Sports
Scheffler wins BMW, fifth PGA Tour crown of ’25
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The numbers Scottie Scheffler is compiling have been drawing comparisons with Tiger Woods. The world’s No. 1 player had a Tiger-like moment with the trophy on the line and a club in his hand Sunday in the BMW Championship.
Scheffler’s 82-foot chip on the 17th — the hardest hole in the final round at Caves Valley — landed about 60 feet short and rolled the rest of the way, picking up speed, losing speed and dropping on the final turn. The birdie all but wrapped up another win, his fifth PGA Tour title this year.
It was reminiscent of Woods delivering magic to overshadow his sublime skill, with his chip-in from behind the 16th green at the Memorial and his chip-in for eagle in the World Cup in Japan.
Scheffler already had erased a four-shot deficit against hard-luck Robert MacIntyre in five holes. He was clinging to a one-shot lead on the 17th, a daunting par 3 with a back right pin and water right.
Scheffler was in the left rough, the safe spot, facing a shot that a dozen players had chipped over the green.
“I knew it was just going to be really fast, and do my best to get it down there and give myself a good look for par,” he said. “When it came out, it came out how we wanted to and then it started breaking and it started looking better and better.
“And yeah, it was definitely nice to see that one go in.”
Scheffler closed with a 3-under 67 for a two-shot victory and became the first player since Woods — there’s that name again — in 2006 and 2007 to win at least five times on the PGA Tour in consecutive years.
MacIntyre didn’t make a birdie until the 16th hole but stayed in the game after losing his big lead, mostly when Scheffler began missing short putts.
MacIntyre pulled within one shot of the lead going to the 17th when Scheffler worked his magic and had to settle for another runner-up finish to a memorable shot, just like he did at Oakmont when J.J. Spaun holed a 65-foot birdie putt to clinch the U.S. Open in June.
MacIntyre was in the scoring room when he watched Spaun’s winning putt and applauded it. He was alongside Scheffler at the BMW Championship, staring in disbelief but angry at his poor play off the tee that cost him the big lead early.
“When he’s pitched that in on 17 and then he’s hit the perfect tee shot on 18, it’s pretty much game over just then. You’re playing for second place at that point,” MacIntyre said.
“He’s the better player on the day. I’m just really pissed off right now. Right now, I want go and smash up my golf clubs, to be honest with you.”
MacIntyre made 18 birdies in the first 45 holes of the tournament and only two over the last 27 holes. He closed with a 73 and got some consolation prizes that didn’t mean much in the moment. He cracked the top 10 in the world for the first time, going to No. 8.
Scheffler’s chip-in elicited the loudest cheer of the day.
The most satisfying shot came on the 15th, when his lead was down to one shot after a three-putt. MacIntyre hit to 7 feet from the fairway. Scheffler was in a deep bunker and hit 8-iron to 6 feet.
MacIntyre missed. Scheffler made.
“That was a really important shot in the tournament, one that I think will fly a little bit under the radar,” Scheffler said.
The season is not over for Scheffler, who leads the 30 players who advanced to this week’s Tour Championship at Atlanta’s East Lake with a chance to become the first repeat FedEx Cup champion since the series began in 2007.
All 30 players at East Lake can win the $10 million first-place check. The field includes Harry Hall, the only golfer who played his way into the top 30 on Sunday, and even that was tense. Hall made bogey on the par-5 16th — the easiest hole on the course — then went long and left at the 17th. He also chipped in for birdie and was safe going up the 18th.
Rickie Fowler was on the verge of getting back to East Lake only to twice miss the green from the fairway on the back nine — leading to bogey on the 14th and double bogey on the 15th, and knocking him out of the top 30.
Fowler finished with a 5-foot par putt. Had he missed, Michael Kim would have been in the Tour Championship. Instead, the 30th spot went to Akshay Bhatia, despite making four bogeys on the back nine and feeling as though he had blown it.
MacIntyre squandered a big chance too.
