MUSCAT, Oman (AP) — Oman hired Carlos Queiroz as its national-team coach Tuesday ahead of autumn ...

MUSCAT, Oman (AP) — Oman hired Carlos Queiroz as its national-team coach Tuesday ahead of autumn games that will determine if the country advances to the World Cup for the first time.The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and will take over with immediate effect.Oman and five other countries — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have reached the fourth round of qualifying. From groups of three, the two winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The fourth-round draw will be on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The matches are in October. After those, there’s one additional round — the second-place finishers square off in November for a spot in a playoff tournament."This comes as part of efforts to improve the team's performances for upcoming games," the Oman Football Association said in a statement.Queiroz replaces Rashid Jaber, who led Oman to a fourth-place finish in the third round to keep qualification hopes alive.The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar.Queiroz was fired as Qatar coach in December 2023 after 11 games in charge.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Head coach of Qatar Carlos Quieroz during the Qualification Round for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Group A match between Afghanistan and Qatar at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar on 16 November 2023.Qatar won 8-1.

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Oman hires Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification

ATLANTA (AP) — Kirby Smart hasn’t officially named Gunner Stockton the starting quarterback at Ge...

ATLANTA (AP) — Kirby Smart hasn’t officially named <a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-quarterback-stockton-4b21bdf7d1e205e012e3c598050f0161">Gunner Stockton</a> the starting quarterback at Georgia, but it doesn’t matter. Since stepping foot on campus, Stockton has prepared like the job is going to be his.Smart said Stockton's commitment to preparation is one of the things he admires most.“He prepared every game as if he was the starter," Smart said Tuesday at SEC media days. "People can say that and say that’s coach-speak, but he actually did it. He went in, watched extra tape, and he knew that, in any point in time, he could be called up to go into the game and play.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Stockton finished the 2024 season with 45 completions for 440 yards, a touchdown and an interception in five games: He stepped in for an injured Carson Beck and led the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime victory over Texas in the SEC Championship and started in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sugar-bowl-cfp-georgia-notre-dame-53413cf35e62b2f4ea486d512cc1f4e7">the Sugar Bowl loss</a> to Notre Dame. He went 20 of 32 for 234 yards and a TD in the playoff semifinal.It was enough to give Smart confidence that Beck’s successor was already in the quarterback room.“He didn’t play in a normal environment where you’ve got a big lead, maybe you’re beating an opponent," Smart said. "He went in against a top defense in the country in one of the biggest games of the season and performed well for a guy that had not gotten a lot of reps with the (starters). So I thought he handled that moment well, and he taught a lot of our young players that you’ve got to be prepared and ready.”Stockton earned the short trip to Atlanta for this week's event and was peppered with more questions than teammates CJ Allen and Daylen Everette.“(Bringing Stockton) was a message about leadership,” said Smart. “He’s separated himself as a great leader of the team, and you try to bring people here that can affect others. He’s done that in spring practice.”The starting job isn’t necessarily a layup for Stockton. Ryan Puglisi is eyeing the role too.“Ryan is doing awesome, too. Ryan and (Stockton) are going to be competing for everything they do. Gunner knows he’s got to go out and play well,” Smart said.If Stockton stays the course, the offense will be his to lead on Aug. 30, when Georgia hosts Marshall in the season opener. “He’s done a tremendous job this summer. Talked to the staff about it and felt like the play he had at the end of the year last year... what he’s done this spring, he deserved to come. He is the guy that leads that offense right now,” Smart said.___AP college football: <a href="https://undefined/">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a> and <a href="https://undefined/">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

ATHENS, GA - APRIL 15: Georgia Bulldogs R-Fr. QB Gunner Stockton (14) with Georgia Bulldogs Head Coach Kirby Smart watching closely during the G-Day Red and Black Spring Game on April 15, 2023, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and players' union head Tony Clark say plans are...

ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and players' union head Tony Clark say plans are moving ahead exploring the possibility of using major leaguers in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a tournament that could be played on an extended All-Star break.“I think it is an opportunity to market the game on a really global stage,” Manfred told the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday. “Obviously, the clubs are going to have to endorse this. I mean, this it's a big deal.”MLB met with Los Angeles organizers Monday in Atlanta ahead of the All-Star Game, and Manfred said the Olympic officials were meeting with the Major League Baseball Players Association.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done,” Clark told the BBWAA in a separate session. "We do know players are interested in playing, whether it’s for the Team USA or any number of other teams around the world. ... There’s just a lot of conversation that needs to be had sooner rather than later to see how viable this is, but we’re hopeful that we can figure our way through it for the benefit of the game."The World Baseball Softball Confederation said Monday the baseball tournament will be played from July 15-20 at Dodger Stadium. MLB is considering whether it can interrupt its 2028 season to allow major leaguers to participate, which could necessitate changes to the sport's national television contracts.“They put out a schedule. They tell you it’s not going to move. We’ll see whether there’s any movement on that,” Manfred said. “It is possible to take it, to play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, obviously, but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. That is possible, OK? It would require significant accommodations, but it’s possible.”MLB did not allow players on 40-man rosters to participate in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when Nippon Professional Baseball interrupted its season and Japan beat the U.S. 2-0 in the gold medal game.“In the event that major league players are going to play, what does that mean and what does that look like?" Clark said. "And perhaps just as importantly, what does it mean for those players who aren’t participating? What type of scheduling adjustments need to be made? What type of travel considerations and support need to be considered? What does that mean in regard to insurance?”___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 21: Trea Turner #8 of Team USA is congratulated by Mookie Betts #3 after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the 2023 World Baseball Classic Championship game between Team USA and Team Japan at loanDepot Park on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Collin Morikawa can take solace in not being the only person to...

