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New Zealand's Ryan Fox is in position for a second victory on the PGA Tour, and this time he feels like he belongs.
He goes into the final round of the RBC Canadian Open tied with Italy's Matteo Manassero after they both shot 6-under-par 64s on Saturday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley's North Course in Caledon, Ontario.
"I always felt like I was on the outside looking in at Myrtle Beach but then kind of chipped in, and it was a bit of a whirlwind," Fox said. "I just feel a bit more comfortable in my own shoes. I feel like I belong a bit more out here, and just stuff doesn't seem to matter quite as much after getting that first win."
Fox and Manassero are at 14-under 196, holding a one-shot lead on the trio of Matt McCarty (64) Lee Hodges (63) and Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu (63) going into Sunday.
Andrew Putnam (68), Jack Knapp (66) and Canada's Mackenzie Hughes (64) are two strokes back, while seven others are at 11 under. Putnam, who was in the day's final pairing, rolled in a birdie putt on the last hole.
With 15 golfers within three strokes of the lead, the possibilities appear endless.
"It's anyone's game at this point," Hughes said. "No one has been able to totally light this place on fire yet."
There was a six-way tie for first place at 13 under late in the afternoon.
"It's hard to say anything wasn't how I wanted it because I need to look at the bigger picture and I'm going to be standing in a really nice position," Manassero said.
Manassero, who has never won on the PGA Tour, held the lead until his only bogey of the day when he used three putts on No. 17. He got the stroke back with a birdie on the closing hole.
"So I don't want (the bogey) to get in my head, and I don't want that to ruin anything or my attitude going towards the next shot," Manassero said.
Fox, whose lone PGA Tour victory was in last month's Myrtle Beach Classic, was 5 under through nine holes, capping his round with a birdie. Hughes was in the playoff when Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Yu likes his position, too.
"I feel like (Sunday) everybody has still got to play good," Yu said. "... I have to bring my A-game out and still have to be reasonably aggressive."
McCarty said he'll keep the same approach.
"Just keep on doing what I'm doing and take advantage of the opportunity," he said.
The golfers from Canada receive huge support from the galleries in the annual tournament. Fox said he remembered a 2024 round with Hughes.
"I got to play with (Hughes) in the last round, and the support for him out there is amazing," Fox said. "You can see it out there now."
Hughes said he embraces the attention and the support, something he'll aim to use to his advantage for the last 18 holes.
"I can use them for energy. I can use them for momentum," Hughes said of the crowds. "We don't get that very often. If I go play anywhere else in the world and I'm playing the last round with anyone that's notable, I'm not the favorite. I'm not someone they're going to be rooting for. Here I have that going for me, and I think it's important to try and use it."
Second-round leader Cameron Champ shot 71 without a birdie, saving par from the rough on the 18th hole to stick with the group at 11 under. Champ is a longshot given that when the week began he was the eighth alternate to even gain a spot in the tournament field.
Other contenders at the halfway mark tumbled down the leaderboard. Canada's Richard Lee (70) and Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen (71) and were knocked from their top-three spots and now are tied for 25th and 29th, respectively.
Only 11 golfers had over-par scores Saturday.
The third round was played without Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who missed a cut for the first time since last July.
More must-reads:
- Rays former first-round pick 'fully recovered' after brain surgery
- Frank Ragnow update fits troubling 2025 Lions pattern
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Arch Manning has defining performance of college career in win over Texas A&M
In the biggest game of his college football career so far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning grew into the superstar he was touted to be with the nation watching. No. 16 Texas (9-3) earned a huge rivalry win over No. 3 Texas A M (11-1) in Austin on Friday in large part thanks to the second-half play of Manning. Manning was only 8-of-21 for 51 yards in the first half, and the Longhorns trailed the Aggies 10-3 at the break. Texas had an opportunity to kick a field goal and cut the A M lead to four at the break, but an intentional grounding penalty incurred by Manning took that opportunity away. Arch Manning lights up the scoreboard in second half But with the help of a Texas defense that rattled TAMU QB Marcel Reed in the second half, Manning and the 'Horns scored 24 second-half points in a winning effort. Texas' first drive of the second half netted three points, but a strike from Manning to Ryan Wingo on the next UT possession gave the Longhorns the lead and gave Manning some confidence. After another defensive stop, Manning led a six-play, 83-yard TD drive to put the Longhorns up by 10. After Texas A M responded, Manning did as well, running away from the Aggie defense on a 35-yard scoring sprint that ultimately served as the deciding blow. In the end, it was Reed — the more experienced and consistent of the two quarterbacks — that made the back-breaking mistake, throwing an interception deep in Texas territory on a drive that looked poised to end with points. The victory was a team effort for Texas, which will await Saturday's slate of games and beg for several playoff contenders to lose to have a shot at the 12-team playoff field. But it was Manning who would be the face of it. Manning went 14-of-29 for 179 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 53 yards and a score on the ground. The win serves as the biggest moment of Manning's young UT career. Going into Saturday, Manning's sophomore season was marred by inconsistent play. A career day against Arkansas was contrasted by middling performances against Ohio State and Georgia. Standout efforts in wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma were overshadowed by no-shows against UTEP, Kentucky and Florida. But Manning rose to his greatest challenge on Saturday, delivering a win in a rivalry game that nobody in the state of Texas — whether they wear burnt orange or maroon — will soon forget.
