Over the seven seasons Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have played together for the Boston Celtics, they have faced a wide variety of skepticism about their fit together as two ballhandling wings. Both were varying degrees of great at different times, but did their skill sets overlap too much to build a championship team around them as a pair?
The Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship win answers that question with a definitive “no,” but there were real questions about the pairing’s fit together over their near-decade as a duo, as well as calls from media and fans alike to trade Brown. Instead, the Celtics (somewhat controversially) continually doubled down on the twosome, most recently by giving Brown the most lucrative contract in NBA history last summer.
Doing so may seem like the easy call with the benefit of hindsight, but in the aftermath of the confetti falling, as the Celtics celebrated their 18th championship in franchise history and Brown lofted his NBA Finals MVP, there was a stat on the broadcast for anyone watching at home that demonstrated just how unprecedented Boston’s patience with the Brown and Tatum duo was (as captured by Tim Bontemps of ESPN):
For Tatum and Brown, the 107 games they played together before winning the title are the most by a duo prior to winning their first championship in NBA history.
That’s quite the astounding factoid, and it shows how rare it is for any two NBA players to
be good enough to justify keeping together that long, period, and…
be good enough to maintain faith in despite not having won a title together yet.
It remains to be seen if this record will ever be broken, but given the constant roster churn of today’s NBA, it seems unlikely. Maybe Brown and Tatum’s long-awaited success will convince more GMs to remain patient with various star pairings, but this otherwise seems primed to be a record Brown and Tatum can hold together for a long time.
In the 186th playoff game of his NBA career, Al Horford won his first NBA championship. The Celtics capturing the 2024 title took Horford off an ignominious list, as Boston coming up short this year would have almost certainly (eventually) vaulted him past Karl Malone (193) for most career playoff games without a championship.
After the game, Horford was understandably excited to finally get his first ring, 17 years into his NBA career:
Al Horford: “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I’m going through the emotions right now, but I don’t feel like it’s over. This is an unbelievable feeling. Like the confetti, everything’s going on, but I just hasn’t hit me.” pic.twitter.com/kGOAtUdV8k
But with Horford winning a championship, James Harden ended up taking a crown no player wants: His 166 career playoff games without a ring is now not just fourth all-time in NBA history, but the most of any active NBA player.
Per StatMuse, the next closest is… his former Rockets teammate Chris Paul, with 149.
With the NBA Finals over, Harden is now eligible — under a new NBA rule going into place this year — to begin talking with the Clippers about a new contract to keep him in Los Angeles in free agency. Given that franchise’s historic playoff woes, it seems unlikely Harden will end his reign atop a leaderboard that no current NBA player wants to sit on, but there is a small silver lining: At least, at age 34, he’s unlikely to go on enough long playoff runs in Los Angeles to pass Malone or John Stockton (182) for a top-two slot on the all-time ranking.
That’s something, right?
While maybe Harden can do some title chasing to end his career to put this record to bed, at least as of right now, the self-described “winner” appears poised to hang onto that bit of infamy for a while.
But hey, at least maybe he appears poised to get a different type of ring soon!
With Florida’s season on the line, Jac Caglianone took the bump for the Gators in an elimination game against NC State. However, a shaky outing saw Caglianone last just one inning for Florida.
He still found a way to help extend Florida’s season at least one more game.
Caglianone was lifted after allowing a run during a shaky first inning, which included both a walk and a hit batter. But the two-way star for the Gators came through with a massive blast in the top of the second, a three-run blast to right that was part of a four-run second inning for Florida.
Caglianone’s three-run shot came on this 91-mph pitch on the inner half of the plate, that the lefty slugger was able to turn on in a hurry:
The home run was clocked at 116 miles per hour off Caglianone’s bat. It also made the Gators two-way star the first starting pitcher to homer in the MCWS since Tim Hudson accomplished that feat for Auburn back in 1997.
Yes, that Tim Hudson, who is now the head coach at his alma mater.
Of course, Caglianone’s short outing on the bump meant the Gators needed to go deep into their bullpen to outlast the gators. Caglianone was lifted in favor of Cade Fisher, who lasted four innings and allowed three earned runs to pick up the victory. But after Jake Clemente pitched a scoreless sixth inning, Brandon Neely came on to start the seventh for the Gators.