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Collin Morikawa can take solace in not being the only person to refer to golf's oldest championship by its unofficial name.
He delivered <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Qciy2qXII">a victory speech as sterling as his performance</a> at Royal St. George's in 2021. As he held the precious claret jug, he paid tribute to the spectators and said, “To see some of the best fans I've ever seen out here, I look forward to making my trip every year to the British Open to see you guys cheer us on.”
The R&amp;A must have cringed. It had spent the past several years on a renewed branding campaign to drive home the proper name of this major: The Open Championship.
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It since has been shortened to “The Open.”
It is the first. It is the original. And now the 153rd edition is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom but is not on the island of Great Britain.
British Open?
The Associated Press referred to this major by different names at the start, but for the last century or more has called it the British Open to distinguish it from other national golf championships. Several other news outlets — mainly in the United States, but stretching to other corners of the globe — also called it the British Open.
“It's meant to be The Open Championship,” said Adam Scott of Australia. “I've probably slipped and called it the British Open, but I do it mostly with Americans so they know which one.”
Imagine his surprise — maybe disgust — to learn that when the Open first came to Northern Ireland in 1951, The Daily Telegraph in Sydney wrote: “South African Bobby Locke and English professional Tom Hargreaves today had record scores on Royal Portrush in the second qualifying round of the British Open golf championship.”
“Peter Thomson would roll in his grave,” Scott said with a smile.
The Open Championship began in 1860 when Willie Park Sr. defeated seven other golfers at Prestwick in Scotland, the home of golf. It took 35 years for another big championship to come along at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island known as the U.S. Open. That was followed by the South African Open, the Canadian Open and the Australian Open.
Just about every country has an Open. The late Robert De Vicenzo has won more than 15 of them, from the German Open and French Open to the Peru Open and Uruguay Open. He also won the biggest Open of them all at Royal Liverpool in 1967.
“Roberto de Vicenzo, 44-year-old golfing gaucho from the Argentine, climaxed 20 years of fruitless trying Saturday and beat out defending titleholder Jack Nicklaus by two strokes for the British Open Championship,” the AP story read.
When the “British Open” began is a little more unclear.
J.H. Taylor won at St. Andrews in 1900 and the AP account referred to the “open golf championship.” Except that <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/88123710/?match=1&amp;terms=Taylor%20St.%20Andrews%20golf">a few paragraphs later, it noted Taylor registered his “third triumph in the English championships.”</a> Never mind that it was played in Scotland.
British Open was used in 1914 when Harry Vardon won for the record sixth time.
The Open left the island Great Britain for the first time in 1951 when it came across the Irish Sea to Royal Portrush. The AP account that year: “Methodical Max Faulkner, a par-wrecking Englishman who spent one winter milking cows to strengthen his golf hands, won the British open championship Friday in a dramatic rain-soaked finish.”
Arnold Palmer called it the British Open in his autobiography, “A Golfer's Life.” But when asked by the R&amp;A to write the foreword in a book celebrating 150 years of golf's oldest championship, Palmer called it “The Open Championship.”
When in Rome.
Nicklaus was talking about his 1986 Masters victory one year when someone asked him how he decided which of his sons, Jack II and Steve, would caddie at which majors.
“They started splitting it up,” Nicklaus said. “I think Jackie took the Masters, and I think he had the Open. And Steve had the British Open.”
It's an American thing.
But not always.
One of the grandest occasions in golf was in 1930, when the great Bobby Jones won the British Amateur at St. Andrews and then captured the claret jug at Royal Liverpool on his way to winning the Grand Slam of that era — the impregnable quadrilateral, at it was called.
Geoffrey Beazley, the captain of Royal Liverpool, presented the trophy to Jones <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5n2kiBVPw">with a passionate speech that is worth listening to now for those who feel it is sacrilege to refer to this major as anything but “The Open.”</a>
“Another championship, a British Open championship, is completed,” he says.
Beazley congratulated Jones for not only winning the British Amateur at St. Andrews, “but being here amongst us this evening as winner of the British Open championship.”
Ahem.
Of course, the real test will be if the British Open goes to Portmarnock outside Dublin. Unlike Northern Ireland, the country of Ireland is not part of the United Kingdom.
Calling it the British Open would make no sense.
The R&amp;A is in the middle of a feasibility study. Mark Darbon, the new CEO of the R&amp;A, says it is serious about taking the Open out of Britain for the first time.
“If you go back in history, the home territory of the Royal &amp; Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews is the British Isles, basically,” he said in a recent interview.
That should be enough for someone to call it the British Open. It might not be the correct name for branding, merchandise sales or even history. But it's not totally wrong geographically.
___
On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season.
___
AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>
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PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 15: Robert Macintyre of Scotland looks across the first tee during a practice round prior to The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 15, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — No one could call Estonia an ideal breeding ground for golfers....

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — No one could call Estonia an ideal breeding ground for golfers.
The Baltic nation of 1.3 million people has just seven courses and as few as 3,500 registered golfers. Because of its climate, the golf season can last barely five months.
Rising above these obstacles is Richard Teder.
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That this thin-as-a-rake, 20-year-old amateur with a mullet, spectacles and self-taught English from YouTube is playing at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/british-open-royal-portrush-rory-mcilroy-scheffler-d3fa04967f0d8971951effcc14f20ed6">British Open</a> as the first Estonian to ever compete at a major golf championship is one of the most uplifting stories of this week at Royal Portrush.
And he is experiencing pinch-me moments wherever he turns.
“Just being in the clubhouse and stuff, seeing Brooks Koepka and all these big, big names,” Teder says. “It’s so cool.”
Teder’s improbable path to the Open Championship began at the age of 6 when his aunt won a tennis tournament, earning a somewhat random prize: 10 golf passes.
No one in the Teder family was into golf so young Richard, who was just getting into sports at that point, was invited along.
Golf soon overtook soccer as his chosen pursuit and his mother decided to go all-in on Richard, taking him to Spain for months-long stretches during winters after he turned 12.
“For us in Estonia, the golf season starts in May,” he explained at the back of the ninth green during a practice round at Portrush. “Obviously there are some people who just play golf once the snow has disappeared. But that’s not me.”
It has required more than pure talent for Teder to make it to the Open Championship, though.
He needed resilience, too, during 36-hole final qualifying at West Lancashire in early July after making a double-bogey at the last hole to drop into a four-man sudden-death playoff.
At the third playoff hole, <a href="https://x.com/TheOpen/status/1940144039950500128">Teder holed out for eagle from 50 yards</a> to secure a spot at Portrush. He clasped his face with his hands and was soon being carried horizontally on the shoulders of his jubilant caddie.
“It’s the biggest tournament in the world — there’s nothing bigger than this — so it’s absolutely insane,” said Teder, who lives in Estonia's capital city, Tallinn. “Everyone who plays golf back home knows what I’ve done and is very proud.”
Estonia, which neighbors Russia and regained independence in 1991 after nearly 50 years of Soviet rule, has few well-known sports stars.
Erki Nool won the decathlon gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Anett Kontaveit got to No. 2 in the world ranking in women’s tennis before being forced to retire in 2023. Ragnar Klavan, a soccer player, was at English giant Liverpool from 2016-18.
Indeed, coming first at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 might be the country's most widely recognized victory.
Now it's Teder's turn to take the stage and it's a big moment for Estonia.
“He is the first one to ever play in a major, so it’s hard to compare to anything else,” said Kristo Raudam, general secretary of the Estonian Golf Association.
“I think a lot of people who are interested in sports but haven’t been interested in golf before will catch up with the news and maybe try to watch it.”
If you do catch coverage of Teder, check out his drive. He says he’ll be “hitting it far,” boasting of a carry of up to 300 meters (328 yards) — a distance which would put him up there with the longest on the PGA Tour. 
Otherwise, he'll just be having the time of his young life.
“I don’t really watch golf, never really been to a golf tournament. So it’s pretty cool to be here,” Teder said.
“It doesn’t really feel real. But I know I belong here.”
___
AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>
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PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 15: Amateur, Richard Teder of Estonia plays a shot on the first hole during a practice round prior to The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 15, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

