The Grand Finale 

August 24, 2023

By: Carlos Alvarez

Good Morning,

You want playoff sports? We have playoff sports. The PGA Tour Championship tees off this morning for Round 1 with $18 million on the line. Plus, the Lionel Messi fairytale continues for Miami, and Aaron Judge saved the Yankees from their worst losing streak in 110 years.

In Tomorrow’s Edition: The College Football Primer. You’re not dreaming. It’s here, team.

Letter Rip!

GOLF

The Grand Finale

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Image via Giphy/PGATour

FedEx Cup Playoffs Finale: The PGA Tour Championship is Here With $18 Million on the Line

The grand finale… After 46 events, four more days of golf are needed to crown the champion of the PGA Tour. This weekend’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club (Atlanta, GA) is a test of fortitude for the final 30 golfers in the FedEx Cup Playoffs field. Starting strokes give an early advantage to the players who earned the most points during the season, and the biggest cash prize in golf awaits — $18 million! Faster play, smaller field, groups of two and one of the best courses in golf set the stage for 72 holes to glory. Every. Stroke. Matters.

Tour Championship Winners (History)

Only four players in the field enter the final tournament of the year with a FedEx Cup title already in the bag, and one of them has three. Rory McIlroy (3) starts just three strokes back, and he’ll be gunning for his record fourth FedEx Cup crown. Jordan Spieth (1), Patrick Cantlay (1), and Xander Schauffele (1) are all previous winners. That means Sunday could feature a first-time champ in Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm or Lucas Glover.

Starting Strokes

1. S. Scheffler (-10)

2. V. Hovland (-8)

3. R. McIlory (-7)

4. J. Rahm (-6)

5. L. Glover (-5)

  • 4-Under: M. Homa, P. Cantlay, B. Harman, W. Clark, M. Fitzpatrick
  • 3-Under: T. Fleetwood, R. Henley, K. Bradley, R. Fowler, X. Schauffele
  • 2-Under: S. Im, T. Kim, T. Finau, C. Conners, S. Woo Kim
  • 1-Under: J. Day, T. Moore, N. Taylor, A. Schenk, C. Morikawa
  • Even Par: S. Burns, E. Grillo, T. Hatton, J. Spieth, S. Straka

Tour Championship Tee Times (Round 1)

11:26 AM-1:27 PM: Bottom 24 Players

1:38 PM: M. Homa & L. Glover

1:49 PM: R. McIlroy & J. Rahm

2:00 PM: S. Scheffler & V. Hovland

*All Times ET

Four rounds, 30 golfers, and an $18 million check on Sunday. Buckle up for the grand finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs!

Read More

ESPN: Scottie Scheffler Says PGA Tour Playoff Format Could Be Better

Golfweek: Pair of PGA Tour Stars Want Playoff Format to Change, But Not East Lake

CBS Sports: PGA Earnings: How Much Each Golfer in Tour Championship Field Has Made in His Career

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SOCCER

A Fairytale in Pink

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Photo: Chandan Khanna / Getty Images

Inter Miami Unbeaten for 8th Straight Game Since Lionel Messi’s Arrival After Stunning Comeback Against Top Team in MLS

Every time Lionel Messi takes the field for Inter Miami CF, it’s a treat for soccer in North America. The ‘Summer of Messi’ has become a thunderstorm of victories for Miami, and there’s no end in sight after beating the top team in the MLS on Wednesday night. Messi didn’t score in regulation — his first match without a regulation goal since he joined the squad — but he produced two assists in a wild comeback before another penalty-shootout win for Miami. The Messi mismatch is a problem for the MLS…

U.S. Open Cup (Semifinal)

Inter Miami CF def. Cincinnati FC (3-3, 5-4 PKs)

Wednesday night’s Miami-Cincinnati clash in the U.S. Open Cup had a spot in the finals on the line (Messi already launched Miami to the Leagues Cup title last week). Cincinnati FC, the No. 1 team in the MLS standings, took a 2-0 lead on the still-last-placed men in pink. Messi connected on a pin-point cross to Leonardo Campana (68’), and while it looked bleak for Miami, he fired an even more magical cross to the head of Campana again in the waning moments of regulation (97’). Both teams traded goals (3-3) before a PK shootout win for Miami. Another thrilling finish, this time against the best team in the MLS.

“Look at this pass, people! He bends light to venom… Messi, where the impossible becomes easy! Where the magical becomes predictable!” — Ray Hudson (CBS Sports)

You’ve got to love Ray Hudson. But he’s right — this is pure magic. Inter Miami are now unbeaten through eight matches since Messi’s arrival (6-0-2). That’s eight wins, six in regulation, and one more to go for a second club trophy.

