Wagner tests out 11th hole at Quail Hollow Club
Highlights | Final Round | THE CJ CUP
Check out the best shots of the day from Round 4 of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2025, featuring Jordan Spieth, Erik van Rooyen and Scottie Scheffler, who tied the lowest 72-hole score (253) in PGA TOUR history, finishing at 31-under for the tournament, eight clear of the field for his 14th victory of his PGA TOUR career.
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
US Open 2025: All 156 Golfers Ranked by Chances at Oakmont
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The third major championship of 2025 is here as the best players flock to Oakmont Country Club for the 125th U.S. Open. This week's track will hold all the power. Oakmont is a monster that will challenge the best players in the world. It is one of golf's greatest tests and should give fans plenty of carnage to enjoy. Keeping it out of the rough will be the key to winning the U.S. Open. Oakmont will quickly eliminate those who cannot keep it in the short grass. The track is a par-70 and measures 7,372 yards this week. Modern golf often showcases low scores, but it will not be that way at Oakmont. Players will appreciate bogeys at times and cherish those birdies. Who will take the third major after Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler took the first two? This week should be one of the best U.S. Opens to date, and last year set the bar high. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States signs autographs for fans during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States signs autographs for fans during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo byLike we did for the PGA Championship, let's rank all the players in the field this week. These rankings considered their ages, appearances at this national championship, success there, and performance at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024. Last year, the USGA awarded $21.5 million in its purse, the highest among the majors. The 2025 purse has yet to be announced. Over 10,000 players attempted to qualify for this year's U.S. Open to compete against some of the best players in the world. Now, without further ado, let's rank all 156 players in this year's U.S. Open. U.S. Open players ranked: 156-136 156. Matthew Jordan, 155. Takumi Kanaya, 154. Riki Kawamoto, 153. Trevor Cone, 152. Brady Calkins, 151. Bryan Lee, 150. Maxwell Moldovan, 149. Harrison Ott, 148. Matt Vogt (a), 147. Cameron Tankersley (a), 146. Justin Hicks,145. Phillip Barbaree Jr., Diaz, 143. Trevor Gutschewski (a), 142. Joey Herrera, 141. Frankie Harris (a), 140. Grant Haefner, 139. Austen Truslow, 138. Lance Simpson (a), 137. George Duangmanee, 136. Mason Howell (a) U.S. Open players ranked: 135-115 135. Noah Kent (a), 134. George Kneiser, 133. Zachery Pollo (a), 132. Trent Phillips, 131. Riley Lewis, 130. Jinchiro Kozuma, 129. James Nicholas, 128. Alvaro Ortiz, 127. Scott Vincent, 126. Joakim Lagergren, 125. Edoardo Molinari, 124. Kevin Velo, 123. Chandler Blanchet, 122. Justin Hastings (a), 121. Will Chandler, 120. Jackson Buchanan, 119. Tyler Weaver (a), 118. Lanto Griffin, 117. Ryan McCormick, 116. Jose Luis Ballester, 115. Alistair Docherty U.S. Open players ranked: 114-94 Up next are the 114th-94th ranked players on this list. We are starting to get to the point of this list, which includes some known PGA Tour names. Included in this section is two-time PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap. Despite winning twice last year, he has struggled to find form consistently in 2025. He competed in the last three U.S. Opens, but has yet to make a cut in this tournament. Here are the players in this category: 114. Zach Bauchou, 113. Scott Vincent, 112. Andrea Pavan, 111. Evan Beck (a), 110. Scott Vincent, 109. Yuta Sugiura, 108. Emilio Gonzalez, 107. Nick Dunlap, 106. Laurie Canter, 105. Jacques Kruyswijk, 104. James Hahn, 103. Frederic Lacroix, 102. Adam Schenk, 101. Preston Summerhays (a), 100. Guido Migliozzi, 99. Michael La Sasso (a), 98. Zac Blair, 97. Ben James (a), 96. Thriston Lawrence, 95. Erik van Rooyen, 94. Chris Gotterup U.S. Open players ranked 93-74 Leading the pack in this section is Phil Mickelson, who won the 2021 PGA Championship. He is still trying to get that illustrious career grand slam, and the U.S. Open is all he has left to do that. This year could be Mickelson's final attempt at accomplishing that feat. Also in this section are a few of Lefty's fellow LIV Golf players like Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, and Dustin Johnson. Can any of them become the third current LIV player to win a major? Here are the players in this category: 93. Johnny Keefer, 92. Niklas Norgaard-Moller, 91. Sam Stevens, 90. Jackson Koivun (a), 89. