Browsing: won

Welcome back to the Monday Finish, where we’re taking driver out of the bag — but hitting tee shots into the jungle anyway. To the golf news!

GOLF STUFF I LIKE

Tommy Fleetwood wins Act III.

When Tommy Fleetwood won the DP World India Championship on Sunday, he made his son Frankie’s dreams come true.

Recently Frankie mentioned he’s never been able to run onto the green to celebrate one of his father’s wins. Tommy literally wrote his son’s quote down — “You have never won and I’ve run onto the green” — and then, within the week, made that happen. Tommy Fleetwood is a terrific golfer. He’s also apparently an even better dad. What did you do for your kid this weekend?

But the win wasn’t just cool for Frankie. This was another special moment in what has become two months of special moments as Tommy has put together the best stretch of his golfing life.

This is a story of resilience. Think about the moment in late June, when Fleetwood limped in with bogey at the Travelers Championship and Keegan Bradley made birdie to win. At that point Fleetwood was famous for the fact that on the PGA Tour, he just couldn’t quite get it done. And if he’d allowed it to, that could have been a dark enough moment that it consumed him. Instead? He used it to kickstart a special stretch. Think of what happened in the weeks and months that followed:

-He finished top four in all three FedEx Cup playoff events…
-…including a win at the Tour Championship, his first on the PGA Tour
-He was the only player on either team to win four points at the Ryder Cup, where he led Europe to victory
-He won the DP World India Championship
-He’s now cracked the top five in the OWGR, while advanced analytics suggest he’s even better than that; DataGolf has him up to No. 2 in the world

Along the way he (and his family!) have completed impressive side quests. Frankie delivered the quote of the year at the Masters (his declaration that he was “trying my hardest” was inspiration for everyone, everywhere). Tommy has delivered enough philosophical gems of his own that he could start a cult, or at least a self-help podcast (he described this Sunday as “another opportunity to show a good attitude”). He even stunned in traditional Indian attire at a tournament party this weekend, where he looked like royalty (and further reinforced the idea that Tommy Fleetwood would do well wherever you put him).

Fleetwood’s latest accomplishment also completes a fascinating third act of this year in men’s professional golf. Rory McIlroywas the clear star of the first act; he won at Pebble Beach, won the Players and won the Masters to complete the career grand slam. Scottie Scheffler was the clear star of Act II, winning two majors and a half-dozen times in all as he put even more space between himself and the rest of the world. I posed this question during the FedEx Cup playoffs — behind McIlroy and Scheffler, who’s the PGA Tour’s third-biggest star? It wasn’t long before we got our answer. Fleetwood has established himself as the champion of Act III. Soon we’ll put the pressure back on him to win a major, but in the meantime he’s the clear winner of this post-majors season.

And perhaps the best father, too.

WINNERS

Who won the week?

Tommy Fleetwood won the DP World India Championship; he also moved up to No. 25 on the DP World Tour’s Order of Merit. (Oddly enough he’d been lights out on the PGA Tour but struggled in his European starts this season.)

Sei Young Kimwon the LPGA’s BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea; it was her 13th LPGA Tour victory but her first in five years — since she won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2020.

Justin Leonard won the PGA Tour Champions’ Dominion Energy Charity Classic with an eagle on the 18th hole at the Country Club of Virginia.

SHORT HITTERS

10 golf things on my mind.

1. Let’s start here: I’m worried about the start of next year’s PGA Tour season. We’d been trying to read the tea leaves about a replacement venue for The Sentry, but it now seems at serious risk of … not happening at all? Bob Harig of Sports Illustratedcompiled some evidence including some telling commentary from Mark Rolfing on the Fried Egg podcast. More to come here — this feels like a story that’s partly about The Sentry and partly about the future of the PGA Tour at large.

2. Viktor Hovland addressed the Ryder Cup’s “Envelope Rule” and handled the situation well. I had no issue with the deployment of the rule this Ryder Cup (I was fascinated by the rule in advance of the competition!) but I do think both that rule and the rule that you can tie and “retain” the cup are outdated. Instead I think the Ryder Cup should steal a suggestion from our Jessica Marksbury: The only name in an envelope should be the player (maybe players?) who will go represent your team in a sudden-death shootout in the event of a tie.

3. Speaking of Hovland — plenty of these guys travel the world and see very little besides the airport, the golf course and the four walls of their hotel room. But not Hovland, who explored Delhi via tuk tuk and also leaned into the tournament’s Diwali celebration.