“It’s a fairytale in pink! A team transformed.” — Andres Cordero (CBS Sports)

Watch: Messi’s Magic Touch Fuels Inter Miami Comeback in US Open Cup (3-3, 5-4 PKs)

U.S. Open Cup Final

Inter Miami CF vs. Houston Dynamo (Sept. 27)

Read More

NY Post: Messi’s Insane Assist, Clutch PK Leads Inter Miami to Open Cup Final

Forbes: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Reach Another Final After Open Cup Thriller in Cincinnati

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MLB

Bronx Band-Aid: Judge Hits 3 HRs

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Photo: Mike Stobe / Getty Images

Aaron Judge has his first 3-HR Game, Stops the Bleeding for Yankees After Worst Losing Streak Since 1982 (9 Games)

If you didn’t know by now, the Yankees have been on the fast track to the wrong side of history, but Aaron Judge isn’t going quietly into the offseason. The Yankees entered Wednesday night against the Nationals on a nine-game losing streak — the longest skid for the franchise since 1982 — and 10 straight losses would’ve been the worst slump since 1913 (110 years). Judge made sure to stop the bleeding with his first career three-homer night. He went yard in his first two plate appearances before adding a solo blast in the 7th, and the Yankees crushed the Nats (9-1).

Yankees Win: A Band-Aid or Surgery?

As great as Judge’s performance was on Wednesday, the Yankees (61-65) are still ten games out of the AL wild card with 30 games left. The win was little more than a band-aid on New York’s discouraging season. Roster surgery is still scheduled for the offseason. Nonetheless, the Yanks avoided the first 10-game losing streak in over a century, and at least they\’re playing competent baseball again in the Bronx.

Watch: Aaron Judge Hits 3 Home Runs to End Yankees’ Epic Slide

MLB Quick-Hitters

Ohtani Back On Top: After relinquishing the lead in the home run race to Matt Olson for two weeks, Shohei Ohtani got back on top with his 44th homer in Game 1 of an Angels-Reds doubleheader Wednesday. The Halos lost both contests.

Rays Rally to Walk-Off Rox: The Rays used a late-inning comeback to take the Rockies into extras before Brandon Lowe knocked a leadoff single in the 10th that scored Brent Suter for the win (6-5, 10 innings).

O’s Blast Blue Jays: The Orioles extended their lead in the AL East with a 7-0 shutout against the Blue Jays on Wednesday night. Anthony Santander hit two home runs, and Baltimore (78-48) still holds the No. 1 spot in the AL.

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HIGHLIGHTS

 Little League World Series

Chinese Taipei def. Curacao (9-1)

Texas def. Washington (1-0)

California def. Tennessee (5-3)

Mexico def. Japan (2-0)

*Texas & Chinese Taipei Last Unbeaten Teams (3-0)

(Tennessee & Japan Eliminated)

 WNBA

Sparks Smash Mercury (91-62) Behind Azura Stevens (20 Points)

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STORYLINES

 5 MLB Free Agents Set to Cash In

We enter the final stretch of the 2023 MLB regular season but the offseason never sleeps. Shohei Ohtani will be a free agent this winter, but he’s not the only star set to cash in for a larger payday in 2024 and beyond. (CBS Sports)

 10 Hot Takes for 2023 CFB Season

The long, dormant offseason is over. Coaches have found comfort in their new homes, teams have changed conferences, and the transfer portal has overhauled rosters. Football will be played this weekend, so there are takes to share… hot takes. (Bleacher Report)

 1 Offseason Wish for Every NBA Team

From Jarrett Allen running lineman drills to Jaylen Brown doing, well, anything with his left hand, these are the workout videos, FIBA World Cup performances, and social media posts we’re looking for this summer. (The Ringer)

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NEWS

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SCHEDULE

The Must-Watch List

PGA

Tour Championship, Round 1 (11:30 am ET)

MLB
Dodgers at Guardians (1:10 pm ET)

Red Sox at Astros (2:10 pm ET)

Blue Jays at Orioles (7:05 pm ET)

Reds at Diamondbacks (9:40 pm ET)

Little League World Series

Curacao vs. Mexico (3:00 pm ET)

LLWS Home Run Derby (5:00 pm ET)

Washington vs. California (7:00 pm ET)

WNBA

Liberty at Sun (7:00 pm ET)

Aces at Sky (8:00 pm ET)

Lynx at Wings (8:00 pm ET)

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