Novak goes for Slam Number 25 again to set the all time record he holds with women’s player Margaret Court. He’s doing it at a place where he’s won 7 times. (Photo courtesy of the BBC).
In Professional Golf, The Masters is the gold standard. In horse racing, the Crown Jewel is the Kentucky Derby. The World Series, the Super Bowl, the National Championship Game in College Football, the Final Four in College Basketball, the NBA Championship- “I want to be a part of it,” and the Stanley Cup, all of these define true excellence in sports. You’d have to add the World Cup in there as this year has been electric with superstar after superstar; Messi, Mbappe’, Ronaldo, and the riveting U.S. team that has advanced to the Round of 32, the knockout round, where it will face Bosnia-Herzegovina this coming Wednesday, 7/1, at 7 P.M. CT/8 ET on FOX.
The 139th Championships, Wimbledon, which begin this Monday, is right in the thick of that elite company of championships. This year’s storylines are superb. Can the premier player in the sport outside the injured Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, defend his Wimbledon title successfully, and win his fifth Grand Slam title with the French Open the only major missing from his resume. Sinner had a disappointing French Open, losing in the round of 64 to Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina after suffering from the heat. Will he be able to handle the unusual heat in London this week will be a question mark for Sinner, though it won’t be as hot in week one, but week 2 it gets hotter.
Novak Djokovic takes another swing at winning Slam number 25 and breaking the all time record over Margaret Court in men’s and women’s tennis. The 39 year old still has a lot of game, but Father time catches up to all athletes, and he’s playing on borrowed time right now. However, he’s been spectacular at Wimbledon with seven titles. His Wimbledon victory came in 2022, four years ago. Alexander Zverev is coming off his first Slam title at Roland Garros. It helped him that he didn’t have to face Sinner or the injured Alcaraz, so we’ll see how he fares with a more competitive field in the third Grand Slam of the season.
How can Americans Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, among others perform in what has been a vastly improved American contingent in professional tennis over the past two or three years. That should be a riveting storyline.
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka goes for major number 5, but has never won at Wimbledon.
After suffering an insufferable heat wave in Europe over the past two weeks that caused several fatalities throughout the continent, it’s going to neutralize weather wise with temperatures in the mid to high 70’s at least in week 1. But it will get hotter in week two.
TV
Coverage on ESPN starts this Monday at 5 A.M. CT/6 ET for the early rounds and continues until usually 3 CT/ 4 ET every day for the next two weeks. The Women’s Semis on ESPN are Thursday, July 9th, starting at 7 A.M. CT/8 ET. The Men’s Semis are Friday, 7/10, on ESPN, commencing at 7 A.M. CT/8 ET.
The Women’s Final Saturday, 7/11, on ESPN is at 10 A.M. CT/11 ET, with Breakfast at Wimbledon an hour before, 9 A.M. CT/10 ET.
The Men’s Final Sunday, 7/12, on ESPN, begins at 10 A.M. CT/11 ET, with Breakfast at Wimbledon at 9 A.M. CT/10 ET. John McEnroe may still be hungover from the Knicks winning the NBA Championship. I was in New York the night the Knicks won it. It was historically electrifying. One of the better fraternity parties I’ve ever been to.
Predictions
Men’s Semifinals
Ben Shelton over Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Like both of these aspiring American players very much. Even if Ben wins in three sets, it’ll be competitive.
Sinner over Novak, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
Jannik outlasts the great one.
Championship Sunday
Ben looks primed to win a Slam very soon, but I like the 24 year old Italian to get the job done, but in a highly competitive match.
Sinner over Shelton, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Champion
Jannik Sinner
The 24 year old Italian defends his title successfully at the Championships. (Photo courtesy of Tennis World USA.org).
Women’s Final
Elena Rybakina over Aryna Sabalenka, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10, 10 point tiebreaker in third set of women, 5th set of men.)
I’m going to go with the 27 year old from Kazakhstan who has won Wimbledon in 2022, and won the Australian Open this past January. She’ll deny the 28 year old Belarus native another chance at winning at The Championships.
