The 2026 Open Championship begins Thursday, July 16, with the opening round at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. You can find full Open Championship tee times for Thursday’s first round at the bottom of this post.

Open Round 1 tee times: What to know

If there’s one tournament Tommy Fleetwood would like to win in his career, it’s probably the 2026 Open Championship. Why? Because the PGA Tour star grew up nearby, sometimes sneaking onto host course Royal Birkdale with his father.

Now Fleetwood heads into his second Birkdale Open in fine form. He captured his first Tour victory at last year’s Tour Championship. So far this season, he has six top-10 finishes and three top 5s. At last month’s U.S. Open, Fleetwood contended for the win and finished T11.

This week, Fleetwood envisions a memorable first major victory in front of his hometown fans.

Fleetwood will get his Open started on Thursday at 5:09 a.m. ET alongside Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm.

You can watch Thursday’s first round of the 2026 Open Championship from 4 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET on USA. Peacock will provide exclusive streaming coverage starting early Thursday morning at 1:30 a.m. ET, in addition to featured group coverage.

Check out the complete Round 1 tee times and groupings for the Open Championship below.

2026 Open Championship tee times for Thursday: Round 1 (ET)

Tee No. 1

1:35 a.m. – Matthew Baldwin, Thomas Detry, James Nicholas
1:46 a.m. – Michael Kim, Daniel Hillier, Andy Sullivan
1:57 a.m. – Ryan Fox, Andrew Novak, Matthew Jordan
2:08 a.m. – Henrik Stenson, Max Homa, Joe Dean
2:19 a.m. – Robert MacIntyre, Rickie Fowler, Alex Fitzpatrick
2:30 a.m. – David Duval, Martin Couvra, Matthew Southgate
2:41 a.m. – Sungjae Im, Daniel Brown, Fifa Laopakdee (a)
2:52 a.m. – Gary Woodland, Jake Knapp, Jordan Smith
3:03 a.m. – Francesco Molinari, Tom McKibbin, Lev Grinberg (a)
3:14 a.m. – Hennie Du Plessis, Jose Luis Ballester, Dan Bradbury
3:25 a.m. – Angel Ayora, Victor Perez, Mateo Pulcini (a)
3:36 a.m. – Stewart Cink, Scott Vincent, Joakim Lagergren
3:47 a.m. – Michael Thorbjornsen, Kota Kaneko, Travis Smyth
4:03 a.m. – Alex Smalley, Sam Stevens, Ryo Hisatsune
4:14 a.m. – Akshay Bhatia, Harris English, Rasmus Højgaard
4:25 a.m. – Ben Griffin, Hideki Matsuyama, Min Woo Lee
4:36 a.m. – Russell Henley, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland
4:47 a.m. – Justin Thomas, Alex Noren, Jason Day
4:58 a.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau
5:09 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm
5:20 a.m. – Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim, Nick Taylor
5:31 a.m. – Ryan Gerard, Maverick McNealy, David Puig
5:42 a.m. – Kazuma Kobori, Tom Sloman, David Howard (a)
5:53 a.m. – Antoine Rozner, Ren Yonezawa, Caleb Surratt
6:04 a.m. – M.J. Daffue, Frederic Lacroix, Jack McDonald
6:15 a.m. – Jeongwoo Ham, Ryutaro Nagano, Alejandro De Castro Piera (a)
6:41 a.m. – John Parry, Eric Cole, Tiger Christensen
6:52 a.m. – Eugenio Chacarra, Matt Wallace, Max Greyserman
7:03 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Sahith Theegala, Laurie Canter
7:14 a.m. – Cameron Smith, Keith Mitchell, Stuart Grehan (a)
7:25 a.m. – Sepp Straka, Joaquin Niemann, Kurt Kitayama
7:36 a.m. – Sami Valimaki, Shaun Norris, Jackson Suber
7:47 a.m. – Darren Clarke, Adrien Saddier, Bernd Wiesberger
7:58 a.m. – Keegan Bradley, Corey Conners, Casey Jarvis
8:09 a.m. – Matt McCarty, Harry Hall, Haotong Li
8:20 a.m. – Padraig Harrington, Marco Penge, Michael Hollick
8:31 a.m. – Tom Kim, Billy Horschel, Mason Howell (a)
8:42 a.m. – Johnny Keefer, Pierceson Coody, Keita Nakajima
8:53 a.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Jesper Svensson, Jack Buchanan (a)
9:09 a.m. – Bud Cauley, Jayden Schaper, Lucas Herbert
9:20 a.m. – Kristoffer Reitan, Patrick Reed, J.T. Poston
9:31 a.m. – Chris Gotterup, Sam Burns, Adam Scott
9:42 a.m. – Collin Morikawa, J.J. Spaun, Nicolai Højgaard
9:53 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai, Brooks Koepka
10:04 a.m. – Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg
10:15 a.m. – Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick
10:26 a.m. – Jacob Bridgeman, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Tim Wiedemeyer (a)
10:37 a.m. – Patrick Cantlay, Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria
10:48 a.m. – Peter Uihlein, Alistair Docherty, Francesco Laporta
10:59 a.m. – Cameron John, Austen Truslow, Sam Bairstow
11:10 a.m. – Naoyuki Kataoka, Marcus Plunkett, Baard Skogen
11:21 a.m. – Kazuki Higa, Jiho Yang, Nevill Ruiter (a)