Neely closed things out, going the distance for the rare three-inning save. The Florida right hander allowed just one hit and one walk, striking out six over three nearly-perfect innings for his fifth save of the season. The three innings of work brought Neely’s total innings pitched over the postseason to 21, meaning Neely has pitched 25% of the team’s 84 innings in the postseason.
Following the game, Neely praised the entire team, and Florida’s toughness:
Florida’s season is now extended by at least one game, as the Gators await the loser of tonight’s contest between Texas A&M and Kentucky.
Many believe Emma Hayes has what it takes to return the U.S. women’s national team to the No. 1 status in the world it coveted for decades.
Over the last few years, the prominence of the U.S. women’s team has dropped considerably as key players have retired from the world stage and young newcomers are asked to hold the line.
Despite wins in a pair of recent matches, the U.S. dropped to No. 5 in the latest FIFA women’s world rankings. And while it may not appear as though being the fifth best team in the world is that big of a scare, anyone who knows the dominance of the States for the last 40 years as the preeminent team to beat knows that the latest designation certainly came as a surprise.
For the first time, fans got an insider’s look at the philosophy of Hayes through the latest version of Inside the Crest, U.S. Soccer’s mini-documentary series which chronicles the exploits of both the men’s and women’s programs.
Usually, these are not much more than fluff for the program, but the latest offered a direct look at Hayes and a player pool eager to make her roster in advance of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
Hayes had several poignant comments to the group but these were the Top 5 quotables from Hayes to the team ahead of their back-to-back tune-up games against Korea Republic.
After the Olympic squad is selected, the group will have two tune up games in July. The first against rival Mexico on July 13 (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBC Universo) and Costa Rica on July 16 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBC Universo).
— Emma Hayes to the group ahead of their first game, a 4-0 win against Korea Republic. This is now a group that is 7-1-2 overall in 2024, scoring 26 goals and allowing just seven.
Hayes was adamant in a team meeting that she’s not looking to change much but elevate with the group she’s got. And, right now even with the loss of players like Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz and others due to retiring from international duty, Hayes feels she can work what she’s got into one of the world’s best.
This was great as it added a bit of her philosophy on coaching and style and what she expects out of every player. There’s also an acknowledgment off the bat that she and her staff know that it comes down to their preparation as much as the execution. No scapegoating here.
Took this to mean she doesn’t really care about the pressures from the federation. They hired her to do a job and gave her some pretty moldable tools to do it, so what is there to complain about? Results are all that matter and so far, she’s off to a good start.
This quote says it all. Pressure’s off when it comes to worrying about playing for your country. You’re already here. Do your job and enjoy the ride.
All is not well with the Carolina Panthers, and it has nothing to do with recent years of putrid performance. Charlotte City Council will hear statements from the public on Monday about whether or not taxpayers believe $650M in revenue should be given to Tepper Sport Entertainment (TSE) to renovate Bank of America Stadium as part of a $1.3B proposal to upgrade the home of the Panthers.
Over 60 percent of residents polled disagree with the proposal, which would exchange the $650M for a 20-year guarantee that the team would not relocate from Charlotte. This “guarantee” gives TSE a 15-year out to leave in 2039 and pay “any outstanding debt” in exchange for the move.
It’s the latest in a back-and-forth between North Carolina residents and David Tepper, who has seemingly done everything in his power to become the most-disliked man in professional sports since purchasing the Panthers in 2018. While there’s little doubt some good has come from Tepper’s time, like the establishment of Charlotte FC in MLS and turning the stadium into a large-scale concert venue, he’s also alienated the public time and time again by making seemingly unnecessary changes that forsake tradition in name of the bottom line.
These changes include:
Moving training camp from Spartanburg, South Carolina — which allowed lower-income fans to see the team in person, to the center of Charlotte on Panthers property to transform camp into more of a money-making venue, alienating fans.
Removing natural grass from Bank of America Stadium and replacing it with field turf, much to the chagrin of players and fans.
A plan to move Panthers headquarters to Rock Hill, South Carolina — which was seen as a positive move, only to have Tepper back out mid-construction and become embroiled in a legal battle with the county.
