Bhatia Leads at Pebble Beach, Toms Wins on Champions Tour – Golf & Sports Roundup

PEBBLE BEACH, California – Akshay Bhatia holds a narrow two-stroke lead heading into the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, despite challenging windy conditions that dramatically altered the landscape of the tournament on Saturday, February 14th. The 26-year-old Bhatia finished the third round at 19-under 197, navigating a course that proved increasingly difficult as the day progressed.

Bhatia’s strong start, marked by six birdies in the first seven holes, propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. However, the latter half of his round proved more arduous, with bogeys on the 12th and 17th holes. “It’s brutal,” Bhatia said, describing the unpredictable winds. “It’s just so hard to get settled in, especially when it gets late in the day.” Despite the late struggles, Bhatia remains in a favorable position, having led or co-led a tournament after 54 holes on three previous occasions, securing one victory.

The challenging conditions spurred a significant comeback from Collin Morikawa, the two-time major champion. Morikawa carded an impressive 10-under 62, surging up the leaderboard to share second place with Jake Knapp (66) and Austria’s Sepp Straka (67). Morikawa’s performance included 11 birdies during his round, a testament to his ability to adapt to the difficult conditions. Jacob Bridgeman (68) sits in fifth place at 16 under, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (67) is sixth at 15 under, having completed the third round without a single bogey.

Tournament organizers adjusted starting times for the final round, moving them up by one hour due to an inclement weather forecast. Players will tee off in threesomes, utilizing both the No. 1, and No. 10 holes as starting points. Bhatia anticipates a difficult final round for all competitors. “Sunday is going to be hard for everyone,” he stated.

Champion Tour – Toms Takes Command in Naples

In Naples, Florida, David Toms seized the lead at the Chubb Classic on the Champion Tour. Toms posted a 9-under 63 on Saturday, establishing a three-shot advantage heading into the final round. His two-day total stands at 14-under 130. Michael Wright, who opened with a 65, followed up with a 68 and is in second place at 11-under 133. Richardo Gonzalez and Justin Leonard are tied for third, four shots behind Toms. Former University of Arkansas golfer Tag Ridings shot a 71 and is at 1-over 145, while Ken Duke (Henderson State) shot a 1-over 73 and is at 7-over 151 overall.

Women’s NCAA Basketball – UConn Leads Early Projections

The NCAA basketball selection committee released its first reveal of the top 16 seeds for the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday. UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt would be the No. 1 seeds if the tournament were to begin today. UConn secured the overall No. 1 seed, narrowly edging UCLA. The committee utilizes 12 criteria to determine seeding. Vanderbilt’s recent victory over Texas propelled them to a No. 1 seed as well. The top 16 seeds will host first- and second-round games, with regional rounds continuing to be played at neutral sites. Fort Worth will host one half of the Sweet 16, while Sacramento, California, will host the other.

The projected brackets see UConn and South Carolina as the top seeds in the Fort Worth Regional, while UCLA and Vanderbilt are slated for Sacramento. The committee’s bracketing principles prioritize keeping top teams from the same conference in separate regions, exemplified by the placement of Texas in UCLA’s region. The SEC and Big Ten each have six teams among the top 16 seeds.

Baseball – Marlins Prevail in Arbitration, Sewald Returns to Arizona

The Miami Marlins emerged victorious in the final salary arbitration case of the year, defeating Calvin Faucher. Faucher was awarded the club’s $1.8 million offer, rather than his request of $2.05 million. This concludes the arbitration process, with players holding an 8-4 advantage in hearings overall. Faucher, a 30-year-old right-hander, recorded a 3.28 ERA in 65 relief appearances last season, saving 15 games. The largest arbitration award this year went to Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, who received a record $32 million.

In other baseball news, the Arizona Diamondbacks and reliever Paul Sewald have agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year deal. Sewald previously played for the Diamondbacks during their 2023 World Series run, where he struggled in the Fall Classic after a strong performance through the earlier rounds of the playoffs. The Cincinnati Reds also announced the signing of veteran first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Lowe, a 2022 World Series champion with the Texas Rangers, batted .280 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI for the Boston Red Sox last season.