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Alden GonzalezOct 20, 2025, 01:10 PM ET
- ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.
Albert Pujols is no longer a candidate to be the manager of the Los Angeles Angels, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday.
Pujols, though, is scheduled to interview for the San Diego Padres’ managerial vacancy on Wednesday, a source told ESPN. The Baltimore Orioles have also previously reached out with interest, though an interview has not been scheduled, a source said.
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The Padres became one of eight teams in search of a new manager after Mike Shildt announced he would retire from his role, joining the Angels, Orioles, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins.
Pujols, 45, is held in high regard by the Padres’ two most influential players — Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Pujols is currently a special assistant for the Angels, as part of a 10-year, $10 million contract that was triggered after he retired in 2022. He interviewed with Angels general manager Perry Minasian in St. Louis on Oct. 9, but the two sides are no longer in talks, which was first reported by the New York Post.
The Angels have since granted permission to the Padres to interview Pujols, which was first reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Pujols has expressed strong interest in managing at the big league level for years and led a Dominican winter ball team, the Leones del Escogido, to a championship in January. Pujols was previously named manager for his native Dominican Republic in next year’s World Baseball Classic, though he would likely rescind that role if he lands a big league job this offseason.
The Angels declined the 2026 option on manager Ron Washington’s contract after the regular season.
Oct 18, 2025, 08:19 AM ET
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina ended her five-month wait to reach another final with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini in the last four of the Ningbo Open.
Rybakina sent down 10 aces but was forced to save seven break points in an 89-minute battle with the second-seeded Paolini in China.
“I knew the match would be very tough,” Rybakina said. “Jasmine has played really well this season. She’s a really tough opponent, and I knew I would need to bring my best. I’m happy I stayed focused until the end and won in straight sets.”
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After falling short in the semifinal stage of the Citi Open, Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters in recent months, Rybakina will hope to add the Ningbo Open title to the WTA 500 event she won on clay in Strasbourg on May 24.
This win keeps Rybakina’s hopes alive of making the end-of-season WTA Finals, after Paolini missed out on the chance to seal her spot in the Turin tournament with a victory Saturday.
Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is ranked in the top 10 for the first time in her career, will face the third-seeded Rybakina in the final after defeated Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4.
PA contributed to this report.
Rory McIlroy has been having a year: green jacket; career Grand Slam; Open Championship in his homeland; stirring Irish Open win; and, of course, member of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black late last month. His 2025’s not done yet, either. Not even close, as evidenced by McIlroy’s whereabouts this week: New Delhi, India, where he’s not only making his first-ever visit to the vibrant country of 1.45 billion but also playing a golf course that will test his game in ways that no other venue has this year . . . or, for that matter, just about any other year.
We speak of the Lodhi course at Delhi Golf Club, a prestigious hangout a short hop from the Taj Mahal and this week the host site of the DP World India Championship, which has managed to attract to its tee sheets a glittering roster of Europeans, including McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry, plus a couple of notable Americans in Ben Griffin and Brian Harman.
All of these players are accustomed to competing in big, burly ballparks where the strategy on most par-4s and virtually all par-5s starts and ends with full-sending driver off the tee. Longer the better, accuracy be damned. The Lodhi course, however, is neither big nor burly — it is short by modern Tour-setup standards (6,912 yards) and tight by any golf course’s standards. The average width of the fairways, according to the club’s website, is 25 yards, including a chute on the 16th fairway that has a knee-knocking choke point measuring a mere 14 yards wide. Making the landing zones feel narrower still are the walls of native trees and bushes flanking them. More hallways than fairways. “The intimidation factor,” said Shubhankar Sharma, a standout Indian golfer who has won twice on the Asia Tour and finished 8th at the 2023 Open Championship.
Good luck!
courtesy delhi golf club
Sharma has a home-field advantage given he grew up playing the course (“it felt like I never left,” he told reporters earlier this week). Same goes for another Indian star, Anirban Lahiri, who played his first junior event at DGC in 1999 and, in 2015, won the India Open there. Which isn’t to say Lahiri mastered the course from the jump. Far from it. “Terrible,” is how he described his first several starts on the layout designed by five-time Open Championship winner Peter Thomson. “You can’t try and overpower this golf course,” Lahiri said Tuesday. “I think that was what I tried to do when I was younger and more fearless.”
Lahiri said he finally unlocked the course by learning where to be aggressive and where to lay off the gas. “I pulled the driver out of the bag, something you’ll find a lot of players doing this week,” he said. “I’d be very surprised to see too many of the stars carrying a driver.”
Lahiri has shared that advice with several caddies this week, including McIlroy’s looper, Harry Diamond, who, it seems, passed on the intel to his boss.