Champion: Elena Rybakina
Give me Elena to capture her second Wimbledon. (Photo courtesy of The Astana Times– in Astana, Kazakhstan).
Rory goes for Major Number 6 and his second U.S. Open Championship. (Photo courtesy of The Independent–London).
The 2026 U. S. Open, the 126th edition, returns to the iconic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southhampton, New York, 100 miles east of New York City on Long Island, a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive, unless it’s the summer or the weekend, then it becomes a 3 1/2 hour drive.
With the New York Knicks celebrating their historic NBA Championship Thursday with a respective victory parade, and with the FIFA World Cup transpiring presently, with one of the venues being Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 12 miles from the city, New York is busy. However, the Open is an elite sporting event, one of the best of the year, and it will get plenty of attention.
The defending champion of the Open is J.J. Spaun, a blue collar player, which is what is required to win an Open. He’s the ultimate warrior and sank a 64 foot birdie putt on 18 at Oakmont in 2025 to win the 125th Open. I like Spaun’s chances here. I had a text exchange with the Fellas, my commenters on the Blog, last week, and Brombey is real high on Spaun. I agree with him. J.J. is a serious factor at Shinnecock.
The course is a 7,440 yard, Par 70 that was designed by William Flynn and opened in 1891. It has hosted five Opens with the most recent in 2018 in which Brooks Kopeka captured the championship, one of his five majors. Tommy Fleetwood shot 63 on Sunday to make it interesting, but missed a six foot birdie putt on 18 that would have most likely gotten him into a playoff with Koepka. Koepka was a blue collar player then, those were his roots, though he’s a very wealthy guy now, so you’re not sure if the drive is still there. But he is doing pretty well now on tour, so the drive could be back. He’s got a wrist injury he’s battling, but he’s won two U.S. Opens, so he could be a factor.
Of course, Scottie Scheffler will attempt to obtain the career Grand Slam with a victory at Shinnecock. He’s been real low key about this achievement if it happens; too low key in my opinion. He said that if he wins the Open, people will ask him what’s next.
Maybe so, but winning a U. S. Open is monumental, and completing the career Grand Slam at 30 years old, he turns 30 on Sunday, 6/21, would be a any professional golfers lifetime dream. I would be a little more passionate about it if I were Scheffler.
Rory is playing better than ever and has figured out how to handle the pressure as he has earned the career Grand Slam and now owns 6 majors. If he putts well, he’s got a real shot.
There are 172 bunkers on Shinnecock, four less than Oakmont (176). The greens are Poa Annua and will be stimping at 10 because they’ve lost the greens before at there and the wind will more than compensate for the slower greens. They’ll be faster and firmer than that with no rain forecasted this Thursday/weekend.
Weather
Windy.
Thursday. 74. Very little chance of rain, but wind gusting 20 to 30. It was hard at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philly with strong winds. The players will see that again Thursday.
Friday-79. Wind 10-20.
Saturday- 81. Wind 10-20.
Sunday, mostly sunny. 77. Wind 10-15.
The 156 player field will be fiercely challenged by this formidable course along with the windy conditions that will come with it. As of today, rain looks unlikely this week/weekend.
TV
Thursday: 5:30 A.M.-4 P.M. CT/6:30 A.M.-5 P.M. East, USA. 4-7 P.M. CT/5-8 ET, NBC Sports, Peacock.
Saturday-9-11 A.M.CT /10 A.M.-12 P.M. ET, USA. 11 A.M.-7 P.M. CT/12-8 ET, NBC.
Sunday, 8-11 A.M. CT/9 A.M.-12 P.M. ET, USA. 11 A.M.-6 P.M. CT/12-7 P.M. East, NBC.
