The 81-year-old is serving looks as one of the cover stars of the annual issue, alongside Kim Petras, Brooks Nader and Megan Fox, the magazine revealed Monday.

“To be on the cover (at) my age was a challenge. And I think I met the challenge.” Stewart said, speaking about about the moment on the ‘Today’ show, where she saw the final cover image for the first time.

She continued the achievement is, for her, ‘a testament to good living.’

‘I think that all of us should think about good living, successful living and not about aging,’ Stewart, who has authored 99 books, continued. ‘The whole aging thing is so boring.”

Stewart said she did take a few extra steps to get cover-ready. “I didn’t starve myself, but I didn’t eat any bread or pasta for a couple months. I went to Pilates every other day … I live a clean life anyway. Good diet and good exercise and healthy skin care and all of that stuff, but it was kind of fun.”

In a video interview with Sports Illustrated, Stewart shared that she’s typically motivated by pay, but this time she was motivated to show people that a woman her age can still look good and feel good.

‘I’m going to be the oldest person ever I think on the cover of Sports Illustrated,’ she said she thought when learning about the opportunity. ‘And I don’t think about age very much but I thought that this is kind of historic and that I better look really good.’

The swimsuit cover isn’t the first time the culinary legend has made waves on the internet. When she was 78, Stewart shared a glam poolside selfie on Instagram that immediately went viral.

‘My pool in East Hampton is the place to be on a 89 degree day!’ Stewart captioned a pouted lip photo of herself wading in the pool at her Hamptons residence in subtle mascara and shimmering pink lips. Stewart’s fans praised her youthful glow in the flirty snapshot. ‘You are always such a stun ner,’ wrote celebrity makeup artist @kristoferbuckle.

This year, Sports Illustrated is highlighting 28 women including Petras, Nader and Fox, along with Padma Lakshmi and Olivia Dunne, among others.

Kim Petras, Brooks Nader and Megan Fox shine in more 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers

‘Unholy’ and ‘Slut Pop’ singer Kim Petras already made history this year as the first openly transgender woman to win a Grammy. And now, the German-born pop artist is one of four models to grace a 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover. The outlet called Petras ‘a true change-maker who uses her platform to uplift and inspire the LGBTQ+ community.’ Petras posed for Yu Tsai in Los Angeles during the shoot.

Brooks Nader has been part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ‘family’ for five years running, per the publication. Her tenure began when she won the 2019 Swim Search casting call. Nader looked glam in shots by James Macari taken in the Dominican Republic.

‘Transformers’ actress Megan Fox is not a newbie when it comes to covering a magazine. The 36-year-old has had graced covers of Allure, Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone and Elle, among others, according to Sports Illustrated. Fox looked sultry and intense in images shot by Greg Swales in the Dominican Republic.

They had a forgettable offseason, lost their starting shortstop to a season-ending knee surgery and deploy myriad unproven and discarded players throughout their lineup and bullpen.

Yet here come the Los Angeles Dodgers, anyway.

Aiming for their 11th consecutive playoff berth, the Dodgers have shaken off an uninspired start to maintain their usual perches: Firmly atop the National League West and heading north in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.

In winning five of six games in a 10-day span against the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers have built a three-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and, perhaps more significantly, reasserted their edge over their neighbors to the south, who surprised them in the 2022 NL Division Series.

So far this year, the new-look Dodgers are maintaining order. Dustin May, back from Tommy John surgery, has given up two or fewer runs in seven of his eight starts. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw might be the best pitcher in the NL so far. Mookie Betts shrugged and moved to shortstop a few days a week to lessen the loss of Gavin Lux.

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And when rookie James Outman (.909 OPS) and veteran Jason Heyward (.804 OPS) are both providing production to the outfield mishmash, the equation can’t help but work for now: The Dodgers are 26-15, have the best NL run differential (+56) and are up to fourth in this week’s rankings:

1. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

A brutal week: Lose Drew Rasmussen, perhaps for the year, and cough up two games to Yankees.

2. Atlanta Braves (-)

Suddenly, Mike Soroka – who hasn’t pitched since 2020 – looking like an immediate need rather than a luxury.

3. Baltimore Orioles (-)

Big Tyler Wells – the man stands 6-8 – pitching more and more like a horse.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)

First five batters in order all OPS-ing better than .800.

5. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

Sweep of Atlanta further illustrates power of AL East.

6.  Texas Rangers (-)

Nathan Eovaldi runs scoreless streak to 28 2/3 innings, best in majors this year.

7. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

Christian Yelich, on pace for 30 homers, hasn’t hit more than 12 in a season since his 44-homer 2019 season.

8. Minnesota Twins (+2)

Joey Gallo: Nine homers, .909 OPS.

9. Arizona Diamondbacks (+2)

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s .308 average in the NL’s top 10.

