Justin Herbert returned to practice with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday after recovering from a foot injury, leaving head coach Jim Harbaugh delighted.
Herbert was diagnosed with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot on July 31 and has been wearing a protective boot for the last three weeks.
The Chargers remained hopeful of having Herbert available for their Week 1 clash with the Las Vegas Raiders on September 8, and the prospect of him starting Harbaugh's first game at the helm looks increasingly likely after he returned to the practice field.
Herbert did not participate in full team work on Monday but played plenty of snaps as Harbaugh put his players through seven-on-seven drills.
Asked by reporters how it felt to see Herbert return, Harbaugh – who left the University of Michigan to take the Chargers job in January – said: "It felt great.
"It felt like music should be playing, I thought I heard music, the voices of angels maybe. It felt great.
"He looked great with a capital G. No drop-off, pinpoint accuracy. He looked really good."
Herbert only missed two games through his first three seasons after being drafted sixth overall by the Chargers in 2020, but sat out the final four weeks of the 2023 season.
He broke the index finger on his throwing hand in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos, with the subsequent surgery ending his campaign.
Herbert completed 297 of 456 attempted passes (65.1%) and threw for 20 touchdowns in 2023. That latter figure was the lowest of his career, having thrown for 21 scores in 2020, 38 in 2021 and 25 in 2022.
The Washington Commanders have announced rookie Jayden Daniels will be their starting quarterback for the upcoming NFL season.
Daniels was the second-overall draft pick in April and has been training exclusively with the first team for the last three weeks.
The 23-year-old was expected to take over as the starter when he was drafted, but the Commanders wanted to give him the chance to settle into the squad during preseason.
"We knew we would get here," coach Dan Quinn said, "but we were just excited to see how we would.
"Seeing him hit all the spots, this is a rare competitor. He's just had a remarkable start to things."
Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, started the first two preseason games against the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins.
Though Washington lost both outings, Daniels completed 12-of-15 passes for 123 yards across both games. He did not throw a touchdown pass but did score a three-yard run against the Jets.
It will be the seventh consecutive year that the Commanders open the season with a different starting quarterback, but Daniels is ready to step into the role.
"They didn't want to go out there and [immediately say] hey, you're a starter," Daniels said. "I haven't earned anything.
"What I did in college was great. Now it's time for a new slate, clean slate. I have to prove it not only to myself, not only to the coaches, but to my teammates.
"If DQ [Quinn] is going to preach competition, and you've got to earn everything, man, they can't come in and just give me the job right away. So, I got to have to go earn it.
"It's just a blessing that DQ and AP [general manager Adam Peters] trust me to go out there and lead the team, lead the franchise to hopefully win some games.
"It's something I've dreamed about as a kid to experience this moment."
The Commanders will start their NFL season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 8.
Jannik Sinner won his fifth ATP tour title of the season on Monday, beating Frances Tiafoe in straight sets to win the Cincinnati Open.
The world number one took one hour and 37 minutes to earn his 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 victory, having battled through back-to-back three-setters in order to reach the final.
Sinner has been hampered by a hip injury, picked up during the Madrid Open in May, but rallied to get past the Frenchman.
"It was a very difficult week, tough week. I'm very happy about today's match," Sinner said in his on-court interview.
"It was very tough mentally. Had such an amazing run here, and I tried to do my best today.
"We both were quite tired from yesterday. We both felt a lot of tension, but I'm very glad about [the] level I played today, especially in the important moments."
There was little to separate the two in the first set, as they matched each other all the way to a tie-break, with Sinner eventually pulling in front to take the lead.
The Italian then got a vital break in the first game of the second set, taking confidence as he edged in front.
Tiafoe kept up the fight though, and successfully defended match point three times in the penultimate game, but he could only delay the inevitable as Sinner served to love in the last to get his hands on the trophy.
"It has been a tough week, some ups and downs, which is normal to have," Sinner added. "But how I handled the very important moments in each match, I'm very happy.
"I'm very happy to be in a position where I am and just trying to keep going mentally, having this hunger to keep playing, and hopefully, I can show some good tennis also in New York."
Data Debrief: Golden touch
Sinner has won his 15th career ATP title from 19 finals, equalling Carlos Alcaraz and Lleyton Hewitt (19). Only Rafael Nadal (17) has won more from his first 19 ATP event finals in the Open Era.
It is also his third ATP Masters 1000 title on hard court. In the past decade, only three players have won more Masters titles on the surface - Novak Djokovic (17), Roger Federer (seven) and Daniil Medvedev (five).
Francisco Alvarez's solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the New York Mets to a dramatic 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Monday's opener of an important three-game series for both teams.
