Author: Sports Staff

The PGA Tour’s Sunshine Daydream

Sports

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

As spring starts to round into form, so does the PGA Tour. Each year around late-February and early-March, the Tour departs from California and sets up shop in Florida. This Florida swing of the PGA Tour is extremely important, as it starts to provide viewers  a large enough sample of the players. Storylines and narratives begin to build and we get a more vivid picture and understanding of the players. This swing is also very unique, as Florida’s landscape and terrain play a huge role and make the courses play unlike any other of the stops on tour. This is where we get to see courses that have Bermuda grass, a surplus of water hazards, and unpredictable weather conditions. This swing culminates in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the unofficial fifth major, and introduces us to the height of the golf season. With leg one of the swing down, here is the breakdown of what’s left to come. 

The Florida swing opened at the PGA National Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens. Over the past weekend we saw Nico Echavarria pick up his sixth win on Tour at the Cognizant Classic. It was a dramatic fourth round that saw Euro Ryder Cup hero, Shane Lowry, throw away yet another tournament win. After an incredible -8 outing on Round 3 Saturday, Lowry was catapulted to the top of the leaderboard for a share of 1st. The Irishman came out swinging on Sunday as he was -6 through the first 13 holes and it looked like it would be a run away win. What has happened many times happened again; however, Lowry shrunk. Lowry came into the late 3 hole stretch of PGA National, the Bear Trap, with the lead and came out in a tie for 2nd. He dumped back-to-back tee shots in the water on 16 and 17, making double-bogey twice, and gave up any chance to win. He saved face with T2 finish.

The Cognizant is known as the appetizer of this swing; not many stars play in it, but the course dominates the viewing experience. The following week, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is where things get turned up a notch. At Bay Hill Club in Orlando we got our third signature event of the season. Designed by Dick Wilson in 1961, and Palmer’s extensive remodeling in the ‘70s has made Bay Hill one of the most challenging tests on tour. With water and sand practically everywhere, and length being one of the biggest challenges to overcome, Bay Hill offers an exciting test for the stars leading into The Players Championship.

The Players is held at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Arguably one of the toughest Pete Dye designs, Sawgrass offers many risk-reward opportunity shots, as well as tight fairways and heavily defended greens. As it is the first real test of thinking and course management, it punishes indecisive shot selection. There is no favorable play style at Sawgrass, whoever is dialed the most has the best chance. It will be hard for this year’s players’ top lasts. In 2025, we got a playoff finish that saw Rory McIlroy defeat JJ Spaun, after Spaun dumped his tee shot into the water on the famous par-3 17th during the playoff. Both players would go on to win majors that year, with Rory winning the Masters and completing the grand slam, and JJ winning the US Open. The Players give us our first taste of Major action.

Their final stop takes us to Palm Harbor, where the Valspar Championship is held at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort. The Valspar is an underrated watch. The Copperhead is a gorgeous course with each hole having water in play. As a result, cool bunkers and narrow fairway formations insist on good old-school course management. Viktor Hovland won there in 2025 at -11. At the wrap of the Valspar, it means we are three weeks away from the Masters and the peak of the PGA Tour season.

World Baseball Classic 2026 Approaches, Fueling MLB’s International Ambitions

Sports

Dani Colon, Editor 

With the 2026 World Baseball Classic kicking off on March 4th, fans around the world will be watching the top countries battle for the championship. Almost like the World Cup of baseball, the elite players suit up for their home nations – sometimes even facing their own MLB teammates. The 2023 final between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani drew 6.5 million viewers in the U.S. and over 29 million in Japan for that single game. 

The WBC also strengthens MLB’s footprint in international markets. Countries like Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and South Korea already have passionate baseball cultures. The WBC showcases that passion and draws in record television ratings and social media engagement. For MLB, the increased merchandise sales, higher streaming subscriptions, and huge interest in regular season-games played abroad are all major benefits. When international stars shine in the Classic, their MLB teams often see immediate boosts in global attention, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers with players like Freddie Freeman representing Team Canada and Will Smith for Team USA. 

The WBC also creates unforgettable moments, like Randy Arozarena playing for Team Mexico in the semifinals against Japan and robbing Kazuma Okamoto of a home run, or dramatic pitching performances that made history- such as Shohei Ohtani striking out teammate Mike Trout -and emotional celebrations like team Japan winning and being the 2023 champions. These highlights introduce MLB players to new audiences who may not have seen them before.