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MILAN (AP) — At age 39, Luka Modric is going to try and help restore seven-time European champion...

MILAN (AP) — At age 39, Luka Modric is going to try and help restore seven-time European champion AC Milan to glory after one of the most disappointing Rossoneri seasons in recent memory.The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner signed a one-year contract with Milan on Monday after saying goodbye to Real Madrid following 13 highly successful seasons in Spain. The deal includes an option for another season.Modric grew up supporting Milan because his idol and fellow Croat, Zvonimir Boban, played for the club in the 1990s.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Legend. 🌟<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeModri%C4%87?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeModrić</a> <a href="https://t.co/U5lhhoACXX">pic.twitter.com/U5lhhoACXX</a>— AC Milan (@acmilan) <a href="https://twitter.com/acmilan/status/1944814702103560674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Modric announced in May that he was leaving Madrid after helping the Spanish powerhouse to 28 titles: Six European Cups, six Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, four Spanish leagues, two Copas del Rey and five Spanish Super Cups.Milan finished eighth in Serie A last season and missed out on a spot in Europe.The Italian club rehired Massimiliano Allegri as coach after the season, replacing the fired Sergio Conceicao.Allegri won the Italian league for the first time with Milan in 2011, then guided Juventus to five straight titles from 2015-19.Allegri reportedly called former Madrid and Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti to ask about Modric’s form. Then new Milan sporting director Igli Tare traveled to Croatia’s training camp last month to seal the deal with Modric.The deal was made before the Club World Cup but Modric couldn’t join his new club until he finished playing for Madrid at the tournament in the United States.Madrid was beaten 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals in Modric’s final match with the club.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 09: Luka Modric #10 of Real Madrid C.F. during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid CF at MetLife Stadium on July 09, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that despite frequent...

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ATLANTA (AP) — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that despite frequent conversations with Big Ten counterpart Tony Petitti, the two leagues have yet to agree on the College Football Playoff format after this upcoming season and could leave it at 12 teams.
The disagreement doesn’t stem from a lack of communication. Sankey said he spoke with Petitti four times last week.
“We had a different view coming out of Destin around the notion of allocations,” Sankey said. “The Big Ten has a different view. That’s fine. We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That could stay if we can’t agree.”
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The Big Ten, which has won the last two national championships, favors a 4-4-2-2-1 format, giving four automatic bids to the SEC and Big Ten and awarding the ACC and Big 12 two bids apiece. The SEC, originally thought to be on the same page, switched gears at its <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-college-football-playoff-ncaa-58a7b827a7a3c3f73c2beb266f1ced20">spring meetings</a> in Destin. The SEC favors five conference champions and 11 at-large bids, which would presumably favor the top conferences most seasons.
The CFP announced in May that teams in the upcoming playoff will be seeded strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-playoff-bracket-19ca5f1d2de4d1fb6b724880a2b4331e">Last season’s jumbled bracket</a>, the first with 12 teams, gave byes to Big 12 champion Arizona State and Mountain West champion Boise State, even though they were ranked 12th and ninth, respectively, by the playoff selection committee.
That system made the rankings and the <a href="https://apnews.com/live/cfp-playoff-bracket-schedule">seedings in the tournament</a> two different things. The five highest-ranked conference champions will still be guaranteed spots in the playoff.
While the CFP contract from 2026 through the 2031 season requires the SEC and Big Ten to consult other leagues about prospective changes to the playoff system, it also provides them with the ability to impose changes they both want. 
Now it's a matter of getting on the same page.
“I think there’s this notion that there has to be this magic moment and something has to happen with expansion and it has to be forced — no,” Sankey said. “When you’re given authority, you want to be responsible in using that authority. I think both of us are prepared to do so. The upfront responsibility in this, maybe where some of the confusion lies, is we have the ability to present a format or format ideas, gather information, see if we can all agree within that room. We don’t need unanimity.”
___
AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>
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ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey addresses the media during SEC Football Media Days on July 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cole Palmer was jumping up and down behind Reece James as the Chelse...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cole Palmer was jumping up and down behind Reece James as the Chelsea captain received the trophy for the Club World Cup, U.S. President Donald Trump to his left, standing between the midfielder and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer said.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
THEY DID IT! 💙<a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChelseaFC</a> lift the FIFA Club World Cup! CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD 🏆 GLOBAL HOME OF FOOTBALL | Live All Summer Long | <a href="https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb">https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFACWC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeItToTheWorld</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEPSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEPSG</a> <a href="https://t.co/44SgOhV7n7">pic.twitter.com/44SgOhV7n7</a>— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/DAZNFootball/status/1944517569362252173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Palmer received the Golden Ball as top player of the tournament after scoring the first two goals in Chelsea’s 3-0 smothering of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night. Trump — wearing a bright red tie — appeared to leave the award stand with a medal of his own, handed to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino right after the medallion presented to James.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>At 23, Palmer was selected player of the match for Chelsea’s second straight final. A rising English star, he assisted twice in a 4-1 win over Real Betis on May 28 that won the Europa Conference League. He also scored the Blues’ first goal in the 2-1 quarterfinal Club World Cup win over Palmeiras and had England’s goal in its 2024 European Championship final defeat to Spain.He had his name up in the bright lights this weekend. He posed for a photo in front of a huge video board of his image in a Nike ad emblazoned with the words: “Scary Good.” It was part of a campaign that also features Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Vinícius Júnior.“I’ve seen the billboards in Times Square and outside of Madison Square Garden,” Palmer said. “It’s a nice feeling to be obviously alongside them type of players.”Palmer had almost identical left-footed goals from just inside the penalty area in the 22nd and 30th minutes, then sent a through pass that enabled João Pedro to chip goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd for his third goal in two starts with the Blues.Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who wanted to exploit space on PSG’s left flank, told his players he wanted them to attack from the opening whistle.“I think we won the game in the first 10 minutes and the message before the game was let them understand that we are here to win the game,” Maresca said. “Probably set a little bit the tone of the game.”Chelsea went ahead after Sánchez kicked the ball downfield and Nuno Mendes mis-hit his header 15 yards past the midfield stripe toward his own goal. Malo Gusto’s shot was blocked by Lucas Beraldo and rebounded to Palmer, who ended PSG’s streak of 436 minutes without conceding.“These are the games where we expect Cole to appear because they are big games, big moments,” Maresca said.Palmer doubled the lead in the 30th when he ran onto a long ball from Levi Colwill and cut inside before shooting for his 18th goal of the season.“It’s a great feeling. Even better because obviously everyone doubted us before the game,” Palmer said. “The gaffer put a great gameplan out, and obviously, he knew where the space was going to be.”___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 13: Cole Palmer #10 of Chelsea FC collects his Gold Medal from U.S. President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, following the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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NEW YORK (AP) — The Florida Panthers are set to raise their second consecutive Stanley Cup banner...

