Welcome to Bag Spy, a GOLF series devoted to understanding the crucial equipment choices that define a player’s bag. With the help of players and/or their expert fitters, we dig deep beyond the photos to examine setups, specs and the thinking behind them. In this installment, GOLF Associate Equipment Editor Jack Hirsh takes you inside Tony Finau’s bag and new equipment setup for 2026
Ping Tour Rep Dylan Goodwin said Finau is a “man of few words” when it comes to his equipment. When it works, it works and he doesn’t need to question it too much. If it doesn’t, he tries something else.
Advertisement
Ping’s Kenton Oates said the Tour team built Finau a total of just five clubs one season, which was likely the fewest of any player on the Ping staff.
“It maybe puts a little more pressure on us as a staff when he does come in to get it right, because you know he doesn’t want to be testing during the year,” Oates told GOLF. “If he is testing product throughout the year, then it’s probably frustrating to him, since that’s really something he doesn’t want to do. So we just got to make sure that we get everything down at the beginning of the year.”
He prefers to do most of his club work in the offseason.
For someone who isn’t a tinkerer, Tony Finau does carry a lot of clubs.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Advertisement
“He’ll usually come in here two or three times from like November 1 till that first event of the year, whether it be Hawaii or in the desert or wherever he starts up,” Oates said. “But once we get going in the season, he doesn’t make a lot of changes at all.”
That doesn’t stop Finau from having one of the more unique bags on the PGA Tour with his heavy swingweights, huge grips and a new Ping prototype putter. He’s also made a few more tweaks this year and he’s started to see some progress after recording just one top-10 in 2025.
One of those tweaks, switching to Ping Prototype Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onset putter, has paid off in a big way. Finau ranked 155th in Strokes Gained: Putting after his first two events but has rallied up to 58th. That’s after finishing 111th in the category last year. He led the field in putting at Pebble Beach during an 18th-place finish.
Keep reading below to dive into one of the more unique setups on the PGA Tour.
Advertisement
Breaking down every club in Tony Finau’s bag
Ball
Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
Finau marks his golf balls with either his wife’s or children’s initials.
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
For Finau, the golf bag starts and ends with golf ball and for much of his professional career, that golf ball has been Titleist’s Pro V1 Left Dot.
Finau is one of the most well-known Left Dot players, which is a Customized Performance Option (CPO) version of the standard Pro V1. Compared to the retail version, the Left Dot is lower flying and lower-spinning, but has the same, softer feel that Pro V1 players prefer.
“I think equipment starts with the golf ball, not with the clubs, not with the woods, not with any other piece of equipment. It starts with the golf ball. I’ve always been a believer in that,” Finau told Titleist. “The Left Dot golf ball is right for me because I’ve always put a lot of spin on the golf ball … and right away, it caught my eye because of the ball flight. I think if you can control your ball flight, you can control the distance. And it’s been such a reliable ball flight for me from the first time that I hit it … I can count on the golf ball in crosswinds, into the wind, downwind. I know how far the golf ball is going to go.”
He also has an interesting tradition of marking his golf balls with his children’s and wife’s initials. He told Titleist he’ll usually start with his son, Sage, and change out depending on how the round is going.
Advertisement
“It’s a cool way to keep my kids involved, and they’re always with me on the golf course,” he said.
Advertisement
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls
The Greatest Combination of Speed, Spin and Feel
Pro V1 golf balls are the optimal premium performance choice for most players and the most played model in golf.
Why Play Pro V1?
Pro V1 is recommended to players who are looking for mid-trajectory flight, very low long game spin and maximum short game spin, with softer feel.
Comparison to Pro V1x
Due to its unique dimple pattern, Pro V1 has a lower flight than Pro V1x. A softer gradient core produces a softer feel and slightly less spin than Pro V1x.
Specs Ping G440 LST Loft: 9.0˚ @ 7.75˚ Trajectory 2.0 Setting: Big Minus (—) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black Velocore+ 7-X Length: 45.25″ Tipping: 1″ CG Shifter: 35 g, neutral Hot Melt: 5 g, toe Swingweight: D8+
Advertisement
Finau has already made a mid-season tweak, going from a 7.5˚ Ping G440 LST to 9˚ head in the Big Minus setting. Finau is a high-spin player, but with the lower-lofted head, he was seeing his misshits drop to 2200 while good strikes were around 2500.
Those are not atypical numbers on the PGA Tour, but Finau has plenty of speed in the tank, so he values control. While he typically cruises around 180 mph ball speed, Oates describes him as having one of the biggest governors on the PGA Tour.
“If you brought him to the range, in three golf swings, he could have 200 mph of ball speed,” he said.