Looking ahead to the next WBC, many teams are expected to be completely stacked with talent, although Team Puerto Rico will be missing a few of their top players, including star shortstop Fransisco Lindor. Team USA has a strong possibility of taking home the trophy with star players like Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Paul Skenes and Clayton Kershaw. 

 This tournament gives players a chance to honor their heritage on an international stage. Although winning a World Series is the peak of a club’s success, wearing a national uniform taps into a different kind of pride. Players often speak about the emotional weight of hearing their national anthem before the first pitch or playing in front of fans who see them as national heroes. That experience can deepen their connection to the game and fuel their passion heading into the MLB season.

The WBC also helps players get more attention and recognition from fans around the world. A dominant performance in these games can elevate a player’s profile almost overnight. Stars who already have name recognition can expand their brand internationally, and lesser known players can introduce themselves to a global audience. In the 2023 WBC, many players from the Czech Republic were everyday working people with players being teachers, sales representatives, wood workers and even an electrician. Ondřej Satoria, an electrician who decided to play baseball for fun, struck out the famous power hitter Shohei Ohtani. This shows that anyone can  make an impact in the WBC. 

Love Him or Loathe Him, Patrick Reed is Back

Sports

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

The ever-polarizing figure that is Patrick Reed is back in the spotlight. Reed announced his departure from LIV Golf back in Jan. 2026 after three and a half years with the tour. Simultaneously, he announced his intention to rejoin the PGA Tour. The 2018 Masters Champion was not granted immediate reinstatement through the Returning Player Program because he did not meet the criteria. 

Unlike Brooks Koepka, fellow LIV defector, Reed will be serving a one-year suspension from the PGA Tour for leaving without proper release back in 2022. Patrick Reed will be spending the 2026 season on the DP World Tour (DPWT) with the intention to secure his PGA Tour card for the 2027 season and beyond. So far, Reed has been killing it; so let’s look at what he has done, the future outlook for his year and what a return to the PGAT means for the Tour and Captain America. 

Patrick Reed is exercising his lifetime member status with DPWT, a status he acquired back in 2019 after winning the 2018 Masters. Reed is taking this route to regain PGAT status because the top 10 DPWT players gain exempt status into the PGAT for the following season, and there is a chance Reed may not qualify outright. 

So far through four tournaments, Reed is head and shoulders above the field. He took home a win in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic where he won by four shots. The next week, he finished T2 in the Bahrain Championship, coming up short in a playoff. Then the week after, Reed capped off a dominant run in the Desert by winning the Qatar Masters by two shots. Heading into the South African Open, Reed is first in the DPWT Race to Dubai Ranking, leading by 400,000 points. His performance is starting to get recognized globally as he is currently ranked 18th in the Official World Golf Ranking, a huge jump from 42nd where he finished in 2025.

Despite having a lifetime member status, Reed is still subject to qualification requirements for DPWT “Back Nine” events which he has already locked up a spot for. Along with these tournament lock-ins, Reed will be playing in the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in July. The Scottish Open is a PGAT co-sanctioned event that Reed is using a loophole to play in despite his suspension. 

Reed will be playing in a PGA event before his suspension expiration in August 2026. Along with the DPWT events, Reed will almost certainly be playing in all four majors. He has lifetime exemption into the Masters and finished third in 2025. He can play in the PGA Championship at Aronimink by either invitation, which is how he played in 2025, or finish top three during the DPWT Asian Swing. He should qualify for the U.S. Open being top 60 in OWGR, and the Open being top 25 in Race to Dubai.

Patrick Reed’s full return to the PGAT in 2027 will be one of the most exciting developments for the sport in recent history. Not only will it spark the return of big names from LIV, but it will provide what the sport is currently missing – drama. Reed has been a controversial golf figure for his entire career, starting all the way back when he got kicked out the University of Georgia. Buried in all the extracurriculars, Reed’s talent can get forgotten. Reed has one of the most aesthetically pleasing swings in golf and is lights out under pressure. Reed will provide an energy that has been missing from the PGAT since LIV came about. When he’s on, and when fans get behind him, he is a fun guy to watch and root for. Going back to the 2016 Ryder Cup and his battle with Rory McIlroy during the Sunday singles at Hazeltine, Patrick Reed can once again be an electrifying presence on the biggest stages in golf.

