Wyndham Clark adds to stellar 2026 with BMW Championship win
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – AUGUST 23: Wyndham Clark of the United States poses with the trophy on the 18th green after winning the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club on August 23, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by James Gilbert/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The FedExCup Playoffs sure are showcasing who can really win a golf tournament.
Wyndham Clark took home the BMW Championship on Sunday out in Missouri, and things were really more of a formality than anything else across the final round.
The win marks Clark’s third of the season following his victories at the Byron Nelson and more notably the U.S. Open. He has a serious argument for player of the year across the PGA Tour at large.
What’s more is that these three wins mark half of Wyndham’s total from his entire career. It goes without saying that this is the best year he has ever had on Tour. It is, obviously was already, the only one in which he has carded multiple wins.
Part of what was particularly impressive was how Wyndham started and ended the overall tournament. He had birdies on the final three holes on both Monday and Friday. He held at least a share of the lead following every round, and most notably held a 5-stroke lead following Saturday specifically.
Here are the top 6 automatic berths for the U.S. President’s Cup team
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – SEPTEMBER 28: Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. Team celebrates on the 17th green during Saturday Morning Four-Ball on day three of the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 28, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The United States President’s Cup team officially has six players who have clinched automatic berths.
Players who have automatically made the team were revealed as the BMW Championship, which Wyndham Clark won, came to a close on Sunday:
Scottie Scheffler
Cameron Young
Wyndham Clark
Sam Burns
Russell Henley
Collin Morikawa
Each player on this list has had an incredible run across 2026, obviously in different sort of senses. Cameron Young started things off by winning the Players Championship, and Wyndham Clark took home the U.S. Open.
Scottie Scheffler on the other hand, besides being the top-ranked player in the world, won last year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship before having a year that was a bit down for those lofty standard, but Scottie did notch two wins to date at the American Express and most recently the FedEx St. Jude.
All six players have played on President’s Cup teams before so they are no strangers to the world. Time will tell who ultimately rounds out the squad for the United States, but they are certainly off to a good start.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 02: Elias Diaz #35 of the Texas Rangers throws to third base in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on August 02, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ahead of the 2022 season MLB expanded the playoffs to include an additional Wild Card slot, now including three Wild Card teams in both leagues. The move came a decade after MLB introduced the Wild Card Game, pitting two Wild Card teams against each other in a one-game event with the winner moving on to the LDS.
The thought process behind the third bid, at least the one presented to the public, was simple enough. Having another team completing to make the playoffs would make the final stretch of the regular season more exciting and inclusive to a deeper group of teams. It would also allow another team the chance at a World Series run.
To be fair, the expanded playoff has delivered on those two promises. Every year since the decision has seen tight races in the final days before the end of the season, often with the spot not locked in until the last day or two. Additionally, a third Wild Card team has twice reached the World Series, both in 2022 with the Phillies and 2023 with the Diamondbacks. In both those cases, the team held onto the final playoff bid by only one game in the final standings. It’s hard to say that it had been anything other than a success.
But this season is showing the other side of the coin. For the most part, the National League has had a typical year with good but seemingly not great teams fighting down the stretch. The Cubs currently hold the top Wild Card spot and have had it for most of the year. The Phillies are red hot and right on their heels in the second Wild Card slot. The Padres have used a strong second-half of the season to climb into the third seed, with the Diamondbacks, Marlins, and Cardinals still in contention. In theory those teams are all good enough to make a run. But the top teams in the N.L. have sat almost head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league with both the Brewers and Dodgers expected to win around 100 games. The season has felt like a race for next best.
Who will be the third N.L. Wild Card team?
The American League is a much bigger mess. A lot of that is due to relative mediocrity at the top, resulting in what could be a sub-.500 team making the postseason. The three best team sin the A.L. all come from the East, the White Sox lead the central and would normally be considered the weakest of division winners. But the West really screws everything up. The Astros and Rangers are tied for first place despite being a game under .500, resulting in the final Wild Card spot being held by a team that has lost more games than its won. The Guardians have the same record, tied for the final playoff spot, with the Blue Jays, Twins, and last place Orioles still within a couple of games. Even the Detroit Tigers, who tried desperately to sell at the deadline, are one hot week away from being in the playoffs.
