Ahead of LIV Golf Nashville, Brooks Koepka, his wife Jena, and their son Crew attended an event alongside Bryson DeChambeau.
Of course, social media cameras were there and caught one of the cutest disses DeChambeau would get. He tried to give Crew a fist bump, but the baby did not care. Koepka and Jena laughed with DeChambeau as Crew gave him the cold shoulder.
“Like father, like son,” DeChambeau said in the video. Smash GC also captioned the video with the quote, “The only person to ignore Bryson DeChambeau this week… Crew Koepka.”
DeChambeau has been a hot commodity since he won on Sunday, but little Crew did not want any part of the reigning U.S. Open champion.
However, the dig felt playful and not serious at all. Everyone laughed and played it off like it was no big deal.
Koepka and DeChambeau have not always been friends, though. They were bitter rivals for a while. Various memes about the whole ordeal kept golf fans entertained for years. From the Koepka eye roll to people calling DeChambeau ‘Brooksy’—among so many other things, this feud was one for the ages.
But since joining LIV Golf, they have made up and become at least acquaintances. Kopeka, who also has two U.S. Open wins, congratulated DeChambeau on Sunday for his big victory at Pinehurst No. 2.
They are the two LIV Golf players to have won major championships since leaving the PGA Tour. Crew Koepka may not be a fan yet, but give DeChambeau some time.
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.
It’s been a long, long time since the Raiders had swagger at their quarterback position — but no fans expected this kind of swag from Gardner Minshew. It’s photo week around the NFL, and when the studio lights came on the QB didn’t disappoint.
This shoot had a little of everything. Well, it’s more like it had a lot of one, specific, dirtbag (but in a charming way) kind of thing.
Superhero Gardner Minshew ready to save the Las Vegas Raiders from mediocrity
Uncle Rico Gardner Minshew, who I’m pretty sure can throw a football over a mountain if he wanted to
Pro Wrestler Garnder Minshew who is ready to go one-on-one with The Undertaker in a steel cage
The Gardner Minshew who got called to school for a conference with the principal because you and your friends got caught smoking cigarettes under the bleachers during fourth period
Is it just me or does the entire NFL just feel more fun this year? Around the league teams are letting players be themselves more, and throwing aside the stuffy, boring sanitized normality and letting players be their brilliant, weird selves.
CROMWELL, Conn. — Will Zalatoris looked lost at Pinehurst No. 2, which explains why he missed the cut at the U.S. Open.
But instead of dwelling on his poor play, Zalatoris flew directly from North Carolina to Connecticut to get extra practice ahead of the Travelers Championship. The move has paid off to this point, as Zalatoris shot an impressive 6-under 64 on day one—his lowest round of the season. He now trails leader Tom Kim by two.
“I got out here Saturday night, and then Sunday, I had an all-day grind session to try to figure out what was going on,” Zalatoris explained.
“I got into some bad habits, figured out what I needed to fix, and just dug it out of the dirt. It’s kind of nice to be able to do that.”
Zalatoris missed most of the 2023 season after hurting his back on the driving range at Augusta National, only minutes before the first round of the Masters began. He subsequently missed eight months, returning at the Hero World Challenge in December. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon then had an up-and-down start to the year, but finally put his game together at the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, tying for second and fourth, respectively.
But he only has one top-10 since then: a tie for ninth at the Masters.
“Early on this season, I would play a tournament, need to take three, four days off, and now I’m able to just keep on going,” Zalatoris said.
Will Zalatoris during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
“So even though it’s nice and warm, that obviously helps with the back, but I think it’s just trying to find the right cadence of when I’m taking time off, and so far this stretch is the best I’ve felt.”
Now, Zalatoris can hit 300 to 400 balls daily, which helps when you need to find your swing. But he would have issues contending and improving if his back restricted him from doing that. Thankfully for him, those ailments are a thing of the past for now.
“The further I get from the surgeries that I had last year, the more comfortable I’m feeling with my back, the quicker I’m recovering, the better I’m feeling,” Zalatoris said.
“As the year goes on, even though my results haven’t shown it, I felt a lot better; I just got into some bad habits and thought it was just a nice reset after the U.S. Open. I love majors; it’s always been a career goal of mine to win one. I hated how I played, and sometimes you just have to dig it out of the dirt.”
Perhaps his grind sessions will pave the way for a victory this week at the Travelers Championship. Or maybe it will serve as a harbinger of things to come at Royal Troon.
Who knows? Regardless of what happens, seeing Zalatoris back on tour—and being able to grind his way through bad habits—is something everyone loves to see.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Christo Lamprecht, the 6-foot-8 South African who held the first-round lead at the Open Championship last year as an amateur, has signed a deal with WME Sports for representation after turning professional.
He joins social media star Paige Spiranac, who joined WME Sports in May. The agency is a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings, representing high-profile talent, athletes, and media while owning stakes in WWE and UFC.