Rumors of exploratory conversations with neighboring Kannapolis to build the stadium, if Charlotte didn’t play ball.
In short: There’s been myriad examples of why people should be wary of any deal involving Tepper that promises it will be better for them — because ultimately everything that has transpired since 2018 has only been better for David Tepper.
Where the current proposal falls short
There has been a lot of mistrust around Bank of America Stadium itself. Completed in 1996, the stadium is not yet 30 years old — but there has been a back-and-forth on whether what level of renovation the stadium actually needs.
Fans anticipated that any redesign for the stadium would include either a full or partial dome, which would allow for the city to host a Super Bowl, as well as other clear-cut amenities for fans. Instead the first stage of the revamp (and the only guaranteed changes) are largely superfluous, outside of restrooms.
There are legitimate questions why this first stage is set to cost over $650M, without really offering much to fans. It’s the Panthers’ argument that funds they’re looking for are already earmarked for tourism and development anyway, but new bathrooms and a video board doesn’t make the team more of a destination.
Essentially we’re seeing some basic infrastructure being pitched as a tourism improvement, with the veiled threat being that if these aren’t delivered then there’s no guarantee the Panthers will stay in Charlotte.
The majority of the changes people actually want come in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 development plans, both of which are at the whim of Tepper and the Panthers. There’s a very real possibility none of the most exciting elements of the redesign are realized — with taxpayers being on the hook for upfits they don’t really want.
Meanwhile, the $677M of public funds could be spent on a variety of tourism-centric public works that drastically improve the city, such as museums, public transportation, and a long-proposed rain line from Charlotte Douglas Airport — all of which would likely garner much more tourism than these changes for the Panthers.
Could the team really move over this?
Yes, absolutely. However, as we’ve seen in more recent NFL arguments over public funding it’s less about mammoth moves to different regions — and more about threats to move from outside city limits and into neighboring suburbs.
Ultimately it’s simple about finding a sucker to fit the bill, and there’s been no shortage of suckers in local government (especially outside of major cities) willing to fund pet projects for billionaires at taxpayer expense. In the case of the Panthers it would likely mean a move to wealthy neighboring areas in either North or South Carolina, both of which are part of the Charlotte suburban area.
In the grand scheme of things this would mean little to the NFL as a whole, but have a mammoth impact on the perception of the Panthers locally, who have called Uptown Charlotte home since the team’s inception.
Relocation for the Panthers has always been a risk. Tepper is the wealthiest individual owner in the NFL with a net worth of $20.6B. It would be peanuts for him to pay a relocation fee and exit the entire region if that’s what he wants, and there would be no shortage of other states willing to become the suckers to gain an NFL team.
The first salvo will be fired on Monday as the public voices their concerns. Ultimately this will help shape whether Charlotte City Council agrees to give the Panthers money, or rejects their overtures. If this funding falls through then the escalation will continue, and there’s no doubt talks of moving will be on the cards.
After two top 10s at the Masters and PGA Championship, Bryson DeChambeau came out on top at the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
The LIV Golf captain held off Rory McIlroy, thanks to a phenomenal bunker shot he had on the 18th. His par save on the last gave DeChambeau the win by one, as he took home his second U.S. Open title since 2020.
His bank account will see $4.3 million added to it because of his win.
Funny enough, DeChambeau’s remarkable par save on 18 reminded many of his hero, Payne Stewart, who holed an 18-footer to win in 1999. Granted, DeChambeau’s par attempt was a little shorter than Stewart’s, but it was a special moment for the former SMU golfer.
In his three major championship starts this season, DeChambeau has won a total of $6,993,000. His tie for 6th at the Masters awarded him with $695,000. He then took home $1,998,000 for placing second at the PGA Championship and won $4,300,000 this week at the U.S. Open.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
McIlory’s solo second place did earn him $2,322,000, bringing his season total to $10,034,665, which puts him third behind Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler.
Ludvig Åberg tied for 12th with Sergio Garcia and added $409,279 to his bank account. The Swedish phenom now sits fifth on the PGA Tour money list for the 2024 season, as he has earned a total of $7,686,998 to date.
Let’s check out how much each player made this week at Pinehurst.