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, 88. Carlos Ortiz, 87. Matthieu Pavon, 86. Dustin Johnson, 85. Marc Leishman, 84. Cam Smith, 83. Phil Mickelson, 82. Matt McCarty, 81. Jhonattan Vegas, 80. Thomas Detry, 79. Victor Perez, 78. Jordan Smith, 77. Brian Campbell, 76. Justin Lower, 75. Tom Hoge, 74. Andrew Novak U.S. Open players ranked 73-53 In this group, a handful of PGA Tour winners and guys have played well in 2025. Byeong Hun An contended in Canada last week and has played well most of the year. Tom Kim is here because he has not impressed much this season and needs to step up. J.J. Spaun is also in this group because, after losing to Rory McIlroy at the Players Championship, he has been kind of silent. Here are the players in this category: 73. Lucas Glover, 72. Rasmus Højgaard, 71. Richard Bland, 70. Davis Thompson, 69. Cam Davis, 68. Nico Echavarria, 67. Chris Kirk, 66. Emiliano Grillo, 65. Nick Taylor, 64. Byeong Hun An, 63. Justin Rose, 62. Tom Kim, 61. Stephan Jaeger, 60. J.J. Spaun, 59. Ryan Gerard, 58. Sam Bairstow, 57. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, 56. Michael Kim, 55. Max Greyserman, 54. JT Poston, 53. Jacob Bridgeman CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 08: Ryan Fox of New Zealand poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a four hole playoff after the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at... CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 08: Ryan Fox of New Zealand poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a four hole playoff after the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario. More Photo byU.S. Open players ranked 52-31 Now we're inside the Top 52 players, which means these guys could win this week if they play well. Last week's winner, Ryan Fox, comes in at 39 on this ranking. He will likely have a hangover from his victory, so it would shock me to see him contend for a second straight week. Here are the players in this section: 52. Matt Wallace, 51. Thorbjorn Olesen, 50. Mark Hubbard, 49. Gary Woodland, 48. Mackenzie Hughes, 47. Tony Finau, 46. Aaron Rai, 45. Si Woo Kim, 44. Cameron Young, 43. Maverick McNealy, 42. Matt Fitzpatrick, 41. Joe Highsmith, 40. Robert MacIntyre, 39. Ryan Fox, 38. Wyndham Clark, 37. Min Woo Lee, 36. Taylor Pendrith, 35. Davis Riley, 34. Bud Cauley, 33. Brian Harman, 32. Akshay Bhatia, 31. Jason Day, U.S. Open players ranked 30-16 Let's discuss the Top 30 players in the U.S. Open ranking. These guys are some of the best in the world and always seem to be relevant in majors. Some of them are major winners like Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and Patrick Reed. Viktor Hovland won the Valspar Championship earlier this year, but has continued to struggle with his swing. He is far too talented to keep off the table, but that young man could shine this week if he can keep it in the fairways. Here are the players in this section: 30. Brooks Koepka, 29. Corey Conners, 28. Russell Henley, 27. Joaquin Niemann, 26. Sam Burns, 25. Tyrrell Hatton, 24. Denny McCarthy, 23. Daniel Berger, 22. Davis Riley, 21. Jordan Spieth, 20. Adam Scott, 19. Harris English, 18. Patrick Reed, 17. Sungjae Im, 16. Viktor Hovland DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States (L) ad Ben Griffin of the United States walk off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday... DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States (L) ad Ben Griffin of the United States walk off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. More Photo byU.S. Open Rankings for players ranked 15-11 Finally, here are the 15 guys I think will be in contention on Sunday at Oakmont. 15. Ben Griffin Ben Griffin is having an extremely good season. He won the Charles Schwab Challenge and took home the Zurich Classic title with Andrew Novak. The two-time PGA Tour winner almost won The Memorial, too, so I like where his form is for his U.S. Open chances. 14. Patrick Cantlay Will this week at Oakmont finally be the moment for Patrick Cantlay? He has not missed a cut in his nine U.S. Open starts; his best finish came last year at Pinehurst with a T3. However, in 2025, he only has three top 10s in 12 starts. The eight-time PGA Tour winner missed the cut at Quail Hollow, but will that happen again at Oakmont? 13. Hideki Matsuyama Hideki Matsuyama has been quiet since winning the Sentry to start the 2025 season. However, he has just one top 10 on the year. He also missed the cut at the PGA Championship and has not finished inside the Top 25 since then. 12. Keegan Bradley Since Keegan Bradley missed the cut at Augusta National, Bradley has gone T18, T30, T8 and T7. Could this week be his moment to get over the hump and win a major championship? Last year at Pinehurst, the 39-year-old was T32. His best finish at a U.S. Open came in 2014 when he was T4. 