“The food is very different, just — everything is very different. It takes a little bit of time to get used to, but I’ve definitely embraced it this week because I just really love going to see new places, and India is definitely one of my favorite places I’ve been to,” he said after a T6 finish. “I love it.”

i like to think Viktor Hovland didn’t hit a single shot in practice this week and instead has just been wandering around Delhi Golf Club investigating tombs pic.twitter.com/1fUrXLMZea

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) October 15, 2025

4. Keita Nakajima, the former longtime World No. 1 amateur, was the 54-hole leader in India and went on to finish second. It’s been a feast-or-famine season for Nakajima on the DP World Tour; he has three runner-up finishes, three more top-11 finishes and just two other finishes better than T40 in 22 starts. But he’s now just inside the bubble to earn one of the DP World Tour’s 10 PGA Tour cards for 2026. At World No. 101 he’s also the second highest ranked Japanese player in the world behind Hideki Matsuyama.

5. A whopping 42 percent of the field used no driver at the short, tight, jungle-lined Delhi Golf Club, including Fleetwood, Hovland and Rory McIlroy. It’s certainly not an all-out fix for golf’s distance problem — but as someone who often plays Seattle’s bowling alley-style golf courses, it was refreshing to see that there are some holes too scary for these guys to hit driver.

6. The LPGA’s Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown kicks off this week and could make for some late-night West-Coast viewing (Saturday’s semifinals air on Golf Channel at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Sunday’s final airs at midnight). I’m struck by the evenness of the four-player teams; womens’ golf is remarkably deep in the U.S. but also Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and Sweden — and there’s a “World Team” that’s as talented as anybody. (The event will also certainly suffer from the absence of World No. 2 Nelly Korda, who remains the sport’s biggest draw.)

7. Neither played this week but it’s fascinating to see two Swedes at very different points in their career — Ludvig Aberg at 25 and Alex Noren at 43 — adjacent each other at Nos. 16 and 17 in the OWGR.

8. This week’s Bank of Utah Championship may be my favorite fall venue; it’s red-rock, high-desert golf at its most stunning and should make for some compelling evening viewing. It’s a distinctly “fall” field, with Maverick McNealy, Michael Thorbjornsen and Noren as tournament favorites, but there are plenty of names you’ll know teeing it up: Jason Day, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Sahith Theegala, Joel Dahmen.

9. Good Good Golf announced they’re sponsoring a PGA Tour event in Austin next fall. This is fascinating for one obvious reason — wait, the YouTubers are now in the business of sponsoring the Tour?! — but also because it’s interesting to see the Tour continue to double down on its fall season and also return to Austin.

10. Our Nick Piastowski and producer Darren Riehl visited Cedar Creek Corrections Center in Washington for an inspiring story called Golf Behind Bars; it’s worth your time.

NEWS FROM SEATTLE

Monday Finish HQ.

The Mariners are in Game 7 of the ALCS. The Seahawks are playing in Monday Night Football. The weather is getting worse but oh boy are the sports getting better. (Even the Kraken are playing tonight!)

This feels like an exceedingly rare combination, especially because this is such a lovable Mariners team and the Seahawks are an unexpected delight. I’ve maintained my New England fandom so I feel sort of one step removed from complete emotional investment, but still — this is awesome. Go Ms.

We’ll see you next week!

Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

Captaining the Indian cricket team is probably the most high-pressure job in world cricket, and definitely the most rewarding if the side attains success, especially in ICC events.

The Indian cricket team-ergo the BCCI-has become an epicenter of the cash flow of international cricket due to the billion fans that tune in on the television and digital sets and the thousands and thousands who flock to the stands whenever and wherever the Men In Blue play.

Team India has been blessed with some ingenious captains who have fulfilled the dreams of the fans of lifting the ICC trophy.

Let us check out the list of Indian captains who have won ICC trophy:

Kapil Dev – 1983 World Cup

The 1983 World Cup was then known as the Prudential World Cup, hosted by England. The Kapil Dev-led Indian team was the underdog, with barely anyone giving them a chance of even reaching the semi-finals.

However, not only did India reach the knockouts, but they also beat the two-time champions and defending champions, Clive Lloydâ€s West Indies, in the final.

