Sports

Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters and celebrated with his parents, wife and daughter; his parents attended Augusta after missing his 2025 victory, and the 2026 win felt more private and family-focused.

Rory McIlroy hit a right‑drifting approach on the 12th at Amen Corner that landed, spun and settled to about seven feet, a shot that gave him the lead and helped him complete a back‑to‑back Masters win at 12‑under.

Roki Sasaki allowed two runs over four innings with six strikeouts and five walks in the Dodgers' 5-2 loss, and Emmet Sheehan showed increased velocity after a mechanical adjustment that included a glove tap, averaging 95.2 mph on his fastball.

Ty Gibbs won his first NASCAR Cup Series race in an overtime finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, edging Ryan Blaney by less than one-tenth of a second; the 23-year-old moved to fourth in the standings and has six straight top-six finishes.

Alabama's A-Day scrimmage highlighted continued run-game challenges — five running backs totaled 64 yards on 31 carries — and the team will hold two more spring practices this week.

The Ottawa Senators secured a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs with a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders, and Detroit's 5-3 loss to New Jersey confirmed the result.

Michigan announced a contract extension for coach Dusty May during the national championship celebration, though terms were not disclosed. May led the Wolverines to a 37-3 season and the program's first national title since 1989.

The 19-year-old shortstop signed a nine-year, $140 million extension on April 8 and has been the Pirates' starting shortstop since his April 3 debut.

Tiger Woods is missing the Masters for a second straight year after his March 27 crash and a DUI-related charge, and patrons and players at Augusta say his absence remains emotionally present.

University of Tennessee freshman Jackson Herrington completed his Masters debut at 8-over, tied for the best amateur score among six amateurs, and will play in the 2026 U.S. Open under an exemption earned as the 2025 U.S. Amateur runner-up.

Tyrrell Hatton hit all 18 greens and shot a 6-under 66 to sit 4-under after two rounds at the Masters.

Denzel Aberdeen plans to re-enroll at the University of Florida and is seeking an NCAA waiver that could restore another year of eligibility.

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year extension reported as worth $140 million and up to $150 million with escalators, and Paul Skenes said the move reinforces the club's long-term plans.

Denver defeated Michigan 4-3 in double overtime, and will face Wisconsin—who beat North Dakota 2-1—in the Frozen Four title game on Saturday.

Utah beat Nashville 4-1 and clinched a playoff berth in its second season after Anaheim defeated San Jose, leaving the Mammoth in the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 90 points.

Brooks Lee hit a two-run single in the eighth to lift the Twins to a 3-1 win that completed a four-game sweep of the Tigers and moved Minnesota to 7-6, its first winning record since June 15.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced a reported nine-year extension for 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, which multiple outlets say is worth $140 million and makes him the first teenager in the four major U.S. leagues to sign a nine-figure guaranteed contract.

On Thursday at Augusta National, Jack Nicklaus took part in ceremonial tee shots as the tournament marked the 40th anniversary of his 1986 Masters win, when the 46-year-old shot a final-round 65 to claim his sixth green jacket.

Joan Chittenden, 90, who attended 65 Masters over 67 years, is sitting out the 90th tournament after deciding to give up her Masters badge.

Detroit had both Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart back in the lineup in a 137-111 win over Milwaukee; Cunningham played about 26 minutes and posted 13 points and 10 assists.

Jaden McDaniels returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves' starting lineup after a six-game absence and scored 18 points in 19 minutes in a 132-120 loss to the Orlando Magic.

Morgan Geekie scored a hat trick against the Carolina Hurricanes with two goals assisted by David Pastrnak, and Pastrnak has a career-high 70 assists this season.

The San Antonio Spurs clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference after the Thunder’s win and have 61 wins and counting; they will face the winner of the 7-8 play-in game in the first round.

De'Aaron Fox scored 25 points as the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers, with six Spurs in double figures and the reserves outscoring Portland's bench 48-10.

At Augusta National, golfers and their children took part in a family-friendly Par-3 Contest ahead of the Masters on April 8, 2026, and photographers captured moments of parents and kids on the short course.

Kirk Cousins said a FaceTime call with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady gave him a “big nudge” to sign with Las Vegas, and Cousins described the conversation as "life-giving." The article notes Brady was at the first day of OTAs and has been a resource while the team evaluates its quarterback plan.

Jim Nantz said on New Heights that during the Lamar Hunt Trophy presentation he asked Travis Kelce to come over, creating an unscripted, on-field moment that fans heard live in the stadium and on television. The article links that presentation to a subsequent run of Super Bowl appearances for the Chiefs.

Andy Reid spent an extended offseason reassessing the Chiefs after a 6-11 season, making staff changes and rehiring Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator. Owner Clark Hunt said Reid is “reinvigorated,” and the team added running back Kenneth Walker III while preparing for the draft and Mahomes' rehab.

Garrett Crochet allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings and Trevor Story's two-run double in the sixth lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

In Atlanta, Jalen Brunson and Karl‑Anthony Towns combined for 51 points and 19 assists as the Knicks rallied to beat the Hawks 108-105, using repeated two-man actions late in the game.