The most jam-packed Saturday slate of the college basketball season is imminently upon us. On the docket, we have twenty ranked teams in action throughout the day, headlined by a massive Big 12 showdown between No. 2 Houston and No. 4 Arizona, and a rare nonconference treat between No. 1 Michigan and No. 3 Duke.
Conference races will take further shape as the big games play out, but more illuminating will be the form of the sport’s top title contenders. Rarely do we get tilts between highly-ranked teams, but we get No. 2 vs. No. 4 and No. 1 vs. No. 3 tipping off in the span of a few hours.
We also get No. 10 Illinois vs. UCLA in a pivotal Big Ten showdown, No. 6 Iowa State at No. 23 BYU in a meaningful Big 12 matchup, and the Darryn Peterson-led Kansas Jayhawks welcoming Cincinnati to Lawrence, Kansas.
3 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): It’s hard to envision a world in which Arizona goes from zero losses to three in the short span of less than two weeks. But that’s a reality I’m picking here. It’s a tough task to face this Houston team anywhere, much less at home, and much less without the services of Koa Peat. Tommy Lloyd’s team is capable of keeping this close, but the Coogs have too many weapons. Pick: Houston -5.5 (Boone)
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke
6:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): A take I believe in that could very well age poorly: This Michigan line is too low. I’d have guessed this would be Michigan -6 or -7. It leads college hoops in scoring margin, has the No. 1 defense in adjusted efficiency at KenPom and is, at least on paper, terrificly equipped to match what Duke does best. I’m laying the points with the Wolverines. Pick: Michigan -2.5 (Boone)
No. 10 Illinois at UCLA
9 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Things have gone sideways for UCLA in a hurry after a swing up to Michigan this week resulted in two losses to Michigan and Michigan State by 30 and 23 points, respectively. Mick Cronin will have his Bruins playing for pride, if nothing else, as they return home to face Illinois. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen — I think Illinois wins this one, say, 75-70 — but the Bruins manage to put up a respectable showing in a loss. Pick: UCLA +6.5 (Boone)
No. 6 Iowa State at No. 23 BYU
10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): It’s tough to feel good about BYU right now after it lost sharpshooter Richie Saunders to a season-ending ACL injury. So I’m going with my gut here with Iowa State to snag a road win. This Cyclones team is dangerous defensively and playing with a full head of steam after picking up wins over Kansas and Houston in the last week. A shorthanded Cougars team can still put up a fight, but I don’t think they have the horses to get it done vs. this ISU team. Pick: ISU -3.5 (Boone)
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made several controversial cost-cutting decisions at Old Trafford in recent times
Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s decision to withdraw Manchester United’s annual £40,000 donation to the Association of Former Manchester United Players (AFMUP) has reportedly put the charity’s future in doubt.
The AFMUP, established in 1985, utilised this funding to organise dinners and golf days that raised over £2million for former players, families, and charities. And the iPaper claim that the withdrawal has placed the association’s future in jeopardy, citing the cancellation of two events last year due to venue and catering expenses.
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John Aston, 78, a pivotal figure in the 1968 European Cup triumph, recently suffered a stroke and remains hospitalised. Former players reportedly collected £5,000 for a wheelchair, which the club matched, but the AFMUP lacks resources for additional assistance.
Aston’s wife says the family is ineligible for government support and must cover nurse visits at £80 each, four times daily, to bring him home. She is said to remain uncertain over how they will meet these costs.
The reports come after a huge cost-cutting exercise at M16 under Ratcliffe’s Ineos. The Reds co-owner has overseen a sweeping series of cost-cutting initiatives at United since investing £1billion to secure a 27.7% stake in the club in February 2024.
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Speaking last year to defend his cost-cutting decisions, he said: “The costs were just too high. There are some fantastic people at Manchester United, but there was also a level of mediocrity and it had become bloated. I got a lot of flak for the free lunches, but no-one’s ever given me a free lunch.”
The INEOS owner has implemented measures, including eliminating up to 450 positions at United following his minority investment, and scrapping complimentary meals for staff. Ratcliffe, who also drew supporters’ ire by increasing matchday ticket prices to £66 per fixture, with no reductions for children or pensioners, argued that strengthening the club’s financial position was essential to achieving long-term on-field success.
