RORY MCILROY SHARES MASTERS LEAD DESPITE "HAND SHAKING" WITH FIRST-TEE NERVES
Rory McIlroy survives a "wild" start to lead the 2026 Masters. See how the defending champ tied Sam Burns at 5-under.
For most people, that kind of anxiety would feel like a medical emergency. But Rory McIlroy knew he was fine.
A lot has shifted for him since he finally won the Masters last year. He’s now part of the exclusive club; only six players in history have completed the career grand slam. At the same time, a few things haven’t changed at all.
He still felt all the familiar first-tee nerves when he started at Augusta National on Thursday. It took him a while to settle. He looked a bit shaky over the first seven holes. But after that, he found his rhythm and played the last eleven holes at five under par. Not only that, but he became just the sixth defending champion in 90 years to tie for the lead after round one.
Did he feel different, teeing off at his first major since becoming a Masters champion, finally breaking through after all the heartbreak? When someone asked, McIlroy shrugged: “I was nervous, I was anxious just like always on that first tee,” he said. “It’s the start of major season, the first of the 16 rounds that matter most in the year. I’m glad I still get the butterflies. I’d actually worry if I didn’t. It means this all still means something.”
Funny enough, after winning the Masters last year, McIlroy admitted that a few tournaments felt strangely dull for him. “At certain events, yeah, it’s felt different,” he said. “But this is the Masters. If I didn’t feel nerves here, that’d be a bad sign.” Even Rafael Nadal followed him for the round, which probably didn’t make it easier. “I liked feeling my hand shake when I put the tee in the ground. That’s why we do this. We want to see if we can play our best when it matters most.”
The round itself? A mixed start. McIlroy made a birdie on the second, then bogeyed the third, kept missing fairways, and really had to scramble. “Honestly, I felt like I squeezed a lot out of my round,” he said. “A bit of a mess early, I was in the trees a bunch. But after the eighth, I started swinging better.” He hit only five fairways all day (and didn’t hit one until hole eight). “Even when I was wild off the tee, I just tried to get myself near the green and rely on my short game. Move on, don’t make a mess.”
His goal was just to start solidly, but he ended up five-under better than he expected. “If I’m honest, I thought two-under was more like it for today,” he said. “But I played smart. Didn’t let any mistakes snowball. That’s the lesson around here, and today I did a good job with it.”
Sam Burns joined McIlroy at the top by eagling No. 2 and adding four birdies with just one bogey. Justin Rose, who beat McIlroy in a playoff last year and fits Augusta’s style so well, posted a three-under 69. That put him a shot ahead of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who shot 70. Rose has finished second at Augusta three times. He’s always a threat.
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