With one out and the game tied at 3-3, Alvarez crushed a 3-0 fastball from Seranthony Dominguez well clear of the wall in left center field to allow the Mets to close the gap in the National League wild card race and knock the Orioles out of first place in the American League East.
J.D. Martinez had a two-run homer in the first inning for New York, which moved within 1 1/2 games of the Atlanta Braves for the NL's final wild card spot with its third win in four games.
The Orioles have now lost three of four and dropped a half-game back of the idle New York Yankees for the AL's top spot.
Baltimore made it interesting, however, by scoring twice in the seventh inning to erase a 3-1 deficit.
Ryan Mountcastle began the rally with a lead-off double and took third on a groundout before being forced home when Mets starter David Peterson was called for a balk. Ramon Urias then followed with a solo home run to knot the score at 3-3.
Peterson had been cruising up until that point and departed after allowing three runs - two earned - while striking out eight through seven innings.
Martinez followed a first-inning single by Mark Vientos with his 13th homer of the season to give the Mets an early advantage. They increased the margin to 3-0 in the fourth when Pete Alonso doubled and later crossed the plate on Tyrone Taylor's two-out single.
The Orioles answered in the fifth with the help of an error by Peterson, who threw errantly on a pickoff attempt to send Urias to third after the infielder reached on a double. Urias would then score on a groundout by Jackson Holliday.
Urias and Mountcastle each finished with two hits for the Orioles, while Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers struck out five while permitting three runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Diaz's homer in ninth caps rally, keeps Astros hot
The Houston Astros also earned a key win via a walk-off home run, as Yainer Diaz's ninth-inning blast gave the AL West leaders a 5-4 comeback victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Houston scored once in each of the final two innings to rally for its 11th win in 12 games, with Diaz delivering the final blow by launching Kenley Jansen's pitch well over the left field wall with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
The Astros tied the game at 4-4 with a two-out rally an inning earlier, as Chas McCormick singled off reliever Lucas Sims and stole second before racing home on Mauricio Dubon's clutch single.
Yordan Alvarez and Victor Caratini each collected three hits to help Houston increase its lead over the second-place Seattle Mariners to five games in the division.
The slumping Red Sox lost for the eighth time in 12 games despite taking a 4-2 lead on Masataka Yoshida's pinch-hit two-run homer off reliever Tayler Scott in the top of the sixth inning. Romy Gonzalez was aboard for the blast after reaching on an error by Houston second baseman Jose Altuve, one of a season-high four miscues for the Astros.
Houston got closer in its half of the sixth, however. Back-to-back singles by Jeremy Pena and Caratini put runners on first and third for Jon Singleton, who drove in Pena with a sacrifice fly to trim the lead to 4-3.
Astros starter Yusei Kikuchi struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings while allowing three runs, one earned, though his night began ominously when Boston's Jarren Duran connected on his 16th homer of the season on the game's first pitch.
Rob Refsnyder and Rafael Devers each singled later in the first inning before another Houston error - a misplay by rookie third baseman Shay Whitcomb - enabled another run to score.
The Astros were held scoreless by Tanner Houck through the first three innings before breaking through in the bottom of the fourth, which Alvarez began with a double and Diaz followed with a single. Alvarez was later thrown out at home on a fielder's choice grounder, but Caratini singled in Diaz and Pena also scored on the play on an errant throw by Boston catcher Danny Jansen.
Houck worked six innings and struck out eight while surrendering three runs - two earned.
Stone, Muncy propel Dodgers over Mariners in Turner's Los Angeles return
Gavin Stone racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings, Max Muncy homered in his first game back from the injured list, and the Los Angeles Dodgers spoiled Justin Tuner's return to Dodger Stadium with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Muncy, sidelined since May 16 by a right oblique strain, came through with a two-run homer in the seventh inning to back Stone's superb start and help the Dodgers win the opener of this three-game series between playoff hopefuls.
Gavin Lux homered earlier in the seventh to break a scoreless deadlock and a terrific pitching duel between Stone and Bryan Woo, who had allowed just one hit until Lux drove a pitch over the wall in center field.
Woo (5-2) then hit Will Smith with a pitch and was removed in favour of Yimi Garcia, who was greeted by Muncy's towering drive to right that quickly made the lead 3-0.
Stone (11-5) yielded just two hits and two walks before departing, with Joe Kelly pitching a scoreless eighth before Evan Phillips retired the side in order in the ninth to notch his 16th save.
Woo was charged with two runs in 6 1/3 innings in slumping Seattle's sixth loss in seven games. The defeat dropped the Mariners five games back of first-place Houston in the AL West.
Turner went 1 for 3 in his first appearance at Dodger Stadium in nearly two years. The 39-year-old infielder made two NL All-Star teams during a successful nine-year tenure with the Dodgers from 2014-22.