U.S. Open Prize Money Payout:
1: Bryson DeChambeau: $4,300,000 2: Rory McIlroy: $2,322,000 T3: Tony Finau: $1,229,051 T3: Patrick Cantlay: $1,229,051 5: Matthieu Pavon: $843,765 6: Hideki Matsuyama: $748,154 T7: Russell Henley: $639,289 T7: Xander Schauffele: $639,289 T9: Sam Burns: $502,391 T9: Davis Thompson: $502,391 T9: Corey Conners: $502,391 T12: Sergio Garcia: $409,279 T12: Ludvig Åberg: $409,279 T14: Thomas Detry: $351,581 T14: Collin Morikawa: $351,581 T16: Tommy Fleetwood: $299,218 T16: Akshay Bhatia: $299,218 T16: Taylor Pendrith: $299,218 T19: Shane Lowry: $255,759 T19: Aaron Rai: $255,759 T21: Max Greyserman: $203,607 T21: Daniel Berger: $203,607 T21: Min Woo Lee: $203,607 T21: Stephan Jaeger: $203,607 T21: Brian Harman: $203,607 T26: Brooks Koepka: $153,281 T26: Zac Blair: $153,281 T26: Chris Kirk: $153,281 T26: Neal Shipley (a): $0 T26: Tom Kim: $153,281 T26: Tyrrell Hatton: $153,281 T32: Adam Scott: $126,901 T32: Si Woo Kim: $126,901 T32: Sahith Theegala: $126,901 T32: Keegan Bradley: $126,901 T32: Isaiah Salinda: $126,901 T32: Christiaan Bezuidenhout: $126,901 T32: Cameron Smith: $126,901 T32: J.T. Poston: $126,901 T32: Denny McCarthy:$126,901 T41: Frankie Capan III: $72,305 T41: Harris English: $72,305 T41: Jordan Spieth: $72,305 T41: Scottie Scheffler: $72,305 T41: Tom McKibbin: $72,305 T41: Tim Widing: $72,305 T41: Emiliano Grillo: $72,305 T41: Billy Horschel:$72,305 T41: Luke Clanton (a): $0 T50: Justin Lower: $51,065 T50: Matt Kuchar: $51,065 T50: Nicolai Højgaard: $51,065 T50: Mark Hubbard: $51,065 54: Nico Echavarria: $47,370 55: David Puig: $46,501 T56: S.H. Kim: $44,546 T56: Ben Kohles: $44,546 T56: Ryan Fox: $44,546 T56: Sepp Straka: $44,546 T56: Greyson Sigg: $44,546 T56: Brian Campbell: $44,546 T56: Adam Svensson: $44,546 T56: Wyndham Clark: $44,546 T64: Matthew Fitzpatrick: $42,155 T64: Francesco Molinari: $42,155 T64: Martin Kaymer: $42,155 T67: Cameron Young: $41,286 T67: Brendon Todd: $41,286 69: Dean Burmester: $40,417 T70: Gunner Broin (a): $0 T70: Brandon Wu: $39,548 72: Sam Bennett: $39,548 73: Jackson Suber:$39,113
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.
One of the emerging niches in professional golf is fashion. What these PGA Tour and LIV Golf players wear continues to spark intense discussions on social media.
That said, fashion is a subjective topic with no right answer.
The 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 saw mostly traditional vibes from the players, but some took risks. Sergio Garcia did so with his fashion, but none looked great. Meanwhile, Hideki Matsuyama wore stripped polos all four days, and those did not delight the eyes, either.
Not all those risks paid off, but some do.
Nevertheless, after the first two rounds, we gave you a list of five players, but how many of those players made the final cut?
To make this final list, plenty of variables are considered, including fit, coloring, details, and risk level. But the player must compete in all four rounds, too. Those who missed the cut are not eligible.
So, without further ado, check out the five best-dressed golfers from Pinehurst No. 2.
5. Ludvig Åberg
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Ludvig Åberg dropped from second to fifth on this list because he wore navy again on Sunday.
Granted, it was a sharp outfit, but seeing him in a different color would have been great. Give the people some pink or lavender moments, Åberg; your skin tone is perfect for it.