Hal Steinbrenner’s comments on Yankees’ profits point to a larger issue
Over Thanksgiving week, New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner provided fans with plenty of news to digest. Among notable items that are circulating, four things stand out: his resolve to lower the payroll below $300 million, the insinuation that the Yankees are not a profitable ballclub, the assumption that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ astronomical payroll played no part in their dominance and his purported support for a salary cap. When seen together, these four items seem to suggest a severe reluctance to spend. Steinbrenner made it clear he wants to come in under the luxury tax threshold. Interestingly, he called the correlation between spending and championships weak, alluding to his Yankees as well as the New York Mets as examples of teams with high payrolls and limited success. However, this opens up a discussion about how said money was spent. The Mets notably dumped a record sum on signing Juan Soto, but did little elsewhere. But what about the Yankees? When asked if it was fair to say the Yankees turned a profit after engrossing over $700 million in revenue, Steinbrenner had this to say, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch: “That’s not a fair statement or an accurate statement. Everybody wants to talk about revenues. They need to talk about our expenses, including the $100 million expense to the City of New York that we have to pay every February 1, including the COVID year. So, it all starts to add up in a hurry. “Nobody spends more money, I don’t believe, on player development, scouting, performance science. These all start to add up.” Altogether, the Yankees spent slightly under $305 million on players’ salaries in 2025. For a breakeven season, the Yankees would have needed to spend over $395 million elsewhere. Where did it all go? Steinbrenner mentioned the $100 million expense to New York City. As for the bulk of their expenses, the Yankees owner pointed towards player development, scouting and performance science. This raises a more serious question about mismanagement. The Yankees are overspending on failing analytics If most of the money was spent on development, scouting and performance science, one could easily argue that the cost has outweighed the benefits. Despite having spent so much, these efforts have produced very little. Over the years, the Yankees have seen more failures than success stories when developing major league talent. Promising players and top prospects like Gary Sanchez, Clint Frazier, Deivi Garcia, Miguel Andujar, Domingo German, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield, Oswald Peraza and Estevan Florial, among many others, never panned out. The team also gave up on Carlos Narvaez and Agustin Ramirez in favor of Austin Wells, who underperformed the pair of rookie backstops this past season. Another catching prospect, Yankees 2018 first-round draft pick Anthony Seigler, who struggled during his time in the Yankees’ farm system as recently as last year, excelled with the Milwaukee Brewers in Triple-A this year. Anthony Volpe, Will Warren, Luis Gil and Jasson Dominguez are four current works in progress. It might also be fair to say the torpedo bat craze the Yankees started has officially ended. Of their recent triumphs, the Yankees boast Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler. Going further back, one might add Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge to the list; however, Judge’s swing was actually developed by famed hitting coach Richard Schenck, not the Yankees. Spending on these efforts is by no means a waste; nonetheless, it’s clear the Yankees are grossly overspending for something that isn't even working. Whether it means an organizational shakeup or reallocation of funds to target proven major league talent, Steinbrenner’s approach needs to change.
Connor McDavid made an egregious mistake with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid struggled to find the words to describe the team’s 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. The decision dropped the Oilers’ record to 10-10-5 for the season, and McDavid looked defeated during his postgame interview. The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Oilers. Why did Connor McDavid stay? The Oilers are grappling with the same issues that have plagued them since McDavid joined the NHL in the fall of 2015. Edmonton’s secondary offensive support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is minimal, and their goaltending remains a significant concern. Considering the Oilers have faced these problems for so long, it makes one wonder why a generational talent like McDavid chose to sign on for two more years of this, especially given the bargain he struck when he signed for just $12.5M a season. McDavid’s choice to sign with Edmonton before even considering free agency might become one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NHL history. However, McDavid opted for stability in a familiar market, with a team that has been competitive for most of his NHL career. Ultimately, McDavid decided to stay loyal to the Oilers, but the two-year term seemed like a warning shot to Edmonton. So far, that warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The timing of McDavid’s extension was quite unusual. The superstar had a clear route to unrestricted free agency, which could have been one of the most incredible stories in NHL history if it had come to pass. McDavid had the chance to be the highest-profile player in NHL history to reach free agency since Wayne Gretzky in 1996. He held leverage against the Oilers and could have waited out the season, sparking a bidding war for his services. This would have boosted his star power and changed what a superstar’s career could look like. Instead, McDavid chose familiarity, even though the timing of his decision wasn’t convenient. Connor McDavid's decision to re-sign could be costly McDavid’s signing has delayed his free agency by 24 months, and some people dismiss this decision by arguing that McDavid will still get paid and reach free agency after the salary cap has significantly increased. While both points have some truth, the counterargument is compelling. Instead