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ATP: Ben Shelton sinks Blockx to reach Munich quarters American second seed Ben Shelton is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Munich after beating Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) on Wednesday.The 21-year-old Belgian wildcard, ranked 72nd in the world, pushed the world number six deep into a second-set tie-break but Shelton dug in to hold him at bay and secure victory in just over one hour and 45 minutes.Shelton, who blasted four aces and saved three of three break points across the match, will face Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca in the last eight.The American is still chasing a first clay court title, having lost the final in Munich last year to Alexander Zverev.Three-time champion Zverev, who is again the top seed on home soil, faces Canadian Gabriel Diallo in their last-16 clash.Earlier on Wednesday, French world number 26 and seventh seed Arthur Rinderknech was eliminated by Fonseca 6-3, 6-2.The 19-year-old Brazilian, who also beat Rinderknech in Monte Carlo earlier in April, prevailed in one hour and 21 minutes.Published on Apr 15, 2026 #ATP #Ben #Shelton #sinks #Blockx #reach #Munich #quarters

ATP: Ben Shelton sinks Blockx to reach Munich quarters

American second seed Ben Shelton is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Munich after beating Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Belgian wildcard, ranked 72nd in the world, pushed the world number six deep into a second-set tie-break but Shelton dug in to hold him at bay and secure victory in just over one hour and 45 minutes.

Shelton, who blasted four aces and saved three of three break points across the match, will face Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca in the last eight.

The American is still chasing a first clay court title, having lost the final in Munich last year to Alexander Zverev.

Three-time champion Zverev, who is again the top seed on home soil, faces Canadian Gabriel Diallo in their last-16 clash.

Earlier on Wednesday, French world number 26 and seventh seed Arthur Rinderknech was eliminated by Fonseca 6-3, 6-2.

The 19-year-old Brazilian, who also beat Rinderknech in Monte Carlo earlier in April, prevailed in one hour and 21 minutes.

Published on Apr 15, 2026

#ATP #Ben #Shelton #sinks #Blockx #reach #Munich #quarters

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American second seed Ben Shelton is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Munich after beating Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Belgian wildcard, ranked 72nd in the world, pushed the world number six deep into a second-set tie-break but Shelton dug in to hold him at bay and secure victory in just over one hour and 45 minutes.

Shelton, who blasted four aces and saved three of three break points across the match, will face Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca in the last eight.

The American is still chasing a first clay court title, having lost the final in Munich last year to Alexander Zverev.

Three-time champion Zverev, who is again the top seed on home soil, faces Canadian Gabriel Diallo in their last-16 clash.

Earlier on Wednesday, French world number 26 and seventh seed Arthur Rinderknech was eliminated by Fonseca 6-3, 6-2.

The 19-year-old Brazilian, who also beat Rinderknech in Monte Carlo earlier in April, prevailed in one hour and 21 minutes.