Ari Emmanuel serves as the CEO of Endeavor Group Holdings, which expressed interest in negotiating a deal with the PGA Tour last fall. However, the tour ultimately went in a different direction, scoring a $1.5 billion investment from the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) as it continues negotiating an agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Nevertheless, WME Sports also represents a pair of three-time major champions, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth, putting Lamprecht in good company among fellow professionals. Min Woo Lee is also a part of WME, as are five of the top 10 players in the LPGA’s Rolex Rankings.
“This is a special moment in my career,” Lamprecht said.
Christo Lamprecht.Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images
“Having fulfilled a lifelong dream of turning professional, it gives me confidence knowing I have the best team at WME Sports guiding me through this next chapter.”
Lamprecht had a terrific career at Georgia Tech, earning All-American honors three times while winning three individual titles as a Yellow Jacket. He also recorded 24 top-10 career finishes. On top of that, his impressive resume includes the 2024 Byron Nelson Award, which he received this year as the country’s top scholar-athlete.
“Christo is the modern face of golf with his exceptional length and power, coupled with a tremendous short game,” said Jason Horrell, the co-head of WME’s Golf division.
“His talent is surpassed only by the quality of person he is off the course and we couldn’t be more excited to represent and work with him as he launches his professional career.”
In his Korn Ferry Tour debut at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open, Lamprecht missed the cut, shooting an 8-over 78 on day one. But he rebounded with a strong 7-under 63 in round two.
He also missed the cut at The Masters this year, but surely, a bright future for Lamprecht lies ahead. He was the top-ranked amateur player before turning professional.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
CROMWELL, Conn. — Who knows when the PGA Tour will strike an agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf’s beneficiary. But one thing is certain: no deal will be made during this week’s Travelers Championship.
Speaking to reporters at TPC River Highlands, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan provided an update on negotiations without revealing anything the golfing world did not already know. He also shut down any rumors about a pending deal.
“There’s been a lot of news around our ongoing discussions with the PIF, Monahan said.
“I’m not going to negotiate in public, and I know [everyone is] eager to know more, but I will go back to the meeting that we had two Fridays ago in New York, where our entire Transaction Committee, including Tiger Woods and Adam Scott being in person and Rory [McIlroy] dialing in from the Memorial Tournament, alongside Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the Governor of the PIF and representatives of the PIF. It was a very productive discussion. As we’ve said, progress was made and we continue to be in regular dialog. I had a 10 o’clock call [Wednesday] morning with the PIF, and we’re doing that multiple times a week.”
Jay Monahan speaks at the 2024 Memorial Tournament.Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images
At least talks with the PIF have taken place, which did not appear to be the case before the Players Championship in March.
“I would say to you that there were a lot of important aspects that we talked about in that meeting [in New York], aspects that will be important towards a final agreement that we got consensus on, and there are a number of areas that we recognize that we weren’t going to, but identified them, and that’s what we’re focused on, and that’s what we’re working on,” Monahan continued.
“So, my outlook for those discussions continues to be very positive.”
The negotiations between the PGA Tour and the PIF were further complicated by the addition of the tour’s new investor, the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), in February.
Before the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Monahan and the tour announced that SSG—a consortium of sports owners from around the country—agreed to invest $1.5 billion in the tour. This investment will give the tour much-needed capital amid rising costs, thanks in part to LIV Golf’s rise to prominence.
Of course, the PIF has over $700 billion in assets and has reportedly invested north of $1 billion into the PGA Tour’s rival circuit.
Nevertheless, SSG helped the tour establish an equity program for players, meaning top tour members will have massive stakes in its newly formed entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.
“All I can say is that when you have the likes of John Henry and Arthur Blank, Sam Kennedy, Andy Cohen, Joe Gorder, a lot of people that—some people are new to our sport, but have massive experience in sport and in the corporate world. When they say that this is one of the most complex scenarios that they have ever seen, I think that says a lot,” Monahan added.
“As it relates to whether or not the complexity is being underestimated, I think it’s only fair to say that unless you have a full context for everything that’s being discussed, it would be unreasonable for anyone to think that you would fully understand the complexity. There are a lot of different factors at play, but nobody who is having the conversation is unaware of the complexity, and everyone, I think, is embracing the fact that there are things, obstacles, and things you have to overcome in a complex situation. We have the right people around the table for us, and they do as well.”
Monahan provided one large word salad to reporters—a salad that continued no juice or any meat. Yet, the commissioner said that all involved are focused on getting to the right outcome, with players and fans in mind.
When that outcome comes about is anyone’s guess.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
Copa América is almost here! By the time you read this, we’ll be less than 24 hours from the South American tournament kicking off on our borders.