When he brought out the green on Saturday, it was a huge win. That color looks fantastic on his skin tone and is unique. Navy is a great color most of the time, but seeing it repeatedly gets boring.
Ranking: 8/10
4. Min Woo Lee
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Coming out of nowhere to land in the fourth spot is Min Woo Lee. The Lululemon scripting was on fire this week. He gave four strong looks, but this blue from Thursday and his Sunday outfit were the favorites.
Yes, they are pretty neutral, but the sunglasses and the flow—he has a high level of confidence about him. Lee knows what colors look good on him, and each week, Lululemon makes him look incredible. The only note is for him to branch out with the pants, but other than that, Lee cooked on the golf fashion front.
Ranking: 9/10
3. Collin Morikawa
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Surprise! Another Adidas athlete on the best-dressed list is Collin Morikawa. From Thursday’s peach vibes to this fantastic green and blue moment, the two-time major winner put together four solid days of outfits.
This blue goes so well with that shade of green, so it was great to see him put on the brighter pants with it. All four days were strong for Morikawa, but Thursday and Sunday were the best moments.
Ranking: 9.5/10
2. Rory McIlroy
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy finished the U.S. Open in heartbreaking fashion, and this loss will likely sting for a while. However, the Northern Irishman looked clean all four days. That light blue on Sunday was a great choice for his skin tone.
The pants were pretty dull, but it is hard not to have him on this list when all four days were tailored correctly, and he did not repeat too much. If he had given us a bright pant on Sunday, that would have elevated him into the No. 1 spot.
Regardless, he gave four great looks that most golfers would enjoy wearing.
Rating: 9.8/10
1. Bryson DeChambeau
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Bryson DeChambeau is the 124th U.S. Open winner. His incredible up-and-down on 18 will go down in the history books as one of the best shots ever. But his outfits were fantastic as well. The look on Saturday was the best because the pants were a different shade of blue.
DeCahmbeau’s peach floral polo was a good color for those pants, making him look even more tan. The look was clean but just bold enough to be remembered.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Then on Sunday, his small stripped polo looked a touch busy on the screen, but seeing the belt and shade of pants, it is hard to give the best-dressed title to anyone else. DeChambeau won the crowds over and showed how fun golf can be, which also came through in his fashion.
His outfits backed up the impressive golf. His color scheme went together each day, and the cohesion was perfect. Even though DeChambeau gave us something different, it all went together.
Rating: 10/10
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.
INDIANAPOLIS — It may still be very early in their respective journeys, but Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark will be tied to one another no matter what happens over the rest of their careers.
Even before simultaneously entering the WNBA as part of one of the most heralded rookie classes ever, Clark and Reese — and especially the competitive college clashes between their Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers, respectively — played a huge role in bringing the women’s game to a national audience.
Sunday offered the latest chapter in their rapidly growing rivalry. For the second time in as many meetings against the Chicago Sky, Clark was hit with a hard foul. This time, it was Reese who caught Clark in the head on a block attempt, a play that was eventually deemed a Flagrant-1 foul.
While it likely won’t create the national firestorm the last flagrant foul against Clark in a game against the Sky did, it was a watershed moment between the two in another game that came down to the wire, a recurring theme in matchups between the pair.
Clark had arguably her best game in the WNBA, flirting with a triple-double while finishing with 23 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds, as well as a couple of late clutch plays — including an assist to NaLyssa Smith and a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds — that helped seal a fifth win of the season for the Fever (5-10) and fourth in the last six games.
Reese left her mark as well, scoring 11 points to go with 13 rebounds (5 of them were offensive), and 5 assists.
After the game, though, there was only one topic to discuss. After cursory first questions to open their pressers, the second question for both Clark and Reese postgame was about the flagrant foul.
“What’s going through my mind is I need to make these two free throws,” Clark said when asked about Reese’s flagrant foul. “That’s all I’m thinking about. It’s just part of basketball. It is what it is. She’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block but, yeah, it happens.”
Reese, meanwhile, was far shorter with her response, calling the foul a “basketball play” and stating that she was going for the ball. Neither wanted to make a big deal about it, but that won’t stop the take train from going down the tracks — and potentially derailing women’s basketball discourse for a few days once again.