He showed plenty of grit on Saturday playing in the final group with Scheffler. But on the opening hole, Scheffler drilled his drive down the middle and hit to 6 feet for birdie, while MacIntyre missed the fairway and a 6-foot par putt. It was an early statement.
MacIntyre missed another fairway at the second and made bogey. He went from the fairway to a bunker on the short par-4 fifth, a two-shot swing when the Scotsman failed to get up-and-down for par and Scheffler made birdie.
Then Scheffler took the lead with a wedge to 6 feet for birdie on No. 7.
It looked like it would be a runaway at that point as Scheffler never seemed to miss — except when he had a chance to extend the lead. He missed birdie chances of 5 feet at No. 8 and 8 feet at No. 10. He botched a simple up-and-down at the 12th and three-putted from 18 feet on the 14th. Each chance kept MacIntyre in the hunt.
Then came one chip on the 17th for a knockout punch.
Scheffler, who finished at 15-under 265, has 18 career titles in the past 3½ years since his first PGA Tour title in Phoenix.
Harry Kane has reiterated that Bayern Munich still have “a lot to play for” this season after winning the Bundesliga title following their 4-2 thrashing of Stuttgart on Sunday.
The England international was substituted on at half time to bag his 31st goal, taking his tally to 51 across all competitions for Bayern this season, the most by any player for a top-five league side since Erling Haaland in 2022-23 (52).
After retaining the title — Bayern’s 13th in 14 seasons — an overjoyed Kane shared his ambitions for the remainder of the season.
“It’s been a fantastic season for us to finish the league off in the way we have with the goals that we scored.” Kane said.
“It’s a credit to the mentality of the boys, from the first game to the last we just keep pushing.
“We still have a lot to play for in other competitions, but all the hard work and days together this makes it worth it to be champions again.”
Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz have a combined 94 goal contributions between them this season — the most by a trio on record (since 1988) in the Bundesliga.
– The numbers behind Harry Kane’s record-breaking Bundesliga season for Bayern Munich
– Bayern Munich retain Bundesliga title after thrashing Stuttgart
– Who has won Bundesliga? All-time German soccer winners list
Kane celebrated the trio’s chemistry: “It’s special, I feel like the relationship just get stronger and stronger, it grows every time we play and train with each other.
“There is still a lot to play for we feel good every time when we’re on the pitch.
Two more trophies are up for grabs for Vincent Kompany’s side, with a semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup to play next as well as a highly-anticipated clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals.
Kompany, who has now won the Bavarian club’s 34th and 35th Bundesliga crowns, hailed the opportunity to keep winning trophies.
“The numbers are great, but it’s not over yet,” Kompany said.
“We keep going. It’s also a question of mentality. We always give our all, whether in pre-season or for a competitive fixture and I don’t want to stop yet.
“We’ve got crucial weeks to come. We’re excited, but also know how tough it’ll be. Our belief is there, and that’s very valuable in football.”
Additional information from PA contributed to this report.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a one-year ban on Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka from participation in the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), citing contractual violations.
Shanaka was signed by defending champions Lahore Qalandars for Rs7.5 million in the accelerated round of the inaugural players auction, held in February this year.
But just three days before the commencement of the ongoing PSL 11, the franchise confirmed that the Sri Lankan all-rounder has withdrawn due to personal reasons and was replaced by Australia’s Daniel Sams in the squad.
In a statement, the PCB said it conducted a comprehensive assessment of recent contractual developments involving Shanaka and Lahore Qalandars, after the player withdrew from the tournament on March 21, 2026.
The board concluded that the unilateral withdrawal amounted to a clear breach of the player registration terms and the tripartite agreement. It further noted that the reasons cited for the withdrawal were not covered under the existing contractual framework.
While acknowledging Shanaka’s expressions of regret and his stated desire to continue playing in Pakistan, the PCB said the nature of the breach required regulatory action to safeguard the integrity and exclusivity of the league.
