Justin Rose raised some eyebrows with the announcement that he will debut new McLaren Golf clubs at this week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami.

It’s part of the Formula One racing team’s launch into the golf space and coincides with this week’s Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

On the surface it looks like a big gamble by the 45-year-old Rose, who became the second-oldest player to reach No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his win at Torrey Pines earlier this year. Now No. 5 following a two-week break after a tie for third at the Masters, Rose is making the switch ahead of a stretch that includes two signature events and the PGA Championship.

Rose said he has been working with the McLaren Golf engineering team from the outset for “a lot longer than a year,” and has conducted extensive testing with the clubs.

“Clubs are feeling great. Obviously a lot of my own preferences have gone into the irons that I’m playing,” the Englishman said on Tuesday. “I’m excited to finally get them in the bag and sort of just enjoy them now for the rest of the season.”

Rose added that he has been playing without a club manufacturer deal and that he has been trying out different equipment without playing what he would deem the “perfect” set of clubs for him. He also made a club switch in 2019, so he also learned from that process.

“I’m actually looking at what can be better. I’m looking to mitigate risk,” Rose said. “I’m looking at some of the performance data that I’m getting on the range and places like that and out performing what I have. So that’s the exciting part for me.

“Obviously there’s going to be a refinement process. You can test all you want, you got to get the clubs in play, and there’s going to be little mini situations out there, different lies, all sorts of things, just getting comfortable. But in the long-term, no, I don’t see there being an issue at all.”

Rose sees McLaren focusing on a “high end” section of the golf landscape rather than trying to become a mass producer of clubs. He has also become good friends with F1 team principal Zak Brown and reigning world champion Lando Norris, with the McLaren Testing Center about 20 minutes from his home.

“They’re both very keen golfers,” Rose said. “I think there’s a little bit of a get together tomorrow night. So which is kind of before their week gets serious, before our week gets serious. But, yeah, those guys are probably as excited about the launch as I am.”

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots captains Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane are pleased with the energy Mike Vrabel has brought to the team this week, but didn’t offer opinions about the coach’s highly-discussed off-the-field issues.

Vrabel skipped Saturday’s third and final day of the NFL draft for a counseling session and returned to the team Monday as the Patriots continue their voluntary offseason workouts.

Vrabel addressed the team on April 21 and Tuesday marked the first time since the speech that players were available to the media.

Henry and Spillane both said Vrabel spoke about the situation involving former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. The two were photographed together last month at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Ariz., holding hands, hugging and sharing a hot tub. Both are married to other people.

“I thought he did a great job,” Henry said of Vrabel’s talk to the team. “It’s been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy in the room. Obviously, he addressed it and that’s kind of all I’ll say about it.”

Henry, a tight end, is entering his sixth season with the Patriots and 10th overall. Spillane, a linebacker, has long revered Vrabel, dating back to when he was an undrafted free agent in 2018 and competing for a spot on the Tennessee Titans’ roster with Vrabel as coach.

Now entering his ninth NFL season, Spillane said he hasn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.

“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane said. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football. … I love Coach and I’m going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I’m just a player and trying to do that the best I can.”

Though the controversial situation has played out publicly, both players said returning to the Super Bowl is a bigger talking point in the locker room. New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in February.

“Obviously I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on,” said Henry, who had a career-high 768 yards to go with 60 receptions and seven touchdown catches in 2025. “To be honest with you, I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building, with this team.

“Had a long season last year, quick turnaround into the offseason, we’re in a new building. And every year is a new year. We’re trying to build this team, we’re trying to come together, so I’m just focused on the guys in this locker room, and trying to build it from the ground up again. We have a long journey ahead of us; we have to start somewhere, so we’re starting right now.”

Spillane expressed that expectations will be higher and that the Patriots will have a target on their backs.

“It’s going to be a brand-new team,” said Spillane, who had 97 tackles and two interceptions last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. “It’s a chance for us to come together, to get to know our teammates, to learn and connect with each other, and really grow with our craft. And that’s what we’re really focused on.”

Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. He took a team that went 4-13 in 2024 and guided them to a 14-3 record. New England beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl.

Vrabel and Russini were spotted together prior to the NFL league meetings that began March 29 in Phoenix. Sedona is approximately two hours north of Phoenix.

When the situation first came to light publicly, Vrabel said, “those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”

The Athletic and Russini parted ways days later.

–Field Level Media

The International Football Association Board held a special meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday to approve a pair of FIFA-approved amendments to address inappropriate behavior ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America

One new rule permit officials to issue red cards for any players who cover their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent or to any players who leave the field of play in protest of a decision made by a referee.

This change stems from a Champions League match when Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni said racially abusive comments directed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior while pulling his jersey up over his mouth to hide what he was saying. Vinicius was visibly emotional after the confrontation, and Prestianni received a six-match ban from UEFA for the incident.

The International Football Association Board held a special meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday to approve a pair of FIFA-approved amendments to address inappropriate behavior ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America

The other new amendment permit officials to issue red cards for any players who leave the field of play in protest of a decision made by a referee. It also applies to any team official who convinces his team’s players to leave the field in protest of a call.

IFAB said in its statement that all 48 teams competing in the World Cup will be informed of these amendments in the coming weeks.

The World Cup kicks off June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City.

–Field Level Media