnesota didn’t work to the tune of a Super Bowl in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023. Hell, Minnesota only reached the postseason twice in those six campaigns. Allen is right. Why would the Vikings start contending with a Super Bowl in 2026 if they did no such thing with Cousins from 2018 to 2023? How would that work?
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Minnesota already has proof that Cousins can’t guide the team to the Promised Land. Six years of proof.
Already a Lightning Rod among Fans
Because of his ability to habitually maximize his pocketbook while usually offering the 11th- or 12th-best quarterback play in the NFL, Cousins represented a divisive creature in the Twin Cities during his run. Re-upping with Cousins would force the 35%-%40% of the fan base that didn’t care for him to get inspired all over again. Instead, most of that camp will groan and grimace.
The vibes would not be off the charts.
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He Can’t Move
Most of J.J. McCarthy’s fantastic moments in 2025 arrived when he operated off schedule, using his legs to flee a collapsing pocket. There’s no reason to believe that a Vikings quarterback won’t be asked to do that again in 2026. Cousins cannot do that. He’s old.
Wherever Cousins lands next season, he’ll be a classic pocket passer — almost a caricature of it — and nothing more. His mobility hasn’t really been showcased since the Washington Commanders days. He likes to sling the rock from the pocket, and late into his 30s, that’s all he’s got.
Minnesota will need a nimble quarterback. Cousins is not nimble. In his late 30s, he’s one of the least nimble players in all of football.
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The Optics
This one might be lame, so bear with us.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) reacts following a win over the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 29, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Cousins celebrated with teammates on the field after securing the late-season victory in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.
In the court of public opinion, Minnesota will be perceived as striking out on McCarthy and crawling back to Cousins. His signing will resemble the boxing towel-throw of McCarthy’s early development. It really doesn’t matter if folks roast the Vikings for reuniting with Cousins — but they will roast, rest assured. It will be a terrible look for McCarthy.
Cousins Was Not Good in 2025
Thirty-five quarterbacks threw the ball as much or more than Cousins in 2025, and he ranked 30th of those 35 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per play when the season concluded.
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Assuming the Vikings take the Cousins bait this offseason, they will knowingly and willfully sign the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback from the season prior, expecting the plan to translate into Super Bowl contention.
It might be the worst idea imaginable to think that’s wise. “We need a good quarterback to contend for the Super Bowl. Let’s sign the fifth-worst one then from 2025 — who’s also 38 years old and can’t move.”
It just doesn’t add up.
What Would It Really Achieve?
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Unless Minnesota has changed its mission statement without telling the public, the goal is to win a Super Bowl and end a 65-year drought. Signing Cousins might allow the club to contend for a 10-7 or 11-6 record if everything goes well and high-profile players stay healthy.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) shares a postgame moment with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on Dec. 8, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The two exchanged words near midfield following the matchup between Cousins’ Falcons and his former team. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The goal should be finding a quarterback who keeps the Super Bowl window open for multiple seasons — not loading up around a 38-year-old whose team couldn’t win a non-competitive NFC South in 2025.
Rolling with a Cousins would signal a concession that 10-7 seasons are good enough.
Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek will work with Francisco Roig – the former coach of Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu – as she looks to turn around her inconsistent form.
Poland’s Swiatek has struggled to find her rhythm in 2026, exiting the Australian Open and Indian Wells at the quarter-final stage.
The 24-year-old tends to perform better on clay, having won four of her six Grand Slam titles at the French Open, and has drafted in Roig in preparation for next month’s event in Paris.
Swiatek confirmed the partnership on Instagram, writing “welcome to the team, Francisco! Very excited for this new chapter”.
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Spain’s Roig coached Briton Raducanu for five months between 2025 and 2026, but is best known for his 17-year stint with 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal.
World number four Swiatek had been working under Wim Fissette, who helped her win a first Wimbledon title in July, but they parted ways after Swiatek’s first-round loss at the Miami Open in March.
J.J. McCarthy tucks the ball and takes off on a run during second-half action on Sep. 14, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, showcasing mobility against the Falcons’ defense. The Vikings quarterback navigated pressure and extended the play on the ground, highlighting his dual-threat ability in a key in-game moment. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images..
The Minnesota Vikings don’t appear to have any urgent interest in trading third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but according to Pro Football Network, the 23-year-old would look nice in New York Jets green.
A New York angle just added more fuel to the McCarthy rumor mill.
