Deadspin | Rory McIlroy to begin Masters defense paired with Cameron Young Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy walks off of no. 7 with his caddie, Harry Diamond, during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy will begin the defense of his first Masters title paired with World No. 3 Cameron Young at 10:31 a.m. on Thursday. McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Young, who won The Players Championship last month, will be paired with 18-year-old amateur Mason Howell for the first two rounds at Augusta National. They comprise the penultimate group in the Thursday’s morning wave. Howell, a Thomasville, Ga., native who has committed to play for the University of Georgia next year, earned the traditional spot in this grouping as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. The group will tee off at 1:44 p.m. in Friday’s second round. The 90th edition of the Masters will officially begin at 7:25 a.m. on Thursday with honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The first official playing group will then be John Keefer and China’s Haotong Li, one of only two twosomes in the 91-player field. World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will tee off in the penultimate grouping at 1:44 p.m. along with Gary Woodland and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre. Two other featured groupings are Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick at 10:07 a.m., and Chris Gotterup, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at 1:08 p.m. PAIRINGS | THURSDAY/FRIDAY –Gary Player (honorary starter), Jack Nicklaus (honorary starter), Tom Watson (honorary starter) | 7:25 a.m. –John Keefer, Haotong Li (China) | 7:40 a.m., 10:51 a.m. –Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan), Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) | 7:50 a.m., 11:03 a.m. –Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Denmark), Aldrich Potgieter (South Africa) | 8:02 a.m., 11:15 a.m. –Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Sami Valimaki (Finland), *Jackson Herrington | 8:14 a.m. 11:27 a.m. –Charl Schwartzel (S. Africa), Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox (New Zealand) | 8:26 a.m./11:39 a.m. –Vijay Singh (Fiji), Matt McCarty, Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) | 8:38 a.m./11:51 a.m. –Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan (Norway), Casey Jarvis (S. Africa) | 8:50 a.m./12:03 p.m. –Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria (Colombia), *Brandon Holtz | 9:02 a.m./12:15 p.m. –Cameron Smith (Australia), Sam Burns, Jake Knapp | 9:19 a.m./12:32 p.m. –Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor (Canada) | 9:31 a.m./12:44 p.m. –Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jason Day (Australia) | 9:43 a.m./12:56 p.m. –Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (England), Akshay Bhatia | 9:55 a.m./1:08 p.m. –Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Xander Schauffele | 10:07 a.m./1:20 p.m. –Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) , Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley | 10:19 a.m./1:32 p.m. –Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland), Cameron Young, *Mason Howell | 10:31 a.m./1:44 p.m. –Viktor Hovland (Norway), Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren (Sweden) | 10:43 a.m./1:56 p.m. –Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im (Korea) | 11:03 a.m./7:40 a.m. –Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N. Ireland), Brian Campbell | 11:15 a.m./7:50 a.m. –Mike Weir (Canada), Wyndham Clark, *Mateo Pulcini (Argentina) | 11:27 a.m./8:02 a.m. –Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark) | 11:39 a.m./8:14 a.m. –Danny Willett (England), Davis Riley, *Ethan Fang | 11:51 a.m./8:26 a.m. –Adam Scott (Australia), Daniel Berger, Brian Harman | 12:03 p.m./8:38 a.m. –Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee (Australia), *Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand) | 12:15 p.m./8:50 a.m. –Sergio Garcia (Spain), Aaron Rai (England), Jacob Bridgeman | 12:27 p.m./9:02 a.m. –Harry Hall (England), Corey Conners (Canada), Michael Brennan | 12:44 p.m./9:19 a.m. –J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton (England) | 12:56 p.m./9:31 a.m. –Jon Rahm (Spain), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) | 1:08 p.m./9:43 a.m. –Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (England), Brooks Koepka | 1:20 p.m./9:55 a.m. –Sepp Straka (Austria), Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas | 1:32 p.m./10:07 a.m. –Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Gary Woodland | 1:44 p.m./10:19 a.m. –Harris English, Marco Penge (England), Si Woo Kim (Korea) | 1:56 p.m./10:31 a.m. *Denotes amateur The broadcast for the Masters will begin for the first time on Amazon Prime Video, which will begin its live coverage with an exclusive two-hour window beginning at 1 p.m. That will lead into the start of ESPN’s coverage at 3 p.m. –Derek Harper, Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rory #McIlroy #Masters #defense #paired #Cameron #Young