10. Pittsburgh Pirates (-2)

Have lost 11 of last 13.

11. New York Yankees (+4)

Sweeping A’s, splitting with Rays is just what they need to do.

12. Boston Red Sox (-)

Kenley Jansen notches 400th save, then blows two shots at No. 401

13. San Diego Padres (-4)

1-6 since Crying Kershaw meme, 0-5 against Dodgers

14. Houston Astros (-1)

David Hensley, one of Jose Altuve’s replacements, batting .137.

15. Seattle Mariners (-1)

Bryce Miller: Three starts, one earned run in 19 innings.

16. New York Mets (-)

Justin Verlander makes Citi Field home debut Tuesday.

17. Los Angeles Angels (+1)

Mickey Moniak finally recalled, promptly gets four hits in first eight at-bats.

18. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

Can’t avoid magnetic pull of .500 – yet suddenly just five games behind Atlanta.

19. Chicago Cubs (-2)

Outscored 27-4 in two losses at Minnesota.

20. Cleveland Guardians (-)

Josh Naylor hits go-ahead eighth-inning three-run homers on consecutive days.

21. Miami Marlins (-)

Eury Perez’s debut was cool; the old Sandy Alcantara (4.91 ERA) would be even better.

22. San Francisco Giants  (-)

Casey Schmitt’s dazzling debut can’t roust club from .500 stupor.

23. Detroit Tigers (-)

Alex Faedo’s quality start hopefully a harbinger.

24. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

Top prospect Elly De La Cruz has .956 OPS at Class AAA Louisville.

25. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

After a week in DH purgatory, Willson Contreras returns to catcher Monday.

26. Washington Nationals (-)

CJ Abrams emerging as their Mr. Clutch.

27. Colorado Rockies (-)

Always more fun to instigate a benches-clearing incident when you win.

28. Chicago White Sox (-)

Yoan Moncada back, Elvis Andrus to IL, Liam Hendriks’ rehab stint continues.

29. Kansas City Royals (-)

Staff ERA balloons to 5.44.

30. Oakland Athletics (-)

The record: 9-33. The run differential: -156. Number of ‘binding’ sites now ID’d in Las Vegas: 2.

Another horse has been euthanized at Churchill Downs, making it the eighth fatality at the home of the Kentucky Derby in the past three weeks.

Rio Moon suffered ‘a catastrophic injury to his left foreleg’ just after crossing the finish line in Sunday’s sixth race.

The death of the 3-year-old colt is the latest in a troubling trend at the Louisville track, where five horses had to be euthanized after training and racing incidents leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Then two other horses on the May 6 undercard had to be euthanized following their injuries.

OPINION: Mage’s win overshadowed by specter of animal death

After the Derby, Churchill Downs released a statement acknowledging that day’s two deaths and the ‘need to mobilize our industry in order to explore every avenue possible and effectively minimize any avoidable risk in the sport.’

WASHINGTON – Max Scherzer used to attack the streets and bridges surrounding Nationals Park on foot, his legendary between-starts running routine often leaving teammates in the dust if they dared join the Nationals ace.

Now one of the New York Mets’ two $43.3 million men atop their rotation, Scherzer on Sunday made his first 2023 start at his old park, and as he wheezed and huffed and puffed through five innings, the younger man who once zipped up and over the Douglass Bridge might not have recognized the 38-year-old one on the mound.

Then again, young Max never needed the concessions to age this one does.

“The last six days,” Scherzer said Sunday night, “I haven’t done a thing.

“I’ve been sitting in a neck brace.”

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Yet not all is lost.

See, the forced inactivity that enabled Scherzer to make his start also allowed his aching back, his barking scapula, his tenuous lat to calm down. It should allow Scherzer greater freedom of movement in future starts and in this one, he kept himself together long enough to pitch five innings, to goose his fastball back to 94 mph, and push the Mets toward a victory that nudged their record to 20-21.

These modest benchmarks are not at all what Scherzer or the Mets envisioned in this, the season of the $350 million payroll. Yet the club’s ability to avert disaster when so many parts are misfiring means the club can virtually write off this first quarter of the season, what with their heads nearly above water despite it all.

“We’re a good team,” Scherzer insists. “There’s plenty of good teams in the league. This group can win. We all know it.

“And we’re all getting our footing and getting it going.”

At long last, a home debut

It is nearly Memorial Day, and Justin Verlander has yet to throw a pitch at Citi Field this season.

That will change Tuesday, when Verlander, signed to an identical two-year deal to Scherzer’s that will pay him $43.3 million a year, is scheduled to face the Tampa Bay Rays. That home debut – Verlander has started twice on the road – is not at all what owner Steve Cohen had in mind when he pushed the team payroll to a major league record both in salary and luxury tax commitments, which approach $380 million.