Patrick Reed at the 2018 U.S. Open via Wikicommons

The Philadelphia 76ers Are What They Are

Sports

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

During the NBA All-Star break, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe represented the 76ers in Inglewood, California. Maxey and Team Stars won the All-Star Game on Sunday and Edgecombe won Rising Stars MVP on Saturday. Aside from the All-Star festivities, this week-long break was a perfect time for the Sixers to regroup as a team as they enter the final stretch of the regular season and push onward to the playoffs. This team has had a lot of bright spots and some dark spots this season, but where do they stand at this point in the playoffs?

Coming out of the break, the Sixers sit at 30-24, sixth in the Eastern Conference and 3.5 games back of fourth (home court in the first round). Any Sixers fan would have signed for this record at this point back in October. Maxey has been playing at an All-NBA first-team level, Edgecombe looks like the second best rookie in the class just behind Cooper Flagg, and Embiid seems to be playing like his former self, but this doesn’t seem to be reflected in their record.

For the entirety of the season it has seemed like the Sixers would get within a 0.5 game or a game of third place, but would then drop two of their next three and fall right back to fifth or sixth. A lot of this has been due to the inconsistency with the play of Paul George and Joel Embiid. When they are fully healthy, they can compete with any roster in the league. Through the early part of the season, when Embiid was playing so infrequently, they had two different identities. With Embiid out, Maxey and Edgecombe were free to run in transition and were a more pace-and-spaced team. With Embiid in, they turn into a stagnant half-court team that is reliant on Embiid post-ups and an Embiid-Maxey two-man game. This parity in identity has been concerning in the regular season because it has been hard for them to build a rhythm. However, this will benefit the team in the playoffs, which is half-court and low-pace dominated. This has been the ideal for Sixer playoff success, finding the best infrastructure to support an Embiid-centric offense. 

At the deadline, many Sixer fans were outraged at the decision of the team to sell off Jared McCain in order to duck the tax. That is a whole different story, but the short of it is that Sixers fans’ outrage is ill-informed and the trade was a good long term move. It is understandable to expect them to buy considering how open the East is. I am partial to Daryl Morey who said, if there was a move to be made, we would have made it. Nothing of value seemed to be out there anyway when you look at who was actually moved around the league.

As the Sixers open the back half of their season, they have the 23rd hardest schedule (seventh easiest). It seems likely they can avoid the play-in, even with Paul George out for a substantial amount of time, and even try to creep up a spot or two. Embiid has reported decreased swelling in his knee, and the Sixers have brought back Cam Payne to fill up some backup PG minutes. The Sixers have the talent to make a deep run, the question remains–do they have the timing?

76ers Logo via Wikicommons

You LIV and You Learn

Sports

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

Since its 2022 inception, LIV Golf was designed to be a disruptive force on the global scale, with the intent to reshape professional golf. In nearly 4 years, it stalled on the runway. In its nascent stages, LIV was able to attract PGA stars, some of whom were past Major Champions. Guys like Bryson DeChambeau, John Rahm and Brooks Koepka (players who seemed to be entering the peak of their powers) were allured by the massive nine-figure contracts. Now, in 2026-27, those contracts are starting to expire, and players are starting to rethink their decisions. 

The PGA defectors were vilified and for good reason. They took the easy way out. They accepted money from a morally reprehensible source – The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) – bloody oil money. The PIF owns 93% of LIV. This action alone brought into question the players competitiveness, dignity and integrity. The cowardice of the defectors didn’t stop there; they had the gall to turn around and sue the PGA. Several defectors filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour after being indefinitely suspended for joining LIV, arguing that, as independent contractors, the Tour’s actions unlawfully restricted their ability to earn a living. After almost a year of litigation, the case was dismissed in June of 2023. 

For 3 years since LIV’s emergence, professional golf has been fragmented. The sports’ best players were no longer tested against each other week after week, only four times a year. The Majors have since carried extra weight due to this fact. You had real villains. In the 12 Major meetings since, LIV won 4 of the 12: Cam Smith (Open, 2022), Koepka (PGA Championship, 2023), Rahm (Masters, 2023), and DeChambeau (US Open, 2024). Among these wins, LIV saw a plethora of T10 finishes in these events.

