Browsing: fall

Three down, four to go: Where things stand in FedExCup Fall points

Max Greyserman didn’t get his first PGA Tour victory at the Baycurrent Classic, but he got closer to earning a couple of signature-event starts next season.

Greyserman closed in 65 Sunday in Japan, but fell one shot shy of Xander Schauffele. The runner-up showing, however, moved him from 58th to 51st in FedExCup points. Nos. 51-60 at the end of the Tour’s fall season will qualify for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational.

Current Aon Next 10

  • 51. Max Greyserman
  • 52. Aldrich Potgieter
  • 53. Chris Kirk
  • 54. Aaron Rai
  • 55. Min Woo Lee
  • 56. Jordan Spieth
  • 57. Garrick Higgo
  • 58. Jake Knapp
  • 59. Wyndham Clark
  • 60. Joe Highsmith

Four tournaments remaining in FedExCup Fall:

  • Oct. 23-26: Bank of Utah Championship
  • Nov. 6-9: World Wide Technology Championship
  • Nov. 13-16: Butterfield Bermuda Championship
  • Nov. 20-23: RSM Classic

At the conclusion of the RSM on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the top 100 (down from 125 in previous years) in FEC points will earn full exempt status in 2026.

Among the notable movers this past week: Micheal Thorbjorsen (third at Baycurrent) jumped 18 spots to 72nd; Takumi Kanaya (T-4) moved from 135th to 113th; and Alex Smalley (T-4) got some breathing room, moving up 10 places to 77th.

Nos. 95-105 on the FedExCup Fall points list (*exempt for 2026):

  • 95. Beau Hossler
  • 96. Adam Scott*
  • 97. Sami Valimaki
  • 98. Patrick Fishburn
  • 99. David Lipsky
  • 100. Max Homa*
  • 101. Isaiah Salinda
  • 102. Austin Eckroat*
  • 103. Joel Dahmen
  • 104. Max McGreavy
  • 105. Victor Perez

Ranking The 10 Hottest Arizona Fall League Prospects

With the Arizona Fall League underway, we’ll be continuing our usual Hot Sheet installments by ranking the hottest prospects in the AFL each week. Contributing this week were BA staffers Josh Norris and Jesús Cano.

Just as with our regular in-season Hot Sheet, our weekly AFL list simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—itâ€s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.

We host our weekly Hot Sheet Show on YouTube at 3:30 p.m. ET on Mondays. Weâ€ll also be answering prospect questions in our weekly Hot Sheet chat on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET.

1. Luis De Leon, LHP, Orioles

  • Team: Peoria Javelinas
  • Age: 22
  • Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 2.25, 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Through the first few games of the AFL season, De Leon has easily been the circuitâ€s most impressive arm. The tall southpaw dominated in his first outing, using a high-octane arsenal fronted by a heavy, mid-90s sinker and backed by a breaking ball and changeup capable of getting plenty of swings and misses. His seven strikeouts were tied for the most in the league. (JN)

2. Max Anderson, 2B, Tigers

  • Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
  • Age: 23
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .571/.700/1.000 (4-for-7), 3 R, 3 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:While much of the spotlight in Scottsdale shines on Kevin McGonigle, Anderson should draw plenty of excitement, too. Despite limited action over the week, Anderson delivered an eye-catching performance in just his second game, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs. His ability to drive the ball with authority and produce runs adds another layer of excitement to an already-talented Scorpions lineup. The 23-year-old slashed .296/.350/.478 with 19 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this season. (JC)

3. Corey Avant, RHP, Athletics

  • Team: Mesa Solar Sox
  • Age: 23
  • Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Avant’s AFL debut served as something of a breakout for the righthander, who punched out seven Salt River hitters over three innings. A ninth-round pick out of Wingate in 2023, he ran his fastball into the upper 90s and got eight whiffs over the course of his outing. Avant’s breaking pitches were especially effective, drawing four misses on 11 swings. (JN)

4. Wuilfredo Antuñez, OF, Guardians

  • Team: Surprise Saguaros
  • Age: 23
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .500/.571/1.500 (3-for-6), 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop:Antuñez was a low-dollar signee for Cleveland who broke out in 2022 and has been a steady producer throughout the course of his minor league career. His AFL campaign has gotten off to a scorching start, including long balls for two of his three hits in the seasonâ€s opening week. His second home run left the bat at 103.6 mph, and his single from the same game produced an exit velocity of 107 mph. (JN)

5. Seaver King, 2B, Nationals

  • Team: Scottsdale Scorpions
  • Age: 22
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .385/.467/.692 (5-for-13) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: King put on a show on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the fall. His biggest swing came against Angels righthander Najer Victor, against whom he drove a sinking fastball the other way for a 364-foot laser over the right field wall for a three-run homer that showcased both his power and plate coverage. Itâ€s an encouraging sign for Washingtonâ€s 2024 first-round pick, who started strong in High-A but faced growing pains after a midseason promotion to Double-A, where he slashed just .233/.287/.313. (JC)