“I’d say that the next time I hit my driver will be in Abu Dhabi,” McIlory joked Wednesday, referencing the upcoming Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “I don’t think I’ll hit a driver this week. I just don’t feel like the risk is worth the reward. I’d rather leave myself two or three clubs back and hit a 7-iron into a par-4 instead of hitting a wedge where if you just get it off-line here and the ball is gone. You’re hitting it into jungle and you’re not going to be able to get it out. You can rack up a very big number very quickly.
“You just keep hitting it down the middle, hit it 260, 250, 260 every single time, and if you do that, then you can do very well around this golf course.”
Who knew the solution to golf’s distance problem was indica trees and sticker bushes?
Hovland had seen and played only five holes at DGC when he spoke to the media earlier this week, but he’d seen enough to understand the course’s challenge. “I’ll just kind of stick to the 3-iron or maybe 3-wood a couple places here and there,” he said. “There will be a lot of irons this week.” Hovland added that laying off the driver is just what the doctor ordered for the sore neck he’s been fighting this year, an injury that, controversially, sidelined him for the final day of the Ryder Cup.
Brian Harman said iron play will be so prevalent this week and good decision-making so essential that Delhi GC, in ways, feels more like a links-golf test than a parkland one, no matter that the course is more than 600 miles from the nearest coastline.
And all those irons off the tee? They’ll result in something else pro-golf fans don’t see much of: mid- and even long-irons into greens. ”I like courses like this a lot more, because you just hit a variety of different clubs more often,” Ben Griffin said. “Whereas in America we’re so used to hitting maybe drivers and wedges a lot more. It’s something I haven’t competed on in quite a while to be honest with you. Excited for it.”
Fans of the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres haven’t had a ton to cheer about in the early going. Not only are their teams sitting in the bottom two spots in the Atlantic Division, they’ve both absorbed key injuries to first line players. Here’s what to expect in Buffalo.
SENATORS (1-2-0) at SABRES (0-3-0)
7 p.m. | SN1, RDS
Shock to the System for Both Clubs
Both the Senators and Sabres have been hit hard to start the 2025-26 season — and not just on the scoreboard.
Each team lost a key piece of its core to long-term injury during the opening week of the campaign. Sens captain Brady Tkachuk and Sabres centre Josh Norris — best friends off the ice — will both be sidelined for several weeks, leaving their clubs searching for answers on both replacements and shaky starts.
Ottawa enters Wednesday night’s matchup at 1-2-0, while Buffalo has stumbled out of the gate at 0-3-0, the two worst records in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres’ biggest problem has been offense — they’ve scored just two goals total through three games. But they ran the table on Ottawa last season so nothing will be taken for granted in this one.
Game Notes
- Drake Batherson will make his season debut for Ottawa after missing the first week with an upper-body injury from training camp.
- Brady Tkachuk is expected to be out at least four weeks after suffering a hand or wrist injury in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. It’ll be a much longer absence if surgery is required. Michael Amadio will move up to play on the top line, alongside Tim Stutzle and Fabian Zetterlund.
- Leevi Merilainen makes his season debut for the Senators.
- Buffalo rookie Zach Benson returns to the lineup after missing three games with a facial injury sustained in practice on Oct. 8.
- Jiri Kulich draws in after practicing on the Sabres’ fifth line Tuesday.
- Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Jordan Greenway both returned to practice Tuesday but remain out indefinitely.
Projected Lineups (from NHL.com)
Ottawa Senators
Forwards
Fabian Zetterlund – Tim Stützle – Michael Amadio
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Olle Lycksell
Defensemen
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Goaltenders
Leevi Meriläinen
Linus Ullmark
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan
Jack Quinn – Jiri Kulich – Justin Danforth
Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak – Peyton Krebs
Defensemen
Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power – Conor Timmins
Jacob Bryson – Ryan Johnson
Goaltenders
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis
Scratched: Josh Dunne, Mason Geertsen
On a sweltering summer night at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, the date of December 6, 2023, became etched into Palmeiras’ history.
The Verdao sealed back-to-back Brazilian league titles in the most dramatic fashion you could ever imagine, clawing back a seemingly insurmountable 14-point deficit to overhaul Botafogo in a title race that will live long in the memory.
It was a night of triumph, of legacy, and perhaps, of prophecy. Palmeiras – the Sao Paulo giants once created by Italian working-class immigrants, who moved to Brazil in the early 20th century – stretched their record haul to 12 national titles, four more than their nearest rivals Santos.
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A last dance for Palmeiras against Porto… (Image credit: Unknown)
But that night wasn’t just about silverware. It was the coming of age of Endrick.
Still just 17, the Real Madrid-bound phenom delivered 11 goals in 31 appearances, including the hugely important opener of the 1-1 draw at Cruzeiro on that evening in Belo Horizonte to seal the crown. The spotlight, rightly, belonged to him.