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The 73-year-old said: “There are two halves to a football team. There’s the business side and the sports side. The biggest correlation, like it or not, between results and any external factor – is profitability.
“The more cash you’ve got, the better squad you can build. It’s like a Formula One car – the better car you can build, the quicker you go. The better your squad, the better your football should be. So a lot of what we’ve done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing.
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“If you look at our results for last year, we have the highest revenues ever. Profitability, the second highest ever. We’re not seeing all the benefits of the restructuring that we’ve done in this set of results, and we weren’t in the Champions League.
“Those numbers will get better. Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view, and from that will stem, I hope, a long-term, sustainable, high-level of football.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Darryn Peterson has been the talk of the town amid his stellar season at Kansas this season. The Jayhawks guard is projected as a candidate to go as a top pick in this year’s NBA draft.
However, according to Marc Stein, NBA teams that are in the mix to land the No. 1 pick this year are not interested in drafting Peterson.
“Says at least one top talent evaluator whose team will be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick via the draft lottery in May: ‘I wouldn’t take (Kansas’ Darryn) Peterson with the first pick. Too many question marks.’” Stein said on his “Stein Line” show on Monday.
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Peterson’s availability has been an issue for No. 14 Kansas this season. He has dealt with a hamstring strain, sprained ankle and recurring cramps in his freshman year.
Some believe that Peterson’s injuries could have a negative impact on his draft stock.
Darryn Peterson’s Kansas will face Arizona State on Tuesday
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson – Source: Imagn
Darryn Peterson’s Kansas (21-8, 11-5 Big 12) will lock horns with Arizona State (15-14, 6-10) on Tuesday. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. ET from Desert Financial Arena in Temple, Arizona.
The Jayhawks will enter the contest on the back of an 84-61 loss to Arizona. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils beat Utah 73-60 in their last matchup.
Kansas will then close out its regular season against Kansas State on Saturday.
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Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey – who is NCAAW’s highest-paid coach? Find out here
Lakshya Sen showed grit and stamina to beat China’s Shi Yu Qi in a thrilling three-game battle on Tuesday, winning 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 at the All England Open Badminton Championships. It was his first victory over the former world No. 1 in a BWF World Tour event, and it didn’t come easy.The match was intense from start to finish, with long rallies and both players pushing each other to the limit. Lakshya started strongly, taking control of the first game with sharp smashes and quick net play. Although he nearly let it slip after leading comfortably, he held his nerve in a tense finish to take the opener.Coach Vimal praised his performance, saying, “Lakshya was very calm and composed today. Right from the start, he made Shi work hard for every single point, and eventually the Chinese player began to tire.”Even when Shi fought back to win the second game, Lakshya didn’t lose focus.“At one stage in the second game, I felt Lakshya was getting a bit fatigued, but he recovered well and raised his level. His attacking play was excellent too,” he added. “Overall, it was a very confidence boosting win.”The deciding game was again tight, but Lakshya’s speed, defence and smart shot selection made the difference. He stayed aggressive, forced errors from Shi, and closed out the match when the Chinese player hit long on match point.In other matches, Malvika Bansod lost to China’s Chen Yu Fei in straight games. However, the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto secured a straight-game win over Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin.
“I changed to a different model because the greens were firm, so I think that helped a lot with the control of coming into the green,” he said. “I went from the XV to the diamond, which is a little softer and spinnier.”
As it turns out, this was a change Echavarria has been mulling for a little while now. He signed with Srixon last offseason and originally tested both of the company’s primary Tour balls, the Z-Star XV and the Z-Star Diamond. Before joining the Srixon team, Echavarria played the firmer, but spinnier Pro V1x.
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That decision was driven by his goals with his swing last year, Srixon Director of Tour Operations Michael Jolly told GOLF.
“At times last season, he was much steeper and generating a lot of spin,” Jolly said. “With both balls, he’s seeing less curve and more stability in the wind, which ultimately were the key factors in his decision to make the switch to Srixon overall.”
With the extra spin he was generating, that made the XV the more optimal fit at the time.
He tested at different points last season, but never seriously considered making the move to the Diamond until this offseason, when he started testing with Srixon’s team again.