6. Juan Flores, C, Angels

  • Team: Salt River Rafters
  • Age: 19
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .333/.400/.889 (3-for-9) 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop:At just 19 years old, Flores is one of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League, so extra reps are exactly what he needs at this stage in his development. The power-hitting catcher is coming off an up-and-down season with High-A Tri-City, where he slashed .207/.283/.341 with 10 home runs, 11 doubles and 40 RBIs over 89 games. Known for his aggressive approach at the plate and natural raw power, Flores wasted no time making an impression in his AFL debut, launching a no-doubt, 420-foot home run that served as a reminder of his high offensive ceiling. (JC)

7. David Hagaman, RHP, Diamondbacks

  • Team: Salt River Rafters
  • Age: 22
  • Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:Hagaman made his pro debut this season in the Arizona Complex League after completing rehab from Tommy John surgery he had while still an amateur. Quickly, he showed enough stuff to merit inclusion in the deal that brought Merrill Kelly to Texas. Hagaman showed the same swing-and-miss stuff in his first AFL outing this past week, racking up five strikeouts in three shutout innings. (JC)

8. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox

  • Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
  • Age: 22
  • Why Heâ€s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop:In his first AFL start, Smith showed the same whiff-worthy stuff that made him famous at Arkansas and wooed the White Sox into selecting him in the first round in 2024. He showed both sides of his profile in his first AFL start—scattered strikes but filthiness when everything is in sync. The result was four strikeouts over three shutout frames with three hits and two walks in the middle of it all. (JN)

9. Cutter Coffey, 3B, Blue Jays

  • Team: Glendale Desert Dogs
  • Age: 21
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .462/.500/.538 (6-for-13) 3 R, 1 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop:Coffey made the most of a rain-shortened week, showcasing steady production rather than power. While he didnâ€t have a breakout performance or go deep, Coffey impressed with his consistency at the plate, collecting six hits over the week to highlight his contact skills and disciplined approach. Coffey had a solid 2025, hitting .273/.359/.427 with 11 home runs in 99 games, marking the second time heâ€s played that many games..(JC)

10. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

  • Team: Salt River Rafters
  • Age: 21
  • Why Heâ€s Here: .286/.615/1.143 (2-for-7) 3 R, 0 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop:Power. That is what Valdez is known for, and he wasted no time putting it on display in his first two Arizona Fall League games. Making his debut Tuesday, Valdez unloaded on the third pitch he saw—a hanging slider from Blue Jays righthander Alex Amalfi—and crushed it 425 feet to straightaway center. He followed it up with another powerful display against Scottsdale, turning around yet another slider and launching it deep. This time, the ball left his bat at a scorching 114.4 mph and traveled an estimated 414 feet. (JC)

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Hockey

Kings Fall to the Jets Despite a Strong Effort

The Kings went into a rare Saturday morning game coming off a gutsy 6-5 shootout victory over a division rival in the Vegas Golden Knights.

They entered Saturday’s game trying to win back-to-back games to give themselves some momentum after a brutal season opener against the Avalanche.

However, LA got off to a slow start on Saturday as the Jets controlled the play in the first period. The Kings came alive in the second period and continued their strong effort into the final frame. However, Mark Scheifele and the Jets proved to be too much to handle.

First Period: Inability to Stay out of the Penalty Box

The Kings got off to a nightmare-ish start as Quinton Byfield was called for hooking just 3:25 into the opening frame. Alex Iafallo made his former team pay, scoring on the ensuing power play, which gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead just 4:48 into the game.

Jeff Malott continues to make the most with the ice time he’s been given. After Jets blue-liner Logan Stanley laid a massive hit on Alex Turcotte, Malott stepped to avenge his teammate. Stanley wasn’t interested in squaring off with LA’s enforcer, so Luke Schenn stepped in and the two squared off in a short bout.

The penalty trouble didn’t end after Byfield’s minor earlier in the first. Brian Dumoulin and Alex Laferriere were each sent to the box with two-minute minors in the last half of the period. Luckily, the Kings’ penalty-kill stepped up to keep it a one-score game after 20 minutes.

Discipline is essential if you want to succeed in this league. Giving your opponent the man advantage for six minutes a period is a recipe for disaster, especially against the reigning Presidents’  Trophy winners.

Darcy Kuemper stayed strong in the crease, stopping 13 of Winnipeg’s 14 first-period shots.

Second Period: Strong Effort is Rewarded

Los Angeles came out firing in the second period, and they were rewarded almost instantly. Mikey Anderson beat Connor Hellebuyck with a blistering shot from the point to get the Kings on the board just 50 seconds into the middle frame.

The Kings continued to push, which led to Adrian Kempe scoring his first goal of the season. Kempe buried a tap-in after a beautiful passing play by Andrei Kuzmenko and Anze Kopitar. The Kings had the lead for the first time.

That lead was short-lived however, as Mark Scheifele beat Darcy Kuemper with just over a minute remaining to tie the game at 2-2.

Although they no longer had the lead, the Kings second-period effort was very promising.

Third Period: Lack of Execution

After a terrific middle period, the Kings carried that effort over into the final frame. This time, they weren’t rewarded for several reasons.

LA was awarded three different man advantages throughout the third period, and five in the game overall. They scored on zero of said power plays. It is extremely difficult to win in the NHL when you fail to execute on crucial chances. It wasn’t for a lack of effort. Los Angeles outshot Winnipeg 11-5 in the final 20 minutes, but last season’s MVP, Connor Hellebuyck was on his A-game.