But while Endrick basked in the glow of destiny fulfilled, a new wonderkid quietly stepped onto the stage.
Six months later, the left-footed right winger was sold to Chelsea in a deal that could become the most expensive transfer ever completed by a Brazilian club: £38m up front, potentially rising to £52m with add-ons.
He’d have to wait a year before joining his new club, until he’d turned 18 – this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States was his last dance for Palmeiras.
Now, Stamford Bridge is the home of Brazil’s most electrifying export since Neymar lit up the late 2000s – yes, more electrifying in the Brasilerao than both Endrick and Vinicius Junior.
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Estevao was a kid who fell in love with the game at four, nutmegged people in church aisles for fun, and shunned the tag of ‘Messinho’ to carve out his own identity. Today he’s Chelsea’s new star, and ready to tell FourFourTwo his story.
Estevao: “Long before I accepted Chelsea’s offer, I told my parents I wanted to learn English”
Estevao Willian of Palmeiras runs with the ball at the Club World Cup (Image credit: Action Plus/Shutterstock)
It doesn’t take long for Estevao to reveal the driven, grounded ambition that those closest to him always mention. When FFT chats to him in Portuguese and asks about his English language skills, his response is cool-headed and clear. His maturity belies his age.
“Long before I accepted Chelsea’s offer, I told my parents I wanted to learn English,” he says. “Even though I didn’t know I’d end up in England, I knew it was a skill I’d need in the future.” He started learning 18 months ago. As 2025 kicked in, so did the urgency – lessons every weekday, between games and training. “Sometimes, it’s been hard to fit them in with the schedule,” he admits. “I prefer face to face, but I’ve done them online if I’ve had to.”
“I want to settle quickly,” he adds, without hesitation. “It’s a dream come true to play in the biggest competitions, the Premier League and the Champions League. The 2026 World Cup is a goal too, but first, I have to prove myself at Chelsea.”
I want to see everything. I’m into football heritage. England lives and breathes it, I want to soak all of it in
Estevao
In September 2024, just nine months after his pro debut with Palmeiras, Estevao became the fifth youngest player ever to pull on a shirt for Brazil’s senior team, coming off the bench in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador during World Cup qualifying.
Only Pele, Edu, Coutinho – both were team-mates of the King himself – and Endrick did it earlier. Not bad company to keep. But Estevao already had his eyes set on another new environment.
“I want to see everything,” he says. “I’m into football heritage. England lives and breathes it, I want to soak all of it in.” He was getting top-tier advice, even before touching down at Heathrow. Who better to big up Chelsea than a fellow Brazilian and Stamford Bridge legend – the last man from his country to lift the Champions League for the club?
Estevao celebrates his first Premier League goal (Image credit: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
“I had a chat with Thiago Silva after we played Fluminense at home in our final Brasileirao match,” Estevao says. “He only had great things to say about the club, the people and the whole experience. He said that it will be incredible for me.” That match ended in a 1-0 defeat, confirming Palmeiras as runners-up – six points behind champions Botafogo, who, for once, didn’t bottle the league title.
Estevao didn’t match Endrick’s heroics in a title race, but he did knock a certain Neymar off his perch. With 13 goals and nine assists, he set a new benchmark of the most goal contributions posted by a 17-year-old in the Brasileirao, beating the Santos starlet’s tally of 10 goals and six assists in 2009.
He didn’t leave empty-handed either. While the main trophy slipped away, the individual honours came flooding in. He was named best newcomer by the Brazilian FA, also doing the double at the prestigious Bola de Prata awards, scooping the same accolade, plus the big one: the Bola de Ouro for best player in the league. Not bad for your first full season in the top flight.
It wasn’t just Estevao counting down the days until his big move to London. At Cobham, Reece James and Cole Palmer rolled out the virtual welcome mat, reaching out to let the youngster know he has a home waiting for him. It was more than just DMs, too – the bond with Palmer is already taking shape. Days after signing for Chelsea, Estevao fired home in a 3-1 win over Juventude… and celebrated by busting out Palmer’s trademark “cold” pose. A fitting way to launch a bromance.
“After I signed for Chelsea, that celebration came to mind,” the young Brazilian says. “Then Palmer saw that and messaged me, saying he couldn’t wait for us to play together. It was in British English – a bit tricky for me – so I had to get some help from the translator app! I’m not going to lie, I used it to message him back, too!”
Palmer followed up later, checking whether Estevao would visit the club before finally linking up with the squad this summer. “I didn’t get the chance,” he says. “But it meant a lot. You could tell they were excited I was coming and they were already waiting for me.”
