Dodgers, Padres take NL West rivalry to boiling pointNew Foto - Dodgers, Padres take NL West rivalry to boiling point

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took seven games over 11 days for the simmer to reach full boil. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres flashed playoff intensity in their long-awaited first two series of the season and went face-to-face, quite literally, after 10 batters were hit during a stretch the Dodgers owned on the scoreboard. In winning five of the seven games, the Dodgers also hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with pitches three times. The last of those came in the eighth inning ofThursday's 5-3 Padres victorywhen the benches finally cleared after Tatis was hit near the right hand. While the staredown behind home plate was more peacock feathers than fisticuffs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Padres manager Mike Shildt were ejected following a tense back-and-forth exchange. Afterward, the Padres' Manny Machado said his true feelings won't be known until Tatis gets results from X-rays and a CT scan. "They gotta pray for (results) to come back negative tomorrow," Machado said. "They should. Us, too, but they should for sure." After Tatis was hit, the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani took a pitch to the back of his right (pitching) shoulder from Robert Suarez. With Dodgers players starting to move over the dugout railing, Ohtani waved back his teammates and took first base. "Well, I think he knew it was intentional," Roberts said. "He wasn't hurt by it, and he didn't want any more drama, which I respect that a lot." Ohtani was hit twice in the series, each a half inning after Tatis was hit. The Dodgers' Andy Pages also was hit twice in the series. Roberts said he hoped Tatis does not miss extended time. "I didn't feel good about Tatis — great player, good guy — getting hit," Roberts said. "I didn't feel good about it. And so as (Shildt) comes out, and he's yelling at me and staring me down, that bothers me. Because, to be quite frank, that's the last thing I wanted." Shildt said he has respect for the Dodgers but seeing Tatis get hit three times by their pitchers in less than two weeks doesn't sit right. He has also been hit by the Dodgers six times in his career, the most by any club. "Whether it was (intentional) or it wasn't, enough is enough," Shildt said. "We got a guy who's getting X-rays right now, is one of the best players in the game, fortunately he's on our team, and this guy has taken shots, OK?" While the teams waited more than two months to face each other for the first time this season, there will be another two-month wait until they face off again Aug. 15-17 at Los Angeles and Aug. 22-24 at San Diego. "It's going to be a fun ride," Machado said. "This division's freaking awesome, and it's going to be a fun ride going down the road. The Giants got better with (Rafael) Devers, and we know what these guys have on the other side. And what we have on this side. And obviously you can't count out Arizona. They've got a really good team over there. They're going to be battling. It's a four-headed monster battling it out, so it'll be an interesting second half." ___ AP MLB:https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB

Dodgers, Padres take NL West rivalry to boiling point

Dodgers, Padres take NL West rivalry to boiling point LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took seven games over 11 days for the simmer to reach full boil....
Top-ranked Nelly Korda even par to start Women's PGA after reaggravating neck injuryNew Foto - Top-ranked Nelly Korda even par to start Women's PGA after reaggravating neck injury

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Nelly Korda shot an even-par 72 in the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Thursday, three days after the world's top-ranked player reaggravated a neck injury during a practice round. While Korda said she doesn't feel pain hitting shots, thetwo-time major championsaid she has pain "just with rotation" of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night. "It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice," she said. "Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya (Jutanugarn) in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn't move then, so thankfully it wasn't as bad as that day. ... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now." Korda late last year skipped two tournaments during the LPGA's Asia swing because of a minor neck injury, and thatloss to Jutanugarnin match play was in April. Korda said earlier this week that her neck "went into a full spasm" after hitting a shot out of the roughduring a practice roundat the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco on Monday, before skipping the champions dinner that night. In the first round of the season's third major, Korda had two birdies and two bogeys. She was four shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, the world's No. 2-ranked player who was in the same group and thetournament leaderat 4-under 68. "Overall I mean, even par to start the major ... it was windier in the morning than I thought it would be. So played a little tougher. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions," Korda said. "It was pretty windy. It was hot. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat. So happy with my position. I haven't even really looked at the leaderboard, to be honest." Korda opened with seven consecutive pars, including at the 317-yard, par-4 seventh hole, where shehit a 294-yard driveinto a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to 2 feet and saved par. On the par-3 eighth, Korda's tee shot went over the green to set up her first bogey. She got free relief after her approach at the par-5 ninth went right and settled next to a temporary structure, and she pitched to 3 1/2 feet and made the birdie putt. "It's great to rebound with a birdie. Wasn't sure where to drop. The grass was like pavement. It was so firm, it's been walked on a lot," Korda said. "Whenever you get to bounce back with a birdie and you get to kind of have in a sense a fresh start for the next nine holes, that's always good." ___ AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Top-ranked Nelly Korda even par to start Women's PGA after reaggravating neck injury

