Shane Lowry kept tabs on Rory McIlroy while the latter was in pursuit of completing a career Grand Slam at the Masters.
Sure, Lowry was rooting for his good friend to become the sixth golfer to accomplish the feat, but he also had another thought in mind. After all, would McIlroy still be interested in defending the pair's title this weekend at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans?
Lowry, in fact, told reporters on Wednesday that he confided to his caddie Darren Reynolds that the golfers would be lucky to play in Louisiana.
"If things didn't go his way (at the final round of the Masters), I don't think he'd want to be here, and I thought if things did go his way, he'd want to be somewhere else," the 38-year-old Irishman said at the joint press conference. "But I'm happy he's here."
Apparently, so is McIlroy.
"We're defending a title. We had so much fun last year here," the 35-year-old Northern Irishman said. "Obviously it's important for me to honor that commitment."
McIlroy has enjoyed the good life after winning the Masters. He revealed that President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama -- among many other notable people -- reached out to him after he won his fifth major and first since 2014.
"I spoke to two presidents the day after, which was pretty cool," McIlroy said. "Just people reaching out from all walks of life, whether it be sports, entertainment, culture. Just all of it.
"People that you would never even think that would watch golf or would know what's going on, that was very, very humbling, I guess."
McIlroy enters with three victories already this year while Lowry has a trio of top-10s in nine starts.
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Mason West is a talented prospect of the future for the Chicago Blackhawks, but it appears he may look to leave hockey for big opportunities in football. The Chicago Blackhawks landed Anton Frondell with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but it was perhaps their second first-round pick that drew the most intrigue, as they drafted centre Mason West out of the USHL. That pick was intriguing for many reasons, with the 6-foot-6 centre having potential with his talent and his physicality, but now, the team may be in danger of losing the talented 17-year old. According to a report from The Athletic, the No. 29 overall pick has been drawing interest from several NCAA programs to join their team as a football player. Standing at 6-foot-6, the Minnesota native is a star in both hockey and football, tallying 49 points in 31 games at the high school level while also being a star Quarterback, and after putting up 9 points in 10 USHL games with the Fargo Force, the future is bright for him in both sports. Ultimately, at 17-years of age, the future is very bright whichever way West ends up going, but given that the Blackhawks used a first-round pick on him in this past seasons draft, they're clearly confident that they can not only keep him in hockey, but make a good NHLer out of him moving forward.
The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
A'ja Wilson is still "Her." In case anyone doubted because of the Las Vegas Aces' mediocre record, Wilson issued a reminder that she's the WNBA's best player with an unreal first quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks. The three-time MVP scored 17 of the Aces' 31 first-quarter points on 8-of-8 shooting, including a make from three-point range. Wilson also contributed two rebounds, two assists and two steals as Las Vegas built a 13-point lead after one. She got the scoring started with a bucket in the paint, where she scored 10 of her 17 points. Wilson expanded her range later in the quarter with a 24-foot three from the corner after being left wide open. She scored her final basket of the quarter off an offensive rebound, giving the Aces an early 23-7 advantage. Wilson ended the game with 34 points while shooting 16-of-23, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. It was her 21st career 30-point triple-double, extending her WNBA record. Las Vegas won, 89-74. The season hasn't gone the way the Aces (14-13) hoped, but that's no fault of Wilson's. Entering Tuesday, she was averaging 21.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. Las Vegas is seventh in the standings and eight games out of first place. It hasn't finished a season more than five games back of first since 2018. The Aces have already won two titles with Wilson, and her monster performance shows why their window is far from closed despite seemingly hitting a lull. As long as Wilson remains at her peak, Las Vegas will be relevant. It also makes this season a missed opportunity.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the more bizarre teams heading into the 2025 NFL season. The team has a ton of new pieces, so it is hard to determine just how well it will perform. On paper, the team should be one of the better groups in the AFC, but it will be interesting to watch how everyone ingratiates themselves into the organization, and whether or not the execution is where it needs to be. Regardless of what happens, there are a ton of reasons for excitement in Pittsburgh. The main reason for excitement in Pittsburgh is the new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. There are some other important pieces as well, including DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey. Jonnu Smith is also a new factor on the offense that could play a key role. Former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was discussing all of the reasons to be excited about the Steelers on the most recent episode of Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger. He mentioned the new additions, but he also spoke about the overshadowed special teams unit, including Chris Boswell. "I'd say the best kicker in the game, [Chris] Boswell," Roethlisberger said. "Special teams, that gets overlooked so much. You know, we talk about offense, defense, talk about Aaron, talk about TJ [Watt], we talk about all this stuff. What about the best kicker in the game? I know he's not up for a new contract, he should get one. They should actually probably make him the highest-paid kicker if he's not already. So, Omar [Khan], the Khan-Man, should get that done." Boswell signed his most recent extension with the Steelers back ahead of the 2022 season. He signed a four-year deal worth $20 million that runs through the 2026 season. He could be extended now, but Pittsburgh usually waits until before the final year of the contract to get a new extension done. He has been one of the best kickers in the league since joining the Steelers back in 2015, and Roethlisberger thinks he has earned a new deal. In terms of average annual value, Boswell is currently the NFL's 11th highest-paid kicker. He is one of the most efficient and reliable players at the position in the league, and Roethlisberger believes he needs to be at the top of that list. A new contract would likely result in the kicker becoming the highest-paid in the NFL, as he deserves it based on nearly every metric. Boswell led the NFL in field goals made during the 2024 season, and he went 13 of 15 from past 50 yards. His accuracy is unmatched, and he is coming off of his first All-Pro season in 2024. He was often overshadowed in the AFC due to Justin Tucker, but Tucker's career has seemed to fall apart after some off the field issues came to light during the 2025 offseason. Tucker also had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2024, which allowed Boswell to take the title of being the best kicker in the league. Steelers' Chris Boswell Is Searching For More Playoff Success When fans talk about the longest-tenured players on the Steelers, the first name that is always mentioned is Cam Heyward. Rightfully so, but Boswell has also been around Pittsburgh for a long time. He joined the team during the 2015 season, and he immediately solidified himself as the organization's kicker. There have been multiple instances where Pittsburgh has won contests with the only scoring coming from the leg of Boswell, but hopefully the offense can take a step forward in 2025 to take some pressure off of the kicker. Boswell has won in the playoffs with Pittsburgh before, and he is trying to get back to that point in 2025. Would you like to see Boswell get a new deal?
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