Published on Apr 15, 2026

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Deadspin | FIFA president Gianni Infantino: Iran ‘for sure’ playing in World Cup <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/Sa57d0ae8-8ea1-4211-9c74-a4912f6a389e.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/Sa57d0ae8-8ea1-4211-9c74-a4912f6a389e.jpg" alt="FIFA President Gianni Infantino Holds World Cup Trophy" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds the FIFA World Cup trophy at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2026. <!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Despite Iran’s sports minister stating that the country cannot participate amid the war with the United States, along with President Donald Trump voicing concerns for the players’ “life and safety,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino is confident Iran will play in the FIFA World Cup this summer in North America.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>“We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help,” Infantino told CNBC on Tuesday. “But Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Infantino said he was recently in Antalya, Turkey, to visit with the Iranian team at its training camp and said the team wants to participate in the World Cup.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>“They should play — sports should be outside of politics,” Infantino said. “Now, OK — we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth, but if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them intact and together, well we are doing that.”</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Iran, one of the first teams to qualify for the World Cup — which is projected to generate more than $11 billion in revenue — is scheduled to play all three of its group stages in the U.S. </p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Iran is slated to open against New Zealand on June 15 then face Belgium on June 21, with both matches in Los Angeles. On June 26, Iran is scheduled to oppose Egypt in Seattle. Should Iran advance, the rest of its games would also be held in the U.S.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>Iran requested FIFA move its games to Mexico, which is hosting games along with the U.S. and Canada, but was denied. </p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>A national team has not withdrawn from a FIFA World Cup since 1950, the first tournament held after World War II.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The cost of tickets and the safety of the millions of fans traveling from all over the world have also been significant concerns for organizers.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Amid “an unprecedented demand for tickets,” Infantino said there were more than 500 million ticket requests.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>“Security is obviously key, it’s crucial, it’s important,” he said. “You can, of course, always hear and read there are bans or this and that, but the fact is, we received ticket requests from all 211 countries. Everybody’s coming and everybody wants to come.”</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>So for Infantino, what would qualify as a successful World Cup?</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>“A win would be that we have a successful World Cup from a security point of view, so no incidents,” he said. “And from a football point of view, great matches, great games, excitement for the people.”</p> </section><br/><section id="section-14"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #FIFA #president #Gianni #Infantino #Iran #playing #World #Cup

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The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.

Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.

Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.

What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.

RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners

“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.

She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.

Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.

“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.

That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.

It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.

Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.

The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.

“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

#Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure">Vaishali overcomes slow start to win Women’s Candidates 2026; Viswanathan Anand hails her composure The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.Published on Apr 16, 2026 #Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure

Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners

“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.

She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.

Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.

“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.

That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.

It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.

Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.

The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.

“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

#Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure">Vaishali overcomes slow start to win Women’s Candidates 2026; Viswanathan Anand hails her composure

The build-up to the women’s section of the FIDE Candidates 2026 was dominated by Koneru Humpy’s shock withdrawal a week before the tournament, citing personal safety concerns amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Attention then shifted to Divya Deshmukh. One of the youngest participants in the field, she had qualified by winning the Women’s World Cup 2025 and arrived as one of the favourites. Her recent form added to the expectations, having finished third at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2026 to break into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career.

Much of the Indian focus revolved around these two Grandmasters. Yet, as the Candidates drew to a close, neither of them were in the scheme of things, with Divya falling out of title contention after a poor second half.

Away from the spotlight, R. Vaishali entered her second Candidates tournament as the lowest-rated player in the field, with a rating of 2470 and a world ranking of 19. She had qualified by winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, but few had placed her among the leading contenders.

What followed was a tale of two halves for the Indian Grandmaster, who would go on to script history by winning the Candidates, becoming the first Indian to claim the women’s title, and earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship crown.

RELATED | Full list of FIDE Women’s Candidates winners

“Fantastic result. She pulled it off in the end, after a slightly bumpy ride in the final three rounds. But she showed the most stability, and Vaishali hung in there,” said five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on ChessBase India’s live stream.

She made a slow start, drawing her first four games before suffering her first defeat to Zhu Jiner. At that stage, both Divya and Vaishali were on two points and placed in the bottom half of the standings, while Anna Muzychuk and Zhu were setting the pace.

Vaishali gained momentum with a win over Tan Zhongyi in Round 7, a result that lifted her to second in the standings behind Muzychuk. But, the 24-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the result.

“It was a horrible game. I don’t deserve this point at all. She just blundered towards the end. It was a bad game from the start, everything went wrong from the beginning,” said Vaishali after her win over Tan.

That game had seemed headed for a draw until Tan began advancing her pawns on the flank, leaving her king exposed. Vaishali capitalised, coordinating her rooks and king to force resignation.

It marked her second successive win, following a victory over Kateryna Lagno in Round 6. She then went on to beat compatriot Divya in Round 9, and Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11, building steam towards the finish.

Zhu dealt her another defeat, in Round 12. But, a draw against Tan in the penultimate round set up a final-day decider.