With just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, Scheifle scored his second of the game, which would end up being the decider.

The Jets deserve a ton of credit as well as they blocked 28 shots to the Kings 11.

Los Angeles falls to 1-2-0 while Winnipeg improves to 1-1-0. Despite the loss, the Kings should use this game as a building block moving forward. They played well and should use that as a way to improve their execution moving forward.

The Kings will look to bounce back once again as they travel to Minnesota to take on the Wild (1-1-0) on Monday, October 13th at 8:00 PM ET / 11:00 PM PT.

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Hockey

Special Teams The Story As Penguins Fall To Rangers On Sullivan’s Return To Pittsburgh

On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins were set to square off against the New York Rangers for the second time in three games to start the season. They got the best of Mike Sullivan’s Rangers the first time around in a 3-0 opening night shutout.

This game – even if it started out pretty promising – did not have the same result.

Trailing just 1-0 after the first period on a shorthanded goal by Mika Zibanejad and outshooting the Rangers, 9-4, the Penguins opened up the second period strong, as Ben Kindel scored his first career NHL goal to tie the game. But the Penguins allowed five unanswered goals to the Rangers and were defeated by a score of 6-1.

Even after Adam Fox scored to put the Rangers back in front, 2-1, the Penguins didn’t lose much momentum. However, it all seemed to go downhill after a missed holding call that saw Penguins’ forward Bryan Rust – who returned to the lineup Saturday after missing the first two games to injury – get hauled to the ice, and then a subsequent hooking penalty by Kindel resulted in a Rangers’ power play goal by Will Cuylle.

“Got on the wrong side of the puck, kind of a lazy penalty in the o-zone,” Kindel said. “So, something I definitely want back and will definitely learn from it. I can’t be costing my team like that. They scored a big goal on the power play there, and it kind of changed the momentum of the game, so just going to learn from those things.”

From there, New York took over. And, unfortunately, the special teams woes didn’t end there for the Penguins.

With less than five minutes to go in the second, the Penguins took a bench penalty for Too Many Men, and Fox lit the lamp for the second time in the game to put the Rangers up, 4-1. In the third period, Matt Rempe and Taylor Raddysh added goals for the Rangers, and they walked out winners.

Penguins' Top Forward Prospect Ben Kindel Records First Career NHL Goal
Penguins’ Top Forward Prospect Ben Kindel Records First Career NHL Goal
Just one game after Pittsburgh Penguins’ 19-year-old defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke tallied his first goal in the National Hockey League on a beauty of a wrist shot off the rush, the other teenager on the Penguins’ roster did the same thing.

When Rust was asked what went wrong in the second period and on special teams, he chalked it up to the Penguins’ lack of response in the detail of their game.

“We didn’t handle it well,” Rust said. “We let in one goal there, and I just think we just kind of lost our details on both the kill and the PP.”

It wasn’t a pretty one, but there were some positives and negatives. Here are some thoughts and observations:

– There were few standout players in this game after the first 20 minutes of play, but I do want to start with Connor Dewar. He did not register a goal, but he tied for the team lead in shot attempts and was very noticeable.

In the first period, he generated a few scoring chances on his own. On one occasion, he forced a turnover at center ice and brought the puck into the offensive zone himself, skating around a defender before getting a shot off. He was cycling well down low, good on forecheck as per usual, and finding the net-front with regularity.

I quite liked Dewar’s game in the pre-season, and that has – so far – carried into the regular season.

– Probably the player who stood out positively the most in this game, however, was Filip Hallander.

He was everywhere. The 25-year-old forward was generating chances down low for his linemates, crashing the net, using his vision and playmaking skills to find the open man and get creative. The puck just kept finding him, and he kept delivering on creating space and generating chances.

Youth Movement Cultivating Fresh Identity For Penguins
Youth Movement Cultivating Fresh Identity For Penguins
On Thursday night against the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke became the first teenager to score a goal for the Penguins since Daniel Sprong in 2015.

If anyone else deserved a goal Saturday, it was Hallander. He’s one of the hardest workers on this team, and if he keeps playing like this, that hard work is going to be rewarded.

– Speaking of deserving goals, what else can I say about Kindel and Harrison Brunicke?

Kindel did take that hooking penalty in the second period, but – that aside – he turned in another solid performance. His goal was a thing of beauty, as it certainly isn’t easy to snipe a longer-range wrister past one of the best goaltenders in the league in Igor Shesterkin. And, not only that, Kindel also capitalized off of a neutral zone turnover by the Rangers, and he carried the puck into the zone and scored off the rush.

His 200-foot game is really showing up for the Penguins, and he continues to get better.

“The offensive side, I think it’s been there pretty consistently,” head coach Dan Muse said. “This guy has got a lot of poise with the puck, puts himself in great areas, then defensively, I think it’s an area he’s continued to get better. He’s young. There’s going to be the details of the game, there’s going to be little things that constantly are coming up, as they should, and I think it’s just going to be good for just continuing to learn the game at this level.

