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Scottish tennis given major £1m cash boost as schools unite in project to help find next Andy Murray

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It’s hoped it will ‘break down barriers’ to participating in the sport

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THE QUEST to find the next Andy Murray continues with a new initiative aiming to put a tennis racket in the hands of every child in Scotland.

Schools across the country will receive a bumper cash injection thanks to a joint effort from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), LTA Tennis Foundation, Tennis Scotland, sportscotland and the Scottish Government.

The new investment builds on the LTA Youth Schools programme, which is already in place in just over half of Scots schools.

Sir Andy and his brother Jamie’s achievements in tennis will be highlighted to kids as part of the project, which will also promote the success of current stars such as Jacob Fearnley, Cameron Norrie and Maia Lumsden, as well as record-breaking wheelchair ace Gordon Reid.

In the hope of inspiring the next crop, more than £1m in funding has been pledged in order for schools to deliver on the programme.

It will include resources for teacher training and equipment, and also provide links to local clubs so that youngsters can find out where to go if they want to keep playing outside of school.

Scott Lloyd, chief executive of the LTA, said: “We are proud to be putting this investment into Scotland to build on strong participation growth and capitalise on the inspiration of Andy Murray to ensure every Scottish child, no matter where they come from, has the opportunity to play tennis.

“Tennis is a sport for everyone and we know that getting it into more schools is the best way to introduce kids to the game.”

The Scottish Government’s Health minister Neil Gray said the scheme will ensure every child at school in Scotland will have the opportunity to try out tennis.

He said: “The popularity of tennis is continuing to grow in Scotland with our young people inspired by the fantastic achievements of our tennis stars at the highest level of the sport.

“We want more young people to have the opportunity to play tennis and this additional funding will widen access across schools by giving every pupil the chance to pick up a racket and ball.”

Forbes Dunlop, chief executive of sportscotland, said he hopes the initiative will break down barriers to taking up the sport.

He said: “Our aim is to deliver free tennis in schools right across the country, breaking down some of the barriers to participation and building on the growing success of tennis in Scotland.”

Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, added: “Inspiring the next generation is important to ensuring tennis in Scotland continues to grow, so we’re excited to be putting a racket in the hands of more schoolchildren across the country.”

It’s estimated 280,000 children currently play tennis in Scotland every year in some form, around a third of the total youth population.

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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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