Because of that range, Finau is more comfortable with the 9˚ head that produces a spin range around 2700 and 2400 on misses to help him stay in control.
Advertisement
That was also the driving factor behind a move to the Fujikura Ventus Black with VeloCore+ last season.
“He wasn’t happy with his driving, and he had started testing a few different shafts, and he ended up liking the stability of the Velo+,” Oates said. “So he went into that at Travelers last year.”
You’ll also notice Finau prefers a rather beefy D8+ swing weight for his driver and that actually carries over to his irons two, with them sitting at D6+. The reason was mainly feel-based and has to do with a change Finau made with his grips a few years ago. We’ll get into that change below, but basically, Finau made his grips lighter, which raised the swingweight.
“He liked that feeling,” Oates said. “Then we walked through kind of what that would look like downrange from a ball-flight standpoint. Obviously, the heavier the clubhead, the easier it is to fade it. It’s a little bit easier to release because you have more mass down there. So he mentally liked that as well.”
Advertisement
PING G440 LST Custom Driver
The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to ensure the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control in 9° and 10.5° lofts with the three-position back weight.
HIGHLY FORGIVING
Lighter head weight allows for heavier back weight.
FASTER FACE
Shallow, thinner, face increases ball speed for more distance, higher launch.
SOUND DESIGN
New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs produce muted impact experience.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows for more heel-side face flexing for consistent ball speed across face.
Finau used more shallow-faced 3-woods for much of his career until a few years ago, when he realized he wasn’t using 3-wood off the deck much. That was when he was first drawn to Callaway Triple Diamond T fairway wood shapes and he’s used one since.
“With the height he can hit it and the distance he can hit it, he really likes a deep 3-wood, and that head is just a little bit deeper than anything we had,” Oates said.
Uniquely, the Triple Diamond T Fairway Woods are specifically designed for Jon Rahm, who also prefers a deeper-faced 3-wood, along with a beveled sole to help him get it through the turf. Both Rahm and Finau are still playing the Paradym Ai-Smoke Model that’s now two-seasons old.
Advertisement
Ping has started working on a deeper-faced club for that spot in the bag, their Ping Mini Proto, which debuted at the Sony Open. Finau has been testing it, but at this time, he’s got a very unrelatable problem.
I think the thing that we struggle with there is it might just go a little bit too far right right now,” Oates said. “But we’ll continue to work on that.”
Utility Iron
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Specs Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3-iron Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI-105 X Hybrid
Probably the most famous club in Finau’s bag and with the return of Brooks Koepka on the PGA Tour, one of just a handful of Nike clubs left in pro golf.
Advertisement
Finau has had this Nike Vapor Fly Pro 3-iron since 2016, his lone year on staff with the Swoosh before they exited the hard goods business. But it actually disappeared from the bag for a few seasons before jumping back in during the 2020 season.
Ping has plenty of options to replace this club, including their current iDi driving iron, which is in the bag of Viktor Hovland, but that club, and many before, might be too forgiving for Finau, Oates said.
“The thing we run into with our crossovers and clubs in that space is they’re a little bit more forgiving and they go a little bit higher, which is great for the everyday player,” Oates said. “Unfortunately, Tony doesn’t really need the extra help with the height.”
Oates isn’t sure how many Vapor Fly Pro heads Finau has left, but he brings in four or five every year to have the specs checked. Safe to say, until he finds a better option, this club isn’t going anywhere.
Advertisement
Irons
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Specs Ping Blueprint T 4-PW Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130 X Lofts: 22.25/26/29/32.5/37/41/45 Lies: 61/61.5/62/62.5/63/63.5/64 Length: 36.88″ 7-iron Swingweight: D6-D7+
This is actually a spot where Finau has done some tinkering.
For nearly his entire career, Finau has played the Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 TX shaft in his irons, but during his offseason at the end of last year — unbeknownst to Oates or the Ping Tour team — Finau did some testing on his own and switched to the KBS $-Taper 130 X.
That’s actually why there is loads of lead tape on his clubs now, because with the new shaft, the clubs swing-weighed lighter.
Advertisement
“KBS shafts in general are slightly counterbalanced compared to most every other iron shaft,” Oates said. “So whoever installed those did a great job and they got it back to swing weight — so they had to add the lead tape.”
Had Ping made the change, Oates said they simply could have changed the weight screws in the toe of the club to bring them back to D6+, but the lead tape accomplished the same thing.
Finau has almost exclusively played a full set of muscle-back irons for his whole career with the exception of 2024, when he played the Blueprint S cavity-back iron. While he finished second in Strokes Gained: Approach that season, Finau looked at specific yardages and saw he was actually better with the original Blueprints (he was fifth in Approach in 2023) and switched to the Blueprint T blades he has now.