Odds-Scheffler, 5/1; Rory, 10/1; Jon Rahm, 10/1; Xander Schauffele, 19/1; Cam Young, 20/1; Matt Fitzpatrick, 22/1; Tommy Fleetwood, 25/1; Ludvig Aberg, 26/1; DeChambois, 27/1; Koepka, 33/1; Collin Morikawa, 35/1; Russell Henley, 37/1; Wyndham Clark, 37/1; Sam Burns, 38/1; Chris Gotterup, 44/1; Justin Thomas, 44/1; Tyrrell Hatton, 46/1; Patrick Cantlay, 46/1; Patrick Reed, 49/1; Justin Rose, 52/1; Vik Hovland, 54/1; Spaun, 61/1; Hideki, 65/1; Bob Mc, 66/1; Spieth, 69/1; Maverick McNealy, 76/1.
Those are several key players who are capable of surviving and winning at one of golf’s sternest tests.
Winner
You gotta like the Blue Collar player on this course. It was between this guy and Spaun for me. Brombey appreciates the blue collar work ethic and battle it out type player, and I do too. It’s a tough call between this 26 year old Easton, Maryland native, by way of Rutgers University and the University of Oklahoma, and the 35 year old stud Spaun, who’s from LA, by way of San Diego State University. But I’ll slightly take this workhorse to capture his first major on this historic and difficult course. All the tougher with the blustery conditions Thursday and through the weekend.
Chris Gotterup
I’ll take the young stallion Gotterup to capture the 126th edition of the U.S. Open. (Photo courtesy of Golf Channel).
Major contender with a real shot to win
J.J. Spaun
Talk about toughness. Spaun plays golf while dealing with Type 1 diabetes. I have personal experience with the Type 1 illness as my sister, nephew and a great friend have Type 1. Dealing with that every day is grueling, and I care deeply about all three of them. Let’s hope and pray there is an ultimate cure soon. Breakthrough T1D is making good progress.
Give me the great Spaun to make a serious run at the national championship.
J.J. has a real shot of capturing back to back U.S. Opens. (Photo courtesy of T1D Strong).
The great trainer Todd Pletcher goes for his fifth Belmont Stakes victory with Arkansas Derby winner and second place Derby finisher Renegade. (Photo courtesy of Thoroughbred Daily News).
The third crown jewel of American Classic Horse Racing transpires today at 6:04 P.M. CT/ 7:04 Eastern Post time as the 158th Belmont Stakes unfolds at Saratoga Springs, New York, in upstate New York. Saratoga Springs is hosting its second straight Belmont as Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on Long Island, is going through a massive renovation and will re-open for the 2027 Belmont. Belmont Park is a 1 1/2 mile track and called “the Test of the Champion.” Saratoga Springs is a 1 1/4 mile track, so it favors more speed. The forecast is for rain today, not guaranteed, but good chances of rain and maybe a t storm, over 50% in the afternoon leading up to the race.
Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. have the favorite in 2/1 Renegade, which finished second at the Kentucky Derby and won the Arkansas Derby. It’s a nine horse field with good talent. Here are Post positions, horses, odds, trainers and jockeys for the 158th edition of the Belmont.
FOX will Televise with coverage starting around 2 P.M. CT/3 ET
1. Vitruvian Man, 30/1, Doug O’Neill, Antonio Fresu
2. Powershift, 12/1, Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez
3. Chief Wallabee, 3/1, Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado
4.Renegade, 2/1, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.
5. Ottinho, 20/1, Chad Brown, Dylan Davis
6. Growth Equity, 12/1, Chad Brown, Manny Franco
7. Commandment, 6/1, Brad Cox, John Velazquez
8. Emerging Market, 6/1, Chad Brown, Flavien Prat
9. Golden Tempo, 9/2, Cherie DeVaux, Jose Ortiz
Winner/ Predictions
There is excellent talent in this field including Derby winner Golden Tempo, trainer Cherie DeVaux’s horse. The great Todd Pletcher, winning trainer in the Belmont in 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022, has the favorite, Renegade, at 2/1. A lot of people are high on Chief Wallabee at 3/1. Trainer Bill Mott has won the Belmont in 2010 and in 2025 with Sovereignty. Mott also won the Derby in 2019 and 2025 also with Sovereignty. Others like Florida Derby winner Commandment with the terrific tandem of trainer Brad Cox and jockey John Velazquez. Velazquez is a three time winner at the Derby (2011, ’17, 2020), a two time Belmont winner (2007, 2012) and a Preakness winner in 2023.