“It’s different. This is the highest league in the world. So, while there’s been a lot of good, there’s also plenty of learning that should be taking place and will be taking place.”


Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) on X
Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) on X
TAKE A BOW, KID ðŸŒ

As far as Brunicke, it wasn’t a flawless game, but it was another good one. And there was a moment when the 19-year-old stood up for a teammate, too.

Near the end of the second period, Rangers’ rookie forward Noah Laba took Penguins’ forward Blake Lizotte down against the boards in front of the Rangers’ bench. Brunicke took exception and went after Laba, which did make the Penguins shorthanded again to start the third period.

However, the gesture didn’t go unnoticed by teammates.

“It’s huge. That kid is out there defending his teammate,” Rust said. “He isn’t scared to go in there. He isn’t scared to do something for the team, and I think that takes a lot of character.”

They’re both supremely talented players with elite hockey sense, and the returns in production are already starting to show. If they keep this up, they need to stay. Period. They’re getting better with each and every game, and they’ve earned it up to this point.

Oct 11, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck as New York Rangers center Sam Carrick (39) chases during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

– Onward to the negative, I have not been particularly inspired by the play of Caleb Jones through three games. He is, by far, recording the lowest ice time per game among Penguins’ defensemen, and, speed aside, he just isn’t bringing much.

Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton – both right-shot defensemen – worked a bit on their off-sides during the pre-season, and they have both played their off-sides at some point. It’s probably about time to give one of those guys a game, anyway. The left side could benefit from some experimentation.

– Kris Letang was injured during this game and only played one shift in the third period. Muse said Letang is being evaluated for an injury, but he did not specify the type.

This will be an interesting situation to monitor, especially since the Penguin head out West next week. If he goes to injured reserve, the Penguins already have eight defensemen, and – as mentioned before – they have two right-shot defensemen who have been scratched for the first three games.

My feeling is that they may end up recalling a forward instead of another d-man, should Letang be out longer-term.


Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) on X
Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) on X
#LetsGoPens    head coach Dan Muse said defenseman Kris Letang is being evaluated for an injury.

– After two outstanding games, Erik Karlsson was not particularly good in this one. Like everyone else, he started out well in the first 20 – aside from failing to take away the pass on the shorthanded two-on-one that led to Zibanejad’s goal – and fell apart afterwards.

He wasn’t even credited with any giveaways in this game. It just looked like the life got sucked out of him in the second, and he began to get more hesitant with the puck, along with the rest of his teammates.

– On a positive note, it was a warm reception for Sullivan in Pittsburgh. The Penguins showed a nice tribute on the video board during the first TV timeout, and he received a standing ovation.

Sullivan has never been known to show emotion, but he got a little teary-eyed while this was happening. As the winningest coach in franchise history – and after 10 years in Pittsburgh – he deserved the ovation that he got.

Really nice tribute by the Penguins and by the Pittsburgh faithful.

Mike Sullivan's Time In Pittsburgh Deserves To Be Celebrated
Mike Sullivan’s Time In Pittsburgh Deserves To Be Celebrated
If folks have been keeping tabs on the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last year and a half, they very well know that the organization is going through a plethora of change.

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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Historic! South Africa, featuring Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Nandre Burger, fall to Namibia in first-ever international clash | Cricket News

Historic! South Africa, featuring Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Nandre Burger, fall to Namibia in first-ever international clashSouth Africa vs Namibia (Screengrab) During their first-ever international encounter, Namibia secured a remarkable victory over South Africa in a historic Twenty20 international match on Saturday, thanks to wicketkeeper Zane Green’s explosive late-game performance. Green remained unbeaten at 30 runs, contributing 23 runs in the final two overs of this first-ever international clash between the neighbouring African nations. Green’s decisive performance included a powerful hook shot for six runs off Andile Simelane’s first delivery in the final over, with 11 runs needed. He sealed the victory by hitting the last ball to the midwicket boundary.The match celebrated the inauguration of the Namibia Cricket Ground, which will serve as one of the venues for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.”You can see what it means, for the team and the crowd,” said Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus after leading his players on a victory lap in front of a capacity crowd. “The guys did it with good skill.”South Africa fielded a weakened team, as several key players, including regular captain Aiden Markram, were in Pakistan for an upcoming Test series in Lahore. Despite all players having international experience, they struggled against Namibia, who had recently qualified for next year’s T20 World Cup in India.”We weren’t good enough,” admitted stand-in South African captain Donovan Ferreira. He noted that their defense was hampered by fast bowler Gerald Coetzee’s chest muscle injury, forcing him to leave after bowling just nine balls.The South African innings got off to a poor start when Quinton de Kock, making his first international appearance since the 2024 T20 World Cup, was dismissed for a single run in the opening over. The team struggled to gain momentum on the slow pitch, managing only 134 runs for eight wickets after choosing to bat first.Ruben Trumpelmann, who began his cricket career in South Africa, claimed three wickets for 28 runs. Newcomer Max Heingo took two quick wickets, reducing South Africa to 65 for five in the eleventh over.The final scorecard showed South Africa at 134-8 in their allotted 20 overs, with J. Smith scoring 31 runs and Trumpelmann taking three wickets for 28 runs. Namibia successfully chased down the target, finishing at 138-6 in 20 overs, with Green’s unbeaten 30 leading them to a four-wicket victory.Brief score: South Africa 134-8 in 20 overs (J. Smith 31; R. Trumpelmann 3-28) v Namibia 138-6 in 20 overs (Z. Green 30 not out)

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Volleyball

Setters Fall in Four Sets Against Adelphi in NE10 Opener

Franklin Pierce University

Next Match:

at Franklin Pierce University

10/11/2025 | 1:00 p.m.