Deadspin | Rory McIlroy to begin Masters defense paired with Cameron Young
Deadspin | Rory McIlroy to begin Masters defense paired with Cameron Young Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy walks off of no. 7 with his caddie, Harry Diamond, during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy will begin the defense of his first Masters title paired with World No. 3 Cameron Young at 10:31 a.m. on Thursday. McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Young, who won The Players Championship last month, will be paired with 18-year-old amateur Mason Howell for the first two rounds at Augusta National. They comprise the penultimate group in the Thursday’s morning wave. Howell, a Thomasville, Ga., native who has committed to play for the University of Georgia next year, earned the traditional spot in this grouping as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. The group will tee off at 1:44 p.m. in Friday’s second round. The 90th edition of the Masters will officially begin at 7:25 a.m. on Thursday with honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The first official playing group will then be John Keefer and China’s Haotong Li, one of only two twosomes in the 91-player field. World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will tee off in the penultimate grouping at 1:44 p.m. along with Gary Woodland and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre. Two other featured groupings are Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick at 10:07 a.m., and Chris Gotterup, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at 1:08 p.m. PAIRINGS | THURSDAY/FRIDAY –Gary Player (honorary starter), Jack Nicklaus (honorary starter), Tom Watson (honorary starter) | 7:25 a.m. –John Keefer, Haotong Li (China) | 7:40 a.m., 10:51 a.m. –Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan), Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) | 7:50 a.m., 11:03 a.m. –Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Denmark), Aldrich Potgieter (South Africa) | 8:02 a.m., 11:15 a.m. –Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Sami Valimaki (Finland), *Jackson Herrington | 8:14 a.m. 11:27 a.m. –Charl Schwartzel (S. Africa), Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox (New Zealand) | 8:26 a.m./11:39 a.m. –Vijay Singh (Fiji), Matt McCarty, Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) | 8:38 a.m./11:51 a.m. –Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan (Norway), Casey Jarvis (S. Africa) | 8:50 a.m./12:03 p.m. –Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria (Colombia), *Brandon Holtz | 9:02 a.m./12:15 p.m. –Cameron Smith (Australia), Sam Burns, Jake Knapp | 9:19 a.m./12:32 p.m. –Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor (Canada) | 9:31 a.m./12:44 p.m. –Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jason Day (Australia) | 9:43 a.m./12:56 p.m. –Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (England), Akshay Bhatia | 9:55 a.m./1:08 p.m. –Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Xander Schauffele | 10:07 a.m./1:20 p.m. –Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) , Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley | 10:19 a.m./1:32 p.m. –Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland), Cameron Young, *Mason Howell | 10:31 a.m./1:44 p.m. –Viktor Hovland (Norway), Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren (Sweden) | 10:43 a.m./1:56 p.m. –Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im (Korea) | 11:03 a.m./7:40 a.m. –Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N. Ireland), Brian Campbell | 11:15 a.m./7:50 a.m. –Mike Weir (Canada), Wyndham Clark, *Mateo Pulcini (Argentina) | 11:27 a.m./8:02 a.m. –Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark) | 11:39 a.m./8:14 a.m. –Danny Willett (England), Davis Riley, *Ethan Fang | 11:51 a.m./8:26 a.m. –Adam Scott (Australia), Daniel Berger, Brian Harman | 12:03 p.m./8:38 a.m. –Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee (Australia), *Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand) | 12:15 p.m./8:50 a.m. –Sergio Garcia (Spain), Aaron Rai (England), Jacob Bridgeman | 12:27 p.m./9:02 a.m. –Harry Hall (England), Corey Conners (Canada), Michael Brennan | 12:44 p.m./9:19 a.m. –J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton (England) | 12:56 p.m./9:31 a.m. –Jon Rahm (Spain), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) | 1:08 p.m./9:43 a.m. –Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (England), Brooks Koepka | 1:20 p.m./9:55 a.m. –Sepp Straka (Austria), Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas | 1:32 p.m./10:07 a.m. –Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Gary Woodland | 1:44 p.m./10:19 a.m. –Harris English, Marco Penge (England), Si Woo Kim (Korea) | 1:56 p.m./10:31 a.m. *Denotes amateur The broadcast for the Masters will begin for the first time on Amazon Prime Video, which will begin its live coverage with an exclusive two-hour window beginning at 1 p.m. That will lead into the start of ESPN’s coverage at 3 p.m. –Derek Harper, Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rory #McIlroy #Masters #defense #paired #Cameron #YoungApr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy walks off of no. 7 with his caddie, Harry Diamond, during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy will begin the defense of his first Masters title paired with World No. 3 Cameron Young at 10:31 a.m. on Thursday.

McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Young, who won The Players Championship last month, will be paired with 18-year-old amateur Mason Howell for the first two rounds at Augusta National. They comprise the penultimate group in the Thursday’s morning wave.

Howell, a Thomasville, Ga., native who has committed to play for the University of Georgia next year, earned the traditional spot in this grouping as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. The group will tee off at 1:44 p.m. in Friday’s second round.

The 90th edition of the Masters will officially begin at 7:25 a.m. on Thursday with honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The first official playing group will then be John Keefer and China’s Haotong Li, one of only two twosomes in the 91-player field.

World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will tee off in the penultimate grouping at 1:44 p.m. along with Gary Woodland and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.

Two other featured groupings are Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick at 10:07 a.m., and Chris Gotterup, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at 1:08 p.m.

PAIRINGS | THURSDAY/FRIDAY

–Gary Player (honorary starter), Jack Nicklaus (honorary starter), Tom Watson (honorary starter) | 7:25 a.m.

–John Keefer, Haotong Li (China) | 7:40 a.m., 10:51 a.m.

–Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan), Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) | 7:50 a.m., 11:03 a.m.

–Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Denmark), Aldrich Potgieter (South Africa) | 8:02 a.m., 11:15 a.m.

–Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Sami Valimaki (Finland), *Jackson Herrington | 8:14 a.m. 11:27 a.m.

–Charl Schwartzel (S. Africa), Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox (New Zealand) | 8:26 a.m./11:39 a.m.

–Vijay Singh (Fiji), Matt McCarty, Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) | 8:38 a.m./11:51 a.m.

–Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan (Norway), Casey Jarvis (S. Africa) | 8:50 a.m./12:03 p.m.

–Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria (Colombia), *Brandon Holtz | 9:02 a.m./12:15 p.m.

–Cameron Smith (Australia), Sam Burns, Jake Knapp | 9:19 a.m./12:32 p.m.

–Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor (Canada) | 9:31 a.m./12:44 p.m.

–Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jason Day (Australia) | 9:43 a.m./12:56 p.m.

–Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (England), Akshay Bhatia | 9:55 a.m./1:08 p.m.


–Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Xander Schauffele | 10:07 a.m./1:20 p.m.

–Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) , Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley | 10:19 a.m./1:32 p.m.

–Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland), Cameron Young, *Mason Howell | 10:31 a.m./1:44 p.m.

–Viktor Hovland (Norway), Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren (Sweden) | 10:43 a.m./1:56 p.m.

–Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im (Korea) | 11:03 a.m./7:40 a.m.

–Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N. Ireland), Brian Campbell | 11:15 a.m./7:50 a.m.

–Mike Weir (Canada), Wyndham Clark, *Mateo Pulcini (Argentina) | 11:27 a.m./8:02 a.m.

–Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark) | 11:39 a.m./8:14 a.m.

–Danny Willett (England), Davis Riley, *Ethan Fang | 11:51 a.m./8:26 a.m.

–Adam Scott (Australia), Daniel Berger, Brian Harman | 12:03 p.m./8:38 a.m.

–Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee (Australia), *Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand) | 12:15 p.m./8:50 a.m.

–Sergio Garcia (Spain), Aaron Rai (England), Jacob Bridgeman | 12:27 p.m./9:02 a.m.

–Harry Hall (England), Corey Conners (Canada), Michael Brennan | 12:44 p.m./9:19 a.m.

–J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton (England) | 12:56 p.m./9:31 a.m.

–Jon Rahm (Spain), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) | 1:08 p.m./9:43 a.m.

–Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (England), Brooks Koepka | 1:20 p.m./9:55 a.m.

–Sepp Straka (Austria), Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas | 1:32 p.m./10:07 a.m.

–Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Gary Woodland | 1:44 p.m./10:19 a.m.

–Harris English, Marco Penge (England), Si Woo Kim (Korea) | 1:56 p.m./10:31 a.m.

*Denotes amateur

The broadcast for the Masters will begin for the first time on Amazon Prime Video, which will begin its live coverage with an exclusive two-hour window beginning at 1 p.m. That will lead into the start of ESPN’s coverage at 3 p.m.


–Derek Harper, Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rory #McIlroy #Masters #defense #paired #Cameron #Young

Sports news

Apr 7, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Rory McIlroy walks off of no. 7 with his caddie, Harry Diamond, during a practice round for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy will begin the defense of his first Masters title paired with World No. 3 Cameron Young at 10:31 a.m. on Thursday.

McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Young, who won The Players Championship last month, will be paired with 18-year-old amateur Mason Howell for the first two rounds at Augusta National. They comprise the penultimate group in the Thursday’s morning wave.