Some have mentioned McCarthy trade theories, here and there, since Kyler Murray arrived in the Twin Cities three weeks ago. PFN’s Josh Weil is the latest.
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The Jets Proposal Would Test Minnesota’s QB Commitment
Would you be ready to wholly end the McCarthy era?
A New York Jets helmet rests on the turf ahead of kickoff on Sep. 14, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, setting the stage for a matchup with the Buffalo Bills. The close-up captures team branding and pregame atmosphere as players prepared nearby for an AFC East clash. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
PFN: McCarthy to Jets Make Sense
Weil actually dished out a few McCarthy trade proposals, and for the Jets, he explained, “New York trades a 2026 second-round pick (No. 44 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy and a 2026 third-round pick (No. 97 overall). Will the reunion with Geno Smith result in success for the Jets? Maybe, but with an aging quarterback who has had his share of injuries, bringing in a backup with more upside than Brady Cook can make an injury not devastating for the Jets.”
“They would be able to focus on other positions with their higher draft picks and still bring in a hungry McCarthy, who could very well win the starting job over Smith.”
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To date, McCarthy has expressed no discontent about Murray’s arrival, and to be traded, McCarthy would likely have to request it.
A Pretty Fair Price
While the PFN trade proposal probably isn’t realistic — the Jets can rather easily draft Alabama’s Ty Simpson in three weeks if they want a quarterback — fetching a 2nd-Rounder for McCarthy would feel like an impressive consolation.
The Vikings did not draft well — at all — under former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and truth be told, as of now, McCarthy is a part of that ball of wax. Adofo-Mensah only connected on approximately 15% to 20% of draft picks, which is why Minnesota currently has one of the oldest rosters in the NFL.
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Therefore, stockpiling any number of worthwhile draft picks cannot be ignored, especially if the Vikings’ brass believe Kyler Murray is in the mix to remain the long-term starter. Other quarterbacks who haven’t panned out, like Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, are usually attached to late-round picks in trade proposals.
The Vikings would be forced to listen if a 2nd-Rounder were involved.
The Ensemble for McCarthy in NYJ
According to NFL Lines, the Jets showcased the NFL’s 19th-best offensive line in 2025, one spot below Minnesota at No. 18. On paper, McCarthy would inherit a similar offensive line setup.
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J.J. McCarthy goes through pregame warmups before facing the Packers on Nov. 23, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The Vikings quarterback loosened up with throws and movement drills, preparing for a divisional test as Minnesota readied its offense in a hostile road environment. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
The defense? That’s a different beast — and now a good one. The Vikings ranked third last season per defensive DVOA; McCarthy had it good. New York, on the other hand, checked in at No. 31, also known as second-worst in the NFL. The Jets have made a bonanza of defensive moves in free agency; here’s to hoping, for their sake, that those transactions raise the floor for the league’s second-worst defense, led by head coach Aaron Glenn, who’s supposed to be a defensive guru.
For weaponry, McCarthy would work with this setup:
Breece Hall (RB)
Garrett Wilson (WR)
Mason Taylor (TE)
Adonai Mitchell (WR)
Braelon Allen (RB)
The Jets could also be in play to draft a wide receiver in the first three rounds three weeks from now.
Other Trade Ideas
Weil also mentioned a McCarthy trade to Cleveland: “Cleveland trades a 2026 third-round pick (No. 70 overall) and a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 149 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy. While the Browns picked a pair of quarterbacks in last year’s draft and still have Deshaun Watson under contract, it is clear they are looking for someone to come in and run away with the job.”
“It seems like the Browns didn’t want to invest a first-round pick in the position, but getting a first-round quarterback at pennies on the dollar in terms of draft stock may make them buyers for McCarthy. McCarthy’s QB Impact Score last season was 64.5, resulting in a D grade. While this is a far cry from where his expectations are, he still cleared Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel by a wide margin in that category.”
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The Browns’ brass said this week it plans to recommit to Deshaun Watson as the QB1 in 2026, but if he flounders, well, McCarthy might be a nice insurance policy.
J.J. McCarthy celebrates in the end zone after a scoring play during action on Dec. 21, 2025, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, energizing teammates against the Giants. The Vikings quarterback’s moment highlighted his playmaking and confidence in a road setting as Minnesota pushed for momentum late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Yannick Peterhans-Imagn Images.
Weil also spitballed McCarthy to Arizona: “Arizona trades a 2026 third-round pick (No. 65 overall) and a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 143 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy.”
