Golf Saudi: More LPGA-European tour co-sanctioned events in North America likely

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Shadow Creek was selected as the first site in which the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tourwould co-sanction an eventin the United States — brought together by Golf Saudi — and there likely will be plans to expand this arrangement elsewhere in the country.

LPGA Tour Golf

The $4 million purse for a nonmajor attracted 38 of the top 40 players to the Aramco Championship, which also has drawn noticeably larger crowds than in previous years to this exclusive course hidden away in the Las Vegas suburbs.

Players receive points that count toward the LPGA Tour and LET, and the tournament also is part of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund Global Series. Golf Saudi and the PIF collaborate to promote and invest in the sport.

Golf Saudi chief investment officer Thomas Rudy called the tournament "a strong case study" to expand this arrangement to other parts of the U.S.

"We haven't finalized our 2027 schedule yet — that usually happens later in the year — but I'd be surprised if we don't have events in North America again," Rudy said Saturday during the third round of the Aramco Championship. "We're exploring all options, especially working in conjunction with LPGA and LET. Given the success here, we'd love to replicate it in the future."

Rudy was quick to say the PIF Global Series and Golf Saudi were not looking to replicate a women's version of LIV Golf, which through its large financial promises has lured away top PGA Tour players and created a split thatstill hasn't been resolved.

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"First, we're not LIV Golf," Rudy said. "We want to support the best women's golfers with amazing tournaments around the world.

"Our job is not to run another league or disrupt existing organizations. I think you see that clearly here by bringing sanctioning bodies together. We're focused on putting out a great product and promoting what's happening with golf in Saudi Arabia."

That country began to get heavily involved in women's golf in 2020 when the Saudi Ladies Team International was created. It has since become the Aramco Team Series and part of the LET schedule.

Aramco series tournaments have been played regularly in the U.S., but as stand-alone events and not in cooperation with the LPGA, though that tour's players have competed.

"Strategically, we have two objectives," Rudy said. "One is to be as connected as possible to the overall world of women's golf. The second is to tell the world that Saudi is open for business. We're building great golf courses and an amazing ecosystem."

AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

Golf Saudi: More LPGA-European tour co-sanctioned events in North America likely

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Shadow Creek was selected as the first site in which the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tourw...

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Warriors playoff scenarios: How likely is Golden State to make a run?

The 2026 NBA postseason is right around the corner as teams around the association have five or fewer games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season.

TheGolden State Warriorslook to get their team into form ahead of the postseason following an injury-riddled season that has seen season-ending setbacks toJimmy ButlerandMoses Moody, and nagging injuries to Al Horford and Quinten Post.

On the bright side, theDubs will welcome back their star guard Stephen Currywho missed the previous 27 games with what the team previously toldUSA TODAY Sports was "runner's knee."

ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported that Curry is expected to play April 4 against the Houston Rockets. With five games remaining in the Warriors' schedule, Curry's return is just in the nick of time to get back into basketball shape for a post season run.

Here's what Golden State's playoff scenarios could look like:

AUSTIN REAVES INJURY UPDATE:Lakers lose second star for regular season ahead of playoffs

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

MORE:Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductees list stars Parker, Stoudemire and more

Golden State Warriors' remaining schedule

Here is who the Warriors face in their five remaining games of the 2025-26 regular season.

• Sunday, April 5: vs. Houston Rockets

• Tuesday, April 7: vs. Sacramento Kings

• Thursday, April 9: vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Friday, April 10: @ Sacramento Kings

• Sunday, April 12: @ Los Angeles Clippers

How the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament format works

The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament is practically the NBA's equivalent to MLB and NFL's wild card round. In this format, the Nos. 7-10 seeds are vying for a playoff berth. The higher seed plays at home throughout the tournament. The No. 7 and 8 seeds play each other, winner is the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Loser still has a chance for the No. 8-seed.

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The No. 9 and 10 seeds play each other in an elimination style game. The winner of the No. 9 vs. 10-seed game plays the loser of the No. 7 and 8 seeds game for the No. 8 and final spot in the playoffs.

