Sports
This USGA program helps women level the playing field
In 1946, Patty Berg won the inaugural U.S. Women’s Open at Spokane Country Club, beating a field of 39 players for a first-place prize of $5,600, paid entirely in war bonds.
She might not recognize the event today.
Eight decades on, the 81st U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally arrives this June at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, where 156 of the best female players in the world — whittled from a pool of 1,897 entries — will compete on one of the game’s most storied stages for a total purse of $12 million.
Do the math. The numbers alone tell a striking story about the evolution of women’s golf. But as with most good stories, statistics only go so far.
Golf is booming as never before, and female players have helped power that surge. Nearly 8 million now play the game in the United States, according to the National Golf Foundation, a 46-percent increase since 2019. They account for a record 28 percent of all golfers and contribute significantly to the billions spent in the game each year.
And yet, for many women from all walks of life, golf still often seems like someone else’s pursuit: governed by unfamiliar rules, elusive codes of conduct and a culture that falls shy of feeling fully inclusive. For all the strides that golf has made since Patty Berg was in her prime, a divide remains, limiting women’s access not only to the camaraderie and competition of the game but also to the relationships and opportunities so often forged around it.
That was the gap a recent gathering at Riviera set out to close.
Presented by the USGA and Ally, the presenting partner of the U.S. Women’s Open, an event called “Golf with Us” brought together 40 female business professionals, many of them newcomers to the game, for an immersive day of instruction and conversation. On the range, participants worked with eight teaching professionals across three stations covering full swing, short game and putting. They flushed some shots and bladed others. No one was keeping track. The goal was not to produce scratch golfers. It was something more impactful: to help women gain confidence and comfort with a game that carries profound benefits both on and off the course.
“I’m someone who has been in (golf) my entire life,” said Tisha Alyn, a former professional golfer, media host, trick-shot artist and entrepreneur, who moderated a panel discussion that followed. “Every opportunity, the majority of friendships, the majority of connections and employees I’ve made in my life have been through this game.”
Alyn knew that made her an outlier in the room. A quick show of hands confirmed it.
“How many of you had played golf before today?” she asked.
Most hands went up.
“And how many of you have made a business deal on the course?”
Most hands stayed down.
;)
USGA
Alyn’s three panelists had plenty to say about that gulf, which they’d each confronted in one form or another in their own winding paths into the game. Lauren Campbell, director of sports and entertainment marketing at Ally, was introduced to golf as a child through father-daughter outings to a PGA Tour event in Michigan and has spent much of her career since trying to make the game more accessible and inviting for women. Kat Harwood, U.S. sports practice leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP, got her start as a passenger in a cart, riding alongside her husband, taking in the fresh air and scenery, until curiosity finally got the better of her. When play ground to a halt, she began taking swings. She realized that she liked it. What’s more, she discovered, “I wasn’t terrible at it,” she said. Katie Conway, the USGA’s senior director of partnerships, grew up as a fan’s daughter, her childhood weekends structured around Jack Nicklaus’s tee times. She even worked at golf courses along the way, yet somehow never thought to pick up a club. Eleven years into her career at the USGA, she’s still early in the learning curve. She has yet to break 100.
Which, as the panel made clear, is beside the point.
As Alyn teed them up, the speakers took turns sharing experiences and counsel. Conway talked about treating every round as a chance to learn something: a swing tip, a point of etiquette, a better feel for the rhythm of the game. She recalled playing Pebble Beach in a USGA outing, posting a score that was not the course record, but walking off focused on the positive: a single hole she’d played particularly well. She recommended adopting that mindset. “Women are less exposed to golf,” she said, “and we’re probably harder on ourselves than we should be.” Find the one good shot. Carry that with you.
Harwood offered a companion thought: Don’t make a production of the bad ones. No anguished post-shot commentary, no apology to your playing partners. “I realized I was drawing attention to my bad shots,” she said. Most of the judgment golfers fear on the course exists only in their imagination. Fact is, no one cares how you play as long as you’re not slowing down the pace. “Just pick up the ball and move on,” Harwood said.
Another pearl of hard-won wisdom: Don’t hesitate to go all in. For a while, Harwood said, she’d never taken a lesson, which she used as a built-in excuse, until she realized how absurd that was. “I wouldn’t do that in any other aspect of my life,” she said. If she wanted to learn to cook, she’d take a cooking class. Golf deserved the same respect and attention.
