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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NCAA Men's Golf Championship highlights: Oklahoma State beats Virginia for 12th national title
A national champion will be crowned this evening. The final match of the 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championship is set between fourth-seeded Oklahoma State and No. 7 Virginia, with the first match going off at 5:25 p.m. ET Wednesday at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's North Course. Advertisement Oklahoma State is looking for its 12th national championship while Virginia is in search of its first. Follow along below for live updates from the championship match at the NCAA Men's Championship: NCAA Men's Golf Championship live leaderboard Click here to follow scores from the championship match. Oklahoma State wins national title Eric Lee, the hero from the semifinal, wins his match on the 18th hole, and Oklahoma State beat Virginia 4-1 to win the 2025 national title. It's OSU's first since 2018. Ben James gets Virginia's first point Ben James wins the heavyweight bout, taking down Preston Stout 3 and 2. Virginia needs the other two matches, but Oklahoma State is leading in both of them, including dormie in the final match on 18. OSU gets another point Gaven Lane and Paul Chang were tied hading to the 12th tee. Four holes later, the match is over. Lane wins 4 and 3, and the Cowboys are a point away from national title No. 12. Oklahoma State gets first point The first point is on the board, as Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson tops Maxi Puregger 2 and 1 in the first match off. OSU leads Virginia, 1-0. Advertisement Two of the four remaining matches are tied, and Virginia and Oklahoma State each lead one. Leaderboard tightening with all groups on back nine The NCAA Championship is up for grabs with every group having made the turn. Virginia leads in two matches and Oklahoma State in one, but two of those matches have become closer in the last 15 minutes with players making a push to flip. Virginia leads in four matches The Cavaliers are off to an excellent start, leading in four of the five matches. Ben James has gone 3 up thru 6 holes and is 4 under. OSU's only lead is Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson in the lead match. Ben James goes 2 up in pivotal match Virginia's Ben James has won consecutive holes to go 2 up thru 3 in his match against Preston Stout. Stout has bogeyed consecutive holes while James is 1 under thus far. Advertisement As mentioned earlier, this is the matchup of stars. Whoever comes out on top will give their team a huge boost to win it all. Paul Chang wins first hole for Virginia The former club golfer goes 1 up in his match, the fourth, to get Virginia its first hole won this afternoon. Yes, Chang played on the club golf team and played his way on to the Cavaliers' roster. Oklahoma State wins first hole And we're off! Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson wins the first hole with a birdie, and the Cowboys have the early lead. As you likely know, match play is more about what happens on the back nine, but having a lead early is never a bad thing. What to watch for Wednesday The match of the day is Oklahoma State's Preston Stout against Virginia's Ben James. Two of the best amateurs in the world and players this season. Stout knocked off Michael La Sasso, the NCAA individual champion, in the semifinals on Tuesday, and James nearly holed out for eagle on 18 to clinch his semifinal match. Advertisement The winner of this match will go a long way in helping their team hoist the trophy come Wednesday night. NCAA Men's Golf Championship predictions, expert picks Golfweek's college golf experts Lance Ringler and Cameron Jourdan made predictions for the championship. You can see their entire selections here. NCAA Men's Golf Championship championship tee times 1st tee No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. No. 7 Virginia Championship matchups Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson vs. Maxi Puregger, 5:25 p.m. ET, 1st tee Eric Lee vs. Josh Duangmanee, 5:35 p.m. Preston Stout vs. Ben James, 5:45 p.m. Gaven Lane vs. Paul Chang, 5:55 p.m. Advertisement Ethan Fang vs. Bryan Lee, 6:05 p.m. NCAA Men's Golf Championship format Finals play for both championships consist of three days of stroke play on Friday thru Sunday (54 holes), after which the top-15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will be determined. That is followed by a final day of 18 holes of stroke play (Monday) to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, followed by the finals on Wednesday. NCAA Men's Golf Championship TV information Golf Channel is the TV home for the NCAA Championships. All times ET Wednesday, May 28 Live coverage - 6-10 p.m. NCAA Men's Golf Championship tickets Fans must have tickets to attend this year's NCAA Golf Championships. Here's how to buy them. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: NCAA Men's Golf live updates: Scores, results for 2025 championship
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
The WRU face huge challenge from the west - fail to sort it and things could go nuclear