Oct. 11 (Sat) / 1:00 p.m.

at Franklin Pierce University

PLESANTVILLE, N.Y. –Opening Northeast 10 Conference play on the road, Pace University Women’s Volleyball fell to Adelphi University in four sets on Tuesday night. The Setters took the opening frame but were unable to sustain the momentum, dropping the match by set scores of 25-23, 10-25, 19-25, and 18-25. Pace now stands at 8-4 overall and 0-1 in NE10 play.

Pace started strong, using a balanced attack to claim the first set, 25-23. The Setters hit efficiently in the opening frame and held off a late push from the Panthers to take a 1-0 match lead. Adelphi responded decisively in the second set, limiting Pace’s offense and pulling away early to even the match with a 25-10 win.

The third set was closely contested midway through, but a late run by the Panthers pushed them ahead for a 25-19 victory and a 2-1 match edge. In the fourth, Pace battled to stay within reach, but Adelphi capitalized on timely points down the stretch to close out the match, 25-18.

With the defeat, the Setters look to build momentum as they shift their focus fully to conference play.

Pace returns to action on Saturday, October 11, traveling to Franklin Pierce University for a 1 p.m. NE10 matchup in Rindge, N.H.
 
 
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Why the fall season at Cabot Cape Breton is the longest on fun

Adjusting expectations is never easy, whether watching our children grow, assessing our self-worth, or planning a golf buddies’ trip. Twelve months ago, I signed up for what looked like an idyllic excursion: a golf-themed cruise in Canada’s Maritimes on a four-mast power sailboat. Operated by Expedition Experience, the 12-day “Fiddle & Sticks” voyage included ports of call in Québec’s bucolic Îles-de-la-Madeleine; Newfoundland’s outports, villages exclusively accessible by water or air; Nova Scotia and St. Pierre, a French territory (euros and passport required), with golf on world-class courses along the way. Despite my acute seasickness, I’d sailed much of this voyage before and loved it. But it was the promise of golf in Cape Breton that checked the “must-go-again” box for me.

Then came the curveball. As I queued in Toronto for my connecting flight to Nova Scotia, I received a text from my friend and traveling companion, Halifax-based Breton Murphy, alerting me that the sailing had been scrapped due to a logistical issue: our captain had unexpectedly left for Central Europe. Undeterred, and so near to playing Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs I could taste the salty air, we swapped a keel for a car and off we sped to Cape Breton.

Murphy, my impromptu chauffeur with Poulter-esque fashion tastes, was raised in Sydney, a historic mining town on Cape Breton’s eastern shore. He spent his youth sailing on Bras d’Or Lakes, the island’s inland sea and visiting relatives’ lakeshore cabins, escapes he continued while in college at St. Francis Xavier University. His anecdotes fueled our odyssey better than my English breakfast tea.

As a Pacific Northwesterner, I can’t approach Cabot Cape Breton without drawing comparisons to Bandon Dunes. The similarities are not coincidental. When Cabot founder Ben Cowan-Dewar was shown the headlands between Inverness and the Atlantic Ocean, he reached out to Bandon Dunes founder Mike Keiser.

Fully occupied by his fast-growing Oregon resort, Keiser passed on the investment opportunity until, that is, he visited the Nova Scotia parcel or, more specifically, the 40 parcels Cowan-Dewar had pieced together. The pair formed a partnership, with Keiser in the role of mentor rather than manager. Canadian architect Rod Whitman was hired to design Cabot Links. Like David McLay Kidd, who was plucked from obscurity to design Bandon Dunes, Whitman had never been commissioned a project of this magnitude before. Cowan-Dewar and Whitman broke ground in 2009, an inauspicious year to launch an audacious project on the eastern edge of North America. The course opened three years later.

It would be a crime to focus solely on drives and not driving here, given that Cape Breton is one of the most beautiful chunks of terrain in North America, best viewed from the Cabot Trail, a 186-mile route that courses around the island. When the fall colors set in, it’s as pretty as any place on the planet. My first visit to Cape Breton centered on hiking, paddling, and chasing moose in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Gaelic, Acadian and Mi’kmaq cultures add still more patterns to the tartan.

The Celtic Colours International Festival, arguably the finest celebration of Celtic music and culture in the world, launches in early October when the sugar maples, birch and beech transform into an arboreal kaleidoscope. The artistic spectrum also dazzles, with more than 200 events and 50 musical performances spanning nine days.

Celtic Colours corresponds with the end-of-season rates at Cabot Cape Breton. Though October weather can be temperamental, strolling these tracks in cloud-filtered sunlight and crisp autumnal temperatures is a delight, and all the better at a discount. The Cape’s geography won’t disappoint any other time of the year either, with vast swaths of alpine forests embracing glacial lakes.