;)
5 lessons from the U.S. Women’s Open champ to shoot lower scores
The women in the audience weren’t beginners off the course. They were accomplished professionals, mothers, wives. But Alyn was candid about how long it can take to feel truly at home in the game, and how to reframe the moments that feel most daunting. Being the only woman in a golf outing, she said, isn’t so different from being the only woman in a boardroom. Both can be intimidating. Both can be flipped with some mental gymnastics. “You might think, ‘Holy crap, there are only two or three women in this room,’” she said. “I’m like, ‘Heck yeah, I’m here.’” Confidence on the course, she added, can also be a matter of faking it until you make it. “You all are badasses in this room. You have so much conviction in whatever you try.” Apply that same mentality to golf, and eventually the feeling becomes real.
And whatever you’re feeling on the course, remember: It’s a game. It’s supposed to be fun.
Trouble is, it can seem so serious, walled off by barriers — some real, some imagined — that the industry is bent on bringing down. As evidence, take the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally itself, the oldest championship in women’s golf, and a tournament whose growth over eight decades is a shining reflection of the game’s changing face.
Bukayo Saka scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress to the Champions League final.
The Gunners, who secured a 2-1 semi-final aggregate victory, will face either title-holders Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in only their second appearance in the final of Europe’s premier club competition.
Saka was on hand to slot in the rebound after Leandro Trossard’s shot was saved by Jan Oblak in the 45th minute to put Arsenal up 2-1 on aggregate in the second leg of their semifinal.
The Gunners’ stingy defense did the rest as Arsenal has now kept a clean sheet at home in all three knockout rounds. The team also conceded a competition-low four goals in winning all eight of its matches in the league phase.
It will be only Arsenal’s second final in Europe’s premier competition, having lost the 2006 title match to Barcelona. This time it will face either defending champion Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30. PSG won the pulsating first leg of their semifinal 5-4, and the second leg is in Munich on Wednesday.
FRANCE24 with AFP, AP, REUTERS
Sports
Updated IPL 2026 Points Table: Chennai Super Kings Reignite Playoffs Hope, Delhi Capitals Suffer Setback
Chennai Super Kings celebrate after dismissing a Delhi Capitals batter.© BCCI
Chennai Super Kings are well and truly very much in the IPL 2026 playoffs race. With their fifth win in 10 matches, CSK have climbed to sixth place in the points table. They are now just three points behind table-toppers Punjab Kings, having played one game more. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, are placed seventh with four wins in 10 matches. Sanju Samson bossed the chase with authority, anchoring a modest 156-run target with a fluent 87 not out as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in the IPL on Tuesday.
Samson’s knock came off just 52 balls and included seven fours and six sixes, as he batted through the innings to guide CSK to victory in 17.3 overs, giving a significant boost to their net run rate.
Electing to bat on a tricky surface, Delhi Capitals were restricted to 155 for seven.
West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein set the tone with the new ball, returning tidy figures of 1 for 19, including 14 dot balls.
Reduced to 69 for five in 11 overs, Delhi found some late impetus through Tristan Stubbs (38 off 31 balls) and Sameer Rizvi (40 not out off 24), who stitched together a crucial 65-run stand off 47 balls to take the innings to a respectable total.
Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 155 for 7 in 20 overs (Tristan Stubbs 38, Sameer Rizvi 40 not out; Noor Ahmad 2/22); Chennai Super Kings 159 for 2 in 17.3 overs (Sanju Samson 87 not out, Kartik Sharma 41 not out). CSK won by eight wickets.
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El Pensador has endured nine starts and nearly 10 months winless, though Rex Lipp expects his charge to strike at Ipswich this coming Monday.
The offspring of So You Think targets building on a promising reappearance in the antepenultimate race, the Seven News BM68 Handicap run at 1350 metres.
The five-year-old earned third across 1400m at Eagle Farm April 8 on return, his premiere placing in the top three since prevailing at Monday’s circuit last July, validating Lipp’s view of his peak readiness.
“Last preparation I just had a few little niggling things from after he came up from Melbourne,” Lipp said.
“It took a while to sort him out, but he seems to be back on track now.”
Under Lipp, El Pensador has secured every one of his three career successes in 20 appearances, after failing twice with Victorian trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
Lipp eyes 1800m for El Pensador later but remains unperturbed by the fresh 1350m assignment.
“I wanted to give him another run over the 1350 before I step him up to the mile,” he said.
“He’s going to run a mile, even 1800 this horse, but I just want to get him right.”
Lipp’s additional Victorian transfer Arcelia contests her next for the Toowoomba handler in the Great Northern Maiden Handicap (1200m), slotted as race two.