The Indian Grandmaster, who had begun the tournament quietly, held her nerve in Round 14, defeating Kateryna Lagno to seal a memorable triumph.

“Good opening preparation caught Lagno off guard in Round 14. It was a great start and a strong fight, and eventually she got the job done. With all the final-day pressure, it would have been really hard, so it’s a big relief in the end,” Anand added.

Published on Apr 16, 2026

#Vaishali #overcomes #slow #start #win #Womens #Candidates #Viswanathan #Anand #hails #composure
Deadspin | Sal Stewart, Reds keep rolling against woeful Giants Apr 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Players and coaches will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day around the league. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Wednesday. Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4 and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games. Reds starter Rhett Lowder (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over a career-high 6 2/3 innings. Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight. Cincinnati claimed a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Tyler Mahle (0-3). With two on and one out, Stewart hit a three-run blast on a liner to right-center field. Suarez followed with his third homer, a 349-foot shot to right field. The Giants responded with two runs in the second inning. Matt Chapman singled with one out, Jung Hoo Lee walked, and both scored on Susac’s double to left field. Stewart struck again with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second following back-to-back walks to Matt McLain and De La Cruz. Cincinnati moved ahead 8-2 on De La Cruz’s one-out homer to center in the fourth. The 442-foot blast was his sixth homer of the season. Mahle gave up eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team. Left-hander Brock Burke replaced righty Lowder with two on and two outs in the seventh. Heliot Ramos greeted Burke with a pinch-hit single to score Rafael Devers from third. Jerar Encarnacion followed with a pinch-hit single to load the bases before Burke struck out Willy Adames on three pitches. Adames went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts for San Francisco, which entered the game ranked last in the majors in runs (52), home runs (nine) and walks (34). The Giants were out-hit 10-9 and fell to 1-11 this season when scoring three or fewer runs. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Sal #Stewart #Reds #rolling #woeful #GiantsApr 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Players and coaches will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day around the league. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Wednesday.

Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4 and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games.

Reds starter Rhett Lowder (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over a career-high 6 2/3 innings.

Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight.

Cincinnati claimed a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Tyler Mahle (0-3). With two on and one out, Stewart hit a three-run blast on a liner to right-center field. Suarez followed with his third homer, a 349-foot shot to right field.

The Giants responded with two runs in the second inning. Matt Chapman singled with one out, Jung Hoo Lee walked, and both scored on Susac’s double to left field.


Stewart struck again with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second following back-to-back walks to Matt McLain and De La Cruz.

Cincinnati moved ahead 8-2 on De La Cruz’s one-out homer to center in the fourth. The 442-foot blast was his sixth homer of the season.

Mahle gave up eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team.

Left-hander Brock Burke replaced righty Lowder with two on and two outs in the seventh. Heliot Ramos greeted Burke with a pinch-hit single to score Rafael Devers from third.

Jerar Encarnacion followed with a pinch-hit single to load the bases before Burke struck out Willy Adames on three pitches.

Adames went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts for San Francisco, which entered the game ranked last in the majors in runs (52), home runs (nine) and walks (34).

