Veteran guard Marcus Smart has reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards and plans to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of Smart’s plans told USA TODAY Sports.

The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the moves are official.

The Lakers will get depth in the backcourt and a solid defender with significant playoff experience. His scoring numbers took a dip last season, and he has played in just 54 games over the past two seasons.

Smart, the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, came to Washington from Memphis in a February trade deadline deal. The Wizards received a first-round pick from Memphis in the trade. Jake LaRavia was dealt from Memphis to Sacramento in the three-team deal, and he is now with the Lakers on two-year, $10 million deal he agreed to during free agency.

Smart, 31, played in 34 games last season (15 for the Wizards due to multiple injuries, including an injury to his right index finger that sidelined him for 22 games.

For his 11-year career, including the first nine with the Boston Celtics, Smart has averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals and shot 38.8% from the field. He has made the All-Defensive team three times.

Ellie the Elephant had the best seat in the house at the 2025 WNBA All-Star festivities Friday.

Not only did Ellie the Elephant get to see her New York Liberty compatriots Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud sweep the 3-point contest and skills competition, the ever-fashionable Liberty mascot took in all the action next to Indiana Fever darling Caitlin Clark at a rocking Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Clark and Ellie the Elephant were spotted catching up with each other courtside. At one point, a curious Clark took a peek into Ellie the Elephant’s purse, which included a magnifying glass and binoculars.

2025 WNBA ALL-STAR FRIDAY RESULTS: Sabrina Ionescu wins 3-point contest; Liberty sweep

Caitlin Clark Ellie the Elephant

Fans called the interaction between Clark and Ellie the Elephant a crossover we didn’t know we needed.

Both Clark and Ellie the Elephant had rooting interests in Friday’s All-Star events. Clark was pulling for teammate Lexie Hull, who replaced her in the 3-point competition after Clark injured her right groin Tuesday. Hull turned in 20 points, good for a fourth-place finish out of five competitors. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu went on to win the contest for the second time in her career with a score of 30 points in the final round, marking the second highest total all-time. Ionescu’s 37-point performance in 2023 holds the record.

Earlier in the night, Natasha Cloud defeated Erica Wheeler of the Storm by 1.1 second to win the skills challenge. 

‘Oooooop swept yall,’ Liberty All-Star starter Breanna Stewart wrote on social media Friday evening, to which Ellie the Elephant replied, ‘Very Much.’ She added a broom emoji and Statue of Liberty emoji.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Oleksandr Usyk, the 38-year-old Ukrainian, reigns as the undisputed, undefeated heavyweight world champion yet again.

Usyk beat 27-year-old Daniel Dubois by fifth-round TKO in their rematch, improving his record to 24-0 and claiming all four heavyweight belts at Wembley Stadium in London Saturday, July 19.

Almost two years after knocking out Dubois, Usyk defeated the hard-punching heavyweight a second time. Usyk was coming off back-to-back victories over Tyson Fury and is running out of meaningful opponents.

Dubois, who entered the fight as the IBF heavyweight world champion, was coming off a brutal knockout victory over Anthony Joshua. But Usyk proved far more elusive than Joshua as Dubois dropped to 22-3.

After the fight, Usyk dropped to his knees and covered his crying eyes with his boxing gloves. The crowd of 90,000 bathed him with cheers and chants of ‘Usyk, Usyk!’

Usyk clearly is not planning to retire at 38.

“Thirty-eight is a young guy,’’ he told DAZN in a post-fight interview. “Remember, 38, it’s only start!’’

Dubois said he had to commend Usky.

“I gave it everything I had,’’ he said. “Probably a few things I could have sharpened up on. Take no credit away from the man.’

Dubois added, “I’ll be back.’’

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates on the fight and the undercard. Check out the highlights:

Jake Paul eyeing Usyk encounter?

Jake Paul, at Wembley Stadium for the Usyk-Dubois fight, posted on social media a video of him facing off with Usyk after the Ukrainian’s knockout victory over Dubois.

‘Congrats to one of the greatest heavyweights of all time @usykaa on a huge win. I respect you a lot. Now we do an MMA match for the world’

What’s next for Oleksandr Usyk?

Usyk became a three-time undisputed champion – once as a cruiserweight and twice as a heavyweight. He said he wants nothing more, but does want to fight.

He named Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora among possible opponents.

Oleksandr Usyk knocks out Daniel Dubois

Usyk knocked down Dubois twice in the fifth round. And after the second knockdown, the referee stopped the right at 1:52 of Round 5.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois: Round by round analysis

Round 1: Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois, fighting for the undisputed heavyweight championship, and here they come. Dubois out quick with the jab and Usyk counters with his own. Dubois lands a right but Usyk not backing away. Instead he fires his jab. Usyk bouncing on his feet behind the jab. Dubois fires two jabs and advances, then fires a right to the body. Dubois moves in and connects to the body. Usyk responds with a jab and lands a big left hook. Dubois 10, Usyk 9.

