Davis Riley wins the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
Former Alabama Crimson Tide star Davis Riley continues to shine on the PGA Tour. He brought some special stuff this week at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Riley finished with an impressive 14-under par for the weekend, winning by five strokes over second place, Keegan Bradley and Scottie Scheffler. Both of those two were tied for second at 9-under.
The 27-year old won his second tournament on the PGA Tour on Sunday. It was just his 90th start on tour.
It’s the first individual stroke play title for Riley on the PGA Tour. His other title came in the 2023 Zurich Classic, when he won with partner Nick Hardy. It was Riley’s third time playing the Charles Schwab Challenge, and his previous best finish was in 2022, when he finished tied for fourth place.
No question about it, it’s a massive moment for Riley’s career. Defeating world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by five strokes is no easy feat. And the former Alabama star made it look easy all weekend long. Riley had a seven-shot lead with 36 holes remaining. And he never really sweated it out at all down the stretch. He was the leader heading into the final day of play with a four-stroke lead over Scheffler.
His odds were 300-1 to win the tournament.
Many might be surprised by the win for the former Alabama star, but tracking his career over the years, the talent has been undeniable. When he was 17 years old, Riley shot a 58.
As a junior golfer, he was runner-up in back-to-back U.S. Juniors in 2013 to Scottie Scheffler and in 2014 to Will Zalatoris. He lost to Scheffler after calling a penalty on himself on the 34th hole.
Riley attributed his recent success to shaking off nagging injuries that he’s dealt with this year. And it’s clear that when he’s healthy, he can absolutely be a force on the PGA Tour. According to Golf.com, Riley will bring home a paycheck of a cool $1.638 million for winning the Charles Schwab Challenge. Before Sunday, he had earned $352,863 on the PGA Tour this year. He ranked 151 in FedEx Cup point rankings before the victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Riley will also bring home 500 FedEx Cup points and a 1975 Schwab Stingray for the win. He drained a 27-foot putt on hole No. 4 on Sunday, ensuring there was no doubt he was ready to bring home the hardware.
Not only that, winning a golf tournament is a life-changing experience for every player on tour, especially in the early stages of their career. With the win, Riley will punch his ticket to Augusta National in 2025 and many other major events.
The final round was paused for a brief moment of silence to remember Grayson Murray, the 30-year-old PGA golfer who was found dead Saturday after withdrawing from the tournament on the 16th hole on Thursday. Following the win, Riley spoke with Amanda Balionis of CBS Sports and shared his well wishes for the Murray family.
Eric Kendricks had a deal in place to sign with the 49ers this offseason, but he ended up backing out of that agreement to join the Cowboys. The veteran linebacker reunited with Mike Zimmer in the process, and that was a factor in his decision to sign with Dallas. “Yeah absolutely, I always appreciated Zim,” Kendricks said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “Just the amount of defense I learned when I was underneath him. The way I watch film, the way we break things down, the install, a lot of things I learned from Zim and we had some good years and I can’t wait to continue that.” Zimmer’s head coaching tenure of the Vikings came to an end when he was fired following the 2021 season. His dismissal (along with that of general manager Rick Spielman) came amidst reports of a rift between that pairing and the players. Kendricks himself publicly lamented the “culture of fear” which was in place under Zimmer. The latter was out of coaching for two seasons before taking the Cowboys’ DC gig. Zimmer will be charged with replicating the success Dallas saw with Dan Quinn at the helm on defense; the unit ranked no worse than seventh in points allowed over the past three years. Linebacker is a spot filled with question marks going into 2024, though, and Kendricks figures to serve in a starting role. The 32-year-old took less money to join the Cowboys, eschewing what would have been a short-term gig as a first-teamer in San Francisco. Kendricks had an eight-year run in Minnesota, starting 127 games along the way. He earned first-team All-Pro honors along with a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, and he has recorded at least 107 tackles every season since. The UCLA alum will see plenty of playing time in a linebacker unit which no longer includes the retired Leighton Vander Esch. Dallas will depend on Kendricks as an experienced producer alongside the likes of Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau. Any potential tension with Zimmer has been dealt with by now. “I respect him fully,” Kendricks added. “We’re going to get this thing going. I had a talk with him this past weekend. We’re excited to have this opportunity to work together again and play off each other.”
A photo of Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner and new head coach Craig Berube having a morning chat in an Etobicoke coffee shop has taken social media by storm. The image, captured by an eagle-eyed fan, has sparked widespread speculation among Leafs Nation about the nature and implications of this meeting. In Toronto, where every move related to the Leafs is intensely scrutinized, the unexpected sighting has fueled various theories. Is this simply a casual conversation between a player and a coach, or does it signal something more significant about Marner’s future with the Leafs? Chances Are This Is Just Marner and Berube Getting To Know Each Other Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently suggested that discussions between Marner and the Leafs would begin soon. While it is unclear if this meeting involved or was initiated by Leafs GM Brad Treliving, the timing has raised eyebrows. Could this be Marner sharing his thoughts on his role in Toronto, or is Berube exploring the possibility of integrating Marner into his no-nonsense, north-and-south style of play? The meeting seems to echo similar ‘getting to know you’ sessions, like the one John Tavares said he was also going to have upon his return to Toronto. It might involve discussing how Marner’s play style could mesh with Berube’s system. Depending on their mutual understanding, this could herald a new chapter in Marner’s career or hint at an impending departure from Toronto. With the Leafs’ off-season under intense scrutiny, any decision regarding Marner’s future will be closely watched. What Does The Berube Body Language Say, If Anything? Analyzing the photo, some fans have speculated that the body language on display is telling. Berube’s posture, leaning back with crossed arms, might suggest defensiveness or reservation. However, body language can be easily misinterpreted, and influenced by mood, energy levels, and context. An open posture usually indicates friendliness and openness, but Berube’s stance could just reflect a momentary disposition rather than a concrete stance on any issue. The internet has also seen its share of humor about the encounter. Some fans jokingly remarked that Berube must be working wonders already if he got Marner to engage in a corner – a playful jab at Marner’s perceived reluctance to battle in the corners of the rink. Ultimately, this meeting could signify Marner’s willingness to work with Berube and stay in Toronto, countering the sentiments of a fan base eager for roster changes. As the off-season unfolds, the implications of this conversation will become clearer, shaping the Leafs’ strategies and Marner’s career trajectory.
