soccer betting

John Deere Classic reminds fans of the greatest PGA Tour tee markers john,deere,classic,reminds,fans,of,the,greatest,pga,tour,tee,markers,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions

On: July 3, 2024 By: admin

Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.

Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.

Today’s topic is tee markers!

With the John Deere Classic this week, we wanted to look at some of the best tee markers on the PGA Tour.

Various tournament sponsors get so creative with their materials. From paint cans at the Valspar Championship to the little Waste Management dump trucks at the WM Phoenix Open, the creativity just flows.

Earlier this year, the RBC Canadian Open put itself on the list for its rink hole tee markers — goalie helmets.

There are iconic markers like the U.S. Open and other USGA events, but we wanted to do the more unique options for this article. The traditional ones are just as nice, but creativity goes a long way in this instance.

There are plenty of options, but these are the tee markers we consider to be the greatest on the PGA Tour.

The Greatest PGA Tour Tee Markers

Sanderson Farms Championship

Sanderson Farms Championship uses little chickens as tee markers. However, it’s also a way for the title sponsor to engage with the community. Patients at Friends of Children’s Hospital paint the chickens that sit atop the white Sanderson Farms boxes on each hole.

Valspar Championship

Of course, Valspar is a paint company, so using paint cans as tee markers is on-brand for them. People immediately know the title sponsor because of this, too. We still want to know if paint is in these cans—can someone get this answer for us?

RBC Canadian Open — The Rink Hole

Each year, the RBC Canadian Open changes up “The Rink” hole, but it is one of the most unique things on the PGA Tour. From referee volunteers to the goalie helmet tee markers, it is the most Canadian thing at the Canadian Open. This year, the tournament added an organist to add even more of a facade to the lore.

Wells Fargo Championship

Another iconic tee marker is the Wells Fargo stagecoaches. These were used at the Wells Fargo Championship, but now the tournament opts for the box one with the logo.

Regardless, it’s another excellent marker that is so on-brand.

John Deere Classic

Lastly, the John Deere Classic’s tee markers are truly iconic. The little tractors and various equipment are so creative and fun. John Deere understands its brand, and these tee markers prove it.

This handful of tee markers are just some of the best ones in professional golf. Which pro event has your favorite tee markers? Sound off in the comments below!

ICYMI: Top stories across professional golf

Check out these stories:

Can Jordan Spieth shake off frustrations and win again at John Deere Classic?

Justin Rose qualifies for The Open; see who else made it to Royal Troon

LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia falls short of The Open, frustrated by slow play warning

Rocket Mortgage Classic gives CBS Sports highest rated non-major/Signature Event of 2024

Solheim Cup: It’s official Lilia Vu easily secures spot on Team USA with World No. 1 Nelly Korda

Rocket Mortgage Classic gives CBS Sports highest rated non-major/Signature Event of 2024

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

The Open: Justin Rose headlines 16 players who made it to Troon the,open,justin,rose,headlines,players,who,made,it,to,troon,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-dp-world-tour,liv-golf

On: July 3, 2024 By: admin

Englishman Justin Rose will head back to The Open Championship at Royal Troon after carding an 8-under 134 at Burnham and Berrow—one of the four qualifying sites scattered across the British Isles.

It will mark Rose’s 19th appearance in golf’s oldest major, with his best finish coming in 2018, when he tied for second at Carnoustie. The 2013 U.S. Open winner also played at Royal Troon in 2016, tying for 22nd.

“Sometimes you take it for granted—you’re exempt, you turn up and play for many years, but as you get older, things get a little harder, so in some ways, it’s good to have to qualify because it makes you appreciate The Open a little more and how special it is,” Rose said after.

“Coming back to Burnham and Berrow was also special—first time back here since 1997. I was grateful to be back here and walk down memory lane.”

Rose played spectacularly, tying fellow Englishman Dominic Clemmons—an amateur—atop the leaderboard. Mexican Abraham Ancer and Swede Charlie Lindh will join these two players in The Open from Southwest England.

Ancer, Lindh, and Indian Anirban Lahiri finished at 5-under, putting this trio in a 3-for-2 playoff to determine who would go to Royal Troon. But Lahiri failed to make par on the first extra hole, while the other two managed to do so, thus ending Lahiri’s bid of returning to The Open.