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NEW YORK (AP) — The Florida Panthers are set to raise their second consecutive Stanley Cup banner before beginning the NHL season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-florida-panthers-b8f15c311416b3d933dd947573026b43">back-to-back champions</a> play at 5 p.m. EDT on Oct. 7 to lead off an opening night tripleheader, the league announced Monday. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-nhl-playoffs-8a87ac5a24afb90cf482a89b15ad23c0">Florida defeated Edmonton</a> in the teams' <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-oilers-panthers-24f00e2c6c7ea4b7dc104ac6337290fc">Cup final rematch</a> and is aiming for the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-olympics-4-nations-c41a7c74c49bd11474b6b6e24387e1b6">NHL's first threepeat</a> since the New York Islanders' dynasty from 1980-83.
Also on Oct. 7, the New York Rangers host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. with the Colorado Avalanche visiting the Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m. EDT. The remainder of the schedule is set to be released Wednesday.
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This is the final 82-game regular season before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-labor-6f9a14519cfc4f2b7c0cdaff5333a42c">going to 84 in 2026-27</a> as part of a collective bargaining agreement extension agreed to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-cba-ratified-97b8d5e4659b2664f8628a94e3b303c5">and ratified</a> by the league and the Players’ Association. The 2025-26 schedule includes a break for players to participate in the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-olympics-b251c32f624639f76be2a3f510d7a313">NHL’s return to that stage</a> for the first time since 2014.
___
AP NHL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nhl">https://apnews.com/hub/nhl</a>
</div>

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 10: Stanley C Panther the Florida Panthers mascot waves the team banner prior to the game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 10, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.

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SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — Shane van Gisbergen extended his winning streak to two straight and three v...

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — Shane van Gisbergen extended his winning streak to two straight and three victories in the last five weeks with yet another dominating run on a road course.The New Zealander once again showed he’s in a completely different class on road and street courses than his rivals as he led 97 of 110 laps Sunday to win from pole at Sonoma Raceway. All three of his wins this year have been from pole — which tied him with Jeff Gordon for a NASCAR record of three consecutive road course victories from the top starting spot.Gordon did it between the 1998 and 1999 seasons.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Victory number four for van Gisbergen — who stunned NASCAR in 2023 when he popped into the debut Chicago street course race from Australian V8 Supercars and won — seemed a given before teams even arrived at the picturesque course in California wine country. His rivals have lamented that “SVG” has a unique braking technique he mastered Down Under that none of them — all oval specialists — can ever learn.That win in Chicago two years ago led van Gisbergen to move to the United States for a career change driving stock cars for Trackhouse Racing. He and Ross Chastain have pumped energy into the team over this summer stretch with Chastain kicking it off with a Memorial Day weekend victory at the Coca-Cola 600.Van Gisbergen is the fastest driver to win four Cup Series races since Parnelli Jones in 1969.The Sonoma win made it four victories for Trackhouse in eight weeks. Van Gisbergen was second from pole in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.Although he dominated again Sunday, van Gisbergen pitted from the lead with 27 laps remaining and then had to drive his way back to the front. He got it with a pass of Michael McDowell with 19 laps remaining, but two late cautions made van Gisbergen win restarts to close out the victory in his Chevrolet.Chase Briscoe was second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and was followed by Chase Elliott in a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. McDowell in a Chevy for Spire Motorsports was fourth and Christopher Bell in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing was fifth.<h3>In-Season challenge</h3>The mid-season tournament that pays $1 million to the winner is down to four drivers.Alex Bowman finished 25th and eliminated Ty Dillon, who finished 26th. Tyler Reddick (11th) knocked out Ryan Preece (16th), John Hunter Nemecheck knocked out teammate Erik Jones as they finished 21st and 22nd, and Zane Smith, with a seventh-place finish, eliminated Ty Gibbs.Bowman, at eighth, is the highest-seeded driver still in the challenge, which debuted this year.<h3>Crew fight</h3>NASCAR officials had to separate the crews for Brad Keselowski and Ty Gibbs when members from the two teams scrapped on pit road during the race.Keselowski’s crew confronted Gibbs’ crew after Gibbs drove through their pit stall and narrowly missed hitting some of Keselowski’s crew members already in place waiting for him.The confrontation appeared to be contained to pushing and shoving and NASCAR quickly stepped between them. Both crews were given an official warning for fighting but NASCAR said Gibbs did nothing wrong.<h3>Clean race — for awhile</h3>It took 61 of the 110 laps for the first caution for an on-track incident — when Ryan Blaney was knocked off the course and into the dirt early in the third stage. The contact from Chris Buescher left Blaney stranded, and right before NASCAR could throw the yellow, Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin both spun.It was technically the third caution of the race, but the first two were for natural stage breaks.The race ended with six cautions — two in the final stretch.<h3>Up next</h3>The Cup Series races Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware, where Denny Hamlin won last year.___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 13: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025 in Sonoma, California.