The Giants were out-hit 10-9 and fell to 1-11 this season when scoring three or fewer runs.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Sal #Stewart #Reds #rolling #woeful #Giants">Deadspin | Sal Stewart, Reds keep rolling against woeful Giants Apr 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Players and coaches will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day around the league. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Sal Stewart slugged a pair of three-run homers, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz each hit solo shots, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Wednesday. Stewart went deep for the second straight night and has seven homers to lead all rookies. Suarez went 3-for-4 and Spencer Steer had a pair of singles for Cincinnati, which has won three of its last four games. Reds starter Rhett Lowder (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over a career-high 6 2/3 innings. Daniel Susac doubled in two runs and had two hits for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight. Cincinnati claimed a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Tyler Mahle (0-3). With two on and one out, Stewart hit a three-run blast on a liner to right-center field. Suarez followed with his third homer, a 349-foot shot to right field. The Giants responded with two runs in the second inning. Matt Chapman singled with one out, Jung Hoo Lee walked, and both scored on Susac’s double to left field. Stewart struck again with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second following back-to-back walks to Matt McLain and De La Cruz. Cincinnati moved ahead 8-2 on De La Cruz’s one-out homer to center in the fourth. The 442-foot blast was his sixth homer of the season. Mahle gave up eight runs and eight hits with five walks over four innings against his former team. Left-hander Brock Burke replaced righty Lowder with two on and two outs in the seventh. Heliot Ramos greeted Burke with a pinch-hit single to score Rafael Devers from third. Jerar Encarnacion followed with a pinch-hit single to load the bases before Burke struck out Willy Adames on three pitches. Adames went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts for San Francisco, which entered the game ranked last in the majors in runs (52), home runs (nine) and walks (34). The Giants were out-hit 10-9 and fell to 1-11 this season when scoring three or fewer runs. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Sal #Stewart #Reds #rolling #woeful #Giants

Deadspin | Max Homa hoping to finally carry over Masters success to RBC Heritage Apr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Max Homa plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Max Homa has found quite a bit of success the last three years at the Masters. Carrying that over to the RBC Heritage the following week has surprisingly proven a tough challenge. Homa, coming off his third straight result among the top 12 at Augusta National, will look to follow that up with his first top-50 finish since 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. “(Harbour Town) should fit my game really well,” Homa said. “Unfortunately I haven’t played too well here, so hopefully this is the year.” After tying for third at the 2024 Masters, Homa followed with a tie for 55th in the RBC Heritage, a signature event. He followed a tie for 12th last year in Augusta by finishing in 70th out of 72 competitors at the RBC. Homa tied for ninth in this season’s first major, and he seems aware of why his success at Augusta National hasn’t carried over to Hilton Head. It’s a common refrain heard about the tournament immediately after the Masters, and why a number of competitors often skip the event. “That mental toll (the Masters) takes on you is pretty draining,” Homa said. “It is crazy how majors just feel like two weeks on you. Augusta is one of the few physical tests we have in golf. It’s quite a bear to walk and prep for.” Complicating matters for Homa is the fact that his wife and two children under 4 — including one born last August — are with him for the road trip. “It’s definitely interesting how tired I am. Now, granted, I do have two children, and one of them chose not to sleep last night, so it’s taking me longer to get back into, I guess, a fiery mode,” Homa quipped. ” … I would say by (Thursday) I’m sure my energy will be back and I’ll be ready to compete.” Sleep deprived or not, Homa seems to have found something of late after a rocky 2025 season. He wound up last year 111th in the FedEx Cup standings, a far cry from the consecutive top-10 finishes he had in 2022 and 2023. With a top-15 finish at the Cognizant Classic and three other top-40 finishes in addition to another strong Masters showing, Homa has rebounded early this season, sitting in 50th in the FedEx Cup rankings entering this week’s event. He credits a return to working with coach Mark Blackburn as what has helped him trend once more in a positive direction. “I went back to him in, I think, October, and we obviously put a lot of work in in the offseason, and he’s just been amazing,” Homa said of Blackburn. “We communicate so well. He seems very in tune with what makes me tick.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Max #Homa #hoping #finally #carry #Masters #success #RBC #HeritageApr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Max Homa plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Max Homa has found quite a bit of success the last three years at the Masters.

Carrying that over to the RBC Heritage the following week has surprisingly proven a tough challenge.

Homa, coming off his third straight result among the top 12 at Augusta National, will look to follow that up with his first top-50 finish since 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

“(Harbour Town) should fit my game really well,” Homa said. “Unfortunately I haven’t played too well here, so hopefully this is the year.”

After tying for third at the 2024 Masters, Homa followed with a tie for 55th in the RBC Heritage, a signature event. He followed a tie for 12th last year in Augusta by finishing in 70th out of 72 competitors at the RBC.

