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Justin Leonard leads Chubb Classic, step closer to 1st Tour win

PGA: PNC ChampionshipDec 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, [USA]; Justin Leonard hits a tees shot on the fifth hole during the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Justin Leonard matched the low round of the day on Saturday to take a one-shot lead through 36 holes of the Chubb Classic as he seeks his first win on the PGA Tour Champions.

Leonard, in his 45th start on the senior tour, shot a 7-under 65 at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. He is at 11 under to lead South Africa’s Ernie Els, who shot 67, by one stroke heading into Sunday’s final round.

“It’s been a very long time,” Leonard said. “So to have the opportunity is something that I — that’s why we’re all out here playing.

“So to be able to have the opportunity tomorrow and be in a good position, you know, I’m going to sleep well tonight and wake up tomorrow and, you know, it’s not going to change how I feel about myself, whatever happens tomorrow.”

Leonard carded eight birdies, including three par-5 holes. A bogey on the par-4 No. 17 was his only blemish.

“You know, it was a fun day,” he said. “It was solid. I think the wind was up enough to where it had my full attention all day long, and that’s a good thing.”

Leonard, 52, is 0-for-1 when either leading or co-leading with 18 holes to play on this tour. He finished tied for sixth in 2023 and tied for 61st last year at the Chubb Classic.

Els, 55, is seeking his eighth win on tour in 107 starts. He captured the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Jan. 18 to open the season. A victory Sunday would make Els the first player since Miguel Angel Jimenez in 2022 to win two of the first three tournaments of the season on this tour.

“Keys to tomorrow is just go out and play, play solid golf,” Els said. “The wind picked up today. Just tough scoring. But Justin is a tough competitor. There is a bunch of guys behind us, so we just got to put the foot on the gas.”

Els opened with a birdie on No. 1 and did the same on Nos. 5, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 15. A double bogey on the par-3 No. 7 had set Els back to even par for the tournament, but he rallied with a 33 on the back nine.

First-round co-leader Paul Stankowski is in third place at 8 under after a 1-under 71. Stankowski, 55, who put up three birdies against two bogeys and 13 pars, is looking for his first win on tour in 80 starts.

Mario Tiziani, the other first-round co-leader, carded 73 and is tied for 10th at 6 under. He carded three birdies and four bogeys in an eventful round.

Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, 50, matched Leonard with a 65 and went bogey free. Aguilar, in his debut on PGA Tour Champions, moved up 28 spots to a tie for fourth at 7 under with Heath Slocum (67), Joe Durant (70), Tim Petrovic (69), Billy Andrade (69) and Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson (71).

–Field Level Media

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Tyrone Taylor cracks 3-run shot to spark Mets over Dodgers

Jul 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor (28) reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn ImagesJul 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor (28) reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Tyrone Taylor’s go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning propelled the New York Mets to an 8-3 victory on Sunday over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

The veteran outfielder greeted reliever Evan Phillips with a 405-foot blast into the left field seats for his eighth homer of the season and fifth since July 4. It doubled as the Mets’ first hit since the first.

Marcus Semien, a defensive replacement in the seventh, added another three-run shot to cap a four-run seventh for the Mets as they snapped a three-game skid.

Four relievers combined to limit the Dodgers to three singles and one hit by pitch over the final five innings. Cionel Perez (4-3) pitched two perfect innings and struck out three.

Los Angeles’ bullpen did not match the Mets. Jack Dreyer walked two batters in the sixth and got only one out before being replaced by Phillips (0-2), who allowed a homer for the fourth time in his last five appearances. Will Klein gave up four runs in the seventh on two hits and two walks.

The first three Mets batters got hits off Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan, with leadoff hitter A.J. Green doubling and scoring on Francisco Lindor’s single. Bo Bichette (2-for-4) followed with another base hit. After that, Sheehan allowed just two walks and one hit batsman while fanning five over five innings.

Los Angeles scored twice in the third off Mets starter Freddy Peralta. Eliezer Alfonzo hit a leadoff double. After an out and an Andy Pages walk, Freddy Freeman doubled home Alfonzo. Max Muncy’s groundout made it 2-1.

Freeman finished 2-for-4 for his fourth straight multi-hit game. Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernandez also went 2-for-4.

