The Sportsletter - Island Getaway ⛳️

BY JEFF YODER

MAR. 14, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Wake Up 🌤️ It's Tee Time ⛳️

Basketball and soccer highlights from across the world fill today’s edition, but our feature story welcomes back golf for the first must-see event of 2024. The Players Championship tees off shortly, and that pesky 17th Island Green awaits. It's contagious… I might hit the local links for a quick-9. Golf, brackets and more on the way this weekend.

🚨 Bubble Watch: Villanova (on the bubble) held off a valiant effort from lowly DePaul (3-28) in the Big East tournament last night. ‘Nova’s Justin Moore hit a go-ahead 3 with 8 seconds left, and they survived a scare from a 24-point underdog (58-57). Watch Highlights

⌛️ Selection Sunday: 3 Days

Letter Rip!

GOLF

The Island Awaits ⛳️

Photo: David Cannon / Getty Images

50th Anniversary of The Players Championship Brings Golf’s 1st ‘Major’ Test of 2024

Golf’s unofficial fifth major gets ready to tee off today from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Man, I'm giddy. Though it’s not one of the four official golf majors, it feels like one. Most of the sport's biggest stars (144 total) are warming up and preparing for the Stadium Course, featuring the 17th Island Green and an unmatched $25 million purse — the largest on the PGA Tour. Since it's a PGA-owned event, LIV Golf defectors like Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka won’t be in the field.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler wields a hot putter as he aims to defend his title, but no golfer has won back-to-back at TPC Sawgrass in the tournament’s 50-year history. Recent champs also include Cameron Smith (2022), Justin Thomas (2021) and Rory McIlroy (2019). The weather looks pretty clear this weekend with only a few scattered showers on Friday night (post-round) and potentially Sunday afternoon. It’s been a long, six-month wait since golf’s last high-profile event — The Ryder Cup (Sept. 2023) — so let’s tee it up!

The Players Championship Odds (Top-10)

S. Scheffler (+550), R. McIlroy (+1400), X. Schauffele (+2000), V. Hovland (+2500), M. Homa (+2500), J. Thomas (+2500), W. Zalatoris (+2800), P. Cantlay (+2800), C. Morikawa (+2800), L. Aberg (+3500) | Full List of Odds

Round 1 Tee Times (Featured Groups)

8:13 AM: J. Day, S.W. Kim, M. Kuchar

8:24 AM: S. Burns, X. Schauffele, T. Fleetwood

8:35 AM: V. Hovland, R. McIlroy, J. Spieth

8:46 AM: L. Aberg, P. Cantlay, A. Scott

1:29 PM: H. Matsuyama, M. Fitzpatrick, M. Homa

1:40 PM: S. Scheffler, R. Fowler, J. Thomas

1:51 PM: W. Clark, C. Morikawa, B. Harman

2:02 PM: T. Finau, W. Zalatoris, S. Lowry

Coverage begins at 1:00 pm ET (Golf Channel / Peacock)

Golfweek: Scottie Scheffler Says If Fans Are Upset Fields Aren’t Elite, ‘Look at the Guys That Left’

AP: Scheffler is Chasing History in The Players Championship. No One Has Ever Repeated as Champion

NBA

NBA Playoff Picture 📸

Photo: G Flume / Getty Images

A Snapshot of the NBA Playoff Picture With 1 Month to Postseason

What’s up, NBA fans? A lot has changed since our last check-in on the NBA’s postseason race (pre-All-Star Weekend). The 76ers have fallen off a cliff without Joel Embiid, though his return is still possible. The Clippers have begun to collapse, too. The Celtics are running away with the East, and No. 1 seed is almost certain. Boston’s real test will come in the playoffs if they stay healthy. Out west? Three teams are in a dead heat for the No. 1 seed — Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves. Minnesota is battling through the loss of Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Nuggets (defending champs) look poised to challenge OKC for the top spot. A few teams have also been eliminated (officially). Let’s take a look:

Eastern Conference

1. Celtics (51-14)

2. Bucks (42-24)

3. Cavaliers (41-24)

4. Knicks (38-27)

5. Magic (37-28)

6. Pacers (37-29)

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7. 76ers (36-29)

8. Heat (35-29)

9. Bulls (31-34)

10. Hawks (29-35)

In the Hunt: Nets (26-39), Raptors (23-42)

Out: Hornets (16-49), Pistons (11-53), Wizards (11-54)

Western Conference

1. Thunder (45-20)

2. Nuggets (45-20)

3. Timberwolves (45-21)

4. Clippers (41-23)

5. Pelicans (39-25)

6. Suns (38-27)

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7. Kings (37-27)

8. Mavericks (37-28)

9. Lakers (36-30)

10. Warriors (34-30)

In the Hunt: Rockets (30-35), Jazz (28-37)

Out: Grizzlies (23-43), Blazers (18-46), Spurs (14-52)

The Athletic: Early NBA Playoff Race Predictions. Plus, Wizards’ Offseason Begins

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Last 8 Is Set

Photo: NurPhoto / Getty Images

Champions League Last 8: Atletico Madrid Outlast Inter in PKs, Dortmund Ends PSV’s Dream Run

The last two matches of the Champions League Round of 16 took place yesterday afternoon, and two more of Europe’s elite are through to the quarterfinals. Borussia Dortmund punched out PSV Eindhoven (2-0, 3-1 Agg.) with an early goal from Jaden Sancho (3’) and a late knockout punch from Marco Reus (90+5’). Down in Madrid, Atletico overcame an early goal from Inter to survive a thrilling PK shootout. Antoine Griezman (35’) kept Atletico on life support before Memphis Depay (87’) knotted the aggregate score at 2-2. Penalties were needed, and they became the third Spanish side through to the last eight. The quarterfinal draw takes place tomorrow morning, so stay tuned.

⚽️ Champions League (Round of 16)

Atletico Madrid def. Inter (2-1, 3-2 PKs)

*Atletico Madrid Advance on Aggregate (3-2)

Dortmund def. PSV (2-0)

*Dortmund Advance on Aggregate (3-1)

Quarterfinal Draw Incoming

After Wednesday’s matches, only eight teams remain in the Champions League quarterfinals — three from Spain, two each from England and Germany, and one from France. There will be no Cinderella story in this year’s tournament. Here’s a look at the remaining clubs before Friday’s draw (7:00 am ET) to determine the bracket for the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

Champions League Last 8: Arsenal (ENG), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Barcelona (ESPN), Bayern (GER), Dortmund (GER), Manchester City (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Real Madrid (ESP)

Guardian: Sancho & Reus Send Dortmund Past PSV Into Champions League Last Eight

NFL

NFL Free Agency (Day 3)

Titans Acquire WR Calvin Ridley With Massive 4-Year, $92 Million Deal

Latest FA Signings (Last 24 Hours)

WR Calvin Ridley → Titans

Contract: 4 Years, $92 Million

LB Bobby Wagner → Commanders

Contract: 1 Year, $8.5 Million

QB Joe Flacco → Colts

Contract: 1 Year, $8.7 Million

LB Eric Kendricks → Cowboys