Howell, a Thomasville, Ga., native who has committed to play for the University of Georgia next year, earned the traditional spot in this grouping as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. The group will tee off at 1:44 p.m. in Friday’s second round.

The 90th edition of the Masters will officially begin at 7:25 a.m. on Thursday with honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The first official playing group will then be John Keefer and China’s Haotong Li, one of only two twosomes in the 91-player field.

World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will tee off in the penultimate grouping at 1:44 p.m. along with Gary Woodland and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.

Two other featured groupings are Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick at 10:07 a.m., and Chris Gotterup, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at 1:08 p.m.

PAIRINGS | THURSDAY/FRIDAY

–Gary Player (honorary starter), Jack Nicklaus (honorary starter), Tom Watson (honorary starter) | 7:25 a.m.

–John Keefer, Haotong Li (China) | 7:40 a.m., 10:51 a.m.

–Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan), Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) | 7:50 a.m., 11:03 a.m.

–Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Denmark), Aldrich Potgieter (South Africa) | 8:02 a.m., 11:15 a.m.

–Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Sami Valimaki (Finland), *Jackson Herrington | 8:14 a.m. 11:27 a.m.

–Charl Schwartzel (S. Africa), Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox (New Zealand) | 8:26 a.m./11:39 a.m.

–Vijay Singh (Fiji), Matt McCarty, Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) | 8:38 a.m./11:51 a.m.

–Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan (Norway), Casey Jarvis (S. Africa) | 8:50 a.m./12:03 p.m.

–Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria (Colombia), *Brandon Holtz | 9:02 a.m./12:15 p.m.

–Cameron Smith (Australia), Sam Burns, Jake Knapp | 9:19 a.m./12:32 p.m.

–Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor (Canada) | 9:31 a.m./12:44 p.m.

–Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jason Day (Australia) | 9:43 a.m./12:56 p.m.

–Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (England), Akshay Bhatia | 9:55 a.m./1:08 p.m.

–Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Xander Schauffele | 10:07 a.m./1:20 p.m.

–Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) , Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley | 10:19 a.m./1:32 p.m.

–Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland), Cameron Young, *Mason Howell | 10:31 a.m./1:44 p.m.

–Viktor Hovland (Norway), Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren (Sweden) | 10:43 a.m./1:56 p.m.

–Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im (Korea) | 11:03 a.m./7:40 a.m.

–Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N. Ireland), Brian Campbell | 11:15 a.m./7:50 a.m.

–Mike Weir (Canada), Wyndham Clark, *Mateo Pulcini (Argentina) | 11:27 a.m./8:02 a.m.

–Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark) | 11:39 a.m./8:14 a.m.

–Danny Willett (England), Davis Riley, *Ethan Fang | 11:51 a.m./8:26 a.m.

–Adam Scott (Australia), Daniel Berger, Brian Harman | 12:03 p.m./8:38 a.m.

–Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee (Australia), *Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand) | 12:15 p.m./8:50 a.m.

–Sergio Garcia (Spain), Aaron Rai (England), Jacob Bridgeman | 12:27 p.m./9:02 a.m.

–Harry Hall (England), Corey Conners (Canada), Michael Brennan | 12:44 p.m./9:19 a.m.

–J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton (England) | 12:56 p.m./9:31 a.m.

–Jon Rahm (Spain), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) | 1:08 p.m./9:43 a.m.

–Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (England), Brooks Koepka | 1:20 p.m./9:55 a.m.

–Sepp Straka (Austria), Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas | 1:32 p.m./10:07 a.m.

–Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Gary Woodland | 1:44 p.m./10:19 a.m.

–Harris English, Marco Penge (England), Si Woo Kim (Korea) | 1:56 p.m./10:31 a.m.

*Denotes amateur

The broadcast for the Masters will begin for the first time on Amazon Prime Video, which will begin its live coverage with an exclusive two-hour window beginning at 1 p.m. That will lead into the start of ESPN’s coverage at 3 p.m.