Baked fairways, stiff breezes, iconic clubhouses and the smell of the sea. Along with unmistakable yellow scoreboards and massive crowds, all are memories of Open Championships past — links golf’s greatest test, staged at world-class venues.

Few can have a scorecard playoff with Rory at Augusta, but anyone boarding a plane to the UK can tee off at some of the game’s most storied venues. Fourteen Open tracks are there for the taking. That would be an ambitious itinerary, but for a group that can spare a week, the northwest coast of England will more than deliver.

Looking for a friendly yet competitive buddies’ trip? Exhibit A is a triumvirate of Royals: Lytham & St. Annes, Liverpool and Birkdale, the host of this year’s Open. In a perfect world you’ll land in Manchester, but most fly into London and drive north. I suggest starting at Lytham & St. Annes and working your way down. Please stay in the Dormy House, a quintessentially English golf experience adjacent to the putting green. After a night in a clean, functional room with a quality shower, you’ll enjoy breakfast in the clubhouse and head out before the rest of non-member play — a perk of residency.

Onward to Birkdale, with its famous art deco clubhouse and honors board, freshly painted from the 2026 Open. Immediately next door is the well-worth-playing Hillside, a course that enthusiasts argue is the equal of its lauded neighbor.

Next up, Royal Liverpool. Known to many as Hoylake, it’s one of England’s grand clubs, and a course that, in the past 157 years, has hosted every imaginable name you can drop. The place bleeds history and has a fine lunch to boot. Embrace the challenge of this world-class links and you’ll leave with memories of traditions and a warm welcome.

If time allows, don’t sleep on other high-quality in-between courses: Formby, Southport and Ainsdale, West Lancs and Wallasey. At the latter, you’ll find architectural pedigree and history galore, it being the owner of a classic Bobby Jones portrait, a replica of which hangs in Augusta National — not the other way around.

England’s Open venues require eight to 10 months’ notice to secure a tee time. Next steps are to decide on your dates, appoint “the planner” or engage a well-versed tour operator to do the heavy lifting. After that, there is just one question left to answer: Which of your friends will be 2027’s Champion Golfer of the Year?

READY TO ROLL? Book your 2027 (and beyond) dream trip with 8AM Travel by contacting discovery@8amtravel.com.

Last week, ESPN revealed its power rankings based on roster strength, and the Minnesota Vikings earned the No. 22 spot. This time, Bleacher Report has unveiled similar power rankings, and Minnesota checked in at No. 21.

It’s apparent that the world believes the Vikings are a mediocre-to-poor team, an opinion that can only be proven wrong by wins and losses in September.