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LONDON (AP) — Jannik Sinner insisted early on at Wimbledon that he put an excruciating loss to Ca...

LONDON (AP) — Jannik Sinner insisted early on at Wimbledon that he put an excruciating loss to Carlos Alcaraz in their epic French Open final behind him. Sinner was sure that one defeat wouldn’t haunt him, wouldn’t prevent a quick recalibration and certainly wouldn’t mean a thing at the All England Club.Sure was right about all of that.Exactly five weeks after the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alcaraz-sinner-rivalry-french-open-wimbledon-0f83d29c58eeab9229cb312822516cc7">devastating defeat at Roland-Garros</a> against his rival, Sinner reversed the result, defeating two-time defending Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first championship at the grass-court major.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how you win or you lose the important tournaments. You just have to understand what you did wrong. Trying to work on that — that’s exactly what we did. We tried to accept the loss and then just kept working,” Sinner said Sunday, his shiny gold hardware in his hands. “And this is, for sure, why I’m holding this trophy here.”The No. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No. 2 Alcaraz’s total as the two no-longer-rising-but-firmly-established stars of the game separate themselves from the rest of the pack in men’s tennis.Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard.Alcaraz had won their past five matches between the pair, most famously across five sets and nearly 5 1/2 hours on the red clay of the French Open on June 8. Sinner took a two-set lead, then held a trio of match points, but couldn’t close the deal.Asked during Week 1 at Wimbledon whether that created lingering doubts, Sinner immediately replied: “Why negative feelings? Because I lost in (that) final?”Then he continued: “No. Look, it’s a new tournament, new Grand Slam, new surface. I’m not concerned about my level I can play. ... I’m not concerned that one loss can influence you for so long a time. I believe that here is a new chance that I can do something good.”Great, even.This time, he didn’t waver, asserting himself in a match that featured moments of terrific play by both men, but also the occasional lapses — and one memorable, brief, interruption right before a Sinner serve when a Champagne cork came flying out of the stands and settled on the turf.With <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-wimbledon-alcaraz-sinner-548f9e1cdc5e1f4156866dda33fe08d9">Prince William and Princess Kate in the Royal Box</a>, along with King Felipe VI of Spain, Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court with a career-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won 20 matches in a row at the All England Club.“It’s difficult to lose,” Alcaraz said. “It’s always difficult to lose.”The last man to beat him at Wimbledon? Sinner, in the fourth round in 2022.So this served as a bookend win for Sinner, who would be forgiven for at least thinking a bit about his collapse in their last match — especially when facing two break points while serving at 4-3, 15-40 in the fourth set Sunday.But he calmly took the next four points to take that game, then soon was serving out the win after a chorus of “Car-los! Car-los!” rang out from spectators.“Very happy that I (held) my nerves,” Sinner said.When it ended, he put both hands on his white hat. After embracing Alcaraz, Sinner crouched with his head bowed, then pounded his right palm on the grass.“Thank you for the player you are,” Sinner told Alcaraz. “It’s so difficult to play against you.”Sinner has participated in four consecutive major finals, including triumphs at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jannik-sinner-us-open-0e212722dd155bb4a3c1e1e505bdd4a3">U.S. Open</a> — shortly after the world learned about a doping case that eventually led to a three-month ban — and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sinner-australian-open-djokovic-zverev-5bac6dd5b82549ba4577cddc0c3c9e8a">Australian Open</a>.Wearing the same tape job and white arm sleeve to protect his right elbow that he has been using since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wimbledon-jannik-sinner-grigor-dimitrov-6ec427a415f8d8f8a7e8c933e194a332">falling in the fourth round</a>, Sinner never showed any issues, just as he hadn’t while eliminating <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wimbledon-novak-djokovic-sinner-1bb593ea09a636bd6f2a90bc84f4e47e">Novak Djokovic</a> on Friday.In the final, Sinner and Alcaraz produced scintillating points, with few, if any, half-measures. They sprinted at top speed and swung away with full force, rarely bending to the other’s will.From 4-2 down, Alcaraz took four games in a row. That spurt included a 140 mph ace that sprayed the air with a cloud of white chalk dust and a set-capping, flick-of-a-backhand winner at an impossible angle after barely getting his racket on the ball.As fans rose and roared, Alcaraz pointed to his ear and spun around, then pumped his right fist overhead.Sinner was undaunted, quickly breaking to lead the second set. He returned exceptionally, even as Alcaraz served aggressively, which did lead to 15 aces — but also to a 53% first-serve percentage and seven double-faults.Much like at the French Open, there was often an unrelenting intensity to these three-plus hours, and any slight misstep created problems. It was Alcaraz who had more of those, although Sinner might have had the most memorable, blowing an overhead right after coming up with a behind-the-back, through-the-legs half-volley in the third set.In all, these guys showed why they combined to win the past seven Grand Slam trophies, and nine of the last 12.Fittingly, this marked the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches at the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It hadn’t happened for more than a half-century before that trilogy.“I’m just really, really happy about having this rivalry with him,” Alcaraz said about Sinner. “It’s great for us, and it is great for tennis.”___AP tennis: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tennis">https://apnews.com/hub/tennis</a>

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates with the winner's trophy as he poses for pictures following his victory against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz at the end of their men's singles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 13, 2025.