That victory turned a page in Indian cricketâ€s history as India kicked off their journey to becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Sourav Ganguly – 2002 ICC Champions Trophy

Not many fans of the current generation would remember it, but India did win an ICC title under Sourav Ganguly—the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy held in Sri Lanka. One of the reasons for this is because India were the joint winner with Sri Lanka.

India met Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo. However, the final did not yield a result due to rain. That is despite the game being played twice: unfortunately, in those days, the match had to be restarted on the reserve day, so while across two days, more than 100 overs were bowled, both times Sri Lanka batted first, and Indiaâ€s innings didnâ€t reach the 20-over cut-off mark even once.

India and Sri Lanka were the joint winner of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002.

MS Dhoni – 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy

Hailed as Indiaâ€s greatest white-ball skipper by many, MS Dhoniâ€s captaincy legacy is cemented through the three ICC title wins under the Ranchi-born.

Leading in his maiden ICC tournament, Dhoni marshaled a young Indian team to the inaugural T20 World Cup trophy in 2007 in South Africa, beating Pakistan in the final.

In his first ODI World Cup as a skipper in 2011 at home, Dhoni, through his memorable 91* in the final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, helped India and Sachin Tendulkar end the long wait for an ODI World Cup.

Two years later, Dhoniâ€s Indian team won all their matches on their way to winning the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, thumping hosts England in an epic final at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Rohit Sharma – 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 ICC Champions Trophy

After winning the 2013 Champions Trophy, India endured a wait of 11 years to lift another ICC title, as Rohit Sharmaâ€s team produced a terrific unbeaten campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup, with the final being a last-over thriller against South Africa in Barbados.

Less than a year later, Rohit lifted another ICC trophy as India once again won all their matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In the final, India triumphed over New Zealand in Dubai, with Rohit bagging the Man of the Match award.

Rohit would have matched—maybe even outdone—Dhoniâ€s legacy as Indiaâ€s white-ball skipper had India won the 2023 final, which they lost to Australia in Ahmedabad after winning 10 consecutive matches.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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With Xander Schauffele’s victory at the Baycurrent Classic, it’s another win for Callaway’s popular Apex TCB iron platform, the company’s most popular on Tour.

Including Schauffele’s two major titles in 2024, and Jon Rahm’s 2023 Masters and 2021 U.S. Open victories, the TCB platform has won the grand slam in the last five years.

Schauffele has been in the Apex TCB ’24 and the previous edition TCB ’21, since their release in 2021, but the current model is a good bit larger in chassis size than the TaylorMade P750s he used as a rookie. While TCB stands for “Tour Cavity Back,” the Apex TCB 24s have slightly more offset than other irons in the category.

And there are other players who have switched from pure blades like this week’s guest on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast, Erik van Rooyen. Van Rooyen switched from the 2018 Apex MB blades about a year ago.

Xander Schauffele’s clubs: What’s in his Baycurrent-winning bag

By:

Jack Hirsh

“It was a forgiveness thing. And curiosity, more than anything,” van Rooyen said of the switch. “I’ve played a blade-style club since high school. And I mean, eventually, technology is probably going to have some effect on it and an improvement on things.

“It was met from a place of curiosity. What I found was, I switched into the TCB the week before Sony and just tighter dispersion. That was it, tighter dispersion.”

The performance benefits were obvious, but the TCBs and MBs are very different-looking clubs from address. Fully Equipped co-host Johnny Wunder asked van Rooyen if that made the transition difficult at all.

“I think aesthetically, it has to fit my eye,” he said. “I feel like I’m quite sensitive in that aspect. The minute something looks quite off, it’s hard for me to go, oh, just kind of close your eyes and hit. Like, I see it and I get a feel for it.

“But I think the transition was so, it was way easier than I thought it would be, which I was impressed by. So, yeah, playing a blade for so long, I thought, ‘Jeez, dude, I might have to try this for like two weeks.’”

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TORONTO — Everybody was talking about it. How could you not?

Even here at Rogers Centre, a building bursting with anticipation for ALCS Game 1 on Sunday, folks were bleary eyed from taking in the eternal thrill ride that was Game 5 of the ALDS between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers. With the victorious Mariners airborne en route to Toronto, many of the Jays players and coaches were asked how they experienced the chaotic, 15-inning marathon the night prior.

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Some stayed up into the wee hours to see which team the Blue Jays would square off against with a trip to the World Series on the line. Others, by design or by accident, went to bed.