Unlike the modern trend on the PGA Tour, Finau plays that same blade through the entire bag.
Advertisement
“Tony Finau’s ability to hit a properly-hit 5-iron — where he’s not hung back, he’s just down on top of it, thumping it and sending it up to the clouds — is one of the biggest gifts that he has. He can launch and spin a 4- and 5-iron like nobody in the world,” Oates said. “Not a lot of players from 230 can hit a 4-iron spinning at 5200 and have it get there. And then when it does get there, it’s going to land close to the hole and stop.”
You may notice his lie angles are fairly standard, if not slightly upright, despite his distinctive low hands address position. His irons aren’t flatter on account of both his 6’4″ height and his preference to see the club upright.
“I think a little bit of his visual, like he’s a player that’s put the club down like that and wants to see the toe where it is, which is a little upright,” Oates said, before adding that it also helps him with a left start line. “He’s always played his best golf when he starts it a little left of his target and cuts it back. So I think the upright lie angle just forces it over to the left a little bit.”
Advertisement
PING Blueprint T Custom Irons
For the accomplished golfer who relies on control and precision, Blueprint T delivers a single-piece, 8620 carbon steel forging that puts a premium on workability, trajectory control and superb feel.
SHORTER HEEL-FACE
Allows the hosel transition to blend smoothly into the top rail, creating a clean, distraction-free appearance at address. The narrow soles enable consistent turf interaction from all conditions.
MOI BOOSTED
Save for the slight MOI boost from tungsten toe screw and tip weights, it’s a purely forged iron, concentrating mass through the impact zone to ensure a pleasing sound and feel with the workability to take on any shot.
Jockey Tip: The lofts match the Blueprint S and i230 irons to allow golfers to create blended sets within PING’s precision iron offerings.
Like many on the Ping staff, Finau has made a quick and easy transition into the new S259 wedges for his gap and sand wedge, but he remains using a Titleist Vokey T-Grind for his lob wedge, having recently updated to the new Vokey SM11.
“Those middle two wedges in s259, they look a little cleaner,” Oates said. “They capture the ball visually a little bit better with that cleaner transition in the hosel. They feel, if anything, probably a little softer than s159, and they just have the same great performance: low launch, high spin.”
Putter: Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onsett Loft: 3˚ Lie: 70˚ Length: 35″ Toe Hang: 5˚ Grip: SuperStroke 2.0 Pistol
For most of his career, Finau has stuck with more traditional Anser-style blade shapes, with his preferred head being a wide-body Anser 2D.
Advertisement
But last summer, he started experimenting with mallets and landed on a Ping PLD Milled Ally Blue Onset putter. That switch was short-lived, but it sent Finau down the rabbit hole that eventually led him to try the head shape again at the Farmers’ Insurance Open this year. This time, it was Ping’s prototype Scottsdale Tec platform.
He actually tested two models that week.
Tony Finau made a really surprising change to a Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue Onset putter.
Not only does it make Finau the latest player to move to a low torque putter, but it also moves him away from the milled face of his previous PLD Anser 2D.
“Tony gravitated towards the Ally Blue Onset again and the Ketsch 4, which has a hosel he had used in the past on a blade putter,” Goodwin said. “After going back and forth between the putters, the Ally Blue Onset ultimately matched better to his stroke and delivered the face at impact more consistently. As a result, his start line improved, and he liked the contrast between the white finish of the head and the black sight line, which he found easier to line up with.”
Finau’s T11 at Torrey Pines was his best finish since a T5 at the 2025 Genesis, so clearly he was onto something.
Two weeks later, at Pebble Beach, he led the field in putting, gaining more than eight shots on the greens for the week, the first time in his career.
Advertisement
What makes the switch more interesting is that not only is this the first non-blade to get some staying power in Finau’s bag, it’s also the first putter with a non-milled face.
However, the putters sounded the same to him, so he didn’t mind the softer feel of the insert. Clearly, it’s been working thus far.
Grips: Lamkin UTX Midsize (+4 wraps + 3 RH)
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
As we mentioned before, Finau is one of the few pros using mid-sized grips, but he builds them up even further with an additional four wraps of tape across the hole grip and three more for the right hand.
Advertisement
But that tape job pales in comparison to what gripping his clubs was like 2-3 years ago when he had an aggressive build up of wraps every inch until there were maybe 10 wraps at the bottom end of the grip. This results in a grip that essentially had no taper.