Homa tied for ninth in this season’s first major, and he seems aware of why his success at Augusta National hasn’t carried over to Hilton Head.

It’s a common refrain heard about the tournament immediately after the Masters, and why a number of competitors often skip the event.


“That mental toll (the Masters) takes on you is pretty draining,” Homa said. “It is crazy how majors just feel like two weeks on you. Augusta is one of the few physical tests we have in golf. It’s quite a bear to walk and prep for.”

Complicating matters for Homa is the fact that his wife and two children under 4 — including one born last August — are with him for the road trip.

“It’s definitely interesting how tired I am. Now, granted, I do have two children, and one of them chose not to sleep last night, so it’s taking me longer to get back into, I guess, a fiery mode,” Homa quipped. ” … I would say by (Thursday) I’m sure my energy will be back and I’ll be ready to compete.”

Sleep deprived or not, Homa seems to have found something of late after a rocky 2025 season. He wound up last year 111th in the FedEx Cup standings, a far cry from the consecutive top-10 finishes he had in 2022 and 2023.

With a top-15 finish at the Cognizant Classic and three other top-40 finishes in addition to another strong Masters showing, Homa has rebounded early this season, sitting in 50th in the FedEx Cup rankings entering this week’s event.

He credits a return to working with coach Mark Blackburn as what has helped him trend once more in a positive direction.

“I went back to him in, I think, October, and we obviously put a lot of work in in the offseason, and he’s just been amazing,” Homa said of Blackburn. “We communicate so well. He seems very in tune with what makes me tick.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Max #Homa #hoping #finally #carry #Masters #success #RBC #Heritage">Deadspin | Max Homa hoping to finally carry over Masters success to RBC Heritage Apr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Max Homa plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Max Homa has found quite a bit of success the last three years at the Masters. Carrying that over to the RBC Heritage the following week has surprisingly proven a tough challenge. Homa, coming off his third straight result among the top 12 at Augusta National, will look to follow that up with his first top-50 finish since 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. “(Harbour Town) should fit my game really well,” Homa said. “Unfortunately I haven’t played too well here, so hopefully this is the year.” After tying for third at the 2024 Masters, Homa followed with a tie for 55th in the RBC Heritage, a signature event. He followed a tie for 12th last year in Augusta by finishing in 70th out of 72 competitors at the RBC. Homa tied for ninth in this season’s first major, and he seems aware of why his success at Augusta National hasn’t carried over to Hilton Head. It’s a common refrain heard about the tournament immediately after the Masters, and why a number of competitors often skip the event. “That mental toll (the Masters) takes on you is pretty draining,” Homa said. “It is crazy how majors just feel like two weeks on you. Augusta is one of the few physical tests we have in golf. It’s quite a bear to walk and prep for.” Complicating matters for Homa is the fact that his wife and two children under 4 — including one born last August — are with him for the road trip. “It’s definitely interesting how tired I am. Now, granted, I do have two children, and one of them chose not to sleep last night, so it’s taking me longer to get back into, I guess, a fiery mode,” Homa quipped. ” … I would say by (Thursday) I’m sure my energy will be back and I’ll be ready to compete.” Sleep deprived or not, Homa seems to have found something of late after a rocky 2025 season. He wound up last year 111th in the FedEx Cup standings, a far cry from the consecutive top-10 finishes he had in 2022 and 2023. With a top-15 finish at the Cognizant Classic and three other top-40 finishes in addition to another strong Masters showing, Homa has rebounded early this season, sitting in 50th in the FedEx Cup rankings entering this week’s event. He credits a return to working with coach Mark Blackburn as what has helped him trend once more in a positive direction. “I went back to him in, I think, October, and we obviously put a lot of work in in the offseason, and he’s just been amazing,” Homa said of Blackburn. “We communicate so well. He seems very in tune with what makes me tick.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Max #Homa #hoping #finally #carry #Masters #success #RBC #Heritage

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