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To start the season, he still leaned on the XV for every start except the WM Phoenix Open, where in the dry and firm conditions, he decided to give the Diamond a first trial run. Playing the Diamond in Phoenix was also crucial because the ball doesn’t spin as much there. So having a spinnier ball can be ideal.
But that’s also why testing golf balls for the early part of the season can be challenging, Jolly said.
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Z-STAR SeriesWhether you’re chasing major championships or your next personal best, the all-new Z-STAR series is the choice for serious players everywhere. Featuring reformulated cores and covers across the line, this generation of Z-STAR golf balls delivers greater distance, optimized spin, and tour-level stopping power around the green.
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With a blend of greenside control and long-game distance, the new Z-STAR ♦ DIAMOND also delivers the unique benefit of increased spin on long and mid Iron shots.
“We know spin numbers at Phoenix are typically low, San Diego can be a bit unpredictable, and the different grasses from week to week often produce varying launch and spin profiles,” he said. “All that makes it challenging for a player to not only switch golf balls, but to fully trust the data they’re seeing.
“That’s why Cognizant felt like such a great test. It gave him a chance to put the ball in play during competition, in weather and course conditions where he trusted what he was seeing and validate the decision under real pressure.”
Between the two balls, Echavarria’s numbers off the tee don’t change very much, but where the two separate is with the irons, and he sees about 300 RPMs of additional spin.
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“The biggest difference has really been with his irons throughout the bag, added stopping power combined with the ability to hit more shots in different windows,” Jolly said. “As he told us today, ‘I’ve just realized I can really play when I have more spin.’”
He said he also preferred the slightly softer feel around the greens.
After his win, where he finished fourth in the field in SG: Approach, Echavarria told the Srixon team he will be sticking with the Diamond for good.
A lot of times, it’s actually more surprising for a player to win in their first week with a new ball than it is with new clubs. Remarkably, it’s the second time it’s happened this year already with Collin Morikawa switching to TaylorMade’s new TP5x before his win at Pebble Beach.
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What probably gave Echavarria some confidence was having played the ball last month in Phoenix. He didn’t play well at the WM — he missed the cut — but it was a first test of what the ball can do.
Once he and the Srixon team got to more normal conditions in Florida last week, then they could finally pull the trigger and make the switch. It was a long awaited move, but one that clearly worked out in the end.
Ademola Lookman played his part as Atlético Madrid survived a fierce fightback from FC Barcelona to seal a place in the Copa del Rey final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Heading into the second leg with a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first meeting, Diego Simeone’s men were pushed to the limit in Barcelona. The hosts came out aggressively and dominated large spells of the contest, scoring three times to ignite hopes of an extraordinary turnaround.
Despite the pressure, Lookman remained a lively outlet for Atleti on the counterattack. The Nigerian forward had a decent opportunity during the first half but dragged his effort wide as the visitors looked to relieve the mounting tension.
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Barcelona reduced the deficit with two goals from Marc Bernal and a Raphinha penalty, throwing everything forward in the closing stages. However, Atlético stood firm under intense late pressure to protect their aggregate lead and crush the holders’ hopes of defending their crown.
Lookman and his teammates will now turn their attention to the final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final clash between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.
Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and faces an 80-game suspension, according to the New York Post. Rojas is appealing the suspension, but if it’s held up he faces a suspension that’ll cost him around a half-season of salary.
Rojas, 25, hit. 224/.280/.289 (57 OPS+) with 12 stolen bases in 172 plate appearances across 71 games last season. He had a promising start to his career, slashing .302/.342/.430 with 2.4 WAR in just 59 games in 2023, but has been disappointing since.
The expected plan entering the season for the Phillies was to have Rojas either backup or platoon with rookie Justin Crawford in center field. Adolis García is set to take over in right field while Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp play left field. Marsh can swing over to center if need be while Edmundo Sosa can get some reps in left field. In other words, the Phillies have options to deal with the loss of Rojas.
It’s also possible this suspension would open the door for someone like Bryan De La Cruz, Pedro León or Gabriel Rincones Jr. to make the Opening Day roster, too.
The Phillies have made the playoffs in four straight seasons, as well as having secured back-to-back NL East titles. They won 96 games last season, their best regular-season total since 2011.
