A lead as slippery as the greens…
Source: Golf Digest
A lead as slippery as the greens…
Was what Rory McIlroy had cruising into the back 9 at Pinehurst for his second U.S. Open win. Except it slipped through his hands, just like his short putts slipped past the cup in the final holes. Walking off the 14th, he had a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, the early flagbearer for the rival LIV tour. But while DeChambeau scuffed and scrambled his way out of the “Native” areas, McIlroy couldn’t seal the deal to end his 10-year major drought. DeChambeau shed his petulant child image by embracing the crowd, giving props to the late Payne Stewart and thanking his posse as he claimed HIS second U.S. Open trophy. As much of a blowout as the Masters was, the Open was a nailbiter down to the last hole. Great TV, bad for Ilroy’s psyche as he didn’t even speak to the media after the collapse. One more chance for him at The Open for a major this year, but it may take him longer than that to recover mentally.
As all this was going on…
The NBA and NHL finals are getting interesting, if not compelling. Both Dallas and Edmonton avoided four-game sweeps with wins at home over the weekend. Only four NHL teams have won a series they trailed 3-0 and just one in the Stanley Cup Final. In the NBA, no team down 3-0 in 156 instances has won a series and just four teams in that circumstance have forced a Game 7 in NBA history—Boston being one of them last season. The Longest Seasons wrap up this week.
Swimming in a football stadium?
That’s what Indianapolis has set up for this year’s U.S. Olympic swimming trials. The venue makes for record crowds (More than 20,000 early in the week) and a fast pool making for world record times already. If you have a chance this week, head up I-74 and check out the venue. Indianapolis shows all other cities how to get the most out of your venues—that’s why so many big sports events head to Indy.
The Reds and the Central
If the home team is ever going to make any moves in the division, now would be the time to do it. Losing two out of three to the Central-leading Brewers didn’t help as the Reds slipped to third in the division behind the Cardinals (tied with the Pirates). Next up, ironically, is Pittsburgh on the road. If the Reds are going to make hay in the division, now is the time to do it with six of their next nine games against the Bucs—the first three on the road this week. Elly De La Cruz can’t do it alone, although he tried on Sunday with a triple, stolen base that turned into a run, and a homer in the 8th. The bats are starting to wake up—now it’s the pitching that needs to step up and lead the Central charge.
Ben’s Best Bet
Ben wants to give a quick shoutout to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever for winning two in a row for the first time this season with a home win against rival Chicago. Now, the Fever go on the road Wednesday to face the Mystics--right now the Fever are 4.5 points favorites in Washington. Clark had 23 points, eight boards and nine assists in one of her best games in the W against Chicago, with more to come as the Fever and Sky meet again Sunday for the third time this season—the first in Chicago. Look for this rivalry to get more interesting as the season goes on.