A Proven Defense Leaves the Offense Holding the Keys

BR Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 21

Brent Sobleski explained the 21st ranking, “The Vikings’ success or failure is rather simple to ascertain simply because the outcome relies almost solely on how the quarterback position progresses.”

“Head coach Kevin O’Connell is viewed as a quarterback whisperer based on what he was able to accomplish with Sam Darnold before he left to join the Seattle Seahawks. O’Connell didn’t have the same success last year while trying to bring along JJ McCarthy and the other quarterbacks on the roster.”

If the Vikings can mash Murray’s typical individual performance together with the existing offense and defense, there’s no reason the club can’t reach the postseason.

Sobleski continued, “Now, Kyler Murray likely steps into the starting role. Murray’s natural ability has never been questioned. O’Connell must get the most out of the former No. 1 overall pick from a mental standpoint while also maximizing his tantalizing athleticism.”

“If the Vikings’ coaching staff gets the most out of Murray, Minnesota will make some noise this fall.”

It’s the Quarterback, Stupid

If you’re wondering, “Why do the Vikings keep ranking in the back half of these damn power rankings?” the answer is clear: those rankings NFL clubs use the exercise as a referendum on quarterbacks, and at the moment, no one knows if either of the Vikings’ main options will take off.

Murray’s reputation has never been lower, kicked off the Arizona Cardinals roster while that franchise has no problem compensating him to play for someone else. The new Viking has motivation to thrive and return to his usual form; it’s pretty rare that the Cardinals don’t want a good football player.

J.J. McCarthy’s first year as a starter was marred by injuries and erratic performance. The Vikings could not afford to roll with him alone as the QB1, so they signed Murray and will now pit the pair against each other in a competition at training camp.

Until one shows steady productivity in regular season games, the Vikings will remain a mediocre contender in the court of public opinion.

Don’t Worry about the Defense

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has built a strong foundation for the Vikings’ defense. In the three years since his arrival, Minnesota’s defense ranks second in the NFL in both DVOA and EPA per play. Last season, they finished third, trailing only Houston and Seattle.

The constant performance is a game-changer. Even if the defense experiences a slight dip in 2026, the Vikings are likely to remain competitive in most games. Teams with a Top 10 defense rarely find themselves at the bottom of the league standings. With Flores at the helm, the team should consistently hover around a .500 record.

Ultimately, the offense will determine the team’s success. O’Connell must resolve the quarterback situation and elevate the passing and run game. Flores has clearly displayed his ability to deliver on the defensive side. Now, both units simply need to perform at their best simultaneously.

And the Kicker Is an All-Pro

Don’t forget Will Reichard. He won All-Pro honors last year and has been the answer to Vikings fans’ prayers from the last three decades. Folks have asked for a dependable kicker for eons, and if that guy could also happen to be great, that would be gravy on the potatoes.

Reichard is the potatoes, and he is the gravy.

Gone are the days, at least for now, when fans must sweat field goals or extra points. Reichard is that guy. While inserting kickers into power rankings may not be popular, Reichard’s reliability is crucial for the Vikings. If the offense moves the ball to the opponent’s 43-yard line, there’s a reasonable chance of three points on that drive. And those points obviously add up.

So, yes, Minnesota has the defense and kicker to be better than No. 21 in the NFL. Paging: the offense.

Oddsmakers expect the purple team to win eight or nine games while finishing last in the NFC North. Minnesota is battling sportsbooks’ odds and underwhelming power rankings. Thankfully, those indicators really don’t matter.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

The potential that the Ciaron Maher stable had foreseen for Angels Fury is now starting to materialise following her initial race appearances.

Having progressed from a maiden win at Bendigo last month, the two-year-old filly claimed the Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday and is now being considered for a Stakes race engagement.

Kicking off as the $1.80 favourite under the reins of apprentice Jabez Johnston, Angels Fury crossed the line three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of Portinari ($4.20), with Egyptian Dancer ($10) a further 3-¼ lengths back in third position.