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Players suspended for PED use are ineligible for the playoffs, even if their suspension has ended by then, so Rojas will not be available if the Phillies make the postseason.
The Indianapolis Colts placed a transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones, and the New York Jets used the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall as teams beat the deadline Tuesday to place tags on potential free agents.
The Colts opted to use the $37.8 million transition tag instead of the $43.9 million franchise tag, opening up the possibility that he could still leave without compensation for Indianapolis. Jones can sign an offer sheet with another team once free agency officially starts on March 11, with the Colts having five days to match or allow him to leave.
Hall got the $14.3 million franchise tag from New York, meaning the Jets would get two first-round picks as compensation if they didn’t match any potential offer sheet.
Dallas receiver George Pickens and Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts had the franchise tags placed on them well before the deadline.
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The four total tags surpass last year’s total of two. There had been an average of more than nine franchise tags handed out each year from 2020-24, with two other players getting the transition tag, with the previous one going to New England’s Kyle Dugger in 2024.
The move by the Colts means coveted receiver Alec Pierce could hit the open market next week if he doesn’t sign a deal with Indianapolis before the start of the new league year.
Among the other prominent players who didn’t get tagged and could hit the open market next week are Cincinnati edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, Seattle’s Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum, Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh and Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne.
Jones had a promising start to his first season with the Colts, helping the team get off to an 8-2 start before being slowed by a leg injury and then going down with a torn right Achilles tendon in a Week 14 loss to Jacksonville.
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The Colts lost the final seven games of the season and missed the playoffs for a fifth straight year, becoming the first team since the 1995 Oakland Raiders to miss the postseason after starting the season 8-2 or better.
Jones set career highs in passer rating (100.2) and completion rate (68%) as Indianapolis ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring at 28.9 points per game before he went down with the season-ending injury.
Jones threw 19 TD passes with only eight interceptions, while also rushing for 164 yards and five TDs.
The Colts are uncertain when Jones will be ready to play again after getting hurt on Dec. 7. The team has 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard on the roster, as well as 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson, who has been given permission to seek a trade.
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Hall, who turns 25 in May, was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft out of Iowa State, but didn’t receive a contract extension last offseason as first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson did. That caused some uncertainty about Hall’s future with the franchise, and he was mentioned in trade rumours leading up to last year’s deadline.
But coach Aaron Glenn insisted the Jets wanted to keep Hall as the engine of their offence. New York planned to use a three-running back approach with Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis sharing carries, but Allen injured a knee and landed on injured reserve, and Davis remained a clear No. 2.
The Jets, with new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, will be looking for a new quarterback this offseason, but the franchise tag on Hall gives New York the chance to keep the playmaking running back in its backfield while also trying to negotiate a contract extension.
Hall rushed for a career-high 1,065 yards in 2025 despite missing the final game with a knee ailment, becoming the first Jets player to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015. Hall has 1,000 yards from scrimmage in three straight seasons, just the sixth player — and fifth running back — in franchise history to accomplish that feat.
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Hall said on social media that he’s willing to “bet on myself.”
The only three running backs in the NFL who have contracts with an average annual value of more than the $14.3 million Hall are former AP NFL Offensive Players of the Year Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.
Pickens’ tag is worth about $27.3 million for next season as the Cowboys look to retain him after acquiring him in a deal from Pittsburgh last offseason.
Pickens, who turns 25 on Wednesday, had career highs in catches (93), yards receiving (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) for one of the best offences in the NFL last season. Dallas had one of the worst defenses in the league and finished 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.
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Pitts’ tag is worth about $15 million for next season. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft earned second-team All-Pro honours after he had a career-high 88 receptions and five touchdowns last season. His 928 receiving yards were the second most among NFL tight ends, behind only Arizona’s Trey McBride.
Teams can sign players on the tags to long-term deals between now and July 15, otherwise players can only play on one-year deals for 2026.
The Chicago Bears reportedly lost a big piece of their offensive line on Tuesday.
Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman informed the team that he would retire at just 27 years old after five seasons, according to ESPN.
The Bears signed Dalman to a three-year, $42 million contract last offseason as they overhauled the interior of their offensive line in head coach Ben Johnson’s first season. They signed Dalman and traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and saw great results.
