Matt Fitzpatrick is aiming to end a 107-year wait for an English victory at the US PGA Championship when the tournament begins at Aronimink on Thursday.
Jim Barnes was the last Englishman to lift the Wanamaker Trophy, claiming back-to-back titles in 1916 and 1919.
However, the 31-year-old from Sheffield arrives in Pennsylvania as one of the clear favourites to break that century-long streak.
Record-breaking start to the season
The 2022 US Open champion has secured three victories in his past five starts, banking more than $10.5m (£7.8m) on the PGA Tour already this year.
Currently ranked fourth in the world behind Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young, the Yorkshireman believes his current form surpasses his previous career peak.
A runner-up finish at the Players Championship in March sparked a remarkable run, leading to a triumph at the Valspar Championship and a strong performance at the Masters.
He then defeated world number one Scheffler in an RBC Heritage play-off before securing the Zurich Classic alongside his brother, Alex.
Eclipsing a golden period
“I think 2022 was my golden period and I said for two, three years afterwards it was the best period that I had ever played.” – Matt Fitzpatrick
“But the start of this year has definitely eclipsed that because of the results and the underlying numbers themselves have definitely been better.”
“I’m trying to cherish it as much as possible. It’s all happening very quickly.”
Remarkable turnaround in fortunes
This dominant streak is a stark contrast to his situation exactly 12 months ago ahead of the 2025 tournament at Quail Hollow.
Back then, the English star languished at 85th in the world rankings without a single top-20 finish to his name that season.
His rapid ascent is underpinned by elite ball-striking, ranking inside the top five on the tour for strokes gained off the tee, tee-to-green and approaching the green.
Precision key at Aronimink
While not the longest hitter on the circuit, his top-six accuracy rating will be vital at an Aronimink layout famous for its punishing fairway bunkers.
The primary concern for the major winner heading into Thursday is his performance on the putting surfaces.
He currently sits 99th on the tour for putting, a potential vulnerability on a course where he predicts the greens will act as the tournament’s main defence.
Nevertheless, historical data indicates that rolling the rock is traditionally one of his greatest strengths, offering significant hope for a historic triumph this weekend.
Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren from Red Bull by 2028, sparking a disagreement between the two Formula 1 teams regarding his specific job title.
The Milton Keynes squad announced last month that the highly-rated engineer was leaving his post to join their championship rivals.
McLaren stated the new arrival would take up the position of chief racing officer no later than the 2028 season.
Those duties are currently managed by Andrea Stella alongside his existing responsibilities as team principal.
Conflicting claims over leadership
The situation became complicated during the recent Miami Grand Prix weekend.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies publicly stated that his departing employee is actually destined for the top job at the Woking-based outfit.
“GP had an extraordinary opportunity. You know, he is going to be a team principal there.”
Mekies noted that losing key personnel was inevitable but insisted his team remains focused on creating an environment to attract and retain top talent.
“It’s not something that I can do anything else than wishing him well.”
Red Bull later confirmed that the Frenchman genuinely believes the incoming engineer will eventually replace Stella at the helm of McLaren.
Stella’s long-term commitment
Stella originally joined McLaren from Ferrari in 2015 and was promoted to team principal in 2023.
The Italian has overseen a significant upward trajectory in performance over the past three years.
The 55-year-old recently signed a long-term contract and dismissed speculation linking him with a return to Maranello.
“Honestly, some of the recent rumours, including those regarding astronomical salaries and mythical pre-contracts, have made me smile.”
The current leadership structure remains formally unchanged despite the high-profile acquisition of Verstappen’s trusted trackside voice.
Donovan Mitchell tied an NBA playoff record by scoring 39 points in the second half as the Cleveland Cavaliers levelled their Eastern Conference semi-final with a 112-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
The spectacular performance saw the All-Star guard match a long-standing postseason benchmark established by Eric “Sleepy” Floyd in 1987.
He missed a late free throw with 27 seconds remaining that would have broken the historic record outright.