Relief came for Ping’s builders when Finau decided to switch to a midsize grip and use fewer wraps. That led to heavier swing weights since Finau’s previous grip was so heavy that Ping needed to add a ton of weight to the head to keep it from feeling counterbalanced.
The WNBA’s milestone 30th season is scheduled to tip off in less than two months. On Wednesday, the marathon negotiations between the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association ended with an historic agreement on a collective bargaining agreement.
The two sides verbally agreed to a deal that would raise teams’ salary caps to $7 million, ESPN reported. Last season’s salary cap was $1.5 million. Players will be eligible for supermax deals starting at $1.4 million in 2026, up from $249,244 in 2025.
Every WNBA player will earn at least $300,000 under the new CBA, sources told ESPN.
A detail of the WNBA logo on a basketball during warmups between the Seattle Storm and the Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena on June 20, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Diana Taurasi, an 11-time All-Star and three-time WNBA champion, reacted to the latest development. The former Phoenix Mercury guard said she believes the deal is a step in the right direction.
“The WNBA has gone through a long journey over the last 30 years,” she told The Spun. “There’s a lot of hard work, grit, perseverance and determination. This is just another milestone for women’s sports. It’s nice to see the WNBA in a better place than where you left it.”
The details of the term sheet are still being finalized. The next step is ratification by the players and the league’s board of governors.
Diana Taurasi speaks during a press conference at the Phoenix Mercury Practice Facility on March 13, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. Taurasi announced she was retiring after a 20-year career in the WNBA. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Taurasi’s sentiments echoed WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s stance about what she described as a landmark deal.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league,” Engelbert told reporters shortly after the deal was struck early Wednesday, “and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
“It’s [been] a process, but we’re very proud to be leading in women’s sports, and these players are amazing, and we’re going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
Advertisement
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks during a news conference before the WNBA All-Star basketball game on July 19, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA executive committee president Nneka Ogwumike, who participated in the prolonged bargaining sessions, commended the efforts that led to the new CBA.
“We’re just really grateful to be able to come to a deal,” Ogwumike said. “We’re proud of ourselves. And quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that’s what this looks like.
Once the new CBA is finalized, it will mark the sixth agreement in WNBA history, with the previous one reached in 2020. The full terms of the new deal are expected to reflect the league’s recent surge in growth, viewership and overall popularity.
Last week at the PGA Tour headquarters, new Tour CEO Brian Rolapp unveiled six themes for where the league is headed. One of them was a splashy start date on the West Coast, a way for the Tour to get fans excited and kick-start the year in a big way.
“We want to open big with a marquee event at an iconic venue in the west, among other things,” Rolapp said, “allowing us to finish on network television in primetime on the East Coast.”
How might that look? It’ll likely be in late January or early February, and we already know the Tour’s time in Hawaii is probably limited. That leaves a couple of current tournaments as the likely options: the Farmers at Torrey Pines in San Diego, the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, or the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey Peninsula. The Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles could also be an option.
We might not get an answer soon — and the Tour might still be figuring it out as well — but you could make a case for most of these spots, just as GOLF’s Subpar duo thinks their local event, the WM Phoenix Open, would be the ideal kickoff.
Advertisement
“In my opinion this would go the week before the Super Bowl, in between the conference championships and Super Bowl, there’s that dead week,” said Subpar co-host Colt Knost, on the latest Subpar episode. “This is the week, let’s get the PGA Tour started, get everybody excited and then we take a week off for the Super Bowl — because there is no reason to go against that — and then we get going.
“Their goal long-term is to own the summer,” he continued. “They want golf to be must-see TV throughout the summer, going up against baseball, obviously some basketball. That is their big goal. But I love that we are going to open big.”
Co-host Drew Stoltz, who is also a member of the Thunderbirds, the organization that runs the WM Phoenix Open, agreed.
“I mean, what’s bigger?” he said. “There are some great venues, some great golf courses out west, but if you are going to make a big splash to open the season what would make more sense than that? I don’t have any insider information, not saying it’s a done deal, but if this is the way you are going, we will start basically when football ends, we will call it, even if it’s the week before the Super Bowl, this is the biggest you got.”
Advertisement
For more on the latest Subpar episode, where they break down Cam Young’s Players win and talk more about Rolapp’s six themes, you can listen here or watch on YouTube below.
Many football watchers will tell you the home viewing experience is ideal for them, but there are still those that love to watch NFL games from the seats at the stadium – truly taking it the experience with their own eyes.
However, as demand for the sport continues to grow, so have ticket prices just to enter a stadium on gameday. As a result, some fans are simply getting priced out from watching their favorite teams.
But legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg, who has represented over 300 professional athletes, especially in football with a record eight No. 1 overall picks and 64 first-rounders under his belt, believes teams and owners should be more “forward-thinking” with their tickets.
Leigh Steinberg attends the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
He has an idea.
“I think that it would be prudent and forward-looking for them to reserve, like, 10,000 seats for every game for them to distribute to working families and younger people,” Steinberg told Fox News Digital on a recent phone call. “So, at least at the end of the year, you have a team planting the seeds for the future.”
Steinberg believes to “truly enjoy football” you either have played the game, or have seen it live. That, in his eyes, “totally sustains that interest level.”
Yes, technological advancements have made it easier for fans of all demographics to catch their favorite teams, as well as the rest of the NFL schedule, from their living room. In fact, some may even tell you spending for the highest NFL package is better than going to games live at this rate.
That’s because tickets are not the only thing to worry about when going to a game live.
The Action Network did an analysis of the cost of a family of four to attend an NFL game in every stadium across the country. The study included ticket prices, which were primary and resale from Ticketmaster, food and drinks, and parking for said family. They even looked at the child admission policy to see what ages may be free to find out which stadiums were, somewhat, family friendly.
Advertisement
Fans of the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos support their teams during the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on Dec. 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.(Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
At the highest was Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the Philadelphia Eagles, who were the reigning Super Bowl champions when the season began in 2025. At $2,133.44, with $2,058.44 of that the price of four tickets, the family could enjoy the Eagles. Ford Field (Detroit Lions), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders), Soldier Field (Chicago Bears) and Highmark Stadium (Buffalo Bills) round out the top five most expensive stadiums for families.
The New York Jets and MetLife Stadium were the lowest at $555.94, though the league-wide average was $1,339 for four tickets.
At the same time, though, Steinberg understands supply and demand, and the latter is through the roof for the NFL. In turn, those with means to pay the expensive ticket prices do so, while others are priced out.
“Right now, you have so much excess demand that they can price those tickets [high],” Steinberg added. “I used to say, ‘Look, we need to think about the future. I’m telling you that players could take a little less money if it meant sustaining the sport long-term. That means ticket prices.’ An owner once put his arm around me and said, ‘Son, that’ll never happen.’”
Could it happen one day? Steinberg sure hopes so, but as long as the insatiable appetite for football diminishes, it’ll likely be harder for some to acquire tickets at the current price tag, let alone secondary market upcharges.
‘Again, my suggestion would be teams plan and build for the future by having a section each week – they wouldn’t be the best tickets, but who cares if you’re a young kid? I used to go to Rams games in the Coliseum back in the ‘50s and you would’ve needed a telescope. But you still create an interest in football. That’s what I would do if I owned a team,” Steinberg said.
STEINBERG’S COMEBACK
While talking all things football, Steinberg also discussed life and how his fight through adversity led to him writing “The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories.”
Advertisement
Leigh Steinberg speaks onstage during the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party at Storek on Feb. 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images)
Steinberg had built an empire by representing the best athletes in the world, but he also dealt with alcoholism and financial struggles, ultimately bringing him to rock bottom. But he rebuilt himself through those hard times, and with this book, he’s hoping to help others do the same.
Also, sharing stories of athletes dealing with similar adversities, Steinberg believes all readers should come away with this lesson learned.
“Internal introspection,” he said. “A realistic understanding of your own values and priorities, whether it’s short-term economic gain, long-term economic security, spiritual values, family. It’s to have clarity internally in terms of what really constitutes a fulfilling life. Then, coming up with a plan to get back to that.”
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has reportedly regained full fitness and will start his side’s La Liga home match against city rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday (March 22).
Mbappe, 27, returned to first-team action from his knee problem in Los Blancos‘ 2-1 UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg win over Manchester City this Tuesday (March 17). He completed 13 of his 13 passes and registered one shot in his 21-minute second half cameo.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
Now, according to AS (h/t Madrid Universal), Mbappe will start in the upcoming La Liga game against Atletico Madrid at Estadio Bernabeu. He has recently trained at 100 per cent and is believed to replace Brahim Diaz in his club’s starting lineup on Sunday, hoping to continue his form.
Advertisement
Mbappe, who missed five matches in all competitions due to his recent knee injury, has undoubtedly been Real Madrid‘s best player this season. He has produced 38 goals and six assists in just 34 total appearances for his club in the ongoing 2025-26 campaign, scoring two hat-tricks.
On the other hand, Los Blancos are also reportedly set to welcome summer arrival Alvaro Carreras, who was out with a minor calf problem. They are also expected to have Jude Bellingham, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy back at their disposal this weekend, according to AS.