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CHICAGO (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber is slated to make a rehab start in the Ar...

CHICAGO (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber is slated to make a rehab start in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday.Bieber is coming back from Tommy John surgery in April 2024. He had a setback when he experienced soreness during a bullpen session on June 3.The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner had a bullpen session in Cleveland on Sunday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Bieber made two starts for the Guardians last year, going 2-0 and striking out 20 in 12 scoreless innings. The right-hander agreed to a $14 million, one-year contract in December that includes a $16 million player option for 2026.Trevor Stephan, another right-hander who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, was hit hard in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Columbus on Sunday. He recorded one out and was charged with four runs and two hits.The Guardians also said infielder Gabriel Arias is expected to start running the bases in the next few days. Arias is coming back from a sprained left ankle.Outfielder Chase DeLauter, one of the team's top prospects, was out of the Columbus lineup again on Sunday. He has been playing through some right wrist soreness, and he had an uptick in symptoms Saturday.The Guardians said the plan is to have DeLauter evaluated to determine a plan for him moving forward.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 04: Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after giving up a two-run homer during the fifth inning to Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves at Progressive Field on July 04, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday attended the FIFA Club World Cup final, a matc...

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday attended the FIFA Club World Cup final, a match that will offer Trump a preview of the globe’s premier soccer tournament that North America will host next year.Trump and first lady Melania Trump travelled from their golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to East Rutherford 40 miles (64 kilometers) away to watch the final match of the U.S.-hosted tournament between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at MetLife Stadium.Chelsea claimed a dominant 3-0 win.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament’s outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy.Trump was greeted with cheers as he arrived at MetLife Stadium just ahead of the pre-match performance by musical artists Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. And the president got a smattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium’s mega-screen.The president waved to the crowd and pumped his fist as he and his entourage arrived at the stadium luxury box, where they took in the match with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar.Other guests spotted in the president’s suite included Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL great Tom Brady and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.Trump’s trip Sunday falls on the first anniversary of the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning for president.Sporting events have made up the bulk of Trump’s trips in the U.S. since taking office this year. In addition to his visit this weekend to the soccer tournament, he’s attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia.The president, who has a warm relationship with Infantino, has said he plans to attend multiple matches of the World Cup tournament next year.Preparations for next year’s big soccer moment for North America are well underway. But it comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and its neighbors over proposed tariffs, immigration and Trump repeatedly saying that Canada should become the 51st state.Trump earlier this year said the tensions will only make the tournament more “exciting.”“Tension’s a good thing,” Trump said.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 13: U.S. President Donald Trump looks on with President of FIFA Gianni Infantino at the end of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States.

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NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Chris Gotterup came up with the clutch shots on the biggest stage ...

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Chris Gotterup came up with the clutch shots on the biggest stage he has faced Sunday, taking down crowd favorite Rory McIlroy with a 4-under 66 and a two-shot victory in the Scottish Open that gives him another week of links golf.Gotterup was one shot ahead of McIlroy when he hit his tee shot on the 196-yard 12th hole to 2 feet for birdie — McIlroy missed from 4 feet — to take command.Gotterup's lead was down to one over McIlroy and England's Marco Penge, but McIlroy missed a 12-foot birdie at the par-5 16th and Gotterup hit a right-to-left putt from 10 feet in the heart of the cup for a two-shot lead with two to play.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Gotterup was so emotional when it was over, he could barely speak, rubbing his eyes before saying, “Everyone at home ... this is awesome. I'm not going to be able to keep it together.”He didn't blink the rest of the way on the course after his final birdie, winning by two over McIlroy (68) and Penge (66) for his second PGA Tour title.“Chris played a great round of golf. He was so solid,” McIlroy said. “Made the bogey on 15 but bounced back with a really nice birdie on 16. After he got a couple ahead, I just couldn’t claw back.”Gotterup, built more like fellow New Jersey athlete Mike Trout than a golfer, also won the opposite-field Myrtle Beach Classic last year.<h3>Next stop is the British Open</h3>The Genesis Scottish Open had one of the strongest fields of the year, and the perks are far greater. Gotterup, who played three years at Rutgers and won player-of-the-year awards as a senior at Oklahoma, gets into the Masters for the first time next April.The first stop is the British Open at Royal Portrush. Gotterup earned one of the three final spots through the International Qualifying Series, joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Matti Schmid.Hojgaard closed with a 64 to move up 11 spots into a tie for fourth to join his twin brother at Royal Portrush. Schmid shot 71 and tied for 17th, helped by Jake Knapp's late collapse.Knapp was tied for the lead through five holes, but he took double bogey on the par-3 ninth, and the rest of the back nine didn't go much better. He closed with a 74, losing on a chance to win and to play next week at Royal Portrush.<h3>Good timing for McIlroy</h3>McIlroy had said he was playing his best golf since going into the Masters, which he won in emotional fashion to complete the career Grand Slam. This was the first time he had seriously contended since that Masters victory, good timing with the Open in his native Northern Ireland starting on Thursday.But he couldn't keep up with Gotterup, who looked shaky at the start when he drove into a bunker and had to make a 4-foot bogey putt. He was rock solid the rest of the way.“I’m really happy with where my game is — the way I played over the weekend, the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight,” McIlroy said. “It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that’s about it.”McIlroy battled to the end, especially on No. 11 when he had to pitch out left-handed and still managed to save par. When it was over, he said he was on his way to Royal Portrush, which McIlroy had not seen since the Friday of the 2019 British Open when he missed the cut.Former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick had a 67 and tied for fourth with Hojgaard, picking up valuable FedEx Cup points in what has been a down year.Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player coming off a two-week break, had a 67 and tied for eighth. It was his 10th consecutive tournament finishing eighth or better, a streak that began in the Houston Open.___AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>

NORTH BERWICK, SCOTLAND - JULY 13: Chris Gotterup of the United States plays his second shot on the second hole on day four of the Genesis Scottish Open 2025 at The Renaissance Club on July 13, 2025 in North Berwick, Scotland.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested S...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested Saturday night in Florida on a charge of battery and domestic violence.According Broward County arrest records, Judkins was jailed overnight and was awaiting his first court appearance. The charge is described in the arrest report as “touch or strike/battery/domestic violence.”The charge is a misdemeanor. The records do not indicate if Judkins has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>A Browns spokesman said the team is aware of the incident and gathering more information.The 21-year-old Judkins was the 36th overall pick in the April draft after rushing for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns at Ohio State last season.The Browns drafted Judkins in the hopes that he could become the team's lead running back after Nick Chubb signed with the Houston Texans. Cleveland also drafted Dylan Sampson in the fourth round.Judkins is the only member of the Browns' seven-player draft class who has not signed his rookie contract. Cleveland's rookies are scheduled to report to training camp on Friday.___AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>

BEREA, OHIO - JUNE 10: Quinshon Judkins #10 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 10, 2025 in Berea, Ohio.

