Sports
Aaron Rai rises to No. 15 in world rankings, Jon Rahm to No. 12
May 17, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Aaron Rai poses with the trophy after winning the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Aaron Rai vaulted 29 spots to a career-high No. 15 in the latest edition of the Official World Golf Rankings thanks to his first major championship
Rai won the PGA Championship on Sunday at Aronimink Golf Club, the first Englishman to do so since 1919. Rai previously had never finished better than tied for 19th at a major.
Rai, who previously had one PGA Tour win to go with three on the DP World Tour, passed the likes of Justin Thomas, who shot 65 Sunday to tie for fourth and remained No. 16 in the world; Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, now No. 19; and Viktor Hovland of Norway, whose missed cut cost him three ranking spots and pushed him down to No. 30.
It was a banner day for Europeans, as Englishman Justin Rose climbed into the top five while Jon Rahm of Spain moved up eight spots to No. 12 in the world.
Rose, who spent 13 weeks at No. 1 in 2018, has enjoyed a career resurgence during his 40s as he leapt to No. 3 in the rankings as recently as February for winning the Farmers Insurance Open. He tied for 10th at the PGA Championship, his second straight top-10 at majors this year after tying for third at the Masters.
Rose passed Collin Morikawa and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, the latter of whom missed the cut at the PGA.
As for Rahm, he has experienced one of the largest rises in the OWGR this year because of his status on LIV Golf. Players are receiving world ranking points from LIV events for the first time, but only for finishing top-10 in an event. Rahm has placed top-10 in all seven events so far, with two wins and three runner-up finishes.
Rahm began the season No. 84 in the world rankings. By tying for second at the PGA Championship — his best showing at a major in three years — he ascended to his highest world ranking since he was No. 10 in the summer of 2024.
Before the PGA Championship, he said he felt he was playing better than his ranking would suggest, but he didn’t pay it much mind.
“When it comes to the rankings, obviously it’s a little trickier nowadays, even though we’re getting some points in LIV,” Rahm said. “Still, I think as players, we know we usually have a fairly good assessment of where we stand. I don’t really necessarily need a ranking to tell me where I’m at or where I feel like I’m at.”
The top four in the OWGR remained Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick of England. Four Englishmen occupy the top 15: Fitzpatrick, Rose, Fleetwood and Rai.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Travis Bazzana's career night powers Guardians past Astros
Jun 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) watches his three-run home run against the Houston Astros in the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Travis Bazzana recorded his first career four-hit game and first multi-homer game while Joey Cantillo worked a career-high-tying eight innings as the visiting Cleveland Guardians rolled to an 8-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Bazzana finished 4-for-4 with three runs and five RBIs — also a single-game best. The former first overall draft pick homered in the first and fifth innings and carried the offense alongside Kyle Manzardo, who finished 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.
Cantillo (6-3) logged more than six innings for the first time this season en route to his third quality start. Cantillo allowed one run on four hits and struck out a season-high-tying nine batters.
Bazzana started the scoring with haste, drilling the first pitch of the game from Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-3) out to right-center field. Bazzana spotted the Guardians a 1-0 lead with his second career leadoff home run and sixth homer of the season.
Arrighetti appeared to settle down following the Bazzana blast and retired six batters in a row. But even after receiving some help from his defense in the third, Arrighetti faltered that frame.
Astros center fielder Jake Meyers erased Patrick Bailey as he attempted to go from first to third on a Bazzana single for the second out of the inning. But Manzardo followed with his ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left-center that plated Bazzana and lifted Cleveland to a 3-1 lead.
Two innings later, with Steven Kwan (hit by pitch) and Bailey (single) on base, Bazzana blasted his seventh home run 406 feet to right-center as the Guardians stretched their advantage to 6-1.
Arrighetti, the American League Pitcher of the month in May, continued his June swoon. He allowed a season-worst six runs on six hits while posting eight strikeouts over six innings. Arrighetti is 0-2 with a 6.95 ERA across four starts this month.