Peralta needed 93 pitches to get through four innings. He gave up six hits, three runs (two earned) and two walks while striking out three.

The Dodgers, who saw their four-game winning streak end, loaded the bases off Luke Weaver with two out in the eighth. However, Weaver made a great play on a Hernandez dribbler between the mound and third base to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

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Michael Massey's blast lifts Royals over Tigers

Jul 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA;  Kansas City Royals center fielder Lane Thomas (15) hits a home run in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn ImagesJul 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lane Thomas (15) hits a home run in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michael Massey hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the visiting Kansas City Royals hung on for a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Massey’s eighth homer made a winner of Nate Pearson (2-0), who was making his Royals debut after being acquired in a trade with Houston. Steven Cruz survived a ninth-inning jam to record his second save.

Lane Thomas had a solo homer and Luke Maile added an RBI double as the Royals salvaged a split of the four-game series.

Dillon Dingler had two hits and drove in two runs for Detroit.

Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the first. Leadoff hitter Thomas hit a 3-2 pitch to the opposite field that just cleared the wall. The Royals then scratched out an unearned run. Nick Loftin singled and Salvador Perez was hit by a pitch. Valdez retired the next two batters before walking Isaac Collins to load the bases.

Second baseman Hao-Yu Lee then bobbled Tyler Tolbert’s grounder, allowing Loftin to score.

The Royals made it 3-0 in the fourth. Tolbert drew a one-out walk and Maile followed with a double down the left field line to knock him in.

Detroit took a 4-3 lead in the fifth. Lee led off with a double and Colt Keith walked. Kevin McGonigle singled to load the bases. After Gleyber Torres struck out, Avila was removed for Matt Strahm. Riley Greene hit a bouncer up the middle that got by second baseman Andrew Velazquez for an error. Two runs scored and Greene raced all the way to second. Dingler then knocked in McGonigle and Greene with a single up the middle.

Collins had a bloop single off Drew Sommers with one out in the eighth. Sommers (0-1) struck out the next batter but Massey took advantage of a hanging slider and deposited over the right field wall to give his club a 5-4 advantage.

Detroit had two runners on with no one out in the ninth as Lee walked and Keith singled. Cruz then recorded two strikeouts, sandwiching a popout, to end the contest.

–Field Level Media

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Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers pound Rockies 11-2

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) throws during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies Sunday, July 26, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) throws during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies Sunday, July 26, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jacob Misiorowski retired the first 14 batters he faced and finished with 12 strikeouts, Andrew Vaughn homered and the host Milwaukee Brewers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-2 on Sunday.

Jackson Chourio, Joey Ortiz, Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt and Jake Bauers had two hits apiece for Milwaukee, which broke open a close game in the sixth inning to win the series.

Misiorowski struck out seven in a row to start the game and 12 of the first 13 batters he faced with pitches consistently above 100 mph. Cole Carrigg ended the bid for a perfect game with an opposite-field homer to left.

Willi Castro was hit by a pitch before Misiorowski got Troy Johnston to ground out to end the inning — and his afternoon. Misiorowski (11-4) allowed one run on one hit and didn’t walk a batter in his five innings.

Carrigg’s home run was his fifth of the season and Castro hit a solo home run in the seventh for the Rockies, who finished with five hits and fanned 15 times.

Chourio led off the bottom of the first with the first of his two doubles and scored on Brice Turang’s single. One out later, William Contreras doubled to put runners on second and third, Turang scored on a Freeland wild pitch and Contreras came home on a groundout.

Freeland (2-10) settled in, giving up just two hits over the next four innings before Vaughn led off the sixth with his fourth home run. Freeland left after a one-out walk to Bauers, having allowed five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Brewers added on against Colorado’s bullpen.

Bauers stole second and Jimmy Herget walked Gary Sanchez ahead of three straight doubles. Lara brought home Bauers with the first two-bagger, Pratt made it 7-1 with a two-run double and Ortiz put runners on second and third with the next double.

Pratt capped the inning when he scored on a groundout.

After Castro’s 10th home run, Sanchez and Lara had RBI doubles in the bottom of the seventh and Vaughn a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

–Field Level Media

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