Aryna Sabalenka outclassed Jessica Pegula 6-3 7-5 to win the Cincinnati Open final on Monday.
The now world number two earned a first title since winning the Australian Open for a second time in January with a convincing performance against the sixth seed.
Sabalenka lost only four first-set points and served over 70 per cent of first serves ien route to taking the opener and broke at the first time of asking in the second before holding to love to consolidate.
Pegula would level up to make it 5-5 but Sabalenka broke for a third time to secure an advantage she would not relinquish, finishing the match with 29 winners - including 10 aces - to 23 unforced errors.
Victory marks a 15th career WTA title for Sabalenka and a sixth WTA 1000-level trophy.
Pegula sees a nine-match winning streak come to an end with defeat in the show-piece match, and also saw her hopes of becoming the first woman in over 50 years to take out the title in Canada and Cincinnati in a single season go up in smoke.
Data Debrief: Sabalenka sizzles again in Cincinnati
Sabalenka now has 18 wins at the Cincinnati Open. It represents her most in a single WTA 1000 event, beating Madrid (17). Only at the Australian Open (22) and US Open (21) does she have more in WTA tournaments.
Moreover, she now has 100 victories from 143 WTA 1000 events, becoming the fastest to rack up the landmark since Simona Halep in 2017 (100 wins from 141 such matches).
She also becomes the third player since 2004 to win the title in Cincinnati without dropping a single set, with Vera Zvonareva in 2006 and Ashleigh Barty in 2021 the others to have done so.
The 2024 staging of the highly anticipated Mouttet Mile Invitational is already shaping up to be an exciting affair with early interest from six prominent overseas-based horses. Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited, operators of Caymanas Park, are pleased to announce that Sheer Delight, Pack Plays, Barnaby, Legacy Isle, Commandant & Real Macho are set to bring international competition to the December 7 race day.
Sheer Delight, a three-year-old colt owned by Jeremy Rachpaul, has already made a name for himself with impressive earnings of over USD$30,000. Trained by Donovan Hutchison, Sheer Delight has recently arrived in Jamaica and is gearing up for the big race. Mr. Rachpaul expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm: "It is with excitement and joy that our team has a chance to enter the Mouttet Mile 2024 with Sheer Delight. On behalf of myself, my family, and our team, I would like to say thank you to Caymanas and the horse racing family in Jamaica. We look forward to growing our stable, racing in Jamaica, and competing in the Mouttet Mile 2024 with God's grace and blessings."
Another strong contender for the 2024 Mouttet Mile is Pack Play, owned by Diley Dakins. Dakins shared his insights on Pack Plays' capabilities stating, "Pack Plays has been preparing for the Mouttet Mile for a while and has shown tremendous speed and agility in most of his races. I know he will get the distance. Pack Plays will undoubtedly make the Mouttet Mile competition more interesting." Pack Play is currently being conditioned by trainer, Rowan Mathie.
Trainer of the 2023 winner – Rough Entry – Rohan Crichton, has returned for the 2024 staging with three entries: Legacy Isle, Commandant and Real Macho. For the current year, Commandant has had 3 wins with earnings of US$88,060, Legacy Isle has had one win, eaning US$47,480; and Real Macho has secured two wins with an earning total of US$124,020.
“Our horses are scheduled to arrive in Jamaica on September 18. The plan is to follow the same pattern as Rough Entry, ease them into their training regimen after quarantine and gradually build from there," he said. "The Mouttet Mile is an amazing event that showcases Jamaican racing, we are proud to participate and doing our best to make it two in a row.”
Local champion trainer, Anthony Nunes, has also opted to submit an international entry in runner – Barnaby. He shares: “Barnaby is a 3-year-old bay colt. He's a son of Tapiture out of the Giants Causeway mare, Giants Diva. He has a racing record of three wins and two thirds from six starts, and earnings of (US)$89,510.00 or (JMD)$14,000,000.00. Barnaby arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, and will be in quarantine for two weeks. We look forward to having him in our barn, at which time he will start the process of getting acclimatized to his new surroundings. We look forward, shortly thereafter, to getting him on the track in preparation for the Mouttet Mile in December,” Nunes said.
Commenting on the early interest, Christopher Wills, VP Operations at SVREL, said, "We are excited to see the early enthusiasm and commitment from international owners and trainers for the 2024 Mouttet Mile. The inclusion of top-tier horses, from the North American circuit, enhances the prestige of the event and promises thrilling competition for all horse racing fans."