Miracles at Dundonald Links

Amateur Jack MacDonald, who grew up minutes from Royal Troon, drained a 25-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to clinch a spot in the 152nd Open field. He defeated Swede Tim Widing, who has a pair of wins on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, and fellow Scotsman Daniel Young.

But that was not the only magic produced at Dundonald on Tuesday.

Ángel Hidalgo, who hails from Spain and has never played in a major championship, drained a 120-yard wedge shot for an eagle two on the par-4 9th—his final hole of the day—to leap up to 5-under overall and book a ticket to Troon. Talk about clutch.

At 26 years old, Hidalgo has never won on the DP World Tour, but he does have one victory to his name on the Challenge Tour—the European equivalent of the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I’m still shaking,” Hidalgo said of his miraculous shot.

Ángel Hidalgo, The Open — Ángel Hidalgo reacts to his miraculous final shot that got him into the 152nd Open.

“The second shot was perfect distance. It was the first time all day I had a full club and at that type of moment. With nerves I prefer to have a full club. I didn’t see the ball go in but to be honest I don’t care. I just jumped and cried with my caddie, and we deserve it. We fight a lot. All this year we’ve not really had any luck so for it to finally take place in The Open would be a really good gift.”

Meanwhile, Englishman Sam Hutsby did not need any late miracles. He earned medalist honors at Dundonald thanks to a brilliant 8-under 136 over 36 holes. Hutsby finished three clear of Hidalgo and Irish amateur Liam Nolan, who hails from Galway on Ireland’s west coast. It will mark Hutsby and Nolan’s first major appearance.

“It’s hard to process the fact that I’m going to The Open,” Nolan said.

“I’m looking forward to everything: the crowds, it being in Scotland, the Home of Golf, and, yeah, I just can’t wait to go.”

Playoff at Royal Cinque Ports

Matthew Southgate set the pace and won medalist honors in Southeast England, fighting back tears after he made it to Royal Troon. But Royal Cinque Ports saw plenty of other drama unfold on Tuesday.

Australian Elvis Smylie and Spanish amateur Jaime Montojo finished at 3-under par, thus booking tickets to Ayrshire. But this serves as a full-circle moment for Smylie, the left-hander from the Gold Coast.

“Just saying that I’ve qualified for The Open gives me goosebumps,” Smylie said.

Elvis Smylie, The Open, Final Qualifying — Elvis Smylie poses with an Open flag after making it to Royal Troon.

“The last time I went to The Open was at Royal Troon in 2016, when I was 14 years old. Going there as a spectator eight years ago and now going back as a competitor—I don’t know what to say. I just can’t wait for the experience. I’ve already FaceTimed my dad, who’s back in Australia, and he said he will book a flight over. My mum is already over here commentating on Wimbledon, so everyone will come and watch me at Troon. I’m very excited.”

Both Smylie and Montojo will make their major debuts at Royal Troon.

A playoff between LIV Golf’s Branden Grace—the first man to shoot a 62 in a major championship—Jamie Rutherford and Spanish amateur Luis Masaveu determined the final spot from Royal Cinque Ports.

Masaveu won with a birdie on the second extra hole, becoming the 16th amateur to clinch a spot in this year’s Open field.

Nevertheless, a notable name did not qualify from Royal Cinque Ports: 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. Thomas Detry also failed to finish among the top four.

West Lanchasire sends three Englishmen to Royal Troon

Sergio Garcia headlined the field at West Lancashire, and for the second year in a row, the 2017 Masters champion came up short. He will not make his 100th major championship start; he will do so at Augusta National next April instead.

So, with Garcia not making the cut, West Lanchasire saw two Englishmen finish atop the leaderboard instead: Sam Horsfield of LIV Golf and amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry.

Horsfield and Dodd-Berry finished at 6-under par.

“It’s the greatest moment of my career and everything that I’ve been working towards, even though I should have probably done it a year earlier and played at Royal Liverpool,” Dodd-Berry said.

The Open, Final Qualifying, West Lancashire — From left to right: Sam Horsfield, Matthew Dodd-Berry, Daniel Brown, and Masahiro Kawamura pose during Final Qualifying for The Open at West Lancashire.

“I’m really excited to get to Troon.”

Horsfield is also eager to head to Ayrshire for the 152nd Open.

“I always say to everyone that The Open is my favorite major,” Horsfield said.