But I’m going to take a different thoroughbred. I like trainer Chad Brown, who has three horses entered in the Belmont, the great jockey Flavien Prat, who finished second to Napoleon Solo in the Preakness aboard Iron Honor, and the horse that won the Louisiana Derby. I like this pony to capture the third leg of the Triple Crown. Brown has won two Preaknesses, 2017 and 2022. And Prat won the Derby in 2019 and the Preakness in 2021. This could be a wetter track with rain predicted, which favors horses like this one and Golden Tempo, known as good wet track racers. Give me, 6/1:
Emerging Market
Emerging Market is White’s World’s pick to win the Belmont. (Photo courtesy of Daily Racing Form).
Stephon Castle, the stellar 21 year old player for the San Antonio Spurs from UConn, where he won a national championship in 2024, leads a young, hungry San Antonio Spurs team into the NBA Finals versus the New York Knicks. (Photo courtesy of NBA.com).
It’s down to the Eastern Conference champions, the New York Knicks, and the Western Conference champions, the San Antonio Spurs, competing for the NBA Championship and the Larry O’Brien Trophy as World Champions.
The Spurs, led by seven foot, three inch phenom center Victory Wembanyama, from Le Chesney, France, he does that Bo Jackson France thing, leads a talented, elite group of young players. They will square off with the talented former Villanova trio of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, all winners of a national championship at ‘Nova, along with superb big man 7’0″, 245 Karl Anthony Towns, from the University of Kentucky, and an 11 year veteran.
The Spurs have the home court advantage as they finished with the better regular season record. The Spurs average 23 to 24 year olds on their team, while the Knicks are led by 30 year old Karl Anthony, the 29 year old Brunson, the 31 year old Hart, and the 29 year old Bridges.
The Knicks haven’t won an NBA Championship since 1973, when the great Willis Reed, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, Bill Bradley, a future senator from New Jersey, the great Dave DeBusschere, one of the greatest NBA names of all time and a heckuva player, and their elite sixth man, Phil Jackson, an 11 time winner as a coach for the Chicago Bulls and the LA Lakers, as well as his championship with New York as a player played in Madison Squeeh Gaaden. Dick Barnett was another terrific player for the Knicks as was Jerry Lucas in their heyday in the early ’70’s. Just a classic team coached by a classic coach in Red Holzman. Those guys were vintage New York. Tough, scrappy, unflappable, incredible talents. Several have passed away, but they say that Walt “Clyde” Frazier is still one of the best dressed men in the City at 81 years old. He was stylish, and, and also scored 36 points and dished out 19 assists in their 1970 game seven championship victory over the Lakers, a game in which Reed played despite having a torn thigh muscle he suffered in game 5, which kept him out of the rest of that game and game 6. He hobbled onto the court at Madison Square Gaahden for game 7 in front of a raucous, passionate crowd, scored the first four points and made it through the game. It was an incredible inspiration to his teammates and the city. It will go down as one of the all time most courageous performances in NBA history. Don’t make’em like they used to.
The Spurs have quite a tradition as well. With “The Big Fundamental,” Tim Duncan, the amazing Tony Parker at point guard, and the exceptional Manu Ginobili, the Spurs won 5 titles, in Duncan’s case, and 4 with Parker and Ginobili. Duncan won it with the Admiral, David Robinson, in 1999, and the trio of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili won it all in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014. The Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich coached all of those teams. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are all in the Hall of Fame, as are Reed, Frazier, Earl the Pearl, Senator Bradley, Dave D. and Coach Jackson from the Knicks. A lot of great memories, but it’s been a minute for these two teams to be in the spotlight. The Spurs defeated the Knicks in the 1999 NBA Championship in 5 games.
Here is the TV Schedule.