Yet Verlander is 40, and the teres major strain near his right lat was upsetting if not shocking. The Mets took extra care in his rehab, even as lefty starter Jose Quintana suffered a rib injury that will sideline him into July and Carlos Carrasco’s elbow inflamed, knocking him out since April 15.

It is the curse of building a roster around veterans but also the blessing of not feeling compelled to panic. Or maybe going about this the opposite way has its appeal.

See, the Mets won 101 games last year, amassing a huge lead in the NL East even as two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom sat out until August with a scapula injury. De Grom came back and strangely, it didn’t matter – the red-hot Atlanta Braves stole the division from them and the San Diego Padres ushered them out in three games of an NL wild card series.

How much, really, does 20-21 and 5 ½ games behind the Braves matter?

“It’s a long season. We know that,” says outfielder Mark Canha, who has been one of several struggling Mets bats but recorded two hits in one inning of Sunday’s 8-2 win. “It’s important to never get too high or too low and go about your business every day.”

Time for a reset

The lows have been more annoying than anything resembling rock bottom. The offense has been a mélange of soft contact and poor pitch recognition and inconsistency. Brandon Nimmo, freshly signed to a $162 million deal, looks bound for his first All-Star Game, with an .863 OPS out of center field.

Beyond that, though, slugger Pete Alonso has 13 homers but a .237 batting average. Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s .309 OBP makes his six homers and fairly frequent clutch hits seem insufficient. Canha (.236/.307/.390) and Starling Marte (.235/.299/.288) are both significantly underperforming their 2022 debuts in Queens.

“It’s not where we need to be,” acknowledges reigning batting champ Jeff McNeil, whose .264 average is well off his .305 lifetime mark. “We need to turn it around.”

Says manager Buck Showalter: “You pull so hard for them, because I see all the things they do and how much they want it and sometimes it’s hard to get in the flow of it at this level. It’s the best players in the world.”

Beyond that, Scherzer served a 10-game suspension when umpires caught him with what they said were foreign substances on his glove, and his neck spasms emerged after he was hit hard in his return from suspension.

A summer filled with unknowns awaits. Atlanta now has its own pitching concerns, with Max Fried and Kyle Wright both shelved indefinitely. The similarly loaded Phillies are just a half-game better than the Mets; they reached Game 6 of the World Series in 2022 even after starting 21-29 and firing their manager.

The Mets need not look to those Phillies for inspiration. They’re not that bad off and nobody, it seems, will run away with this. All the more reason for baseball’s most expensive team ever to flush the first 41 games.

Nothing gained – but also nothing lost.

“Obviously we would like to have a lot more wins,” says designated hitter Dan Vogelbach. “But through anything, you can learn. If this is the quarter of the season we struggle with, we can take this and move forward and start over.

“Hopefully, we’re talking at the (end) of the year about how great of ball we played for the last three quarters.”

Like their aging aces, it’s not the path they prefer, but it is navigable.

The 2023 NBA Eastern and Western conference finals are a return of the 2020 Orlando bubble conference finals.

Miami vs. Boston.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver.

The Lakers defeated the Heat in three seasons ago, but those two teams are the underdog in this year’s series against the Nuggets and Celtics, who are playing the Heat in the conference finals for the third time in four seasons.

All four teams have gone through changes, but the mainstays remains: The Lakers still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Nuggets are back with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

Follow every game: Latest NBA Scores and Schedules

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart have significant playoff experience, including for the Celtics in the bubble, and the Heat’s Jimmy Butler enhanced his status as a playoff star in 2020, did the same last season and is doing it again this season.

Here are the schedules, TV info and predictions for both series:

Eastern Conference finals

* If necessary

No. 8 Miami vs. No. 2 Boston

Game 1, Wednesday: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 2, Friday: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3, Sunday: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 4, May 23: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

* Game 5, May 25: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

* Game 6, May 27: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

* Game 7, May 29: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Seasons series tied 2-2

Prediction: Celtics in six

Western Conference finals

* If necessary

No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 1 Denver

Game 1, Tuesday: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 2, Thursday: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 3, Saturday: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 4, May 22: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

* Game 5, May 24: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

* Game 6, May 26: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

* Game 7, May 28: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Season series tied 2-2.

Prediction: Nuggets in seven

The 2023 PGA Championship will be without a former winner and fan favorite.

John Daly withdrew from the major set to take place at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York this week. He’ll be replaced by Stephan Jaeger of Germany.

‘I’m really disappointed to miss the PGA Championship. This Major means the world to me and will always have a special place in my heart. I wish the best to those competing,’ Daly said in statement released by the PGA Championship.

The 57-year-old has been a mainstay in the tournament, as this will be the fourth time he will not participate in the event since he won it in 1991. He has missed the cut in his past eight appearances in the tournament, finishing in a tie for 18th place in 2012.