Since its 2022 debut, the Mouttet Mile Invitational has developed a reputation for attracting top-tier international talent. Last year’s Mouttet Mile was won by Rough Entry, an overseas entrant ridden by Canadian jockey Julien Leparoux. The inclusion of Sheer Delight and Pack Plays in the 2024 Mouttet Mile Invitational will further cement Caymanas Park’s marquee race day as the premier event in the horse racing calendar.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is expecting a "flat-out" fight for supremacy in Formula One over the next 18 months.
Austrian constructor Red Bull have been the dominant force in F1 over the past few years, with Max Verstappen winning three straight drivers' titles and the team taking the constructors' trophy in 2022 and 2023.
The early stages of the 2024 season followed a similar pattern with flying Dutchman Verstappen winning four of the opening five races but there have now been seven different victors through 14 rounds.
Verstappen still holds a healthy 78-point lead from second-place Lando Norris in the driver standings but McLaren are only 42 points adrift of Red Bull in the constructor table, with Ferrari 63 back and improving Mercedes 142 behind.
Horner, in quotes reported by F1's official website, thinks there is going to be a battle between all four of those F1 heavyweights in the near future.
"I think it’s great for the sport, and it was almost inevitable when you get consistency of regulations, you always get convergence," he said.
"I remember when I first came into Formula 1, Ron Dennis banging that drum back in 2005. Convergence has always brought the teams together.
"Of course we have a big regulations change in 2026 that will cause divergence but, between now and then, the next 18 months I think it will be flat-out between the four teams."
F1 returns after a near month-long break with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, Verstappen's home race.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has hit out at the "terrible" style of former coach Brian Flores, hailing Mike McDaniel for showing greater belief in him.
Last month, the Dolphins handed Tagovailoa a franchise-record four-year, $212.4million extension off the back of an impressive fourth season with the team.
Tagovailoa posted career-best figures for passes attempted (560), completed (388), passing yards (4,624) and touchdown passes (29) in 2023, though Miami fell at the first hurdle in the playoffs, losing 26-7 to the eventual Super Bowl LVIII champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tagovailoa has improved season-on-season since being drafted fifth overall by Miami in 2020, with his two best campaigns coming since McDaniel replaced Flores as head coach in 2021.
The quarterback has now hit out at the way Flores – who is entering his second year as defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings – drained his confidence.
He said in an interview with The Dan LeBatard Show: "To put it in the simplest terms, if you woke up every morning and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don't belong, that you shouldn't be here, that you haven't earned this right...
"Then you have somebody else come in and tell you, 'dude, you are the best fit for this'... How would it make you feel, listening to one or the other?
"You hear it, no matter what it is, the good or the bad, you hear it more and more, you start to believe that. I don't care who you are.
"You could be the president of the United States, you have a terrible person telling you things that you don't want to hear or probably shouldn't be hearing, you're going to start believing that about yourself.
"That's what ended up happening. It was basically two years of training that out of not just me but a couple of other guys as well."
The Dolphins open their 2024 campaign at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 8 before facing the Buffalo Bills, their AFC East rivals, four days later.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has confirmed Gardner Minshew will open the season as the team's starting quarterback.
Minshew, who joined the Raiders as a free agent during the offseason, has been given the nod over Aidan O'Connell for the starting spot.
The 28-year-old nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs last year having taken over from rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson just four games into the season.
He went 7-6 as a starter, completing 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
When asked about the decision, Pierce said that Minshew's experience and his handling of the offense ultimately gave him the edge over O'Connell.
"A lot of things went into it," Pierce said. "It wasn't based off of [solely] last night. There are a lot of factors.
"So, we feel like Gardner gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start, and that's what we're going with.
"We support him, our team's behind it, our staff's behind it, the organisation's behind it."
Minshew completed 10 of 21 passes for 95 yards against the Dallas Cowboys at the weekend, while O'Connell was 14 of 20 for 96 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
And while Minshew has the starting spot for now, Pierce said that he may not have it for the duration of the season.
"I told them both just be ready," Pierce said.
"In the National Football League, you never know. Aidan is a young player that has tremendous upside and I think will be a starter at some point in this league, whether it's this year or next year.
"But he will play in games. I think Gardner's done a good job of being that older presence."
Jessica Pegula knows she can take nothing for granted when she goes up against Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Cincinnati Open on Monday.
Pegula recently won her third career WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Toronto, with all three of those triumphs having come on hard courts.
She equalled her longest career winning streak of nine matches by defeating Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-3 in the semi-finals to reach the final in Cincinnati.
In doing so, Pegula became the sixth player in the Open Era to reach the finals at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open in a calendar year, joining Rosie Casals, Evonne Goolagong, Na Li, Serena Williams and Simona Halep in achieving the feat.