As it turned out, Estevao’s last game for Palmeiras would be against Chelsea, in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup – his side lost 2-1, but the winger scored and was man of the match.
The world is only just waking up to Estevao
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 15: Estêvão of SE Palmeiras (2nd L) and Iván Marcano of FC Porto (R) fight for possession during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group A match between SE Palmeiras and FC Porto at MetLife Stadium on June 15, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Richard Callis/Sports Press Photo/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)
Estevao might stand at just 5ft 7in with a lean frame, but his game packs serious punch. He’s a wizard with the ball at his feet, effortlessly dancing past defenders and whipping in thunderous strikes from just about anywhere he fancies. Whether it’s curling one from the edge of the box or letting fly from long range, his left foot is something else. The Premier League is known for its muscle, but Estevao isn’t fazed.
“Of course, I know I’ll need to build a stronger, more intense physical presence at some point, but I’m not overly worried about it,” he says.
“There will be a thorough process to achieve that, but I know what I bring to the pitch, my qualities, my ability to influence a game. Strength isn’t always the deciding factor. I really believe in my potential.”
This kid is different from everything I have ever seen.
Abel Ferreira
Why would he doubt himself? Dozens of clubs had their eyes on him from the start, barely able to believe what this skinny kid was doing on the pitch. Estevao’s talent turned heads long before he turned pro. Now it’s just the rest of the world catching up.
Abel Ferreira is the architect behind Palmeiras’ golden era. The Portuguese coach – frequently compared to Jose Mourinho, not just for his passport, but for his love of a press-conference narrative – has racked up 10 trophies in five years.
That’s practically a dynasty by Brazilian standards, where managers are lucky to last more than six months. Ferreira’s extensive haul has included back-to-back league titles, consecutive Copa Libertadores crowns and glory in the Copa do Brasil.
Estevao crosses the ball whilst under pressure from Piero Hincapie of Ecuador (Image credit: Getty Images)
In May 2024, Ferreira paused for a moment – the kind of pause that usually signals a coach holding back praise to keep a young talent grounded. But Estevao had just stolen the show again, bagging a late winner in a cup clash against Botafogo-SP, lighting up the pitch with another dazzling display. His manager couldn’t hold it in.
“This kid is different from everything I have ever seen,” Ferreira said. “He attacks, he defends and he’s never afraid to take responsibility.”
The young star’s fearless playing style is nothing short of mesmerising. He’ll lose the ball or drag a shot wide, but moments later, he’s demanding the ball back again, trying something new, taking another risk. It’s not just that he isn’t afraid to make mistakes. It’s as if mistakes don’t register at all.
I ended up being better than the other boys. Some parents didn’t take too kindly to that!
Estevao
“That comes from my dad,” Estevao says now. “He’s always told me, ‘Never stop being yourself’. If I make a mistake during play, I don’t have time to dwell on it. You’ve only got seconds to react, because at any moment, the ball could be at your feet again and you’ve got to be ready to do something with it.”
“My dad has always hammered that idea into me – it’s just about staying switched on and trusting your instincts. If there’s space to take a man on, I’ll take him on. If the better option is to pass, I’ll pass. I’ll do what I know and what I’ve been trained to do. I know what I’m capable of. I know what I’ve got inside me. That’s why mistakes don’t get to me. I trust in what I believe, and I’ll keep trying until it comes off.”
Born in Franca, a city some 250 miles inland from Sao Paulo, better known for basketball and shoe factories than footballing prodigies, Estevao grew up in a deeply religious household. His father, Ivo Goncalves, is an evangelical pastor. Faith still plays a central role in his life, since he often reads the Bible in the dressing room before matches and celebrates wins by posting scripture passages on Instagram.
Estevao looks on prior to during the Club World Cup games against Al Ahly (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)
It was Ivo, a former goalkeeper, who introduced him to the game, taking his football-obsessed son along to varzea matches, the grassroots games that dot Brazil’s amateur scene.
From then on, Estevao rarely went anywhere without a ball at his feet – not even to his dad’s church. “I would imagine that I was playing in a stadium,” he says. “I’d dribble past whatever was in front of me. I used bottles as goalposts, smashed shots off the walls – I even broke a clock! That kind of childhood imagination is incredible.”
Estevao took his first steps in the game at a football school in Franca called Tok de Bola. It didn’t take long for the youngster to become a sensation. Soon, crowds were showing up not just to watch their own kids, but to see him. His talent was so far beyond his years that he regularly played and dominated matches against older boys.
His impact in local tournaments sparked complaints from rival parents, who claimed Tok de Bola were cheating by fielding Estevao. To keep the peace, coaches often played him in the first half, where he’d usually run riot, before subbing him off to level the playing field.
