July 11, 2026 Issue, Page 3 of 10

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2026 • 3 Professional Individual Sports By Alex Alvarez week of a tournament where they A resurging Max Homa finished are defending a title, especially one with a 64 for a total of 19 under GOLF: like the Scottish Open where you and placed second by himself. In a JOHN DEERE CLASSIC have to travel so far, but not Chris, tie for third, at 18 under par, along Loyalty and gratitude to the where he now considers this tour- with Ben Kholes were Lee Hodges tournament that Christ Gotterup nament his personal “fifth major” and former U.S. Open Champion used in 2022 to get a more perma- for the gratitude he feels for these Luca Glover. Next at 17 under were nent status on the PGA Tour by folks and gallery. His victory here Mac Meissner, Jackson Suber and finishing 4th paid off with a win. was particularly special; it wasn’t Doug Ghim. Oldest player in the In 2022, Chris did not have perma- only that it is his third win of the field, fifty-year-old Zach Johnson, nent status on the PGA Tour and season, but it was a “family affair” a two-time major champion who pionships, the previous one was in same time of the Scottish Open. It the 12th. John Deeere gave him a sponsor’s as his brother Patrick acted as his skipped the Senior U.S. Open, was 2016, during the club’s Centennial will be the fourth major of the year, In the women’s the quarterfinals exemption. Chris is the defending caddie. next at 16 under and Blades Brown, anniversary. with world #1 Nelly Korda trying are as follows: champion in this week’s Scottish Gotterup, who was skipped as the youngest in the field at 18 years Harrington had rounds of 69- three majors in a year. Upper Bracket: #14 Naomi Osa- Open (July 9-12) and 90% of the a captain’s pick in last year’s Ry- old finished at 15 under. 67-66-66 at the par-70 venue for ka vs #10 Karolina Muchova and #4 players who are playing the Scot- der Cup, even though he had won a 268 total. Cink was 2nd at 272, WIMBLEDON: Jessica Pegula vs #7 Coco Gauff tish Open are already across the twice and in the last 12 months and SENIOR U.S. OPEN followed by George McNeil at 274, The Men’s quarterfinals are al- Lower Bracket: #12 Marta pond, but not Gotterup or Jordan finished 3rd in the Open Champi- Padraig Harrington used his Ian Poulter 275, three players at 276 most set as of this writing: Kostyuk vs #13 Jasmine Paolini Spieth a former champion here, onship the week after his win at the length to dominate in the Senior (-4) Retief Goosen, Jamie Donald- Upper Bracket: #1 Jannik Sinner and #9 Linda Noskova vs #25 Elise both of whom consider the folks at Scottish Open played four groups U.S. Open at Scioto Country Club son and Paul Stankowski, and three vs Jan Lennard Struff, and #3 Fe- Mertens the John Deere Classic a group of ahead of the third-round leaders in Columbus Ohio to win by four more players tied for 8th at 3 under lix Auger-Aliassime vs #7 Novak The semifinals will be Thursday, first-class people who promote the and posted a 20 under par. At the over Stuart Cink. Scioto is the par: Pat Perez, Darren Clarke and Djokovic July 9 and the final Saturday, July game. time he finished, there were sever- home of a young Jack Nciklaus Miguel Angel Jimenez. Lower Bracket: #9 Flavio Co- 11. Chris won by shooting 9-under al players who could reach that or and has hosted several major tour- bolli vs Arthur Fery and #6 Taylor Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, 62 in the final round to claim his even get better than 20 under, espe- naments: the 1930 U.S. Open the LPGA Fritz vs the winner of #2 Alexander PGA Tour, Wikipedia.org, Google, fifth PGA Tour title and third this cially Ben Kholes, who was already year Bobby Jones won the Grand The LPGA was idle last week, Zverev vs #13 Jiri Lehecka. On-Line media sports. year and his connection with John at 20 under but found the watery Slam, 1931 Ryder Cup, 1950 PGA but they will be playing the Evian The semifinals will be Friday July Deerre will continue. Many play- grave in the last hole, leading to a Championship, 1968 U.S. Amateur Masters this week in France at the 10, and the final will be on Sunday ers skip the tournament before the double bogey to finish at 18-under. and two U.S. Senior Open cham- By Alex Alvarez Professional Team Sports the round of 16: Canada beat South to “review” the play that gave the upset- will play England, and two placed to major league baseball, 42), Cleveland Guardians (47-44); Africa 1-0; Mexico beat Ecuador American a red