The opening match starts off this Thursday between defending Copa champions Argentina and Canada. When the teams step out onto the field, they will be doing so in their new jerseys that were released earlier this year. In fact, each of the 16 teams in the tournament enter Copa América with fresh jerseys
In any competition, you’ll have some fantastic jersey combinations. And, you will also have some hideous ones. Whenever a team takes the field for a major competition, their fans hope they are doing so looking good.
Unfortunately, some teams look better than others. And that’s what we’re here to discuss.
Across 16 teams, there are 32 jerseys. Let’s go through the list from worst to best team jersey sets at Copa América.
16. Panama
Panama has a new crest, but unfortunately it looks like they opted for Reebok’s plain templates. A plain red home jersey and plain white road jersey just doesn’t generate excitement.
15. Chile
Chile’s red home jersey has a sublimated design that makes it look better than a plain offering, but it isn’t enough to combat an away jersey that looks phoned in. They normally look good on the field, but right now they will get lost amongst the sea of red and white jerseys out there.
14. Uruguay
Uruguay left Puma for Nike, but their first offering leaves a ton to be desired. The small pinstripes on both jerseys don’t pop on TV, so you’re left with a jersey that just looks plain. For a team that expects to contend for the Copa América title, they should have done better on the jersey front.
13. Venezuela
The home Venezuela jersey boasts the Vinotinto color that they’re known for, but another jersey element would have helped here. The away jersey is interesting, but the design could have flowed better into the rest of the jersey. If the jersey had more yellow, it would have looked more distinctive.
12. Canada
Canada finally got some new jerseys after skipping out on some before the 2022 World Cup. While the old school Nike logo and pinstripes gives the away jersey a nice vintage feel, the home jersey seems like they needed another few years to design something a lot better. That’s a huge disappointment, especially given the wait.
11. Mexico
Objectively, Mexico’s away jersey might be one of the best in the tournament. That home jersey, however, might be one of the worst. It’s a controversial pick, but red is not their color and it should not be their home jersey. And the design just doesn’t work at all. Some may like it, but Mexico has a traditional look and this is a terrible departure from it.
10. Colombia
Colombia’s yellow jerseys are really nice, and so are the away black jerseys. There’s not a lot of design here, which is why they are in the bottom 6.
9. Bolivia
Bolivia has a nice home jersey, going with the light green as a departure from their normal forest green. Pairing that with a deep red away jersey makes for a pretty good look. Outside of the home jersey’s sleeves, there isn’t much in the way of design here, opting to focus on the color.
8. Costa Rica
Costa Rica really went for it here, and they did a decent job with it. The home jersey’s design is interesting, but the jury’s still out on whether it’s elite or a dud. They get some points for add some design to their away jersey as well to give it some pop, and the new crest looks great on the home.
7. Paraguay
Paraguay rarely has to do much with their traditional vertical red and white stripes, and still they are able to make it look good. Adding some elements within the red stripes and the royal blue trim ties in so well with their traditional them and looks great. There’s a cool Hawaiian vibe with their away jersey, and the light blue paired with the other blues makes for a very nice look.
6. USA
The away jersey may have mixed reviews, but it’s one of the best jerseys in this tournament and gets the USMNT barely into the top six. The home jersey has the flag elements on the collar and sleeve, but the mismatched royal blue on the collar and the navy blue numbers knock them down a bit. Conjuring the feels of the 2014 Bomb Pops, the away jersey does look really good with the red shorts.
5. Ecuador
Ecuador’s jerseys since their jersey rebrand have been really well done and they stick within a theme. Here, they have the navy sash on the yellow home jersey, and that blue sash becomes horizontal on the away jersey to give it some added pop. They will look great on the field as well, and hopefully they pair the white jersey with navy shorts for even more pop.
4. Brazil
Brazil’s home jerseys are iconic, and this year’s edition is really nice. The sleeve trim gives a nice touch of zing to the jersey. The away jersey is one of the better ones they’ve had with the horizontal pinstripes and the light green trim. The center crest is the only reason these aren’t ranked higher.
3. Argentina
Speaking of iconic jerseys, the home Argentina jersey is one of those that doesn’t need to do much to look good. What really sets them off is pairing it with an away jersey that has royal blue with their light blue as trim. Of course, the World Cup champions badge is unbeatable and really looks good on both the home and away.
2. Peru
Peru’s white jersey with a red sash is always amazing, and this might be one of the best versions of that. There’s a red trip across the bottom that flows into the sash on one side, and the gold trim makes it look elegant. The road jersey is a cool one, with the black torso and the maroon tiger stripes on the sleeves and shoulders. Once again, the gold trim makes it pop.
1. Jamaica
Jamaica has the best jersey set in this competition, full stop. The home jersey combines all their elements so well with the yellow jersey, the green sleeves and shoulders, and the black trim. The away jersey? Epic. The bespoke design is up there among some of the best national team jerseys on the planet, and they will always look good when they step on the field. They understood the assignment, and that’s why their jerseys are the best in this competition.