When asked if she was "in the zone", Pegula said: "I think I'm just finding my game a little bit and then competing and being smart out there."
The American, however, will not be complacent when she goes up against world number three Sabalenka.
The Belarusian defeated world number one Iga Swiatek in straight sets to reach the final.
"It seems like she's been playing really, really good," Pegula told the media.
"Obviously she can serve really big, so it's always tough to deal with opponents that have weapons like that, where they can get a lot of free points on a faster hard court."
P.H.A.S.E 1 Kingston emerged as the standout team on Day 2 of the JamRockerz Basketball Classic, securing two crucial victories to become the only local team to advance to the semifinals. Their performance on Saturday not only solidified their place in the final four but also showcased the depth and talent within the team.
In their first game of the day, Kingston faced Montego Bay in a thrilling double-overtime clash. The game ended in regulation time with the scores tied at 41, but Kingston managed to edge out Montego Bay with a final score of 46-44. Kingston’s standout player, Lebron Lewinson, was instrumental in the win, contributing 19 points and seven rebounds. Montego Bay’s Diare Patterson also had a solid game, scoring 10 points along with three rebounds and two steals.
Kingston returned to the court later in the day to face Trelawny in another closely contested match. Despite trailing in the first half, Kingston staged a comeback to narrowly defeat Trelawny 56-53. Malik Edward led the scoring for Kingston with 16 points and five rebounds, while Trelawny’s Evire Hines put up a valiant effort with eight points and three steals.
Trelawny had a tough day, losing both of their games. Earlier, they fell to Canada’s Hardwood Kings by a five-point margin, with the final score-line reading 50-45 in favor of Hardwood Kings. Trelawny’s Christian Handon had a standout performance with 17 points, one rebound, and two steals, while Hardwood Kings’ Elijah Deyon contributed 16 points and one rebound.
Montego Bay also suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to Hardwood Kings, with the game ending 53-52. Despite a dominant performance from Reike Brown, who scored 26 points and added two rebounds and a steal, Montego Bay fell just short. Hardwood Kings, bolstered by their consistent scoring, managed to hold on for the win.
Montego Bay’s coach, Dave Black, reflected on his team’s near misses throughout the tournament. “We played against Team Takeover yesterday and we lost by two. I think all the games we lose by one or two. I think that last three minutes in the game where we need a little bit more focus from the players to just carry us over the line to a victory, but I think some of our young players, some of our 15 and also our 17 year old, I think they step up well playing some of those bigger guys,” Black said.
With the semifinals set, Kingston will face Team International, while Team Takeover will battle Hardwood Kings. The winners of these matchups will advance to the final, where the inaugural JamRockerz Basketball Classic champion will be crowned.
The event organizer and coach of Team Kingston expressed his satisfaction with the tournament's success, highlighting its significance for the development of youth basketball in Jamaica. “This has been an event that we have been working on for a while because we understood that in order to raise the level of basketball for the youths here in Jamaica we needed to encourage teams from North America, international teams to come and compete," he said. "We had several challenges with that over the years. Obviously infrastructure – we need a place to play that is cost-effective so this partnership with Montego Bay community college where we can put this floor – indoor wooden floor right here in the heart of the tourist district is huge because now teams are more likely to come because they can experience Jamaica on the tourist side.”
He added, “I think outside of Team Takeover and Canada, I think all the games that play in the tournament so far are very competitive. I think the initiative has to continue in terms of playing real overseas teams locally and also local guys getting a chance to go overseas to play.”
The JamRockerz Basketball Classic, sponsored by Jamaica's Tourism Enhancement Fund, NBA Houston Rockets pro player Tari Eason, and Kingston Marley—grandson of the legendary Bob Marley and founder of the Children for Change charity—has brought together top talent from both local and international teams, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka said her semi-final victory over Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open is firmly in the past as she looks towards ending her US Open preparations with a title.
Sabalenka, who has reached her fifth Tour-level final of the year, triumphed in straight sets over Swiatek to set up a showdown with Jessica Pegula in Ohio.
The Belarusian had lost her last three matches against Swiatek, but snapped that run to reach her first Cincinnati Open final at the fourth attempt.
"It was a brilliant performance from me. But I just want to focus on staying in the moment and giving my best tennis every time I'm on the court," Sabalenka said.
"I try to stay calm, confident and aggressive on the court. That definitely gave me a lot of confidence, going into the US Open.
"But that's already in the past, if I focus on this win, it'll stay in the past. I'm really happy with the win."
Having taken a 5-1 lead, Sabalenka saw seven match points saved by Swiatek in the seventh game, squandering two more shortly after as the Pole threatened to produce an unlikely turnaround.
But Sabalenka was able to get over the line at the 10th attempt, saying that period was the toughest moment of the encounter.