Despite these finishes, LIV has been unable to harness a market and the future of their talent looks rather bleak. The players they had played in Majors were only there by way of past-champ exemptions; by the nature of LIV as tour, no LIV player can outright qualify for Majors. Since LIV’s tournaments are three-rounds, players cannot gain world ranking points. It goes without saying that the world rankings matter for the stars. Moreover, and most importantly, nobody watches LIV. The Sunday rounds for LIV average about 175 thousand viewers, which is tiny compared to the PGA’s 3.1 million average Sunday viewers. The Tour’s ability to sustain itself is now being heavily scrutinized, and player’s contracts are starting to expire.

At the start of the new year, multiple-time major champion Brooks Koepka announced his desire to rejoin the PGA. In response, the PGA created the “Returning Member Program.” This program was designed to allow only Koepka back immediately. The program outlines that players who won a Major or The Players Championship between 2022-2025 can return without suspension, but must pay a $5 million donation, forfeit 5 years of Tour equity, and must apply by Feb. 2nd. As previously mentioned, Koepka won the PGA in 2023. The PGA is rewarding Koepka with a slap on the wrist because, relative to other stars, Koepka seemed to acknowledge his mistake. He never repped LIV team merch/logos during Majors, was never outspoken against the PGA, and most importantly he kept his name off of the lawsuit. This past weekend, Koepka made the cut at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open for his first PGA start in 3 years.  

Koepka’s return has started the mass departure from LIV with previous Masters champion, Patrick Reed, announcing his intention to return on January 29th. Reed does not fit the criteria for the Returning Player Program and will serve his suspension and play 1-year with the DP World Tour. Kevin Na and Henrik Stenson also announced their intentions to return and are serving suspension. The PGA is starting to prepare for DeChambeau and Rahm to return when their contracts are up at the end of 2026. 

“I’ve got a contract for this year, and we’ll go through it there and see what happens after that,” said DeCambeau during LIV media day.

PCL Champs: The athletes, the underdogs, the contenders

Sports

Sean Musial, Editor 

On Oct. 25, St. Hubert High School’s varsity soccer team won the Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) championship against long-time winners Archbishop Wood at St. Joseph’s University. The game was an intense and harrowing victory for the Bambies’. It was the team’s first championship win since they took it home back in 2002 against Little Flower. 

Wood scored early with only 4:02 on the clock during the first half. Hubert came back with their own goal with only 11:16 left in the half. The second half of the game saw the two teams trying to score, but the game ended up going into its first overtime, followed by double overtime. The team played an accumulated time of 110 minutes of soccer: 80 minutes of regular time and 30 minutes of overtime. Then penalty kicks (PKs) came around, and Hubert didn’t disappoint. Quinn Miller was a beast in the net, who dominated the game with 11 saves, not including the one she made during the PKs that put them on top. The players who scored during the PKs were Grace Smith, Luca D’Andrea, Saige Pimavera, Kady Donnely and Riley Roesner. 

I had a chance to talk to the only scorer of regulation time for both the semi-finals and the championship: Bridie Musial. She made the Varsity team back in her freshman year. Throughout the last two seasons, her soccer career went through a rough patch, but she never gave up, continuously trying to prove herself. I interviewed her this past Monday; this is what she had to say: 

SM: What did this senior season mean to you? 

Bridie: To me, it was to prove myself throughout my four years of being there that I’m capable of being the player everyone thought I could be. And, it wasn’t the great it started, but in the end it all came to what I wanted it to be. 

SM: What are two of your favorite memories from this year, or previous years? 

Bridie: Number one—winning the PCL! And, scoring in that game and in the semi finals. 

SM: With your senior year coming to an end, are you sad your high school soccer career is over? In addition to that, would you think about playing in college? 

Bridie: No, I wouldn’t think about doing college because it wouldn’t be the same. It’s also a D1 school and I don’t want to go D1. I’m very sad my senior year’s over, and all my seasons, but at least I still have Coppa. Most of those girls play on Hubert’s soccer team with me. I know it’s not the same. I’ll be missing all those memories.

Even with the season officially at an end, this win will give future attendees of the school hope that there is a chance they could win the PCL again. Great season to the Bambie’s, and good luck to those moving off to graduating. Last but not least, good luck to the girls who are staying on for the duration of their high school career.

