From The Sports Desk: Rory’s Repeat

5 days ago

Yesterday, Rory McIlroy confirmed his position arsenic 1 of golf’s all-time greats, becoming nan 4th golfer ever to win back-to-back Masters, and nan first since Tiger Woods in nan early 2000s. He showed a batch of intelligence fortitude successful nan process. We’ll dive successful below.

Also, nan WNBA saw a flurry of awesome free supplier moves complete nan weekend. Our Doha Madani will capable you in. As always, cheque NBC News for much coverage.

Master of nan Universe

At nan extremity of nan 2nd information Friday astatine Augusta National, McIlroy held a six-stroke lead — nan largest lead, astatine that constituent successful nan tournament, successful Masters history.

A time later, he squandered it and recovered himself tied for first place. Yesterday, he was really trailing aft he carded a double bogey connected nan 4th spread and a bogey connected nan sixth.

“I don’t make it easy,” McIlroy said afterward.

Instead, he dug heavy and birdied 4 of nan adjacent 7 holes to retake control.

“You person a batch of clip to think,” McIlroy said. “You’re retired location a agelong time. There’s a agelong clip betwixt shots. There’s a agelong clip betwixt rounds. Of each nan large sports, I do deliberation it is nan astir mental. It’s nan astir challenging mentally.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts pinch nan Masters Trophy during nan Green Jacket Ceremony

At moments, McIlroy recovered himself reasoning of his parents, who were location watching and had missed his triumph nan twelvemonth prior. He had to person them to come, because, he said, “they thought nan logic I won past twelvemonth was because they weren’t here.”

On Sunday night, nan McIlroys were capable to observe each of their son’s achievements. Only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Woods had ever won back-to-back Masters. This was besides McIlroy’s sixth major; he’s now tied pinch Faldo for nan astir by a European subordinate all-time.

“I conscionable can’t judge I waited 17 years to get 1 greenish jacket, and I get 2 successful a row,” McIlroy said. “I deliberation each of my perseverance astatine this play tourney complete nan years has really started to salary off.”

For much connected his large win, publication Patricia Duffy of NBC Sports.

WNBA Free Agency

Satou Sabally of nan Phoenix Mercury shoots nan shot against nan Las Vegas Aces

Women’s hoops fans are going from March Madness to April Abundance — and, by abundance, I mean nan sheer measurement of messages being sent successful my group chat discussing free supplier signings this past week. A process that usually takes weeks was jam-packed into a fewer short days. Here are immoderate of nan biggest moves that created waves and made heads spin:

The New York Liberty are expected to clasp 3 of their champion players — Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart — and signed Satou Sabally to shape what mightiness beryllium considered a superteam successful nan WNBA. Sabally played astatine Oregon pinch Ionescu and conscionable had an awesome playoff tally pinch nan Phoenix Mercury.

Nneka Ogwumike, who helped lead nan CBA negotiations for nan players union, chose to depart Seattle and return to nan Los Angeles Sparks. The West Coast squad chose Ogwumike first successful nan 2012 WNBA draught and she won nan Rookie of nan Year award, an MVP trophy and a WNBA title successful her 12 years location earlier moving to Seattle successful 2024.

The Dallas Wings, who vanished 2025 past successful nan league, made awesome moves arsenic they sought to build a squad astir All-Star Paige Bueckers. Wings defender Arike Ogunbowale re-signed successful a two-year woody and nan squad brought connected protect gem Alanna Smith, who had been rumored to beryllium successful talks pinch nan Liberty. Ogunbowale and Smith played connected nan aforesaid Unrivaled squad during nan offseason, winning nan 3-vs-3 convention title together.

Acquiring Angel Reese from Chicago was nan biggest news for nan Atlanta Dream this past week, but nan Dream besides re-signed galore of their ain players. Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones, Jordin Canada, Naz Hillmon and Rhyne Howard are each coming back.

But successful Minnesota, nan “StudBudz” are breaking up. Natisha Hiedeman signed pinch nan Seattle Storm, splitting up nan hilarity of her relationship pinch Courtney Williams while nan 2 played for nan Lynx.

Keep an oculus connected nan Lynx and Storm coming during nan WNBA draft. These are some teams pinch winning pedigrees that person conscionable been gutted, losing immoderate cardinal players successful nan past week. They dream to restock pinch immoderate talent tonight. The regular play is astir a period away; games commencement May 8.

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What We're Watching

The WNBA draught is coming and nan Dallas Wings ain nan No. 1 pick. Who will they prime to brace pinch budding prima Paige Bueckers?

Will they return her erstwhile assemblage teammate, Azzi Fudd? Or will they return nan super-skilled Awa Fam Thiam, a 6-foot-4 halfway from Spain? Also: Where will nan UCLA stars go, caller disconnected their nationalist title? Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez are each expected to beryllium picked successful information one. Want a primer? Read nan NBC Sports mock draft.

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