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Welcome Back 🙌
We’re calling today ‘Project X’ — recapping a weekend of repeat champions — starting with Mr. X himself. Xander Schauffele is a 2x major winner. Tadej Pogacar sped through France to become a 3x Tour champ. And Arike Ogunbowale is now a 2x WNBA All-Star MVP (and Team USA’s kryptonite) after a historic performance. This weekend was a lot of fun. Letter Rip! |
🏅 Olympics Countdown: 4 Days
Know a sports fan who can’t wait for the Olympics? Share The Sportsletter so they can follow all the best moments, highlights and stories from Paris. We’re launching our Olympics Tracker this week. Opening ceremonies begin on Friday! |
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X Marks the Spot (on the Claret Jug) |
Photo: Olsin Keniry / Getty Images |
Xander Schauffele (-9) Uses 6-Under Sunday Surge to Take The Open Championship & Claim 2nd Major of 2024
Royal Troon took a lot of names this weekend in Scotland, but Xander Schauffele stamped his on the Claret Jug with a Sunday to remember. The 30-year-old American used a 6-under final round to become the only two-time major champion in 2024. He also won the PGA Championship in May. The 152nd Open Championship separated the field in the final round with six golfers in contention and a large three-stroke gap between 6th and 7th place. Schauffele rose to the top, holding off Justin Rose (-7) and Billy Horschel (-7) by two strokes thanks to a back-nine blitz.
Back-9 X-Factor: Schauffele’s scorecard was tucked away in that pack of contenders halfway through the final round, but his back-nine finish was untouchable. The average Sunday score on the back was 2-over (+2), but Schauffele went 4-under (-4) on the last nine holes to set up a relatively drama-free finish.
Royal Trouble: By the end of 72 holes, only nine golfers finished under par at Royal Troon. The six leaders survived the turmoil, as well as Sungjae Im, Jon Rahm, and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (all 1-under). Three others finished even-par, including 18-hole leader Daniel Brown. 146 out of 158 golfers in the field finished over par. Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau — the two finalists at the U.S. Open — both missed the cut.
The Open Championship Leaderboard 1. X. Schauffele (-9)
T2. J. Rose (-7) T2. B. Horschel (-7) 4. T. Lawrence (-6)
5. R. Henley (-5) 6. S. Lowry (-4) *No Golfers Between 4-Under and 1-Under Other Notable Scorecards: S. Im (-1), J. Rahm (-1), S. Scheffler (-1), A. Scott (E), D. Brown (E), C. Morikawa (+2), P. Cantlay (+5), J. Spieth (+5), J. Thomas (+6), B. Koepka (+8) | Final Leaderboard Watch: Xander Schauffele (-9) Wins Open Championship
2nd Major Victory in 2024 (Won PGA Championship in May) Read More
ESPN: Double Major: Xander Schauffele Wins Open Championship With Final-Round 65
AP: Xander the Great! Schauffele Wins British Open for 2nd Major of the Year
BBC: Two Down, Two to Go — Schauffele Eyes Career Slam After Open Triumph at Royal Troon |
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Perfect Pogačar: A 3x Tour de Force |
Photo: Tim de Waele / Getty Images |
Slovenian Cyclist Tadej Pogačar Wins the 111th Tour de France With Final Stage Runaway in Nice — 3rd Tour Win in 5 Years
Third times the charm! Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar left little to chance in his third Tour de France run over the weekend, defeating rival Jonas Vingegaard by more than six minutes overall and 1:03 (one minute, three seconds) on a Stage 21 breakaway through the streets of Nice. Pogačar finished 1st or 2nd in each of the last five French races with both runner-up finishes yielding to Vingeegard. The 25-year-old Pogačar is also the first rider since 1998 to win the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in the same year (Marco Pantani). He also won six of the 21 stages throughout July and became the second rider ever to clinch five mountain stages in one Tour, joining Gino Bartali in 1948.
Tour de Records: Pogačar (pronounced: poh-gah-char) is now in the conversation with some of the greatest cyclists of all time. He’s the ninth (and youngest) man to capture three Tour titles in the race’s 111-year history. The Tour de France record of five individual wins (held by four different riders) could soon be in jeopardy. Pogačar’s team — UAE Team Emirates — also claimed the win with three top-10 finishers overall; Joao Almeida (4th) and Adam Yates (6th).
Final Leaderboard
1. T. Pogacar: 83H, 38M, 56S 2. J. Vingegaard: 83H, 45M, 13S (+6 Min) 3. R. Evenpoel: 83H, 48M, 14S (+9 Min)
4. J. Almeida: 83H, 57M, 59S (+19 Min) 5. M. Landa: 83H, 59M, 2S (+20 Min)
Points Leader: Biniam Girmay (387 points) Top Climber: Richard Carapaz (127 points) Top Youth Rider: Remco Evenpoel (3rd Place) Team Winner: UAE Team Emirates (—31 Min.)