The Kansas City Chiefs should already be considered a dynasty, as the only other teams in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls in a five-year span or less are the 1974-1979 Steelers, the 1992-1995 Cowboys, the 2001-2004 Patriots, and the 2014-2018 Patriots.
Not only is that exclusive company; the Chiefs also reached the Super Bowl in 2020, losing to Tom Brady’s only “non-dynasty” team, and Patrick Mahomes has played in six straight AFC Championships for Andy Reid.
Now comes the crazy part: Is this only the beginning?
In part one of a two-part series ranking all 32 teams based on their chances of winning the Super Bowl in either of the next two seasons—2024 or 2025—the Chiefs come in first place by an absolute landslide. Who is the closest challenger to stop Kansas City from winning their fourth championship in a six or seven-year span?
First, you have to understand the 7 categories that all teams are being judged by:
The 7 categories
HC/Stability – Ranking not only the quality of the head coach, but also how STABLE is he in the job? Mike McCarthy could be a really good head coach, however he’s also on the hot seat.
Recent History – What have you done for me lately?
Non-QB Roster, 2024-2025: Accounting for all the non-QBs on the roster, how much talent is there and how likely is it that the good players will be good and on the team for each of the next two years?
QB/Passing Success – Ranking not only the quarterbacks, but also the passing game; so it’s not just “Geno Smith” in a bubble, it’s Geno plus DK Metcalf, plus the offensive line, plus the offensive coordinator, all culminating in answering “How good is the entire passing offense?”
DEF/Passing Un-Success – So the opposite of the QB/Passing Success question, looking at the defenses and defensive coordinators
Division Hierarchy Situation, also known as DHS – Teams were ranked on a combination of Overall Division Quality + Their place in the Hierarchy. So the Browns are a good team, but they’re fourth in the hierarchy of the toughest division in the NFL.
Dealer’s Choice – For all variables that didn’t get a category, like salary cap situation, and ownership, and probability of injury regression, etc., this is my own personal stamp on the rankings.
Every team was ranked 1-32 in each category and then we split it up into AFC and NFC. You get 1 point for being ranked 1st, 32 points for being ranked 32nd, and just like golf the lower your score, the better.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (Points: 17)
Overall ranking: 1 Best ranking: HC (1), Recent (1), QB (1), Dealer’s Choice (1) Worst ranking: Non-QB Roster (8)
It was practically a clean sweep for the Chiefs, as they had the top ranking in recent history (obviously), coaching/stability, quarterback/passing success, and dealer’s choice. That gave the Chiefs less than half the point total of the second place team, so if you’re betting on a team to win either of the next two Super Bowls, it has to be Kansas City. Andy Reid recently signed an extension, but even if he retired after 2024, there are several experienced veteran coaches already in place to carry the torch with a solid infrastructure built for Patrick Mahomes.
As for Mahomes’ increasing salary, with a cap hit of $66 million in 2025, the Chiefs can restructure or re-negotiate the deal to bring that down and they probably will in order to keep free agents like Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Keeping players or surviving without them hasn’t proven to be an issue for Reid yet, and the Chiefs remain the last team anybody wants to see in a playoff situation.
The biggest loss, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, had a rising star waiting in the wings behind him named Zach Orr, so perhaps we will find out that the Ravens aren’t much worse off on that side of the ball. The one thing holding back the Ravens on this list was their DHS (Division Hierarchy Situation). Though Baltimore sits atop the AFC North, it still appears to be the toughest division in the NFL, and look what happened to the Bengals last year, as they went from AFC Championship game losers in 2022 to out of the playoffs.
Say what you want about the receivers room: I don’t think it matters as much when you have Josh Allen, the second-to-last QB I’d want to see in the playoffs. The Bills have won four straight division titles, and parting ways with Stefon Diggs and Tre’Davious White might end up making the Bills a stronger team overall because it increases the odds that the team will spend the offseason, the season, and the 2025 season with the same players.
This seems early for the Texans, but look at this way: Which teams have the best odds of winning their division in EACH of the next two seasons? The Texans seem to have the all-important triumvirate of a successful NFL team: DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud, and a really good defense. But they also have a top-10 offensive line, a deep group of supporting skill players, and they just put Danielle Hunter opposite of Will Anderson. The AFC South could be the best division in a couple of years depending on the development of the four quarterbacks, but right now it belongs to Houston. Look at this way: Would you rather be the second-best team in the AFC North or the best team in the AFC South? I’d rather have that guaranteed playoff home game.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (Points: 74)
Overall ranking: 8 Best ranking: HC (6), Recent (6), Dealer’s Choice (6) Worst ranking: Def/Pass (24)
If we were only ranking quarterback/passing offense and recent success, the Bengals would be in the top 3. There are numerous obstacles to overcome in the next two years, however, including how competitive it is in the AFC North, Joe Burrow’s health, the contract situation for Tee Higgins, and a defense that couldn’t get the job done last season, ranking 32nd in yards per pass attempt and 30th in yards per carry allowed. But they do score high in those other things.