The Road to Red October ‘25

Sports

Sean Musial, Editor

During the 2025 MLB season so far, the Phillies have made it to the top of the NL East division with a record of 86-60. This has placed them second overall in the National League behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

I had the fortunate opportunity of going to the Tuesday night game on Sept. 9 against the New York Mets with some of my hometown buddies. The Phillies dominated this game with a 9-3 final score, giving us an even better performance the next night with a score of 11-3.

The crowd roared the entire game. Behind us was a Mets fan that traveled all the way to Philly to see the game, and he couldn’t help but laugh at the banter the Phillies’ fans had to say during every moment.

With the win-streak they have now, it’s a great look as the regular season comes to an end in just a couple of weeks. A highlight in the Mets series saw Kyle Schwarber hitting his 50th home run. He has become the second Phillie in franchise history to hit 50 home runs in a single season, almost catching up to Ryan Howard’s 2006 record with 58. During the Sept. 9 game, the stadium roared over this accomplishment as the 50th “Schwar-bomb” made it into the stands. 

Despite early turbulence with this year’s season, the Phillies began to build momentum as the summer advanced. Big series wins began to shape their identity moving forward as player inconsistency began to tighten up. The team got used to seeing themselves coming from behind or stop losing streaks before they saw it turn for the worse.

The journey towards “Red October” hasn’t been without serious tests coming from every direction. Alec Boehm was placed on a 10-day injured list with a cyst and Trea Turner is currently sidelined, raising questions about infield depth and who will be stepping up during those big decision making plays.

Kyle Schwarber remains a priority for Philly to retain, but his free-agent situation adds some tensions moving forward. This adds to the many uncertainties for many players’ contract situations, declining metrics in some cases, and the pressure of past postseason exits loom large. While wins are continuing to pile up, the offense has had its share of cold streaks that is threatening to derail what they’ve been building. 

There are multiple factors that could either jeopardize or secure Philly’s postseason fates moving forward. If pitchers Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suárez, Aaron Nola and company can stay sharp, give length and limit big innings, that takes a lot of pressure off the bullpen for someone like Jhoan Duran. He has been good, but some relievers have had uneven stretches. Closing tight games down the stretch, especially when facing pressure from Milwaukee for best NL record or wild‑card chasing teams, will be vital in the later games.

Prolonged slumps is something the Phillies need to avoid by any means. When Bryce Harper, Schwarber, Brandon Marsh and the supporting cast have hot bats together, the Phillies are dangerous. When any one of those bats cool off, the margin for error shrinks quickly. Injured players like Turner and Bohm may return, but their replacements need to perform well in high situations before that. Spot starts, defensive subs and pinch‑runners are often overlooked but can decide a close postseason series.

The Phillies are in prime shape to make a deep postseason run when you add all of this up. If they keep winning series, lock down the NL East and avoid letting the Brewers run away with the best overall NL record, they’ll enter October with hurtling momentum. Retaining key players would also help maintain the identity and power of the offense.

Nothing is guaranteed in baseball, especially come October, but this Phillies team seems to be peaking at a good time. The next couple weeks will likely reveal whether they’ve built enough depth, endurance and mental resilience to push past prior postseason disappointments. Go Phills!

Phillies logo via WikiCommons

La Salle’s Triathlon program is off to a promising start

Sports

Marc Regen, Editor

La Salle University Triathlon is a new NCAA Division I women’s collegiate triathlon team that began its inaugural season in Sept. 2025, competing in NCAA-regulated sprint-distance races that include a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. The program was launched in the fall of 2024 alongside women’s rugby, acrobatics and tumbling and a reinstated baseball program to provide new athletic opportunities for young men and women at the university.

The logistics of a triathlon encompass the careful planning, organization and execution required by both race organizers and individual athletes. For athletes, it is a discipline focused on managing equipment and navigating transitions efficiently. For organizers, it involves managing complex racecourses, a large number of athletes and extensive safety protocol.

The Explorers triathlon team are off to a strong start this season, with four team members finishing in the Top 10 in their first race. One of their successful team members, graduate student Fiona Davoudi, was recently named the NovaCare Rehabilitation Student-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 9, just days after she came in second in their first race of the season.

NovaCare Rehabilitation partners with colleges, including La Salle, Temple and Villanova to provide athletic training and physical therapy for their student-athletes. As part of these partnerships, NovaCare sponsors a “Student-Athlete of the Week” award to recognize athletic performance and achievement. The winner is often chosen based on a fan vote on the universities’ athletic social media channels.