"I kept telling myself 'she's the world number one, she's going to keep fighting and doing her best'," Sabalenka said.
"You have to stay aggressive. You have to put pressure on her.
"You have to play your tennis and try. That was my mentality in the tough moments.
"That was definitely the toughest moment of the match. When I'm in the zone, what thoughts do I have? There are no thoughts. Just about the tennis.
"About the next ball coming. Just about hitting and trying to make the right decisions. You have nothing in your head."
Hideki Matsuyama credited his St. Jude Championship triumph down to his new putter as he avoided a late collapse to claim a 10th win in a playoff event.
Matsuyama, who had gone 27 holes without a bogey and held a five-shot lead, saw his lead evaporate after a difficult stretch through holes 12 to 15.
Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele briefly passed the Japanese, before a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole regained his advantage at the top of the standings.
Matsuyama would birdie the final hole to card an even-par 70 and a two-shot victory over Hovland and Schauffele, but even he felt the win was slipping from his grasp.
“I felt today's victory slipping away at that point because 17 and 18 are difficult holes enough, let alone to birdie them,” Matsuyama said.
Matsuyama has never shied away from testing different putters on the PGA Tour, usually travelling with five or six to each event.
The 32-year-old continued that tradition at TPC Southwind in Tennessee this time around, but chose to use one he had yet to play with in the competition, something that proved to be a pivotal decision.
“Coming into Memphis, I felt like I needed a change of pace, kind of a refresh with my putter,” Matsuyama said after winning the opening leg of the FedExCup Playoffs.
“I thought about the putters I had, and I felt – because I knew this course. I knew the condition of the greens.
I thought this putter might work, and it did. I putted great, and I won.”
With the triumph, Matsuyama moves on to the BMW Championship for the 11th time in his career after having to withdraw last year due to a back injury.
His best showing in the competition saw him finish third in 2019, five shots behind Justin Rose, but Matsuyama kept his cards close to his chest when asked which flatstick he’ll have in his bag at Castle Pines in Colorado next week.
"Whether or not I'll use it next week, we'll see,” he said. “I've never played Castle Pines and we'll just have to wait and see what the greens are like there before I choose which putter I'll use.”
Jannik Sinner was proud of overcoming a "difficult moment" to reach the Cincinnati Open final after dramatically outlasting Alexander Zverev in a third set tie-break.
Sinner, who was seen visibly struggling with a hip injury for parts of the contest, eventually emerged a 7-6 (11-9) 5-7 7-6 (7-4) victor in over three hours in Ohio.
The world number one picked up the injury in Madrid back in May, further aggravating it in his shock quarter-final defeat by Andrey Rublev at the Canadian Open.
"It means a lot to me. It's a very different moment, what I'm going through, so I'm very happy about this result," Sinner said in an on-court interview.
"The physical aspect, of course, I have to improve, because if I want to win grand slams or a bigger title, I have to be, for sure, more in shape.
"But I just tried to stay there mentally, which I'm very proud (of), and let's see what's coming tomorrow."
Zverev started brightly and was three points away from serving out the opening set until the Italian levelled at 5-5, only for rain to interrupt play.
Sinner returned to claim the early advantage, only for Zverev, who had won all four of their previous encounters, to respond in the second to take the game the distance.
Neither player faced a break point in the decider, but it was Sinner who took control of the tie-break, dropping just one point on serve as the triumph was sealed when Zverev sent a backhand long.
The world number one will face Frances Tiafoe, who reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final after defeating 15th seed Holger Rune in three sets.
Data Debrief: Sinner continue hard court dominance
Sinner's triumph saw him become the first Italian in the Open Era to reach the men's singles final at the Cincinnati Open, and the first since 1973 to claim 5+ ATP top five wins in consecutive seasons.
Since the start of the 2023 season, Sinner has won 15 of his 20 matches on hard court against opponents ranked in the ATP’s top five.
World number two, Novak Djokovic (six), has the next-most over that span on the surface.
Collin Rea and two Milwaukee relievers teamed up on a two-hit shutout as the Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with Sunday's 2-0 win.
Rea (11-4) did not allow a hit until the sixth inning and surrendered just two over seven dominant frames while also hitting a pair of batters. Bryan Hudson and Jared Koenig followed with one perfect inning each to finish off the National League Central-leading Brewers' fifth consecutive win, tying a season high.
Despite Sunday's outcome, the Guardians maintained a two-game advantage over second-place Minnesota in the American Central race after the Twins lost in 10 innings to the Texas Rangers later in the day.
Milwaukee scored all of its runs in the first and second innings to give Rea all the support he would need. Brice Turang delivered an early spark with a lead-off triple in the bottom of the first before crossing the plate on Willy Adames' two-out single off Ben Lively to quickly put the Brewers ahead.