All games are at 7:30 P.M. CT/8:30 ET and all will be broadcast by ABC. Best 4 of 7
Game 1:Wednesday, June 3rd: Knicks @ Spurs
Game 2: Friday, June 5th: Knicks @ Spurs
Game 3:Monday, June 8th, Spurs @ Knicks
Game 4:Wednesday, June 10th, Spurs @ Knicks
Game 5: Saturday, June 13th, (if necessary), Knicks @ Spurs
Game 6:Tuesday, June 16th (if necessary) Spurs @ Knicks
Game 7:Friday, June 19th (if necessary) Knicks @ Spurs.
The Spurs are favored by 67-33% to win the series and the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Decision
My heart is with the Knicks. Both my daughters and my son in law live in New York, and I’ll be there seeing them the weekend of game 5 in San Antonio, so we’ll be going to dinner that Saturday night and then at a sports bar in the city watching the game with passionate New Yorkers at 8:30 P.M. ET/7:30 CT.
Friday Night, we’ll be at the Mets-Braves game at Citi Field. Friday morning we’ll be at the New York Metropolitan Museum, the Met. Saturday morning we’ll be at Rumble Boxing Studio, and at Hamilton Saturday afternoon. Pumped to see them and watch our New York Knickerbockers capture their third ever NBA Championship. Give me Brunson, KAT, Hart and Bridges, the veterans, to lead the Knicks to their first NBA Championship in 53 years (1973).
Knicks over Spurs in 6
MVP
Jalen Brunson
I’ll take the great Jalen Brunson and the Knicks. (Photo courtesy of Athlon Sports).
Stanley Cup Prediction
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights
TV Schedule, All games at 7 P.M. CT/8 ET on ABC, Best 4 of 7
Game 1 Today, Vegas @ Carolina
Game 2, Thursday, 6/4, Vegas @ Carolina
Game 3, Saturday, 6/6, Carolina @ Vegas
Game 4, Tuesday, June 9th, Carolina @ Vegas
Game 5, (if necessary) Thursday, June 11th, Vegas @ Carolina
Game 6, (if necessary) Sunday, June 14th, Carolina @ Vegas
Game 7 (if necessary), Wednesday, 6/17, Vegas @ Carolina
Verdict
I’ll take my pre-playoffs pick to win it all before the Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced and take my pre-playoffs MVP, the Conn Smythe Award winner for most valuable player in the NHL Playoffs. I had Carolina over Colorado before the playoffs started. Here I’ll take:
Carolina over Vegas in 5
Conn Smythe Award winner
Sebastian Aho, center ‘Canes
Give me Sebastian Aho and the Hurricanes to capture their second Stanley Cup. Their first came in 2006. (Photo courtesy of NBC Sports).
Winner at the 50th Memorial Tournament
It’s the seventh Signature Event on the PGA Tour, and the prolific Jack Nicklaus’s Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin Ohio as the 50th Memorial Tournament commences Thursday with an elite field playing for a $20 Million purse and a $4 Million first place paycheck. The course is a stock 72 and plays at 7,569 yards. No.18 is a beast of a par 4 to finish off the round, especially on Sunday. It’s 480 yards with bunkers on the right off the tee and a slope into the woods on the left hand side off the tee. The green is long, but not wide, with a deep sand trap on the left side. The greens will be stimping at 13, very quick, and the rough will be 4 inches high.
Jack’s there to greet the players on Sunday, so that’s always special. Always a thrill to shake hands with the greatest of all time with 18 major championships under his belt. 6 Masters, 1963, ’65, ’66, ’72, 75, and ’86 (at 46 years old), 4 U.S. Opens, 1962, ’67, ’72, ’80. Three Open Championships (British Opens), 1966, ’70, and ’78, and 5 PGA Championships, 1963, ’71, ’73, ’75, and ’80. That personifies the greatest of all time in golf. And he was and is the classiest ambassador of the game along with Arnie, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Sam Sneed, Bobby Jones, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, those guys. Still don’t make’em like they used to.