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EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Grace Kim delivered one stunning shot after another Sunday in the ...

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Grace Kim delivered one stunning shot after another Sunday in the Evian Championship, starting with <a href="https://x.com/LPGA/status/1944386059661382142">an eagle to force a playoff</a> and <a href="https://x.com/LPGA/status/1944400122730742233">another eagle to beat Jeeno Thitikul on the second extra hole</a> to make her first LPGA win a major title.Kim, whose 2-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th in regulation gave her a 4-under 67, looked to be just as surprised as everyone else when she rolled in a 12-foot eagle putt to win the playoff. The 24-year-old Australian calmly placed her hand over her mouth and stood still before doubling over and breaking into a wide smile.Thitikul’s biggest challenge had been English amateur Lottie Woad, who was coming off a win in the Irish Women’s Open and at one point had the lead on the back nine of Evian Resort. She closed with 64 and then waited to see if that would be enough.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Woad was bidding to become the first amateur to win a major since Catherine Lacoste at the 1967 U.S. Women’s Open.Thitikul birdied the 17th to take the lead, and the Thai player was on the verge of her first major when she laid up short of the pond and hit wedge into 8 feet on the final hole.But there was Kim, blasting a fairway metal onto the green. The ball rolled back down the slope to 2 feet for eagle to tie for the lead. Thitikul’s birdie putt for the title missed right. She shot 67 and joined Kim at 14-under 270, one ahead of Woad and Minjee Lee (68).Back to the 18th in the playoff, Thitikul again looked like a winner when Kim’s second shot bounced on a cart path, over some rocks and into the pond. Thitikul was just left of the green in two. <a href="https://x.com/GolfChannel/status/1944395336165798354">Kim took her penalty drop, then chipped in for birdie across the green</a>.Thitikul had to make an 8-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff, which she did. Playing the 18th for the third time, Kim again delivered another beauty over the pond and onto the green to about 12 feet.Thitikul, who had tiny insects buzzing around her ball in the collar of a bunker, chipped weakly to about 6 feet. She could only watch as Kim ended it with an eagle.That extended what already is a record streak in the LPGA Tour’s 75-year history, the 18th consecutive tournament to start a season with a different winner. It also makes 13 different winners in the last 13 majors.Kim won for the second time on the LPGA, adding to her title in Hawaii two years ago.___AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JULY 13: Grace Kim of Australia poses for a photograph with The Amundi Evian Championship 2025 trophy whilst wearing the national flag of Australia, after defeating Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand in the play-off, following the final round of The Amundi Evian Championship 2025 at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 13, 2025 in Evian-les-Bains, France.

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FIFA says several players’ representative groups and the sport’s governing body have reached a co...

FIFA says several players’ representative groups and the sport’s governing body have reached a consensus on the need for a period of rest of 72 hours between matches, and agreed that players should have a minimum of 21 days of holidays at the end of each season.It was unclear, though, whether the consensus would lead to a binding agreement since FIFPRO, the sport’s global players’ union, did not take part in the discussions.FIFA did not immediately say which groups attended the talks on the eve of Sunday’s Club World Cup final between PSG and Chelsea, mentioning “representatives of several player unions from around the world.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The tournament was held during the European offseason and has faced criticism from unions, as an increased focus on player welfare has been leading to calls for mandatory rest periods and a greater emphasis on player safety during matches.Days before the start of the month-long Club World Cup, soccer chiefs faced renewed calls to safeguard players over growing fears of injuries and burnout. Last month, France’s union of professional soccer players launched a scathing attack on the competition, saying it is “urgent to stop this massacre” amid ongoing concerns about extreme player workloads.FIFA president Gianni Infantino and other officials from soccer’s governing body met with representatives of players’ unions from around the world in New York. FIFA hailed the discussions as “progressive,” adding that players’ health is a “top priority.”“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period / holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” FIFA said. “This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”Enforcing a 72-hour period strictly could mean big adjustments to some game schedules and TV deals. FIFA didn’t indicate how it would work in practice. European teams playing in the Europa League late Thursday evening routinely play domestic league games on the following Sunday. With a strict 72-hour break, they might have to wait until Monday to play again.That would be a major headache for the German Bundesliga. It abolished Monday evening games in 2021 after years of protests by fans who wanted easier-to-attend weekend kickoffs. When it introduced the unpopular Monday kickoffs four season earlier, the German league argued it would mean more rest for Europa League teams.The new Bundesliga TV deal starting next season doesn’t include any Monday games, either.FIFA added that a rest day per week should also be allowed and that travel demands as well as climate conditions will also factor into future competition planning.The Club World Cup involving 32 of the world’s top teams has faced pushback since FIFA announced it would be added to an already saturated calendar. The tournament should be played every four years, sandwiched in between the men’s World Cup, European Championship and Copa America. It went ahead against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, strike threats and repeated concerns over players’ mental and physical welfare due to too many games.___James Ellingworth in Düsseldorf, Germany, contributed to this story.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 9: Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe of Real Macrid CF battle for possession during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid CF at MetLife Stadium on July 9, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi extended his historic streak to five straight multi-goa...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi extended his historic streak to five straight multi-goal games, and Inter Miami snapped Nashville SC's 15-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win Saturday night.Miami (11-3-5) won its fifth straight match and moved to fifth in the Supporter's Shield standings as it aims to win the title for the second-straight season.Messi entered Saturday's match as the only player in Major League Soccer history with four straight multi-goal games after scoring two in Miami's win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>And he wasn't done.The 38-year-old opened the scoring Saturday on a free-kick in the 17th minute.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MESSI SCORES OFF THE FREE KICK! 🔥🐐 <a href="https://t.co/UR1sKtgHe6">pic.twitter.com/UR1sKtgHe6</a>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1944189034139726306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Then after Nashville tied it early in the second half, Messi put his side back on top with a steal and score in the 62nd.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MESSI BAGS A BRACE! 🐐 The keeper gives it right to Messi who does not miss 😬 <a href="https://t.co/9nzSojcPzI">pic.twitter.com/9nzSojcPzI</a>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1944204390006763940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Messi now has 16 goals in 16 MLS matches this season, which is tied with Nashville's Sam Surridge (16 goals in 21 matches) for most in the league.Nashville (12-5-5), which had won five straight entering the match, had jumped to third in the Supporter's Shield Standings during its unbeaten streak that went back to mid-April across all competitions. It was also the longest active streak of its kind in MLS and Nashville's best stretch in its six-season club history.On his first goal, Messi bent a low free-kick through Nashville's wall of defenders — a spectacular kick from the nine-time Ballon d'Or winner that gave him 55 goals in 66 Inter Miami matches.Hany Mukhtar scored the equalizer early in the second half. Andy Nájar sent a cross into the box that Mukhtar headed past Oscar Ustari to tie the match in the 49th.Messi then scored with ease after capitalizing on a gaffe by Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis, who mistakenly made a pass directly to Messi for the go-ahead score.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - JULY 12: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the MLS match between Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC at Chase Stadium on July 12, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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Messi extends historic streak with 5th straight multi-goal MLS game