Post three goes with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, the Japanese mare delivered third at 1100m Gatton on April 10 stable debut, boosting Lipp’s optimism.
“It’s taken a while to get her right, get her balanced and get her going,” Lipp said.
“She went to Melbourne, so we’ve had to get her going the other way, but I give her a good chance if everything pans out OK in the run.”
Arcelia draws barrier eight with 1.5kg apprentice Corey Sutherland aboard, while El Pensador gets Angela Jones from gate 13, becoming 12 absent emergencies in the 16-runner contest.
Visit leading betting sites to check racing odds for the Seven News BM68 Handicap.
NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs was found not guilty of all charges Tuesday afternoon after being accused of assaulting and strangling his former live-in chef.
A jury delivered not guilty pleas on one charge of strangulation or suffocation and a second charge of assault and battery as Diggs watched on in a Dedham, Massachusetts courtroom.
The verdict concluded a two-day trial that started on Monday. The jury reached its verdict following just over one hour of deliberations.
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The Pac-12 indirectly announced a deal with ESPN as The CW will be partnering with ESPN to showcase their sporting events.
The exposure is a great outcome for the new-look league.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin discusses recent comments from Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham about money in the sport.
Who could actually afford a $50M roster?
Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby is not likely to ever play another college football game.
The rumored consideration of the NFL’s supplemental draft seems to entrench that reality for the Red Raiders.
00:00 Pac-12’s broadcast strategy
04:55 West coast game time challenges
10:14 Discussion on college football finances
13:11 Discussing rising costs in sports
15:45 Alabama’s current football challenges
19:23 Discussing Brendan Sorsby’s draft options
21:45 Texas Tech quarterback concerns
25:12 Big 12’s chance to challenge Tech
Erie SeaWolves manager Gabe Alvarez works against the Somerset Patriots at UPMC Park in Erie on July 11, 2024. The Detroit Tigers fired Triple-A manager Gabe Alvarez on Tuesday, saying the decision stemmed from a “violation of club policy.”
Alvarez, 52, was in his second season as manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, who had a 17-16 record through Monday’s minor league play and were tied for fourth place in the International League West.
“We have terminated the contract of Gabe Alvarez as the manager of Triple A Toledo due to a violation of club policy,” the Tigers said in a statement. “Mike Hessman will serve as interim manager. We will have no further comment.”
A major leaguer for parts of three seasons, Alvarez was a career .222 hitter with seven home runs and 33 RBIs over 92 games for the Tigers (1998-2000) and San Diego Padres (2000). During nine seasons in the minor leagues, Alvarez batted .278 with 114 home runs. A second-round pick out of Southern California in 1995, Alvarez served as an assistant coach at his alma mater starting in 2010. He was hired by the Tigers to be the manager at Double-A Erie starting in the 2022 season and was promoted to manager at Toledo in October of 2024.
–Field Level Media
Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from next week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink for family reasons.
The six-time major winner had originally been named on the entry list for the tournament, but a statement from the PGA of America revealed that he had pulled out because of a “personal health matter with his family”. He has been replaced by fellow American Max Homa.
Mickelson has appeared in just one of LIV Golf’s six tournaments in 2026 and also missed the Masters because of a family health matter.
He became the oldest winner of a men’s major at 50 when he clinched the 2021 PGA Championship, his second success at the event.
Tiger Woods will also be absent in Pennsylvania as he takes a break from golf after being charged with driving under the influence following a car crash last month.
There was, however, a surprise invitation for Dustin Johnson. “I’m very excited,” Johnson said as he prepares to play at LIV Golf Virginia, “I want to play in all the majors. I feel like my game is still good enough to compete with everyone and still can win. The PGA was nice enough to give me an invitation. So yeah, I’m very, very happy and thankful for that.”
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World number one Aryna Sabalenka has warned that tennis players could eventually boycott Grand Slam tournaments because of the continuing disagreement over prize money and player rights.
Leading men’s and women’s players are pushing for a bigger share of the income made from the four major tournaments. They also want improved benefit payments and more influence over issues such as match scheduling.
Speaking ahead of the Italian Open in Rome, Sabalenka admitted a boycott could become necessary if players feel their concerns are ignored.
“I think at some point we will boycott it,” she said.
“I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights. Without the players, there wouldn’t be tournaments or entertainment.”
American star Coco Gauff also said she could support a boycott if players united together on the issue.
However, world number three Iga Swiatek believes refusing to play at Grand Slams would be too extreme, even though she supports calls for higher prize money.
British player Emma Raducanu also distanced herself from the idea, saying she would not take part in a boycott.