Cantillo surrendered three consecutive hits in the second, including an RBI single to Yainer Diaz that plated Isaac Paredes. He was untouchable the rest of the way and retired the final 14 batters he faced.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Eloy Room helps Curacao earn first World Cup point with Ecuador draw
June 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Curacao’s Eloy Room reacts. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images Curacao found a comfort level in their second-ever World Cup match, pulling off a 0-0 tie with Ecuador behind the play of goalkeeper Eloy Room to earn the country’s first-ever point in a Group E match Saturday night in Kansas City.
Room made 15 saves, just shy of the record 16 made by the United States’ Tim Howard in a 2014 World Cup match against Belgium. The effort helped Curacao rebound from a 7-1 loss to Germany in their World Cup debut last Sunday.
At the final whistle, Room went to his knees, and the 37-year-old bowed his head onto the turf in relief.
Ecuador’s disappointing World Cup run continued with a second consecutive scoreless match. They lost to Ivory Coast 1-0 on Sunday.
Neither team was officially eliminated from advancing to the knockout round, although they will each need a win on the final matchday to stay alive.
Ecuador (0-1-1, 1 point) has a daunting task ahead with a match against Germany on Thursday at East Rutherford, N.J. Curacao (0-1-1, 1 point) will complete their group-stage schedule with a simultaneous match against Ivory Coast at Philadelphia.
Among the many high-level saves Room made, the most impressive might have come in the third minute on a shot from close range from Ecuador’s Enner Valencia. With a clean look at goal, Valencia’s shot was stopped on a dive from Room to his left.
The stop set a high standard that the goalkeeper from Miami FC of the second-division USL Championship was able to maintain throughout.
Ecuador primary held possession on Curacao’s end in the closing minutes. Early in stoppage time, Ecuador substitute Angelo Preciado took a shot from long range that rebounded off the top of the crossbar.
Room reached 15 saves on a long-range shot from Ecuador’s Pedro Vite in the 80th minute. Ecuador was unable to get another shot on target despite constant pressure.
Ecuador dominated the run of play with 63% of possession to 26% for Curacao. Ecuador also had a 28-10 advantage on shots with Curacao taking three on target.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with infielder Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Schwarber had three home runs, including two in one inning, for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 15-3 rout of the visiting New York Mets on Saturday.
Bryce Harper hit for the cycle while going 4-for-5 for the Phillies, who had lost two in a row. Starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (9-3) held New York to one run on five hits and struck out five with one walk in six innings.
Freddy Peralta (5-6) allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings for the Mets, who had won two straight games.
Harper sent a fastball over the wall in right-center field to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the first.
In the second, Alec Bohm singled, J.T Realmuto drove him in with a double and then came around to score when Justin Crawford knocked a double of his own for a 3-0 advantage.
The Phillies went through 12 batters to blow the game open in the third, chasing Peralta.
Schwarber (4-for-5, six RBIs) rocked a solo shot 456 feet to the upper deck in right center to lead it off. Harper doubled and scored on a Brandon Marsh single. Marsh went to second on a throwing error by Marcus Semien on his hit, and Bryson Stott brought him in with a double. Realmuto connected for another pair of bases, scoring Stott to extend it to 7-0.
Crawford walked and Trea Turner singled to drive in Realmuto. That marked the end of Peralta’s night.
Cionel Perez entered to face Schwarber in his second turn of the frame, and he blasted a sinker 457 feet to the same spot to make it 11-0.
The Mets got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Mark Vientos connected for a solo shot to left field.
Philadelphia added two more in the fifth. With two on and two out, Harper completed the cycle with a triple to center field off Tobias Myers, scoring Turner and Schwarber.
Carson Benge’s two-run homer to right-center in the seventh off reliever Max Lazar cut it to 13-3.
Schwarber connected for his third home run of the night in the bottom half of the frame, a two-run shot to right.
–Field Level Media