Have you tried ranking the quarterbacks lately? It gets very hard to do outside of the top 10, if not the top 5. Try it. I put Deshaun Watson and company 19th, which seems high given how bad he’s been the past two seasons in Cleveland, but there aren’t a lot of attractive options behind him either and there is a strong supporting cast of coaches, offensive linemen, and skill players around him. By the way, the strongest correlation of any two categories is between “recent success” and “QB/passing play” so take that as you will. I don’t think saying that better quarterbacks win more games than average or bad quarterbacks will make your head explode.
In his previous stint as an NFL head coach, Jim Harbaugh took over a 6-10 team from Mike Singletary and went 13-3 in his first season. These Chargers are more talented than those 49ers, but Harbaugh didn’t have to worry about Patrick Mahomes back then. Still, look at the talent around Justin Herbert after adding Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Will Dissly, D.J. Chark, and Hayden Hurst to an offense that wasn’t lacking in talent and you can see how L.A. might be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2025.
t7. Jacksonville Jaguars (Points: 97)
Overall ranking: t13 Best ranking: QB/Pass (8), DHS (8) Worst ranking: HC (19), Non-QB Roster (19)
The Jaguars are in a division they can win, with a head coach who has won a Super Bowl, and a defense that has two under-27 pass rushers who posted double-digit sacks in 2023. Can you believe the Jaguars have been to an AFC Championship game more recently than the Steelers?
The Dolphins are definitely more talented than some teams ranked ahead of them here, and Mike McDaniel is one of, if not the best, offensive play callers in the NFL. But Miami has to figure out how they can pay Tua Tagovailoa while keeping everyone else happy, as well as whether they even should pay Tua, plus many of their stars are either over 30 or will be soon. Are Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey going to be playing at the same high level next year, and can players like Terron Armstead, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Tua stay healthy? They have as much talent as they do uncertainty.
Yes, they have made the playoffs in three of the last four years and went 10-7 last season. They also haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 and they haven’t had a “really good” playoff win since beating the Ravens in the Divisional Round in 2010. Unless Russell Wilson is to the Steelers what Kurt Warner was to the Cardinals, Pittsburgh could have their first losing season since 2003 and they’re a fourth place team if Deshaun Watson is halfway decent for the Browns. But they got top-10 grades in coaching, non-QB roster, and defense.
If Aaron Rodgers is healthy and not on vacation during the regular season, the Jets roster is as good as it’s ever going to get. The offense gets four new offensive linemen (Tyron Smith, Olu Fashanu, Morgan Moses, John Simpson), two recent early draft picks to round the line out (Alijah Vera-Tucker, Joe Tippmann at center), plus the addition of Mike Williams as the No. 2 receiver.
That’s for 2024. So are they all-in? No, because even if Rodgers is slowing down next year, the Jets are projected to be sixth in cap space in 2025 and owner Woody Johnson has proven that he’s willing to overspend whatever it takes. Keep in mind, the Jets are only tied for 17th so this isn’t like predicting they’ll make it to the Super Bowl, they’re just higher on the list than Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins.
Between the Colts and the Saints, two teams I’ve got ranked third in their respective weak South divisions, I prefer head coach Shane Steichen to Dennis Allen. And though I’m far from sold on Anthony Richardson, he’s got plenty of upside while Derek Carr has none. I also wouldn’t be shocked if first-round edge rusher Laiatu Latu wastes no time in having an impact.
If firing Mike Vrabel was a bad decision, then why do I feel more optimistic about the Titans because of Brian Callahan? Probably because head coaches who call offensive plays are more in style than those who don’t. Is that fair or unfair? I’m not here to judge. The Titans might have the most room between their QB’s head and the ceiling though: Will Levis was too inconsistent as a rookie to be a starter, so Tennessee brought in Callahan to call the offense and signed Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd to catch passes, and also drafted a new tackle in J.C. Latham in the top 10.
The Broncos had the second-highest ranked head coach situation of any team in the bottom half of the list (I have Kevin O’Connell one spot ahead of Sean Payton), which tells you just how bad Denver looks on paper. I’m not going to criticize drafting Bo Nix, because it’s not that uncommon for a quarterback picked outside of the top 5 at the position to have success, but it would seem that a lot does hinge on that decision. However, the Broncos’ ranking isn’t really low because of Nix. They have a lot of projected starters “with something to prove” because they failed to gain or retain starting jobs on their previous teams, and it’s hard to imagine Denver finishing higher than third in either of the next two seasons.
