Rory McIlroy finally wins Masters, completes career grand slam; NBA playoffs, play-in games set

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🏌 Good morning to all, but especially to …

Rory McILroy, Masters champion

It could have disappeared on Thursday, when he doubled two of his last four holes to fall seven shots, the largest 18-hole deficit that has ever surpassed the masters.

It could have disappeared on Sunday in the early hours, when he doubled the first hole and saw his lead disappear. Or 12 holes later, when it pushed a tone of 78 gardens about 20 meters to the right and the water en route to another double bogey. Or what could have been the clinician of Augusta National Golf Club on 18, where a short put meant the danger of a playoff.

Then it could have disappeared at any time during the 11 years, but Rory mcilroy He continued to appear, continued to connect -he continued, and fell after the question, the question after question, even questioning. McILroy is the 2025 masters champion, winning his first green jacket and turning into the Sixth Man to win the Great Slam race.

• To the opening hole (18) of the playoff versus Justin roseMcILroy filled his 4 -foot approach. After Rose lost a birdie makable putt, McILroy sank and held emotionallyIt fades to green, frying and shouting with relief.
• And what relief is. Since winning the 2014 PGA Championship, he has ended in the top five in an amount 11 and runner -up (including links) four times.
• All the other Grand Slam winners of career – Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene – got the final part of the slam in three attempts or less. This was the eleventh McILroy test to Augusta National.
• Woods was between Those who congratulated McILroy on his triumph.

Resilience is an intangible thing. You can’t put any number there. But you can try, especially taking into account the essays and tribulations for the last 11 years in general and the last four days in Augusta:

• 11 years between main titles, tied for longer
• 17th professional appearance at Masters, second before a victory (Sergio Garcia19)
• First player to win the masters despite doing four double bogeys
• Tied Woods (2005) and Nick Faldo (1990) for a larger 18 -hole deficit exceeded to masters

Even McILroy wasn’t sure he would win here. It is so, a boy at the top of his sport for more than a decade contemplated the belief. Here is a victory for McILroy, yes, but count -as a victory to never give up, by the clicks that roll up your eyes, but led McILroy to his advance.

Is A victory of all time to top a master’s degreeWrite Robby Kalland. Here is Patrick McDonald’s office from a Correg Classic Sunday.

• McDonald: “Win the masters and complete the Grand Slam race will never be easy. Not for Rory McILroy. Why would Golf would not care about your name or your pedigree or what you have achieved earlier, even if you are one of the timers that the game has ever produced.”

😄 Honorable Mentions

😞 And it’s not a good day for …

Bryson Dechambeau

Yes, it is another devastating loss for Rose. It is his third runner -up in Augusta and his second in a playoff. A magnificent Sunday 66, including -a bird triumphs on the 18th, it was nothing. If McILroy unlocked his missing teachers was the focus of the week, we cannot alleviate with Rose still trying to find the secret path to his own.

But the story that came on Sunday was McILroy vs. Bryson DechambeauAnd when Dechambeau turned a two -stroke deficit into a single time lead after only two holes, it seemed that we would have a great battle, as we did last year when Dechambeau won McILroy in the United States Open.

Instead, Dechambeau found the water and doubled bogey at 11 and then found the water again on 15. He finished tied for fifth, four shots of the rhythm.

There was an incredible finish, well, but did not include Dechambeau. Rory vs. Bryson 2.0 fell flat.

😳 not so honorable mentions

🏀 NBA Playoff, game matches set as the regular season concludes

The regular NBA season has come and left, but not before going down to the wire, until the last game, in fact. With Cutters beat the Warrior124-119, in extra hours, this is what the western conference looks like:

• Play-in: Warriors vs. GrizzliesThe winner is number 7 then
• Play-in: Kings-Mavericks The winner plays Warriors-Grizzlies losing for number 8
• First Round: Number 1 of Thrones vs. no. 8 Warriors/Grizzlies/Reis/Mavericks
• First round: rockets no. 2 vs. no. 7 Warriors/Grizzlies
• First round: no. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
• First round: No. 4 nuggets vs. Nº 5 clippers

Golden State left two of his last three and three of his last five to fall into the game, making them a loser on the last day. The team that lost, however, is a great winner, writes Colin Ward-Henninger.

• Ward-Henninger: “”Winner: Clippers as title contenders – Kawhi Leonard and James Harden Combined by 72 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds in the shot of 26 by 42 (62%), including 9 of 16 of the range of 3 points … In the meantime, Ivica zubac The small ball warriors were punished, passing through 22 points and 17 rebounds in the shot of 11 of 16, since the clippers improved until 18-3 from March 5 … Leonard is healthy and dominant, Harden is resurfaced and the clippers are absolutely scary. “”

East …

• Play-in: Magic vs. HawksThe winner is 7 then
• Play-in: Bulls-Heat The winner plays the Magic-Hawks loser for 8
• First round: No. 1 Cavaliers vs. no. 8 Magic/Hawks/Bulls/Heat
• First round: No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Magic/Hawks
• First round: No. 3 Knicks vs. Pistons no. 6
• First round: 4 pacers vs. no. $ 5

There are more here:

🏀 Preview WNBA project

It WNBA Draft is tonightAnd in a draft full of unknowns, we know one thing by the way: Paige Bueckers The number 1 will generally go to the Wings.

We have not covered Bueckers: the Uconn Superstar who has just won a national title, both because his status over the project has been well established. Just as Well, is she? Jack Maloney evaluated Where Buckers is between the last 10 general items number 1And say -Ne only comes well.

• Maloney: “The former Naismith Award Award and three times AP All-American does everything well in the offensive end, except, perhaps, hunts his own traits and is an undervalued defender. The only real blow is his extensive history of injuries, but he has not had a significant injury since 2022.”

On the eve of the project, Buckers also committed to playing unmatchedAnd that should make everyone happy, because it is a joy to see. Also on the eve of the draft, the Sky acquired the number 11 selection from Lynx.

As for tonight …

MLB Power Rankings, Weekend Roundup

Another week, another Matt Snyder number 1 MLB power rankings. Yes, that’s soon, but the NL West seems loaded. Here are the first six … and you will see why we go six.

1. Padre (previous: 5)
2. Mets (7)
3. Cubes (9)
4. Giants (4)
5. Phillies (2)
6. Dodgers (2)

Yes, these are three NL West teams. In addition, the 9-7 Diamond They are ninth. It Rockee They are … 30. But still! Four of the first nine are absurd.

At the other end, the 4-11 Brave It was the main focus of Matt this week and not for a good reason. We’ll see if Spencer is founds awaited return Helps to turn things around.

Anywhere else …

Kyren Lacy dies at 24

Kyren LacyA wide receiver perspective of 2025 NFL Lsu, died on Saturday night.

• According to the Harris County Sheriff’s office in Houston, Texas was sent to investigate an incident that assumed Lacy allegedly unloaded a weapon during an argument.
• Lacy was not at the scene when police arrived, but they were able to track their vehicle, leading to a mile chase.
• Lacy’s car crashed, and when police approached, they discovered that Lacy had died from an apparent auto-inflicted shot wound.
• In January, Lacy was arrested and accused of negligent manslaughter, a crime affected by the death and reckless operation of a vehicle derived from a December 17 accident who killed a 78 -year -old man and injured two more.

Lacy led the tigers to receive Touchdowns (new) and was second in the team in receptions (58) and received the gardens (866) last season.

📺 What are we seeing on Monday

🥎 211hoi at number 22 AlabamaAt 19 hours on the dry network
⚾ Royals in the Yankees19:05 on the MLB network
🏀 WNBA draft19:30 in Espn