A Nike athlete at 10 years old
Estevao poses for a photo during the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)
“I loved scoring goals! That’s what made me happiest as a kid,” he says. “Whether I liked it or not, I ended up being better than the other boys. Even I could see the difference. Some of the parents didn’t take too kindly to that!”
Word of the young prodigy soon spread. Scouts from several Sao Paulo clubs made the trip to see what all the fuss was about, but it was Cruzeiro who moved fastest. At just eight years old, Estevao was off to Belo Horizonte. Within two years, he was a Nike athlete and one of the most talked-about academy prospects in Brazil.
Nike came calling in 2016, after Estevao lit up the Go Cup, one of the country’s most prestigious youth tournaments, while playing for Cruzeiro. Estevao introduced himself to a national audience in spectacular fashion.
In my head, I just thought I’d be getting free boots every month. I had no idea how big Nike was globally.
Estevao
“I only knew about Nike because of Neymar,” Estevao says. “He was my idol growing up, and he wore Nike boots when he played for Santos. But I was too young to really understand what signing with Nike actually meant. In my head, I just thought I’d be getting free boots every month. I had no idea how big the brand was globally. When they told me I’d be wearing the same boots as Neymar, I was over the moon.”
If the teenage sensation once idolised Neymar, his sweet left foot and the No.10 shirt at Cruzeiro quickly earned him a nickname inspired by a rival legend: Messinho, ‘Little Messi’. Estevao was never a fan of the comparison though and worked hard to shed it.
“I don’t remember who came up with it, but it just caught on straight away,” he says. “Neither I nor my family ever liked it much. Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden you didn’t ask for. You just want to play football, to do what you love – but that kind of label adds a pressure that’s not yours. Thankfully, I was able to leave it behind when I moved to Palmeiras.”
Palmeiras had tracked Estevao since his early days tormenting defenders – and opposition parents – in Franca, but they couldn’t match Cruzeiro’s offer.
He and his dad were invited to pay a visit to the club, but they decided to sign for the Belo Horizonte giants instead. Still, academy chief Joao Paulo Sampaio stayed in touch with his father, keeping the door firmly open. Years later, when Cruzeiro collapsed into chaos, drowning in debt and scandal, the family, left without support, walked away.
Sampaio was ready and waiting. In his decade at the helm of Palmeiras’ academy, the club have gone from producing little of note to becoming arguably the most prolific talent factory in the Americas. Once lagging behind their domestic rivals, Palmeiras now lead the pack, and the numbers speak for themselves.
Gabriel Jesus moved to Manchester City for £27m, followed by Endrick’s switch to Real Madrid for an initial £30m, with the potential to pass £50m with add-ons. Then came Danilo to Nottingham Forest for £16m, Luis Guilherme to West Ham for £25m and Estevao to Chelsea for up to £52m. In the winter, Vitor Reis joined Manchester City for £29.6m, a new record price for a centre-back from a Brazilian club.
Estevao celebrates scoring the opening goal during the FIFA U-17 World Cup against Ecuador (Image credit: Getty Images)
If there’s anyone qualified to break down Estevao’s game, it’s Sampaio, the man behind Palmeiras’ golden generation and one of Brazil’s sharpest eyes for youth talent. “He’s got pure Brazilian DNA,” Sampaio says. “Flair, dribbling, joy, that spark of magic. His first touch doesn’t just control the ball, it takes the defender out of the picture. But there’s real end product too. He’s not just about putting on a show, his numbers are always there. With that kind of talent, he was already playing for our under-20s at just 15.
“At Palmeiras, we teach our players to master three positions. Estevao can play off the right, the left or as a No.10. One of his standout performances came in the Under-17 Brasileirao final against Sao Paulo. He played as a No.10 and scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win, just a couple of months before making his professional debut. Sooner or later, players like Estevao force their way into any team. I’ve no doubt Chelsea fans will fall for him, and it won’t take long.”
From the church aisles of Franca to the roar of Stamford Bridge, England is now home to a wonderkid who might define a generation. With the swagger of a street baller and the stats to silence cynics, he’s got everything to light up the Premier League. The relief for Enzo Maresca? At least this time, he won’t have to sub him off at half-time to stop the other parents complaining.
Former WWE Superstar Priscilla Kelly was robbed of her own merchandise during a recent meet and greet with fans. On X, Kelly shared that fans in Arizona “helped themselves to all of my 8x10s while I was away.” This is the second time in under a month Kelly has been robbed and she asked fans to “please, do better.
Welp, to the fans in AZ that helped themselves to all of my 8x10s while I was away, you fucking suck. This is the second time in less than a month Iâ€ve had merch stolen from my table. Please, do better guys, and hold eachother more accountable or something. This is my livelihood.