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The latter the case for Game 1 starter Kevin Gausman, who admitted during his Saturday media conference that he didnâ€t watch the mayhem. Manager John Schneider went out to dinner with his wife on a rare night off this month; he was surprised to see the game was still going when he returned home. Starting pitcher Shane Bieber stayed up until the 13th inning but then called it quits, perhaps exhausted by the sheer number of runners stranded in extras.

Ty France, the Jays†backup first baseman who spent four years in Seattle, also conked out around the 13th but was shaken awake by his wife, who happened to wake up just before Jorge Polanco ended the evening. Ernie Clement was proud to share he made it through all 15 from the comfort of his couch. Daulton Varsho didnâ€t watch a pitch.

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But the best tale from Blue Jays land about ALDS Game 5 came from outfielders Myles Straw and Davis Schneider, who decided to watch the winner-take-all contest from a bar. The duo thought it would be a relatively relaxing evening — grab a few brews, watch a ballgame, see who their opponent would be.

“We were literally like, ‘All right, weâ€ll just watch the game, but weâ€re not leaving ’til the game is over,â€â€ Schneider told Yahoo Sports. “And then it f***ing took forever.â€

Straw and Schneider did stay for the whole thing, chatting with Jays fans about whom theyâ€d rather face in the next round. Given Schneiderâ€s conspicuous mustache, he and Straw were easy to spot, and they had a fun night. Thankfully, the Jays had just a light workout Saturday, with an afternoon start time.

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For the Mariners, the turnaround is much more imposing. By the time J.P. Crawford touched home in the bottom of the 15th, sending T-Mobile Park into revelrous pandemonium, the clock was already past 10 p.m. local time. On the East Coast, Friday had already turned to Saturday. But the Mariners didnâ€t skip town in a rush; there was some well-earned Champagne that needed popping. In fact, the team didnâ€t head east until Saturday morning — and only after the team charter was delayed.

The Mariners are alive, but they are also running on fumes, with a pitching staff depleted from the eternal madness of Game 5. Had they won that contest in anything resembling normal fashion, Seattle would have almost certainly started Luis Castillo in ALCS Game 1. But he pitched in relief Friday for the first time as a big leaguer, earning the unlikely win. Instead, the Mâ€s will turn to Bryce Miller, who took the ball in Game 3 of the ALDS, on short rest.

The Seattle bullpen, too, even with the so-called off day, will not be at full strength Sunday. Itâ€s a dynamic that benefits the Jays, who watched Game 5 with increasing glee. But speaking Saturday, Mariners manager Dan Wilson seemed unfazed by this latest wrinkle.

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“I think a lot of times players will gain some energy from that,†he said of the epic victory.

Besides, his team is used to this. “The Mariners do a lot of traveling. We do a lot of East Coast traveling,†he said. “It’ll just be an extension of the season in some ways. We should be good to go.â€

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It remains one of the most dramatic afternoons in Premier League history. On May 13, 2012, Manchester City sealed their first Premier League title with almost the final kick of the season, Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time strike sealing a 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers and breaking Manchester United hearts in the process.

Following the chaos of Manchester City’s comeback, accusations and conspiracy theories have swirled. Some, including former Manchester United man Wayne Rooney, have claimed QPR had gone easy on City in the dying minutes after hearing their own safety was confirmed via results elsewhere.

“I’m not going to take this accusation any longer,” Cisse tells FourFourTwo on behalf of Poker Strategy. “I was celebrating with Samir Nasri. I didn’t celebrate with Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero or anybody else. I celebrated with my brother, Samir, who had been a friend of mine for 15 years.

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“I was happy for my friend and also that we managed to stay up. I don’t care about Man City. My friend finally won the Premier League after many years in England and I was happy for him and also for me. That’s all.”

Cisse’s frustration is understandable. The Frenchman, who had joined QPR midway through that season, scored six goals in just eight starts to help the club avoid relegation. On that famous day at the Etihad, QPR went 2–1 up despite being reduced to ten men after Joey Barton’s red card. For much of the second half, they defended heroically, with goalkeeper Kenny producing a string of saves as City poured forward in desperation.

Yet even as City’s comeback began in stoppage time, Cisse insists there was never any question of his side easing off.

Wayne Rooney has shown bitterness over the whole game (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Manchester United lost the Premier League title because they dropped points throughout the season,” he says. “It was nothing to do with me or QPR. What Rooney said isn’t cool. He took out his frustrations on me. It’s not my fault.