Watch: Tadej Pogacar Wins 3rd Tour de France in 5 Years
Read More NBC Sports: Tadej Pogacar Wins 3rd Tour de France Title, Joins Cycling Legends Guardian: Tadej Pogacar Wraps Up Tour de France Victory to Seal Historic Double
Yahoo! Sports: Tadej Pogacar Celebrates 3rd Tour de France Victory in Style With Another Audacious Stage Win |
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Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images |
Arike Ogunbowale (34 Points) Sets All-Star Record, Leads Another Team WNBA Upset Against Team USA (117-109)
It was three years ago when the WNBA All-Star format featured Team USA vs. Team WNBA as a sort of Olympics tune-up test, and a snubbed Arike Ogunbowale handed the women’s national team an upset. This weekend, it happened again. Team WNBA shocked the soon-to-be Olympians Saturday night in Phoenix (117-109) thanks to Ogunbowale’s historic 34-point second half that included eight 3s en route to her second All-Star Game MVP. She had zero points at halftime before catching fire in a scoreboard-flipping third quarter. Ogunbowale also won MVP three years ago before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The national team went on to win the gold medal that year, so maybe a repeat butt-kicking from Ogunbowale is a good omen for Team USA?
Rookie Records
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese played on the same team together for the first time, and they both set rookie All-Star Game records. Reese became the first rookie to post a double-double since 1999, and Clark became the first rookie to throw 10 assists. They even linked up on one play.
WNBA Events
The Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray swept the skills competition and 3-point contest on Friday night, beating Jonquel Jones in the 3-point shootout (22 to 21). Gray took home a cool $115,000 in prize money, too. Not a bad night. Stat Leaders (2024 WNBA All-Star Game) A. Ogunbowale (WNBA): 34 pts, 6 ast (Eight 3s) B. Stewart (USA): 31 pts, 10 reb, 3 ast A. Wilson (USA): 22 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast
A. Gray (WNBA): 16 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl D. Taurasi (USA): 14 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast N. Ogwumike (WNBA): 14 pts A. Reese (WNBA): 12 pts, 11 reb C. Clark (WNBA): Rookie Record 10 Assists
Watch: Team WNBA def. Team USA (117-109)
Watch: Arike Ogunbowale’s Historic 34-Point 2nd Half Read More CBS Sports: Arike Ogunbowale Sets WNBA All-Star Scoring Record With 34 Points & 2nd MVP
SI: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Link Up for Basket, Dap During WNBA All-Star Win
Yahoo! Sports: Dream’s Allisha Gray Cashes in $115,000 in Prize Money for Skills & 3-Point Sweep |
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🏀 Olympics (Men’s Basketball)
Team USA Survives South Sudan (101-100)
The Team USA men’s basketball squad trailed South Sudan by as many as 14 in the first half on Saturday before a third-quarter rally. LeBron James got to the rim for the game-winning lay-up with eight seconds left. LeBron (25 pts) and Anthony Davis (15 pts) led the comeback. |
🥊 Boxing Jake Paul TKOs Mike Perry in 6th Round
It was supposed to be Mike Tyson in the ring with Jake Paul this month, but that day will come. Instead, bare-knuckle bad man Mike Perry stepped in, and the YouTube sensation rattled him to a wobbly finish in the 6th round Saturday in Tampa, Florida. “Mike Tyson, you’re next.” |
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⚾️ 4 New Faces in Cooperstown The plaques of Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Joe Mauer and Jim Leyland were unveiled at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as the Class of 2024 was officially inducted into the hallowed halls of baseball history. (Yahoo! Sports) 🏅 Opening Ceremony Inspirations
In a luxurious hotel room on the 16th floor, overlooking the heart of Paris and the iconic Seine River, Thomas Jolly — the art director of the opening ceremony — prepares for the grand spectacle that will inaugurate the Paris 2024 Olympics. (AP News) 🏈 2024 Heisman Odds
The sports world is already debating who will win the Heisman award, which can only mean one thing: college football is almost here. A quarterback has won in 12 of the past 14 years, so we’re betting on QBs. (FOX Sports) |
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⚾️ MLB Cardinals at Pirates (6:40 pm ET, MLBN)
Phillis at Twins (7:40 pm ET, MLBN) Brewers at Cubs (8:05 pm ET, ESPN+) Giants at Dodgers (10:10 pm ET, MLBN)
🏀 Olympics (Men’s Basketball Exhibition) 🇺🇸 USA vs. 🇩🇪 Germany (3:00 pm ET, FOX) |
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