of becoming a free agent at 29, McDavid will do so at 31. It might seem minor, but many NHLers see their skills decline after 30. Another factor is that when McDavid finally signs, the new CBA rules on contract length will apply, meaning the maximum deal with his current team will be seven years, and he’ll only be able to land six years on the open market. Although this one-year reduction isn’t a significant issue, it will likely cause McDavid to leave money on the table on his next deal. In terms of missed opportunities, McDavid would have been the first generational player in NHL free agency to test the market in the prime of his career. While it would have made great theater for the NHL, it would also have been an opportunity for McDavid to shift the league’s balance of power toward whichever team he joined, while helping reset the salary structure for superstar NHLers. McDavid is clearly not a $12.5M player, but like many top NHLers before him, he took a "hometown discount" to stay with his current team. For some NHLers, taking that discount has worked out well (Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon). Far more often, the savings from a reduced salary cap are wasted. Even Crosby, who traded tens of millions of dollars to play on consistently competitive teams, saw many of those seasons marred by costly mistakes on depth players with inflated cap hits (Jack Johnson, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad). Crosby essentially subsidized poor roster decisions with his lower cap hits, and he would no doubt do so again, given the Stanley Cup championships Pittsburgh has won during his career. McDavid’s decision to re-sign essentially upholds the NHL’s long-standing tradition of superstars taking less money to stay with their team, and no doubt he did so while feeling loyalty to the Oilers fans who have endured the same heartbreaks he has. The reality is, McDavid has gone through a decade without winning the Cup, despite multiple front-office makeovers, coaching changes, cap mismanagement and an inability to surround him with real depth. And while the depth has improved over the last few years, the “we’re almost there” mentality won’t put a Stanley Cup ring on McDavid’s finger. All of this to say, McDavid probably owed it to himself to explore free agency at least to see if a team with a more precise winning blueprint could emerge, giving him a better chance at a title. July 1, 2026, would have offered a window into that, but McDavid chose not to look, and it could come back to haunt him if he never wins a championship. McDavid had all the leverage, which makes his decision baffling, because exploring free agency didn’t require him to leave Edmonton. He could have casually explored his options, had discussions with teams, listened to their pitches and then re-signed with Edmonton—something that might have pushed the Oilers to step up their game and get creative with their roster. But the Oilers didn’t need to worry about losing McDavid, and it seems this has led to some apathy across the organization, as they don’t seem to be a group hungry to win. Generational players across all leagues have frequently tested free agency. NBA superstar LeBron James famously took his talents from Cleveland to Miami nearly 15 years ago, and MLB superstar pitcher Paul Skenes will likely follow suit one day. It’s common, and not all players do it because they’re leaving; they do it for a variety of reasons. They can because the process gives them power, and it’s one of the few times they get to fully control their own destiny. McDavid could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. While he’s given the team a short leash to build a winner around him, he could have kept that leash even tighter, which might have pushed the Oilers to solve their roster issues more quickly. It could also have generated a story that might have become a sensation across all platforms — a broader narrative focusing on a star-driven tale on a smaller scale than MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s. The buzz would have been enormous and arguably the biggest NHL story since the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving on could have been a great branding opportunity for McDavid to become even more mainstream, but he chose the safe, comfortable route in Edmonton. It’s a loyalty decision, and it’s completely understandable given that the Oilers have been close to a title in the last two years and he has built a bond with his teammates. For his legacy, though, he might need to chase greatness in a different city in the next two-and-a-half years.
Eagles fans loudly booed Nick Sirianni for questionable decision
Philadelphia Eagles fans were fuming at their team after the first half of Friday’s game against the Chicago Bears, and coach Nick Sirianni took a lot of heat for one particular decision. The Eagles offense once again struggled at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Friday, scoring just three points against the Bears. The Eagles tallied just two first downs and 83 total yards in the half while running only 17 plays. Sirianni remained conservative right down to the half. The Eagles got the ball back down a touchdown with 2:47 left, and completed a 1-yard pass on the first play of the drive. Sirianni then opted to let the clock run down to the two-minute warning instead of trying to run another play, leading to loud boos. The Eagles did have all three timeouts left, and Sirianni was likely trying to prevent the Bears from getting the ball back before halftime. Given how bad the offense had been up to that point, however, fans did not care one bit. Sirianni’s plan did not work, as the Eagles wound up going three-and-out. Sirianni was angrily yelling on the sideline at that point as the boos got louder. The Eagles were loudly booed off the field at halftime, and they were lucky to only be down a touchdown. The Philadelphia offense has been a source of frustration for much of the season, but things have hit a fever pitch after their collapse against the Dallas Cowboys last week. The Eagles ended up losing, 24-15. The team is 8-4, but if the offense does not turn around, they will have a hard time repeating as Super Bowl champions.
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