“If we had wanted Man City to win the league, would it not have been a little risky to have waited until the very last minute to let them score? We could have let them win 4–0 or 5–0 and gone home. But we played a strong team, the manager wanted to win that game. It wasn’t our reserve team.”

Indeed, QPR were fighting for survival, and results elsewhere – notably Bolton’s draw at Stoke – meant they were safe only after the final whistle. What’s more, Queen’s Park Rangers led until the 92nd minute and even threatened on the counter once City’s comeback began. Aguero’s winner was seen as a sucker punch.

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The 2025-26 edition of the Ashes series is one of the most anticipated England tours of Australia in a long time. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullumâ€s Bazballing England unit has been revolutionizing Englandâ€s Test team and recorded some memorable victories both at home and away in the past three years.

Under Stokes and McCullum, England have not lost a single home Test series. In this period, they hosted Australia and India once for a five-Test series each and drew both of them 2-2. Such competitive and closely fought series were both that they could have gone either teamâ€s way.

The Ashes 2023 was as captivating an Ashes series as any over the past dozen years. Two years ago at home against Pat Cummins†World Test Champion side, England lost the first two Tests, but rocked back to secure wins in the third and fifth Test matches; the fourth Test in Manchester was a rain-hit draw, and with England holding a commanding position, the hosts had a great chance of winning that game if not for rain.

When was the last time England won the Ashes series?

The last time England won an Ashes series against Australia was in 2015 at home. Alastair Cookâ€s team beat Michael Clarkeâ€s Australia by a 3-2 scoreline to win back the Ashes urn.

However, itâ€s Australia who have held the Ashes urn for the last four Ashes. They won the 2017/18 and 2021/22 Ashes at home and drew the away Ashes in 2019 and 2023, hence retaining the prestigious Ashes urn.

The upcoming Ashes 2025-26 is a great chance for Stokes†England to reclaim the Ashes trophy after eight years, as the Australian team is struggling with the form and personnel of their batsmen. Apart from Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Alex Carey, the positions of the other batsmen in the top 7 are either uncertain or nigh-untenable, with no clarity yet over Usman Khawajaâ€s opening partner.

This series presents England with a rare opportunity to win the Ashes series in Australia, something they have failed to do for the past 14 years.

When Was The Last Time England Won An Ashes Series In Australia?

The last time England won the Ashes in Australia was in 2010/11, when Andrew Strauss led England to a 3-1 series win.

That remains Englandâ€s only Test series win in Australia in the 21st century, and it was their first on Australian soil since 1986-87.

All three of Englandâ€s wins in the 2010/11 Ashes were by an innings; rarely have Australia suffered such an abject defeat at home.

Such an emphatic series win for England was made possible by heroics from Alastair Cook (766 runs), Jonathan Trott (445 runs), James Anderson (24 wickets), Chris Tremlett (17 wickets), Graeme Swann (15 wickets), and Steven Finn (14 wickets), and other vital individual contributions from the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Strauss, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Matt Prior, etc.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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It was finally the last preseason game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. When the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators published their rosters, fans feared theyâ€d be treated to another lot of shenanigans. Still, against all odds, the Senators played hockey despite their best players, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, getting the night off.

For the Canadiens, it was last chance saloon for the players on the bubble, and with Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen having the night off, Samuel Blais, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj were all hoping to make the most of their last opportunity.

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It was the second game in which Kirby Dach played alongside Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno, and one has to admit he looked terrific. The big center was committed to the forecheck and was actively looking to hit opponents. Playing with Gallagher and Veleno has done Dach a world of good, and while it was logical for Martin St-Louis to try a line that included him, Patrik Laine, and Demidov, the Canadiens†newfound depth allowed him to move on when it didnâ€t work.

One area that didnâ€t look better, unfortunately, was the draws. In the first frame, he took four faceoffs and only managed to come out on top once. That remains an area of concern in his game and something he really needs to work on; perhaps he could benefit from a séance with Patrice Bergeron, as Newhook did this summer.

Veleno also had a good outing. Thereâ€s no denying that he has excellent offensive skills, but as camp went on, weâ€ve seen him do more and more of the little things, the details that allow a player to perform at all times and not just when itâ€s time to pull a highlight reel play.