“I’d never had that feeling before, the one when they call your name on the first tee—that was the coolest experience. I’m really looking forward to getting back and hopefully continuing to play well. These are the stages you want to play on.”

Englishman Daniel Brown and Japan’s Misahiro Kawamura finished their 36 holes one stroke behind Horsfield and Dodd-Berry at 5-under, thus rounding out the four spots awarded at West Lancashire.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Christian Horner backs Max Verstappen after Austrian Grand Prix crash with Lando Norris christian,horner,backs,max,verstappen,after,austrian,grand,prix,crash,with,lando,norris,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

One of the burning questions following the Austrian Grand Prix was whether Max Verstappen and/or Lando Norris would change their racing style following a dramatic late-race collision that ended both drivers’ chances of securing a victory.

According to Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner, Verstappen will not be changing a thing.

Speaking with Sky Sports ahead of the British Grand Prix the Red Bull boss backed his driver’s approach while noting that future incidents between Norris and Verstappen should be expected given how both drivers are performing at the moment.

“Certainly, from Max’s side, he’s not going to change,” said Horner.

“There’s an element, I think, of Lando learning how to race Max and they’re discovering that. Inevitably, there is going to be more close racing between the two of them as the cars look so close over the forthcoming races.

“Max is a hard racer – he’s probably one of the hardest racers on the circuit and everybody knows that if you’re going to race against Max, he’s going to give as good as he gets.”

Horner also addressed comments made by McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella immediately after the race. Speaking with Sky Sports F1 analyst Ted Kravitz, Stella outlined how the reluctance of race stewards to intervene in the past — such as during the 2021 season when Verstappen was battling with Lewis Hamilton — led to moments like the incident in Austria.

As you might expect, Horner had a different view.

“He raced incredibly hard in 2021, he’s a tough racer, and he hasn’t really been racing anyone for two years because he’s been out front so much,” Horner said.

“The conflict between the two of them has been building over two, three, four races where they’ve been racing each other closely and hard, and at some point that was always going to spill over – and it did at Turn 3,” began Horner. “He was punished in 2021 if he did something wrong just as Lewis, who he was racing so hard that year, was for things he did wrong.

“I think it’s wrong and unfair to label a driver like that and I’m sure in the heat of the moment it was frustrating for Andrea, but that’s just tough racing. He worked with Michael Schumacher [at Ferrari] for so many years – he of all people should know that.”

During his discussion with Sky Sports, Horner also addressed another burning question following the Austrian Grand Prix: Have Norris and Verstappen discussed the incident?

According to the Red Bull boss, that chat has already happened.

“I understand they’ve spoken already, I don’t think there is any issue,” added Horner.

How the two drivers handle similar battles going forward will be a major storyline throughout the rest of the 2024 campaign. But one thing is clear:

The FIA Press Conference schedules for this weekend’s British Grand Prix — which have yet to be announced — could be fascinating.

Shams Charania’s conflict of interest keeps swinging NBA gambling markets shams,charania,s,conflict,of,interest,keeps,swinging,nba,gambling,markets,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-free-agency

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

Sports reporting has been irrevocably changed by insiders. Our 24-hour, social media-fueled society values being first over being right, and that necessitates a power dynamic in which insiders have agents on speed-dial, willing to share carefully crafted talking points over independent reporting.

It’s part of a job where insiders trade blows over scoops like a prize fight — constantly living in terror that missing a scoop will put them a step behind in the dominance race. The far too cozy relationship insiders have with agents and teams has led to them being classified in their own employment class, far away from the word “journalism.” That is even murkier now there’s significant financial stakes in their scoops, especially when the biggest names in news-breaking also have agreements with sports gambling companies.

NBA insider Shams Charania, who lists FanDuel as an employer on his LinkedIn, has been at the forefront of questions over his scoops — and this time it’s based on a tweet about Paul George ahead of the NBA Draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ interest in pursuing Paul George has significantly waned in recent days, and the franchise is expected to be aggressive elsewhere with its salary cap flexibility and draft capital leading into next week’s NBA Draft, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 20, 2024

Only 11 days later, the Sixers signed George to a four-year, $212M deal. While it’s certainly possible the team just changed their mind, there’s strong reporting to the contrary. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote a detailed account of Philadelphia’s pursuit of George, and at no point does it contain any of the “waning interest” that Shams tweeted out. In fact, Shelburne’s story indicates that the Sixers were so desperate for George that there was intense anxiety inside the organization that someone might jump them for his services, and their quest to land the All Star was “months” in the making.

