General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: May 19, 2026, 2:47 PM ET

Golf & Cycling

The PGA Championship produced one of the most unpredictable closes in recent memory as surprise leader Alex Smalley held his nerve with 21 players within four shots heading into Sunday, while Kurt Kitayama tied the lowest final round in major history with a 7-under 63 at Aronimink. Rory McIlroy fired back at a fan's "U-S-A!" shout from the gallery after a frustrating final round, and Jon Rahm was among the big movers in the third round, yet Draft Kings Sportsbook had Aaron Rai priced at 290-1 to win the Wanamaker Trophy, the longest odds for a major winner in at least two decades. On the European side, Emma Raducanu suffered a narrow first-round defeat in Strasbourg on her return after two months away, while Britain's Harriet Dart fought back to beat China's Yue Yuan in French Open qualifying but Dan Evans fell at the first hurdle. Over in Italy, Filippo Ganna dominated stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia with a winning margin approaching two minutes, though Jonas Vingegaard claimed stage nine to close the gap on leader Afonso Eulalio, denying him the overall classification lead heading into the Dolomites.

Basketball & Motorsport

The NBA's Conference finals delivered immediate drama as Victor Wembanyama posted a 40-20 double-double to spark the San Antonio Spurs to a double-overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, extending their title hopes after a season of rebuilding. Back in the regular season, Rickea Jackson suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the Chicago Sky's season, a devastating blow days after she exited a game against the Lynx with a left knee injury while teammates criticized officials for failing to control the game. Caitlin Clark added to her record-breaking season by setting a new WNBA mark for 20-point, 10-assist games hours before earning the Grand Marshal honor for Sunday's 110th Indianapolis, though Alexander Rossi was taken to a hospital for evaluation after a practice crash at the speedway. On the motor racing front, Napoleon Solo held off Iron Honor to win the Preakness Stakes for his first victory of the year after two fifth-place showings, while Denny Hamlin edged Chase Briscoe in the NASCAR All-Star Race amid a chaotic event that saw more than half the 36-car field collect crashes in the opening segments.

Rugby & Boxing

John Cartwright was released from his Hull FC contract to take charge of Catalans Dragons through the end of the 2026 season, while Wigan Warriors made 10 changes to their matchday squad ahead of Thursday's Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR. At the other end of the competition, Ulster prop Angus Bell said it would be a "huge honour" to lift silverware for the first time in 20 years as they prepare to face Montpellier, with Ireland wing Robert Baloucoune returning to full training ahead of schedule and potentially featuring in the final. Across the Atlantic, the multi-million-pound concussion legal action in rugby faces collapse as authorities investigate whether a deadline for case information has been breached. In boxing, Ryan Garcia announced a September fight with Conor Benn in Las Vegas, and Most Valuable Promotions banned Claressa Shields from all future events following a physical altercation with Alycia Baumgardner.

MMA & Tennis

Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural event played out as planned with Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou all returning to the cage, while Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round and declared himself the "best" heavyweight in the world. Rousey masterminded the card and is seeking to rewrite her MMA story after a decade away from the sport, and MVP has plans for a second card this year. On the tennis court, Elina Svitolina claimed her third Italian Open title, defeating Coco Gauff in three sets, while Ronnie O'Sullivan hit five centuries to beat Luca Brecel 10-5 in the Snooker 900 Global Championship final. Queen's Club announced a 35% increase in prize money for its women's tournament in June, and former England captain Mike Smith died at the age of 92, remembered as one of the game's greats.

Football, College Sports & More

The NAACP launched its "Out of Bounds" campaign urging Black athletes and fans to boycott public universities over voting restrictions, while the Pac-12 and Mountain West reached an agreement in principle to resolve their legal dispute over the former conference's rebuilding. At Big Ten spring meetings in Southern California, coaches pushed for a 24-team College Football Playoff, a proposal gaining momentum amid growing concerns that the current 12-team format has not fundamentally altered the postseason. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby filed for an injunction seeking his 2026 college eligibility, and former St. John's star RJ Luis committed to LSU though his eligibility remains uncertain after spending the season on two-way contracts. In England, Ireland thumped Scotland 54-0 in front of a record crowd at the Aviva Stadium to close their Six Nations campaign, while Wales suffered their ninth consecutive defeat and another wooden spoon, prompting head coach Sean Lynn to insist the gap was closing despite the record run of winless Tests. World Gymnastics lifted all restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes with immediate effect, and Sally Bolton will step down as chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club after Wimbledon.