With the blueline more or less set from the start, Adam Engstrom has flown under the radar this camp, but tonight, he looked like he was everywhere and in all situations as well. The Swede showed great awareness and decision-making at both ends of the ice.

Is there room for him in Montreal right now? No, but if he continues to develop like this, who knows? In the second frame, he nearly went end-to-end on a power play, and it looked really effortless. If the Canadiens cannot find room for him, he is fast becoming an interesting bargaining chip and could be used to acquire reinforcements at positions of need.

Speaking about the young defenseman, the coach said:

He left a perfect calling card. You can see he took another step last season; he has everything to have a long career in the league.

– St-Louis on Engstrom.

The bench boss even went so far as to call him a gamer.

Martin St-Louis has hammered on with Arber Xhekaj that he needs to pick his moments, and the older Xhekaj has heard him loud and clear. Early on in the game, Cole Caufield hit Claude Giroux and was justifiably assessed a two-minute boarding call. It didnâ€t take long for a Senator to come to his aid, and Juraj Slafkovsky stepped in to support him. Last year, Xhekaj would have gone guns blazing and jumped in; this year, he approached and only pulled back a couple of guys from the scrum.

Later in the game, he was invited to drop the gloves but refused, allowing his team to enjoy a power play rather than falling into the trap that was set for him. Overall, this was a great camp from the rugged blueliner. His play has evolved, and so has his decision-making.

The Sens secured a 3-1 win tonight, thanks to goals from Shane Pinto, David Perron, and Lars Eller, in an empty net. At this stage, the result doesnâ€t really matter as everyone is ready for the real season to start and has had enough of dress rehearsal. However, itâ€s still worth mentioning that Travis Greenâ€s team was the dominant outfit tonight, even without some of their top guys in the lineup.

The Canadiens have already announced that, despite having a day off tomorrow, the cuts will be announced tomorrow morning; there is no sense in prolonging the uncertainty for those waiting to hear their fate.

Personally, I believe Oliver Kapanen has won the role of 12th forward, and I would see Joe Veleno as the 13th forward, provided Zack Bolduc is healthy; if heâ€s not, both will likely be in the lineup. We haven’t seen enough from Samuel Blais for him to secure one of those two roles, although he was a real impactful physical presence tonight, landing five hits; that wasnâ€t enough. Owen Beck led the team in hits on the night, but he wasnâ€t firm in other aspects of the game. If heâ€s not going to play in Montreal, he needs to be sent down to Laval. While that may not be what he would like, itâ€s ultimately whatâ€s best for him, and for Florian Xhekaj as well.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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Rai Benjaminâ€s post-victory mood was as light as his crown. Soon, for a few fraught minutes, heavy was the head that wore the costume headgear. (KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT)

EVERY ATHLETE at some point experiences both the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. But theyâ€re not supposed to feel both in the same race.

Rai Benjamin ran a (mostly) masterful race in Tokyo to claim his first world championship. Like at the Paris Olympics, he turned back his friendly nemesis, Karsten Warholm, and clocked 46.52, the =No. 9 all-time performance. He donned a golden toy crown and began his celebration.

Then things went south. He was informed that he had been disqualified. The only flaw in his race had been a hard hit on hurdle 10, which slightly dislodged the barrier in the adjacent lane, occupied by Nigeriaâ€s Nathaniel Ezekiel.

For 15 uncertain minutes, Benjamin went through a ringer of emotions. However, quick action by USATF got the DQ overturned, and he could keep the crown on his head and place the gold medal around his neck.

“I won, and then I didnâ€t win, and then I won again, so I won twice tonight,†laughed a relieved Benjamin.

“Whatâ€s a World Championship without a little drama?†he asked rhetorically. “So, ironically, weâ€re [sitting] in the elimination chairs and [Qatarâ€s 3rd-placer Abderrahmane] Samba goes like, ‘Where are our medals?†And [Brazilâ€s 2nd-placer Alison] dos Santos was like, ‘I think thereâ€s been a DQ.†And I was like, ‘Oh, damn, who got the DQ?†And he goes, ‘I think it might be you.†And I was like, ‘What?!â€â€

In the stomach-churning roller coaster of the moment, Benjamin had to dig down and find the same kind of discipline he puts into his training.

