Sports
U.S. sweeps International team 5-0 on Day 1 of Presidents Cup
Sep 26, 2024; Ile Bizard, Quebec, CAN; Scottie Scheffler of team U.S.A. tees off on the second hole during the first round of The Presidents Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images The U.S. team clicked at almost every turn in sweeping five four-ball matches to open Presidents Cup competition by blitzing the International team Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club.
The 5-0 count marked the first sweep of a four-ball session for the U.S. since the 1994 Presidents Cup.
The most dominant round came from Russell Henley and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as they secured a 3-and-2 victory over South Korea’s Tom Kim and Sungjae Im. That also marked the tensest encounter.
After Kim celebrated a long birdie putt that gave the International tandem the brief upper hand on the par-3 seventh, Scheffler sank a 27-foot birdie to halve the hole. Scheffler turned and shouted “What was that?” in Kim’s direction, clearly one of the most emotional moments of the first day.
The U.S. pairings showed stellar finishing touches because they led all five matches at times and didn’t need many clutch moments down the stretch.
Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele gave the U.S. its first point with a 1-up victory on South Korea’s Byeong Hun An and Australia’s Jason Day.
Finau’s chip-in front the greenside rough for a birdie on No. 14 allowed the U.S. team to halve the hole. Finau and Schauffele both missed putts from inside 4 feet on No. 16, keeping the match tied.
Schauffele was good from 3 feet on the last hole to clinch the point.
Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala, who’s in his first international team competition representing the U.S., topped Australians Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee 1 up.
Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark never trailed and took the lead for good on the 13th hole to edge South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Canada’s Taylor Pendrith 1 up.
Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns finished the sweep by winning 2 and 1 against Canada’s Corey Conners and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama. A birdie from Burns at No. 13 gave the U.S. a 2-up lead, and that was the final shift.
The four-ball matches came on the opening day of four days of competition, concluding Sunday. The first team to 15 1/2 points wins the cup.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cowboys: No long-term deal for WR George Pickens
Dec 25, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys will make wide receiver George Pickens play the 2026 season under the franchise tag, chief operating officer Stephen Jones said Wednesday.
“We’ve made a decision,” Jones told reporters in a pre-draft press conference. “… There won’t be negotiations on a long-term deal.”
The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens Feb. 27, the first time they had done so since 2022 with tight end Dalton Schultz.
Pickens, 25, would earn a guaranteed $27.3 million in 2026 under the tag, which he has not yet signed.
Jones said last week he had not received any trade inquiries about Pickens, who caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards with nine touchdowns in 17 games (15 starts) in his first season with the Cowboys in 2025.
The Steelers selected Pickens in the second round of the 2022 draft and he played his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. Pickens has produced 267 receptions, 4,270 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 65 games (55 starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves promote RHP Didier Fuentes, shuffle rotation
Mar 29, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes (72) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves promoted right-hander Didier Fuentes from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Wednesday’s road game against the Washington Nationals.
Right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Fuentes.
The Braves pushed previously announced starter Martin Perez back to Thursday at Washington, giving fellow left-hander Chris Sale an additional day of rest before he takes the mound at home Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Fuentes, who made his major league debut last season, started the season in the Atlanta bullpen before being sent down to Gwinnett to build up as a starter.
He had a 2.25 ERA in four major league innings with four strikeouts and one walk before he was sent down. In three Triple-A starts spanning 16 2/3 innings, he went 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA, 20 strikeouts and six walks.
Fuentes, who debuted three days after his 20th birthday last June, had a 13.85 ERA in four starts and 13 innings in 2025, allowing 20 earned runs on 23 hits. However, his 0.66 ERA, 18 strikeouts and one walk over 13 2/3 innings this spring helped him earn an Opening Day roster spot.
Hamilton, 30, allowed three runs in one inning of his Braves debut in Tuesday’s 11-4 loss to the Nationals. Over seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2018, 2020), Minnesota Twins (2022), New York Yankees (2023-25) and Braves, Hamilton is 6-6 with a 3.75 ERA over 151 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres bolster rotation, sign RHP Lucas Giolito to 1-year deal
Sep 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Right-hander Lucas Giolito signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the Padres, however there is a mutual option for the 2027 season. He’ll begin his major league buildup at Single-A Lake Elsinore, per MLB.com.
The addition of Giolito comes with San Diego nursing injuries to its starting rotation, namely right-hander Nick Pivetta (right flexor strain). Joe Musgrove (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Griffin Canning (Achilles) have yet to make their respective season debuts, and fellow right-hander Yu Darvish is on the Padres’ restricted list while he recovers from elbow surgery.
Giolito, 31, posted a 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA in 26 appearances (all starts) last season with the Boston Red Sox.
He is 71-66 with a 4.30 ERA over 206 appearances (204 starts) with the Washington Nationals (2016), Chicago White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023) and Red Sox (2025). He was selected by the Nationals with the 16th overall pick in 2012.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday to make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
–Field Level Media
Cowboys: No long-term deal for WR George Pickens
Braves promote RHP Didier Fuentes, shuffle rotation