Averi Duncan, Beth Eldredge, Sofia Nordbeck, Luciana Ruiz, Sophie Brandwene and Gabriela Herbreder round out the rest of the team.

The Explorers will compete in three regular-season events in Sept. before embarking on the East Regional Championship on Oct. 25, followed by the subsequent National Championship on Nov. 8.

The Collegian caught up with La Salle Triathlon’s head coach, Sage Maaranen, for an interview.

Collegian: Where does the team compete?

SM: This year: Williamsburg, VA; Pittsburgh, PA; Richmond, VA; Charlotte, NC; Tempe, AZ.

C: When does the team compete?

SM: Fall is the championship season. Regional Champs are at the end of Oct. and Nationals 

is Nov 8. After that, training switches focus to individual performance so that athletes are ready to race their own spring and summer races.

C: What is their training regimen?

SM: Two to three sessions per day with a strong emphasis on the swim because a strong swim is essential to be in the thick of the race on the bike and run segments.

C: How or what is the selection process for creating the team?

SM: The majority of athletes on the roster come from the Junior Elite triathlon circuit.

C: How does the team get into the NCAA or can you  explain a bit on how that all works?

SM: Triathlon is considered an emerging sport by the NCAA and functions just like any other NCAA team on campus.

C: How did the team do in their recent competition?

SM: Our first race was a great start to the season. We had four athletes finish in the Top 10, Fiona Davoudi finished second and Sophie Brandwene posted a personal best 5k run-off-the-bike split.

C: What do you look forward to coaching in triathlon this year?

SM: Seeing this group of athletes who are used to racing as individuals work together to compete as a unit. NCAA Triathlon provides a unique opportunity for athletes to truly be part of a team.

Wrestlemania Preview

Sports

Andrew Noel, Editor

The biggest weekend of the year for wrestling is quickly approaching, with WrestleMania 41 due to take place on April 19 and 20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Anticipation is building for some of the most exciting watches in recent sports history.

Lots of championship belts are going to be handed out at Wrestlemania, with one of the first being the World Heavyweight Championship between Jey Uso and Gunther. The two had a heated exchange on last Monday’s episode of RAW, so this match is sure to be a good one.

Bianca Belair, Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley are set to wrestle for the distinction of womens world champion.

This match is set to end a feud that has been building up for many months now, with the three having both negative social exchanges on social media and confronting one another on last Monday night’s episode of RAW. The match is just one of many that is making wrestling fans all over the world excited for Wrestlemania. 

An intercontinental champion will also be crowned at wrestlemania, with Bron Breakker, Penta, Finn Balor and Domiik Mysterio set to compete for the honor. Fatal fourways are always very unpredictable and entertaining, with there being plenty of room for surprises and twists. No matter what happens during this match, it is sure to be as electric as it is entertaining.

There is no argument about which two matches have had the most build up and anticipation. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and CM Punk are set to battle in a highly anticipated Triple Threat match, which should hopefully put to bed the very long running, and very real feud between the three men. Paul Heyman, a confidant of Roman Reigns, is caught in the middle of the match, with CM Punk asking him to support himself instead of Reigns during the fight.

In addition, Rollins asked a favor of Heyman on last night’s episode of RAW. What this favor is (and when it will be turned in) are yet to be decided. The only thing we know right now is that the three men will compete at Wrestlemania. Beyond that, it is anyone’s guess as to how the match plays out and how it affects the wrestling universe. This is seen as, and rightfully so, one of the biggest matches in WWE history.

Despite being one of the biggest matches in WWE history, the triple threat match between Reigns, Punk and Rollins is not even the biggest matchup of the weekend. That title, undoubtedly goes to the undisputed WWE championship match between Cody Rhodes and John Cena. Rhodes finally broke though last year and claimed the WWE championship for the first time. Cena, on the other hand, is going for his 17th world title, which would be a world record. 

Will Rhodes defend the legacy that his father built all those years ago, or will Cena cement himself as arguably the greatest fighter of all time? No matter what happens, the match between Cena and Rhodes is one of the most unmissable events of the sports/entertainment calendar in 2025.

With history set to be made and legacies set to be defined at Wrestlemania, this year’s event is absolutely unmissable. In the United States, both nights of Wrestlemania will be streamed live on Peacock, and for international viewers, both nights will be streamed on Netflix.