Cape Breton was no stranger to excellent golf prior to Cowan-Dewar’s arrival. In 1939, the National Park Service hired Stanley Thompson, Canada’s dean of golf architecture, to design nine holes within the park. Thompson, insisting on an additional nine, crafted Cape Breton Highland Links, a former fixture on GOLF’s list of Top 100 Courses in the World and among the most stunning and varied 18-hole walks anywhere.

From its parkland starting point, the routing works uphill through the pines, then down toward the coast. The par-3 3rd hole requires a carry over a baby loch; the par-5 7th ducks into the woods, cutting a narrow passage through a sylvan gorge; the 9th, a short par 4, features a blind approach, while the par-3 10th drops precipitously into a dell; the par-3 12th calls for a beastly carry along the Clyburn river. Then it’s out into the highlands and back toward the Atlantic for the closing holes. Eighty-five years on, Thompson’s Cape Breton Highland Links should be added to any Cape Breton golf junket, especially now that recent attention has improved the track’s previously scruffy complexion.

Murphy and I had prepped for two days by playing a lesser-known but only slightly less challenging layout, The Lakes at Ben Eoin. Situated on the eastern shore of Bras d’Or Lake, these 18 meander the hillside and present several gorgeous vistas of the eponymous lake. Forest flanks every fairway. Brooks slither across favored landing areas. The par-3 17th at golden hour, framed by the lake, presents as beautiful a picture as one could paint without an ocean in the backdrop.

Which brings us to the Atlantic-framed masterpieces of Cabot Cape Breton. More than out and back nines, a sandy base, tee-to-green fescue, and other classic characteristics, I believe a links is best defined by surprise: blind shots, hidden greens, crazy contours. It’s an insult to call a course “tricked out.” But I consider “boring” to be the most slanderous descriptor for a course, a moniker that is most liable to cancel future visits, suitcase closed.

Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs never feel mundane. True, these courses, poised above the ocean like an infinity pool, have an unfair aesthetic advantage, but it’s the dual layouts – siblings but not twins – that make me giddy.

Play the Links first, if possible, as the Whitman design doesn’t bear the Cliff’s teeth. You’ll still have to concentrate, as I failed to do on the 465-yd par-4 6th when, consumed with the indented bay waiting to drown my lefty fade, I drove my ball through the fairway and into the native juniper. Trouble also lurks in plain sight on the 620-yard 11th, a plateau and valley setup I never could quite figure out. It was the only hole on the Links where a caddie’s insights would have proved invaluable.

Ordinarily, I don’t obsess too much about wind, as my ball flight doesn’t exactly tickle the heavens. But the 108-yard, par-3 14th, with an elevated tee facing the Atlantic, nearly left me curled in a fetal position. Murphy soared the green during a break in the gusts; I aimed left of the green and watched my ball sail into a bunker on the right. Triple-bogey. I adjusted my launch angles for the final four holes, a finishing stretch that proved particularly punishing for wayward shots.

Like its counterpart, Cabot Cliffs begins benignly. The opening hole is a 581-yard par 5 with a few well-placed bunkers to hold your focus. Though Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are known as two of the nicest people in the industry, the niceties end on the second hole, which requires a deft tee shot threatened by a brook, followed by a blind shot to an elevated green that lurks behind a shrub-stubbled hill: a pronouncement that the fun has truly begun.

The 18th hole at Cabot Cliffs in Nova Scotia
The author’s playing partner on Cabot Cliff’s closing hole.

Crai S. Bower

The giggles continue. The 389-yard par-4 3rd demands the first of countless (okay, nine) carries, not including the six par 3s. (On the Cliffs, pars are parsed into thirds.) Of the nine “say your prayers and swing” tee shots, the gaping 589-yd par 5 7th, with a watery grave below and a shrub-filled cemetery to the right, induces the most frightening nightmares.

There is perhaps no more demanding task for an architect than composing a blind shot. As for the golfer, so much can go awry. It’s a fine line, after all, between a mesmerizing feature and a frustrating gimmick. Coore and Crenshaw provide a masterclass on the 15th hole, a 560-yard par 5 where, should one strike a perfect second shot with a long iron or fairway wood, the ball will streak down the right side of the fairway to the gathering green where eagles, or at least two-putt birdies, alight.

The six par-3s also play out in in a creative cadence with a couple of blind greens and plenty of room for creativity. On the 186-yard 6th, our foursome watched each tee shot disappear behind the knoll, reappear to surmount the back edge, then trundle back into the abyss before gathering, we discovered moments later, within three feet of each other about fifteen paces from the flag.

If the 6th entertained us with unseen gyrations, the 176-yard 16th befuddled our quartet from the start, the flag an apparition so far left of the green that I questioned my yardage book. Faced with a pure ocean carry over spectacular igneous spires, I was certain my five iron was a tap-in birdie were it not for the green’s unforeseen descent toward the imposing Atlantic.

Coore and Crenshaw are right back at it on the 331-yard 17th, a cliff-hugging par 4 where a well-struck drive over the bluffs to an unseen fairway can catch a speed slot and spill down to the green’s mouth, assuming it avoids several menacing bunkers.