Who will be the third A.L. Wild Card team?
With the general feeling of “meh” at best competing for the final spot in both leagues, it’s easy to feel down on the expansion. Add to that the growing feeling that teams are trying to be just good enough to be in contention down the stretch and keep fans interested without having to do the expensive work of building a real winner.
The tradeoff is basically more high-intensity baseball in September vs. a better quality of team in the playoffs.
Maybe this is a one-off blip, or maybe it’s a sign of things to come. So did baseball do the right thing with playoff expansion, or is this watered-down version of the playoffs not worth it in the end?
Has MLB playoff expansion been good for the game?
Be on the lookout later this week for results to these questions and the rest of SB Nation’s Reacts surveys.
Max Verstappen’s final Dutch Grand Prix ends on the opening lap
This weekend marked the “Final Lap” for the Dutch Grand Prix, as the race will drop off the Formula 1 schedule after this season. That also makes it the final home race for living legend Max Verstappen, in front of the Sea of Orange that would welcome him at every Dutch Grand Prix.
Unfortunately for the Red Bull driver, his personal final lap at the Dutch Grand Prix came on the opening lap of Sunday’s main event.
With wet conditions facing the grid Sunday at Zandvoort, as the rain eased in the hours leading up to the start, the Formation Lap took place behind the Safety Car, but race officials did call for a standing start. But on the opening lap Verstappen was squeezed to the inside, found the kerb on the final corner, and suffered a massive shunt as he then slide up the banked track and into the outside wall:
Verstappen immediately radioed in that he was okay, with several drivers including his teammate for the weekend Liam Lawson reporting that it was a “huge” crash from their vantage point:
Liam Lawson on the radio: “Is he ok? That was f*** huge. Is he alright?”
Boston Celtics controlling governor Bill Chisholm was a recent guest on WEEI radio in Boston. Chisholm touched on a number of topics, including his feeling that the Celtics need their own arena.
“No, but I do think we need to have an arena that is consistent with the quality and the excellence of the Celtics. We need to create the best fan and player experience we can,” Chisholm said when asked if his team needs a new arena.
The Celtics share TD Garden with the Boston Bruins, whose parent company, Delaware North, owns the arena. Chisholm hinted that doesn’t always allow the Celtics to build the experience they’d like for fans.
“Do we need to own the building to do that?” Chisholm said. “No, but we certainly need to have the ability to influence that agenda.
“If we need to own the building, we’ll do that, but I think the other thing is when you do that you’ve got to make sure you’re not losing focus of what matters. You’re in the business of running a world-class basketball team that is putting up banners. That’s the true north. That’s what we need to work towards.”
Dejounte Murray ‘Attacked Rehab’ To Get Back To Help Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray understands that many thought he shouldn’t have returned last season. Murray said despite the draw of getting ready for the 2026-27 season, he wanted to help the Pelicans chase a spot in the Play-In Tournament last season.
“Even coming back last year to play 14 games, it was really just like, now, we were 14th in the West, so we really didn’t have anything to play for, but it’s like we could reach 10 to get in the play-in, so it gave me something to play for. So that’s my reason for coming back,” Murray said. “Or I would have just sat out and got ready for this year. But it was like, nah, I wanted to go. I felt ready, obviously.
“Preparation is key; preparation is everything. And I worked my tail off to even be in a position to play. So I was just excited to go out to not only show my team and the people that support me, my family, but just anybody that you can fall and get back up … as long as you got the mental part down pat. It’s not easy, but you can do it. Anything’s possible.”
Murray went on to describe how hard the rehab process was, but how he attacked it and will continue to work to get himself back to his previous form.