Top-ranked Nelly Korda even par to start Women's PGA after reaggravating neck injury FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Nelly Korda shot an even-par 7...
All of BTS has returned as Suga is discharged from an alternative form of military serviceNew Foto - All of BTS has returned as Suga is discharged from an alternative form of military service

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday. BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. It is a momentous occasion for fans of theK-pop group BTS.The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 now that they've finished their service. Last week, BTS superstarsRMandVwere discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service.JiminandJung Kookweredischarged a day later. All four wereenlisted in December 2023. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, whileSuga fulfilled his dutyas a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was dischargedin June 2024. J-Hope wasdischarged in October. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agencyannounced in October 2022that all seven members would fulfill their duties. ___ AP Music Writer Maria Sherman reported from New York.

All of BTS has returned as Suga is discharged from an alternative form of military service

All of BTS has returned as Suga is discharged from an alternative form of military service SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Suga, a rapper and song...
"SNL"'s Viral 'Domingo' Sketch Was Inspired by an Actual Off-Key Bridesmaid Speech

Will Heath/NBC Saturday Night Livewriters revealed toVanity Fairthe origin story behind the viral "Domingo: Bridesmaid Speech" sketch that took the NBC comedy show by storm in October They shared that the skit was actually inspired by a real-life bridesmaid speech sung off-key that circulated on social media They revealed that Ariana Grande, who hosted the episode where the sketch premiered, saw the video and knew she immediately needed to sing off-key in the bit herself The origin story of the viral "Domingo" sketch onSaturday Night Liveis so real. SNLwriters Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara O'Sullivan opened up toVanity Fairabout the inspiration behind the popular sketch, originally titled "Domingo: Bridesmaid Speech," that aired during theAriana Grande-hosted episode of the NBC show on Oct. 12. The original sketch centers around its titular character, played byMarcello Hernández. Grande, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim and Sarah Sherman starred alongside him. It begins with a group of bridesmaids who sing about the bride's bachelorette trip at her wedding, before the song (famously sung off keyto the tune ofSabrina Carpenter's hit song "Espresso") unexpectedly details Kelsey's (Fineman) affair with a man named Domingo. NBC This, naturally, makes the groom mad and he demands to know the identity of the mystery man. At the end of the song, just as Kelsey starts to explain that her former fling is behind her, Hernandez enters the scene as Domingo — and confesses to the affair. When speaking toVanity Fair, writer Fowlie explained how the sketch's origins derived from a real-life scenario that occurred at a wedding he saw circulate on social media. "I saw this thing floating around on Instagram — a maid of honor speech where shesangHamilton.God bless her, it really was so genuine," he shared. "There was something about the pained look on the bride and the groom's face that I was like, Oh, this is so good." O'Sullivan added, "Jimmy showed Ariana Grande the video of this maid of honor singing poorly. Ariana immediately understood: 'I need to sing off-key. That's what this demands of me'." MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty The original Domingo sketch was the brainchild of Fowlie and O'Sullivan, who recruited former writing supervisor Sudi Green and newly hired writer Allie Levitan to help shape it. "I would consider myself probably one of the worst singers in the cast," Fineman told the outlet. "Initially, I was like,' Oh, I'm probably the bride because I cannot sing.' Then we went to block it. I was like, 'Oh, actually, not at all. Maybe I just give bride.' " To date, Domingo: Bridesmaid Speech has racked up 19M views on YouTube. Marcello's character made his anticipated return first in an episode hosted byCharli XCXinNovemberand then again duringSNL50in February. The original Domingo sketch, which aired in October, was officially the season's most-watched on social media, earning 171 million total views, perNBC. Read the original article onPeople