11. Collin Morikawa Coming in at No. 11 is two-time major winner Collin Morikawa. He has three top 10s in 2025, but his last came in March at the Players. It has been another up-and-down season for Morikawa, but I like his game at Oakmont. Top 10 players ranked at 2025 U.S. Open DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Sepp Straka of Austria walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025... DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Sepp Straka of Austria walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. More Photo by10. Sepp Straka I think a lot of people are overlooking Sepp Straka this week. He won twice in 2025 and has 11 Top 25s in 16 starts. Straka did miss the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship, but do not let that deter you from picking him this week. Between those two majors, his worst finish was a T13. Straka has been so good in 2025 that he could very well contend at Oakmont or even win his first major championship. Crazy to think this golf ball's decision made Tommy Fleetwood a few hundred thousand dollars — Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) May 25, 2025 9. Tommy Fleetwood Tommy Fleetwood has four top 10s in 2025, and while he has been relatively quiet, this week could finally be the moment he gets it done. Fleetwood was T4 at the Charles Schwab and T16 at the Memorial. He was also T21 at the Masters and T41 at Quail Hollow. Despite not performing well on Sundays, he could finish the job this week at one tough test. The Englishman seems to like these tough tracks, so it will be interesting to see if he can finally get a win on U.S. soil. Jon Rahm now has 21 top 10s on the LIV Golf League, that's every single start since he joined as captain of Legion XIII over 18 months ago. Is that any good? — Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) June 8, 2025 8. Jon Rahm Jon Rahm won the U.S. Open title in 2021 and has gone T12 and T10 in his last two starts. He did not play at Pinehurst last year, as a foot injury forced him to withdraw ahead of the tournament. Rahm is No. 3 in the LIV Golf rankings right now with eight Top 10s. He has not finished outside the top 10 since he joined the Saudi-backed league. So, he has not lost his form. But this week, he must improve on his driving if he wants to contend and win another major. PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 15: Shane Lowry of Ireland gives the thumbs-up to his caddie before he plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open... PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 15: Shane Lowry of Ireland gives the thumbs-up to his caddie before he plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open on the No.2 Course at The Pinehurst Resort on June 15, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. More Photo by7. Shane Lowry Shane Lowry may be among the most consistent players in 2025 on the PGA Tour. He has 10 Top 25s and four Top 10s. Lowry missed the cut at the PGA Championship but has since recorded a T23 and a T13. Lowry was in contention in Canada but did not finish as he wanted. Last year, he finished T19 at Pinehurst and was T20 in Los Angeles the year prior. It does not seem like he has peaked yet in 2025, but do not count him out. The Irishman could win this week if he limits his mistakes and keeps his confidence. PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 16: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden prepares to play his tee shot on the first hole with his caddie Joe Skovron during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open Championship... PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 16: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden prepares to play his tee shot on the first hole with his caddie Joe Skovron during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open Championship on the No.2 Course at The Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. More Photo by6. Ludvig Åberg Ludvig Åberg was put on notice earlier this year after he won the Genesis Invitational, but since then, the Swedish phenom has been relatively quiet. He has missed three cuts, just three Top 10s and six Top 25s. At last week's RBC Canadian Open, Åberg finished T13 and was T16 at the Memorial. The former Texas Tech Red Raider seems to be coming back into form after a slight slump. The two-time PGA Tour winner did miss the cut at the first two majors, so look for Åberg to redeem himself at Oakmont. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Justin Thomas of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Justin Thomas of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by5. Justin Thomas Justin Thomas jumped up these rankings because of his recent play. He has six Top 10s in 2025 and won the RBC Heritage tournament. The former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer also finished runner-up three times at the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. He was T31 at the Memorial, but showed a lot of grit after his first-round 80. Thomas did miss the cut at Quail Hollow, but I think he redeems himself at Oakmont. The last two years have seen Thomas miss the cut, but his best finish was in 2020 at Winged Foot with a T8. This course is not too dissimilar to Winged Foot in terms of difficulty. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Xander Schauffele of the United States speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Xander Schauffele of the United States speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More 4. Xander Schauffele The 2024 PGA and Open champion has been cold in 2025. Granted, he has battled some injuries, but still, it is odd. He has just one Top 10 finish and five Top 25s. He was T25 at the Memorial and at the PGA Championship finished T28. Schauffele's only top 10 came at the Masters with a T8. He hasn't played poorly outside a 72nd finish at the Players. But expect cream to rise to the top at Oakmont and look for him to emerge as a contender. Schauffele has not missed a cut in his eight U.S. Open starts. His best finish came in 2019 with a T3. Last year at Pinehurst, the two-time major winner was T7. It's time to see Schauffele win again, so this week could be his moment to remind the other Top 10 players in the world he is still here. Happy US Open week 🇺🇸 — Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) June 9, 2025 3. Rory McIlroy Yes, Rory McIlroy is No. 3 on this ranking despite his atrocious performance at the RBC Canadian Open. He may have shot a 78 and posted his worst PGA Tour finish, but he is far too competitive to keep playing poorly. Since his Masters win, he has cooled off a lot, but could that change this week? His driver struggles are a massive concern at a track like Oakmont, but hopefully, he is able to find a big stick to his liking. The last time the U.S. Open was at this venue, he missed the cut in 2016. Last year's heartbreaking loss to Bryson DeChambeau saw him finish second for the second straight time after he also fell to Wyndham Clark in Los Angeles. McIlroy needs some momentum, and this week could be where he picks some up. If he can keep his driver straight, the Northern Irishman should be in contention on Sunday. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays a shot onto the 18th green during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays a shot onto the 18th green during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by2. Bryson DeChambeau Can Bryson DeChambeau defend his title and claim his third U.S. Open? He comes in at No. 2 on this list after he continues to play well in majors and on LIV Golf. DeChambeau was T5 at the Masters and finished T2 at the PGA Championship. Could he take the third major or will he post another Top 5 major? His length off the tee allowed for a T15 finish at Oakmont in 2016. So, he has shown he can get around this track. Last week at LIV Golf Virginia, the Crusher GC captain was T4 alongside Phil Mickelson, Thomas Pieters and Bubba Watson. DeChambeau will need to be at his best on the greens if he wants to beat the world's No. 1 player, though. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot plays a shot from the 18th tee during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot plays a shot from the 18th tee during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by1. Scottie Scheffler Scottie Scheffler is No. 1 on this list for good reason. He is coming off two massive wins at the PGA Championship and The Memorial. Scheffler dominated at the PGA Championship, marking the second of his career's three majors. He followed his major win up with a T4 at the Charles Schwab before taking home his third victory in three starts at The Memorial. Scheffler became the first player since Tiger Woods to defend his title at Jack Nicklaus' tournament. He went from no wins to three in a matter of a month. Sadly, those who thought his run was over were mistaken. He is coming into form at the right time this season and could win his second straight major. His length off the tee will help if he can keep it on the fairways and greens. The former Texas Longhorn has not missed a cut in 2025, and his worst finish was a T25 in Arizona for the WM Phoenix Open. Since that tournament, Scheffler has not finished outside the Top 8. Yeah, you read that right. He is atop the list for obvious reasons. If he plays anything like he has the last few weeks, Scheffler could quickly have one major left to complete the grand slam. More Golf: U.S. Open: 3 Biggest Storylines to Watch For at Oakmont
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Your complete guide to the 2025 Club World Cup – the groups, the teams and the storylines to watch
