U.S. Open course is indeed punishing, plus NBA Finals script flips again
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic's daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! Just put your ball back in play today.
I got to Oakmont Country Club, site of the 125th U.S. Open, just before 8 a.m. on Friday. The first golf I watched was on the 12th hole, a 632-yard par 5. I set up behind the green and watched Justin Thomas, the No. 5 player in the world, come through with Brooks Koepka and Min Woo Lee. Thomas hit his second shot into Oakmont's thick rough, but then rolled a nice pitch around a corner, setting himself up for what would normally be a routine par or better.
It was not.
So, yeah, Oakmont is hard. If someone only looked at the leaderboard after Thursday and saw 10 players under par, they missed the point: Most of the field was suffering, and by the end of Friday's second round, three players were under par. Leader Sam Burns is just 3-under. (A few players had a few holes left to play when a storm ended play.)
Watching Thomas butcher the 12th green was a fitting start to my week, but everyone taking in this tournament has had a similar moment. The Athletic has a handful of reporters roving the grounds, and I asked for their observations of what golf people (perhaps a tad dramatically) call 'carnage.' What has been the harshest Oakmont carnage they've seen so far?
One more that stuck with me: Viktor Hovland trying to reach the second green from the thick rough on Friday, hacking his ball into the lip of a fairway bunker, splashing out sideways to the fairway and making double bogey. What a merciless golf course.
Read Gabby's story about a 23-year-old who fulfilled a dream by qualifying and then shot 35-over, 156th out of 156. Also, Scottie Scheffler (+4) is still very much in it.
OKC evens NBA Finals
The Thunder looked pretty hopeless late in the second half, trailing by 10 and staring down a 3-1 series deficit. It was gut check time for OKC and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who looked unlike himself at times last night. The MVP responded in a huge way, making bucket after bucket in the clutch. And the Pacers, who had seemingly been unbeatable in close games, started to unravel. The Thunder flipped the script. We have a 2-2 series heading back to OKC.
Advertisement
Hockey Canada trial concludes
Yesterday marked the end of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial after eight weeks of testimony, evidence and submissions. A final decision from Justice Maria Carroccia is expected July 24. The Crown appears to be facing an uphill battle in securing a conviction, considering Carroccia has sided with the defense on many substantive issues during proceedings. Regardless of the result, the trial has put the insular and protective culture of hockey in an uncomfortable spotlight.
More news:
The Knicks will interview Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown for their head coaching vacancy next week after striking out in their initial requests. Much more on New York's coaching search in tomorrow's Pulse.
Former NFL star Antonio Brown is wanted on an attempted murder charge in Miami. More here.
Caitlin Clark is back. The Indiana Fever guard will make her return against the New York Liberty this afternoon after missing three weeks with a quad injury.
Veteran starting pitcher Aaron Civale requested a trade from the Brewers on Thursday, and one day later landed with … the White Sox. Careful what you wish for.
📺 CWS: LSU vs. Arkansas
7 p.m. ET on ESPN
A rivalry game on the first weekend of the College World Series in Omaha. Even juicier given that these are the headliners of the remaining teams.
📺 NHL: Panthers at Oilers, Game 5
8 p.m. ET on TNT
This series is already an all-timer, whether it goes seven games or not. It will go at least six after Edmonton came back from 3-0 down and won the series' third overtime game to even the series. No real feel for this game on my part, but the Panthers need some resiliency.
Earlier this week, Pulse readers were keen on Rustin Dodd's story about Roger Federer and his viral commencement speech at Dartmouth. Well, in the process of reporting that piece, Dodd watched more than 20 athlete commencement addresses from the last 20 years. Here are his favorite lessons.
If you need a last-minute Father's Day gift for someone who loves making coffee — but, crucially, is not overly attached to their current favorite beans — I'd go with a bean subscription at whatever frequency works for your wallet. — Torrey Hart
The Athletic's weekly sports news quiz.
I just caught up on this story from April on a KGB spy who recruited his son to become one himself. It's a fascinating inside look at global intelligence and espionage from 50 years ago. A fully gripping read. — Alex Iniguez
My sandlot baseball team and I pooled funds and bought a community torpedo bat, just to see what the fuss was about. It pains my skeptical heart to say … I hit the two hardest balls I've hit all year. I know the hype faded weeks ago, but uh … this might be something? — Levi Weaver
With the USMNT limping along a year out from its home World Cup, Jeff Rueter looked at past hosts and how their run-ups compare.
Easily once a week I mutter to myself in the car 'How did I even drive without Waze?' Like, at all? How is this little miracle app almost 20 years old? — Chris Sprow
Advertisement
Babymetal has a new album about to come out. If you haven't experienced their unique brand of weirdness, check out the new special guest singles. Or their appearance on Colbert. — James Mirtle
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The Wiffle ball replica of Fenway Park in Texas.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Rustin Dodd's story on Roger Federer's commencement address, for the third time this week.
Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How the Brooklyn Nets can help the Boston Celtics this NBA offseason
Can the Brooklyn Nets help the Boston Celtics this NBA offseason? As the team in the league with the largest payroll that is also over the second apron long enough to incur the worst penalties mandated by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the Celtics are staring at being hit with a potentially historic payroll and tax bill on top of the punitive team building penalties the CBA will dole out on Boston. Enter the Nets, who are the only team in the Association that is going to have the sort of cap space the Celtics would need to absorb the kind of salary necessary in single-team deals to get Boston out of being a second (and perhaps even first) apron ball club. There are other, more complex ways the Celtics could get cheaper -- and others that would take more time -- but if the Celtics want to get cheaper in a hurry, all roads lead to Brooklyn. Advertisement The cohost of the CLNS Media "Garden Report" podcast, Bobby Manning, sat down with the New York Post's Brian Lewis on a recent episode of the show to talk over the potentiality for a Nets-Celtics cap cleansing team up. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How the Brooklyn Nets can help the Celtics this NBA offseason
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Commanders impressed with rookie Jaylin Lane's work ethic
The Washington Commanders made a big move at wide receiver this offseason, trading for former Pro Bowler Deebo Samuel to start opposite Terry McLaurin. Samuel would give the Commanders the legitimate No. 2 option they've lacked for some time. Washington also brought back Noah Brown and K.J. Osborn and signed former Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup. Brown was the Commanders' No. 2 receiver last year before an injury ended his season in Week 13. Osborn signed with Washington late last season, but rarely played. Gallup, a former starter for Dallas, is attempting an NFL comeback after retiring last year. Advertisement Another newcomer for the Commanders at receiver is fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane. We've seen videos of GM Adam Peters and his staff preparing to select Lane in the 2025 NFL draft, calling him the best punt returner (in the draft) and a top slot receiver. So, we know Washington is high on Lane's potential. What does his position coach, Bobby Engram, think? "Every aspect of being a better receiver, honestly," Engram said via Zach Selby of Washington's official website. Jaylin's a super smart guy. He's a coach's son, so he gets to exercise on a different level. Love his work ethic, but my job is to help him prepare just to kind of tap into every ounce of potential that he has, and he's willing to work and do that. So, I'm excited about that." Advertisement Heading into training camp, you can count Lane among Washington's locks for the 53-man roster at receiver. That means the Commanders have plans for him in 2025 that go beyond special teams. In college, Lane played in an archaic offense and didn't always have the best quarterback play, yet he proved he could deliver in many ways. Lane can beat you deep, work for the slot, get yards after the catch, or take handoffs. Don't be surprised if Washington gets Lane involved in Week 1 as it finds creative ways to exploit his blazing speed. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders impressed with rookie Jaylin Lane's work ethic
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
From Folsom to the pros: NFL players pay It forward
From Folsom to the pros: NFL players pay It forward FOLSOM, Calif. (KTXL) — Three former Folsom High School standouts returned home Saturday to host their third annual 'Bulldogs Back Home' youth football camp, giving back to the community that helped launch their football careers. Jake Browning (Cincinnati Bengals), Jonah Williams (Arizona Cardinals), and Josiah Deguara (Arizona Cardinals) welcomed local kids to Vista Del Lago High School for a free, half-day camp filled with drills, games, and mentorship. Advertisement 'What I like about this camp is I get to be around some of the up-and-coming younger kids for Folsom and also catch up with old friends,' said Browning. 'We bring the past, present, and future of Folsom football together in one camp.' The camp drew kids from third through eighth grade. While Browning and Deguara worked alongside participants on general skill development, Williams led an offensive line station that became an unexpected hit. 'We do some O-line drills, and it kind of takes a lot of kids out of their comfort zone,' Williams said. 'Not a lot of kids want to play O-line, but they always end up having fun. We get some good competition with the races at the end.' Deguara brought the energy, joking about a young camper who challenged him to a footrace. 'I was like, I don't know about that today,' he said with a laugh. 'And the kid goes, 'Yeah, you're too slow for me anyway.' These kids are pretty cocky nowadays, I respect that confidence.' Advertisement For the pros, the camp was less about fine-tuning technique and more about creating lasting memories. 'Just throwing the ball around with the kids that's what they want,' Deguara said. 'Teach them when you can, but the main thing is having fun.' Browning, who quarterbacked Folsom to a state title before starring at Washington and later reaching the AFC Championship Game with the Bengals, marveled at the talent in attendance. 'I'm always surprised,' he said. 'You ask a kid how old they are, they say nine, and I'm thinking, 'I don't think I was that good at nine.' These kids are really advanced.' Even some sideline banter reminded the players of how quickly time moves. Advertisement 'We were talking about touchdown celebrations,' Williams said. 'I tried to get them to do the gritty, and they told me that's not cool anymore. That's when I realized, I'm officially a grandpa.' The NFL trio plans to continue the annual tradition and keep inspiring the next wave of local athletes in Folsom. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