— Priscilla Kelly (@HellsFavoritePK) September 28, 2025
Kelly later added that due to a red-eye flight, she was unable to meet every single person who wanted to meet her. Nevertheless, stealing from her was completely unacceptable.
I had a red eye flight that I had to rush and pack up and leave for. Iâ€m sorry that I couldnâ€t come back out and take photos with people but to take my stuff just because youâ€re upset is unacceptable. https://t.co/US7CMVXdY3
— Priscilla Kelly (@HellsFavoritePK) September 28, 2025
Formerly known as Gigi Dolin in WWE, Kelly was among those released from WWE earlier this year. In WWE, she was a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion and had been aligned with Tatum Paxley and Shotzi before her departure.
The stolen 8x10s weren’t signed, Kelly shared in a later comment, meaning that they’ll be worth far less if the thieves try to sell them. With many independent wrestlers relying on merchandise sales as part of their income, this is hopefully the last time Kelly has to deal with being robbed.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The world No. 2 is undefeated and has happily embraced the role of antagonist this week at Bethpage Black. The world No. 1 is winless once again and searching for answers at the Ryder Cup.
That, in turn, sums up the plight for both teams with Rory McIlroy (3-0-1) leading the Europeans to a commanding, and historically insurmountable, 11 ½-to-4 ½ lead while Scottie Scheffler (0-4-0) has struggled with his ball-striking, his putting and has been completely shutout.
Scheffler had four birdies paired with Bryson DeChambeau in Saturday’s afternoon fourball match, but they were outclassed by Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, 3 and 2, and Scheffler is now winless in his last eight Ryder Cup matches dating to 2023 in Rome.
“Bryson and I did some good stuff out there. We were into a tough matchup today. Those guys played great. They made a ton of putts and really tip of a cap to them. They played better than we did,†Scheffler said. “Bryson did a great job battling all day. Did a really good job keeping us in the match, but overall just didn’t do enough, and they played great.â€
Scheffler and Russell Henley dropped Friday’s opening foursomes match, 5 and 3, to Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick, and he then lost his afternoon fourball match with J.J. Spaun, 3 and 2, to Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka. It was a similar story Saturday morning in foursomes play with a 1-up loss paired with Henley against Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland.
Scheffler became the fourth American to lose four matches in a single Ryder Cup on home soil along with Steve Stricker (2012), Raymond Floyd (’83) and Fuzzy Zoeller (’79). No U.S. player has ever lost five matches in a single Ryder Cup.
This week’s matches have offered divergent paths for the world Nos. 1 and 2 but the luck of the draw has them on a strangely fitting collision course with Scheffler and McIlroy set to face each other in Sunday’s fourth singles match, which is scheduled to begin at 12:35 p.m. ET.
Earlier this month, 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley finalized Team USA with six captain’s picks: Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Ben Griffin, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas. The sextet joined the six automatic qualifiers, Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau and Russell Henley, who locked up their spots on the team several weeks before.
Notably, Bradley “snubbed” himself for a spot on the team, as he seeks to guide Team USA to victory on home soil for the third consecutive time. To do so, his squad will have to take down a European side overflowing with experience, as Luke Donald will bring just one rookie to Bethpage Black.
You can check out relevant info on every member of Team USA below.
2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team
Scottie Scheffler
The world No. 1 is making his third appearance in the Ryder Cup after a six-win 2025 campaign. He has a 2-2-3 career record in the event.
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay is playing in his third Ryder Cup. He boasts a 5-2-1 career record and was the Americans’ top scorer in 2023 in Rome.
J.J. Spaun
Spaun is making his first Ryder Cup appearance after a career-best season, featuring a victory at the U.S. Open.
Xander Schauffele
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Schauffele, the fourth-ranked player in the world, is playing in the Ryder Cup for the third time. He has a career record of 4-4-0.
Sam Burns
Burns is making his second Ryder Cup appearance. He went 1-2-0 in his debut in Rome.
Cameron Young
The New York native is making his Ryder Cup debut in his home state. He won the 2017 New York State Open hosted at Bethpage Black when he was an amateur.
Ben Griffin
Griffin is making his first Ryder Cup appearance after winning both the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and Charles Schwab Challenge.
Collin Morikawa
The 28-year-old is playing in the Ryder Cup for the third time. He owns a 4-3-1 record and, along with Cantlay, was the Americans’ top point scorer in Rome.
Justin Thomas
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Thomas is playing in his fourth Ryder Cup. He has a 7-3-2 career record in the event and is an undefeated 3-0-0 in singles.
Harris English
The 36-year-old is playing in his second Ryder Cup after playing on the winning side at Whistling Straits in 2021, where he went 1-2-0.
Bryson DeChambeau
The two-time U.S. Open champ is playing in the Ryder Cup for the third time and has an all-time record of 2-3-1 in the event.