The Club World Cup begins on Saturday, June 14, when Inter Miami take on Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. How will Lionel Messi and friends get on? Are they likely to get out of Group A? And what about Real Madrid? The world's biggest club have replaced Carlo Ancelotti with Xabi Alonso, their former midfielder, and signed Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in the mini transfer window before the tournament. They're also after Alvaro Carreras from Benfica and one of the hottest prospects in world football, River Plate's 17-year-old forward Franco Mastantuono. Benfica and River are part of the fun in the United States, too. Paris Saint-Germain cross the Atlantic as champions of Europe, having thrashed Inter in the Champions League final two weeks ago. Can they complete a brilliant double this summer? And will a wounded Inter hit the ground running under new coach Christian Chivu? Simone Inzaghi was in charge for the final on May 31 but has since jumped ship for Saudi side Al Hilal, who are also at the Club World Cup. There are representatives from six continents across the globe among the 32 teams — Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, Ulsan from South Korea, Wydad from Morocco, Auckland City from New Zealand. Here are The Athletic's eight group guides and 16 in-depth team guides for the tournament, telling you all you need to know before the competition gets underway. Who are the favourites to advance to the knockout stage and which storylines should you be watching? Follow the Club World Cup on The Athletic this summer… Palmeiras of Brazil, Portugal's Porto, Al Ahly from Egypt and Major League Soccer side Inter Miami make up Group A, and beyond the Brazilian side, there is a case for any of the other teams to qualify for the straight-knockout round of 16. Miami's defensive struggles might hinder them, despite the presence of Messi and Luis Suarez in attack. Porto are looking at the tournament as an opportunity for redemption after one of their worst seasons of recent years at domestic and European levels. Advertisement Meanwhile, Al Ahly have consistently done well in the previous annual format of this tournament, finishing third on four occasions this decade. Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 14: Al Ahly vs Inter Miami (Miami, 8pm/1am June 15) June 15: Palmeiras vs Porto (New York/New Jersey, 6pm/11pm) June 19: Palmeiras vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey, 12pm/5pm) June 19: Inter Miami vs Porto (Atlanta, 3pm/8pm) June 23: Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (Miami, 9pm/2am June 24) June 23: Porto vs Al Ahly (New York/New Jersey, 9pm/2am June 24) The reigning champion of South America and a recent holder of that honour for North America have been drawn together at the Club World Cup — and both are projected to be the four-team section's underdogs. How's that for a Group of Death? Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid join Botafogo and the Seattle Sounders to form Group B, surely the deepest quartet of the eight in the tournament. Will there be a post-Champions League final hangover for PSG? Will Diego Simeone's steely Atletico relax a bit on their Stateside summer vacation? Can either team from the Americas upset the European behemoths? Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 15: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid (Pasadena, 3pm/8pm) June 15: Seattle Sounders vs. Botafogo (Seattle, 10pm/3am June 16) June 19: Seattle Sounders vs. Atletico Madrid (Seattle, 6pm/11pm) June 19: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo (Pasadena, 9pm/2am June 20) June 26: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain (Seattle, 3pm/8pm) June 26: Atletico Madrid vs. Botafogo (Pasadena, 3pm/8pm) Two of European football's most storied teams. An icon of the South American game. The side who earned a shock third-place finish at the 2014 Club World Cup. Auckland City, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors form Group C, offering ample intriguing storylines. Is Bayern built to be this reformatted tournament's first champion? Will Benfica benefit from one final dose of Angel Di Maria's heroics? Can Boca overcome a recent dip to become a dark horse? Could the New Zealanders wreak similar havoc to 11 years ago? Advertisement Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 15: Bayern Munich vs Auckland City (Cincinnati, 12pm/5pm) June 16: Boca Juniors vs Benfica (Miami, 6pm/11pm) June 20: Benfica vs Auckland City (Orlando, 12pm/5pm) June 20: Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors (Miami, 9pm/2am June 21) June 26: Auckland City vs Boca Juniors (Nashville, 3pm/8pm) June 26: Benfica vs Bayern Munich (Charlotte, 3pm/8pm) Chelsea, Flamengo, Esperance de Tunis and LAFC make up this group, and the odds are very much against the latter two. LAFC's qualification was only confirmed on June 1 when they defeated Club America in a play-off to determine the final contestant of this year's Club World Cup. Meanwhile, Esperance earned their place as the best-ranked eligible team in the CAF, African football's governing body, four-year ranking, but despite winning Tunisia's domestic league and cup, the gap in quality may prove to be too great. So for Chelsea and Flamengo, it's their group to lose and their encounter on June 20 could determine who tops it. Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 16: Chelsea vs LAFC (Atlanta, 3pm/8pm) June 16: Flamengo vs Esperance (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 17) June 20: Flamengo vs Chelsea (Philadelphia, 2pm/7pm) June 20: LAFC vs Esperance (Nashville, 6pm/11pm) June 24: LAFC vs Flamengo (Orlando, 9pm/2am June 25) June 24: Esperance vs Chelsea (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 25) Group E at the Club World Cup could conjure up a few entertaining matches, with a spot in the knockout stage up for grabs. Italian side Inter are the favourites to top a pool that also includes Argentina's River Plate, Monterrey from Mexico and Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds. Last month's UEFA Champions League runners-up qualified for this tournament via their ranking by UEFA, European football's governing body, between 2021 and 2024. River got in through their ranking by CONMEBOL, South America's UEFA equivalent, over the same period. Monterrey and Urawa are here thanks to winning the 2021 Concacaf Champions League and 2022-23 Asian Champions League. Advertisement River will be backed to finish second behind the men from Milan in this group, but Monterrey could pose a threat. Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 17: River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds (Seattle, 3pm/8pm) June 17: Monterrey vs Inter (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 18) June 21: Inter vs Urawa Red Diamonds (Seattle, 3pm/8pm) June 21: River Plate vs Monterrey (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 22) June 25: Inter vs River Plate (Seattle, 9pm/2am June 26) June 25: Urawa Red Diamonds vs Monterrey (Los Angeles, 9pm/2am June 26) Group F at the Club World Cup features a slight favourite in the form of Borussia Dortmund but could throw up its fair share of surprises. Dortmund endured a disappointing Bundesliga campaign that picked up pace only in the final weeks. They are joined by Brazilian side Fluminense, South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns and South Korea's Ulsan HD. Fluminense's history as one of Brazil's most successful clubs — with 42 major trophies — makes them the consensus pick for a top-two finish with Dortmund. Their 2023 Copa Libertadores win sealed their berth at the Club World Cup. But the Sundowns recently secured their eighth straight South African Premiership title and qualified for this tournament through their CAF ranking between 2021 and 2024. Ulsan, meanwhile, have won three consecutive league titles, though a fourth looks unlikely as they trail leaders Jeonbuk by six points in the K League 1 having played two games more. Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 17: Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund (New Jersey, 12pm/5pm) June 17: Ulsan HD vs Mamelodi Sundowns (Orlando, 6pm/11pm) June 21: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund (Cincinnati, 12pm/5pm) June 21: Fluminense vs Ulsan HD (New Jersey, 6pm/11pm) June 25: Borussia Dortmund vs Ulsan HD (Cincinnati, 3pm/8pm) June 25: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Fluminense (Florida, 3pm/8pm) Any group that contains the world's best manager, last year's Asian Champions League winners and Italy's most decorated club is likely to offer plenty of entertainment. Manchester City, Morocco's Wydad AC, Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates and Juventus join up to form Group G of this year's Club World Cup, and there are certainly enough storylines for you to shake a stick at. Can City get revenge on the Old Lady for their Champions League defeat in December? Which young player is one of Italy's take-on kings? Who has endured managerial chaos in recent months? Advertisement Team guides Fixtures (All kick-offs ET/BST) June 18: Manchester City vs Wydad AC (Philadelphia, 12pm/5pm) June 18: Al Ain vs Juventus (Washington, 9pm/2am June 19) June 22: Juventus vs Wydad AC (Philadelphia, 12pm/5pm) June 22: Manchester City vs Al Ain (Atlanta, 9pm/2am June 23) June 26: Juventus vs Manchester City (Orlando, 3pm/8pm) June 26: Wydad AC vs Al Ain (Washington, 3pm/8pm) When your group includes the competition's record holders, you know it is worth keeping an eye on. Real Madrid, Pachuca, Al Hilal, and Red Bull Salzburg form Group H and there are some tasty clashes to choose from. Madrid will be keen to add to their swollen trophy cabinet this summer with a new era upon them after Xabi Alonso was confirmed as their new head coach. Meanwhile, don't underestimate the strength of Al Hilal, who boast several star names that could see the Saudi club make a major dent in this tournament if they play to their full potential. Team guides Fixtures (All times ET/UK) June 18: Real Madrid vs Al Hilal (Miami, 3pm/8pm) June 18: Pachuca vs Red Bull Salzburg (Cincinnati, 6pm/11pm) June 22: Real Madrid vs Pachuca (Charlotte, 3pm/8pm) June 22: Red Bull Salzburg vs Al Hilal (Washington, 6pm/11pm) June 26: Al Hilal vs Pachuca (Nashville, 9pm/2am June 27) June 26: Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid (Philadelphia, 9pm/2am June 27)