The Brewers threatened again an inning later when back-to-back singles by Sal Frelick and Joey Ortiz put runners at first and third with one out. Eric Haase then brought in Frelick with a groundout to increase the lead to 2-0.
Lively (10-8) kept Milwaukee scoreless over the remainder of his six-inning stint and yielded five hits while striking out five.
Rays cap sweep of Diamondbacks with 12-inning win
Dylan Carlson's run-scoring single in the 12th inning lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a wild 8-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks and a three-game sweep of one of baseball's hottest teams coming into the series.
The defending NL champion Diamondbacks entered St. Petersburg with wins in 18 of their previous 21 games, but left with a third straight loss despite erasing a 6-0 deficit after six innings.
Arizona may also have lost one of its top players for a period of time after All-Star Ketel Marte had to be helped off the field in the ninth inning after aggravating a left ankle sprain. The second baseman missed three games with the injury before returning to the lineup Saturday.
Shortly after Marte's exit, the Diamondbacks forced extra innings when rookie Adrian Del Castillo belted a three-run homer off Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks with one out in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 6-6.
Joc Pederson's two-out run-scoring single in the top of the 10th gave Arizona its lone lead of the day, which was short-lived as Taylor Walls delivered an RBI single in the Rays' half of the inning to extend the contest.
It remained a 7-7 tie until the bottom of the 12th. After Tampa's Jonny Deluca sacrificed the designated runner to third and Walls drew a walk, Carlson ended the game with a single off Justin Martinez (5-4) that gave Rays reliever Edwin Uceta his first major league win.
Uceta (1-0) held the Diamondbacks scoreless in the top of the 12th despite Arizona bringing the go-ahead run to third with none out.
Brandon Lowe and Christopher Morel each went 2 for 4 for Tampa Bay and were responsible for the game's first runs, as Morel doubled in the third and Lowe followed by homering in his second straight game.
The Rays then tagged Arizona starter Merrill Kelly for three more runs in the fifth.
Morel and Lowe each singled in front of Jose Caballero's two-run double that extended the lead to 4-0, and Caballero later scored on Junior Caminero's infield single.
Tampa Bay turned three walks and a wild pitch into another run in the sixth before the Diamondbacks began their rally an inning later.
Jake McCarthy's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh finally got Arizona on the board, and Corbin Carroll got the Diamondbacks within 6-3 with a two-run homer off Tyler Alexander in the eighth.
McCarthy later opened the ninth with a single before Pederson, who entered following Marte's injury, drew a walk off Fairbanks. Two batters later, Del Castillo sent a pitch into the right field seats to erase Tampa Bay's lead.
Ohtani's 39th homer backs Kershaw's gem as Dodgers edge Cardinals
Shohei Ohtani increased his NL home run lead with his 39th of the season, while Clayton Kershaw delivered his best start since returning from injury to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals.
In his fifth start back from off-season shoulder surgery, Kershaw (2-2) scattered four hits and one walk over six shutout innings to help the Dodgers to a seventh win in 10 games. The victory also gave Los Angeles some breathing room atop the NL West, as second-place San Diego fell to three games behind the Dodgers after losing 3-2 to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, have now lost six of seven and fell further behind in the NL wild card race. St. Louis now trails the Atlanta Braves by five games for the final playoff spot.
Kershaw left with a 2-0 lead after the Dodgers scored twice off St. Louis ace Sonny Gray in the fifth inning. Ohtani broke a scoreless tie when he launched the first pitch he saw in the fifth over the right field wall to move one short of his third career 40-homer season as an MLB player.
Mookie Betts followed Ohtani's blast with a walk before moving to third on Gavin Lux's single. Two batters later, Miguel Rojas singled in Betts to increase the margin.
Both Lux and Rojas finished with three hits.
The Cardinals cut into their deficit on Lars Nootbaar's pinch-hit homer off Daniel Hudson in the eighth inning. Michael Kopech protected Los Angeles' lead with a scoreless ninth, however, to record his second save of the series.
Gray (11-8) struck out six over five innings while allowing two runs and seven hits.
Hideki Matsuyama birdied the final hole to clinch a two-stroke victory at the St. Jude Championship.
On a topsy-turvy final day in the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, overnight leader Matsuyama held his nerve at the last at TPC Southwind in Tennessee.
Matsuyama carded his worst round of the tournament on Sunday, but a cool and composed birdie putt sealed a 17 under finish and his 10th win in a playoff event.
The 2021 Masters champion held off 2024's form player Xander Schauffele, who rose up seven places after going round in 63 to tie second on 15 under along with Viktor Hovland.