Odds: Scheffler, 3/1; Rory, 10/1; Cam Young, 16/1; Xander Schauffele, 18/1; Ludvig Aberg, 18/1; Matt “Fitzie” Fitzpatrick, 22/1; Si Woo Kim, 22/1; Russell Henley, 30/1. He put on a clinic at the Charles Schwab at Colonial in Fort Worth last Sunday taming Hogan’s Alley with three straight birdies on 16-18 in regulation, and a birdie from 5 feet in the first playoff hole, number 18, versus Eric Cole. Henley hit his second shot to 5 feet and drained the putt to capture the title. Henley was iron. Tommy Fleetwood, 30/1; Patrick Cantlay, 30/1; Ben Griffin, 33/1; Bob McIntyre, 40/1; Sam Burns, 40/1; Min Woo Lee, 40/1; Rickie Fowler, 45/1; Justin Thomas, 45/1; Hideki, 45/1; Maverick McNealy, 50/1; Jordan Spieth, 55/1; J.J. Spaun, 55/1; Chris Gotterup, 60/1; Harris English, 60/1; Adam Scott, 60/1; Justin Rose, 65/1; PGA Championship Champion Aaron Rai, can’t get over that 68 foot birdie putt on 17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, PA. on Sunday to capture the 108th PGA in mid May. Rai is at 80/1. Seems like a good sleeper pick.
Weather
Thursday, 84, Sunny, winds SSW 8 MPH.
Friday: Partly sunny, 86, SW 12.
Saturday, 40% chance of t-storms in afternoon. 83. Wind SW 14.
Sunday, 30% chance of showers in the morning, then clearing up in the afternoon. 85, Winds, W 10.
This is the seventh of the eight Signature Events in 2026. Collin Morikawa won the first, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am (2/12-2/15), Jacob Bridgeman won the second, The Genesis Invitational (2/19-2/22), Akshay Bhatia won the third, the Arnie (3/5-3/8), Matt “Fitz” won the fourth, the RBC Heritage (4/16-4/19), Cam Young won the fifth, The Cadillac Championship (4/30-5/3), and Kristoffer Reitan? of Norway, won the sixth, The Truist Championship (5/7-5/10). The eighth Signature Event will be the Travelers Championship, 6/25-6/28 played at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT.
There are 72 players in the field at the Memorial as the field is smaller for the Signature Events than they are for regular tour events with most all of the elite players competing in the Signatures.
The cut is top 50 and ties, and anyone within 10 shots of the lead after the first 36 holes, Thursday-Friday. The purse is $20 million with $4 Million going to the winner as this is a player sponsored event like the Genesis was by Tiger Woods, and the Arnie was. The first place check for the other 5 is $3.6 Million. Second place at the Memorial gets $2.2 M, third gets $1.4 M, and 4th a mil, so a good week at the office for the top guys come late Sunday afternoon. Everybody also wants to win this tournament because it’s Jack’s event.
Winner
I’m going to take the 30 year old from Seoul, South Korea. He’s knocked on the door several times this season and I expect him to knock it down at Muirfueld Village.
Si Woo Kim
Give me Kim to win at Jack’s Tourney. (Photo courtesy of Golf.com).
West Point Mississippi native and Vanderbilt senior golfer Senior Wells Williams led his team with a terrific round Monday in Round 4 of the NCAA Championships. (Photo courtesy of The Vanderbilt Hustler).
Our super senior leader, Wells Williams, shot a 2 under par 70 yesterday and Jon Ed, Ryan Downes and Will Hartman all birdied the par 5, 18th to lead our team to a third place finish at 12 under par, and put us in the Elite Eight Quarterfinals, where we are facing No.6 Arizona right now. More on that in a second.
Auburn finished first at -26, Texas was next at -23, we finished -12, OK State and Florida tied for 4th at -11, ‘Zona was sixth at -3, and UCLA and Stanford rounded out the field at -2.
We are now in the match play on the La Costa Resort and Spa North course and in our matches: 1. Chase Nevins is tied with Zona’s Taishi Moto after 5 holes. 2. Jon Ed is 1 up on Tianyi Xiong after 5 holes. 3. Will is 3 Up on Filip Jakubcik through 4 holes. 4. Ryan Downes is 2 Up on William Wistrand through 4 holes. 5.Wells is all tied with Zach Pollo through 3 holes. So we have a 4-1 lead right now.