“The LA Clippers star had always been Philadelphia’s No. 1 option, but before the Sixers could meet with him, they had to wait for him to actually become a free agent. For weeks they heard rumors that the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors would try to jump ahead of them by trading for George. For months they monitored the Clippers’ ongoing negotiations with George on an extension and wondered if they’d find a way to keep him in his hometown and continue his partnership with Kawhi Leonard.”

So, who are the “sources” that Shams spoke of when he reported that the Sixers were no longer interested? If he were a journalist we’d never ask him to divulge his sources because that’s one of the principles of journalism — but insiders have always been careful to never refer to themselves as “journalists” because of the grey area they operate in by being willing mouthpieces for those in power.

That makes it fair game to question who exactly told Shams the Sixers were cool on George? It speaks to the motivations of insider reporting, especially in light of the vast amount of money being wagered on sports betting, including futures bets on who will win the NBA title.

It’s also especially eyebrow-raising when the top reply to Shams’ tweet about the Sixers not being interested in Paul George is from FanDuel Sportsbook, bemoaning that we’ll never see Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey play together.

This report appears to have had a mammoth effect on gambling markets. As our own Liberty Ballers wrote, the futures odds on the Sixers to win the NBA Championship were impacted very heavily by the prospects of the team signing Paul George:

Sixers odds with Paul George rumors: +1000
Shams tweets the Sixers are “waning”: +1400
George signs with the Sixers: +800

So, in its most simple terms: Shams, who is partnered with a betting company, tweeted out something with no tangible source, it was parroted as fact by that betting company — causing futures odds to plummet, up until the point the team actually signed George.

The worst part is that it’s not the first time this has happened. Every shred of reporting from local and national journalists indicated that the Charlotte Hornets would select Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft — but hours before Shams had a “scoop” that nobody else did.

Sources: Scoot Henderson is gaining serious momentum at No. 2 with the Charlotte Hornets in tonight’s NBA draft. Hornets have been torn over the last week between Henderson and Brandon Miller. Team has final meetings today to settle on decision.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2023

This led to massive shifts in betting markets, with so much money moving to Henderson as the No. 2 pick that he became the runaway favorite. After the draft it was apparent that Miller was always the Hornets’ guy, with there being very little debate over whether Henderson should be picked No. 2.

It led to major backlash from the sports betting community, who questioned whether Shams had an ulterior motive in trying to break the news, especially in light of his personal agreement with betting giant FanDuel. The company was also pressured to release a statement, saying FanDuel has no knowledge of Shams’ reports prior to him posting.

It doesn’t necessarily matter what the motivation for the tweet by Shams was when we know the effect. Whether it was manufactured to adjust betting lines or Shams was used by the Sixers to hide their intentions is immaterial, because people took his “reporting” as gospel, just as they did with the Scoot Henderson news last year.

If we look at this in the most positive light imaginable, that Shams was once again being used as a tool by a team, then it’s right to question a “first not best” style that rushes to parrot anything he’s told, whether or not it makes sense or contradicts previous reports. Even the most green reporter out of journalism school would get a tip like this and work to vet the info before sharing it, just to make sure they don’t mislead people.

Insiders continue to be happy to mislead people, however. After all, they’re very careful to ensure they don’t call themselves “journalists,” because that would open them up to annoying things like “standards” and “ethics.”

Fantastic Tiger Woods, Paige Spiranac, unique golf tattoos fantastic,tiger,woods,paige,spiranac,unique,golf,tattoos,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.

Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.

Let’s have a little fun today! Last week, a photo of this guy who got Paige Spiranac’s signature tattooed on his arm went viral. It inspired us to search the internet to see what kind of golf tattoos people get.

Some people love sports so much that they want a permanent reminder on their skin. They love it so much that they will get logos, players and other moments inked on them. I even have a University of Georgia ‘G’ on my ankle, so I understand people’s love for their teams.

Let’s look at how dedicated these fans are to golf with their tattoos.

Golf Tattoos

The tattoo that sparked this post was that a fan got Spiranac to sign his arm and made that signature permanent.