Real Madrid icon hails Alvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid icon Guti has lauded Los Blancos head coach Alvaro Arbeloa for aptly handling the high-pressure environment at the club this year. He stated (h/t Madrid Universal):
“When you join a team mid-season, with difficulties and injuries, it’s always a poisoned chalice. But he’s steering it in the right direction for now, and that’s what all Madrid fans hope for: that Madrid win titles and that Arbeloa can stay.”
Arbeloa’s outfit are second in the 2025-26 La Liga standings with 66 points from 28 games, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points.
Advertisement
Opining on Real Madrid’s Champions League chances after defeating Manchester City 5-1 in the round of 16, Guti responded:
“This sounds familiar… Madrid is going to win the Champions League. It’s not just the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich. After that, we could face a very tough semi-final against Liverpool or PSG. It’s a demanding Champions League.”
Los Merengues will take on Bayern Munich in the last four stage of the Champions League, with the two legs set to be held on April 7 and April 15.
The first two days at Rocket Arena reestablished some good vibes in the Hawkeye program.
Advertisement
The Hawkeyes secured seven NCAA All-Americans, the most since the 2020-21 season when the Hawkeyes won the team title. Excluding the canceled 2020 NCAAs, its just the fourth time in Brands’ tenure (which began in 2006-07) that they have had seven or more All-Americans.
The cherry on top? Extending the NCAA finalist streak to 35 consecutive tournaments. Michael Caliendo advanced to the 165-pound final with an 8-5 sudden victory over No. 2-seeded Joey Blaze of Purdue. Caliendo lost earlier in the season to Blaze by decision, but rallied back after conceding the first takedown in the match on March 20.
“Just wrestled with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder this time,” Caliendo said. “I was a little bit more prepared and I rose to the occasion.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
There were more feel-good stories for the Hawkeyes. Gabe Arnold went from wrestling at 174 pounds in January to an All-American at 197 pounds. He lost his first match by riding time during tiebreakers vs. Justin Rademacher of Oregon State, but won four consecutive matches in consolations to become an NCAA All-American for the first time. Ryder Block, who has torn his ACL twice since graduating from high school, also became an All-American in his first NCAA Championships.
Wrestling undersized and as the No. 27 seed, Arnold was not expected to have a performance like this. Block was a major question mark entering the year with limited mat time and even during the season with up-and-down results, but he will place sixth or higher as the No. 15 seed.
In a year that saw Iowa consistently fall short, Arnold and Block exceeded expectations. As a result, Iowa sat in fourth place entering Saturday’s final day and was in position for a team trophy. The Hawkeyes and Ohio State will battle for the final trophy, separated by just 3.5 team points.
Not many had this on their bingo card for the Hawkeyes entering the tournament. Brands gave credit to his team for sticking in there and respecting the wrestling cliche of “getting the next-best thing” when outcomes don’t go in their favor.
Advertisement
Advertisement
“Turning things around isn’t unheard of,” Brands said. “Turning things around in this sport is why you’re alive.”
Not all was peachy for Iowa, with Dean Peterson at 125 pounds and Nasir Bailey at 141 pounds falling in the bloodround and one win shy of All-American status. Iowa also lost two semifinal matches, with Angelo Ferrari losing in tiebreakers to Max McEnelly of Minnesota and Patrick Kennedy losing by technical fall to Levi Haines. A lack of offense plagued Ferrari in his match, while Kennedy failed to close the gap between him and Haines after several previous losses.
And while Caliendo was the savior of Iowa’s NCAA finalist streak, he has a daunting task on Saturday to overcome a 0-8 record vs. Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink. In two matches this year, Caliendo has lost by major decision each time.
Advertisement
Iowa’s chance to crown a champion seems slim given the gap shown between Caliendo and Mesenbrink, but so did the Hawkeyes’ chance to rally from a brutal stretch spanning late November through the Big Ten Championships.
Advertisement
“He’s a good wrestler, but sometimes all it takes is one match,” Caliendo said. “If there’s any one time I’m going to get him, this is going to be the time. If I rise to the occasion in front of this big crowd, national finals, I’d be pretty happy if this is the one I get, even if it’s only once.”
Team scores after Day 2
Iowa wrestling’s standing after Day 2 of the NCAA Championships
125 – Dean Peterson: 2-2, eliminated
133 – Drake Ayala: 4-1, wrestling for third
141 – Nasir Bailey: 2-2, eliminated
149 – Ryder Block: 5-1, wrestling for third
165 – Michael Caliendo: 4-0, NCAA finalist
174 – Patrick Kennedy: 3-1, wrestling for third
184 – Angelo Ferrari: 3-1, wrestling for third
197 – Gabe Arnold: 4-2, wrestling for seventh
285 – Ben Kueter: 4-1, wrestling for third
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – MARCH 20: Joao Fonseca (BRA) speaks to the media after his men’s singles match against Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) at the Miami Open on March 20, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida,(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Joao Fonseca has weighed in on the growing debate between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he sees a clear difference.