“SNL”'s Viral 'Domingo' Sketch Was Inspired by an Actual Off-Key Bridesmaid Speech

"SNL"'s Viral 'Domingo' Sketch Was Inspired by an Actual Off-Key Bridesmaid Speech Will Heath/NBC Saturday Night Livew...
Juan Soto logs 1,000th career hit, joining exclusive club that includes Mickey MantleNew Foto - Juan Soto logs 1,000th career hit, joining exclusive club that includes Mickey Mantle

Juan Soto is a special talent. This is not news. But Soto joining this exclusive club is. Soto hit a two-out single for the New York Mets off Braves starter Spencer Strider in the first inning of Thursday's 7-1 loss to Atlanta. The hit was the 1,000th of Soto's MLB career. In securing the hit, Soto joined a club of elite MLB talent that includes two Hall of Famers and nobody else. Soto, who is 26 years, 237 days old, now has 1,000 hits, 700-plus walks (830) and 200-plus home runs (215) in his seven-plus-season MLB career.The only other players in MLB historyto achieve all those milestones before turning 27 are New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle and New York Giants Hall of Famer Mel Ott. The milestone speaks to Soto's blend of plate discipline, power and ability to reach base that makes him so valuable and is rivaled by few of his contemporaries. It's in large part the reason the Mets were willing to shell outa record $765 million contractto lure Soto from the rival Yankees. Soto's off to a relatively slow start with the Mets, slashing .248/.387/.462 in his first 73 games with the franchise. But his history dictates that there's little for Mets fans to worry about over the long run. Soto is almost certain to deliver.

Juan Soto logs 1,000th career hit, joining exclusive club that includes Mickey Mantle

Juan Soto logs 1,000th career hit, joining exclusive club that includes Mickey Mantle Juan Soto is a special talent. This is not news. But ...
Pablo Barrios scores twice, Atletico Madrid sail past SoundersNew Foto - Pablo Barrios scores twice, Atletico Madrid sail past Sounders

Pablo Barrios' brace lifted Atletico Madrid to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday, getting the Spanish side's Club World Cup campaign back on track. Axel Witsel also scored as Atletico rebounded to victory at Seattle's home field after they began action in Group B with a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in Southern California on Sunday. Albert Rusnak scored after halftime for Seattle, which has lost twice in the event before its home supporters. Atletico Madrid (1-1-0, 3 points) are tied for second in Group B with Paris Saint-Germain (1-1-0, 3 points) after PSG fell 1-0 to Botafogo (2-0-0, 6 points) later on Thursday. The Sounders (0-2-0, 0 points) still have a slim chance of advancing to the knockout phase. Barrios, 22, scored early in each half for the first brace of his senior club career. His first goal put Atletico in front in the 11th minute to cap a furious start for the Spanish club. Giuliano Simeone did much of the work, running onto a throughball into the right edge of the penalty area, cutting back to elude a defender and then dragging a low cross toward the penalty arc. Barrios met it in stride and hit a first-time, right-footed shot that rattled the underside of the crossbar on its way in. Barrios' second in the 55th minute was simpler, as he was permitted time and space to hit a half-volley past goalkeeper Stefan Frei after Seattle's failure to clear Marcos Llorente's long throw from the right. Before halftime, Atletico had an apparent chance to double their lead from the penalty spot taken away after referee Yael Falcon Perez reversed his initial decision after a video review. The sides then traded goals in the first five minutes of the second half. In the 47th, Witsel headed home from inside the 6-yard box in the resulting scramble after Frei pushed Llorente's initial half-volley onto the crossbar. In the 50th, Rusnak scored from a similar range on a deflected shot after Atletico's failure to deal with Seattle's initial ball into the box. --Field Level Media

