Weekend Rap

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau will tee off together in the final pairing of the Masters today, with a tee time of 2:30pm ET. DeChambeau is the one who chased McIlroy down to win the U.S. Open last June at Pinehurst, “leaving McIlroy heartbroken.” McIlroy is trying to complete the career Grand Slam, with only five golfers in history having won all four majors. DeChambeau said, “It’s going to be an electric atmosphere” (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 4/12). Today’s forecast for Augusta calls for a high of 71 degrees and no chance of rain (PALM BEACH POST, 4/13).

The McIlroy-DeChambeau pairing is a “dream scenario for the final round: PGA Tour vs LIV, McIlroy with a chance at history” (GOLFWEEK, 4/12). The stage “is set.” The “drama, the stakes and the tension have gripped the golf world, audaciously stirring that familiar sense of hope -- and dread.” All that is “needed now is an ending” (WASHINGTON POST, 4/12).

DeChambeau’s presence at the Masters has “reinforced how interesting he is and how much he’s missed by those who’d like to watch him more often.” The absence of DeChambeau is what has “hurt the PGA Tour the most.” He is the “most interesting player in a sport littered with too many faceless players who simply don’t stand out” (N.Y. POST, 4/12).

The winner of the 2025 Masters will take home $4.2M of the total $21M purse. That is $600,000 more than what 2024 winner Scottie Scheffler took home last year. The $21M purse for this year is $1M more than last year’s tournament. Here’s a breakdown of what the top five finishers will take home:

• 1st place: $4.2M
• 2nd place: $2.268M
• 3rd place: $1.428M
• 4th place: 1.008M
• 5th place: $840,000 (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 4/12).

Augusta National Golf Club drew a number of notable names who came to watch the Masters. On Friday, PIF Gov. Yasir Al-Rumayyan was spotted chatting with members at the Clubhouse. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro and Burke Magnus and new Green Jacket member Sean McManus were seen (SBJ). In attendance on Saturday were Bills QB Josh Allen, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, Pro Football HOFers Peyton Manning and Michael Strahan, former NFLer Eli Manning and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Tennis legend Roger Federer was “seen on the premises Friday and Saturday,” while Univ. of South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer was “spotted in the galleries earlier in the week.” Seen on the grounds Thursday were Basketball HOFers Vince Carter and Grant Hill; former NBAers JR Smith, Andre Iguodala and David Lee; and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. Aces C A’ja Wilson was also seen at Augusta National (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 4/12).

RELATED: Sports power brokers gather under Augusta National’s oak tree

Negotiations between the PGA Tour and the PIF have “essentially come to a standstill,” according to sources. The two sides appear at their “greatest extremes since June 2023,” though they “maintain that a deal is not officially off the table.” Each also contends “they have the upper hands in negotiations.” LIV Golf, with its “seemingly unlimited budget, may once again go after PGA Tour players.” PGA Tour execs do “not feel as if they particularly need the cash” from the PIF. The Tour has “yet to spend much” of the $1.5B from a band of big-name American investors last year as it “looked to strengthen its hand in negotiations with the Saudis” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/12).

Meanwhile, former LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman took part in a Q&A with the N.Y. TIMES:

• On the biggest obstacle to a deal between the Tour and PIF: “There’s one word that’s been used consistently wrong: merger. I don’t even know what the right word is. As far as I know from my boss at the time, it was never going to be a merger. LIV was always going to be a stand-alone.”
• On PIF Gov. Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s position on LIV Golf as a stand-alone brand: “I can only go on what he says in our meetings: that LIV is a stand-alone, and LIV will be around long after he’s dead.”
• On his comments on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents: “I think if I had to take something back from my entire three and a half years, I probably would have answered that question differently, or not answered it at all. Even though I tried to say it the way I felt -- because we all do make mistakes no matter who you are or what you do -- it’s the situation when you say it and how people interpret it.”
• On how his reputation may have changed due to working with the Saudis: “I took that into consideration for sure. But I was naïve. And once you’re in, you’re in. I’m not a quitter, so I’m just going to see it through for what I believe is right. ... I’ve never second-guessed myself on taking the C.E.O. role of LIV. I was proud of what I did there” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/12).