After the Broncos fired Josh McDaniels in 2010, they reached five straight Divisional Round playoff games and two Super Bowls. Could Antonio Pierce provide a similar rebound in Las Vegas? Maybe only if Peyton Manning comes out of retirement and brings a time machine. (Those Broncos did win a playoff game with Tim Tebow, but this isn’t the 2011 AFC West.) It seems like the Raiders want to do as well as they can this season, then wait to see if Dak Prescott or Tua Tagovailoa becomes available next year. Teams won’t be going the draft route this time, tanking has no endgame, and I think the Raiders anticipate being the most aggressive team on the market in 2025 and that it’s highly probable that a big-name quarterback will change teams.
Left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor will be protecting quarterback Jacoby Brissett (pre-Drake Maye), throwing to Kendrick Bourne and Ja’Lynn Polk, with plays called by Alex Van Pelt, who was fired by the Browns in January. Even giving Maye a chance to prove he’s good in 2025, New England could be the worst offense in the NFL right now. Even if the Jets and Dolphins both collapse, will the Patriots beat the Bills or win an AFC Wild Card? Not likely before 2026.
Florida and Kentucky are set to square off at the Men’s College World Series, in a do-or-die game for both teams.
Now they will have another night to think about what needs to be done.
With the threat of severe weather looming over Omaha — forecasters are calling for thunderstorms and heavy rain — Tuesday night’s elimination game between the two teams has been moved to Wednesday morning.
That sets up a baseball triple-header in Omaha Wednesday, and a double-header for the team that wins the rescheduled game between Kentucky and Florida. Wednesday’s new schedule for the Men’s College World Series is as follows, with all times Eastern:
Game 10 Kentucky vs. Florida | 11 a.m.
Game 11 Tennessee vs. the winner of North Carolina/Florida State | 3 p.m.
Game 12 between Texas A&M vs. the winner of Kentucky/Florida | 7 p.m.
Both Florida and Kentucky are 1-1 in Omaha. The Gators are coming off a 5-4 win over NC State that kept their season alive, while the Wildcats just dropped their first game in Omaha to Texas A&M, losing by a final score of 5-1.
The SEC rivals played one series this year in early May, and the Wildcats won two of those three games in Gainesville.
The PGA Tour is in Cromwell, Connecticut, for the eighth and final Signature Event of the season: the Travelers Championship.
TPC River Highlands, a Robert J. Moss and Maurice Kearney course, will play as host. This tournament will not feature a cut as 71 players battle for a piece of the $20 million purse.
Here is the one-stop information shop for the Travelers Championship.
Travelers Championship:
Where: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut (Par-70, 6,852-yards)
When: Jun. 20-23rd
Purse: $20,000,000/$4,000,000 (First Place)
FedEx Cup Points: 700
Defending Champion: Keegan Bradley
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
How to Watch The Travelers Championship
Golf Channel and CBS will share the television coverage. Check out the full schedule below:
Thursday, June 20: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday, June 21: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday, June 22: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday, June 23: 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); 3:00-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
How to Stream The Travelers Championship
ESPN+ will exclusively air early round and featured group coverage all four days of the Travelers Championship. Peacock will have simulcasts of the Golf Channel’s broadcast.
Coverage on Peacock can be streamed here.
In addition, fans can tune into CBS Sports streaming service Paramount+ while CBS airs its third and final round broadcasts.
The Travelers Championship Preview:
Coming off a dramatic U.S. Open week, the best of the PGA Tour is in Connecticut for the final Signature Event of the year.
Defending champion Keegan Bradley won his sixth PGA Tour event here in 2023. He also broke the tournament record by one stroke.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is coming off one of his weakest performances at Pinehurst No. 2, but he remains one of the many heavy hitters who headline this event.
Xander Schauffele is also in the field as the PGA Championship winner finished strong at Pinehurst.
Ludvig Åberg struggled at Pinehurst throughout the weekend, but this TPC River Highlands track fits his game well. Last year, he was one of four sponsor exemptions in the field, and now, heading into this event, the Swedish phenom is a PGA Tour winner.
He tied for 24th in 2023, going 67-65-65-70 through four days of play. Åberg’s game is in a good spot coming off the U.S. Open, so watch out for him to make moves this week.
Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, and many other top players will tee it up this week in New England as they all fight to take home that hefty $4 million first-place price.
This week will be interesting as most of the field is coming off a major championship. Will fatigue affect some of the biggest names in golf?