Round 2: Usyk out quick behind the jab, but Dubois is stalking now. Usyk making it difficult for Dubois to unload his power punches by staying on the move. Dubois lands a hard right. Usyk felt definitely that. Dubois uncorks some hard rights, but off the mark. Usyk lands two hard lefts at the end of the second round. Dubois 19, Usyk 19.

Round 3: Hard right from Dubois at the start of the round. Usyk staggers back after he’s hit by another Dubois right. Another hard right snapped back Usyk’s head and now he looks in control. Usyk fighting back but with far less ferocity. Usyk delivers a hard fight and then follows it with a left. Dubois throws another hard right but into Usyk’s high guard. Dubois’s right hand sizzling. Dubois, 29, Usyk 28

Round 4: Usyk on the move, looking to avoid that big right from Dubois – and unload the left. Which is what he does as if on cue. Dubois looks a little perplexed before landing a right. Usyk responds with his own right. Usyk closes the round strong. Dubois 38, Usyk 38.

Round 5: Dubois opens with a good right. Usyk wisely stays on the move. Cheers go up: “Usyk, Usyk.’’ Usyk rewards the crowd with a right and Dubois is down! A left hook! Dubois makes it back to his feet. A right knocks down Dubois again! It’s over. The ref halts the fight. A fifth-round knockout victory for Usyk! 

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois crowd favorite

Usyk has received pre-fight cheers even through he’s Ukrainian and is fighting Britain’s Daniel Dubois.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois current odds

DraftKings: Usyk -300, Dubois +235

FanDuel: Usyk -430, Dubois +300

Lawrence Okolie def. Kevin Lerena by unanimous decision

Okolie, angling for a shot against the top heavyweights, turned in an unmemorable performance against Lerena in a 12-round bout.

The judges scored it 99-91, 100-90, 100-90 in favor of Okolie, the 32-year-old Brit. But he scored no knockdowns and never staggered Lerena, the 33-year-old from South Africa who was at a considerable size disadvantage.

Okolie improved to 22-1 while Lorena fell to 31-4.

Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua for real?

In an interview with DAZN, Paul said he’s at Wembley Stadium because it’s where he’ll fight British hero Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight champion.

“It’s not even about if it’s realistic or not,’’ Paul said of the prospective bout. “It’s going to happen. So fasten your seatbelts or whatever. And when I knock him out, I go down in the history books forever.’’

Paul did not provide a date for the matchup between Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) and Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs). But Paul did say, “We’re going to do the unthinkable and create one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing and that’s what this is all about, I’m here.’

Daniel Lapin def. Lewis Edmondson by majority decision

In a battle of unbeatens, Lapin survived Edmondson’s aggressive style in a 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Lapin, a 6-6 Ukrainian, towered over Edmondson, a 6-1 Brit. But the Brit often bulled his way inside and roughed up the Ukrainian.

In the eighth round, Edmondson pushed Lapin against the ropes and both times Lapin looked like he might flip over. But it was hard to determine if it was the result of Edmondson’s force or Lapin’s frustration. 

Regardless, Lapin, 28 responded well in the final two rounds and his late display likely propelled him past Edmondson, 29.

The judges scored it 95-95, 96-94, 96-94 in favor of Lapin.

Jake Paul gets chilly reception

Jaul Paul arrived at Wembley Stadium with his fiancée Jutta Leerdam and when he was shown on the video boards, there were boos from the crowd. Paul’s only loss as a pro boxer came against Britain’s Tommy Fury, the brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. 

Solomon Dacres def. Vladyslav Sirenko by unanimous decision

Dacres, coming off a demoralizing first-round TKO loss, outclassed previously undefeated Sirenko in a 10-round heavyweight bout.

Throughout the fight, Dacres tattooed Sirenko (22-1). With 19 knockouts in his first 22 fights, Sirenko kept trudging forward — ominously.

Dacres, the 31-year-old Brit, did a masterful job dodging most of Sirenko’s punches. But in the eighth round, Sirenko, the 30-year-old Ukrainian, landed a left that knocked out Dacres mouthpiece.

Dacres (10-1) responded by continuing to fire punches and finish the fight strong.

The judges scored it 99-91, 98-92, 99-92.

Usyk arrives with boxing companion

Usyk exited a vehicle outside Wembley Stadium with a stuffed animal — the Disney donkey Eeyore.