Azaleas, Pink Dogwoods, Camellias, and more: 2025 Master’s Guide

Sports

Nate Tramdaks, Staff Writer

Forget the Spring Equinox. Spring does not truly start until that first camera pans down Magnolia Lane. Only then, when you see the bright Georgian flowers in full bloom, do you feel like winter is over. The drive through Magnolia Lane takes us to the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Course, where a tradition like no other takes place. This will be the 89th Masters tournament, the first of four golf majors, and this one is jam-packed with storylines. From LIV-PGA tensions, Roy McIlroy’s career grand slam chance, and Scottie Scheffler to go back-to-back, here is your preliminary guide to the 2025 Masters.

Round 1 Groups to Follow

Arguably the most electric grouping belongs to world No. 1 and defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who is paired with two-time major winner, Justin Thomas and U.S. Amateur champion, Jose Luis Ballester. Scheffler enters with +450 odds to repeat, a feat only achieved by Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods. Though winless in 2025, Scheffler’s consistency is unmatched: he leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green (+2.37) and has six top-10 finishes in eight starts.

Justin Thomas, sitting at +2200, looks to build on two runner-up finishes earlier this year. He ranks 5th in strokes gained: approach and 8th in scrambling, both key metrics. Thomas has made the cut in each of his last seven Masters appearances but is still searching for that elusive Green Jacket.

Then there’s Josele Ballester, the reigning U.S. Amateur champ from Spain. At just 21, he’s the long shot of the group, but he carries the flag for a new generation of talent. Amateurs rarely make noise at Augusta, only three have ever finished in the top 10, but Ballester’s disciplined iron game could make him a fun watch.

The other marquee group features Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, and Akshay Bhatia, three very different players chasing very different goals.

McIlroy (+650) continues his decade-long quest to complete the career Grand Slam(winning all four of golf’s majors). The Northern Irishman has already won twice this season and enters the week second in strokes gained: total and first in par-5 scoring, a key stat in golf.

Åberg (+1800) is perhaps the most intriguing name in the field– a runner-up in his debut in last year’s Masters, he’s backed by 9.2% of all BetMGM bets, fourth-most in the field, and currently ranks top 10 in greens-in-regulation and strokes gained: off the tee. The 24-year-old Swede is a trendy breakout pick for good reason.

Akshay Bhatia, just 22, has quietly put together a stellar 2025 campaign. Fresh off his victory at the Valero Texas Open two weeks ago, he currently sits 10th in the FedEx Cup standings and is gaining over 1.6 strokes per round, a massive leap from his 2023 numbers. Bhatia is also hitting over 73% of greens in regulation this season and ranks third in total birdies. Though making his Masters debut, his unflappable demeanor and recent form makes him a surprise contender.

Three Favorites to Watch

Ludvig Åberg (+1700)
My personal favorite and already one of the hottest names on Tour, Åberg has climbed to No. 6 in the world and leads the PGA Tour in total driving. He has yet to win a major, but his comfort at Augusta is rare for such a young player. He is also gaining +1.9 strokes per round and has four top-5 finishes in 2025. His blend of accuracy and poise makes him a legitimate threat to win.

Justin Thomas (+2200)
Thomas’s last six starts include two top-3 finishes, and his recent putting resurgence (he has jumped from 112th to 41st in strokes gained: putting) has made him a solid player again. With 10 top-10 finishes in majors, he is as seasoned as they come and seems due for another big breakthrough.

Phil Mickelson (+10000)
At 54 years old and carrying 100/1 odds, Phil Mickelson is far from a betting favorite but he is not to be overlooked. Lefty stunned the golf world in 2023 with a T2 finish at Augusta, becoming the oldest player to ever shoot 65 in the final round. He has made the cut in 28 of 31 Masters rounds and ranks 2nd all-time in birdies at Augusta National. Though playing a limited schedule, Mickelson has averaged 70.4 strokes per round in his last five LIV Golf events and still boasts elite touch around the greens; he ranks first in scrambling conversion within 20 yards among LIV players.

Phil’s knowledge of Augusta’s undulations could give him an edge over younger players unfamiliar with the subtleties. Few know how to shape shots or read these greens better, and if he is within reach on Sunday, don’t be shocked if the galleries roar again for Lefty.