Got a long way to go, but our guys are playing superb, confident golf right now. Wells is so solid, and Will and Jon Ed are playing like seniors instead of freshmen. Ryan, a sophomore from Longview, Massachusetts, has been good throughout the Championships, and Chase, a junior from Great Falls, Virginia, is getting his first start today, and doing well.
Our guys have been through the wars this season, both in the high level tournaments we’ve played in and the SEC Championships. We’ve taken our lumps at times, but are playing our best golf right now.
Our great freshman from Marvin, North Carolina, Will Hartman, is carrying his team on his back as we qualify for round 4 today at the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California (Photo courtesy of On3).
Freshman Will Hartman shot four under 68 for the second day in a row on Sunday and is now 10 under for the NCAA Championships and led our team into the fourth round of the NCAA Championships today at La Costa Resort and Spa North Course in Carlsbad, Cali.
We are presently in third place at nine under par after day 3 after a 3 over par round Sunday. Auburn leads the field at 22 under and Texas is next at 19 under. Then we’re at -9, UCLA, ‘Zona, and OK State are at -8, Chapel Hill is at -6, Duke is -1, Oklahoma is Even, UVA and the Gators are at +1, while L-S-U, San Diego, Tennessee, and Stanford round out the top 15 teams that qualified for today’s fourth and final stroke round, as those four teams finished +2.
So, we’re right there heading into round 4. The goal today is to play outstanding golf, make the top 8 and qualify for the match play quarterfinals, which will commence Tuesday.
Coach Limbaugh is excellent at keeping his team locked in on the task at hand, so all we need to concentrate on a shot at a time. Pardon the triteness of that comment, but it’s a fact.
Scott said we need to quickly get over any mistakes and move forward. We need very short term memories on the 7,538 yard, par 72 La Costa North Course.
Jon Ed and Wells are at -1, while Ryan Downes is at +4, and Michael Riebe is at +18.
Will is tied for 2nd individually at -10, with Flip Jakubcik? of ‘Zona and William Jennings of Alabama, who is competing as an individual, as Alabama didn’t make the team tournament, but Jennings was one of the top 6 individual qualifiers from his region to make it to the NCAA Championships.
Preston Stout of Oklahoma State leads the individual competition at -11. The low medalist/individual National Champion will be decided after today’s final stroke round.
Gordon Sargent won the individual national championship for us in 2022.
We need Will to keep on truckin, as the Grateful Dead sang, and Jon Ed to get back to playing the type of golf he has been playing until yesterday. Wells needs to be good, and Ryan and Michael will HAVE to help us.
We need to be in the top 8 out of the 15 teams competing today to qualify for Tuesday’s quarterfinals match play.
We tee off today at 2:20 P.M. CT/3:20 East with Riebe for us playing with Auburn’s Cayden Pope and Texas’s Daniel Bennett. At 2:31/3:31- Ryan Downes for us, Logan Reilly for Auburn, and Matt Comegys for Texas. At 2:42/3:42-Jon Ed, Jake Albert for Auburn, and Christiaan Maas for UT. At 2:53-3:53-Wells for us, the great Jackson Koivun for Auburn, and Luke Potter for Hook’em. At 3:04/4:04- Will for us, Josiah Gilbert for Auburn, and Tommy Morrison for Texas.
Golf Channel will televise and stream today at 4:30-8:30 P.M. CT/5:30-9:30 East.
Will keep you very much apprised.
Luuuke Kornet had a heckuva game changing block for the San Antonio Spurs in replacing the great Victor Wembanyama, who was saddled with five fouls, making the play of the game that led the Spurs to the NBA Championship as they defeated the defending NBA Champion OKC Thunder, 111-103, at Oklahoma City in game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
Luke and the Spurs will square off with the New York Knicks starting this Wednesday at 7:30 P.M. CT/8:30 East for the NBA Championship. The Spurs, with the better regular season record than the Knicks, will host the first two games, the Knicks the next two, then @ the Spurs, @the Knicks and @ the Spurs if games 5,6 and 7 are necessary.
Luke, at 30 years old, is having a really nice NBA career and is a stellar backup to Wemby.