“It’s my daughter’s,’’ Usyk has explained. “She gave it to me to be my talisman. We bought it when we were all together in Disneyland Paris.

“When we left Ukraine together but our roads separated in Europe, my daughter gave this toy to me and said, ‘This needs to be right next to you.’ ‘

Aadam Hamed def. Ezequiel Gregores by decision

Hamed, the son of Hall of Fame boxer Naseem Hamed (a.k.a. Prince Naseem), improved to 6-0 with a convincing victory over Gregores in the four-round welterweight bout.

With his father watching, the 25-year-old Hamed looked solid two years into his pro boxing career. He made good use of both hands and looked good defensively.

Of course, you have to consider the competition. Gregores, a 31-year-old from Argentina, entered the bout with a record of 3-24.

That made it difficult to assess Hamed’s skill level, but it’s fair to say he has much more to prove in the ring to come close to resembling his father, who won multiple world titles as a featherweight.

Lasha Guruli def. James Francis by TKO

Guruli, an Olympic bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Games, dominated Francis in the super lightweight fight.

In only his second pro fight, Guruli (2-0) pulverized Francis (7-2) with an assortment of punches that included a punishing right uppercut and straight right.

He bloodied Francis’ nose in the second round and it continued to bleed throughout the fight. 

The 5-foot-10 Guruli, a 28-year-old from the country of Georgia, smothered the 5-foot-5½ Francis, a 24-year-old from Britain. Eventually, Francis looked focused only on evading punches rather than throwing any.

His corner called for the fight to be halted after four rounds and the referee did so two seconds into the fifth round.

How to watch Usyk vs Dubois 2

Oleksandr Usyk will face Daniel Dubois on Saturday, July 19, and the event will be streamed on DAZN Pay-Per-View. In the U.S., fans can purchase the event for $59.99.

Date: Saturday, July 19
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Usyk vs Dubois main event ring walks: 4:45 p.m. ET (estimated)
Stream: DAZN PPV

Watch Usyk vs Dubois with DAZN PPV

Usyk vs Dubois 2 fight card and odds

Fight card according to DAZN and odds according to BetMGM on Saturday:

Oleksandr Usyk (-300) vs. Daniel Dubois (+250): Undisputed heavyweight title
Lawrence Okolie (-250) vs. Kevin Lerena (+200): Heavyweights
Daniel Lapin (-450) vs. Lewis Edmondson (+350): Light heavyweights
Vladyslav Sirenko (-600) vs Solomon Dacres (+450): Junior welterweights
Aadam Hamed (-10000) vs. Ezequiel Gregores (+1400): Heavyweights (odds as of Thursday)
Lasha Guruli (-1200) vs. James Francis (+700): Junior welterweights

Usyk vs Dubois 2 predictions

USA Today: Usyk by TKO in 11th round

Josh Peter writes: ‘Almost two years have passed since Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois in their first bout by ninth-round KO. Dubois has incredible power and showed as much when knocking down Anthony Joshua four times on his way to a fifth-round TKO victory last year. Yet in the final seconds of that fight, Dubois left himself open and took a hard shot that could have swung the fight. Dubois won’t be able to make the same mistakes against Usyk, whose technical soundness and elusive defense are superior.’

Bleacher Report: Usyk by TKO, Round 10

Lyle Fitzsimmons writes: ‘If you believe a KO of Joshua—whom Usyk has twice dismantled—warrants such a spike in relevance, so be it. But unless the splendid Ukrainian champion turns into a punched-out 38-year-old overnight, it’s another tactical mismatch. Expect several one-sided, clinical rounds on the way, with many so-called experts lamenting that they should have seen it coming.’

CBS Sports: Usyk via decision

Brent Brookhouse writes: ‘I think it’s more likely the fight goes the full 12 rounds. Both fighters know how dangerous the other is, and though Usyk finished Dubois in the first fight, Dubois has a booming level of confidence coming off of his thrashing of Anthony Joshua. Usyk only has two stoppages at heavyweight (Dubois and Chazz Witherspoon) and I don’t see a repeat of the first fight here. Dubois is the better boxer and those skills should be enough for him to come out on top on the scorecards, though either man getting a stoppage is in play.’

BetMGM: Usyk to secure repeat win

Staff writes: ‘I predict that Usyk will secure a repeat win over Dubois via TKO/KO stoppage, as his fighting style fits well with Dubois. His complete package of power, speed, timing, footwork, and fight IQ is the reason why he’s currently at the top of the heavyweight division and is the key to this second meeting with Dubois. Dubois undoubtedly has the one-punch knockout power that can put any contender and champion in the heavyweight division to sleep. However, the major problem is whether he can land it cleanly against Usyk, as Usyk also has an impeccable defense.’