As a result, the PCB confirmed that Shanaka has been barred from participating in PSL 12, effective immediately.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by the PCB, the Sri Lankan all-rounder issued an apology to Pakistani fans and the wider cricket community.
“I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” Shanaka was quoted as saying by the PCB.
“The HBL PSL is a prestigious tournament, and I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions. To the loyal fans of Lahore Qalandars, I am truly sorry for letting you down.”
He further clarified that he had no intention of joining any other franchise league at the time of his withdrawal from the PSL, urging that he has great respect for Pakistani fans and expressing his hope to make his return to the marquee league soon.
“I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the PSL I had no intention of joining any other tournament. I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan. I hope to return to the HBL PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.”
Just under a month ago, Maryland Terrapins guard Oluchi Okanawa went viral for an intense moment with her coach Brenda Frese in their 74-66 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament.
Now, she is headlining what appears to be a rebuild of the Nigeria women’s basketball program.
Okananwa, the Terrapins star player, was having a dreadful third quarter where she turned the ball over multiple times, missed three free throws and missed a layup before getting yanked by Frese.
What followed turned out to be one of the most viral moments of March Madness. Frese went forehead-to-forehead with the guard in an intense coaching moment, telling her star Terrapin “I believe in you, but you got to want this moment!”
Oluchi went back into the game, immediately scored, got a steal and ended up with 21 points in a remarkable turnaround. She said after the game that she welcomed the intensity of the coaching moment.
“Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart,” she said. “I’ve told her this before, and I’ll keep on telling her this forever. I love to be coached hard. That’s what she does with me every single day.”
Less than four weeks later, Okananwa is now top of the list on the Nigeria women’s basketball team, as they named a 21-player training camp roster ahead of a series of friendlies against WNBA opposition, part of preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
Far from routine, the squad named by head coach Rena Wakama, appears to be a clear indication that D’Tigress are fully in refresh season, with a wave of NCAA-based players called up, led by Okananwa and Texas Tech’s Stephanie Okechukwu, the tallest player in the history of NCAA women’s basketball at 7 feet 1 inch.
Both players are part of a total of 15 players on that roster picked from fourteen different US programs. Of those, Okananwa and Okechukwu are the undisputed picks of a bunch spanning Power Four programs, the Ivy League and the junior college ranks.
It is the most concentrated draw on the NCAA pipeline in D’Tigress history and comes in the wake of the departure of former captain Sarah Ogoke, as the NBBF looks to lower the age of the team with players like Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, and Victoria Macaulay the other side of 30.
Okananwa, a junior, earned AP and WBCA All-America honorable mention honors this season after averaging 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and a Big Ten-leading 74 steals in 33 starts for the Terrapins. She led Maryland in scoring in 28 of 33 games and reached 20 points or more in 14 outings.
With her talent, Okananwa could well be the face and future of Nigeria women’s basketball.
Okechukwu, the 7-foot-1 center from Umunneochi, Nigeria, who attended high school in Japan, signed with Texas Tech in January as the tallest player in the history of NCAA women’s basketball.
She did not play during the 2025-26 season due to NCAA eligibility complications related to her academic transcripts, but remains enrolled at Texas Tech and is expected to compete beginning next season.
Stanford are the only program to contribute more than one player. They are Shay Ijiwoye, a sophomore guard from Phoenix, Arizona, who appeared in 32 games for the Cardinals last season, averaging 2.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
Her teammate Nora Ezike, a freshman forward from La Grange, Illinois, made her Nigeria debut at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Brno, Czechia, last July, where she opened with 25 points on 8-for-8 shooting in Nigeria’s first-ever U19 World Cup victory against China. She played in nine games off the Stanford bench in 2025-26.
Another addition is Uche Izoje, who may be college basketball’s most compelling origin story. The 6-foot-3 center from Asaba, Delta State, left Nigeria at age 13 to play basketball in Japan, spent two seasons with Chanson V-Magic in the Women’s Japan Basketball League as a two-time All-Star and 2024 Rookie of the Year, then arrived in the United States for the first time to play at Syracuse.