Angels Fury has always been highly rated by the Maher team, and the daughter of Harry Angel was expected to be a significant contender in the major two-year-old races earlier in the season.

The filly was heavily backed to win on debut in the Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield in January, but the race proved to be a disastrous experience for the stable.

Angels Fury was then sent for a spell and given a structured preparation before her maiden victory at Bendigo on June 13. A subsequent jump-out indicated that the filly was in optimal condition for Saturday’s contest.

Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, commented that Angels Fury had consistently displayed ‘Black Type ability’.

“Hopefully she can go beyond that,” Turnbull said.

“It’s still very early days and she’s a work in progress, but the way she won that was quite appealing and she looked to do it pretty well.

“She’s a lot more tractable now, she’s got a huge action and a lovely way of going and she’s got gears which will go a long way.

“We’ve given her time, she’s filled out and she’s strengthened and if you look at her in the yard, she stands out quite a lot.

“She’s got all the traits. She’s got speed, she relaxes and she is sound.

“There’s a lot to like.”

Turnbull stated that no firm plans were in place beyond Saturday’s win, but noted that two other Caulfield races could potentially attract the stable’s attention.

One of these is the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) set for August 15.

“There is five weeks to the Quezette or she could come back in two weeks for a similar race,” Turnbull mentioned.

“We’ll leave that up to Ciaron and the team, but it’s nice to see her repay the owners and do what we thought she could do at her first start.”

Ready to place a wager? Check out online bookmakers for the best racing betting markets available.

John Sargent’s Perfect Justice, a horse that had previously finished second as the favourite in successive races, was again backed into favouritism at $4.20 and duly delivered when it ran down The Mona Lisa in the Midway Handicap (1600m).

This victory represented Grima’s 31st metropolitan win for the 2025/26 season, breaking the tie with the 30-win defending champion Braith Nock, as the two talented young riders vie for the Sydney apprentices premiership.

With five metropolitan meetings remaining in the current season, Grima is in a commanding position to become only the fourth female apprentice after Rachel King (2017/18), Winona Costin (2014-15), and Kathy O’Hara (2004-05) to capture the coveted title.

“It’s good to be in front in the premiership but there’s still a lot of work to do,” Grima stated.

“I was confident during the race on Perfect Justice because even though we were three-wide with cover, he was handling the conditions and I thought we were in the better going.

“When The Mona Lisa kicked, for a couple of strides I was a bit worried but the blinkers helped and he really attacked the line today.”

Perfect Justice produced a strong finish to defeat The Mona Lisa ($7) by a long neck, reversing the placings from their previous clash in a Randwick Midway two weeks ago, with the pair finishing more than five lengths ahead of Murphilly ($6.50).

Trainer John Sargent was visibly relieved that Perfect Justice had finally achieved a win after a couple of near misses this campaign.

“I know he was becoming a little costly for punters when he was beaten as favourite two races in a row but I hope they stuck with him today and got their money back,” Sargent remarked.

“The blinkers kept him focussed and he really wanted to chase after The Mona Lisa today.

“I was actually looking for a 2000m race for him but decided to give him another run at the 1600m because the heavy track would make it a bit more of a test.

“We will keep him going for now, he’s racing well and handles the wet tracks so it’s the right time of year to have him in work. I’ll see if we can step him up in trip next start.”

Earlier in the day, Alysha Collett delivered a tactical masterclass on Cameron Crockett’s Leovanni to win the TAB Highway Plate (1600m).

Collett had Leovanni ($20) tracking the strong favourite Moon Sweeper ($1.50) throughout the race, then peeled off the grey’s back in the straight to finish too strongly and win by a half-length, with Red Rags To Bulls ($9.50) claiming third place more than two lengths behind.

“I wanted to have my mare in a position to follow Moon Sweeper through the race,” Collett said. “Moon Sweeper got to the front but I could sense he was ‘loafing’ just a little. My mare dug deep but it was only in the last 50m or so I was confident she was going to get there.”