The 153rd Open Championship, the final major of the year, heads into the final round on Sunday with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the lead.

After a thrilling first and second round, Scheffler entered the weekend at the top of the leaderboard and increased his lead to four shots over second-place Haotang Li after an impressive performance in the third round. Hometown favorite Rory McIlroy made a strong move up the leaderboard, starting his third round at -3. He finished the day at -8, tying for fifth place.

Now, the remaining field is gearing up for a thrilling battle as they head into the final round on Sunday, all with the same goal in mind-claiming the prestigious Claret Jug. Here’s a look at the tee times and pairings for Sunday’s Round 4 at the 2025 Open Championship, as well as how to watch golf’s final major of the year:

Open Championship Round 3 pairings, tee times

All times Eastern

3:30 a.m.: Riki Kawamoto, Matti Schmid
3:40 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Dean Burmester
3:50 a.m.: Andrew Novak, Sebastian Soderberg
4 a.m.: Jacob Skov Olesen, Shane Lowry
4:10 a.m.: Viktor Hovland, Antonie Rozner
4:20 a.m.: Ryggs Johnston, Adrien Saddier
4:30 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Romain Langasque
4:40 a.m.: Matthew Jordan, Francesco Molinari
4:55 a.m.: Justin Leonard, Sergio Garcia
5:05 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Thomas Detry
5:15 a.m.: Jason Kokrak, Aaron Rai
5:25 a.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Daniel Berger
5:35 a.m.: Henrik Stenson, Maverick McNealy
5:45 a.m.: Jordan Smith, Takumi Kanaya
5:55 a.m.: Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns
6:10 a.m.: Jon Rahm, Akshay Bhatia
6:20 a.m.: Thriston Lawrence, Jesper Svensson
6:30 a.m.: Nathan Kimsey, Bryson DeChambeau
6:40 a.m.: Tony Finau, Hideki Matsuyama
6:50 a.m.: Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas
7 a.m.: John Parry, J.J. Spaun
7:10 a.m.: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Keegan Bradley
7:25 a.m.: Lucas Glover, Marc Leishman
7:35 a.m.: Dustin Johnson, Sungjae Im
7:45 a.m.: Lee Westwood, Corey Conners
7:55 a.m.: Justin Rose, Harry Hall
8:05 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Ludvig Aberg
8:15 a.m.: Matt Wallace, Oliver Lindell
8:25 a.m.: Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark
8:40 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Rasmus Hojgaard
8:50 a.m.: Russell Henley, Nicolai Hojgaard
9 a.m.: Tyrrell Hatton, Xander Schauffele
9:10 a.m.: Chris Gotterup, Harris English
9:20 a.m.: Haotong Li, Brian Harman
9:30 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Haotong Li

How to watch 2025 Open Championship: TV, streaming for British Open

Live coverage of this year’s Open Championship will be provided by NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock. Live streaming is also available via Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

All times Eastern

Sunday, July 20

Round 4
4-7 a.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app and Fubo
7 a.m.-2 p.m.: Watch on NBC, Peacock and Fubo
2-4 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Watch the Open Championship with Fubo

Scottie Scheffler’s exceptional performance in the third round has catapulted him into the lead as we head into Day 4 of the 153rd Open Championship.

The World No. 1 and tournament favorite shot a 4-under par 67 in the third round at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, maintaining his position at the top of the leaderboard. Scheffler sits at -14 entering the fourth round on Sunday, July 20, four strokes ahead of Haotong Li, who finished with a score of 10-under.

Rory McIlroy, the hometown favorite, began Day 3 tied for 12th at -3. In a thrilling turn of events, McIlroy dazzled on the course under perfect conditions, finishing his third round with an impressive score of 8-under-par, a move that has electrified the tournament and placed him in a tie for fifth place.

USA TODAY Sports had complete Round 4 coverage from Royal Portrush, including full leaderboard scores and highlights.

Open Championship leaderboard

1. Scottie Scheffler: -14 (F)
2. Haotong Li: -10 (F)
3. Matt Fitzpatrick: -9 (F)
T-4. Rory McIlroy: -8 (F)
T-4. Chris Gotterup: -8 (F)
T-4. Harris English: -8 (F)
T-4. Tyrell Hatton: -8 (F)
8. Xander Schauffele: -7 (F)
T-9: Russell Henley: -6 (F)
T-9: Nicolai Højgaard: -6 (F)
T9. Robert MacIntyre: -6 (F)
T-9. Rasmus Højgaard: -6 (F)

Haotong Li finishes 10-under

Haotong Li had an impressive round, finishing with a bogey at the 18th hole, which secured him second place on the leaderboard. Li will start his final round in the last group on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick sits at 10-under

Matt Fitzpatrick struggled on the 17th hole, facing a difficult chip over the bunker and missing his par putt. He is currently at 10-under as he approaches the 18th hole.