Clark and Reese are no strangers to being in this spotlight, nor is it new for them to do it together. Sunday was the eighth time the pair have faced off, including in college. Reese won the first four meetings, culminating in the national title game in 2023 in which the first viral moment between the two came when Reese taunted Clark in the waning seconds of the game.
Clark, though, has won the three most recent meetings. That includes the Elite Eight contest earlier this year and the two WNBA meetings between the pair so far.
While their duels in the Big Ten when Reese was at Maryland in her freshman and sophomore seasons before transferring to LSU didn’t capture the national audience, their tournament showdowns certainly did. The pair helped set the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game of all time in 2023 at 9.9 million viewers.
This spring in a rematch with a Final Four berth on the line, they obliterated that record, with 12 million fans tuning into the game. In their first WNBA meeting this season, 1.5 million fans tuned in, the fourth-largest audience to watch a WNBA game in the last two decades at the time.
After years of commanding enormous audiences on the collegiate level, Clark and Reese are now bringing a whole new set of eyes to the professional ranks.
“They love to watch us,” Reese said of her and Clark before Sunday’s meeting. “I think we’ve done a great job bringing a lot of fans to the league from college. I think we both have done that from our respective schools and [having] our championship runs and going to the Final Four. I think we did a great job bringing fans from college to the league and…we’ll continue to help [the league] grow.”
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Given the events and controversy that took place in the first meeting between the Fever and Sky in their first meeting, the TV audience for Sunday’s game will almost certainly be another large one. Gainbridge Fieldhouse was sold out for the fourth time this season, and the fans were as loud as they’ve been all year.
It’s inarguable that Reese and Clark are compelling television: two of the best young players in the world squaring off with one another time and time again as they help grow the game along the way.
But what Clark thinks draws audiences most, though, is the “emotion and passion” the two play those showdowns with.
“I think people love to see that,” Clark said. “I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports and it should be. That’s what makes it fun. We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s going to get a little feisty, it’s going to get a little physical but at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win.
“I think what she’s done with her platform is incredible. She has an entire fanbase that has supported her [with] what she did at Maryland and then LSU. Obviously, I’ve played her for a very long time and she’s been a tremendous player. It’s been fun to get to compete against. I think it’s been really good for the game. People just love seeing great matchups. But also, at the same time, people tune in for these matchups but then they get to see how amazing these teams are and then they find new players to support and continue to come back for them, too. So, I think that’s another benefit of it, honestly.”
Sunday was another noteworthy moment in the rivalry. Even if both downplayed it, the headlines from the game won’t be about Clark’s near-triple-double or Reese’s double-double. It will bring attention to the league, but not in the way either desire.
The pair, though, is bringing lots of the wanted attention to the league as well. And Reese and Clark will have plenty of opportunities to provide more memorable moments against one another.
The WNBA is not chock full of rivalries that resonate on a national scale the way Clark’s and Reese’s do. The Liberty and Aces are a clear one as the league’s two superteams, but outside of that, there aren’t many other nationally-known rivalries.
Pregame, Fever head coach Christie Sides was asked if their matchups against the Sky feel like rivalry games. Sides, who served as an assistant in Chicago from 2011 through 2016, said it was a “huge” rivalry and has been for many years. But even if that’s how it felt to those on the inside already, the addition of Reese and Clark was always going to bring it up a couple of notches now.
They’re two of the bright young stars in this game and have already defined an era of the college game. They look to be on the path to doing the same in the WNBA as well.
And if they do, it could help elevate the league to its highest levels yet.
Scottie Scheffler could not make a putt at the 124th U.S. Open, which helps explain why he made only four birdies over his four rounds.
He called it a “frustrating” week after he finished up on Sunday, adding that it was “long.” Indeed, Scheffler arrived at Pinehurst No. 2 fresh off a victory at the Memorial, his fifth win of the 2024 season. But Jack Nicklaus’ course played so tough, that many players compared it to a major championship.
That level of difficulty takes a lot out of a player, let alone the best golfer in the world, especially going into a U.S. Open. Hence, Scheffler will re-evaluate whether or not he will play in the weeks before majors going forward.