“And again, it’s all mental, right? That’s just the process. Once you read up on the Achilles and you learn about the injury and why the injury happens and all these different things, it’s like the only thing is to learn and enjoy your process and go through your process,” Murray said. “My process was different from a bunch of guys, just like theirs was different from mine. And it’s just like, that’s for sure the hardest one, because I was hopping everywhere; I’m on a scooter, you can’t walk. But at the end of the day, I attacked everything like no other. And I’ll continue to do that.”
Dunc’d On: Nuggets and Cavs Offseason Grades, Wolves Sold
Nate and Danny can finally sum up the offseasons for the Nuggets and Cavs, improbably through a trade with each other! We put the Peyton Watson deal into context for both teams and give them offseason grades, while also discussing DeMar DeRozan to the Nuggets. We also break down Klay Thompson’s fit in Miami and whether they should have prioritized him over DeRozan or Bradley Beal.
Sylvain Francisco Missed Opportunity To Sign With Bulls
Veteran EuroLeague guard Sylvain Francisco thought he would be making the jump the NBA this season. However, transaction holdups around the NBA, while teams waited on LeBron James to make a decision, led to Francisco missing his window.
In particular, the 6-foot-2 guard said he missed out on signing with the Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately for Francisco and the Bulls, his deadline to exercised his NBA out with ASVEL came before James decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Yes, in the NBA, there were openings, at least five or six teams, many on guaranteed two-year contracts,” Francisco said. “I had the opportunity with the Chicago Bulls, but the trade they wanted to make before stalled because in the NBA, everyone was waiting for LeBron’s decision. However, my deadline (to active his NBA out clause from ASVEL) was until July 20, and LeBron signed… four days later.
“So, that’s where all the teams really started to transfer players, make more trades. It’s a shame,” Francisco continued. “I was a little angry, let’s say. But it’s something I don’t have control over. In the end, it can be a blessing in disguise. I stay in Europe.”
Francisco has since moved to Panathinaikos in Greece. He’s happy to be with the EuroLeague power now.
IndyCar qualifying results: Who takes pole at the Freedom 250?
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 22: Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the #27 Sam’s Club Honda drives to practice for the NTT INDYCAR Series Freedom 250 on August 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two practice sessions are in the books on the streets of the nation’s capital.
But who will take pole position for the IndyCar Freedom 250?
Kyle Kirkwood topped the timing sheets during the first practice session, ahead of Alex Palou, the driver he is chasing in the IndyCar standings. But it was Palou who led the way in the second session, just 0.0766 seconds ahead of Kirkwood.
Scott Dixon and the Arrow McLaren pair of Nolan Siegel and Pato O’Ward rounded out the top five from the second practice session. Their Arrow McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard posted the sixth-fastest time.
Speaking with the media, including SB Nation, following the first practice session Palou talked at length about the 1.7-mile track that winds around the National Mall, with landmarks such as the Washington Monument and the United States Capitol Building helping to round out the backdrop.
“It’s a blast, super fun. Very bumpy, huge bumps heading into turn two and turn six. Massive bumps that are going to spice things up,” described Palou.
“I think it’s actually going to create good racing just because it’s quite tough to go over there and have good braking and also have good traction when the bumps are on exits. Yeah, really fun. Incredible to see the Capitol Hill, exit of seven, just incredible experience. Yeah, so far super happy.”
Now focus turns to the qualifying session later today. How will the grid line up at the start tomorrow? We will find out in a few short hours.
Freedom 250 provisional starting order
Here is the provisional starting order for the Freedom 250, which will be filled in throughout the session:
Klay Thompson To Sign With Heat After Buyout With Mavericks
Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a contract buyout. Thompson will become a free agent once he clears waivers and plans to sign with the Miami Heat.
Thompson joined the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason on a three-year, $50 million sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors. With the Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers to 2025 and subsequent injuries to Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, the team quickly went from a Finals contender to a rebuilding one around Thompson.
Thompson was on a $17.46 million contract for the 2026-27 season.