–Derek Harper, Field Level Media

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FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, Round 8: Sindarov drops points, held to draw by Esipenko <div id="content-body-70835314" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Divya Deshmukh produced one of the standout results of the round, toppling leader Anna Muzychuk to share the lead at the ongoing FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus on Tuesday.</p><p>Playing her first Candidates, Divya weathered sustained pressure before turning the game around in the closing stages. The result lifted her to joint-top alongside Muzychuk, R Vaishali, Zhu Jiner and Kateryna Lagno.</p><p>For much of the middlegame and early endgame, Muzychuk appeared in control, maintaining pressure and keeping Divya tied down. The position drifted towards equality, with a draw looking the likely outcome as the players entered a queen endgame.</p><p>The turning point came in the sequence beginning 76.Qc8+ Kf5 77.Qh8+ Kg6 78.Qg8+ Kh6, when Divya began forcing checks. Instead of repeating moves, she kept the king on the move, gradually exposing it.</p><p>On move 80, Muzychuk chose Kh5, stepping further into the open. Divya seized the moment, forcing the king into a narrow corridor before switching from checks to a decisive attack, leaving Muzychuk without a safe continuation.</p><p><b>ALSO READ: <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/fide-candidates-2026-live-updates-round-8-boards-praggnandhaa-divya-vaishali-live/article70833880.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Check out all the live updates from Round 8 as it happened, over here</a></b></p><p>In the other games in the women’s section, Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, Lagno defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Zhu Jiner beat Tan Zhongyi.</p><p>In the open section, leader Javokhir Sindarov could not complete a double over Andrey Esipenko, as their second-half encounter ended in a draw.</p><p>The game began at a brisk pace and remained balanced between moves 11 and 18, with both players simplifying the centre and activating their pieces. The critical moment came on move 17, when Sindarov played Na5 to target the c6 bishop, but the sequence that followed led to further simplification. By move 19, both kings were relatively safe, with no clear pawn breaks or attacking chances, and the game drifted towards a draw.</p><p>Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa’s bid to close the gap on Sindarov suffered a setback, as Anish Giri avenged his first-round loss with a win.</p><p>The game remained relatively balanced into the middlegame, but Praggnanandhaa never looked entirely comfortable, with Giri gradually building pressure. The decisive moment came with 36.e6, which created a dangerous passed pawn and disrupted Black’s coordination.</p><p>Praggnanandhaa attempted counterplay with 38…h5, but it backfired, forcing him into a passive position. Giri then seized the initiative with 41.Rf8+ Kh7, and with the black king exposed in the final phase, Praggnanandhaa was compelled to resign.</p><p>Hikaru Nakamura registered his first win of the tournament, defeating Fabiano Caruana, while Wei Yi drew against Matthias Bluebaum.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 07, 2026</p></div> #FIDE #Candidates #Tournament #Sindarov #drops #points #held #draw #Esipenko

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Deadspin | Report: Cubs RHP Cade Horton to see specialist after MRI Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton is visiting a specialist in Texas on Tuesday following an MRI on his injured right arm, ESPN reported. Horton is meeting with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, two days after landing on the 15-day injured list with what the team called a forearm strain. The IL move was retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches. Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1. “I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” he said Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.” Horton, 24, lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28. A first-round pick (seventh overall) by Chicago in 2022, Horton was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) in 2025 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Report #Cubs #RHP #Cade #Horton #specialist #MRIApr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton is visiting a specialist in Texas on Tuesday following an MRI on his injured right arm, ESPN reported.

Horton is meeting with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, two days after landing on the 15-day injured list with what the team called a forearm strain.

The IL move was retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches.

Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1.


“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” he said Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”

Horton, 24, lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28.

A first-round pick (seventh overall) by Chicago in 2022, Horton was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) in 2025 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Cubs #RHP #Cade #Horton #specialist #MRI">Deadspin | Report: Cubs RHP Cade Horton to see specialist after MRI Apr 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton is visiting a specialist in Texas on Tuesday following an MRI on his injured right arm, ESPN reported. Horton is meeting with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, two days after landing on the 15-day injured list with what the team called a forearm strain. The IL move was retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches. Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1. “I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” he said Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.” Horton, 24, lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28. A first-round pick (seventh overall) by Chicago in 2022, Horton was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) in 2025 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Report #Cubs #RHP #Cade #Horton #specialist #MRI

Rains and a tenacious fightback from Sahaja Yamalapalli kept India’s hopes in balance, trailing 1-0 against Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Asia/Oceania Group I when play was called off late on Tuesday night.

The start was delayed by more than three hours due to heavy rains and a persistent drizzle before a returning downpour forced the players off court with Sahaja trailing 3-4 against Patcharin Cheapchandej in the decider. The India No. 2 and World No. 384 kept the host in with a chance to level the tie after Vaishnavi Adkar faltered under the weight of expectations, unforced errors and an opponent who came out all guns blazing, going down in straight sets to Anchisa Chanta in the opening match.