In that scenario, the Vikings and Cardinals would basically swap quarterbacks, with Murray to Minnesota in addition to a 3rd-Rounder and 5th-Rounder, as McCarthy would fight with Jacoby Brissett for a starting job.
If no trades materialize, the Vikings still have three years of team control on McCarthy’s rookie deal.
Rory McIlroy walked out of Augusta National with the Masters trophy, Green Jacket and 13 of his golf clubs.
The 14th will be kept at the Augusta National clubhouse forever.
The fabled Masters host club has a tradition of asking the champions to donate one signifcant club from their victory for display. You’ll have to go inside the clubhouse to see the actual clubs kept from each winner, but McIlroy revealed earlier this year that the club asked for his 7-iron, unbeknownest to him.
“I didn’t realize this, but I flew back the day after on the Monday and I basically didn’t see my golf clubs since like post the playoff and I saw that my 7-iron was missing,” McIlroy revealed at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this season. “I was like, that’s a pretty important club.”
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McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty has already given Augusta the 7-iron McIlroy used in his dramatic victory, but he just forgot to tell his boss.
“Sean had already given it to the club, he just didn’t tell me,” McIlroy said. “That’s fine, I’ll get a new 7-iron. If there was one I was going to give the club, it was probably going to be that one.”
The 7-iron, and his TaylorMade RORS Proto iron set, played a huge role for McIlroy the whole week as he averaged 2.31 SG:Approach for the week, the best in the field.
Keep reading below for each of the seven most important clubs from the last seven Masters champions.
Perhaps no single club and no single shot defined a Masters victory since 2010 more than McIlroy’s heroic approach from the left edge of the 15th fairway, where he hooked his 7-iron around the trees and chased his ball to 5-feet for eagle.
It reminded me of Phil Mickelson’s 6-iron from the pine straw on No. 13 15 years earlier. Coincidentally, both McIlroy and Mickelson missed the ensuing eagle putts, but ended up wearing the green jacket at the end of the day.
That wasn’t the only miraculous iron shot he hit all day, either. There were the escapes from the trees on Nos. 5 and 7 and the clutch approach on 17 with an 8-iron to just two feet.
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But it was the aspirational high draw around No. 15’s towering pines that will go down in Masters lore forever as the shot that helped McIlroy finally slip on that elusive green jacket.
Scottie Scheffler’s putting woes were well documented in late 2023 and early 2024. He tried a multitude of different blades and mallets, some Tour-only prototypes, others from a then-little-known bespoke maker. But Scheffler finally settled on an off-the-rack TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-neck at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational and went on a tear.
It was a good story because just before Scheffler made the switch, Rory McIlroy commented that Scheffler should try a mallet, and that’s exactly what he did, even using a very similar model to McIlroy’s.
That switch paid dividends immediately for Scheffler as he won at Bay Hill, then defended his title the very next week at the Players Championship. The following month, he won his second green jacket and kept on winning, racking up seven PGA Tour titles in 2024, plus the Olympic gold medal.
At Augusta, Scheffler took just 109 putts for the week, 18 fewer than in 2023 and made two putts during the third round from over 30 feet, including a 31-foot make for eagle on the 13th hole that helped him take command of the tournament.
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SPIDER TOUR X L-NECK
For nearly two decades Spider putters have been delivering championship-winning stability and performance to professionals and amateurs alike. Scottie Scheffler recently joined this group by stepping into the winner’s circle for the third time in four starts with a Spider Tour X L-Neck in the bag.
TRUE PATH™ ALIGNMENT
Navigate the greens with clarity with the optically-engineered True Path™ Alignment system. This legacy tech from TaylorMade helps you better visualize the line to the hole while also making it easier to aim the putter towards your target.
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Experience a softer feel with our White TPU Pure Roll™ insert. Crafted from a blend of Surlyn and aluminum, it features grooves angled at 45° for optimal forward roll and better overall roll characteristics.
PRECISION WEIGHTING AND DESIGN
A thin wall undercut and steel wireframe allow for precision CG placement, creating a superstructure with enhanced stability and forgiveness.
Scheffler’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X specs Hosel: L-Neck Length: 35.5’’ Sight Line: True Path with Full Line Loft: 3° Lie: 72° Insert: Surlyn Pure Roll Grip: Golf Pride Pistol
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2023: Jon Rahm’s Callaway TCB Irons
At the 2023 Masters, Rahm put on a ball-striking clinic, hitting 52 out of 72 greens for the week (72 percent) using a set of irons that had been largely unchanged since he joined Callaway’s Tour staff two years prior.