In her debut college season she averaged 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and a conference-leading 2.6 blocks per game, capping a standout debut season by winning ACC Rookie of the Year and going on to score 23 points in 25 minutes against Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma called her “the best player we’ve seen this year.”
Miami freshman forward Danielle Osho, a four-star recruit from Dacula, Georgia and a two-time Georgia state high school champion, also earns a call-up. Osho averaged 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in her first college season with the Hurricanes.
Despite the seemingly overwhelming number of NCAA-related rookies, the squad is held together by an experienced core of vets that include Kalu, Amukamara, Macaulay, Nicole Enabosi and Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah.
But they are also missing just as much experience, including the leadership of captain Amy Okonkwo, who signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings after averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals across eight appearances in her WNBA debut with the franchise in 2025.
Elizabeth Balogun is in a similar position with the Toronto Tempo. Murjanatu Musa is also absent, competing instead with Basket Landes at the EuroLeague Women’s Final Six in Zaragoza, Spain, where she is in the running for the MVP in only her first season in that competition.
Despite this influx of largely young and untested players, Kunayi-Akpanah says the objective for those three games in the States is clear.
“These aren’t just exhibition games,” she said. “These are games for us to test our plays, our systems and how we communicate under pressure. Basically, everything we’ve been building. All is to arrive in our best shape for the World Cup in September.”
D’Tigress face the Los Angeles Sparks on April 25, the Minnesota Lynx on April 27, and the Indiana Fever on May 2 as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, which begins September 4 in Berlin, Germany.
Nigeria qualified as AfroBasket champions, but were still required to take part in World Cup qualifying tournament where they went 2-3.
Still, those results were sufficient to maintain their eighth-place standing in the FIBA Women’s World Rankings with 700.3 points and D’Tigress remain the only African nation ranked inside the global top 10.
Full training camp roster:
Promise Amukamara, Shay Ijiwoye, Donanu Regina, Jerni Kiaku, Ezinne Kalu, Oluchi Okananwa, Gabby White, Nora Ezike, Victoria Macaulay, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Suzie Rafiu, Danielle Osho, Nicole Enabosi, Maryam Dauda, Rita Igbokwe, Stephanie Okechukwu, Uche Izoje, Vera Ojenuwa, Favour Nwaedozi and Blessing Ejiofor.
D’Tigress College Future:
Shay Ijiwoye – Stanford
Donanu Regina – Barton Community College
Jerni Kiaku – Indiana University Hoosiers
Oluchi Okananwa – Maryland
Gabby White – UVA transferring to UNC
Nora Ezike – Stanford
Vivian Iwuchukwu – USC Trojans
Suzie Rafiu – Columbia University
Danielle Osho – Miami Hurricanes
Maryam Dauda – U South Carolina Gamecocks
Rita Igbokwe – Ole Miss
Stephanie Okechukwu – Texas
Uche Izoje – Syracuse
Vera Ojenuwa – UGA
Favour Nwaedozi – Mississippi State
Ryanair flight from Milan to Manchester leaves passengers behind due to border delays
Harry Kane vows Bayern Munich have ‘a lot to play for’ after Bundesliga title
Hyundai’s New Ioniq 3 Has Hot-Hatch Looks, but Can It Beat BYD?
-
Fashion4 days agoFrance’s LVMH Q1 revenue falls 6%, shows resilience amid Iran war
-
Sports1 week agoThe case for Man United’s Fernandes as Premier League’s best
-
Entertainment1 week agoPalace left in shock as Prince William cancels grand ceremony
-
Business1 week agoUK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislation
-
Entertainment5 days agoIs Claude down? Here’s why users are seeing errors
-
Fashion1 week agoEnergy emerges as biggest cost driver in textile margins
-
Business1 week agoDelta Air Lines unveils first new Delta One suite in premium cabin arms race
-
Tech1 week agoA Lot of Shops Won’t Fix Electric Bikes. Here’s Why