Mitchell eventually finished the contest with a game-high 43 points to ensure the host team remained unbeaten on home court throughout these playoffs.
Historic scoring surge transforms game
His individual brilliance sparked a phenomenal 24-0 run that stretched across the end of the first half and deep into the third quarter.
The sensational scoring burst erased a 56-52 halftime deficit and completely transformed the momentum of the tie.
This remarkable stretch was the longest consecutive scoring run by the franchise in any postseason game since play-by-play statistics were first recorded.
Supporting cast delivers for Cleveland
James Harden provided crucial support by registering his 40th career playoff double-double with 24 points and 11 assists.
Evan Mobley anchored the defence with five blocked shots and three steals while contributing 17 points to the pivotal victory.
The home side shot superbly during their dominant stretch, converting 10 of 12 field goal attempts and capitalising ruthlessly on opposition turnovers.
Pistons face critical home test
Caris LeVert led the resistance for the visitors with a season-high 24 points during a combative performance.
However, talisman Cade Cunningham was restricted to just 19 points, marking the first time he has been held under the 20-point threshold in 11 playoff appearances this year.
Tobias Harris added 16 points for the away side, who must now regroup quickly to regain control.
The matchup returns to Michigan on Wednesday night with the series finely poised at two games apiece.
Tottenham Hotspur missed a crucial opportunity to pull clear of the Premier League relegation zone after surrendering a second-half lead to draw with Leeds United at home.
The hosts had a golden opportunity to establish a four-point gap above the bottom three following West Ham’s defeat by Arsenal.
Mathys Tel gave the North Londoners a deserved breakthrough five minutes into the second half with a superb finish from a corner.
However, the young French forward quickly turned from hero to villain by conceding a penalty for a clumsy kick on Ethan Ampadu.
Costly defensive mistakes
Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to confidently convert the resulting spot-kick and punish the hosts’ defensive lapse.
The visitors almost snatched all three points late on when Sean Longstaff rattled the crossbar.
Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was also forced into a brilliant stoppage-time save to deny Longstaff a dramatic winner.
Anxiety clouds survival bid
Roberto De Zerbi has now overseen consecutive home matches where individual errors have cost his new side precious points.
The Italian manager recently urged his players to embrace the intense atmosphere of playing in front of 60,000 expectant supporters.
Despite a bright start and renewed intensity, deep-rooted anxieties quickly resurfaced once the Yorkshire club drew level.
Tottenham have secured just two league wins at home all season, making their stadium a far cry from the fortress it once was.
Daunting trip awaits
A victory would have left West Ham facing potential relegation this weekend, but the door remains wide open for their survival rivals.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will undoubtedly feel reinvigorated after escaping further punishment in the fiercely contested battle for safety.
Spurs must now regroup before travelling to Stamford Bridge next Tuesday without the comfort of a significant points buffer.
The club possess a notoriously poor record away at Chelsea, adding further pressure to De Zerbi’s mounting challenges.
British lightweight champion Caroline Dubois has been backed by her promoter to be the final opponent for Katie Taylor’s farewell fight at Croke Park this summer.
The Irish boxing icon is expected to retire later this year following a legendary career, with Dublin’s 82,000-capacity stadium earmarked for her swansong.
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, believes a clash with the unbeaten Londoner makes perfect sense for all parties.
The 25-year-old recently added the WBO lightweight belt to her WBC title after securing a unanimous points victory over Terri Harper last month.
‘Passing of the torch’
Dubois has repeatedly expressed her desire to step into the ring with the undisputed super-lightweight champion.
Bidarian feels the matchup would generate massive interest across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“We would love for that to happen. I think it makes all the sense in the world,” Bidarian told Sky Sports.
“I believe it is a global fight, but definitely for the UK, for that opportunity for the passing of the torch.”
“Tough fight for Caroline, Katie is a tremendous fighter, but I think it is the right swansong event for Taylor at Croke Park against Caroline Dubois.”