The match went with the serve for the first few games before Patcharin found the break to lead 4-2 in the first set. But a series of double faults and wayward forehands saw the Thai take the first set 6-4. A couple of close calls for both players kept the match in balance but Sahaja used her pace and powerful returns to wrap up the second set 6-1 and take the game into the decider before play was disrupted.

Billie Jean King Cup: India’s hopes hang in balance on rain-affected Day One of Asia/Oceania Group I tie Rains and a tenacious fightback from Sahaja Yamalapalli kept India’s hopes in balance, trailing 1-0 against Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Asia/Oceania Group I when play was called off late on Tuesday night.The start was delayed by more than three hours due to heavy rains and a persistent drizzle before a returning downpour forced the players off court with Sahaja trailing 3-4 against Patcharin Cheapchandej in the decider. The India No. 2 and World No. 384 kept the host in with a chance to level the tie after Vaishnavi Adkar faltered under the weight of expectations, unforced errors and an opponent who came out all guns blazing, going down in straight sets to Anchisa Chanta in the opening match.The match went with the serve for the first few games before Patcharin found the break to lead 4-2 in the first set. But a series of double faults and wayward forehands saw the Thai take the first set 6-4. A couple of close calls for both players kept the match in balance but Sahaja used her pace and powerful returns to wrap up the second set 6-1 and take the game into the decider before play was disrupted. Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Earlier, India’s recently crowned top-ranked singles player Vaishnavi, 73 places above Anchisa at 383, lost 1-6, 3-6 at the DLTA Stadium under lights. The 21-year-old Adkar was guilty of several unforced errors and was more reactive than proactive, the result decided more by her opponent’s winners or errors.Barring a fighting third game, where she saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair. She pushed a backhand wide and trailed 0-1 in just 23 minutes. She began the second set on a brighter note, breaking Anchisa in the opening game but lost her service immediately after and handed over the advantage to again trail 1-4.In other ties, Priska Madelyn Nugroho and Janice Tjen won their respective singles matches to give Indonesia an unbeatable 2-0 lead against New Zealand, while Korea sealed the tie 3-0 winning all its singles matches against Mongolia without dropping a game. The results: India vs Thailand: Anchisa Chanta (Tha) bt Vaishnavi Adkar (Ind) 6-1, 6-3; Sahaja Yamalapalli (Ind) vs Patcharin Cheapchandej (Tha) 4-6, 6-1, 3-4 suspended Indonesia bt New Zealand: Priska Madelyn Nugroho (Ina) bt Aishi Das (NZ) 6-4, 6-1; Janice Tjen (Ina) bt Monique Barry (NZ) 6-3, 6-1; Monique Barry/Erin Routliffe (NZ) vs Priska Madelyn Nugroho/Aldila Sutjiadi (Ina) 1-1 suspended Korea bt Mogolia 3-0: Dayeon Back (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Sohyun Park (Kor) bt Jargal Altansarnai (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Bo Yougn Jeong/Eunhye Lee (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig/Anu-Vjin Gantor (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0. Published on Apr 07, 2026 #Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Indias #hopes #hang #balance #rainaffected #Day #AsiaOceania #Group #tie

Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

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Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Earlier, India’s recently crowned top-ranked singles player Vaishnavi, 73 places above Anchisa at 383, lost 1-6, 3-6 at the DLTA Stadium under lights. The 21-year-old Adkar was guilty of several unforced errors and was more reactive than proactive, the result decided more by her opponent’s winners or errors.

Barring a fighting third game, where she saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair. She pushed a backhand wide and trailed 0-1 in just 23 minutes. She began the second set on a brighter note, breaking Anchisa in the opening game but lost her service immediately after and handed over the advantage to again trail 1-4.

In other ties, Priska Madelyn Nugroho and Janice Tjen won their respective singles matches to give Indonesia an unbeatable 2-0 lead against New Zealand, while Korea sealed the tie 3-0 winning all its singles matches against Mongolia without dropping a game.

The results:

India vs Thailand: Anchisa Chanta (Tha) bt Vaishnavi Adkar (Ind) 6-1, 6-3; Sahaja Yamalapalli (Ind) vs Patcharin Cheapchandej (Tha) 4-6, 6-1, 3-4 suspended

Indonesia bt New Zealand: Priska Madelyn Nugroho (Ina) bt Aishi Das (NZ) 6-4, 6-1; Janice Tjen (Ina) bt Monique Barry (NZ) 6-3, 6-1; Monique Barry/Erin Routliffe (NZ) vs Priska Madelyn Nugroho/Aldila Sutjiadi (Ina) 1-1 suspended

Korea bt Mogolia 3-0: Dayeon Back (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Sohyun Park (Kor) bt Jargal Altansarnai (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Bo Yougn Jeong/Eunhye Lee (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig/Anu-Vjin Gantor (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0.