Warriors' playoff scenarios

The Warriors will play in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament since they won't be able to catch the Western Conference's No. 6 seed before the regular season ends.

The Warriors (36-41) arecurrently the No. 10 seed in the Westand have five games remaining before the postseason begins Tuesday, April 14 with the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.

Ahead of them, by three games, are the Los Angeles Clippers (39-38) at the No. 9 slot. The Portland Trail Blazers are 40-38, a half game above the Clippers at No. 8. Currently placed at No. 7 are the Phoenix Suns.

If the regular season ended today, the Warriors would go on the road to face the Clippers in an elimination game for a chance at the No. 8-seed.

If Golden State loses they are eliminated from postseason contention. If they win, they would face the the loser of the No. 7 vs. 8 seed game between the Suns and Blazers for the No. 8 spot.

If the Warriors were to win both play-in games, they would make their 2026 NBA Playoff appearance in the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Golden State Warriors playoffs odds

Here are the Warriors' playoffs odds, as of Saturday, April 4,courtesy of BetMGM.

Warriors' playoff chances

• Miss the playoffs: -450

• Make the playoffs: +300

• Advance to Western Conference second round (semifinals): +2800

• Advance to Western Conference Finals: +8000

• Win Western Conference Finals: +25000

• Win championship: +50000

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Golden State Warriors playoffs scenario: Can they make run with Curry?

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

Warriors playoff scenarios: How likely is Golden State to make a run?

The 2026 NBA postseason is right around the corner as teams around the association have five or fewer games remaining in ...

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MRI reveals a right calf strain for Mets right fielder Juan Soto

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto has been diagnosed witha right calf strainafter undergoing an MRI on Saturday.

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Soto was injured Friday night trying to run from first to third duringthe Mets' 10-3 winover the San Francisco Giants.

Both Soto and manager Carlos Mendoza were surprised that the MRI didn't show more damage than it did.

"Right now it's a minor strain," Soto said at Oracle Park on Saturday. "We're going to be going day-by-day, see how it feels. No decisions have been made yet. We're going to see how I wake up the next couple of days and go from there.

"It's impressive what we saw on the imaging because I feel way better than yesterday. I definitely feel really good, and to see what came out on the MRI, it was surprising for me."

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Mendoza saw Soto walking through the Mets clubhouse prior to Saturday's game against the Giants and appearing to be doing well. The team has not ruled out placing Soto on the injured list but is hoping to avoid that.

"He's got that mild strain but surprisingly when I saw him earlier, the way he's walking around, just the attitude itself, he seems to be in a really good place," Mendoza said. "That's a tricky area. We're going to have to be really, really careful with him. The good news is how he's feeling and the feedback we're getting from him."

In eight games this season, Soto is batting .355 with one home run and five RBIs. The veteran slugger is in the second season of a $765 million, 15-year deal.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

MRI reveals a right calf strain for Mets right fielder Juan Soto

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto has been diagnosed witha right calf strainafter undergoing an ...

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Several people injured after car crashes into La. parade, driver in custody: Sheriff

Several people were hurt, including some seriously, after a car crashed into a Lao New Year parade in Broussard, Louisiana, Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The unidentified driver of the vehicle was in custody, however, investigators said as of now it does not appear that the crash was intentional, according to the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office.

A local ambulance company company Acadian Ambulance said initially at least 13 were taken to the hospital after incident, including two who were airlifted.

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The incident occurred at the corner of Savannakhet Street and Melancon Road.

Organizers of the Louisiana Lao New Year Festival said in a statement that they were cancelling the rest of the events scheduled for the day.

"All security resources have been redirected to the scene, and we currently do not have security personnel available due to the circumstances," they said in a statement.

"We are praying for the victims and for their families during this difficult time," the organizers added.

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

Several people injured after car crashes into La. parade, driver in custody: Sheriff

Several people were hurt, including some seriously, after a car crashed into a Lao New Year parade in Broussard, Louis...

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'Not the moon that I'm used to seeing': Artemis II astronauts describe seeing the far side

HOUSTON — The Artemis II astronauts are now more than halfwayto the moonand have caught their first glimpses of the lunar far side.