Scheffler takes a four-shot lead

Scottie Scheffler continues to impress with a strong tee shot to start the 16th hole. He then followed it up with a successful putt for birdie, extending his lead. Scheffler is now 4-under par as he heads to the 17th hole.

McIlroy finished 3rd round 8-under

Rory McIlroy finished his third round by nearly missing a 47.5-foot putt, but he finished the round with a score of 8-under, keeping him within striking distance as he heads into the final round on Sunday.

McIlroy’s stellar performance at the 16th

Rory McIlroy began the 16th hole with a challenging tee shot that landed in the rough. He followed that shot with a chip that placed the ball four feet from the hole, which he then made to keep him at 8-under-par, tied for fifth place.

Scheffler and Fitzpatrick par on the 10th

Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick continue to battle for the top of the leaderboard as they both make pars on the 10th hole. Scheffler currently leads Fitzpatrick by two shots as they head to the 11th hole.

Rory finds a hidden ball at the 11th

Rory McIlroy’s ball landed in an area that had seen a lot of fan congestion throughout the week. As he nailed his second shot, he was surprised to see another ball underneath his, resting at his feet.

Scheffler eagle at 7 puts him back in lead

Scottie Scheffler took the outright lead again on No. 7 with an eagle putt, while Fitzpatrick kept pace on the same hole with a birdie putt. Scheffler is now at 12-under, with a pair of par fours to close out his first nine holes. Rory McIlroy is five back after another long putt for eagle on the 532-yard par 5 12th.

Scheffler now 2 shots ahead after Fitzpatrick bogey

36-hole leader Scottie Scheffler’s third round has started, and his first hole played ended with a par, while Matt Fitzpatrick was slightly off during his par putt, falling back to 8-under, tied for second with Haotong Li. Brian Harman made a birdie putt on No. 2 to get back to 7-under after a double bogey on 1.

Rory McIlroy starts strong on moving day

McIlroy’s tee shot at No. 1 went awry and away from the fairway, but he made up for it on the second shot to get within a reasonable shot at birdie. His 36-foot birdie putt was true, and he repeated the feat on the second hole, getting the Masters champion 5-under for the tournament.

Conners and Parry have strong third rounds, move into top 10

Corey Conners of Canada had a good third round to creep toward the top of the leaderboard for a chance at a top ten finish. Conners jumped up 41 places since the start of the third round and sits a 4-under, six shots off the pace set by the second round leader Scottie Scheffler.

John Parry, who had a hole-in-one at the 192-yard No. 13, is also 5-under for the round to move into a tie for 10th place. Bryson DeChambeau has finished his third round and will enter Sunday’s play at 2-under after a 68 on Saturday.

The Open Championship 2025: TV, streaming and where to watch

Live coverage of this year’s Open Championship is being provided by NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock. Live streaming is also available via Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

Round 3 — Saturday, July 19

All times Eastern

5-7 a.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app and Fubo
7 a.m.-3 p.m.: Watch on NBC, Peacock and Fubo
3-5 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Watch The Open Championship on Fubo

Open Championship tee times today: British Open pairings

Here are the start times and pairings for the third round The Open Championship:

4:35 a.m.: Matti Schmid, Corey Conners
4:45 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Hideki Matsuyama
4:55 a.m.: Takumi Kanaya, Adrien Saddier
5:05 a.m.: Sebastian Soderberg, Henrik Stenson
5:15 a.m.: Thomas Detry, Jacob Skov Olesen
5:25 a.m.: Nathan Kimsey, Bryson DeChambeau
5:35 a.m.: Maverick McNealy, Thriston Lawrence
5:45 a.m.: Justin Leonard, John Parry
6:00 a.m.: Andrew Novak, Sergio Garcia
6:10 a.m.: Jesper Svensson, Francesco Molinari
6:20 a.m.: Riki Kawamoto, Wyndham Clark
6:30 a.m.: Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm
6:40 a.m.: JJ Spaun, Dustin Johnson
6:50 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Jhonattan Vegas
7:00 a.m.: Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth
7:15 a.m.: Russell Henley, Antoine Rozner
7:25 a.m.: Romain Langasque, Daniel Berger
7:35 a.m.: Sungjae Im, Dean Burmester
7:45 a.m.: Matt Wallace, Akshay Bhatia
7:55 a.m.: Jason Kokrak, Lucas Glover
8:05 a.m.: Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas
8:15 a.m.: Aaron Rai, Rickie Fowler
8:30 a.m.: Marc Leishman, Oliver Lindell
8:40 a.m.: Ryggs Johnston, Xander Schauffele
8:50 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Matthew Jordan
9:00 a.m.: Ludvig Åberg, Justin Rose
9:10 a.m.: Harry Hall, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
9:20 a.m.: Sam Burns, Lee Westwood
9:30 a.m.: Jordan Smith, Rory McIlroy
9:45 a.m.: Keegan Bradley, Nicolai Højgaard
9:55 a.m.: Tony Finau, Chris Gotterup
10:05 a.m.: Harris English, Robert MacIntyre
10:15 a.m.: Tyrrell Hatton, Rasmus Højgaard
10:25 a.m.: Haotong Li, Brian Harman
10:35 a.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler

