DeChambeau says Koepka feud for tour to handle

Published

2 years ago

June 6, 2021

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5:54 PM ET

DUBLIN, Ohio — Bryson DeChambeau said he believes the PGA Tour will need to step in if the well-chronicled feud between him and Brooks Koepka escalates toward encouraging poor fan behavior.

The comment came after Koepka offered to supply beer for the fans evicted from the Memorial Tournament on Friday because they were believed to have been taunting DeChambeau.

DeChambeau said Saturday he was aware of Koepka’s offer but had not seen the video posted to Twitter.

“I think that’s something that the Tour needs to handle, it’s something I can’t control,” DeChambeau said after the third round at Muirfield Village Golf Club. “I tried to take the high road numerous times and I think that from my perspective, I’ll continue to keep doing so and people are going to do what they want to do. So it is what it is.”

On-site security at the Memorial said about 10 spectators were ejected on Friday after they taunted DeChambeau by saying “Brooksie” or other comments, some of which were made during his backswing. DeChambeau said he did not request that anyone be removed, but security was quick to admonish anyone who did the same on Saturday.

There were far fewer incidents during the third round and DeChambeau appeared to have good interaction with spectators, despite shooting 73 and being well out of contention.

“I wanted to say the fans were awesome today,” said DeChambeau, who defends his U.S. Open title in two weeks at Torrey Pines. “They came out, supported me. Obviously, you’re going to have people saying things, but again like I said yesterday, it doesn’t rile me up, it doesn’t affect me or anything like that.

“It’s great banter, it’s fun, but the fans were awesome, the golf course is in great shape.”

The fan response on Friday was due to a viral video conducted by the Golf Channel that never aired on television. During it, Koepka was distracted while being interviewed as DeChambeau walked behind him. He rolled his eyes and dropped an expletive, and the interview was re-done. The original was leaked, leading to a good bit of back and forth.

DeChambeau said his representatives have spoken to Tour officials but offered no details.

“I think it’s something along the lines of how the Tour wants to player to act,” said DeChambeau, who then referenced the Player Impact Program and the $40-million to be doled out to 10 players based on their ability to “move the needle.” “If he keeps talking about me, that’s great for the PIP fund.”

Sports

Bautista (AL), Williams (NL) named top relievers

Published

9 hours ago

November 29, 2023

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Bautista (AL), Williams (NL) named top relievers

Associated Press

Nov 29, 2023, 06:31 PM ET

NEW YORK — Baltimore‘s Félix Bautista was a unanimous winner of the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award and Milwaukee‘s Devin Williams won the Trevor Hoffman National League honor on Wednesday.

Bautista, a 28-year-old right-hander, was 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA and 33 saves in 39 chances for the AL East champion Orioles. He made his final appearance on Aug. 25 and had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 9, which likely will cause him to miss the 2024 season.

Williams, a 29-year-old right-hander, was 8-3 with a 1.53 ERA and 36 saves in 40 opportunities for the NL Central champion Brewers. Williams also won the award in 2020 and joined former teammate Josh Hader, Edwin Díaz, Liam Hendriks, Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel as the only multiple winners of the honor, known as the Delivery Man of the Year Award from 2005-13.

Rivera and Hoffman were among the six voters, joined by fellow Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. Balloting was based on the regular season and used a system in which the first choice got five points, the second three and the third one.

Cleveland‘s Emmanuel Clase was second in the AL after winning last year and Toronto‘s Jordan Romano was third.

Pittsburgh‘s David Bednar was second in the NL and San Diego‘s Josh Hader third.

Sports

Sources: Severino to crosstown Mets for $13M

Published

9 hours ago

November 29, 2023

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Sources: Severino to crosstown Mets for M

Nov 29, 2023, 06:51 PM ET

Right-hander Luis Severino and the New York Mets are finalizing a one-year, $13 million contract, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Wednesday.

Severino, 29, will join the Mets and a rotation in significant need of help after spending his eight-year career with the New York Yankees.

He struggled this season with a 6.65 ERA, but posted a 3.39 ERA in 638 innings over his previous seven seasons. If Severino thrives, he’ll hit free agency again next year, and he can earn up to $2 million in performance bonuses from the Mets.

Sports

Utah St. QB to skip final season for SEAL training

Published

12 hours ago

November 29, 2023

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Utah St. QB to skip final season for SEAL training

Associated Press

Nov 29, 2023, 03:15 PM ET

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State quarterback Levi Williams will not return for his senior season in 2024, intending to apply for Navy SEAL training following the Aggies’ upcoming bowl game.

Williams revealed in a radio interview with a Salt Lake City radio station on Monday he intends to skip his final year of collegiate eligibility with the goal of becoming a SEAL officer in 2025.

“I just want to be in a spot where I can protect this great country where we get to play football with the freedom to do that,” Williams told KSL 97.5 FM. “I think this is the best country in the world, so I’d like to keep it that way and protect it as long as I can.”

The junior quarterback plans to take a SEAL qualifying fitness test after the season. It is a rigorous test that features a 500-yard swim, maximum push-ups, pull-ups, and curl-ups done in separate two-minute intervals, and a 1.5-mile run. The individual time for either the swim or the run cannot exceed 12 ½ minutes.

Williams said he embraces the challenge and is eager to follow in the footsteps of parents and grandparents who served in the military before him. Being a SEAL specifically appeals to him because of the chance to be in a team-oriented environment.

“What I love about their ethos and their motto is that no one guy is better than the other,” Williams said. “It takes all of them to complete a mission.”

Williams spent three seasons with Wyoming before entering the transfer portal following the 2021 season. He joined Utah State and has appeared in 16 games for the Aggies over two seasons.

The seldom-used Williams began the season as Utah State’s third-string quarterback but made his first start since 2021 in the Aggies’ regular season finale against New Mexico. He played mostly on special teams during the season, but injuries to Cooper Legas and McCae Hillstead forced Aggies coach Blake Anderson to turn to the former Wyoming transfer to run the offense.

Williams tallied 351 all-purpose yards to help Utah State edge the Lobos 44-41 in double overtime. He accounted for five touchdowns — culminating in a game-winning 13-yard run after retrieving a snap that went behind him — to help the Aggies become bowl eligible for a third consecutive season.