Rahm’s weapons of choice then were the Callaway Apex ’21 TCB (he’s since upgraded to the ’24 models), which feature Project X 6.5 shafts that are soft-stepped one club.
Soft-stepping (the opposite of hard-stepping or tipping when you’re talking about wood shafts) is when you build a set of irons with a 3-iron shaft in the 4-iron, 4-iron shaft in the 5-iron, 5-iron shaft in the 6-iron and so on, which makes them play a touch softer than stock.
For Rahm, because he hits down on the ball so well, he needs slightly softer shafts in order to get his spin numbers right in the sweet spot (about 6,000 rpms for a 6-iron).
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Callaway Apex TCB 24 Custom Irons
Since Xander Schauffele put a TCB iron in play,his strokes gained in approach have significantlyincreased year over year. Now in 2024, he is top 5 inthe world in strokes gained on the field, and has wontwo major championships with the new ’24 TCB Iron.
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Trusting the ‘24 Apex TCB iron, Xander Schauffelewent on to secure two major championships in the2024 season.
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The beautiful raw aesthetic and overall footprint isexactly what Xander was looking for. With a compact controllable shape, and shorter blade length, TCB ’24 are players irons for discerning golfers.
Perhaps the most iconic shot of Scottie Scheffler’s first Masters win followed one of his worst with the exact same club.
After his approach from the pine straw at the 3rd hole during the final round came up short and rolled back down a slope and into a hole, Scheffler grabbed his lob wedge again and bumped it into the hill and scooted up onto the green and into the hole for an unlikely birdie-3.
The legend of Scottie Scheffler’s short game really began that week at Augusta with the chip-in and the fact that Scheffler tied for second in the field in scrambling that week.
The Vokey low bounce K grind Scheffler used during that win, is a lower bounce version of Vokey’s popular wide-soled K grind, which is dubbed the “ultimate bunker club.” The grind was developed out on Tour and then offered as a WedgeWorks exclusive, but just starting in 2025, Titleist added the 06K grind to the regular retail lineup.
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Titleist Vokey SM11 Tour Chrome Wedge
Titleist Vokey Design’s new SM11 wedges feature a new precise CG position across each grind in a loft, meaning every wedge will now perform the same way with the same strike.
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Scheffler’s Titleist Vokey SM9 WedgeWorks lob wedge specs Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Loft: 60˚ Bounce: 6˚ Grind: Low Bounce K Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
2021: Hideki Matsuyama’s Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Circle T GSS
He’s often known to travel with several putters at a time, but around the time of his Masters win, Matsuyama repeatedly went back to what he called his “ace” putter, which was a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS with three large black dots in the cavity.
The head shape and material was popularized by Tiger Woods, who won 14 of his 15 majors with a similar model. Matsuyama also followed Tiger that week at Augusta by adding a new Lamkin Deep-Etched Full Cord grip to his wand, something Woods had done a few months prior.
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Matsuyama took command of the tournament thanks to a back-nine 30 on Saturday that gave him enough cushion to stave off Sunday charges by Will Zalatoris and Xander Schauffele, despite a Sunday 73.
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CHAIN-LINK FACE MILLING TECHNOLOGY
New chain-link face milling technology reduces the putter face insert’s touch points at impact with the ball using a texture that softens the sound and provides improved roll characteristics while preserving feel and feedback off the putter face.
FULL CONTACT SLIM GRIP
With a comfortable chain-link texture to match the new putter face milling pattern, the custom crafted Full Contact Slim paddle-style grip was designed to complement the stroke and performance of blade and mid-mallet putters. Its uniquely contoured profile and flat top provide superior comfort and contact between the hands and the putter, and enhanced body alignment.
Matsuyama’s Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Circle T GSS specs Length: 34.75″ Loft: 2.5° Lie: 71° Grip: Lamkin Deep-Etched Full Cord
2020: Dustin Johnson’s TaylorMade SIM driver
Like Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson loves to tinker and test out different clubs, even dipping into the mid-tournament switches every so often.
Johnson drove the ball beautifully at the 2020 November Masters, 306.5 yards off the tee and hitting 78.57 percent of his fairways on the softer course, on his way to setting the tournament scoring record of 20 under. But as TaylorMade’s Keith Sbarbaro revealed later on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast, Johnson almost went with a 47-inch driver build that week.