2025 Open Championship odds

Odds to win British Open according to BetMGM, after conclusion of second round:

Scottie Scheffler -165
Matt Fitzpatrick +500
Brian Harman +1200
Haotong Li +2500
Rory McIlroy +2500
Tyrrell Hatton +2500
Robert MacIntyre +2800
Chris Gotterup +5000
Harris English +6000
Rasmus Hojgaard +6600
Xander Schauffele +10000
Ludvig Aberg +12500
Nicolai Hojgaard +12500
Tony Finau +12500
Justin Rose +15000
Sam Burns +15000

Open Championship weather forecast: Latest updates for Saturday

After rain fell overnight, the Weather Channel is calling for cloudy skies at Royal Portrush for most of Saturday’s third round. Players with early tee times will begin under cool conditions with temperatures just above 60 degrees before the afternoon gives way to highs in the upper 60s. There’s a slim chance showers could return in the late morning, but they should clear out relatively quickly.

British Open Championship 2025 location

The 153rd edition of the Open Championship is being played at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. This marks the third time Royal Portrush has hosted the tournament following 1951 and 2019.

Who missed Open Championship cut?

The cut line fluctuated between 1-over and 2-over par throughout Friday’s second round, but landed at 1-over heading into the weekend. Here are some notable golfers that missed the cut:

Joaquin Niemann: +2 (F)
Jason Day: +2 (F)
Zach Johnson: +3 (F)
Si Woo Kim: +3 (F)
Tom Kim: +3 (F)
Patrick Cantlay: +3 (F)
Stewart Cink: +4 (F)
Michael Kim: +4 (F)
Patrick Reed: +5 (F)
Min Woo Lee: +5 (F)
Darren Clarke: +6 (F)
Louis Oosthuizen: +6 (F)
Collin Morikawa: +7 (F)
Brooks Koepka: +7 (F)
Cameron Smith: +8 (F)
Adam Scott: +9 (F)
Padraig Harrington: +9 (F)

Open Championship winners by year: List of champions

Here are the most recent winners at the British Open. Read here for a complete list of winners.

2024: Xander Schauffele
2023: Brian Harman
2022: Cameron Smith
2021: Collin Morikawa
2019: Shane Lowry
2018: Francesco Molinari
2017: Jordan Spieth
2016: Henrik Stenson
2015: Zach Johnson
2014: Rory McIlroy
2013: Phil Mickelson
2012: Ernie Els
2011: Darren Clarke
2010: Louis Oosthuizen
2009: Stewart Cink
2008: Padraig Harrington
2007: Padraig Harrington
2006: Tiger Woods
2005: Tiger Woods
2004: Todd Hamilton
2003: Ben Ourtis
2002: Ernie Els
2001: David Duval
2000: Tiger Woods

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Rory McIlroy made a nice run on moving day to near the top of The Open Championship leaderboard.

After shooting 3 under through two rounds, McIlroy shot a 5-under 66 on Saturday, July 19 from Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland — tied for the second-lowest round of the round. His strong day helped propel him to a fourth-place tie with Harris English, Chris Gotterup and Tyrell Hatton, all at 8 under through three rounds.

McIlroy’s biggest moment of the day came when he eagled the Par 5 12th hole to bounce back from his lone bogey on Hole 11. He also finished with four birdies on the afternoon.

Despite the strong day, McIlroy is still sitting six strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler, the latter of whom is searching for his first win at the British Open.

Here’s a look at how McIlroy scored in the third round of The Open Championship:

Rory McIlroy score today

McIlroy shot a 5-under 66 in the third round of The Open Championship on Saturday, July 19. Following an opening-round score of 1-under 70 and 2-under 69 in round two. He is now tied for fourth at 8 under par through three days of competition.

First round score: 1-under 70
Second round score: 2-under 69
Third-round score: 5-under 66
Total score: 8 under par

Here’s how McIlroy fared on each hole on July 19, which included a whopping four birdies and an eagle.