Inter Miami is “close to an agreement” with F Lionel Messi on a contract extension that would see him “lead his side into their new home at Miami Freedom Park next year.” The extension would “come as a huge boost” to the franchise and MLS. Miami Freedom Park is “part of a wider 131-acre development which includes a public park, entertainment and hospitality venues” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/11).

Messi fans in the Chicago area have been “waiting three years for a chance to see their hero play against the Fire at Soldier Field” and they might “finally get that chance on Sunday afternoon.” Two years ago, a record sellout crowd of 61,000 showed up, but Messi was injured and stayed home. Last year, fans were “heartbroken again” as Messi did not travel to the game. Messi and his “high-profile teammates are coming off an emotionally and physically draining” Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal win over LAFC on Wednesday. Messi scored twice, and they rallied from 2-0 down to win 3-2 on aggregate and advanced to the semifinals, where they will face the Whitecaps. Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano would not disclose which players would start or play Sunday but “suggested his key players would be ready” (MIAMI HERALD, 4/12).

Univ. of Tennessee football is “moving forward without” QB Nico Iamaleava, who is expected to enter the transfer portal “following what appeared to be a holdout.” Iamaleava “sought a renegotiation to his NIL deal,” which reportedly paid him more than $2M per year, and he missed UT’s final practice of spring on Friday. It is a “shocking end to the Vols’ three-year marriage to Iamaleava that began with a blockbuster NIL deal, survived an NCAA investigation and concluded with an underwhelming debut season as the starter.” Iamaleava signed an NIL contract in March 2022 that “could’ve paid him more” than $8M by the end of his third year. ESPN’s Chris Low reported that Iamaleava’s representatives “wanted his NIL pay increased” to $4M per year, “using the possibility of him entering the portal as leverage” (KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL, 4/12). UT football coach Josh Heupel said, “It’s the state of college football. At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program” (KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL, 4/12).

THE ATHLETIC’s Chris Vannini wrote Iamaleava’s “public breakup with Tennessee has given some leverage back to the schools.” Had UT and its collective “blinked, more stars elsewhere might’ve started public holdouts” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/12). YAHOO SPORTS’ Jay Busbee wrote while the UT athletic department “took a strong -- and some would say overly harsh -- stand, the flag is planted, the precedent established. Pay me or I’m gone isn’t going to go over well with the loyalists in Columbus or Athens. Booting your star quarterback out of the building hours before the spring game isn’t the ideal state of affairs for an athletic department, but to Tennessee, it’s preferable to giving in to the player’s demands” (YAHOO SPORTS, 4/12). In Nashville, Gentry Estes wrote “history is going to be proud of the Vols,” who “did the right thing, even if it might not feel that way on Saturdays this fall.” UT “stepped up for college sports” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/12). CBSSPORTS.com’s Adam Hummer wrote this is a “moment likely to be celebrated in college football buildings across the country” (CBSSPORTS.com, 4/12). In Pittsburgh, Paul Zeise wrote under the header, “Nico Iamaleava’s ‘holdout’ shouldn’t surprise anyone” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/11).

President Donald Trump attended Saturday’s UFC 314 in Miami, where fans gave him a “rapturous applause ... re-upping his connection to a key part of his base -- young men and podcast fans.” Many of Trump’s Cabinet officials came along, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk. Podcast host Joe Rogan also “chatted with Trump during breaks.” UFC President & CEO Dana White yesterday “sat for part of the evening at Trump’s right hand, with Musk on the other side.” Trump “watched into the early hours of Sunday, a visit that stretched more than three hours” (WASHINGTON POST, 4/13). UFC 314 drew an announced attendance of 18,287 for a live gate of $11,507,099 (MMA JUNKIE, 4/13).

Trump on the walk in greeted “several high profile attendees” including Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy. Trump was later sought out by Basketball HOFer Shaquille O’Neal, who gave him a “handshake and hug ringside” (N.Y. POST, 4/12). It is the second UFC event that Trump has attended since he was elected in November (N.Y. TIMES, 4/13).

Meanwhile, Trump was invited by Roger Penske to attend the Indianapolis 500, and the question is if Trump will attend next month’s 109th running (POLITICO, 4/12).