It even got as far as going in the bag for a Tuesday practice round at Augusta National.
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“The fact that he had a game [on Tuesday] where he was playing with other great players and had to play well, I think that was a huge benefit to get that club out of the bag,” Sbarbaro said in November 2020. “Sure enough, by the end of that practice round, the 47-incher was gone … He is intrigued by the 10 yards, but it just wasn’t the time to do it.”
Ultimately, Johnson went back to a 45.75-inch build and ended up with his second major title.
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New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes.
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Dustin Johnson’s TaylorMade SIM specs Loft: 10.5˚@ 10˚ Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 661 X Length: 45.75″ Lie: 59˚ Swingweight: D4 Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 58R (1 wrap 2-way tape + 2 wraps left hand, 3 right hand)
2019: Tiger Woods’ TaylorMade P7TW irons
After joining TaylorMade’s staff in 2017, it was a long process to develop a set of irons that matched Tiger Woods’ exacting specifications.
For a while after Nike left the golf club business, Woods was using irons with the TGR Foundation logo on them, then in early 2018, the TaylorMade branded TW-Phase1 irons appeared in the bag.
Woods was dialed at the 2019 Masters and completed one of the great sports comebacks of all time, winning his 15th major 11 years after his last and 14 after his most recent Masters. For the week, Woods hit 80.6 percent of the greens in regulation, the most by a Masters winner since Woods himself in 2001. He led the field in strokes gained: approach per round (1.73).
No approach was better than the 8-iron Woods struck on 16 in the final round that caught the slop and rolled just past the hole, settling a few feet away for what was ultimately the crucial birdie.
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MILLED GRIND SOLE DEBUT
Milled Grind eliminates variances in sole geometry from head to head and ensures precision in every iron set, while the CNC machined sole geometry and a precise leading edge promote consistent turf interaction.
TIGER’S FINGERPRINT
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Each iron has been meticulously shaped to meet Tiger’s discerning eye—longer blade length, thinner topline, progressive face height, and more.
The current AEW World Champion, MJF, has been offered a match by another current World champion outside Tony Khan’s promotion. The two have wrestled each other nearly two years ago.
The current CMLL World Heavyweight Champion, Hechicero wants to face the current AEW World Champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Hechicero captured the CMLL World title from Claudio Castagnoli at Arena Mexico recently. He is also under a dual contract with both Lucha Libre CMLL and All Elite Wrestling.
At the Forbidden Door event back in 2024, Hechicero squared off against MJF for the first time. The match went on for nearly 10 minutes, and Max secured the win over the CMLL veteran. Meanwhile, Hechicero wants to get in the ring with The Salt of the Earth yet again.
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During his interview with The Takedown on SI, Hechicero said it would be great to take on MJF, as he is the World Champion in Tony Khan’s promotion. Hechicero also wants a rematch with Claudio Castagnoli after capturing the CMLL World title from him recently:
“I aspire to the highest level as CMLL World Heavyweight Champion. First of all, MJF is the company’s world champion, it would be really great to face him. Also, Claudio Castagnoli, it would be great to have a rematch against him because he did so well,” said Hechicero. [H/T WrestleTalk]
MJF is set for a huge title defense at AEW Dynasty
MJF has been the AEW World Champion since December 2025 and has had multiple successful title defenses until now. At the upcoming Dynasty 2026 pay-per-view, Max will defend his World title against Kenny Omega.
Ahead of the big match, MJF and Kenny came face-to-face for a contract signing segment on Dynamite this week. Max also defeated Speedball Mike Bailey in the main event of the show.
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It will be interesting to see if MJF manages to retain his World title against Kenny Omega at Dynasty.
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Philip Otele has described his first appearance for the Nigeria national football team as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
The Hamburger SV winger, currently on loan from FC Basel, made his senior debut on Tuesday in Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Jordan national football team in Antalya. He came on late in the match, replacing Frank Onyeka.
Otele’s call up had come as a surprise after he was initially included in Éric Chelle’s provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations but missed out on the final list earlier in the year.
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“I am very happy to be here; it’s a pleasure for my family and me, and I want to say a huge thank you to God first,” he said. “For me, it was a dream come true. We always play football to represent the national team, so I always wanted to play for Nigeria, and it was a big moment for my family and me.”