“Met Tony at an @xgolfamerica event where he asked me to sign his arm. An hour later he comes back with it tattooed on him,” Spiranac wrote.

This tweet has over a million views — it went nuts.

This post sparked us to ask our readers to send in some submissions. I also took a deep dive down the Twitter (now known as X) rabbit hole to find golf-themed tattoos, and this is what I saw.

A Tiger Woods logo — maybe the guy will get the new Sun Day Red logo now that the “TW” is no longer the one Tiger uses.

Another Tiger Woods inspired piece went viral last year. It is a collage of a Tiger with face tattoos, a chain, and a mouth grill. It also includes the iconic club twirl from the 2009 Presidents Cup. This is a work of art, even if it is a little scary.

Tiger won the 2019 Masters; of course, someone recreated it on their calf.

A Phil Mickelson tattoo? It seems Nolan got Mickelson’s logo on the back of his calf after he won the 2021 PGA Championship. Impressive.

This fan got the Callaway logo on his chest, and the brand noticed. It seems Callaway also hooked him up with a full bag of clubs.

These are just a few of the tattoos we found.

Would you ever get a golf-themed tattoo? If so, what kind of ink would you get? Let us know in the comments below!

ICYMI: Top stories across professional golf

Check out these stories:

Patrick Cantlay surprisingly pulls out of PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic

LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed, Thomas Pieters to play in DP World Tour’s BMW International Open

Can Jordan Spieth shake off frustrations and win again at John Deere Classic?

U.S. Senior Open: Richard Bland earns monumental 2nd major victory in dramatic playoff

Watch LPGA Star Charley Hull’s latest viral moment, reinvents the iconic club twirl

JaMarcus Russell facing lawsuit over missing donation to high school football program jamarcus,russell,facing,lawsuit,over,missing,donation,to,high,school,football,program,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl

On: July 1, 2024 By: admin

Former first-overall NFL Draft selection JaMarcus Russell is facing a lawsuit over a check written to him in the summer of 2022, and allegations that the former NFL quarterback misappropriated donation funds for weight-room equipment at the school where Russell was a football coach for his benefit.

As first reported by WKRG it is alleged that Russell approached Chris Knowles seeking a donation for the football program at his alma mater, Williamson High School, where the former LSU passer was a volunteer coach. According to court documents obtained by WKRG and reviewed by SB Nation Knowles wrote a check to the retired quarterback, which he deposited at Navigator Credit Union (NCU) in July of 2022.

According to Simone Eli of WKRG, Knowles stopped payment on the $74,000 check when “ … Russell wouldn’t provide a receipt of the donation and quit returning his phone calls.” NCU then filed a Complaint against Russell in the Circuit Court for Mobile County in March of 2023, alleging that Russell breached the terms and conditions of his demand deposit account. Specifically, NCU alleges that Russell “ … breached the agreement by failing or refusing to comply with its payment terms and conditions and by specifically drawing a check on his account with [NCU] for which payment was stopped.”

The lawsuit filed by NCU against Russell — Case No. CV-2023-900559.00 — is seeking $56,826.08 in specific damages, plus “attorney fees, punitive damages, and costs.”

Russell, in his Answer to the Complaint which was obtained by WKRG and reviewed by SB Nation, generally denied the allegations set forth by NCU in the lawsuit. While admitting that he deposited the check, Russell, through counsel, asserted that he did not stop payment on the check. Russell has also demanded “strict proof” of the allegations set forth by NCU in their Complaint.

Furthermore, Russell has since filed a Third-Party Complaint against Knowles and Selwonk Enterprises, asserting that Knowles “ … stopped payment on the check causing substantial losses” to the retired QB.

The matter is set for a trial in October of this year.

According to WKRG Russell lost his volunteer position with Williamson High School last fall. “JaMarcus Russell was relieved of his volunteer coaching duties at Williamson High School during the fall of last year,” Mobile County Public School officials confirmed to WKRG.

WKRG also reports that Williamson High School “never saw any of the money.”

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone qualifies for Olympics with epic world record in 400m hurdles sydney,mclaughlin,levrone,qualifies,for,olympics,with,epic,world,record,in,m,hurdles,sbnation,com,front-page,olympics,summer-olympics,olympic-track-and-field,dot-com-grid-coverage

On: July 1, 2024 By: admin

The USA Olympic Track and Field Trials ended with a major statement by arguably the most dominant track athlete in the world right now.