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett show just keeps rolling, much to the Panthers' advantage
SUNRISE, Fla. — Brad Marchand waxed poetic about Sam Bennett and his monster shift in which he crushed Vasily Podkolzin, and then John Klingberg, before scoring his league-leading 14th goal and giving the Florida Panthers a huge separator Monday night. Marchand was going on and on and on and on. Bennett's former rival called him 'an animal this whole playoffs.' Advertisement 'He's built for this time of year,' Marchand said after the Panthers beat the heck out of the Edmonton Oilers in a 6-1 Game 3 victory to put themselves two wins from a Stanley Cup repeat. 'He's built for this time of year, just how competitive he is and how intense. Obviously, you see the physicality piece. That shift was a perfect example of his game. Blows two guys up and then somehow leads the rush after that and scores a beautiful goal. He can do it all.' Marchand talked about how Bennett isn't scared to go to the dirty areas you must go this time of year: 'He lives there.' Marchand talked about how Bennett is unfazed by the big moments, how he has the hands and the skill and the intensity level and strength to compete in the corners. As Marchand began to circle back and repeat, 'He's built for this time of year,' Sam Reinhart, sitting to his right, finally interrupted with a whisper of, 'Bed.' Reinhart was tired and letting Marchand know it was time to shut his yap so they could head off into the humid South Florida night for some well-earned shuteye. 'Yeah, sorry, I gotta wrap it up here,' Marchand said, laughing, before deadpanning, 'He's been great.' MAKE A HIT ✅POT A BEAUTY ✅ Sam Bennett is an absolute force to be reckoned with. #StanleyCup 🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ — NHL (@NHL) June 10, 2025 Like Bennett, Marchand has also been an animal this postseason, making it awfully tough for the Conn Smythe Trophy voters who are tasked with choosing the playoff MVP, should the Panthers win a second consecutive championship in their third straight Stanley Cup Final. In a rarity, Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe in a losing effort last postseason. That likely won't happen again if the Panthers can finish this off. Advertisement Obviously, a lot can happen still when Edmonton has two of the best players in the world. McDavid and the Oilers showed that last year by nearly completing the impossible and rallying from a 3-0 series deficit before losing Game 7. But this time, Marchand and Bennett are just playing too well for one of the deepest offensive teams we've seen in the playoffs in some time to not earn Playoff MVP honors if they win it all again. The Panthers are certainly deeper than last year's team, which averaged 3.04 goals per game in the playoffs. They are the sixth team in NHL history to score five or more goals 11 times in the playoffs, and Monday night was the eighth time in the past 11 games. They've scored 80 times in 20 playoff games for a league-best four goals per game. They have 11 double-digit point scorers and seven skaters with at least five goals. Their defensemen lead the league with 18 goals and 50 points. 'We have so much offensive depth and great players — so many good defensemen, too,' said Carter Verhaeghe, whose first-period power-play goal was his 13th career playoff game-winner and third in his Stanley Cup Final career. 'It seems like everyone's pulling the rope. Everyone's doing their job, goes out there and does their job. And one night, someone's gonna have a big night. Another night, someone else is gonna have a big night.' There's no doubt that's true, but the one thing that has become a constant is Marchand and Bennett always having big nights. They became the second set of teammates in NHL history to open a Stanley Cup Final with a goal streak of three-plus games, joining Minnesota North Stars forwards Steve Payne and Dino Ciccarelli in the 1981 Final. Marchand didn't waste time Monday. Fresh off his double-overtime winner in Game 2 in Edmonton, he became the first player in Stanley Cup Final history to follow an overtime winner with a goal in the opening minute of the following game, thanks to a sensational play by Anton Lundell. His goal 56 seconds into Game 3 was actually his third consecutive goal for the Panthers. It was his eighth goal of the playoffs and 11th of his career in the Stanley Cup Final. BRAD MARCHAND PICKS UP RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF 😱 LESS THAN A MINUTE INTO GAME 3, IT'S 1-0 FOR THE CATS 😼 — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 10, 2025 'I don't know if it set the tempo, but it also feels good when you score early in the game,' Marchand said. 