The Travelers Championship Round 1 Tee Times (ET):
(All go off the first tee)
8:05 a.m. — Chris Gotterup
8:15 a.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Jake Knapp
8:25 a.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Thomas Detry
8:35 a.m. — Taylor Pendrith, Victor Perez
8:45 a.m. — Davis Riley, Rickie Fowler
8:55 a.m. — Lee Hodges, Eric Cole
9:05 a.m. — Brian Harman, Tom Hoge
9:15 a.m. — Nick Taylor, Harris English
9:25 a.m. — Taylor Moore, Seamus Power
9:40 a.m. — Kurt Kitayama, Mackenzie Hughes
9:50 a.m. — Sahith Theegala, Sepp Sraka
10:00 a.m. — Jason Day, J.T. Poston
10:10 a.m. — Cameron Young, Patrick Rodgers
10:20 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley
10:30 a.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa
10:40 a.m. — Wyndham Clark, Jordan Spieth
10:50 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Justin Thomas
11:00 a.m. — Nick Dunlap, Adam Scott
11:15 a.m. — Will Zalatoris, Ben Griffin
11:25 a.m. — Austin Eckroat, Webb Simpson
11:35 a.m. — Peter Malnati, Christian Bezuidenhout
11:45 a.m. — Emiliano Grillo, Andrew Putnam
11:55 a.m. — Sam Burns, Byeong Hun An
12:05 p.m. — Si Woo Kim, Adam Svensson
12:15 p.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, Adam Hadwin
12:25 p.m. — Tom Kim, Corey Conners
12:35 p.m. — Justin Rose, Adam Schenk
12:50 p.m. — Chris Kirk, Sungjae Im
1:00 p.m. — Russell Henley, Denny McCarthy
1:10 p.m. — Cam Davis, Brendon Todd
1:20 p.m. — Lucas glover, Tommy Fleetwood
1:30 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland
1:40 p.m. — Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay
1:50 p.m. — Xander Schauffele, Matthieu Pavon
2:00 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Michael Thorbjornsen
2:10 p.m. — Billy Horschel, Stephan Jaeger
The Travelers Championship Round 2 Tee Times (ET):
(All go off the first tee)
8:05 a.m. — Will Zalatoris, Ben Griffin
8:15 a.m. — Austin Eckroat, Webb Simpson
8:25 a.m. — Peter Malnati, Christian Bezuidenhout
8:35 a.m. — Emiliano Grillo, Andrew Putnam
8:45 a.m. — Sam Burns, Byeong Hun An
8:55 a.m. — Si Woo Kim, Adam Svensson
9:05 a.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, Adam Hadwin
9:15 a.m. — Tom Kim, Corey Conners
9:25 a.m. — Justin Rose, Adam Schenk
9:40 a.m. — Chris Kirk, Sungjae Im
9:50 a.m. — Russell Henley, Denny McCarthy
10:00 a.m. — Cam Davis, Brendon Todd
10:10 a.m. — Lucas glover, Tommy Fleetwood
10:20 a.m. — Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland
10:30 a.m. — Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay
10:40 a.m. — Xander Schauffele, Matthieu Pavon
10:50 a.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Michael Thorbjornsen
11:00 a.m. — Billy Horschel, Stephan Jaeger
11:15 a.m. — Chris Gotterup
11:25 a.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Jake Knapp
11:35 a.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Thomas Detry
11:45 a.m. — Taylor Pendrith, Victor Perez
11:55 a.m. — Davis Riley, Rickie Fowler
12:05 p.m. — Lee Hodges, Eric Cole
12:15 p.m. — Brian Harman, Tom Hoge
12:25 p.m. — Nick Taylor, Harris English
12:35 p.m. — Taylor Moore, Seamus Power
12:45 p.m. — Kurt Kitayama, Mackenzie Hughes
12:55 p.m. — Sahith Theegala, Sepp Sraka
1:10 p.m. — Jason Day, J.T. Poston
1:20 p.m. — Cameron Young, Patrick Rodgers
1:30 p.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley
1:40 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa
1:50 p.m. — Wyndham Clark, Jordan Spieth
2:00 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Justin Thomas
2:10 p.m. — Nick Dunlap, Adam Scott
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.
The eighth and final Signature Event of the 2024 season has arrived, as the best players on the PGA Tour head to the Northeast for the Travelers Championship.
Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Rory McIlroy, fresh off his heartbreaking finish at the U.S. Open, headline the 72-man field at TPC River Highlands. Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, and Viktor Hovland will tee it up in Connecticut this week, too.
Unlike Pinehurst No. 2, this golf course yields plenty of birdies while placing a premium on iron play. It’s a second-shot golf course, and whoever can make the most par-breakers this week typically wins. You should also expect a final score around 18 or 20-under-par, with multiple 62s and 63s shot over the course of the week. Heck, Jim Furyk shot a 58 on this layout in 2016, which still stands as the lowest score ever on the PGA Tour.
Travelers Championship Odds:
Here are the current odds for players to win this week, provided by DraftKings.