The WRU face huge challenge from the west - fail to sort it and things could go nuclear Welsh rugby is once again at a crossroads after yet another period of tremendous upheaval - the Inside Welsh Rugby Substack looks at how it's happened The WRU are facing a challenge from west Wales clubs Scarlets and Ospreys (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) There is never a dull moment in Welsh rugby. Just when things looked to be settling down and a new Professional Rugby Agreement was nearing completion, Cardiff entered administration, prompting the Welsh Rugby Union to assume ownership of the capital city club. It was the right move by the WRU and there are very few people who would argue against that decision, but it has evidently caused issues elsewhere and has put the brakes on the new PRA. Cardiff's situation has put a significant spanner in the works. The WRU are desperate to get the PRA over the line because a deadline has been set by NatWest to refinance the debt acquired by all four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - during Covid. The WRU is looking to take on around £35m of new debt which would refinance its existing NatWest and Welsh Government facilities of £30m. Article continues below There is Welsh Government debt of £12.5m which was passed through to the clubs via the WRU. The idea is to increase funding but crucially improve the balance sheets of the clubs by taking away the debt they acquired during Covid. But the banks will not agree to refinance the debt on the current PRA because any uplift in income is supposed to go to the four professional clubs, which they see as too much of a risk. But on the flip side both the Ospreys and Scarlets currently see it as too much of a risk to sign the new PRA, which has created a stalemate.... Want to read more? In the latest edition of the Inside Welsh Rugby newsletter, Steffan Thomas looks at how Welsh rugby has found itself at this point again. You can sign up here Inside Welsh Rugby is a weekly newsletter which gets under the skin of the game in Wales, attempting to get to the heart of the issues and biggest stories. Article continues below Written by WalesOnline rugby correspondents Steffan Thomas and Ben James, it takes readers deep into the heart of Welsh rugby, while also shining a light on problems which need to be fixed in order for the game to flourish. There is also be deep-dive analysis, explaining to readers exactly what's happening on and off the pitch. Sign up here
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Scientist creates a brand NEW version of the London Underground map - and it could be a game-changer for commuters
Any commuter knows the frustration of watching the train they've just run for already pulling away from the platform. But an incredible new version of the London Underground map promises to make missing the train a thing of the past. Created by engineer and writer Ben James, this live version of the iconic Tube map reveals the real-time location of every train in the capital. Curious travellers can watch their train move along the lines, and see the exact time it will pull into the station. Using open data from Transport for London, the map works out where each train is on its current route and reveals any blockages, delays, or traffic as it happens. Data-obsessed commuters can even zoom in to see the model number of any train and learn when it will reach its next few stops. On social media, commuters have hailed the revolutionary new Tube map as a game-changer for London transport. One enthusiastic commenter wrote on X: 'This kind of sign should be in every bus stop, station and airport!' To try the map out for yourself, all you need to do is follow this link. Opening the map will reveal the sprawl of London's topography overlaid with colourful lines representing each of the different Tube lines. Within the lines, you will be able to see dark shapes representing the trains as they move between stations. If you want even more information, hover over any of the trains to pull up a more detailed description. This will reveal the train's serial number, origin, destination, expected time of arrival and even how much progress it has made towards its next stop. Zooming out reveals a fascinating overview of London's underground network stretching all the way from Chesham in the northwest to Upminster in the east. In this view, you can also see just how misleading the real London Underground map can be. Rather than connecting in a neat grid as Transport For London's (TfL) version would suggest, the real layout of the Tube is far more spread out. For anyone after more detailed information, the website also includes live departure boards for any station in London Likewise, looking from above it is also clear just how much the London Underground favours locations north of the river, with just a few solitary lines extending into the south. Yet the most fascinating part of this map might be revealed when you start to zoom in. Getting closer, the city's grid pops up into a near-perfect 3D representation of the city and some of its most famous landmarks. You can scroll over to Westminster to take a look at Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament or even pan to Trafalgar Square and watch as trains pull into Charing Cross Station. Any Londoners using the map will also be able to waste plenty of time trying to find their own houses amid the 3D grid. Since Mr James published his creation earlier this month, transport fans have flocked to social media to share their enthusiasm. One keen commenter shared a screenshot of the live map, writing: 'It works! Live tracking my train on the district line. Super cool.' 