Why did John Daly withdraw from the 2023 PGA Championship?

Winner of two majors, including the 1995 Open Championship, Daly has had a recent string of health issues. He had his left knee replaced in December. In September 2020, Daly told the Golf Channel he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He underwent a procedure to remove the cancer, but said doctors told him there was a strong possibility the cancer could return. In April 2021, he said the cancer was benign.

Daly has played in seven PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions events in 2023, most recently playing in the Regions Tradition during the weekend and finishing in a tie for 65th place.

The Oakland Athletics are inching closer to moving to Las Vegas.

The A’s have reached an agreement to construct a new ballpark on the Tropicana Las Vegas property, Bally’s Corporation, in conjunction with Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc., announced on Monday.

Plans call for the ballpark to hold 30,0000 seats and have a partially-retractable roof. Cost of the stadium would be $1.5 billion, with $395 million in public financing. The hope is to have it ready to start the 2027 season.

‘We are excited about the potential to bring Major League Baseball to this iconic location,’ said A’s president Dave Kaval in a news release. ‘We are thrilled to work alongside Bally’s and GLPI, and look forward to finalizing plans to bring the Athletics to Southern Nevada.’

Follow every game: Latest MLB Scores and Schedules

Before construction can begin, legislation must be approved for public financing, and MLB must approve relocating the franchise from Oakland to Las Vegas.

The A’s have the blessing from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to relocate after the organization has been unable to strike a deal to build a new stadium to stay in Oakland.

‘We are honored to have been selected to partner with the Oakland Athletics on this monumental step in helping to bring Major League Baseball to the great city of Las Vegas,’ said Bally’s president George Papanier,’ and to be a part of the once in a generation opportunity of having a professional baseball team located within a short walk of the Las Vegas Strip.’

The Athletics, whose average attendance of 9,449 ranks last in the major leagues this season, have played in Oakland since 1968.

Rick Hendrick believes Ross Chastain is a talented race car driver, but the NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner hasn’t been impressed with his actions on the racetrack lately.

Hendrick offered pointed comments about Chastain at Darlington Raceway on Sunday night after Hendrick Motorsports won the race with driver William Byron. It was a bit of a subdued victory as Hendrick, the most successful team owner in Cup Series history, watched another one of his other drivers, Kyle Larson, get taken out of contention for the win when he and Chastain collided with six laps to go in regulation.

“I think you can ask any driver in here that he’s wrecked or been involved with him, he doesn’t have to be that aggressive,” Hendrick said of Chastain. “I guess at this point in the race, maybe you’re super-aggressive but don’t run people up into the fence. He’s going to make a lot of enemies, and it’s hard to win a championship when you got a lot of paybacks out there. He’s got so much talent; I think if he just calmed down that there’s a time in the race.

“Dale Earnhardt Sr. told me one time — I won’t name the driver who drove for me — but he said, ‘He’s got all the talent, he just doesn’t know how to race.’ Meaning he just knows when to race, when to push it. (Chastain’s) got a lot of talent, but he’s making a lot of enemies out here. Kyle now, this one and Dover and Talladega. It’s really getting old with these guys.”

Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels, was heated in the intermediate aftermath of the crash. Daniels referred to three races that Chastain has “taken us out.” At Darlington, Chastain made direct contact with Larson, while incidents involving Chastain at Talladega Superspeedway, where he collided with Noah Gragson, and Dover Motor Speedway, where he ran into Brennen Poole, collected Larson.

“I don’t care if he’s driving a Chevrolet if he wrecks our cars,” Hendrick said. “I don’t care, and I told Chevrolet that. If you wreck us, you’re going to get it back. And if you don’t, they’ll run all over you. I’m loyal to Chevrolet, but when somebody runs over us, I expect my guys to hold their ground. I’m not going to ask them to yield just because it’s Chevrolet.”

OPINION: Lightning rod Ross Chastain joins long list of hit-and-run NASCAR racers

Hendrick, whose drivers have won nearly 300 races in the Cup Series since 1984, said he doesn’t know if Chevrolet can “cool it down,” but it’s not the way they operate. NASCAR has gotten involved with driver feuds in the past, but as Hendrick acknowledged, it’s not only one driver upset with Chastain.

Larson declined a radio interview on pit road and did not talk to the media before leaving the racetrack. Ironically, Larson said Saturday he’s not a fighter and doesn’t have a history of confronting other drivers.

“I would think Justin [Marks, Trackhouse Racing team boss] would have a conversation with him,” Hendrick said about who needs to get involved. “Again, if you have a lot of people wanting to pay you back, then it’s hard to win a championship that way. He’s got talent enough to do that, but we don’t want to get knocked out (in the incidents).

“If you look at the points that Larson’s lost because of (incidents with Chastain) and the race here today. I think somewhere in the stages, he was all over Larson. The drivers have to settle that.”