In an interview with NBC News from space, NASA astronaut Christina Koch described seeing the moon out the window of the Orion capsule and realizing that it looked different from what she was accustomed to on Earth.

"The darker parts just aren't quite in the right place," she said. "And something about you senses that is not the moon that I'm used to seeing."

Koch said thatshe and her crewmates, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, compared their views to their study materials to understand what they were seeing.

"That is the dark side. That is something we have never seen before," Koch said.

Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen launched Wednesday on a 10-day trip around the moon, becomingthe first people to embark on a lunar mission in more than 50 years. The astronauts were also the first humans to lift off aboard NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule. They have been officially moon-bound since Thursday evening, when the spacecraft conducted a key engine burn that boosted the capsule out of Earth's orbit.

Wiseman called the flight a "magnificent accomplishment" and said the astronauts' ability to gaze at both Earth and the moon from their spacecraft has been "truly awe-inspiring."

"The Earth is almost in full eclipse. The moon is almost in full daylight, and the only way you could get that view is to be halfway between the two entities," he said.

Koch added that while the astronauts are excited, they have been able to rest and sleep comfortably in their16.5-foot-wide Orion capsule, which has a habitable volume roughly equivalent to a camper van.

Sleep is one of various human concerns that inherently occupy their days while journeying through the cosmos.

"Being human up here is one of the coolest things about this mission," Koch said. "We are just people trying to get by. For example, we might go look at the far side of the moon and take in its awesomeness, and then go, 'Hm, maybe I should change my socks,' and try to dig around for a pair of socks. So this is the dichotomy of human spaceflight."

The four astronauts had time Friday and Saturday to talk to their family members, which Wiseman said was a major highlight.

"It was surreal," he said. "For a moment, I was reunited with my little family. It was just the greatest moment of my entire life."

Since reaching space, the Artemis II crew has been busy. In the first hours after they lifted off, they began to test the various life-support systems aboard the Orion capsule. The astronauts had to troubleshoot several issues, including email glitches andproblems with their onboard space toilet, but have said the flight has been smooth overall.

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At 12:41 a.m. ET Monday, the astronauts are expected to enter the lunar sphere of influence, meaning the pull of the moon's gravity will become stronger than Earth's.

The mission's long-awaited lunar flyby will occur later that day, during which the Artemis II astronauts will viewnever-before-seen parts of the moon's surface. These areas on the far side are not visible from Earth because that part of the moon always faces away from our planet. Even the Apollo astronauts couldn't view much of the moon's far side due to the paths and timing of their flights.

The official lunar flyby period for Artemis II lasts six hours and begins at 2:45 p.m. ET.

As the Orion capsule swings around the moon, Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen are set to travel farther from Earth than any humans have before. They're expected to reach their maximum distance from Earth — 252,757 miles — at 7:05 p.m. ET. That will break the Apollo 13 distance record by around 4,100 miles.

They should surpass the Apollo 13 distance of 248,655 miles at 1:56 p.m. ET.

Over the course of the day, the astronauts should come as close as 4,600 miles to the lunar surface. From their vantage point, the moon will look about the size of a basketball held at arms' length. The crew is tasked with making close observations of its features and taking photographs. Their images of craters, ridges and ancient lava flows on the lunar surface could help scientists better understand how the moon — and the solar system — formed.

Toward the end of the lunar observation period, the crew will have the opportunity to experience a solar eclipse from space. The sun will move behind the moon at 8:35 p.m. ET, blocking its light from the perspective of the Orion capsule. The eclipse will last almost an hour.

During that time, the moon will appear mostly dark, which will give the astronauts a chance to observe the sun's corona and look for flashes of light from rocky objects smacking into the moon.

After their flyby, the astronauts will spend the next three days journeying home. They are expected to return to Earth on Friday, with the mission culminating in a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego, just after 8 p.m. ET.

Hansen said the flight so far has been emotional, full of joy, happiness and disbelief.

"Right away, you are humbled," he said. "The fact that four of us get to be out here just brings you to your knees."