Former Steelers Pro Bowler opens up on what caused Pittsburgh to make questionable trade this offseason
NFL
Former Steelers Pro Bowler opens up on what caused Pittsburgh to make questionable trade this…
It’s safe to say that Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson outperformed expectations during his tenure in Pittsburgh. A third-round pick who became a Pro Bowler, he was a winning player for the majority of his time in the black and gold. So when the Steelers traded him for an often injured corner and late-round pick swap, heads were scratched and questions as to why were left unanswered. But a peek behind the curtain shows why the move was in the Steelers’ cards all along, with Johnson knowing as much: Johnson in new stripes “It’s a business. I had a great time in Pittsburgh. They took a chance on me in 2019 and I can’t thank them enough. I’m just happy to be here in Charlotte. I won’t call it a fresh start, but it’s another opportunity to do what I can, to help another program win games. So I’m gonna bring my best foot forward and my best attitude to the team, and try to do what I can to help change things around here,” Johnson told Joseph Person of The Athletic. Notice how Johnson said, “I’m gonna bring my best foot forward and my best attitude to the team.” Well, despite his consistent production in Pittsburgh, Johnson’s acts on the field and in the locker room not only suggested but proved that he didn’t play or act with his best attitude. Now, is it a coincidence, that those antics were ramped up by Johnson as he entered the final year of his deal, with the possibility of seeking a trade elsewhere? You know, the same thing they call quiet quitting in the corporate world… Maybe: “I guess they didn’t want to trade me nowhere in the AFC,” said Johnson. “I’m here now in the NFC. It is what it is. They did what they feel they had to was best on their part. I couldn’t really do nothing about that. So I’m gonna make plays with whatever team I was on or got traded to. I’m here in Carolina, so I’m here to work.” That quote comes in response to a report from Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, who stated that Johnson had permission to seek a trade, with the Kansas City Chiefs atop his wishlist. I mean, I would like to play with a QB on pace to be the greatest ever if I were an NFL WR too, but this isn’t the NBA. You don’t get to ask for a trade and then determine where you go. But Johnson has heard the conjecture on his football character, though he doesn’t seem too keen on changing much: “Everybody’s gonna have their opinion about me, added Johnson. “People are gonna say what they want to say about me. But I know what type of player I am. I know what type of attitude I bring to the table. I didn’t really pay attention to stuff like that. I can only control what I can control. What people are saying about me is their opinion. It’s just words at the end of the day. As long I keep putting my best foot forward and bringing my best attitude forward, they can’t really say anything or whatever they want about me.” Johnson caught 391 passes for over 4300 yards and 25 scores across five seasons in Pittsburgh.
The Timberwolves’ problem is that KAT has no dawg in him
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ problem isn’t that their star is only 22 years old and inexperienced. Okay, maybe that is a problem. But the bigger issue is his lack of a running mate. Anthony Edwards might be compared to Michael Jordan, but Karl Anthony-Towns is no Scottie Pippen. In fact, he might not even be Luc Longley. In a must-win situation Sunday night, Edwards went for 26 points while Towns missed his first seven shots. Overall, Towns shot 5-for-18 in the game, scoring 14 points and missing all eight of his three-pointers. He was a minus-12 in Game 3, the second-worst plus/minus for any player in the game. Towns has shot just 27.8 percent in the Western Conference Finals so far and has been so unreliable, that he was benched at the end of Game 2 for the lesser acclaimed Naz Reid. Every star needs a wingman to win with. Jordan had Pippen. Kobe Bryant had Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol. LeBron James won with Dwayne Wade, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Steph Curry had Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. Anthony Edwards might be the next face of the NBA. But if he’s going to win anything of substance, he’s going to need a better Robin to his Batman. No Timberwolves players besides Edwards and Towns has averaged more than 12.5 points per game this postseason. And while Towns is second on the team in scoring, he has exceeded 20 points in only four of 14 playoff games. Edwards at least has an excuse for his struggles, he’s young. A lot of basketball players are still playing in college at age 22, let alone the Western Conference Finals. But Towns is the veteran. He’s a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player. He’s earning $49.5M this season for a reason. And that reason is supposed to be to help the Timberwolves win the biggest games of their season. Instead, Towns went 0-for-8 from beyond the arc as Minnesota is now on the brink of elimination.