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Former world champions Carl Froch and Tony Bellew have offered conflicting predictions for the long-awaited showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The two British heavyweights are set to collide later this year, just so long as they complete their respective warm-up matches against Mariusz Wach and Kristian Prenga.

First to the ring will be Fury, who, despite unanimously outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, is looking to bank more rounds against the 46-year-old Wach.

Or at least, that appears to be the plan for when they collide at the Max Muaythai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand, on July 24.

Joshua, meanwhile, will face the unproven Prenga a day later in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, fighting for the first time since his sixth-round finish over Jake Paul in December.

There is no shortage of speculation about Joshua’s mental wellbeing, though, particularly after he was involved in a tragic car crash that took the lives of his two close friends.

Froch, for instance, is unsure that the 36-year-old still wants to box, telling Fight Your Corner that he sees Fury outboxing his rival.

“I think Tyson Fury wins on points, quite comfortably. He’s past his best, Fury – has slowed down. But so is AJ.

“I don’t think [Joshua will] be in the right headspace. I don’t really think he wants to box anymore.”

Bellew, too, remains unconvinced that Joshua is back to his best, but nonetheless believes that his friend has the power to render Fury unconscious.

“The only thing I can really commit to is … it ain’t going the distance. The reason I can’t put my hand on my heart and go, ‘I think [Joshua wins]’, is because I need to see [him] in a ring and see what he can do.

“If he gets in that ring and lets his hands go for six rounds … he’s got the capabilities to knock anybody out. That’s what I will be predicting.”

With Froch backing Fury on points and Bellew favouring Joshua by stoppage, it would appear that no one is quite sure how their domestic dustup will unfold.

All football head coaches are expected to win. It’s why they were hired.

But the bar is set higher for some than for others. A record over 50% at lesser programs may keep a head man employed much longer than at a perennial blue blood.

Below, I’ve highlighted the head coaches at programs in the West who find themselves in less-than-ideal situations, ranking their seats from Hot to Cool.

Their respective records at their schools appear in parentheses. We start with the hottest seat and work our way down.

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Tier 1 (Hot)

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Jay Sawvel, Wyoming Cowboys (7-17)

Jay Sawvel’s opening two years at Wyoming felt troubling after winning only seven games in two seasons with the Cowboys.

Last year, UW jumped out to a 4-4 start before sputtering down the stretch, never eclipsing seven points in the final four matchups. The lone bright spot of that 2025 campaign came in a 28-0 drubbing of Colorado State.

Wyoming’s victories over New Mexico and Washington State last season feel all but forgotten; scoring 24 points in the final four games stymied all the Cowboys’ momentum.

If the Pokes can beat the rival Rams in the opener this fall, it might buy Sawvel some time. But a loss to open the season feels a bit like doomsday.

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Tier 2 (Warm)

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Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans (35-19)

If USC still played in the Pac-12, Lincoln Riley’s credentials would probably look better. Riley’s Trojans have yet to win a conference title, and have never made the College Football Playoff.

The Big Ten schedule is brutal, but so are the expectations at SC. Mike Bohn, the athletic director who hired him, left, meaning another pedestrian year could shorten his leash.

USC’s 2026 recruiting tops the nation, but they’ll need immediate production.

The Trojans’ schedule includes Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, and Washington. They also get Penn State in Happy Valley.

With the return of Jayden Maiava, the USC offense should prove dangerous. But the defense needs to boss up in big matchups.

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If it doesn’t, SC has enough money to buy out Riley’s contract.

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Jeff Choate, Nevada Wolf Pack (6-19)

Jeff Choate needs results this year.

Nevada suffered three close losses in 2025—to Middle Tennessee, Fresno State, and New Mexico by a combined six points—and that’s why he’s on this list.

All of these losses came in the first half of the season, which killed the Wolf Pack’s confidence early. They bounced back too late, winning two out of their last three matchups, including a trouncing of San Jose State.