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Paul Peterson had a one-stroke lead with three holes to play Saturday nigh...

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Paul Peterson had a one-stroke lead with three holes to play Saturday night when third-round play in the lightning-delayed ISCO Championship was suspended because of darkness.
Play at Hurstbourne Country Club was suspended twice for a total of about three hours during the afternoon in the opposite-field PGA Tour event also sanctioned by the European tour. 
Peterson was 5 under for the round and 10 under overall. The 37-year-old PGA Tour rookie stopped playing after hitting his second shot to 30 feet on the par-4 16th. He making his 20th career PGA Tour start.
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Chan Kim, five strokes ahead entering the round, was second. He bogeyed Nos. 11 and 12 and had yet to tee off on 13 when play was called for the day. 
David Skinns and Luke List were tied for third at 7 under. Skinns made an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th to close his day, while List had a bogey-free 65 to take the clubhouse lead. Twelve players were unable to finish.
The tournament winner will receive a two-year exemption and a PGA Championship spot next year. No one in the field is in the British Open next week. Harry Hall, the winner in a playoff last year at Keene Trace, qualified for the British Open and is playing the Scottish Open.
Auburn junior Jackson Koivun was tied for 15th at 3 under after a 68. He tied for 11th last week in the John Deere Classic.
The first delay lasted 1 hour, 36 minutes, with play resuming at 3 p.m. The second took 1 hour, 55 minutes, with play restarting at 7:05 p.m. 
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AP golf: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/golf">https://apnews.com/hub/golf</a>
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - JULY 12: Paul Peterson looks on while playing the second hole during the third round of the ISCO Championship 2025 at Hurstbourne Country Club on July 12, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Peterson leads lightning-delayed Round 3 at ISCO Championship

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Golf wasn't the first love of Cara Gainer or Gabriela Ruffels, who...

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Golf wasn't the first love of Cara Gainer or Gabriela Ruffels, who grew up wanting to be professional tennis players and came close to making it.Now they’re in sight of becoming an unlikely major winner in their adopted sport.Gainer, a No. 129-ranked Englishwoman, and Ruffels, a 71st-ranked Australian, will be in the final group at the Evian Championship on Sunday after powering through the field in the third round of the fourth major of the year in women’s golf.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>On a glorious Saturday at Evian Resort Golf Club, Gainer shot 7-under 64 to move to 11 under for the week and was soon joined in the lead by Ruffels, who shot 66.They’ve got plenty of high-quality company on the leaderboard, however.No. 6-ranked Minjee Lee, the recent winner of the Women’s PGA Championship, shot 66 and was a stroke off the co-leaders in her bid to become the first woman since Inbee Park in 2013 to capture back-to-back major titles.No. 2-ranked Jeeno Thitikul (67), who has yet to win a major, was tied on 10 under with Lee, along with second-round leader Somi Lee (71) and Grace Kim (70).They’ll all be applying pressure on Gainer and Ruffels, who have kept a keen eye on the Wimbledon tennis championships taking place this week and finished their third rounds just before the start of the women’s singles final between Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek.They’ll no doubt be watching it.“Tennis was, I guess, my first love,” said the 29-year-old Gainer, who tried her hand at golf for the first time at the age of 14 and quickly became a scratch handicapper. “I do still really enjoy it. I don’t really play anymore but I love to watch it. Obviously Wimbledon is on this week so that’s my evening.”Like Gainer, Ruffels had a tennis coach — and former player — for a father. Ray Ruffels was a three-time Australian Open singles semifinalist and he reached the Wimbledon and U.S. Open mixed doubles finals with Billie Jean King in 1978.Gabriela Ruffels was so good — as the No. 1 junior in Australia — that she won many ITF junior events in Europe, but also turned to golf around the age of 14 and was the U.S. Women’s Amateur champion in 2019.Before coming to the French Alps, she stopped off at Wimbledon with her boyfriend as a guest of retired Australian doubles great Todd Woodbridge.“It was such a cool experience,” the 25-year-old Ruffels said. “It was great to relax and not touch the clubs for a few days and get over jet lag. Seems to have worked this week.”

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JULY 12: Cara Gainer of England tees off on the fourth hole during Round Three of The Amundi Evian Championship 2025 at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 12, 2025 in Evian-les-Bains, France.

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Gainer, Ruffels battling to be major winners at Evian Championship

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