There was never any doubt that women’s 400-meter hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone would qualify for Paris; it was all about how fast she would run and by how wide a margin she’d win by.

The 24-year-old McLaughlin-Levrone promised to “let it fly” prior to the final, and she lived up to her word. Competing against a talented field, McLaughlin-Levrone lowered her own world record from 50.68 to 50.65 seconds to cap off the final day of competition at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCGzmLOEePE

“I’m just amazed, baffled, and in shock,” McLaughlin-Levrone told NBC’s Lewis Johnson after the race.

Unparalleled dominance

For context, second-placed Anna Cockrell (52.64 seconds) and third-placed Jasmine Jones (52.77 seconds) both ran personal bests to seal their Olympic spots, becoming two of the 12 fastest women of all-time in the process, yet still finished two seconds behind the reigning Olympic champion. That’s a level of domination straight out of a video game.

No one has owned this event like McLaughlin-Levrone. She owns seven of the 10 fastest times in history, and has not lost a 400m hurdles race since a silver medal finish in the 2019 World Championships to fellow American Dalilah Muhammad, who ran what was then a world record time of 52.16 seconds. (Incidentally, Muhammad finished 6th in Sunday’s race, the final Olympic trials of her decorated career)

McLaughlin-Levrone’s incredible world record progression

McLaughlin-Levrone, who missed last year’s World Championships in Budapest due to injury, has set 400-meter hurdles world records in her last five US and global championship finals.

2021 US Olympic Trials – 51.90 seconds
2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) – 51.46 seconds
2022 US World Championship Trials – 51.41 seconds
2022 World Championships – 50.68 seconds
2024 US Olympic Trials – 50.65 seconds

For 16 years, Russia’s Yuliya Pechonkina held the world record at 52.34 seconds. Dalilah Muhammad set a new standard in the 2019 US World Championship Trials at 52.20, lowered it again to 52.16 in the aforementioned Worlds in Qatar, and McLaughlin-Levrone has since taken this race to unprecedented heights. She’s running high-level 400m flat times but with ten 30-inch barriers in the way.

Is there anyone who has any shot at beating McLaughlin-Levrone in Paris?

Barring something completely unexpected, the one woman within shouting distance of McLaughlin-Levrone is Femke Bol of The Netherlands. Bol won bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, silver in the 2022 Worlds, and gold in last year’s Worlds in McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence. Her personal best of 51.41 seconds is the third fastest in history, and she broke the indoor 400m flat world record earlier this year, so she’s a force to be reckoned with.

It’s been nearly two full years since the last time Bol’s silver to McLaughlin-Levrone’s gold at the World Championships in Oregon. The stars have otherwise not aligned for those two to race each other in any of the 400m hurdles, 400m flat, or even the 4x400m relays. We should see them competing in both the hurdles and as anchors for their respective countries in the Olympic relays. If anyone stands a chance to create an epic long-term rivalry with the former University of Kentucky standout, it’s the 24-year-old Bol.

What is abundantly clear is that McLaughlin-Levrone is one of one. It is inarguable that she is the greatest of all-time in this discipline, and when the track portion of the Olympics begins in early August—women’s 400m hurdles qualifying starts Aug. 4 and the final is Aug. 8—a worldwide audience will get to see why she’s one of the most special athletes of her generation.

DP World Tour’s Italian Open sees Marcel Siem win in playoff dp,world,tour,s,italian,open,sees,marcel,siem,win,in,playoff,sbnation,com,golf,golf-dp-world-tour,golf-news

On: June 30, 2024 By: admin

The DP World Tour has officially awarded Marcel Siem as the ‘Comeback King,’ and rightfully so. The 43-year-old Siem underwent hip surgery in February, roughly one year after winning the Hero Indian Open, which marked his first title since 2014.

He subsequently missed three months, returning to the Soudal Open in late May, where he missed the cut. Siem said he felt old that week because of his hip, a far cry from the emotions he felt on the 18th green on Sunday. The German defeated Tom McKibbin of Northern Ireland in a sudden-death playoff, making an 8-footer for birdie on 18 to clinch his sixth career victory on the DP World Tour.