Published on Apr 07, 2026

#Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Indias #hopes #hang #balance #rainaffected #Day #AsiaOceania #Group #tie">Billie Jean King Cup: India’s hopes hang in balance on rain-affected Day One of Asia/Oceania Group I tie Rains and a tenacious fightback from Sahaja Yamalapalli kept India’s hopes in balance, trailing 1-0 against Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Asia/Oceania Group I when play was called off late on Tuesday night.The start was delayed by more than three hours due to heavy rains and a persistent drizzle before a returning downpour forced the players off court with Sahaja trailing 3-4 against Patcharin Cheapchandej in the decider. The India No. 2 and World No. 384 kept the host in with a chance to level the tie after Vaishnavi Adkar faltered under the weight of expectations, unforced errors and an opponent who came out all guns blazing, going down in straight sets to Anchisa Chanta in the opening match.The match went with the serve for the first few games before Patcharin found the break to lead 4-2 in the first set. But a series of double faults and wayward forehands saw the Thai take the first set 6-4. A couple of close calls for both players kept the match in balance but Sahaja used her pace and powerful returns to wrap up the second set 6-1 and take the game into the decider before play was disrupted. Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Barring a fighting third game, where Vaishnavi saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair.  | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Earlier, India’s recently crowned top-ranked singles player Vaishnavi, 73 places above Anchisa at 383, lost 1-6, 3-6 at the DLTA Stadium under lights. The 21-year-old Adkar was guilty of several unforced errors and was more reactive than proactive, the result decided more by her opponent’s winners or errors.Barring a fighting third game, where she saved two break points but also wasted five game points, the first set was a one-sided affair. She pushed a backhand wide and trailed 0-1 in just 23 minutes. She began the second set on a brighter note, breaking Anchisa in the opening game but lost her service immediately after and handed over the advantage to again trail 1-4.In other ties, Priska Madelyn Nugroho and Janice Tjen won their respective singles matches to give Indonesia an unbeatable 2-0 lead against New Zealand, while Korea sealed the tie 3-0 winning all its singles matches against Mongolia without dropping a game. The results: India vs Thailand: Anchisa Chanta (Tha) bt Vaishnavi Adkar (Ind) 6-1, 6-3; Sahaja Yamalapalli (Ind) vs Patcharin Cheapchandej (Tha) 4-6, 6-1, 3-4 suspended Indonesia bt New Zealand: Priska Madelyn Nugroho (Ina) bt Aishi Das (NZ) 6-4, 6-1; Janice Tjen (Ina) bt Monique Barry (NZ) 6-3, 6-1; Monique Barry/Erin Routliffe (NZ) vs Priska Madelyn Nugroho/Aldila Sutjiadi (Ina) 1-1 suspended Korea bt Mogolia 3-0: Dayeon Back (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Sohyun Park (Kor) bt Jargal Altansarnai (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0; Bo Yougn Jeong/Eunhye Lee (Kor) bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig/Anu-Vjin Gantor (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0. Published on Apr 07, 2026 #Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Indias #hopes #hang #balance #rainaffected #Day #AsiaOceania #Group #tie

Deadspin | Last returning player on Lady Vols’ roster enters portal Tennessee guard Jaida Civil (15) subs out in the final moments of the NCAA college basketball game against Missouri on Feb 12, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. And then there were none. Freshman guard Jaida Civil, the last returning player remaining on the Tennessee women’s basketball roster, has entered the transfer portal. In addition to the mass exodus following a 16-14 season, five-star guard Oliviyah Edwards has requested a release from her commitment to the Lady Vols. She is ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2026 by the 247 Sports composite. “This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Civil posted Monday on Instagram. “After deep thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.” Civil, part of Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s heralded 2025 recruiting class, averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 30 games (10 starts) this season. She joins teammates Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham, Kaniya Boyd, Lauren Hurst, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo and Talaysia Cooper in the transfer portal. Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson and Zee Spearman are among the seniors who are graduating. Ranked No. 8 to begin the 2025-26 season, the Lady Vols fell out of the Top 25 by mid-February and ended the season with an eight-game losing streak. Tennessee’s season began with an 80-77 loss to North Carolina State on Nov. 4 and closed with a 76-61 loss to the Wolfpack in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament on March 20. Caldwell, 37, is 40-24 after two seasons in Knoxville, including a 16-16 record in Southeastern Conference play. The Lady Vols lost in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament. With Edwards seeking to reopen her recruitment, the only incoming player for Tennessee is four-star forward Gabby Minus of Dacula, Ga. ESPN reporter Holly Rowe slammed Tennessee athletic director Danny White in a since-deleted post Monday on social media. “What Danny White is allowing to happen to @LadyVol_Hoops is making me so sad. Gut-wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated,” Rowe posted. The Lady Vols won eight national championships and reached 18 Final Fours under legendary coach Pat Summitt, who compiled a 923-160 record in 31 seasons (1981-2012). –Field Level Media #Deadspin #returning #player #Lady #Vols #roster #enters #portalTennessee guard Jaida Civil (15) subs out in the final moments of the NCAA college basketball game against Missouri on Feb 12, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