World number two Scottie Scheffler placed fourth, a shot back, ahead of Sam Burns and Nick Dunlap, whose par on the final hole ensured his place in the top 50, meaning he will be able to play in the second leg of the playoffs.
That will take place next week, at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines in Colorado.
Jessica Pegula will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open final after battling past Paula Badosa.
World number six Pegula was made to wait for victory after a lengthy rain delay, eventually triumphing 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Sunday.
Sabalenka, the world number three, awaits in the showpiece after clinching a straight-sets victory over Iga Swiatek.
The 30-year-old Pegula raced out the blocks, breaking twice to snatch a 4-0 lead, despite requiring three break points to deal the second blow to Badosa.
Pegula did not look back from there, wrapping up the opener in 38 minutes before the match was paused with the score level midway through the second set.
Badosa utilised that prolonged stoppage to bounce back, taking both break chances to send the semi-final to a decider.
Yet Pegula held her nerve, staving off four break points to hold out for a 2-1 third-set lead before Badosa faltered on her own serve to fall to defeat in just under two hours.
Data Debrief: Pegula matches career-high
Straight off the back of her Canadian Open triumph, Pegula is in red-hot form heading into the final against Sabalenka, aiming for back-to-back WTA 1000 event triumphs.
The six-time major quarter-finalist has now won her last nine matches across WTA Tour outings, matching her previous career-best streak. Pegula is the sixth player in the Open Era to reach the finals at the Canadian and Cincinnati Open in a calendar year after Rosie Casals, Evonne Goolagong, Na Li, Serena Williams and Simona Halep.
Badosa continues to wait for her maiden victory over Pegula, while the Spaniard is also without a top-10 win on the hard courts since beating Barbora Krejcikova two years ago in Sydney.
Jordan Spieth plans to have surgery on his troublesome wrist injury as soon as possible, the American said after his disappointing FedEx Cup playoffs exit.
The three-time major champion could only finish nine-over par at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, leaving him towards the bottom of the leaderboard and well short of the top-10 position required to progress.
Spieth has battled with a wrist issue for over a year, having first suffered the injury ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship before attempting various treatments to avoid going under the knife.
Yet the 31-year-old has acknowledged surgery is now needed, hoping to get the issue with his left hand resolved.
"I've got to have it operated on ASAP, and then I'll go through the process of what I'm supposed to do from there," Spieth said on Sunday.
The tendon issue has shown no signs of healing, with Spieth expecting a three-month recovery period for his wrist to heal.
"If I don't have a reason to try to rush back – which I don't – I'll probably just take it as slow as I can," he added.
Spieth has failed to make the cut eight times this year in 21 tournaments, though Sunday was just the second instance he has not managed to progress past the first round of the FedEx Cup.
"I kept trying not to make excuses for myself because it didn't hurt when I was swinging," Spieth said.
"But it doesn't seem coincidental based on the amount of time, and really the results being the exact same every single week. So I'm very hopeful.
"I think there's some clarity in getting it done. There's also some uncertainty, and so it's a little scary.
"But also, if I can learn to find some patience – which I'm not very good at doing – then I think I could come back stronger."
Aryna Sabalenka reached the Cincinnati Open final for the first time by toppling Iga Swiatek, clinching an impressive 6-3 6-3 victory over the world number one.
Sabalenka needed one hour and 48 minutes to beat Swiatek and book a final meeting with either Jessica Pegula or Paula Badosa.
The Belarusian entered Saturday's heavyweight clash having lost on all three of her previous semi-final appearances at Cincinnati, falling short of the showpiece match in 2018, 2022 and 2023.
However, she produced a fine performance to end that hoodoo on Sunday, preying on a below-par showing from Swiatek, who won just six of 30 points on her second serve throughout.
Sabalenka made her intentions clear by breaking to love in the second game of the encounter, and though Swiatek hit straight back, another break in the sixth game was enough to hand her the opening set.
Both players were tested on their own serve in the second set, with Sabalenka saving four of five break points faced while converting three of 13 she generated on Swiatek's serve.
Swiatek saved a remarkable 10 match points, eight of them against her own serve, as Sabalenka was forced to clinch her victory the hard way, but a fifth break of the match finally got her over the line.
Sabalenka has now made five WTA Tour-level finals in 2024, the joint-most alongside Swiatek and Elena Rybakina.
Data Debrief: Another big scalp for Sabalenka
Sabalenka's victory was her fourth over a world number one at WTA 1000-level events since the format's 2009 introduction, the joint-most of any player alongside Petra Kvitova.
She has now reached a total of 29 WTA Tour-level finals, the most of any player on the tour since 2017 (Swiatek is second with 26).
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