Scheffler Forces Monday Playoff At Travelers Championship

June 29, 2026 4:25 am

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler celebrated as though he won and it must have felt that way. He made an 8-foot par putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Viktor Hovland at the Travelers Championship. That will have to wait until Monday. The final round was stopped for 90 minutes because of storms at the TPC River Highlands. Hovland had three straight birdies to catch Scheffler and they finished with three pars. The delay meant it was too dark to contest even one playoff hole. That means they will return Monday morning to complete the final signature event.

Cincinnati Reds Rally In Ninth Inning For Win Over The Pirates

June 28, 2026 7:02 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning that rallied the Cincinnati Reds to a 9-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Trying to protect a one-run lead, Gregory Soto let the first two Reds batters reach safely in the ninth before getting Sal Stewart to ground into a double play. Soto then walked JJ Bleday in front of Suárez, who drove a 2-2 sinker below the strike zone 344 feet the other way to right field. Chase Petty retired the side in order in the ninth for his first major league save. Suárez’s homer came after Esmerlyn Valdéz put Pittsburgh ahead 7-6 with a pinch-hit homer off Caleb Ferguson in the eighth.

Penguins Select Twins In NHL Draft

June 28, 2026 7:00 am

The Pittsburgh Penguins selected forward Liam Ruck with their top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruck was taken as the 22nd overall selection in the first round. The 6-foot, 174-pound forward recorded 104 points in 68 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in 2025-26. Ruck, 18, ranked second in the WHL in points and goals and fifth in assists this past season. Ruck also tallied 12 points (8G-4A) in 14 WHL playoff games. He was named to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team. In parts of three seasons in the WHL, all with Medicine Hat, he registered 71 goals, 76 assists and 147 points in 132 career games. Then in their first pick in the second round (39th overall), the Penguins chose Ruck’s twin brother Markus.

Serena Williams Gets Center Court For Wimbledon Return

June 28, 2026 7:32 am

LONDON (AP) — Where else would she play? Wimbledon has confirmed that Serena Williams’ first match at the grass-court Grand Slam since 2022 will take place on Centre Court on Tuesday evening. The 44-year-old Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion making a tennis comeback, will face 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia. Defending champion Iga Swiatek opens play on Centre Court on Tuesday (1:30 p.m. local time), in keeping with tradition, against Taylor Townsend. That’s to be followed by Taylor Fritz vs. home favorite Jack Draper. And then Williams-Joint.

Hovland Takes The Lead Over Scottie Scheffler In Travelers Championship

June 28, 2026 7:31 am

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Viktor Hovland waited until the final hole to take the lead over Scottie Scheffler in the Travelers Championship. The Norwegian star was one shot behind until hitting a sand wedge to 6 feet on the 18th hole for a 64. Scheffler three-putted from 25 feet on the fringe and made bogey. Hovland has plenty of support at the TPC River Highlands from a contingent of jersey-wearing fans who were at the World Cup in Boston the day before. The next closest players to Hovland are five back. But he says Sunday could produce a low score by anyone.

Iran Eliminated From World Cup

June 28, 2026 7:29 am

Iran has been eliminated from the World Cup, narrowly failing to advance past the group stage in a politically charged tournament where the team played its matches amid tight restrictions imposed by the United States. Iran missed the round of 32 by one spot in heartbreaking fashion. It finished third in Group G with three points earned with draws against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. Iran appeared to have advanced via tiebreakers when Algeria scored a stunning stoppage-time goal to go ahead of Austria 3-2 Saturday night, but Austria tied it back up seconds later on the game’s final play. Their draw ensured Iran’s elimination.

England Advances In World Cup

June 28, 2026 7:28 am

EAST RUTHERFORD, N,.J. (AP) — Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0 and into what appears to be a more favorable bracket for the World Cup’s knockout phrase. Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick. Held in bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year. Five minutes later, Kane became England’s record World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.

Congo Advances To Knockout Stage Of World Cup

June 28, 2026 7:28 am

ATLANTA (AP) — Congo has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time by rallying to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan. The African nation was playing in soccer’s biggest tournament for only the second time in its history after a 52-year absence. Two second-half goals from Yoane Wissa and one from Fiston Mayele sealed the win and saw Congo join Cape Verde as another surprise qualifier for the round of 32. Uzbekistan led through Eldor Shomurodov’s first-half strike that looked set to end Congo’s hopes. But Sébastien Desabre’s team fought back after the break.

Austria, Algeria Trade Goals In Stoppage Time To Advance At World Cup

June 28, 2026 7:26 am

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Austria and Algeria played to a thrilling 3-3 draw Saturday night in what amounted to a win-win result in their World Cup group-stage finale, allowing both to advance to the knockout round while eliminating Iran from the tournament. The game was tied 2-all in the closing minutes, and Algeria looked as if it was content to run out the clock, when captain Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal with about a minute left in stoppage time. That put Austria on the verge of elimination, only for Sasa Kalajdzic to head in the equalizing goal moments later and rescue Das Team’s World Cup hopes.

Maple Leafs Select PSU’s McKenna With No 1 Pick

June 27, 2026 4:41 am

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Penn State forward Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 NHL draft pick. The 18-year-old McKenna is from Yukon’s capital of Whitehorse, has been a prolific scorer on both sides of the border, with McKenna’s selection validating the projections of the left winger being his age group’s top prospect more than two years ago. For Toronto, McKenna represents a major plank in the rebuilding process of a team suddenly in transition under new general manager John Chayka. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Matthews’ arrival. [AP photo]