Future unification plans
While a blockbuster bout with the 39-year-old Olympic gold medallist remains the priority, Bidarian is already plotting alternative routes for his fighter’s August return.
A highly anticipated unification clash with American rival Alycia Baumgardner has been actively discussed by the promotional team.
“She’s been very clear about her desire to fight Alycia Baumgardner and we hope that happens at some point,” added the promoter.
With her peak years still ahead of her, the rising star is widely expected to dominate the women’s sport over the next decade.
Iga Swiatek dismantled Naomi Osaka to reach the Italian Open quarter-finals on Monday, while home favourite Jannik Sinner moved a step closer to a historic career Golden Masters.
The Polish world number three dispatched four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka 6-2 6-1 in just one hour and 22 minutes on the Rome clay.
Osaka initially recovered from an early break to level the opening set at 2-2, but was quickly overwhelmed by her opponent’s relentless baseline power.
Winning the next four games seamlessly, the top seed secured the first set before breaking twice in the second to complete a comprehensive victory.
Resurgent Swiatek targets Roman revival
Prior to arriving in the Italian capital, the Warsaw-born star had not tasted victory on clay since her triumph at the French Open in 2024.
She will now face American fifth seed Jessica Pegula in the last eight.
This recent surge in form follows a significant change to her coaching setup earlier this year.
Following a disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open in January, she parted ways with Wim Fissette to hire Francisco Roig.
The Spanish coach brings immense pedigree to her camp, having previously worked alongside Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu.
Sinner closes in on ATP history
In the men’s draw, Sinner claimed his 30th consecutive Masters 1000 victory to thrill the passionate home crowd.
The Italian crushed Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 6-2 6-0 to easily progress to the round of 16.
He is now aiming to join Novak Djokovic as only the second male player to sweep all nine ATP 1000 events.
The 24-year-old remains undefeated since last October’s Shanghai Masters, an astonishing streak that includes the recent Madrid Open title.
Rome remains the only Masters tournament missing from his illustrious trophy cabinet.
He will face compatriot Andrea Pellegrino next, following the wildcard’s impressive victory over American Frances Tiafoe.
“It’s been a very special tournament for me, starting with a wildcard back in the day,” Sinner said.
England international James Maddison has made his first Premier League appearance of the season after spending 375 days sidelined with injury.
The attacking midfielder was greeted with incredible cheers from the supporters as he finally stepped back onto the pitch.
His prolonged spell in the treatment room had kept him away from competitive senior action for over a year.
This emotional comeback marks a significant personal milestone for the talented playmaker.
A long road to recovery
Navigating such an extended period away from professional football requires immense mental fortitude.
The former Leicester City star has worked tirelessly behind the scenes with medical staff to rebuild his match fitness.
Returning to the notoriously fast-paced environment of England’s top flight represents the final hurdle in his extensive rehabilitation programme.
Boost for the remainder of the campaign
Having a creative force of his calibre available again provides a massive tactical advantage for the weeks ahead.
The 27-year-old is renowned throughout the division for his exceptional vision and ability to unlock stubborn defences.
Supporters will now be hoping the dynamic creator can avoid any further setbacks and quickly rediscover his finest form.
Tottenham Hotspur forward Mathys Tel has scored a spectacular 50th-minute goal to give his side a 1-0 lead against Leeds United in the Premier League.
The breakthrough arrived shortly after the half-time interval when the attacker unleashed an unstoppable long-range effort.
It broke the deadlock in what had previously been a tightly contested encounter in north London.
A moment of individual brilliance
The young forward found a pocket of space outside the penalty area before driving the ball into the top corner.
Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier was left with absolutely no chance of keeping the thunderous strike out.
The sheer quality of the finish drew immediate praise from onlookers and commentators alike.
What a mighty blow that is!
Spurs seeking crucial points
This spectacular opener provided a much-needed injection of momentum for the home side.
The Lilywhites are pushing to secure vital league points to solidify their standing in the upper echelons of the table.
The visitors will now be forced to abandon their defensive shape as they search for a swift equaliser.