'It gives you confidence. You can't expect that to happen each night. Especially with the way the series has gone so far, one goal doesn't mean a whole lot — especially with that group, how talented they are. You don't expect to keep them off the board, right? So it's just a play in a game, and you have to build off it and move forward.' Advertisement Perhaps, but then there's Bennett. Like Marchand, the fellow pending free agent forward continued his scoring ways by extending his goal streak to four games to establish a new franchise record in the postseason. His league-best 14 goals in 20 games is only 11 fewer than he had in 76 regular-season games. 'Marshy had an unreal goal to start the game,' said Matthew Tkachuk. 'Got us momentum right on our side. And Benny gained that separation for us and it was a helluva move that I had the best seat in the house for. So they're both playing well, both been great leaders for us.' Bennett's shift was simply superb. After two mammoth hits by Bennett, one that had Podkolzin still reverberating, Eetu Luostarinen stole the puck from him just inside the offensive blue line and then sent the puck into open space for Bennett before he beat a besieged Stuart Skinner with his latest beauty. 'He's been incredible,' captain Aleksander Barkov said of Bennett. 'He's scoring goals, but he's doing so much more other stuff. He's carrying the puck in the neutral zone. He's making plays. He's defending well. He's just unreal right now.' It was a frustrating sequence for the Oilers, who were outchanced dramatically in the first period at five-on-five and surrendered the first two goals. But after Corey Perry made it a game again with a power-play goal 1:40 into the second, the Panthers answered almost instantly with Barkov pressuring Klingberg into a turnover en route to Reinhart's goal, then Bennett following up a few minutes later to make it 4-1. The Oilers were unhinged from there with Trent Frederic cross-checking Bennett twice in the lower back to point he sawed off his own stick, an incident that triggered a 10-skater melee highlighted by what felt like an endless fight between Jonah Gadjovich and Darnell Nurse. Advertisement 'Gadgey did an incredible job sticking up for the guys there and taking on Nurse, who's obviously a tough guy as well,' Marchand said. The Panthers took their licks and usually skated away, which made the Oilers really lose their cool. The number of cross-checks and two-handed slashes the Panthers absorbed was simply unbelievable as they drew 11 power plays. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said his players were making 'investments' for the next game. 'We talked about it in the third,' Tkachuk said. 'If you have to take a punch, take a punch. If you have to take a cross-check, take a cross-check. Spear, slash in the face, whatever the case is, you've got to take it. We just played a really smart game.' Brad Marchand told the Oilers to "use their heads" after the Panthers PPG on Edmonton's 4th penalty of the first period 😳 — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 10, 2025 It'll be interesting how the Oilers respond. They were supposed to have the day off Tuesday. Instead, Knoblauch called for a practice. As poorly as Edmonton played, there has to be further concern about the Panthers dominating every second period in the series, the even-strength play Monday and continuously getting to the net and having their way there. 'Obviously we're a very deep team,' Marchand said. 'And not just deep offensively, but a lot of guys play a 200-foot game, and a lot of great leaders on this group as well. I think that's one of our strengths is the depth of the group, from the front end to the back end to the goaltending, and it's the way that they have orchestrated this group and the lineup to play a certain way.' Florida is coming at the Oilers in waves, with Barkov centering a top line that has one of the NHL's most clutch playoff performers in Verhaeghe and a 50-goal scorer in Reinhart, a second line that boasts the NHL's leading goal scorer in Bennett pivoting Evan Rodrigues and Tkachuk, and a third line that has Marchand with two stellar kids in Lundell and Luostarinen. Advertisement Heck, the Panthers' second power-play unit has Verhaghe, Marchand and Bennett. That's a luxury of riches right there and a unit that finally caused coach Paul Maurice to begin power plays with them over the so-called top unit. 'They've been the ones generating,' Maurice said. 'They want a name change. They don't want to be called '2' anymore. It's important for those guys to go out. They're going, they're faster right now and we have good players on there. We have the playoff leading goal scorer on that unit. Why wouldn't they start?' (Photo of Brad Marchand: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