Par for hole and round score in parentheses

Hole 1 (4): 3 (1 under)
Hole 2 (5): 4 (2 under)
Hole 3 (3): 3 (2 under)
Hole 4 (4): 3 (3 under)
Hole 5 (4): 4 (3 under)
Hole 6 (3): 3 (3 under)
Hole 7 (5): 5 (3 under)
Hole 8 (4): 4 (3 under)
Hole 9 (4): 4 (3 under)
Hole 10 (4): 4 (3 under)
Hole 11 (4): 5 (2 under)
Hole 12 (5): 3 (4 under)
Hole 13 (3): 3 (4 under)
Hole 14 (4): 4 (4 under)
Hole 15 (4): 3 (5 under)
Hole 16 (3): 3 (5 under)
Hole 17 (4): 4 (5 under)
Hole 18 (4): 4 (5 under)

INDIANAPOLIS — Some friendly advice for WNBA leaders as they negotiate with the players on a new contract:

Don’t make the same mistake U.S. Soccer did in 2019 by underestimating the players’ resolve. It will not go well for you, either in the negotiations or the court of public opinion.

The players and the WNBA had their first face-to-face meeting in months Thursday during All-Star weekend. To say it was lacking in substance is an understatement. “Wasted opportunity,” “disrespectful’ and ‘frustration’ were words used by players to describe it.

It did serve one purpose, however. With 40 players showing up — veterans and rookies, megastars and role players, the largest gathering outside the Wubble — it sent an unmistakable message to the league about their commitment.

“I hope it expedites the process so we’re not going back and forth where they’re trying to test us and see who flinches first. Because we’re not going to,” Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, a WNBPA vice president as well as this season’s favorite for MVP, said Friday.

“We are always going to stand firm. Hopefully they just realize that earlier, so that we’re not wasting time over things that we’re not moving on.”

The W, like U.S. Soccer, seems to think players should be grateful just to be playing. That the money the NBA and some of its owners pumped into the league entitles them to gouge the players in perpetuity.

Funny how this is never an issue with men’s teams, even the ones that are perennial money losers.

The W didn’t respond to the players Friday. But on Thursday night, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Associated Press the talks are “a process.”

“We’re both in listening mode,” Engelbert told the AP. “We’re going back and forth on issues. We know what’s important to players. We know what’s important to owners and striking the right balance.”

Does the W really, though? Because it’s been nine months since the players opted out of the existing contract and five months since the players sent the league ideas for salary increases and pay structure. To show up Thursday unprepared or unwilling to negotiate is not the move of a league that understands the urgency and gravity of the moment.

“It was pretty shocking to see,” New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, also a union vice president, said. “Not many things did we both agree on. I think there were two bullet points where we were like, `OK, we can move forward with this.’”

But this is what happens when women aren’t taken seriously.

When the U.S. women’s national team sued U.S. Soccer for equal pay in 2019, three months before the World Cup, the federation failed to appreciate how determined the players were. This despite the fact the players had taken the drastic step of suing their employer, and every single member of the team had signed onto the lawsuit.

The federation assumed, wrongly, that the women would eventually give in, preferring to get something rather than holding out for everything they deserved. They didn’t realize how knowledgeable the players and their advisers were about the economics.

U.S. Soccer’s biggest miscalculation, however, was not recognizing the public support for the players. When fans serenaded the USWNT with chants of “Equal pay! Equal pay!” after they won the World Cup in France, it was a resounding rebuke to U.S. Soccer and everyone else who short-changed women.

Sound familiar?

This is a time of explosive growth for the WNBA. A monster media rights deal that will pay the league $200 million a year, more than triple what it gets now, begins next year. Franchise valuations are soaring, with the expansion Golden State Valkyries recently valued at $500 million and five other teams worth $250 million or more, according to Sportico. Sponsors are clamoring for any piece of the action they can get.

None of this is a secret. Nor is it a secret that W players are woefully undercompensated. Player salaries top out at $250,000 and revenue “sharing” is around 10%, compared to the 50% that is typical of almost every professional men’s league.

The players, rightfully, want more. They know they deserve more. And, like the USWNT in 2019, they’re no longer willing to accept less.

“We’re not just players that run up and down the court and do amazing things. Some of us are business owners, some of us are foundation owners. So we know what it takes,” said Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, who, coincidentally, was wearing the latest version of her signature shoe released for the All-Star Game.

“When we see the revenue, when we see things flowing into our league, we want that. We are going to demand that because we see it and we see the growth,” Wilson said. “And when you see a business growing, obviously the people that are working for the business should have some say in that as well. So I think we know what we are talking about for sure.”