Were both courses situated on my side of the continent, I’d hit Cabot Links when I could, but I’d play Cabot Cliffs with a headlamp if it meant accumulating more rounds.

We wrapped up at Cabot’s Whit’s Public House before making the hour drive back to Baddeck, a Bras d’Or Lake harbor village where we’d launched our day with a two-hour lobster-boat cruise and where we planned to close the evening over fresh lobster at the new Main Street Restaurant.

The next morning, while collecting a scone at the fabulous Herring Choker Deli outside of town, I purchased a hand-painted lighthouse magnet to carry home, a symbol of Cabot Cape Breton’s charms.

The owner of Expedition Experience assures me that “Fiddle & Sticks” will be back on the books in 2026. I’m ready to rosin my clubs, grab my anti-nausea acupressure wristbands, and jig my way back across the continent to the Maritimes.

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Baseball

Phillies’ ‘Fall Classic Shake’ tops 2025 new ballpark grub

Move aside, hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack. Baseball teams are becoming more innovative and stepping up their food game in 2025.

One of those creations is the Philadelphia Phillies’ limited-edition “Fall Classic Shake,” which includes a vanilla soft serve, blended with dulce de leche. If that wasn’t enough, an apple cider donut tops it off. Philadelphia has been on a heater in the kitchen recently — it also unveiled a postseason 9-9-9 challenge box last Friday.

Here are more ballpark innovations that can be found at MLB concession stands this season:

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Houston Astros: Fried chicken waffle sandwich

A Mariners blue, honey-battered corn dog with a spicy crunch served with nacho cheese. TMobilePark / XThe S’mores Quesadilla includes Nutella, mini marshmallows and graham cracker crumble in a flour tortilla served with a chocolate dipping sauce. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentNew at Yankee Stadium in 2025 will be a “Petroni / Mister Softee sundae” featuring vanilla ice cream, hazelnut hot fudge, cannoli praline crunch and vanilla panna. New York YankeesThe Pittsburgh Pirates’ Popcorn Bat. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentThe San Francisco Giants’ Popcorn Bat. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentThe Sluggerrr Dog includes a chorizo topped with Manchego, tempura batter, Doritos Cool Ranch crust and avocado aioli. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentThe Dessert Nachos include fried flour tortillas tossed in cinnamon sugar and fresh berries, topped with powdered sugar and caramel drizzle and served with a side of whipped cream. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentAvailable only in April and May, the Fiesta Burger includes a taco spiced burger patty topped with chipotle crema, Mexican cheese blend and spicy guacamole, among other items. Aramark Sports + EntertainmentThe Slugger will be a new item at Dodger Stadium this season. LevyRestaurantsThe Chicago Cubs’ Jibarito Sandwich includes roast beef, garlic butter, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli tucked between two smashed and fried plantains. LevyRestaurants

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chicken Parm Sub is made of chicken cutlets topped with homemade tomato sauce, provolone, pesto and parmesan. LevyRestaurantsWith Cajun-style crinkle cut fries smothered in white cheddar mac, cheddar cheese, pork belly bacon and cola BBQ sauce, among other items, the Diamondbacks will sell Filthy Mac Fries this season. LevyRestaurants

Washington Nationals: Jake and Jake’s Smoked Brisket Sandwich

This brisket sandwich was selected by Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin and center fielder Jacob Young. Levy Restaurants

In collaboration with Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, the Royals will offer a new item this season: the Z-Man Sandwich. It includes slow-smoked beef brisket and provolone cheese on a toasted kaiser roll, topped with two onion rings.

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How it can help save you during fall golf

The following scene happens every October.

The names may or may not be changed in order to protect the individuals.

Nick P., after a majestic drive into the fairway: “I swear I hit my ball straight. Or straight-ish. But I can’t find it because of all these leaves.”

Friend of Nick P.: “Yeah, I was stunned that you hit it straight.”

Nick P.: [Frowns. Murmurs. Reconsiders friendship with his friend.]

Friend of Nick P.: “But I can help you look for it.”

[They search for three minutes. They come up empty.]

Nick P.: “Hmm, nothing. But the ‘leaf rule’ is in play here. I’m gonna take advantage of it.”

Friend of Nick P. “What’s the leaf rule???”

Good question, friend. We can help. In golf’s rule book, it is actually Model Local Rule F-14, named “Accumulations of Loose Impediments,” and it is written this way:

“During play of the [specify hole number], any ground with temporary accumulations of [identify types of loose impediments ] in the general area or in a bunker is treated as ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.”

The rule book also explains the rule’s “purpose,” and it does so this way:

“At certain times of the year, piles of loose impediments such as leaves, seeds or acorns may make it difficult for a player to find or play his or her ball. A Committee can choose to treat such piles of loose impediments in the general area or in a bunker as ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1.

“This Local Rule may not be used for penalty areas as relief is not available for abnormal course conditions in penalty areas.

“The Local Rule should be limited to the hole(s) where problems are created by such loose impediments and should be withdrawn as soon as conditions allow.”