The forward added that his long time support for the team made the moment even more special. “I am proud of this moment. As a player, playing for your national team gives you that extra boost. Being here is a huge thing for me because I am a patriotic fan, and I have been following the team for a long time.”
Otele is among several new players being integrated into the squad during the Antalya training camp, alongside Emmanuel Fernandez and Yira Sor, as Chelle continues to expand his options ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Sandy Alcantara pitched a three-hit shutout and Liam Hicks drove in four runs, leading the host Miami Marlins to a 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon.
After playing their first two series against teams that lost more than 100 games last season — the Rockies and White Sox — the Marlins are 5-1 before heading to New York to play the Yankees on Friday.
Alcantara (2-0) did not walk a batter and struck out seven, throwing just 93 pitches for the first Marlins complete-game shutout since Braxton Garrett had one in May 2024.
It was his fifth career shutout for Alcantara and the second time he pitched a “Maddux” — a complete-game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches.
Hicks, acquired by the Marlins in December 2024 as a Rule 5 draft pick, went 3-for-4 with a homer on Wednesday.
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He had six homers, 45 RBIs and a .693 OPS in his first season in the league last year. In six games this season, he has three homers, 12 RBIs and a 1.659 OPS.
Also for Miami, Otto Lopez homered, tripled, and scored three runs.
Shane Smith (0-2) took the loss for the White Sox, allowing eight hits, two walks and eight runs, seven earned, in three innings.
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Smith, who went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2021, had a dream season last year, going from Rule 5 draft pick to rookie All-Star. This year, though, he has a 19.29 ERA through two starts.
Miami opened the scoring with a four-run first. Hicks had a run-scoring single, Connor Norby added an RBI double, and Owen Caissie capped the rally with a two-run single.
The Marlins made it 6-0 in the second on Hicks’ two-out, two-run homer just inches over the glove of right fielder Everson Pereira.
In the third, Heriberto Hernandez drew a walk and advanced to third on Graham Pauley’s ground-rule double down the right field line. The White Sox brought the infield in, and Javier Sanoja drilled a two-run single right past the glove of shortstop Luisangel Acuna to make it 8-0.
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Miami extended its lead to 9-0 in the sixth as Lopez tripled and scored on Hicks’ RBI single.
In the eighth, the Marlins made it 10-0 on Lopez’s 392-foot homer to left.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images.
There’s been some angst in Vikingsland regarding Jonathan Greenard’s desire for a revised contract as his $19 million per year deal—with two years remaining—lags behind the NFL’s top edge rushers (led by Micah Parsons at $42 million per year, including the final year of his rookie deal in 2025.
Greenard is not in a great bargaining position after he missed five games last season, and his sack total fell from 12 in 2024 to three, although his pressure rate remained among the top edge rushers. I expect the Vikings to give him some incentives based on again reaching double-digit sacks (which won’t count against the cap this year since he didn’t achieve that level last year) and then consider an extension next year if he plays more games and performs at an elite level to help the team return to the playoffs.
Jefferson’s Contract Outlook Stays the Same
Greenard falls somewhat into the category of recent big deals far surpassing a two-year-old contract, as the salary cap has boomed in recent years. Vikings fans can rest assured this is not the case with Justin Jefferson, who signed his four-year, $140 million extension ($35 million per year in new money) in the same year (2024) that Greenard joined the Vikings.
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When Seattle superstar receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was signed last week to a four-year, $168.6 million extension ($42.15 million per year), the possibility emerged that Jefferson—with three years left on his deal—would ask the Vikings to renegotiate his contract, which, on first glance, appears to be about $7 million per year less than Smith-Njigba.
Here’s a lesson in NFL caponomics that shows why Jefferson shouldn’t have a beef with his contract vis-à-vis JSN’s deal.
Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) reacts during the Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
When Jefferson signed his extension, he had one year left on his rookie contract, with a fifth-year option worth approximately $20 million. Therefore, his total compensation over the five years from 2024 to 2028 is $160 million, which equates to $32 million per year.
Whereas Jefferson had to wait until after his fourth season to get his extension, Smith-Njigba’s new deal was negotiated after his third season (the earliest that a player under a rookie contract can be extended). He has two years left on his rookie deal, worth a total of $26.6 million, bringing his total compensation to $195.2 million over six years (2026-2031). That is an average of $32.53 million.
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So the reality is Smith-Njigba’s deal is only $530,000 per year more than Jefferson’s over the next three years, and if Jefferson stays at an elite level, he’ll surely receive an extension that begins in 2029 and surpasses Smith-Njigba’s current deal.