Drew Dalman (52) of the Chicago Bears exits the field after warmups prior to an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 28, 2025.(Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Dalman played in all 17 games and didn’t miss any of the team’s 1,154 snaps, and made his first career Pro Bowl. The Bears went 11-6 and won the NFC North in large part because of the team’s revamped offensive line.
The running back duo of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai was highly effective last season. Swift ran for 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns while Monangai ran for 783 yards and five touchdowns.
Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman (52) takes the field before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 20, 2025.(Mike Dinovo/Imagn Images)
In 2024, before Dalman, Jackson and Thuney were brought in, quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times. In 2025, he was sacked just 24 times.
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Dalman was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Stanford. He played four seasons with the Falcons before departing in free agency to join the Bears.
Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman (52) practices against the New Orleans Saints before the game at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Oct. 19, 2025.(Mike Dinovo/Imagn Images)
Free agency officially begins March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, and the Bears will look to replace him with a free agent center or in the NFL draft.
Bears left tackle Ozzy Trapilo ruptured his patellar tendon in the playoffs last season, so they will also have to address that position as well this offseason.
Welcome to Fully Fit 2026, GOLF’s new platform for providing you with real-golfer insights into what 2026 gear might be best suited for your game. To this end, we assembled six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and ran them through the gauntlet of six full-bag fittings (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. Our hope: that you might see shades of your own game in one of our panelists’ and take some learnings and inspiration from their fitting experiences. In this installment (below), check out the hybrids and utility irons that each of our Fully Fit 2026 panelists chose for their golf bags. You may browse each of our panelists’ full 2026 dream bags here:
The spot between a player’s fairway woods and irons can be tricky, and for many of our Fully Fit panelists, hybrids and utilities were where they had to make the toughest decisions.
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This category is crucial for players to gap out the rest of their bag. Have a utility club that goes too far and you’ll struggle to gap your iron set after it. Have one that goes too short, and you’re going to be left with lots of awkward fairway wood yardages.
Not everyone will need a club in this space, but all six of our panelists did.
Everyone was looking for something different. Johnny and Sean wanted 4-iron replacements that went higher and farther. Johnny stuck with his longtime gamer hybrid, while Sean found a new utility iron. Wadeh and I were looking for secondary wood options that we can land softer than our mini drivers.
There was something for everyone.
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After fittings with six manufacturers, here are the hybrids and utility irons our six panelists chose for their bags in 2026.
The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.
ROUNDED SOLE
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings
CARBONFLY WRAP
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG.
Why it’s in my bag: I struggled to find a replacement for my 3-wood for a long time until I got fitted for this hybrid last year at the Proving Grounds. Surprisingly, during Fully Fit 2026, I walked away with three other really good options for this spot in the bag, including a 21-degree Callaway UW, an 18-degree Cobra OPTM hybrid and a 19-degree TaylorMade Qi4D hybrid. But honestly, the G440 has such an advantage with a year of playing with it already in my back pocket.
I’m stoked to have four great options here, so while I’m happy with the Ping right now, I wouldn’t be shocked if I make a change when I start playing more regularly again in the spring. I do have some lead tape on the toe just to guard against that left miss, but for the most part, it keeps me on the right side of the golf course. This thing also explodes off the face.
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1 key data point: 254 to 224 yards carry distance. That big of a carry dispersion is usually not considered a good thing, but the fact that I’m able to dial up a 250-plus carry out of a club that fills my 240 gap is super advantageous when I’m far away from the green. While I’m rarely hitting the mini off the deck, knowing I can still get pretty close to the target if I’m just inside a comfortable yardage and even chase it up with the hybrid is awesome. That shot is pretty low spin, but when I’m trying to close the gap between my Mini driver and 4-iron, versatility is key.
*Utility Iron swapped for hybrid on a course/conditions-dependent basis
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
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Head: Titleist U505 3-iron Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Hybrid Gen. 4 80 g 6.5 Loft: 20˚ Lie: 58.5˚ Length: 39.25″ EOG Swingweight: D4
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Titleist 2025 U•505 Custom Driving Iron
U505 plays like an iron but performs like something more. From threading the needle off the tee to getting home from unfathomable distances, U505 gives players the speed and control to hit clutch shots with confidence.