“I think playing the week before, a lot of it depends on the golf course, but I think last week with the golf course the way it was, it probably was not the best prep work for me coming into another challenging event,” Scheffler said Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler walks up the 18th hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour via Getty Images
“I shot 5-under during the first round at the Memorial, which would have been the easiest day, and after that, I was 3-under from there on out. I mean, that’s pretty U.S. Open-like, and to play that many rounds, especially with what I’ve been dealing with the weeks leading up or the whole season, been playing a lot of good golf and being in contention, I think maybe my prep would have been a little bit better for this week if I was at home.”
Of course, Scheffler has had a lot happen in his life off the golf course in recent months. His arrest at the PGA Championship quickly became national news and an internet sensation. He and his wife, Meredith, also welcomed a baby boy on May 8, only nine days before he found himself in a jail cell in Louisville, Kentucky.
After that, he played in the Charles Schwab Challenge, where a remarkable tragedy happened in the middle of the tournament. Then, Scheffler skipped the RBC Canadian Open and made his next start at the Memorial.
“I’m obviously not going to skip Jack’s tournament,” Scheffler added.
“It’s a tournament I love playing. It’s a tournament that I’m humbled to be the champion at.”
Before this season, Nicklaus staged the Memorial Tournament during the first weekend of June, with the first practice round coinciding with Memorial Day.
The PGA Tour pushed it back one week this year, hoping to give golf fans three straight weeks of top-level golf. After the Memorial, the world’s best went straight to Pinehurst No. 2, and then, next week, the top players on the PGA Tour will head to the Travelers Championship, the final Signature Event of the season. Nicklaus hopes that his tournament will revert to its prior schedule, and surely, Scheffler feels the same.
“I think in terms of prep work for a week that I know is going to be as tough as this, I’m leaning towards maybe not playing the week before,” Scheffler added after Saturday’s round.
Scottie Scheffler and Tom McKibbin during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
“Going into the major championships, especially the ones we know are going to be really challenging, it may be in my best interest not to play the week before.”
Scheffler echoed this sentiment after his Sunday round, too.
“As far as prep for this week, it may not have been the best, but I knew what my schedule was at the beginning of the year. I had it set,” Scheffler said.
“That was always the way it was going to be. I feel like going forward, I’ll maybe do things a little bit differently in the weeks leading up to majors, especially when you know it’s going to be a challenging setup at a U.S. Open.”
Perhaps the PGA Tour will change the date of the Memorial back to its traditional date on the heels of Memorial Day next season. But maybe it does not. Either way, Scheffler looks like he will take the week off before major championships, especially before U.S. Opens, in 2025 and beyond.
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.
Another thrilling day at Pinehurst is in the books, as Bryson DeChambeau made the course look easy. He holds a three-shot lead ahead of the final U.S. Open round.
After coming up short to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship, DeChambeau finds himself in control at the third major of the year.
He will play with Matthieu Pavon in the final pairing as the Crushers GC captain eyes his second U.S. Open title. DeChambeau won his first at Winged Foot in 2020.
Plenty of other big names lurk behind these two golfers. Rory McIlroy shot a 1-under 69 to sit at 4-under and three shots back. The 4-time major winner finds himself in contention at another major.
He will play with Patrick Cantlay, who finished even par on Saturday and is also at 4-under.
After three days of play at the tricky Pinehurst No. 2 track, there are only 11 players at even par or better. Seven sit in red figures.
Nevertheless, here are the starting times for Sunday’s thrilling final round at Pinehurst No. 2.
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.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25494021/2157454178.jpg "U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau among 5 best dressed players u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,among,best,dressed,players,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25493871/2157846977.jpg "U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau among 5 best dressed players u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,among,best,dressed,players,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25493885/2157863548.jpg "U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau among 5 best dressed players u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,among,best,dressed,players,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25493867/2157742926.jpg "U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau among 5 best dressed players u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,among,best,dressed,players,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25494016/2157876531.jpg "U.S. Open: Bryson DeChambeau among 5 best dressed players u,s,open,bryson,dechambeau,among,best,dressed,players,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,liv-golf")
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25493881/2157841372.jpg "U.S. Open: Scottie Scheffler to re-consider 2025 plans after tough week u,s,open,scottie,scheffler,to,re,consider,plans,after,tough,week,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news")