Nov 24, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images.
The true leader in average wide receiver salary per year is still Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, who is making $36.4 million per season. He signed a four-year, $161 million extension after his fourth season, when he had one more year left on his rookie deal at $21 million, bringing his total contract to $182 million over five years.
Agents love to trumpet the new money in these top-of-the-market extensions, which I certainly understand since I now work in the agent business. But caponomics tells us we have to fully examine the deals, including the years and dollars remaining on the old contract, to get the true value of the contracts.
So don’t expect to hear Jefferson complain about his contract after the Smith-Njigba extension.
Reactions to Kevin O’Connell’s Media Session at League Meeting
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1. On Greenard: O’Connell emphasized how much he and the team value Greenard as an impact player when healthy and as a team leader (he was a captain last season). O’Connell said he expects Greenard to be with the Vikings in the 2026 season, but he didn’t go so far as to label him untouchable. I think the team needs to keep the 28-year-old Greenard for at least one more season, and probably much longer, if he stays healthy and productive in the season ahead.
2. O’Connell said Blake Brandel will “more than likely” be the first-team center in the offseason OTAs and minicamp after playing the position for the first time last season in several games due to Ryan Kelly’s injuries. O’Connell is encouraged by the development of backup center Michael Jurgens, who appeared a bit shaky in his limited play last season. I expect the Vikings to draft a center in the first three rounds of next month’s draft and have an open competition for the starting spot.
May 31, 2023; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings Blake Brandel poses for a photo. Brandel dazzled onlookers in a Week 1 game versus the New York Giants in 2024, tallying a 91.2 Pro Football Focus Grade. Mandatory Credit: NFL Photos-USA TODAY NETWORK.
3. On joining the prestigious NFL Competition Committee: O’Connell is excited about the opportunity to help with new rules and procedures that the committee presents to the NFL owners for votes. His addition to this committee is a nice tribute to the League office’s view of him as one of the NFL’s top coaches.
Addison’s Fifth-Year Option
The Vikings wisely exercised the fifth-year option in Jordan Addison’s rookie contract, which is now guaranteed for a projected $18 million in 2027.
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Addison is an excellent second receiver to Jefferson and would be a No. 1 WR on many teams. He’s had too many off-field incidents in his three seasons and too many drops last season, but he’s been very productive overall, with 2,396 receiving yards and 22 TDs thus far in his career. The Vikings hope he matures off the field as he continues to improve and make an impact on the field.
Jeff Diamond is a former Vikings GM, former Tennessee Titans President and was selected NFL Executive of the Year … More about Jeff Diamond
The NIT’s semifinals tip off tonight at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and I want to look at the first game of No. 1 seed New Mexico vs. No. 1 Tulsa at 7 ET on ESPN because that should be more competitive than the nightcap featuring No. 4 Illinois State against No. 1 Auburn. The winners face off in Sunday’s championship game, which moves to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indy, and I expect that to be the Lobos and Tigers.
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New Mexico (26-10, 21-14 ATS) of the Mountain West, which had a case for an NCAA Tournament spot before a late-season fade, was the winner of the Albuquerque Region of the NIT, and is clearly the best team in it. The Lobos beat Sam Houston, George Washington and Saint Joseph’s, all by at least 15 points at the Pit. I previewed that Hawks game last Tuesday here at CBS Sports and recommended SJU alt +16.5 and alt Under 161.5 at a parlay price of -125. We sweated a tad, but it cashed with UNM prevailing 84-69. Didn’t seem to be an ATS worry at the half with Saint Joseph’s up 39-37.
Tomislav Buljan led New Mexico in that one with a career-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds, his 17th double-double of the season. Star freshman Jake Hall added 24 points. Those two freshmen carry coach Eric Olen’s club … and will be very expensive to keep in the offseason. Frankly, I doubt either will still be with the program.
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Hall had his 11th 20-point game and became the all-time leading freshman scorer in Mountain West history with 585 points, breaking the previous record of 564 by UNLV‘s Anthony Bennett in 2012-13. Bennett of course was then the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft by Cleveland. Hall, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, has made a school-record 116 3-pointers, fourth-most by a freshman in Division I history.
Buljan had his third 25/10 game of the season, trailing only Duke superstar Cameron Boozer (six) for the most by a freshman nationally. Among players who played three games in this year’s NIT, Buljan (21.0 ppg) and Hall (19.0 ppg) are the tournament’s top two scorers. Another freshman in Uriah Tenette is leading the NIT in assist/turnover ratio at 13.0.