Earlier this week, several top players expressed frustration over the prize money for this year’s French Open at Roland Garros.
Although organisers increased the prize fund by 9.5%, players believe they deserve a larger percentage of the tournament’s revenue, with some arguing it should be closer to 22%.
Sabalenka said she hopes players and tournament organisers can eventually reach an agreement that satisfies everyone.
The Belarusian added that many female players now feel more united in speaking out about issues they consider unfair.
Prize money at last year’s US Open increased by 20%, while the Australian Open raised its financial rewards by almost 16%.
Meanwhile, Wimbledon Championships is expected to announce its prize money details next month.
Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri feels that the lack of consistency and poor backing between batting and bowling units have played a key role in Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Lucknow Super Giants slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat after going down by six wickets to the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, despite posting a formidable 228/5. Mumbai chased down the target in 18.4 overs, riding on a commanding 143-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma (84) and Ryan Rickelton (83).
Analysing LSG’s campaign, Shastri highlighted the team’s inability to deliver collectively with both bat and ball. He also believes that back-to-back losses can dent the confidence of any side
“The problem with LSG is that when their bowling unit performs, the batters fail to back it up, and when the batters score runs, the bowlers go for plenty. There’s no consistency. Six losses in a row can really dent a side’s confidence, and even in games where you are in a comfortable position, there are thoughts like, ‘Will we win, won’t we?’” Shastri told Jio Hotstar.
He further pointed out how LSG failed to capitalise on strong starts, especially in batting-friendly conditions.
“You are 100 for one in 7 overs, and in the next 13 overs, you score less than 130, which means you have faltered. And you won’t get better batting conditions than this,” he added.
Shastri stressed that the team management needs to reassess their approach, particularly in crunch phases of the game, as they look for an outside chance at the playoffs.
“So, they’ll have to sit down and think about what went wrong in the last three overs while batting, and how they can tighten up their bowling,” he said
Shastri also urged the bowlers to adapt better to varying conditions across venues.
“The bowlers have to adjust their lines and lengths according to the conditions. The Lucknow wicket tends to assist fast bowlers, but when you go to Bengaluru or Mumbai and get good batting wickets, that’s where the real test lies,” he concluded.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in a decisive second leg of their UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semi-final. The tie remains finely poised after a tense 1-1 draw in Madrid, where Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez both scored from the penalty spot.
Mikel Arteta’s side will draw confidence from their strong home form and their push to reach a first Champions League final in 20 years. Another victory would also extend their unbeaten run in Europe to a club-record 14 matches. Arsenal regained momentum domestically with a convincing 3-0 win over Fulham, suggesting they are peaking at the right time.
However, Diego Simeone’s Atletico remain a dangerous knockout team. Despite inconsistent league form, their defensive discipline and counter-attacking threat make them formidable opponents. With everything to play for, expect a tightly contested battle, where fine margins — possibly even another penalty — could decide who advances to Budapest.
UCL 2026 S/F 2nd Leg: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid team news
Arsenal team news:
Arsenal have received a major boost with the return of captain Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, both declared fit by Mikel Arteta. Their presence adds creativity and attacking depth ahead of a crucial tie. Bukayo Saka, who was taken off at half-time in the last match, is expected to start, while Martin Zubimendi should return after being rested.
However, Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino due to a foot injury and Jurrien Timber with a groin issue, slightly weakening their squad depth.
Atletico Madrid team news:
Atletico Madrid are boosted by the return of Julian Alvarez, who missed their last league outing but is fit and expected to start. Diego Simeone emphasised his importance, particularly given his familiarity with English football and his impact in the first leg.
UCL 2026 S/F 2nd Leg: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid probable starting 11
Arsenal starting 11 (probable): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard; Viktor Gyokeres
Atletico Madrid starting 11 (probable): Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Mateo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Johnny Cardoso, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Head-to-head
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Total matches: 4 -
Arsenal won: 1 -
Atletico won: 1 -
Draw: 2
UEFA Champions League semifinal: Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid 2nd leg live telecast and streaming details
When will the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be played?
The 2nd leg of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be played on May 6.
What time will the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid begin on May 6?
The UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will start at 12:30 am IST (May 6).
What will be the venue for the UCL 2026 semifinal match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid?
The Emirates Stadium in London will host the UCL 2026 semifinal match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
Where will the live telecast of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be available in India?
The live telecast of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be available on the Sony Sports Network.
Where will the live streaming of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid be available in India?
The live streaming of the UCL 2026 semifinal between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.
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