card. In an unusu- more teams will come out of the where there were some lopsided West: Seattle Mariners (47-44), FIFA WORLD CUP: 2-0 and U.S.A. beat Bosnia/Herze- al, but legal move, using Rule 27 games between Argentina vs Egypt games and some really close games Texas Rangers (45-45). The original 48 teams played a govina 2-0 in a very controversial of the FIFA rules, the suspension and Switzerland vs Colombia. last week: the lopsided games were NATIONAL LEAGUE LEAD- Round Robin of 3 games, result- game that unfortunately became was lifted, and Folarin was allowed Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 Kansas City Royals beat the Phil- ERS: East: Atlanta Braves (52-37), ng in 32 teams who made the political in the end. During the to play. But to no advantage of the in the round of 16, and Egypt beat adelphia Phillies 15-1, the San Philadelphia Phillies (50-41); Cen- knockout round. Among those not game, Folarin Balogun received American team who lost the game Australia in penalty kicks to get to Francisco Giants beat the Toronto tral: Milwaukee Brewers (56-33), making the top 32 teams were two- a red card and was expelled from to Belgium by a score of 4-1. the round of 16. The winners of Blue Jays 10-1 and Arizona Dia- Chicago Cubs (50-40); West: Los ime world champions Uruguay the game after a very rough play The other two hosts, Mexico and these two games will face in the mondbacks beat the San Diego Pa- Angeles Dodgers (60-32), Arizona and South Korea, a team that was that seemed accidental. A red Canada, also lost in the round of quarterfinals. dres 8-0; and the close games were Diamondbacks (45-45) anked high and expected to make card meant that Folarin would be 16, Mexico to the powerful English The quarterfinals are scheduled Milwaukee Brewers beat St Louis not only the top 32 but also the top suspended for one game, which team by a score of 3-2 and Canada for July 9-11, the semifinals are Cardinals 4-3, Los Angeles Dodg- WNBA STANDINGS: 6. would be the match against Bel- to Morocco by a score of 3-0. scheduled for July 14-15, and the ers beat Colorado Rockies 8-7 and Eastern Conference: New York On the top 32, you had a couple gium in the round of 16. And that As of this writing, six of the eight final is scheduled for July 19th New York Mets beat Atlanta Braves Liberty 13-8, Indiana Fever 12-8, of very big upsets when Paraguay is when this thing became politi- teams that will play in the quar- 7-6. The division leaders are as fol- Atlanta Dream 12-9. beat four-time champion Germany cal: the American team appealed terfinals have been decided: in the MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL lows: Western Conference: Minneso- n penalty kicks and Netherlands the red card one game suspension upper bracket France will play Mo- STANDINGS: AMERICAN LEAGUE LEAD- ta Lynx and Las Vegas Aces 15-6, ell to Morocco, also in penalty and even contacted the president of rocco and Spain will play Belgium; Meanwhile, with all of the World ERS: East: Tampa Bay Rays (52- Golden State Valkyries 15-7. kicks. the United States, Donald Trump in the lower bracket Norway -who Cup being played in a American 36); New York Yankees (50-40); Sources: ESPN, GOOGLE, All three host teams made it to who contacted the head of FIFA beat Brazil for another World Cup soil, not much attention has been Central: Chicago White Sox (47- SPORTS CHANNELS. Sports Tidbits By Alex Alvarez Local Golf ers moved out of the area, or the Sheriger and Brandon Thomas By Alex Alvarez kept, and all coaches are very upset at in the first round to unseeded Otto young ones grew up and start- (157) the inconsistency of calls. Virtanen from Finland. ELK CITY GOLF & COUN- ed families and the usual field “C” Flight: 1st Greg Dodson MLB BASEBALL In the women’s draw, players seed- TRY CLUB: of became smaller and smaller, (169), 2nd Jimmy Clark (175), MLB draft starts Saturday, July 11. GOLF ed 1 to 3 losses before the quarterfi- Almost every club in the na- and in cities that are small, it af- 3rd David Lantz (175). Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays Off we go across the Atlantic to the nals: Naomi Osaka beat #1 Aryna tion hosts a “Fourth of July” fects the participation. And, as With Derek Hahn PGA pro- and Minnesota Twins are the first Scottish Open (July 9-12) with Chris Sabalenka in the round of 16; Elise tournament, and Elk City the 2-day tournament was no moting this event, my money three picks. Gotterup as defending champion Mertens beat #2 Elena Rybakina in Country Club and Sayre Na- more, the “Firecracker Open” is on this tournament to grow Shortstop Grady Emerson (Fort and the Open Championship (July the third round and Alexandra Eala tional are no exception. In informal individual tourna- again and once more become a Worth Christian) has claimed the #1 16-19) with Scottie Scheffler as de- beat #3 Iga Swiatek, also in the third fact, the Elk City Golf and C.C. ment grew. This year, in an at- tournament that championship draft pick, Roch Cholowski (UCLA), fending champion. Gotterup won by round. used to have two tournaments tempt to bring back this great flight players want to be part Vahn Lackey (Georgia Tech) and 2 last year against Rory McIlroy and around July 4th: one was on 2-day tournament of the past, of! Jackson Flora (UC Santa Barbara) Scheffler won by four over Harris En- FIFA WORLD CUP July 4th itself, an informal in- the club replaced the one-day coming close. glish and Chris Gotterup took third Brazil falls to Norway on a great dividual tournament and one Firecracker Open with a two- SAYRE NATIONAL rounding off a great two-week play. game by the Scandinavians with two very serious and nice event the day, very formal individual The 9-Hole golf course west NBA & WNBA Jordan Spieth is skipping the Scot- goals from Erling Haaland whose fa- weekend before or after July tournament that attracted 30+ of Elk City, hosted their annu- The Los Angeles Lakers have un- tish Open but will play the Open ther played in the Cup in 1994 defeat- 4th, a 2-day individual tourna- players who had a blast and al Firecracker Classic with a dergone a massive roster overhaul, Championship at Royal Birkdale the ing Mexico 1-0. ment that attracted many good hopefully will be the beginning scramble played at 18 holes on notably losing superstar LeBron next week. FIFA rules in favor of USA’s appeal players in the area and as far as of another great tournament at July 4th. This year, given the James to free agency. to not have a one game suspension of Oklahoma City and Amarillo. Elk City every year. fact that it was a special cele- Lebron has played for Cleveland TENNIS – WIMBLEDON CHAM- Folarin Balogun only for the Ameri- Unfortunately, this tournament In the Championship Flight, bration, the field was expand- (Cavaliers), Miami Heat and Los An- PIONSHIPS cans to fall 4-1 to the Belgians. was cancelled after 2015 due to Jorey Price had rounds of 67-71 ed from 20 teams to 24, and it geles Lakers, and his original team Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Romelu Lukaku who scored the lack of interest. and won by two over Dustin couldn’t have been more suc- from his home state seems to be the singles Wimbledon champion, set a fourth goal against USA, made a Elk City has always been Gunkel, whose 140 included cessful. team that acquires Lebron for what record by winning his 106th match Trump dance. Deserved or not, it proud of their course condi- rounds of 68 and 72. In a tie for Brandi Hibler had a full will most likely be his las season ever. ever at the famous grass courts sur- was a sign that President Trump, in tions, especially of their fast 3rd were three players at 141: week (and a full day on Satur- Skylar Diggins, a seven-time All- passing Roger Federer’s 105 wins. their eyes, should not have entered and unpredictable slopes on the Justin Twyman, Tyler Wedding day) organizing the clubhouse’s Star, was benched after 19 games. Of Serena Williams lost her first the frail. greens and in the early 2000’s to and Josh Woods. duties and Jay Manning doing course she wasn’t happy! match in Wimbledon to Maya Joint The three host countries fell in the the mid-teens of the 21st cen- “A” Flight: 1st Mark Fairchild the pairings. There were three Caitlin Clark for fulltime WNBA from Australia, then pulled off from round of 16: Canada lost 3-0 to Mo- tury used to attract many very (142), 2nd Willie Lancaster flights, those with “*” won the referees as officiating failures mount the doubles which she was supposed rocco, Mexico fell 3-2 to England and good players from out of town (144), 3rd Drake Hughes (147) playoff on the course: in 2026. to play with sister Venus. United States to Belgium 4-1. who came to compete with our “B” Flight: 1st Oakley Blan- “A”: 1st (59*) Ethan Hi- Cathy Engelbert’s promise of fixing American Ben Shelton, seeded #4 Sources ESPN, Google, MSN Sports, golfers, however, as it happens kenship (154), 2nd Quintin the officiating in WNBA has not been In Wimbledon, lost a five-set match On-Line, local sometimes, many of these play- Nichols (156), T3rd Mikey See GOLF page 7