Pure Muscle Look
A hollow high-strength steel body concentrates immense power in a pure package.
Long-Range Speed
A new forged L-Face design heightens ball speed and launch to take on distant targets with confidence.
Consistent Performance
Improved Max Impact Technology helps generate consistent launch, speed, spin, and carry to expand your shotmaking ability.
Controlled Trajectory
Split high-density tungsten produces optimal CG with high stability for more forgiving shotmaking.
Iron Set Blending
The U505 and T250U feature a player-preferred profile with minimal offset, allowing you to blend into the top end of a mixed setup seamlessly.
Why it’s in my bag: If I’m going to play a utility iron, then I want it to actually be a utility club and not a one-trick pony. Yes, hitting it high is almost never an issue for me, but the shots I can hit with the U505 are just silly. I can hit as high as all of my other irons, and I can hit down below 70 feet when I need to hit a frozen rope into the wind. I really just didn’t hit anything that has come close to it. I got fit for this club when the 2025 T-Series was launched and it took about three swings.
1 key data point: 157 mph ball speed. This was the fastest ball speed number I’ve recorded with this 3-iron. I was trying to get this number, but I’m more typically in the lower 150s. Just to be able to have that kind of speed with an iron tells me I can hit it off the tee and not have to worry about leaving myself way far back.
Head: Ping iDi #3 Shaft: Ping Tour 2.0 Black 90 X-Stiff Loft: 20º Lie: Black Color Code – 59º Length: 39.25″ Swingweight: C9+
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PING iDi Custom Driving Iron
The iDi marks a big step forward in driving iron and long-iron performance, giving better golfers the flexibility of three loft choices to fit their distance number and trajectory window.
Loft offerings are optimized for launch and spin in 2, 3 & 4 irons with a thinner, forged maraging steel face that flexes to increase ball speed and distance. The 2 is a traditional driving iron, delivering low launch and spin. The 3 (mid launch, mid spin) is designed as a driving iron or long-iron replacement. The 4 launches higher with more spin, making it easier to hold greens and is also recommended as a long iron replacement.
The 17-4 stainless steel head is both deeper front to back and shallower, which allows for 15% higher MOI on high/low impacts, and makes room for the new inR-Air technology. inR-Air is a pocket of air in the clubhead that damps sound and improves feel. The covered cavity and i-Beam structure help reduce vibration. In addition, iDi is shorter heel-to-toe to make it easier to tun over. For control in shot making, each iDi is approximately 1/4″ shorter and 1° flatter.
Why it’s in my bag: I haven’t had a driving iron in the bag for a while. I’ve toyed with the Mizuno FliHi (the new one is really good, fyi) and the older Ping iCrossover (of which I was internally at Ping called the biggest fan of), but they just didn’t really stick after I found love in the Qi35 5-wood and a Ping G440 hybrid. When we tested the iDi, though, it just felt super easy. I could choke up and hit low cutty fairway finders or play it at length and hit super high draws. It also feels much better off the face than you might expect. I have to give credit to Adam Harding on the Ping PGA Tour truck for this. He’s the one who told me that I absolutely needed to hit it, and that’s really the only reason that I did when we went for our fittings. Turns out, he was correct.
1 key data point: Not really a data point, but how easy it is to change flights is what ended up selling me. The one downside to hybrids is that they are sort of one-trick ponies. Into the wind, or shots where you have to make a certain flight happen, aren’t really their strong suit. The iDi checks that box.
Head: Ping G430 4H Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI HY 9X Loft: 22 Setting: Flat Length: 39.5 EOG Tipping: 0 Swingweight: D3
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PING G440 Custom Hybrid
The G440 hybrids appeal to a variety of skill levels, each engineered to deliver different ball- flight characteristics – from the slightly fade-biased 2 hybrid for off-the-tee performance to the draw-inducing 5, 6 and 7 hybrids that help optimize gapping. They all share a new, shallower and thinner face design, which improves face contact for more ball speed and higher-launching shots that hit and hold the green.
FLIES HIGH LANDS SOFT
Optimized launch and spin ensure distance with stopping power.