Scottie Scheffler +400
Xander Schauffele +800
Rory McIlroy +850
Collin Morikawa +1200
Ludvig Åberg +1600
Viktor Hovland +2000
Patrick Cantlay +2200
Hideki Matsuyama +2500
Sam Burns +3500
Russell Henley +3500
Justin Thomas +3500
Brian Harman +3500
Tony Finau +3500
Tommy Fleetwood +3500
Tom Kim +4500
Sungjae Im +4500
Si Woo Kim +4500
Sepp Straka +4500
Jordan Spieth +4500
Max Homa +5000
Matthew Fitzpatrick +5000
Wyndham Clark +5000
The 18th hole at TPC River Highlands during the final round of the 2024 Travelers Championship.Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images
Travelers Championship Insight, Predictions:
Keegan Bradley, the New England native and diehard Boston sports fan, won this event last year at 23-under-par, thanks in part to an opening 8-under 62 on Thursday and a 7-under 63 on Friday. He led the field in strokes gained approach and strokes gained putting, which explains why his final 72-hole score set a new tournament record.
Xander Schauffele continues hot stretch
Good ball strikers and solid putters tend to do well on this golf course. Xander Schauffele, who fits that billing, won this event two years ago, marking his 6th career win on the PGA Tour. He has won two more tournaments since, including this year’s PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele during the trophy presentation at the 2022 Travelers Championship.Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Schauffele also recorded his 10th top-10 finish of the season at Pinehurst No. 2, despite not having his best stuff throughout the week.
Knowing that Schauffele has won on this golf course before and has played the best golf of his career throughout 2024, we like Schauffele to record a top-five finish at +180.
Big Ton’ posts back-to-back top-10s
If not for an unfortunate triple bogey on the 13th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open, Tony Finau could have vied for the title until the very end. He wound up tying for third, finishing at 4-under-par, two strokes behind Bryson DeChambeau.
Despite that, Finau’s game has rounded into form, as he has his four straight top-20 finishes over the last month.
Tony Finau during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
He is a terrific ball-striker—Finau is third on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approaching the green. His putter has let him down at times, but it did not affect him much at Pinehurst No. 2. He gained 0.43 strokes on the greens for the week, ranking 39th among the field.
Considering the greens at TPC River Highlands come nowhere close to the ones at Pinehurst No. 2, we like Finau to have another above-average week with the putter and finish in the top 10 at +280.
Ludvig Åberg bounces back after tough weekend
Like Finau, the 13th hole got the best of Ludvig Åberg on Saturday afternoon. He made a triple bogey there, which all but ended his chances.
Nevertheless, Åberg will bounce back this week. He has quickly become one of the best ball-strikers on the planet, as seemingly every iron shot has a high ball flight and goes as straight as an arrow. That’s an excellent combination on any golf course, especially a favorable one like TPC River Highlands.
Plus, Åberg played at the Travelers Championship last year, tying for 24th and finishing at 13-under par. He even shot a 5-under 65 on Saturday, an impressive round given that he had finished up his tenure at Texas Tech roughly one month before. But knowing that Åberg has some experience on this course, and given his superb talent, we like him to also finish in the top 5 at +330.
It’s Russell Henley time
Perhaps the most underrated player in the game right now, Russell Henley arrives in Connecticut fresh off a tie for 7th at the U.S. Open. He carded a 3-under 67 in the final round, helping him record a back-door top 10, but Henley has four other top 10 finishes this season. He is also the 16th-ranked player in the world, thanks to his solid ball striking and excellent putting.
Russell Henley during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Henley does not miss the fairway often and thus awards himself plenty of opportunities to make birdie. His game should translate well to this course, where he has had some success. Henley’s best finish came in 2018 when he tied for 6th. He has since tied for 19th in his past two starts, in 2021 and 2023. But this year, we like Henley to post a result better than that. He is +3500 to win, which we are greatly considering, but we like him to finish in the top 5 at +650.
Longshot Contender and Winner
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon played well enough to earn a spot in the last group of the U.S. Open and held his own for most of the final round. He shot a 1-over 71 to finish solo 5th, as an early bogey stumbled his momentum. But Pavon put on a ball-striking and putting clinic all week at Pinehurst No. 2, a sign that his game is trending in the right direction.
He knows what it takes to win, too, having won at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. As such, we like Pavon to post another top-10 at +800 in Connecticut. His game seems to come in waves, and he’s riding high right now.
Matthieu Pavon on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
As for a longshot winner, we like South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout to get the job done at +7500. Bezuidenhout could not get any momentum going at the U.S. Open, finishing in a tie for 32nd at 7-over for the week. But he played consistent golf and did not blow up on any day, carding three 71s and a 72 on the par-70 layout. Nevertheless, Bezuidenhout is a terrific putter, ranking 11th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting. He is an above-average ball striker too.
The South African is not a bomber, either, an attribute not needed on this 6,852-yard layout, the shortest course on tour this season. Instead, he relies on his ball-striking and his short game to get the job done.
For all other sports betting content, check out SB Nation’s DraftKings site.
Also stay tuned for SB Nation’s staff picks for the Travelers Championship, set to go live on Tuesday, Jun. 18.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
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