In short, the rule essentially means you get a penalty-free drop when you can’t find your ball, you’re certain it’s in bounds, and it may, for example, be under a pile of leaves. And if the rule isn’t put in effect by the golf course or tournament committee? If you can’t find your ball in three minutes or less, it’s considered lost — and you have to re-hit, along with taking a penalty stroke.

golf ball next to golf hole and flagstick on golf course

Rules Guy: Can ‘volcano’ cups be fixed without penalty?

By:

Rules Guy

Back to our conversation above then.

Nick P.: “All right, I’m going to take my drop here.”

[Nick P. proceeds to top his ball.]

Friend of Nick P., laughing: “Is there a rule for that?”

Nick P.: [Again frowns. Again murmurs. Again reconsiders friendship with his friend.]

Notably, there are a few other items to remember for the fall, and we’ll review them with a short Q&A.

Can you move leaves?

Yes, and you can do so anywhere on the golf course, including in a bunker or penalty area — but if your ball moves while doing so, that’s a one-stroke penalty and you must put the ball back (unless it moves on the putting green; then you can just put the ball back and play on without penalty).

Do you get relief from aeration holes?

No — unless Model Local Rule E-4 is in play. That rule states: “If a player’s ball lies in or touches an aeration hole: (a) Ball in General Area. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1b. If the ball comes to rest in another aeration hole, the player may take relief again under this Local Rule. (b) Ball on Putting Green. The player may take relief under Rule 16.1d. But interference does not exist if the aeration hole only interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing or, on the putting green, on the player’s line of play.”

Do you get relief from fall maintenance projects?

Yes. According to a story written by Danny Vohden for the USGA’s website, “any holes or trenches created by the maintenance staff during those types of projects are considered ‘ground under repair,’ and you’re entitled to free relief.”

Baseball

Arizona Fall League Opening Day guide 2025

The leaves are turning, pumpkin spice lattes are on menus and Arizona Fall League baseball is officially back.

Beginning tonight’s 9:30 p.m. ET matchup between the Peoria Javelinas and Scottsdale Scorpions, the 32nd AFL season promises to give fans the perfect nightcap to the 2025 season.

After consecutive years in which 10 Top 100 prospects reported to the desert, last yearâ€s rosters raised the bar with 14 of MLBâ€s brightest future starts competing in the Fall League. Among that group, led by Jac Caglianone, Leo De Vries and Bryce Eldridge, seven Top 100 prospects made their MLB debuts in 2025.

Widely known as “baseballâ€s finishing school,†the circuit, which runs from Oct. 6 through Nov. 15, gives prospects a prime opportunity to continue their summer campaigns or make up for reps they missed out on due to injury. One name that fits the second description is Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder, who will pitch in the Fall League after missing most of the 2025 season with a myriad of injuries.

In 2024, MLBâ€s No. 33 prospect Josue Briceño capitalized on his time out west, becoming the first player in the leagueâ€s history to take home the AFL Triple Crown. The standout season propelled Briceño to AFL MVP honors, rocketing him up most prospect rankings.

Aside from Briceño, the Fall League boasts some impressive alumni. Forty-one percent of all players named to the 2025 MLB All Star Game in Atlanta were alums (33 of 80). Ten out of 20 players in the starting lineups for that game (starting pitchers and DH included) once played in the Fall League.

Each MLB organization sends seven of their top prospects to the desert, forming six squads.

The Fall League teams and their MLB affiliations are as follows:

Glendale Desert Dogs: Braves, White Sox, Dodgers, Cardinals, Blue Jays
Mesa Solar Sox: Athletics, Cubs, Marlins, Yankees, Rays
Peoria Javelinas: Orioles, Reds, Twins, Padres, Mariners
Salt River Rafters: Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Rockies, Angels, Pirates
Scottsdale Scorpions: Tigers, Astros, Mets, Giants, Nationals
Surprise Saguaros: Guardians, Royals, Brewers, Phillies, Rangers

Top 100 prospects in the Arizona Fall League

2. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers (Scottsdale)
6. Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers (Surprise)
13. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers (Glendale)
32. Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (Surprise)
35. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox (Glendale)
48. Alfredo Duno, C, Reds (Peoria)
58. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians (Surprise)
61. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Rockies (Salt River)
62. Blake Mitchell, C, Royals (Surprise)
75. Jonny Farmelo, OF, Mariners (Peoria)
80. Rhett Lowder, RHP, Reds (Peoria)
88. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox (Glendale)
94. Cam Collier, 1B/3B, Reds (Peoria)

Fans can once again watch their favorite prospects all fall via MLB.com streams. The entire 90-game regular season will be available to stream completely free along with the AFL Home Run Derby, Fall Stars Game, Play-in Semifinal and Championship Game. Additionally, the Fall Stars Game and Championship Game will be broadcast on MLB Network. All contests will have Gameday available as well.

Oct. 6: Opening Night, 9:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 11: Kino Sports Complex tripleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 18: Goodyear Ballpark tripleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 8: Home Run Derby, Sloan Park, 8:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 9: Fall Stars Game, Sloan Park, 8 p.m. ET
Nov. 13: Division Series, Scottsdale Stadium, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 14: Semifinals, Salt River Fields, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 15: Championship Game, Salt River Fields, 6:30 p.m. ET

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