“Holing that putt on 18 was one the coolest moments in golf for me, and doing it again in a playoff was fantastic,” Siem said.

“I love this sport, and these moments, I work really hard for them. When you get rewarded like this, it’s a very special moment. I think it’s the second-oldest trophy in mainland Europe. So I’ve got the French Open and this one now. I’m so proud of that. My journey is just beginning, it feels like.”

Siem looked in control of the tournament after birdieing the par-3 8th, as he went on to card a 3-under 32 on the front to make the turn at 13-under overall.

But the train veered off the tracks for Siem on his second nine. He bogeyed the par-4 11th, thanks to a terrible lie he faced to the right of the green. He then went on to bogey the 14th, 16th, and 17th holes, dropping him to 9-under-par for the championship and in a dire situation.

While Siem faltered down the stretch, McKibbin, who carded a 6-under 65 earlier in the day, waited in the clubhouse at 10-under-par. The 21-year-old from Belfast looked unflappable on Sunday, making six birdies to zero bogies. He posted the lowest round of the day at the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia—located on the Italian coast about 100 miles south of Venice. He waited three hours to see if he would make a playoff, but it was almost good enough for the victory.

Meanwhile, Siem, who has a penchant for bouncing back, did just that on the 72nd hole. He holed a 22-footer for birdie to match McKibbin and force a playoff, which he wound up winning.

Now, the German has two goals in his career: to play in the Ryder Cup and make it to the Masters. He has never played at Augusta National before. But if he can secure another victory this year on the DP World Tour and shoot up the season-long rankings, perhaps he will earn his PGA Tour card in December through the top 10 eligibility rankings.

Beginning last year, the top 10 players—not otherwise exempt—in the final DP World Tour standings received invitations to join the PGA Tour. Matthieu Pavon took full advantage of this opportunity—the Frenchman earned his PGA Tour card in December and then won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January, which booked his ticket to Augusta.

Maybe Siem can follow a similar blueprint, but he still has some work to do. His win propelled him 95 places in the Race to Dubai standings, yet he sits in 31st.

Nevertheless, he had already qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Troon, so perhaps the ‘Comeback King’ can make some noise there.

The same mantra applies to McKibbin, who, as a consolation prize, earned a trip to Royal Troon via the Open Qualifying Series. The R&A invited the top two finishers from the Italian Open—not otherwise exempt—to join the field of 156 in Scotland in three weeks. Sean Cocker of the United States received the other invite.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Rocket Mortgage final round tee times for the competitive birdie fest rocket,mortgage,final,round,tee,times,for,the,competitive,birdie,fest,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

On: June 30, 2024 By: admin

Welcome to Playing Through’s morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.

Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.

It is Championship Sunday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai remained tied for the lead at 17-under. The 22-year-old remains the only player in the field without a bogey as he shot a 4-under 68 on Moving Day. Can Bhatia hold off this stacked leaderboard to go wire-to-wire and earn his third PGA Tour victory?

Eleven guys are within four shots of Bhatia and Rai, so anyone could pull off the win. Amateur golfer Luke Clanton from FSU shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to sit at 14-under. He could become the second amateur to win this season.

Min Woo Lee is also right there looking to take home his first PGA Tour victory. While Bhatia and Rai have been at the top of the leaderboard for most of the week, all it takes is one extremely low score to take home that first PGA Tour w

Brew a pot of coffee, grab some breakfast, and settle in as we get you ready for the fourth and final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Rocket Mortgage Round 3 Tee Times (ET):

*all tee off on #1

7:40 a.m. — Ryan Fox, Taylor Pendrith

7:50 a.m. — Luke List, Chandler Phillips

8:00 a.m. — Taylor Montgomery, Davis Riley

8:10 a.m. — Callum Tarren, Nicholas Lindheim

8:20 a.m. — Peter Malnati, Zach Johnson

8:30 a.m. — Maverick McNealy, Blaine Hale Jr.