Western Michigan knocked off Boston Univ. 6-2 in the NCAA Frozen Four title game Saturday before a sellout crowd 16,953 at Enterprise Center. WMU had a “home-ice like advantage,” as fans from Kalamazoo “migrated 417 miles south to St. Louis over the past three days.” The city of over 72,000 “showed out en masse and turned downtown St. Louis into Kalamazoo South.” The “few Boston U. fans could barely be heard over the loud and rowdy Michiganders.” WMU became just the fourth team to win the crown in their first Frozen Four appearance (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/13). WMU coach Pat Ferschweiler said, “It felt like half the town was here. You could feel the energy in the streets during the day” (ESPN.com, 4/12).

The Univ. of Florida men’s basketball team were honored for their national championship during halftime of the football team’s spring game on Saturday before an announced attendance of 56,563. Florida football was “more preliminary than premier attraction,” as the school becomes “college basketball’s new epicenter” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/12). Highlights from Florida’s six NCAA Tournament victories “flashed on the stadium replay boards as players and coaches were introduced one by one.” Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented basketball coach Todd Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.” Golden said that he and AD Scott Stricklin “are close to a contract extension.” Golden made $3.6M this season and ranks 12th in the SEC in annual salary. Golden: “I feel like we’re very close to putting something together that will keep the Goldens in Gainesville for quite a while. I think in the next week or two, we’ll get to the finish line on that.” Golden also “took time to thank fans and several key boosters,” one of whom donated $1M to the program this week. Florida also has an $8M renovation to the basketball team’s practice facility on tap this summer (AP, 4/12).

The Triple-A Sacramento River Cats “will not use” its new Gold Diggers alternate identity after the club “used sexist tropes” in a video released Thursday unveiling it. Backlash to the jersey and the video was “swift and fierce” in Sacramento, including from multiple city councilmembers and state politicos. The River Cats in a statement said, “Our recent marketing campaign for an alternative identity clearly missed the mark. Our intention was to creatively reference the rich history of Sacramento and gold country, but our approach was wrong, and we are sorry for the mistake. We will no longer be using this identity.” The club had been planning to use the Gold Diggers uniforms five times this season (SFGATE, 4/11).

In Sacramento, Robin Epley wrote the joke behind the Gold Diggers alternate identity is “really not funny unless you think 1950s-era tropes about women only seeing dollar signs when sizing up men are funny.” It showed “exactly what the leadership at the River Cats thinks of women.” There is “no hiding behind ‘it’s just a joke’ after this” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/11).

LIV Golf player Sergio Garcia has decided to “part ways” with longtime managers Carlos Rodriguez and Irek Myskow. The change, which went into effect a couple of months ago, was “made to avoid any conflict of interest due to their various involvements in different LIV teams.” Garcia’s wife Angela said Rodriguez is a “wonderful guy and we have a wonderful relationship,” but his role as GM of LIV team Torque is a “conflict of interest.” Torque is headlined by Joaquin Niemann, another client of Rodriguez, a longtime agent with GSE. Likewise, Garcia “deemed it was inappropriate for Myskow to represent Garcia due to his role” as GM of Fireballs, the team Garcia owns a stake in and serves as captain. Stepping in to manage Garcia’s affairs is Andrew DiLallo, who had served as SVP/Sporting Operations for Austin FC and had been working for the Fireballs team. He is based in Garcia’s hometown of Austin. Garcia’s move is “about as stunning a player-agent split other than” if Tiger Woods moved on from Mark Steinberg (GOLFWEEK, 4/12).

The Rockies unveiled their City Connect uniforms on Saturday, “inspired by the colors of Colorado sunsets and sunrises from the plains to the Rocky Mountains.” The club will debut the uniforms on April 18 against the Nationals and “wear them on every Friday home game through the remainder of the season.” Rockies VP/Community & Retail Operations Jim Kellogg said that the process for this design “began two years ago in collaboration with Nike.” The Rockies also are the “first team to debut a City Connect pullover jersey, similar to what some MLB teams wore in the 1990s.” There will be “35 different versions of the hat as well as other apparel and jackets.” The Rockies hope to “create a lifestyle brand around the design” (ESPN.com, 4/12). The new look is “in bold contrast to the first City Connects” unveiled three years ago. Colorado license plates, “adorned with the outline of the mountains,” inspired those dark green-and-white uniforms (DENVER POST, 4/12).