Pablo Barrios scores twice, Atletico Madrid sail past Sounders

Pablo Barrios scores twice, Atletico Madrid sail past Sounders Pablo Barrios' brace lifted Atletico Madrid to a 3-1 victory over the Sea...
Lou Christie, Pop Idol Who Hit No. 1 in 1960s With 'Lightnin' Strikes,' Dies at 82New Foto - Lou Christie, Pop Idol Who Hit No. 1 in 1960s With 'Lightnin' Strikes,' Dies at 82

Lou Christie, the pop singer who indeed had lightning strike in a big way with his "Lightnin' Strikes" smash in the 1960s, died Wednesday at 82, his family announced on social media. No date or cause of death was given. Christie had three top 10 singles in the U.S. across a period of six years in the '60s, the biggest being "Lightnin' Strikes," which was released in 1965 and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1966. Written by Christie with Twyla Herbert, the MGM-label single was famous for a soaring hook with a nearly Frankie Valli-level falsetto. That career peak was preceded in 1963 with "Two Faces Have I," which reached No. 6. Also written by Christie and Herbert, the song was not often covered, yet Bruce Springsteen acknowledged it as an inspiration for his song "Two Faces" almost a quarter-century later. Christie closed out his run in the top 10 in 1969 with "I'm Gonna Make You Mine," which made it to No. 10 in the U.S., while doing better in the U.K., peaking at No. 2 there. But although it did not quite crack the top 10, Christie was also notorious for the No. 16 single "Rhapsody in the Rain," which was banned by some radio stations in 1966 for its risque intimations of what teenagers might be doing in an automobile on a rainy night, finding more favor when Christie re-recorded some lyric in a "clean" version that dropped the line "In this car, our love went much too far." The man pop fans knew as Lou Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco on Feb. 19, 1943. He met his long-term songwriting collaborator Herbert when he was just 15 and she was 20 years older, and their partnership took off. As a high schooler in suburban Pittsburgh, he even had a local hit with a group called Lugee & the Lions, which included Herbert's daughter. It was in 1962 that he was convinced by a manager to take on a stage name, and his first single under that name, "The Gypsy Cried," came out that year, eventually reaching No. 24 and selling a million records after Morris Levy and Roulette picked it up. Christie believed he was pulling up the rear in the age of teen idols. "They started disappearing. It was so interesting that I kept going," he said in an interview withclassicbands.com. "I hit the end of that whole era. I've always been between the cracks of rock 'n' roll, I felt. The missing link…. We had the teenage idols. We had Frankie Avalon. We had Fabian. That thing was just about closing down when a lot of my records started hitting. … They all disappeared, but my records kept going through that English Invasion. … I remember we were on tour and Paul and Paula had just come back from England and they said there's a group over there called the Beatles… That was pretty much the end of the people I was traveling around the country with. We were in teen magazines together. We were sort of the cat's meow there for all those years as being teenage idols, teenage princes and princesses." Christie toured with Dick Clark's Cavalcade of Stars tour and others like it. "I was sitting on the bus with Diana Ross. She was sitting on the seat next to me. She and I were bus buddies. I always put it that way…. Here I was, sitting next to all those people who, six months ago I bought their records and watched them onAmerican Bandstand. Now, all of a sudden I'm one of them. … I was with Gene Pitney and Johnny Tillotson, the Supremes, Paul and Paula, the Crystals, the Ronettes, Fabian, Frankie Avalon. To me, this was my graduating class and still is today." After his chart success ran out, Christie tried country music, and one song in that vein, "Beyond the Blue Horizon," went top 20 on the AC chart. He continued recording into the 2010s and did concert appearances on the oldies circuit for decades. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

Lou Christie, Pop Idol Who Hit No. 1 in 1960s With ‘Lightnin’ Strikes,’ Dies at 82

Lou Christie, Pop Idol Who Hit No. 1 in 1960s With 'Lightnin' Strikes,' Dies at 82 Lou Christie, the pop singer who indeed had l...
Jason Segel engaged to "So You Think You Can Dance" alum Kayla Radomski: 'Forever yes'

Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Jason Segelis getting hitched. TheHow I Met Your Motherstar, 45, is engaged to actress and dancer Kalya Radomski, best known for her stint on the competition seriesSo You Think You Can Dance. Radomski, 34, shared news of the impending nuptialsWednesday on Instagram, posting a carousel of images from Segel's floral-filled proposal. It's a "forever yes" for Radomski, per the caption of the post. Segel and Radomski have been romantically linked since 2023 and made their red carpet debut at the 2024 Golden Globes, where Segel was nominated for his role as a grieving therapist on the acclaimed Apple TV+ dramedyShrinking. Radomski praised her beau as "one of the hardest working and most deserving humans on this planet" after the awards ceremony. "I am so incredibly proud of you," she wrote in anInstagram postfeaturing photos from the red carpet. "I love that we got to spend a whole day celebrating YOU and your talent!" Radomski, who hasperformed as a backup dancerforTaylor SwiftandBrendon Urie, is best known as a contestant on season 5 ofSo You Think You Can Dance, placing fourth place on the show in 2009. Like her fiancé, she's also an actor, with minor roles inQuentin Tarantino'sOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywoodand the 2011 remake ofFootloose. Her other screen credits include an episode ofGleeand the TV movieTeen Beach 2. Emma McIntyre/Getty Segel, who broke out with roles in such titles asFreaks and Geeks,Knocked Up, andForgetting Sarah Marshall, is once again generating Emmy buzz for his work on season 2 ofShrinking. He recently appeared onEntertainment Weekly'sAwardistpodcast alongside costarJessica Williamsto talk about the crew hitting their stride during the sophomore season. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. "The thing that became very clear to everybody during season 1 is that every one of these actors deserve their own show in a way, to start giving everybody fully realized interior lives and fully realized arcs, and making sure that we were highlighting everybody's strengths and letting them have the green light to slaughter," Segel said. "I think that's what you feel in season 2, is everyone's getting to take it for a spin." Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

Jason Segel engaged to “So You Think You Can Dance” alum Kayla Radomski: 'Forever yes'

Jason Segel engaged to "So You Think You Can Dance" alum Kayla Radomski: 'Forever yes' Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Jason...
Red Sox demote struggling rookie Kristian Campbell in wake of Rafael Devers tradeNew Foto - Red Sox demote struggling rookie Kristian Campbell in wake of Rafael Devers trade

Four days after the Boston Red Soxsaid goodbye to Rafael Devers, the team is set to demote one of the prospects who was supposed to help replace him as a franchise player. Boston plans to option second baseman Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester,according to MLB.com. The club has not confirmed the move but figures to do it Friday ahead of its game against Devers and the San Francisco Giants. The Red Sox signed Campbellto an eight-year, $60 million contract extension early in the season. Not much has gone according to plan this season for the 39-37 Red Sox, who made headlines earlier this week when they traded their longest tenured player, Devers, aftera simmering position dispute. Somehow, Campbell was a factor in Devers' unhappiness, withJoon Lee reporting for Yahoo Sportsthat Devers was upset when Campbell volunteered to cover first base for the Red Sox after Triston Casas tore his patellar tendon. Devers outright refused to switch positions after losing third base to offseason signee Alex Bregman, but he also reportedly interpreted Campbell's offer as a slight to his own stature. Campbell was one of three highly anticipated prospects Boston was expecting this season, alongside outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop/third baseman Marcelo Mayer. All three players ranked in the top 15 of Baseball America's top prospects list, but only Campbell broke camp with the big-league club. As a prospect, the 22-year-old Campbell presented a well-rounded offensive approach combined with defensive versatility. He was an unheralded talent in the 2023 MLB Draft, with the Red Sox landing him in the fourth round, but he broke out in 2024, earning Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year Award after hitting .330/.439/.558 between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A. For about a month this spring, Campbell delivered on the hype. He finished April hitting .301/.407/.495 and looked like a Rookie of the Year candidate, but then he fell off massively. He has hit .159/.243/.222 since the calendar turned to May, with only one base hit in the past week. While Campbell was scuffling, the Red Sox called up Anthony and Mayer. They had the trio together for a little more than a week but will now send Campbell down to work on his offensive approach and perhaps get his confidence back.