“I still had [the crown] on, and I took it off. And then I was like, ‘Man, get that camera out of my face.â€

“But then I was like, ‘You gotta chill,†because Iâ€m not out here just representing myself, Iâ€m representing the entire United States and my family and this whole team, so I just had to keep my emotions in check and just really figure out what was going on. Thereâ€s nothing much I could do at that point but just wait for the officials. Obviously, it really sucked to lose that way in a DQ after running 10 hurdles, but Iâ€m happy that I was able to show some restraint down there and some self-control.â€

Difficulty maintaining control was what got him into the predicament. Benjamin admitted the clattering of the hurdle caught him by surprise.

“It wasnâ€t intentional, obviously, but thatâ€s on me. I should be clean over 10. I never, ever have that kind of a mishap coming home.

“Usually, I donâ€t really get a lot of lactic, but I was just so fast through hurdle 8 and 9. My body hasnâ€t been in that zone before, so itâ€s only natural that it goes through that whole process, but I was happy that I put enough daylight between me and everyone else so that I was able to recover from that mistake.â€

Recovering from mistakes sums up the whole shift his career has taken in the past two seasons.

From â€19 through â€23, Benjamin developed the reputation as the silver man, mostly to Warholm. The last time he was on this track, the â€21 Olympics, he was fit enough to run a stunning 46.17, which would have obliterated Warholmâ€s WR — except Warholm was faster. Even when Warholm was off his game in Eugene in â€22, dos Santos stepped up to block Benjamin from the top of the podium. In Budapest, he fell to bronze.

He could have been frozen by frustration. Instead, like the heroine of the movie Frozen, he decided to just let it go.

“I think my whole mentality shifted after â€23,†Benjamin says. “Going into Paris, I just stopped putting so much pressure on myself and focused on having fun and enjoying the sport, because I canâ€t do this for a long time. So the mentality was to just come out, have fun, and the same thing here. Itâ€s just been great, man. Iâ€ve been having fun and being loose and just enjoying every step of the way and not really taking myself too seriously here.â€

Next year, he plans to have even more fun.

“This is the most I raced all year, actually in my career. I wonâ€t ever do that again, because it was tough going to the USAs. Going to the Pre and USAs, like I was dealing with some quad issues from â€23, so I was able to quell that and come back and get some good work in and be able to come out here and win. It was just great.

“So I wonâ€t be racing too much next year, but I told Noah [Lyles], ‘You better watch out, because I am running the 2 next year. And the 4. No hurdles.â€â€ Surely, there are intriguing possibilities for updates to his 200 and 400 bests, 19.99 dating back to the Paris DL of â€18 and 44.21 from April of â€23. He anchored the Olympic Record USA relay victory in Paris in 43.18.

Is he going to try a Sydney?

“Sydney McLaughlin is the GOAT, man,†he laughed. “I canâ€t. But like I said, Iâ€m going to run the 2 and 4 next year and have some fun and shake things up.â€

Since 1986, Lee Nichols has been the Rockdale (Texas) High School record holder in the mile and 2-miles. He followed those feats with a brief and highly undistinguished tenure with the Texas Longhorns. He has been writing for Track & Field News since 2004. When he’s not writing about track, he’s either writing about or drinking craft beer and watching Tottenham Hotspur play soccer.

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WWE superstar and social media creator Logan Paul was reportedly granted a temporary restraining order against Heritage Auctions regarding concerns surrounding the authenticity of a piece of the United Center court signed by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

According to ESPN’s Dan Hajducky, Paul said he was not permitted to investigate the floor’s authenticity before Heritage solicited payment after he won the piece at an auction for just over $562,555.

Josh Bernstein, Paul’s counsel, discussed the situation.

“It goes without saying that authenticity is everything in the collectibles community,” Bernstein told Hajducky. “Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that holds up under scrutiny and addresses glaring holes and inconsistencies.”

Under the court’s listing on Heritage’s auction website, it was used from 1994-98 during Chicago’s three championship victories and remained at the United Center until it was “removed and replaced per NBA protocol” at the end of the 2005-06 season (via Hajducky).

According to the injunction, Paul alleged that the floor’s condition “does not match the court from 1995-1998, as a result of the court either being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and resurfaced.”

A spokesperson for Heritage told Hajducky that it does not believe the injunction has any merit.

“We stand behind every item that we sell,” the spokesperson said. “This lot would not have been included for sale at auction unless we were fully confident in its authenticity.”

A court date for the temporary injunction is set for Oct. 9.

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Watch Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s performances in all seven events on her way to winning heptathlon bronze at the World Athletics Championships…