The IPL 2026 is set to begin in a week’s time, but several teams are grappling with injuries to their star players. The overseas contingent seems to be the most affected. SunRisers will miss the services of their regular captain Pat Cummins and have named Ishan Kishan as their skipper. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Josh Hazlewood is also going to miss the start of the tournament due to injury. Now, even Delhi Capital’s Mitchell Starc will not be available for the start of IPL 2026.
Former India and KKR star Aakash Chopra wondered what Cricket Australia is doing by stopping Starc.
“If Mitchell Starc is also not going to come at the start, what is Cricket Australia doing? You didn’t let Josh Hazlewood come, Pat Cummins isn’t coming, and now you have held back Mitchell Starc, even though he is absolutely fit. He has already said goodbye to T20Is. So what has he done in the last two months or so?” Chopra said.
Advertisement
“He hasn’t played any cricket after the Ashes, but despite that, you have asked him to rest because a big Test season is coming up, in which there are five Test matches against India. That’s just before the next IPL. Why are you doing that now?”
He also asked IPL franchises to take note of how overseas players were being handled.
Chopra further raised the issue of Lockie Ferguson, who will reportedly miss the start of the IPL as he will be spending time with his family.
“I am thinking about Lockie Ferguson, and that’s a serious one. I don’t know whether he has an injury or not, but based on what I have read, he isn’t available for seven matches. He is saying he wants to spend some time with the family,” he said.
Advertisement
“He was available at the base price. He was bought for Rs 2 crore. He is playing for New Zealand. Then he will go home and spend time with his family. It’s not a bad thing-don’t judge anyone-but if you are leaving seven matches in the IPL after giving a commitment just because of that, then teams will have to realize that this is not right. Because you will come after seven matches, take Rs 1 crore, and leave… what is the point? By that time, the team’s campaign might be badly affected,” Chopra observed.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)
Ravichandran Ashwin has given a strong early endorsement of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title defence, insisting the franchise has assembled a squad capable of adding another IPL crown in the next couple of seasons. After ending a 17-year title drought in 2025, RCB enter IPL 2026 carrying the weight of expectation and the pressures that come with being defending champions.The 2025 mega auction saw RCB retain only Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal before rebuilding their roster. The overhaul brought in key additions such as Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, giving the side a more balanced structure that delivered the franchise’s long-awaited first IPL trophy.
Title-winning depth in RCB’s squad
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin praised the squad’s balance and depth, noting it no longer relies solely on one or two stars. “RCB can add another title in the next two years with this squad. Winning the IPL isn’t easy, but the building blocks they have, the kind of like-for-like replacements they have,” he said.Ashwin highlighted how RCB have addressed previous gaps in their combination. “The way they have addressed the holes in the combination. This is a good package to finish in the top two,” he said.For years, RCB were criticised for depending too heavily on star power. The post-auction rebuild has changed that perception. The batting is now more flexible, the pace resources stronger, and each player has a clearer role in the squad.
Foreign strength and Hazlewood’s absence
Ashwin singled out RCB’s foreign contingent as one of the best in the tournament. “In Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Tim David and Romario Shepherd, this is probably the best four foreigners you can get, and it is one of the best in the tournament,” he said.Despite Josh Hazlewood’s injury leaving his availability uncertain for the start of IPL 2026, Ashwin believes this could work in RCB’s favour. “In all honesty, this is a blessing in disguise for RCB. If they don’t have Hazlewood and they are concerned about Salt’s form, they can play both Salt and Bethell. And when Hazlewood returns, you will have a clearer picture on the form of these and depending on that you can change,” he said.Ashwin also noted the flexibility of the bowling attack. “If the bowling is leaking a lot, they can leave Mangesh Yadav out and bring in Jacob Duffy or Hazlewood when he is fit. They have a squad that can conquer home conditions and handle ups and downs with bat and ball,” he said.
Advertisement
Ahwin’s RCB probable XI (considering Hazlewood is unavailable):
Virat Kohli – Phil Salt – Jacob Bethell – Rajat Patidar – Jitesh Sharma – Tim David – Romario Shepherd – Krunal Pandya – Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Mangesh Yadav – Yash Dayal – Suyash Sharma (Impact Sub)With this blend of experience, and overseas firepower, Ashwin believes RCB are well-equipped to defend their title and remain among the frontrunners in IPL 2026.