But three wins won’t keep the donors and alumni happy.

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Choate has a chance to change the tone quickly with an opening win against Western Kentucky. If he could squeeze out five wins this year, he’d likely be retained.

It would hurt the university financially if they had to buy out his contract. He needs to do better.

Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.

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French media have poured scorn on the efforts of the France team after they were knocked out by Spain in the World Cup semi-finals.

Les Bleus had been among the favourites to seal a third title at the tournament but were unable to break down an organised Spain, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring from the spot and Pedro Porro doubling their advantage, while France’s all-star attack was neutralised.

Luis de la Fuente’s European champions will face either England or Argentina, who meet on Wednesday night, in Sunday’s final.

France have been fiercely criticised for their lacklustre showing by the national press, with L’Equipe plastering a picture of Kylian Mbappe looking dejected on its front page alongside the headline “Fleeting star”.

Le Parisien also featured a picture of Mbappe alongside the headline “Fallen from a height”, with the caption reading: “Trailing from half-time, Les Bleus never found the key to unlocking the Spanish powerhouse.”

Le Figaro wrote: “Spain put an end to Les Bleus’ dream”, again alongside an image of Mbappe, while Ouest France called it “the end of the American Dream”, with the striker covering his face in disappointment.

Several players came in for particular condemnation from the French press, with three players earning two out of 10 ratings from the outlet L’Equipe.

All three of Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne – who was responsible for conceding a penalty after kicking Lamine Yamal when attempting to control the ball – and Paris St-Germain striker Ousmane Dembele were given the rating.

The paper slammed Dembele as “a huge disappointment”, writing: “Initially on the right, then moved centrally after half an hour, nothing helped: the Ballon d’Or winner did almost everything wrong. As the minutes ticked by, he gradually faded until he became almost invisible. A huge disappointment.” Digne was blasted for his “uncontrolled header and his foul on Lamine Yamal”: “he made two mistakes that resulted in a penalty”.

Olise was not spared despite having an excellent World Cup until this point, with L’Equipe writing: “[Having] risen so high in previous matches, he fell very low this time.”

Captain and star striker Mbappe was awarded a three, alongside the note: “He often seemed very isolated and tried to do everything himself, without success.”

Mbappe was equally derogatory about his side’s performance, saying after the match: “There were too many technical errors. We didn’t know how to hurt them when we needed to. It was up to us to shift the balance of power, and that’s where we failed.”

If you caught the video of Wyndham Clark on the range at The Open Championship, you probably did a double-take. That was, in fact, a coat hanger in his hands. And as odd as it looked, there was a purpose behind it.

In a press conference, Clark shared that Mondays are typically reserved for his technical work, and this week was no exception. Despite a T13 finish at the Genesis Scottish Open, Clark wasn’t satisfied with his ball striking during the final round. So, he arrived at Royal Birkdale — coat hanger in hand — and headed to the range to get things back on track.

While the coat hanger is a new development, the drill is actually tied to one of the key changes Clark made this past year with swing coach Pat Coyner, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher. Coyner explains that when they began working together, Clark’s lead wrist had become too extended — a subtle change that left the clubface open and much harder to control.

As a result, Clark had to make compensations to offset the open clubface and square it at impact. Those adjustments — intentional or not — created a number of ball-striking issues, including inconsistent start lines and a frustrating two-way miss.

The solution, Coyner says, wasn’t to reinvent Clark’s swing — it was to restore structure to his lead wrist. And the coat hanger, Clark says, is simply a tool that helps reinforce that feeling.

“The coat hanger is for wrist angle, trying to get a little more flexion in my left wrist so I can square the face more,” he says.

While the coat hanger certainly draws attention, it isn’t just for show, and we’ll see if it works out for Clark. 

Now, the focus shifts to whether those changes hold up under major championship pressure. We’ll get our first look Thursday afternoon when Clark tees off at 3:04 p.m. alongside Cameron Young and Ludvig Åberg.