And then there were none. Freshman guard Jaida Civil, the last returning player remaining on the Tennessee women’s basketball roster, has entered the transfer portal.

In addition to the mass exodus following a 16-14 season, five-star guard Oliviyah Edwards has requested a release from her commitment to the Lady Vols. She is ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2026 by the 247 Sports composite.

“This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Civil posted Monday on Instagram. “After deep thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”

Civil, part of Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s heralded 2025 recruiting class, averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 30 games (10 starts) this season.

She joins teammates Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham, Kaniya Boyd, Lauren Hurst, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo and Talaysia Cooper in the transfer portal. Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson and Zee Spearman are among the seniors who are graduating.


Ranked No. 8 to begin the 2025-26 season, the Lady Vols fell out of the Top 25 by mid-February and ended the season with an eight-game losing streak. Tennessee’s season began with an 80-77 loss to North Carolina State on Nov. 4 and closed with a 76-61 loss to the Wolfpack in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament on March 20.

Caldwell, 37, is 40-24 after two seasons in Knoxville, including a 16-16 record in Southeastern Conference play. The Lady Vols lost in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

With Edwards seeking to reopen her recruitment, the only incoming player for Tennessee is four-star forward Gabby Minus of Dacula, Ga.

ESPN reporter Holly Rowe slammed Tennessee athletic director Danny White in a since-deleted post Monday on social media.

“What Danny White is allowing to happen to @LadyVol_Hoops is making me so sad. Gut-wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated,” Rowe posted.

The Lady Vols won eight national championships and reached 18 Final Fours under legendary coach Pat Summitt, who compiled a 923-160 record in 31 seasons (1981-2012).


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #returning #player #Lady #Vols #roster #enters #portal">Deadspin | Last returning player on Lady Vols’ roster enters portal Tennessee guard Jaida Civil (15) subs out in the final moments of the NCAA college basketball game against Missouri on Feb 12, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. And then there were none. Freshman guard Jaida Civil, the last returning player remaining on the Tennessee women’s basketball roster, has entered the transfer portal. In addition to the mass exodus following a 16-14 season, five-star guard Oliviyah Edwards has requested a release from her commitment to the Lady Vols. She is ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2026 by the 247 Sports composite. “This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Civil posted Monday on Instagram. “After deep thought and prayer, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.” Civil, part of Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s heralded 2025 recruiting class, averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 30 games (10 starts) this season. She joins teammates Deniya Prawl, Alyssa Latham, Kaniya Boyd, Lauren Hurst, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo and Talaysia Cooper in the transfer portal. Janiah Barker, Nya Robertson and Zee Spearman are among the seniors who are graduating. Ranked No. 8 to begin the 2025-26 season, the Lady Vols fell out of the Top 25 by mid-February and ended the season with an eight-game losing streak. Tennessee’s season began with an 80-77 loss to North Carolina State on Nov. 4 and closed with a 76-61 loss to the Wolfpack in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament on March 20. Caldwell, 37, is 40-24 after two seasons in Knoxville, including a 16-16 record in Southeastern Conference play. The Lady Vols lost in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament. With Edwards seeking to reopen her recruitment, the only incoming player for Tennessee is four-star forward Gabby Minus of Dacula, Ga. ESPN reporter Holly Rowe slammed Tennessee athletic director Danny White in a since-deleted post Monday on social media. “What Danny White is allowing to happen to @LadyVol_Hoops is making me so sad. Gut-wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated,” Rowe posted. The Lady Vols won eight national championships and reached 18 Final Fours under legendary coach Pat Summitt, who compiled a 923-160 record in 31 seasons (1981-2012). –Field Level Media #Deadspin #returning #player #Lady #Vols #roster #enters #portal

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