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Meet the MLB All-Star who competed against Jordan Spieth at the U.S. Junior Amateur

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Golf remains a passion for Jeff McNeil, who found out he had been traded this past offseason in the middle of a round

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There are only a few acceptable reasons for taking a phone call on a golf course, but Jeff McNeil had one that most golfers have probably never considered. On the morning of December 22 last year, the two-time MLB All-Star was on the 14th hole at TPC Monterey at Pasadera when his phone started going off with missed calls and texts. While walking to the green, McNeil called New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns back and received some seismic personal news.

“ I didn’t really know my playing partners well, but they knew I played baseball, and I was like, ‘Hey, guys, I just got traded,’ ” says McNeil, who had been dealt by the New York Mets, the only MLB team he’d ever played for during his career, to the Oakland Athletics. “It was a crazy 15 minutes.”

Amid the chaos, McNeil—who’ll begin his ninth season in the big leagues this week—made double bogey on what was the second hole of a shotgun event, and who could blame him? But while the PGA Tour tracks bounce-back birdies, McNeil showed some impressive resilience. “I finished the round somewhat strong,” says McNeil, who still managed to shoot 73, “so it was a good day.”

McNeil had a solid first round and was in position to advance to the match-play portion, but a disastrous second day in adverse conditions shifted his future. After failing to gain attention from college golf coaches at the event, McNeil, who had been playing summer-league baseball, wound up being offered a baseball scholarship before playing a single high school game. He switched from varsity golf to varsity baseball in the spring of his senior season and never looked back. Well, at least, from a career standpoint.

Golf has remained an important part of McNeil’s life as he holds a plus-1.8 Handicap Index—it’s been as low as plus-2.8—at his home course of Monarch Dunes Golf Club in California, making him one of the best celebrity golfers on the planet. He enjoys playing tournament golf a lot more these days, even competing in the 2023 New York State Open when it happened to perfectly coincide with the MLB All-Star bre

Meet the MLB All-Star who competed against Jordan Spieth at the U.S. Junior Amateur

Golf remains a passion for Jeff McNeil, who found out he had been traded this past offseason in the middle of a round
There are only a few acceptable reasons for taking a phone call on a golf course, but Jeff McNeil had one that most golfers have probably never considered. On the morning of December 22 last year, the two-time MLB All-Star was on the 14th hole at TPC Monterey at Pasadera when his phone started going off with missed calls and texts. While walking to the green, McNeil called New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns back and received some seismic personal news.

“ I didn’t really know my playing partners well, but they knew I played baseball, and I was like, ‘Hey, guys, I just got traded,’ ” says McNeil, who had been dealt by the New York Mets, the only MLB team he’d ever played for during his career, to the Oakland Athletics. “It was a crazy 15 minutes.”

Amid the chaos, McNeil—who’ll begin his ninth season in the big leagues this week—made double bogey on what was the second hole of a shotgun event, and who could blame him? But while the PGA Tour tracks bounce-back birdies, McNeil showed some impressive resilience. “I finished the round somewhat strong,” says McNeil, who still managed to shoot 73, “so it was a good day.”

Most celebrity golfers follow a natural progression. A person more talented in another area first becomes famous and then picks up the game, either as a hobby or, in the case of a professional athlete, as a competitive outlet. The latter happens often as an athlete’s playing career winds down. McNeil’s path, however, has taken him back to his first love.

McNeil, 34, grew up thinking that golf was going to be the sport where he’d make a name for himself. Since both golf and baseball were played in the spring at Nipomo (Calif.) High School, McNeil chose to play golf for his first three years. In 2009, McNeil competed against a handful of future PGA Tour pros at the U.S. Junior Amateur at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Entering that week, he shared their lofty golf dreams—although he didn’t feel as confident after a range session next to Jordan Spieth, the eventual winner of the championship.

“I knew Jordan Spieth was the No. 1 junior amateur in the world, and I vividly remember him hitting balls next to me,” McNeil recalls. “I just stopped and watched him for a couple minutes. I go, ‘Wow, that’s better than mine. That’s different.’ ”

McNeil had a solid first round and was in position to advance to the match-play portion, but a disastrous second day in adverse conditions shifted his future. After failing to gain attention from college golf coaches at the event, McNeil, who had been playing summer-league baseball, wound up being offered a baseball scholarship before playing a single high school game. He switched from varsity golf to varsity baseball in the spring of his senior season and never looked back. Well, at least, from a career standpoint.

Golf has remained an important part of McNeil’s life as he holds a plus-1.8 Handicap Index—it’s been as low as plus-2.8—at his home course of Monarch Dunes Golf Club in California, making him one of the best celebrity golfers on the planet. He enjoys playing tournament golf a lot more these days, even competing in the 2023 New York State Open when it happened to perfectly coincide with the MLB All-Star break.

“ I was always trying to play well as a kid, and if I had a bad round, it felt like my life was over because I can’t go play college. It was tough,” says McNeil, whose golf highlights include a career-low 63 at Spyglass Hill. “Playing golf now is just more fun. There’s not a whole lot of expectations. I want to win; I want to compete. I work hard on the game, but in the end, it’s kind of a hobby.”

Those competitive reps kept him sharp enough to win his celebrity golf debut at the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, which doubles as the LPGA Tour season opener. He recalls feeling nerves like he’d never experienced on a baseball diamond.

“I think my ball fell off the tee a few times,” McNeil says of his opening tee shot of the final round at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. “I ended up hitting a good drive, and Charley Hull goes, ‘You a little nervous?’ I go, ‘That’s probably the most nervous I’ve ever been.’ ”

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Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

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The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

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With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

 

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Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

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Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

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It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

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Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

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It looks like LIV Golf is over.

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The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

 

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

 

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.

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