Red Sox demote struggling rookie Kristian Campbell in wake of Rafael Devers trade

Red Sox demote struggling rookie Kristian Campbell in wake of Rafael Devers trade Four days after the Boston Red Soxsaid goodbye to Rafael D...
Scottie Scheffler tied for Travelers lead after chasing a 59New Foto - Scottie Scheffler tied for Travelers lead after chasing a 59

After denying that TPC River Highlands is too easy, Scottie Scheffler was on pace for a round of 59 there Thursday in the opening round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn. Instead, the World No. 1 and defending champion carded an 8-under-par 62, tying Austin Eckroat for the 18-hole lead. At the $20 million signature event, the last of the regular season, Scheffler and Eckroat are two shots ahead of Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Wyndham Clark and 2023 Travelers champion Keegan Bradley (6-under 64). Scheffler was 9 under par through 15 holes at the par-70 course but settled for par at No. 16 and made his only bogey of the day at No. 17 after overshooting the green. Scheffler, who shot 59 once before in his PGA Tour career (2020 Northern Trust), said the potential milestone didn't enter his mind. "When I came out to do my warmup it was still pretty calm. By the time I got to the first tee, it was blowing 20 miles an hour and it was sustained at that for most of our round," Scheffler said of the conditions. "It maybe went down to 10, to 12 and then it would gust to 30. It was pretty challenging out there." The low round came one day after Scheffler said he didn't believe TPC River Highlands was too easy for tour professionals. The winning scores the past two years have been 23 and 22 under par. "I've always had a preference for the tougher tests that we have," he added Thursday. "That's always been my preference since I was a young kid. I like the challenge of playing difficult golf courses, and I like the challenge of playing against really good fields, as well." Earlier in the day, Eckroat put up a bogey-free 62 highlighted by an eagle-birdie-birdie stretch at Nos. 13-15. The eagle came on a 35 1/2-foot putt. The 26-year-old won twice on tour last year but is struggling this season, as he ranks outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup race. "It's funny, a lot of Wednesdays I've felt really good going into the tournament and then Thursday comes around and it hasn't been there," Eckroat said. "I don't know if it's just the stress of playing in a PGA Tour event, but this one, it was nice to feel good on Wednesday and then actually take it into Thursday." McIlroy continued his upward trajectory after missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open and tying for 19th at the U.S. Open. He made three birdies on each nine while keeping a bogey-free card. McIlroy played alongside Bradley, the U.S. captain for the upcoming Ryder Cup. "There was definitely a lot more 'Captain America' and 'USA' chants out there, which is cool," the European star said. "It's cool for Keegan to be here, be the U.S. Ryder Cup captain and obviously get all that support." Cameron Young is alone in sixth at 5-under 65, and a large tie at 4-under 66 included Norway's Viktor Hovland, England's Tommy Fleetwood and Australia's Jason Day. J.J. Spaun, playing alongside Scheffler after winning his first major title at the U.S. Open on Sunday, struggled to a 3-over 73. There is no 36-hole cut at the tournament. Jordan Spieth withdrew due to a neck/upper back injury that began to bother him on the practice range. Spieth said it was the first time he'd ever dropped out of a tournament early, on the PGA Tour or otherwise. "I've never withdrawn from an event ever, anywhere, at any level, so I didn't really know what to do," said Spieth, who was 5 over through 12 holes. "It just became too much. I didn't see it turning around until probably Saturday. These things kind of last an extra day, and no matter what I was going to do, it was just going to be -- I don't know, it's unfortunate. I've been doing everything right, and I think it was just very random." --Field Level Media

Scottie Scheffler tied for Travelers lead after chasing a 59

Scottie Scheffler tied for Travelers lead after chasing a 59 After denying that TPC River Highlands is too easy, Scottie Scheffler was on pa...

 

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