FREE-HOSEL DESIGN
Saves weight to lower CG, optimize launch/spin and increase forgiveness.
ROUNDED SOLE
Ensures pleasing face angle in all hosel settings
CARBONFLY WRAP
Lightweight carbon crown saves weight to increase MOI, lower CG.
Why it’s in my bag: Security blanket. I’ve had this in the bag for two seasons now, and it’s become my favorite club. It can get up, go down, hold ball speed up and down the face, and it spins. It’s the most efficient 4H I’ve ever tested, and I really tried to kick it out. Contenders were Cobra OPTM (really close) and a TaylorMade Qi4D (also really close). Where they fell short was on their ceiling, with the 430, I can chip it and hit it 205, or munch it and hit it 225. The other had the floor, but the ceiling was 218. I’ll take the extra few yards.
Why it’s in my bag: I’ve never had the kind of reliability with other hybrids that the Quantum Max gives me. Standing over shots, I feel confident because I don’t have to worry about my ball speed dropping on off-center hits. It also launches the ball high with a penetrating trajectory, making it easier to carry hazards on the course. Between the forgiveness, consistent speed and high launch, I can see this quickly becoming a club I rely on round after round.
1 key data point: I’ve always struggled with consistency when hitting hybrids, especially on off-center strikes. But the Quantum Max was a different story. Even on shots that were slightly off the toe or low on the face, the ball still carried with consistent, predictable speed. This makes it easy to trust the club from both the fairway and off the tee. That kind of reliability will be a game-changer for me —especially in competition rounds.
Head: TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron Shaft: KBS Tour Lite S Loft: 22° Lie: Standard Length: 38.75″
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TaylorMade P-UDI Custom Utility Iron
Tour inspired shaping for a playable and balanced look at address. Strategically positioned CG for a penetrating ball flight with backspin for players who demand shot making with long irons.
INDIVIDUAL MASS OPTIMIZATION
Featuring advanced thick-thin back wall construction, sound stabilization bar, and deliberately distributed mass to maximize forgiveness. Each iron is uniquely designed with every gram strategically placed to achieve specific performance goals with premium forged feel.
OPTIMAL LAUNCH AND FORGIVENESS
Designed to deliver easy launch, increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency. The new internal weighting structure combines with proven technologies such as the forged 4140 OptiFace, Speed Pocket™ and up to 26g of tungsten.
THRU-SLOT SPEEDPOCKET
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
Why it’s in my bag: I play a lot of golf in Scotland. Have been making the annual (and privileged) Open Championship pilgrimage for the last four years, and I find myself hitting a lot of 4-irons on that trip. It’s such a great exercise — to play firm courses for weeks at a time. It forces you to understand your carry distance, but also to understand how far your shots can run if you just get them started on the right line. So I really enjoy having a club I can hit extra shots with, low and hooking at times, higher and fading at others. This club has a good bit of meat on the bone, if you will. Some real mass that sits behind the clubface and helps me launch it. But I can also get plenty of distance out of that mass simply by pulling it back in my stance a bit and stinging one low and striking. Versatility is what we love.
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1 key data point: This may not feel like a data point, but there is something particularly pleasing about just filling in the gap, loft-wise, in my bag. If we were to remove that Adams driving iron, which I really should have done years ago, then there was about a 13-degree gap in my set when it came to modern clubs. The 22-degree 4-iron (and the 16.5-degree 5-wood) work hand-in-hand to make my gapping more sensical. We like that!
The Apex UW is designed for serious, avid golfers seeking the perfect blend of a fairway wood’s power and a hybrid’s versatility. Engineered with Tour feedback and loaded with performance technologies, it delivers a higher, more neutral ball flight with the control all players demand.
TUNGSTEN SPEED WAVE
A dynamic, 41g+ tungsten wave structure positions mass low and forward, enhancing ball speed and launch—particularly on low-face strikes where players tend to lose distance.
STEP SOLE DESIGN
A redesigned sole with a stepped geometry reduces turf interaction, helping to maintain swing speed through impact and promoting more consistent contact across different lies.
TRIAXIAL CARBON CROWN
The lightweight carbon construction allows for strategic weight redistribution, creating a more forgiving clubhead while refining launch and spin for greater shot-making control.