The Zags are still looking for their first National Championship, and to get it, they have to go through Texas.
The formula the Longhorns used to beat BYU proved highly successful, and they’ll likely try to replicate that game plan against the Bulldogs.
UT forced AJ Dybantsa to shoot 1 for 7 from three, which doesn’t feel like a lot, but he could easily have shot 10-18 from the field, rather than 11-25.
The Horns will probably attempt to employ this strategy against Graham Ike, also.
Advertisement
If Ike falls into the trap, the Zags are in trouble.
Without Braden Huff, GU doesn’t have a second elite scoring option. They have a lot of great scorers, but in March, the superstars usually win.
And that’s why Ike needs to stay in the post.
He’ll be able to control the tempo of the game, draw fouls, and open up shots for other guys. This will also limit Texas’ chance at long runout rebounds.
Advertisement
This is the Longhorns third game in five days and they don’t want a physical matchup.
Jalen Warley and Tyon Grant-Foster are already going to swarm on defense. If Ike plays like a bully in the post, they’re probably going to wear out.
Gonzaga ranks 17th nationally in points allowed per game.
Jalen Warley vs Kennesaw State | Craig Mitchelldyer/AP Photo
Also, if Ike can get some easy buckets early, it will take pressure off of Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supery.
Fogle can go off, but he’s only averaging 8.7 points per contest, so he lacks consistency. The same thing can be said about Saint-Supery.
Advertisement
Grant-Foster is the Bulldogs’ second-leading scorer, averaging 11.2 points per game.
Dailyn Swain has been UT’s leading scorer all year, but Tramon Mark has arguably proven to be their best player in the tournament.
Mark is averaging 18 points, 4.5 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals during their opening two games. Matas Vokietaitis also had a standout performance against BYU, tallying 23 points and 16 rebounds.
Texas might be the better team, but they won’t have the legs to beat Gonzaga. The Bulldogs also aren’t likely to lose in the round of 32 two years in a row.
Advertisement
UT shows some fight early, but GU ultimately wins comfortably.
Hooptown USA moves on.
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.
NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has flagged concerns over Rinku Singh’s form ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, stating that his dip in performances could be a key issue for Kolkata Knight Riders to address.KKR begin their campaign against five-time champions Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on March 29. Rinku heads into the season under scrutiny after a disappointing T20 World Cup, where he managed just 24 runs in five innings.
Watch
Shashi Tharoor & Samson’s Redemption Story: From Setbacks to Glory
The left-hander’s struggles come after a remarkable breakthrough in IPL 2023, highlighted by his unforgettable five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal during a 200-plus chase against Gujarat Titans — an innings that catapulted him to stardom.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan reflected on the decline in Rinku’s returns since that standout season and his inability to make the most of opportunities at the World Cup.“We will have to see how much opportunity he gets to play. His 2023 season was outstanding. He scored 400-450 runs with a strike rate of 150. But after that, his performance dipped, and many times he did not get enough opportunities. He will have to maintain his standard and maximise the opportunities he gets. Even in the World Cup, he played five matches, but he could not fully capitalise on the chances he got. This is another problem that Kolkata needs to rectify, and Rinku Singh is one of them,” he said.Rinku had enjoyed a stellar 2023 campaign, scoring 474 runs in 14 innings at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, including four fifties. Since then, however, his numbers have dipped, with 374 runs in 22 innings at an average of 23.37, and a highest score of 38*.Pathan also pointed out that managing Varun Chakravarthy’s form would be another challenge for KKR. The mystery spinner started the T20 World Cup strongly, picking up nine wickets in four group-stage matches at an economy rate of just over five, but saw a sharp decline later, managing only five wickets in five matches from the Super Eight stage to the final, with his economy rate rising significantly.Despite the dip, Pathan backed Varun to bounce back and deliver in familiar conditions.“The challenge is how to bring Varun back with confidence given his current dip in form. He will play 14 matches, some of which will be at Kolkata’s ground, and he has definitely performed well in this league before. With the good memories he has in Kolkata, perhaps in a slightly different atmosphere, he might perform even better. I believe he will manage it, so although this is a challenge, Varun Chakaravarthy will overcome it,” said Pathan.Last season, Varun finished as the seventh-highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps at an average of 22.52 and an economy rate of 7.66, with best figures of 3/22. Overall, he has claimed 99 wickets in 83 matches for KKR, including two four-wicket hauls, with best figures of 5/20.
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
The formula the Longhorns used to beat BYU proved highly successful, and they’ll likely try to replicate that game plan against the Bulldogs.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login