'Simply brilliant', another added. This is not the first alternative London Tube map. Last year a cartographer created a new version of the map using concentric circles and spokes, which the creator claims is easier to understand While one commenter joked: 'Don't do this to me! I need to focus at work... Love this!' Whether you live in London or not, the map is a truly fascinating and oddly relaxing way to explore the city's chaotic underground. But this isn't the first time that inspired commuters have produced their own takes on the famous Tube map. Last year, Dr Max Roberts, a cartographer based in Essex, created a 'concentric-circles-and-spokes' map. This version charted the stations across all 11 lines of the London Underground, as well as the Elizabeth Line, Croydon Tramlink, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), Overground, Great Northern City Line, and Thameslink Services. The original London Underground map was drawn up almost 90 years ago by Harry Beck, an electrical draughtsman who based his map on the circuit drawings used in his day job, rather than focusing on geography. However, Dr Roberts complains that the modern version is 'in a very poor state' with too many lines and stations squeezed into a small space. His new version uses circles and spokes radiating from a central point to show the connections between the stations in a more organised way.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alpha Launches a New Fund Finance Report Revealing the Truth About NAV Facilities and ‘Leverage on Leverage' Criticism
LONDON, February 19, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alpha Group International plc (LON:ALPH) today announced the launch of its new fund finance report. Harnessing data from its Alpha Match platform, this is the only report of its kind to aggregate heads of terms data to explore the risks of NAV financing. The findings dispel common assumptions and help to alleviate concerns around GPs taking on too much debt, as well as how cautious lenders are when providing these facilities. The total fund finance market is estimated to be worth $1.2trn, according to a recent Ares whitepaper. Of that total, NAV lending represents around $225bn (18.75%), with the bulk of that amount attributable to secondaries NAV ($175bn), and just $50bn for single fund NAV facilities – the focus of this report. Furthermore, Ares estimates that NAV loan usage remains limited at less than 3%. Despite NAV facilities representing a relatively small proportion of the fund finance market, the use of these loans has come under fire in recent years, with the main criticism focused on what the Bank of England labels as 'leverage on leverage'. This resulted in the PRA demanding banks review and assess their current practices regarding their private markets lending activities. The Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) also published NAV guidance to its members, with a particular focus on communication between LPs and GPs, as well as documentation. Crucially, all existing reports on the use of NAV facilities have been based on survey and qualitative research. NAV facilities have never been tested at scale. Against this backdrop, we have developed a new report, harnessing data from Alpha Match, to explore the effects of using a NAV facility during a period of stress. By aggregating heads of terms data, we are able to explore the risks of bringing in this particular kind of financing. The results might surprise you. The report covers: A breakdown of how LTVs vary across facility size LTV by the number of assets LTV by lender type LTV sensitivity testing Access report By responding to the leverage on leverage criticism, this report benefits both fund managers (as borrowers) and their investors in better understanding the impact of NAV facilities on a fund. It provides an independent, data-led overview of the current fund finance market for both GPs and LPs to better understand these facilities and help with deciding whether or not a NAV loan is appropriate. Alpha's Ben James, Head of Lender Engagement says, "Lenders are looking at myriad factors when setting the LTV, including the fund's portfolio composition, diversification / concentration, performance, existing leverage levels, realisation certainty and timeframes, to name but a few. Each lender and individual financing circumstance will have its own considerations and sensitivities, meaning lenders structure a financing accordingly to mitigate these idiosyncratic risks. It is crucial to note that no single financing situation is the same, both in terms of the lender's credit underwrite analysis and the borrower's purposes for the financing." To find out more about Alpha Match, visit or email match@ View source version on Contacts match@