And while theearly photos of Earthand the moon that Hansen and his colleagues have beamed back have been spectacular, the Canadian astronaut said they pale in comparison to the real deal outside their capsule's windows.

"I know those photos are amazing," he said, "but let me assure you, it is another level of amazing up here."

Tom Costello spoke to the Artemis II crew from Houston. Denise Chow reported from New York City.

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

'Not the moon that I'm used to seeing': Artemis II astronauts describe seeing the far side

HOUSTON — The Artemis II astronauts are now more than halfwayto the moonand have caught their first glimpses of the lunar...

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Russia again claims to have taken an eastern Ukrainian region. The real picture is very different

This week, for the third time since its full-scale invasion ofUkraine,Russiaclaimed it fully occupied Ukraine's Luhansk region.

TheRussian militaryhas held almost all of Luhansk – one of four eastern regions that Moscow has illegally sought to annex - since the first year of the conflict.

It's unclear why Russia felt the need to announce -again - that its forces had "completed the liberationof the entire territory of the Luhansk People's Republic," as it calls the region.

Analysts note that the Russia Defense ministry has a habit of exaggerating advances when the frontlines are scarcely changing.

Russian gains in Ukraine slowed in the first three months of this year to about five km (three miles) a day, compared to 11 kilometers in the first quarter of 2025, war monitors, including the Washington-basedInstitute for the Study of War(ISW),report. And in some parts of the battlefield, the Ukrainians have made gains.

Ukraine scoffed at the claim that all of Luhansk was now under Russian control.

"The front line hasn't moved much at all over the past six months. It's like some kind of April Fools' Day prank on their part," said a Ukrainian military spokesman, Victor Tregubov.

Ukraine's Third Army Corps, tasked with defending Luhansk, said the Russians had unsuccessfully launched 144 assault attempts on two villages in its attempts to complete the capture of the region.

On the same day as the defense ministry's claim, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should have already ordered Ukrainian forces out of the entire Donbas region, calling the withdrawal necessary to end the "hot phase" of the war.

TheDonbasincludes Luhansk and Donetsk, about 20% of which Ukraine still holds.

"Kremlin claims in 2025 and 2026 about seizing [Luhansk] are aggrandizing miniscule changes on the front… in order to create the false impression that Russian forces are rapidly advancing on various sectors of the battlefield," the ISW said after the latest Russian declaration.

Russia's announcement was "aimed at portraying Ukrainian defenses as on the verge of collapse to drive the United States and Ukraine's other partners into forcing Ukraine to unnecessarily cede territory that Russian forces are very unlikely to seize militarily in the medium term, if at all," ISW concluded.

The "liberation" of Luhansk was previously claimed in2022and again last June, when the Kremlin-appointed governor of Luhansk, Leonid Pasechnik said "100%" of the region was now under the control of Russian forces.

In October, Russian President VladimirPutinsaid Russia had only 0.13% of the region left to capture.

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Over the past week, Ukrainian drones have struck Russian fuel tanks and ammunition depots some 100 kilometers (65 miles) from the front lines in Luhansk, as well as a Russian air defense system more than 130 kilometers from the region's border, according to geolocated video.

The broader picture shows that Ukrainian forces made their most significant gains over the winter since an incursion into Russia's Kursk region in 2024. Their greatest progress has been in the south, where they have taken some 400 sq km in Zaporizhzhia – another region claimed by Russia.

Ukrainian forces also retook at least 180 sq km in and around Kupyansk in the north in December and have largely held the gains, according to ISW.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said last week that Ukrainian forces are prioritizing counterattacks in areas where Russian forces are weakest.

"The enemy is currently playing by our rules. It is forced to adjust and concentrate its efforts where we are advancing," Syrskyi said.

The goal is to force the Russian military to reallocate troops to different areas to respond to attacks, just as the Russians have tried to pull Ukrainian defenses in different directions.

Late last month, a well-known pro-Kremlinmilitary blogger,Yuri Podolyaka - who has nearly three million subscribers on Telegram - expressed doubt over whether Russian forces can reverse an unfavorable battlefield situation in coming months and complained about "rather successful" Ukrainian counterattacks.