Russell Henley
Henley is playing in the Ryder Cup for the first time after qualifying thanks to a season that included a win, two runner-up finishes and 10 top 10s.
The U.S. Ryder Cup team is looking to continue the home advantage in this biennial competition as it prepares to win back the cup on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York.
After six players automatically qualified for the matches, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley finalized his team with six picks.
Here’s a look at the home team, which hasn’t lost a cup since the Americans were stunned by Europe in the “Miracle at Medinah.â€
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler enters the 2025 Ryder Cup as the undisputed top player in golf coming off the best two-year stretch since Tiger Woods.
Scottie Scheffler
- Age: 29
- Hometown: Dallas
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 3 (2021, 2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 2-2-3
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 1st
- OWGR rank: 1st
- Data Golf rank: 1st
- Wins in 2025: 5 (CJ Cup Byron Nelson, PGA Championship, Memorial Tournament, Open Championship, BMW Championship)
- What he brings: Everything. He’s Scottie Scheffler.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: J.J. Spaun
After breaking through in 2025 with a win at the U.S. Open, J.J. Spaun won’t be daunted by his first action at the Ryder Cup for the U.S. team.
J.J. Spaun
- Age: 35
- Hometown: Los Angeles
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
- Career Ryder Cup record: N/A
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 2nd
- OWGR rank: 6th
- Data Golf rank: 11th
- Wins in 2025: 1 (U.S. Open)
- What he brings: Ranked seventh on Tour in strokes gained approach, which wasn’t surprising. However, he broke out this season, capturing his first major, with help from an improving short game.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele will be a presence for the U.S. team at the 2025 Ryder Cup because of his lack of weaknesses.
Xander Schauffele
- Age: 31
- Hometown: San Diego
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 3 (2021, 2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 4-4
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 3rd
- OWGR rank: 4th
- Data Golf rank: 9th
- Wins in 2025: 0
- What he brings: Though he’s had a down year, the swagger will undoubtedly be there at Bethpage – and hopefully the game falls into place behind what’s still been great iron play (12th in strokes gained approach).
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Russell Henley
Russell Henley will be one of the newcomers that will look to add life to the U.S. team defending home soil at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Russell Henley
- Age: 36
- Hometown: Columbus, Georgia
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
- Career Ryder Cup record: N/A
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 4th
- OWGR rank: 3rd
- Data Golf rank: 6th
- Wins in 2025: 1 (Arnold Palmer Invitational)
- What he brings: Not long, but makes up everywhere else – 13th in strokes gained approach, sixth around the greens and 32nd in putting, though the latter usually is better. Also proved at the last Presidents Cup that he can be a lethal partner for Scheffler.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Harris English
Harris English is back for his second U.S. team appearance at the Ryder Cup, and he is ready to “cherish the moment.”
Harris English
- Age: 36
- Hometown: Sea Island, Georgia
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 2 (2021, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 1-2
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 5th
- OWGR rank: 10th
- Data Golf rank: 22nd
- Wins in 2025: 1 (Farmers Insurance Open)
- What he brings: Despite this being just his second Ryder Cup, English has a veteran presence about him. And though he’s struggled with the irons this year, he’s top 20 in putting.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Bryson DeChambeau
A “box-office” talent, Bryson DeChambeau is set to bring his bold, entertaining style of play to the forefront with this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Bryson DeChambeau
- Age: 32
- Hometown: Clovis, California
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 3 (2018, 2021, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 2-3-1
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 6th
- OWGR rank: 21st
- Data Golf rank: 7th
- Wins in 2025: 1 (LIV Golf Korea)
- What he brings: Passion, energy and the long ball. He hasn’t been great in this event, but he’ll likely have the crowd behind him.
*official LIV events only
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Justin Thomas
As the most experienced member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Justin Thomas is “the heartbeat” of a squad looking to defend home soil at Bethpage Black.
Justin Thomas
- Age: 32
- Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 4 (2018, 2021, 2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 7-4-2
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 7th
- OWGR rank: 5th
- Data Golf rank: 23rd
- Wins in 2025: 1 (RBC Heritage)
- What he brings: May not have ranked in the top 15 in any of the four strokes-gained metrics, but his inclusion as this team’s veteran leader leaves no doubt.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa’s resume “speaks for itself” as he enters another Ryder Cup for the U.S. team.
