Month: November 2023

World No. 3 Jon Rahm announced on Thursday he is withdrawing from the roster for the inaugural season of TGL, the tech-infused golf league started by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Rahm wrote on X: “I am sad to confirm that I will not be participating in the first TGL season. While I still think it’s a great opportunity, right now it would require a level of commitment that I can’t offer. Best of luck to everyone involved and may the best team win!”

Woods and McIlroy announced the league in 2022, running in partnership with the PGA Tour and include team events in an arena at the Palm Beach State College branch campus in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. A group of PGA Tour players, including Woods, McIlroy and Justin Thomas are among those committed to compete in TGL. Each team in the league will feature four PGA Tour players, who compete in head-to-head and match play events.

TGL announced Thursday that McIlroy will compete alongside Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Tyrrell Hatton on Boston Common Golf, one of six teams in the league. Said McIlroy: “I’m thrilled to join Boston Common Golf and to be representing Boston and New England’s rich sports culture. TGL brings a unique dimension to the game, and I can’t wait to stand with Adam, Keegan, and Tyrrell as my teammates. It’s a fantastic opportunity that will offer us all a chance to build lasting connections and to foster regional pride that you don’t often see in the game of golf.”

The TGL opener will be at 9 p.m. EST Jan. 9. The TGL campaign will feature 15 regular-season matches leading into a postseason, airing on ESPN and ESPN2.

Editorial credit: Arturo Baldasano / Shutterstock.com

The Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 on Wednesday in Phoenix, winning the World Series and becoming the champions for the first time in the franchise’s 63-season history. The Rangers appeared in two World Series previously, but lost to the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The game was scoreless through six innings with Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen was dominating, before Rangers shortstop Corey Seager broke up the no-hitter in the seventh, and two batters later, Mitch Garver’s single scored Seager for the game’s first run. The Rangers then scored four more runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by a monster Marcus Semien 2-run home run off Paul Sewald deep to center field for the 5-0 lead.

Seager was named series MVP, becoming just the fourth player ever to win two World Series MVP awards. Seager said while accepting his award: “I’m just happy to be a part of this team. The resilience of this group, just the fight, the fight is what it is.” The Rangers’ Bruce Bochy became the sixth manager to win at least four World Series titles. Bochy, who had won three with the San Francisco Giants, came out of retirement to achieve the feat. Bochy said: “I was sitting on a recliner there in Nashville, just enjoying myself, when he called me. I’m so honored by these guys. They inspire me with how resilient they’ve been, but to get this call and be part of this, I know how blessed I am. I can’t thank these guys enough.”

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after Wednesday’s game: “This is painful. This is just plain painful. And I can’t quite move past that right now. But I will. I told the guys to absorb it and process it the right way. Don’t compartmentalize it; don’t put it away. Think about how you feel when you get to that point, and we’ll get to that crossroads at some point and be able to say, ‘Wow, this was a great run.’”

Editorial credit: Joseph Hendrickson / Shutterstock.com

Shortly after Las Vegas Raiders team owner Mark Davis fired head coach Josh McDaniels, general manager David Ziegler and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi this week (naming Antonio Pierce the interim head coach), the organization is making more big changes to the team.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders are benching quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and plan to start rookie Aidan O’Connell in Week 9 vs. the New York Giants, and will continue with O’Connell moving forward. Garoppolo is having a rough season after having signed a three-year deal with the Raiders this offseason; he’s currently 3-3 as the starter this year with career-lows in yards per attempt (7.2), passer rating (78.1) and TD-INT ratio (0.78), and leads the league in interceptions with nine despite playing in just six games.

Garoppolo’s benching comes off the Raiders’ 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night, in which he completed just 47.6% of his passes for a season-low 126 passing yards and one interception. The former New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers QB agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million deal, including $34 million guaranteed, with the Raiders in this past March.

O’Connell, meanwhile, ws selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Purdue, and made his first career start in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, completing 24 of 39 passes for 238 yards and one interception with a rushing touchdown in the 24-17 loss. O’Connell also stepped in for Brian Hoyer during the Week 7 loss to the Chicago Bears, and completed 10 of 13 passes for 75 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Editorial credit: Count Chris / Shutterstock.com