TOUR-INSPIRED SHAPING
Designed with input from the world’s best, the compact, refined shape and neutral face angle inspire confidence at address and deliver workability from tee to turf.
Why it’s in my bag: This has been in my bag for three years now, and it is my most trusted club in there. I use it for 240-yard distances, mostly hitting into greens on par 5s. The new 2025 UW is great. I just have so much confidence in this club; I didn’t feel the need to make a switch.
1 key data point: The north and south dispersion is so tight that a fitter from a different OEM, who will not be named, said, “If anyone tries to tell you they can beat this club, they are lying to you.”
Why it’s in my bag: Living in Arizona, you play a lot of desert golf, which usually means tight and hard fairways. I have this in my bag for when I am playing tight courses where I need 240+ off the tee and I know it is going to go straight. I do not use this a lot as it’s very much the “15th” club and used on a course-by-course basis.
1 key data point: Ball speed was the highest out of any of the driving irons I hit. I also love the mirror on the back, which removes the bulk through an optical illusion.
*Utility iron goes in for UW based on course/conditions
Barcelona’s defense of the Copa del Rey title has ended at the semi-final stage thanks to a 3-0 win second leg win over Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou that wasn’t enough to turn around the 4-0 deficit from the first leg. Barça dominated the entire match and came very close to pulling off a miraculous Remontada, but Diego Simeone’s troops found a way to hold on to a narrow margin and move on to the Spanish Cup Final.
Reactions & Observations
Diego Simeone is a master at defensive gameplans in knockout matches, and his strategy was pretty clear from the start: Atleti set up in a 5-4-1 with Giuliano Simeone as a wingback, and the Colchoneros parked the bus looking to limit Barça’s attack and trying to create danger on the counter.
Barça came out with a very solid attacking plan and passed the ball quickly and with purpose all over the pitch, and were not afraid to take early shots from distance to test Juan Musso in goal. There was some bad news when Jules Kounde had to be replaced by Alejandro Balde due to injury, but that moved João Cancelo to right-back and made the team even more offensive.
The Catalans were really good with the ball, but it took them a half-hour until a short corner routine ended with a beautiful move and assist by Lamine Yamal for a Marc Bernal tap-in. That woke up a Camp Nou that started super hot but quickly became nervous as Barça struggled to score, but the stadium was alive again.
Atlético had a good response to going behind and created a couple of chances with Antoine Griezmann, but Barça controlled the visitors’ counter-attacking pretty well for the most part.
Then came a gigantic sequence in the game: Ademola Lookman missed a wide-open header inside the six-yard box on a counter that would have put the tie to bed, and Barça immediately earned a penalty on the other end when Pedri was taken down by Marc Pubill inside the box. Raphinha scored from the spot, and Barça went into halftime with a precious two-goal lead that gave them a real shot at a comeback.
Barça carried the momentum from Raphinha’s goal into the start of the second half and absolutely blitzed Atleti, and that’s when Juan Musso shined: the goalkeeper made some splendid saves and key interventions that stopped Barça from scoring at least once before the hour mark, which would have truly ignited the tie.
There was some more bad injury news as Balde was forced off with an apparent muscle issue as Barça lost both starting full-backs on the night, and things started to feel a little desperate and tense with 20 minutes to go.
And then, hope: another short corner led to an outstanding cross by Cancelo and a beautiful volley by Bernal, and Barça were 3-0 up with 20 minutes to go and just one more goal needed to force extra-time.
Hansi Flick made a couple of crazy tactical moves, putting Ronald Araujo up front as a striker and playing Pedri at center-back, and Barça had pretty much everyone forward looking for the miracle.
Barça tried absolutely everything: several crosses into the box, shots from distance, and a very strong penalty shout that was ignored by the referee and VAR when Matteo Ruggeri pushed Raphinha in the back, but the fourth goal never came and the Remontada attempt ended in heartbreak at the final whistle.
Despite the elimination, this was a tremendous performance that makes you proud and hopeful when it comes to this team’s chances for the rest of the season. Barça played with heart, passion and also displayed some fantastic attacking quality, and this is the kind of game that makes you fall in love with a team, even in defeat. Well done, boys.
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