8:40 a.m. — Aaron Baddeley, Kevin Streelman

8:50 a.m. — Brandon Wu, Matti Schmid

9:00 a.m. — Pierceson Coody, Ryan Moore

9:15 a.m. — Nico Echavarria, Mark Hubbard

9:25 a.m. — Robby Shelton, Nicolas Højgaard

9:35 a.m. — Ben Griffin, Nate Lashley

9:45 a.m. — Vince Whaley, Matt Kuchar

9:55 a.m. — Kevin Yu, Ben James (a)

10:05 a.m. — Joe Highsmith, Wesley Bryan

10:15 a.m. — Patrick Fishburn, Chris Gotterup

10:25 a.m. — Ryan McCormic, Carl Yuan

10:40 a.m. — Bud Cauley, Nick Hardy

10:50 a.m. — Ryo Hisatsune, Jacob Bridgeman

11:00 a.m. — Hrry Hall, Roger Sloan

11:10 a.m. — Andrew Novak, Max Greyserman

11:20 a.m. — Patton Kizzire, Ben Kohles

11:30 a.m. — Michael Kim Beau Hossler

11:40 a.m. — rico Hoey, Chris Kirk

11:55 a.m. — Jake Knapp, Justin Lower

12:05 p.m. — Neal Shipley, Jhottan Vegas

12:15 p.m. — Taylore Moore, J.J. Spaun

12:25 p.m. — Rickie Fowler, Dylan Wu

12:35 p.m. — Hayden Springer, Eric Cole

12:45 p.m. — David Skinns, Hayden Buckley

12:55 p.m. —‚ Troy Merrit, Ben SIlverman

1:10 p.m. — Nick Dunlap, Patrick Rodgers

1:20 p.m. — Joel Dahmen, Davis Thompson

1:30 p.m. — Luke Clanton (a), Min Woo Lee

1:40 p.m. — Sam Stevens, Erik van Rooyen

1:50 p.m — Cam Davis, Cameron Young

2:00 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Aaron Rai

ICYMI: Top stories from the Rocket Mortgage Classic and across professional golf

Check out these stories:

PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh stepping down; not renewing contract

Paige Spiranac reveals eye-popping handicap; quiets trolls with impressive receipts

Former Rocket Mortgage Classic champion making more memories, records first PGA Tour hole-in-one

Padraig Harrington deep dives into worst golf swing advice ahead of U.S. Senior Open

U.S. Senior Open: Golfer makes mind blowing consecutive holes-in-one that will make your jaw drop

Rocket Mortgage: Neal Shipley finds no learning curve, contends in 1st professional PGA Tour start

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

Daniel Ricciardo makes emphatic declaration heading into Austrian Grand Prix daniel,ricciardo,makes,emphatic,declaration,heading,into,austrian,grand,prix,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one,2024-formula-one

On: June 29, 2024 By: admin

A year ago at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo made a prediction that might have seen Joe Namath smile.

Is the Australian driver about to deliver a repeat performance at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix?

Following the Friday practice sessions at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix Ricciardo emphatically declared that he had a “top ten” car heading into qualifying. Ricciardo finished sixth on the timing sheets in practice in Mexico City, ahead of Lewis Hamilton for example, and believed he was primed for a strong performance.

He delivered that performance on Saturday in Mexico City, putting his AlphaTauri on the second row alongside former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen. Ricciardo finished the job the next day with a seventh-place finish, which was his best result following his shocking mid-season return to the grid.

Speaking Saturday at Red Bull Ring in the aftermath of qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, Ricciardo made a similar statement.

“We knew that it would have been hard to get into the points in the Sprint, but it was important to race and learn for tomorrow,” said Ricciardo in Visa Cash App RB F1 Team’s post-qualifying report. “There are some positives from the battles we had this morning and the way the car responded was not too bad.

“Of course, it’s frustrating to miss out on Q3 by just a few milliseconds this afternoon, but at the same time, it’s a more positive one as I think we made some progress since yesterday and it’s something we have to be proud of. I think we still need to find something a little bit extra for tomorrow but today’s qualifying put us in a much better position for the race. It’s going to be a longer one with pit stops and [tire] differences, so there’s no reason to believe we can’t be a top ten car tomorrow.”

As noted by the driver while he did not advance into Q3, he missed out on the final spot in the third segment of qualifying by just 0.015 seconds, as Esteban Ocon snatched P10 from Ricciardo’s grasp.

Still, the Australian driver remains confident.

That confidence and optimism comes as Ricciardo faces renewed speculation about his future at the team. The driver acknowledged those questions earlier in the week, noting that his “performance” — not his trademark “smile” — will determine his fate.

Backing up his confidence tomorrow will bolster his case.