When 39-year-old twins Lauren and Lisa Maiocco found out last May that only one of them was selected for the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, their mother, Janet Maiocco, worried it could create the sort of tiff that most siblings are all too familiar with.

“The thing that was hard is saying to her twin Lisa, you have to be happy for Lauren,” Janet Maiocco said. “Because they’re very, very close. You have to be happy for Lauren.”

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Instead, Lisa Maiocco brushed aside any potential envy and became a mentor for her twin sister. When Lauren found out she’d be running the 200-meter race instead of her usual 100-meter event, Lisa, a distance runner, helped Lauren train in the year leading up to the USA Games, which were held in Minnesota from June 20-26.

“I started helping Lauren run the 200 in the backyard, and then we would also run the 200 on the street by our house and stuff, and it was a good opportunity,” Lisa Maiocco said. “Lauren wanted to give up, and I said, ‘Lauren, never give up. You never give up on something that you love to do.’”

With her twin sister’s help, Lauren brought home the gold medal in the 200 meters in 52.63 seconds. Maiocco was joined at the USA Games by fellow Collier County resident Gabriella De Leon. The 29-year-old powerlifter won silver medals in all four of her events — squat, bench press, deadlift and the combination of all three lifts.

Lee County had two competitors at the Games as Adam Johnson and Whitney Spielman teamed up in pickleball and won silver medals for Team Florida.

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Lauren Maiocco said her gold-medal winning race was a tight finish, and she and her mother Janet weren’t sure what the result would be. Lisa Maiocco reminded her mother that, although her sister would go on to win gold, that winning wasn’t the point.

“Mom, regardless if she got second or whatever, she’s still a winner,” Lisa Maiocco recalled telling her mom on a phone call shortly after the race. “You can’t always get first place. You tried your best and you did your best. Then my sister calls me and is like ‘Guess what? I won first place.’ I was so excited for her. I couldn’t hold how I felt about it.”

While winning the gold was certainly rewarding, the Golden Gate resident most fondly remembered getting to spend time with the other Special Olympics athletes, trading pins and sharing a hug on the podium with the other participants.

“We’re in a different state, the one that got third and the one that got second. She gave me a hug and I gave the other one a hug, and so we grabbed each other’s hands and bowed like two times,” said Lauren Maiocco, who also competed in the 4×100-meter relay and placed fourth in the shot put. “I don’t want to leave any athlete out. I want to encourage them to be that strong person and get that medal.”

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For De Leon, the Special Olympics has been a part of her life as far back as high school. Gabriella’s mom, Cynthia De Leon, said getting to participate in Special Olympics events has brought her daughter true friendships and helped her grow as a person.

“She’s just blossomed. She’s matured. She’s made some really good friends, she has good relationships with her coaches and she’s always willing to help and try something new,” Cynthia De Leon said. “This opportunity that she was given to go to USA Games, it just really helped her too, not only with you know with the sport, but also her self esteem. It’s been amazing.”

Gabriella De Leon has been participating in powerlifting events for the past four years, and was selected for the USA Games powerlifting team last May. The Naples resident said training for the USA Games required a lot of focus and working with her coaches.

“I’ve been working so hard, and I’ve been going to the gym and eating healthy, like the healthy habits and then training with my coaches,” De Leon said.

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Like Maiocco, De Leon said her favorite part of participating in the games had less to do with the events and the medals, and more to do with the people she got to compete alongside.

“I meet new people and have fun,” De Leon said. “I want to be with my team … We went to go see other people from Team Florida competing and support other people about Team Florida.”

While spending time with teammates and fellow athletes was a major highlight, Maiocco and De Leon said they still have their sights set on competing at the 2030 USA Games in Cleveland.

“I guess I always thought, well, you know, she’s not going to be able to do it on her own, but the support she got, she was able to do everything independent and make choices that I didn’t think she was capable of,” Cynthia De Leon said. “It was just an amazing, amazing experience.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SW Florida Special Olympians win medals at 2026 USA Games in Minnesota