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Jeff Mezydlo

A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University

EXPERTISE:

NCAA football, NCAA basketball, PGA/LPGA, international soccer, sports history, rock music, film history

Ranking the 18 holes of Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open

It's a place where the elements can make or break a round, and a mental approach is just as important as the physical. Here's our ranking of the holes at Pebble Beach (ranking in parentheses).

Top U.S. Open golfers by country of origin

An American golfer has won the U.S. Open more than 80 times, and that's certainly been the case of late. However, the 2019 field at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links is once again filled with elite talent from all over the world.

Is Brooks Koepka the next generational golfer?

It's at the point where we expect Brooks Koepka to win every major golf tournament he'll play in from here on out. Or, until he proves otherwise. OK, perhaps that's just one person's thinking.

The top moments from U.S. Opens held in California

Here is a look at some of the best moments (in chronological order) from the U.S. Open's history in California.

Our favorite U.S. Open golf courses

Here's a look at some of our top courses (in alphabetical order) to host the U.S. Open through the years.

The best 25 WNBA players of all time

The WNBA is in its 23rd season, and over the years we've seen plenty of exceptional talent. Some of those stars are still shining bright today. On the anniversaries of the 15th and 20th seasons, the league honored its top players of all time.

The '40+ points in an NBA Finals game' quiz

In NBA postseason history, a player has scored 40 or more points in an NBA Finals game on 58 occasions. How many of the 58 can you name in six minutes?

The 'League leaders in innings pitched since 2004' quiz

How many of the league leaders in innings pitched in both the AL and NL since 2004 can you name in five minutes?

Our favorite major tournament golf approach shots

Long drives, pin-point tee balls on par 3s and those twisting, turning 50-foot putts are what drive the galleries crazy at professional golf tournaments, especially those of the major variety.  But what about the approach shots?

The 'NFL QBs with the most rushing attempts in a season' quiz

As of the end of the 2019 NFL season, a quarterback has totaled 90 or more rushing attempts on 38 occasions in the Super Bowl era (1967-present). How many of the 38 can you name in five minutes?

Frankenstein golfer: Which parts of players games would you use?

So what does it take to build the perfect golfer? Plenty. But that's the easy answer.  As we went into our laboratory to put together the ideal competitor to take on just about any track in the world and come out unscathed, we knew we were searching for more than just driving, chipping and putting.

The best TV shows starring stand-up comedians

When a comedian makes it big either on TV or the big screen, it's worth all the long nights and hungry days...

Top PGA Player of the Year contenders

The PGA Tour season is in full swing, as we're already halfway through the major tournament schedule. We've seen some pretty impressive individual performances, with two of the game's best claiming major titles.

The 25 best TV sitcom families

The family sitcom is one of the most popular and cherished forms of comedy on television. The good ones make us feel like we're actually part of the family when tuning in each week — or binge watching over the weekend.

Takeaways from the PGA Championship

From those big names who did not make the cut to others who made names for themselves over the weekend, we leave Long Island with plenty to look back on and much to look forward to.

10 storylines heading into the WNBA season

The 23rd WNBA season is upon us, and there's quite a lot of excitement to go along with it. There are new faces in new places, including at the top of the league's front office, but there are also some prominent names we won't see in action early on, or at all, in 2019.

Storylines to keep an eye on at the 2019 PGA Championship

Golf fans did not have to wait long for the next major to roll around in 2019. With the PGA Championship's move from August to May, a whole new dynamic has been added to the season, which could elevate the entertainment value of this grand event. 

Why Tiger Woods will/won't win the 2019 PGA Championship

Tiger Woods is back...really back. He's a major champion again. That means everyone else can once again step aside and watch the dominance resume. Not so fast...

PGA Championship players by country of origin

The field features more than 150 golfers, representing nearly 30 countries. The world's best will certainly be on display this week at Bethpage's famed Black Course. So here's a look at our top contenders and which countries they will represent at the 2019 PGA Championship.

The 25 best TV theme songs of all time

There's really nothing better than a good television theme song. Whether it's the memorable lyrics or catchy instrumentals, they just don't make TV theme songs like they used to — or at all, for that matter.