Collin Morikawa
- Age: 28
- Hometown: La Canada Flintridge, California
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 3 (2021, 2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 4-3-1
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 8th
- OWGR rank: 8th
- Data Golf rank: 31st
- Wins in 2025: 0
- What he brings: Easily in the worst form of the 12 team members, but he was still third on Tour in strokes gained approach and 13th off the tee, even if his length, or lack of, leaves a lot to be desired at Bethpage.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Ben Griffin
Ben Griffin’s breakthrough in 2025 will continue as he makes his rookie appearance with the U.S. team at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Ben Griffin
- Age: 29
- Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
- Career Ryder Cup record: N/A
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 9th
- OWGR rank: 13th
- Data Golf rank: 5th
- Wins in 2025: 2 (Charles Schwab Challenge, Zurich Classic)
- What he brings: Not only has he popped for two wins this year, including one in a foursomes/four-ball format in New Orleans, but he posted two top-10s in majors and continued to play solidly through the playoffs. Balance game as his worst strokes-gained rank is 56th off the tee.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Cameron Young
Although he is a Ryder Cup rookie, New Yorker Cameron Young should be right at home at Bethpage Black.
Cameron Young
- Age: 28
- Hometown: Scarborough, New York
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
- Career Ryder Cup record: N/A
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 14th
- OWGR rank: 20th
- Data Golf rank: 13th
- Wins in 2025: 1 (Wyndham Championship)
- What he brings: Great recent form and an unmatched connection with Bethpage, which he’s won a New York State Open on. Long and sixth on Tour in putting, too.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay has played some of his best golf in team settings, and now he’ll make his third appearance for the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.
Patrick Cantlay
- Age: 33
- Hometown: Long Beach, California
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 3 (2021, 2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 5-2-1
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 15th
- OWGR rank: 22nd
- Data Golf rank: 16th
- Wins in 2025: 0
- What he brings: Only Thomas has won more Ryder Cup matches on this team than Cantlay, who ranked ninth in strokes gained approach this season.
Ryder Cup Spotlight: Sam Burns
Between his hot finish to the PGA Tour season and his always reliable putting, Sam Burns is a weapon for the U.S. team at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Sam Burns
- Age: 29
- Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
- No. of Ryder Cup appearances: 2 (2023, 2025)
- Career Ryder Cup record: 1-2
- Final U.S. Ryder Cup points rank: 16th
- OWGR rank: 23rd
- Data Golf rank: 10th
- Wins in 2025: 0
- What he brings: Ranked No. 1 on Tour in strokes gained putting this season and finally has some major confidence after holding the 54-hole lead at Oakmont.
Earlier this month, 2025 European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald finalized his 12-man squad with six captain’s picks: Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick. Those selections joined Donald’s automatic qualifiers, who had locked in their spots a few weeks before: Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
Donald — who is serving for a second time after also captaining the victorious 2023 European team (which beat the U.S. by the commanding margin of 16.5-11.5 in Rome) — was expected to field a nearly duplicate team this year, and he did. Hojgaard is the only rookie on the European team. You can check out relevant info on each European Ryder Cup team member below.
2025 European Ryder Cup team
Rory McIlroy
The World No. 2 played his first Ryder Cup at age 21 in 2010 and hasn’t missed one since. McIlroy is playing in his eighth career Ryder Cup at Bethpage and has been a part of five winning teams. He has posted 18 total points for Europe with a 16-13-4 overall record, making him Europe’s 8th all-time best in terms of points. (Sergio Garcia tops the list with 28.5 points.) McIlroy’s recent win at the Irish Open marked the 20th of his DP World Tour career.
Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre is ranked 9th in the world and has three career DP World Tour wins and two PGA Tour victories on his resume. This is his second Ryder Cup after going 2-0-1 in Rome.
Rory McIlroy celebrates during the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.
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Tommy Fleetwood
The reigning FedEx Cup champion made headlines with multiple near-misses on the PGA Tour before finally breaking through in grand fashion at East Lake in August. Now ranked 6th in the world, Fleetwood is playing in his fourth straight Ryder Cup and holds a 7-3-2 career record.
Justin Rose
Rose, at 45, is the oldest member of the European team. He’s playing his seventh career Ryder Cup and has a 14-9-3 overall record for Europe.
Rasmus Hojgaard
After his twin brother Nicolai played for Europe in 2023, Rasmus is making his Ryder Cup debut. The 24-year-old has five DP World Tour wins since 2019.
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton at Marco Simone in 2023.
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Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton is making his fourth career Ryder Cup appearance. The 33-year-old has a 5-4-2 career record.
Shane Lowry
The 2019 Open champion has a 2-3-1 record in two previous Ryder Cup appearances.
Jon Rahm
Rahm, a two-time major champion, has a 6-3-3 record in three previous Ryder Cup appearances, highlighted by a 3-1-1 performance at Whistling Straits in 2021.
Justin Rose reacts to his four-ball win in 2023.
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Sepp Straka
Straka went 1-2-0 as a captain’s pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland has a 3-4-3 record in two previous Ryder Cup appearances, and went 3-1-1 in Rome in 2023.