Ukrainian forces were "surpassing" Russian forces in their ability to adapt, Podolyaka said, and the military leadership in Moscow had failed to adapt to better Ukrainian interceptor drones.

Ukraine is also trying to take advantage of the scale of Russian losses.

"Russian losses this March have reached their highest level since the start of the war,"Zelenskyclaimed Friday.

"Our drone strikes alone resulted in 33,988 Russian servicemembers killed or seriously wounded, while artillery and other strikes eliminated another 1,363 Russian occupiers."

"That means more than 35,000 Russian losses in just one month," Zelensky said.

"Russian advances have significantly slowed as Russian forces continue to suffer personnel losses and increasingly rely on poorly trained and underequipped infantry to make gains," ISW noted last week.

However, Ukraine is also facing deep personnel shortages along many parts of the frontline, and Zelensky hasexpressed concernthat the war in the Middle East may lead to there being less US weaponry available, especially air defense missiles – hundreds of which have been sentto defend Gulf countries.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

Russia again claims to have taken an eastern Ukrainian region. The real picture is very different

This week, for the third time since its full-scale invasion ofUkraine,Russiaclaimed it fully occupied Ukraine's Luhan...

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Shaqir O'Neal, son of Shaq, wins college slam dunk contest: Highlights

Sacramento State forward Shaqir O'Neal– yes, the son of Shaq – won theCollege Slam Dunk Championshipon Friday, April 3, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis before the Men's Final Four.

Shaqir O'Neal, wearing his dad's "Shaq" shoe brand, elbow-dunked over two fellow players and threw down a reverse on his final attempt to secure the win over Central Connecticut's Nico Ashley. He finished with two 50-point scores, the highest total possible on a single dunk.

REQUIRED READING:Shaqir O'Neal discusses NBA goals, HBCU hoops and choosing Sac State

"Dad, I know you're watching this," Shaqir O'Neal said after his win. "You said you have ($10,000) for me if I win this. So, hey, I'm expecting my money. Shoutout to my pops."

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> McNeese Cowboys guard Tyshawn Archie (8) walks off the court after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Centeron March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Thomas Dowd of the Troy Trojans reacts after coming out of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

DePaul's CJ Gunn won the men's 3-point contest and Kansas' Elle Evans won the women's 3-point contest. Evans also took home two more awards, winning the team shooting competition alongside Purdue's Fletcher Loyer and Portland State's Jaylin Henderson before defeating Gunn in the 3-point shootout between champions.

Shaqir O'Neal averaged 5.3 points with 3.2 rebounds per game this season at Sacramento State. The 6-foot-8 forward started his career at Texas Southern, where he held a small role off the bench for two seasons before transferring to Florida A&M in 2024-25.

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Shaqir O'Neal plays for his dad's former Sacramento Kings foe Mike Bibby, who served his first year as Sacramento State head coach this season.

"It's been an unreal experience," Shaqir O'Neal told USA TODAY Sports. "Coach Bibby and his staff, they really care about the players, just on and off the court. They made sure they built that relationship with us early in the summer. It's really been a movie with all the press and all this stuff. And haters and this and that. And the ups and downs. Us losing players to injuries, like it's been real, it's been crazy, but it's been a great learning experience."

Four of Shaquille O'Neal's children played Division I college basketball, including sons Shaqir O'Neal and Shareef O'Neal (UCLA, LSU), and daughters Amirah O'Neal, a former preferred walk-on at LSU and Me'Arah O'Neal, who averaged over 13 points per game at Florida this season.

None of Shaq's children turned out to be nearly as good as their Hall of Fame dad that won four NBA championships. But Shaqir O'Neal sure can dunk like his dad could, although no backboards were shattered.

Shaqir O'Neal college dunk contest highlights

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Shaqir O'Neal, son of Shaquille, wins college slam dunk contest

byAlex Forten

in

April 04, 2026

Shaqir O'Neal, son of Shaq, wins college slam dunk contest: Highlights

Sacramento State forward Shaqir O'Neal– yes, the son of Shaq – won theCollege Slam Dunk Championshipon Friday, April ...

Read More