The Lobos have trailed for just 6:29 of 120:00. Their +21.33 average scoring margin over the first three rounds is the largest in the event since 2008. UNM is the first team since San Diego State in 2016 to advance to the NIT semifinals with three wins by at least 15 points and has reached this round for the third time overall and first since 1990.
I generally prefer to lean Under an alternate total but chose to go Over an alt here because the Lobos are averaging a whopping 92.3 points in this tournament, most over the event’s first three rounds since Oklahoma (94.3 PPG) in 1991. That team lost in the final. Tonight will be New Mexico’s first-ever game in April.
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Tulsa (27-9, 17-17 ATS) of the American Athletic Conference is having its first winning season since 2019-20 and hosted the Tulsa Region in the first three rounds. The Golden Hurricane haven’t had it nearly as easy as New Mexico did, with two of their three wins in the NIT by five points or fewer (one in OT). They knocked off conference rival Wichita State last Tuesday to get here.
The primary starting five of David Green, Tylen Riley, Miles Barnstable, Ade Popoola and Tyler Behrend leads the American Conference with a rating of plus-172. That ranks them third in the country as a group. Tulsa’s 381 made 3-pointers have not just shattered the school record but broke the 2018-19 Houston squad’s AAC record of 337.
The Golden Hurricane are one of 10 schools nationally to have at least 25 games this season scoring 80-plus points and are 24-1 in those games. Only NCAA Tournament Final Four foes Arizona (26-0) and Michigan (25-1) have a better record in such games.
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The program is in the semifinals of the NIT for the third time in history and won it the previous two times (1981 and 2001). Head coach Eric Konkol was a student assistant at Tulsa on that 2001 team that beat Alabama, 79-60, in the NIT title game.
New Mexico leads the all-time series 2-1, but they haven’t played since 1998. The Lobos are +210 second favorites to win the NIT behind Auburn (+110) – they were the two favorites when the event tipped off. Tulsa is +380, a nice jump from an open of +1000. As of this writing, Auburn is taking the most Yes shares to win it at Kalshi with 44%.
DraftKings single-game parlay (-115)
New Mexico ML
Alt Over 149.5
The SportsLine Projection model has UNM 81-77, Torvik has it 84-82 and Haslem 81-76. KenPom ranks the Lobos at No. 44 nationally and the Golden Hurricane 58th. Tulsa is 1-5 ATS in its past six games, while New Mexico is 5-0-1 ATS in its past six. Check out NIT and other expert picks in the daily newsletter.
NEW DELHI: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has raised doubts over Rishabh Pant’s decision to promote himself to the top order, suggesting the Lucknow Super Giants skipper may have “gone a little too far ahead” in his batting position.Pant, who was run out for 7 off 9 balls in LSG’s IPL 2026 opener against Delhi Capitals, later indicated he intends to bat in the top order this season. However, Pietersen believes the move could backfire.
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Mukul Choudhary on LSG’s game plan: backing partnerships & staying fearless
‘Too much pressure at the top’“When you look at the strength and depth of LSG’s batting, is Rishabh Pant really an opening batter?” Pietersen said on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’. “I think he might have gone a little too far ahead of where he was in the line-up compared to last year.”The former England star pointed out that Pant had earlier dropped down the order but is now looking to move up again, a shift he feels may not be ideal. “He just needs to go out and enjoy his cricket,” Pietersen added, warning that forcing himself into a top-three role could pile unnecessary pressure.“Don’t force yourself into batting at number three. Enjoy the luxury of that position. I think he puts himself under tremendous pressure by opening the batting,” he said.Rizvi earns praise after match-winning knockPietersen also heaped praise on Delhi’s young batter Sameer Rizvi, who turned the game with an unbeaten 70 after the Capitals were reduced to 26/4 in a chase of 142.“He played the situation beautifully, and I’m not surprised,” Pietersen said, recalling his time mentoring the youngster. “This kid is a proper player, and we probably need to invest in him for a period of time.”He emphasised the importance of backing young talent, adding, “When you invest in a player, you need trust that he can pay you back, and he has done exactly that.”According to Pietersen, Rizvi’s match-winning effort under pressure in a season opener carries more weight than scoring freely in a high-scoring game, underlining his temperament and potential.
;)
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