The public knows, too. Aside from the Neanderthals who parrot that misleading narrative of the W being propped up by the NBA, fans are going to be on the side of Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Wilson and Collier rather than rich owners and league officials.

So, too, will the sponsors. And when that happens, the league might regret its choices.

“We as players know what we’re worth. The fans know what we’re worth,” said Nneka Ogwumike, the longtime union president. “Now we need the league to know what we’re worth.’

The WNBA and its players will eventually come to an agreement. The league has a choice: Be seen as an equal partner that wanted to do right by the players or as an overlord that had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing the right thing.

It might want to ask U.S. Soccer which one is better.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has been in top form, sitting four strokes ahead of the pack with a 14-under score after three rounds. A win would be Scheffler’s second at a major this year, with the New Jersey native also coming out on top at the PGA Championship in May.

However, several players are ready to pounce if he loses his way in the final round. Haotong Li (10 under) and Matt Fitzpatrick (9 under) are within striking distance, while four players (including Rory McIlroy) are tied at 8 under. Defending champion Xander Schauffele is one stroke further back. Weather may play a factor at Royal Portrush, with chances of rain increasing throughout the day on Sunday.

Here’s what to expect weather-wise at the final round of the 153rd Open Championship, as well as how to watch the final major of the season:

2025 British Open: Weather at Royal Portrush

The Weather Channel expects cloudy, humid conditions at Royal Portrush as final-round play commences at the 2025 British Open. During the day, there is a 24% chance of precipitation, with a high temperature of 71 and a slight east-northeast breeze expected.

However, as the day wears on, the chances of rain increase, which may heighten the drama if the final few holes prove decisive.

How to watch British Open final round: Time, TV, streaming

The 153rd edition of the British Open concludes on Sunday, July 20, with Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland hosting the final round. USA Network will carry early coverage of play Sunday, while NBC picks up the bulk of the broadcast as the final major of the 2025 men’s golf season concludes. Once the scores have been tallied, the Golf Channel will have post-tournament analysis.

Additionally, Peacock will offer streams of specific pairings beginning at 4:30 a.m. ET. Fans looking to stream coverage can also check out Fubo, who are offering a free trial for new subscribers.

Dates: Sunday, July 20
Time: First tee scheduled for 3:30 a.m. ET
Where: Royal Portrush Golf Club (County Antrim, Northern Ireland)
TV: USA Network (4-7 a.m. ET), NBC (7 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET), Golf Channel (2-4 p.m. ET)
Stream: Peacock, Fubo

Watch the final round of the 2025 British Open on Fubo (free trial)

There’s a particular play from 2024 that highlights Justin Fields’ improvement as a quarterback.

In Week 3, Fields threaded the needle and completed a pass to wide receiver Calvin Austin on a dig route. Austin retrieved the football and raced down the field for a 55-yard touchdown. It was the decisive play that propelled the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The victory improved Pittsburgh to 3-0 in the season. Fields would only start three more games for the Steelers, but the Week 3 tight-window throw validated Fields’ improvement as a quarterback.

Fields is now on his third team in as many seasons, but the Jets handed him a two-year, $40 million contract and assurance that he’s their guy.

‘He has this quiet confidence about himself. He leads by the way that he wants to lead. His influence with the guys out there, I think you guys can see it. He can galvanize a group of men. Obviously, he’s a talented player and I’m happy that I have him as my quarterback, I really am, because I think the sky’s the limit for this player, I really do,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters of Fields this offseason. “I’m not going to go out there and say that he’s the next Joe Namath or anything like that, but I will tell you what, he’s going to be a good player for us, and I’m excited with what he’s going to do for us this season.’

The first-year head coach and new general manager Darren Mougey chose Fields. The vote of confidence should have a positive effect on Fields after he was traded away from Chicago and demoted in Pittsburgh. Fields, already a dynamic runner, is coming off arguably his most impressive season passing the football, albeit in a small sample size. He produced career-bests in completion percentage (65.8) and passer rating (93.3) in 10 games, which included six starts with the Steelers. He was 4-2 as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback before he was benched in favor of Russell Wilson.

Fields is now the undisputed starter in New York.  

‘He is just a talented individual on all facets,’ Jets offense coordinator Tanner Engstrand said of Fields, per the team’s official website. ‘He’s obviously a physically talented player. Everybody talks about the running, well, the guy’s got an arm, too, and he does a great job with that. And mentally, he’s phenomenal. He’s been absolutely phenomenal so far, and we expect more out of that, and it’s just a lot of things that you can do with that type of player that is going to put stress on a defense and make that defensive coordinator stay up late at night as we get going into this thing.’

The Jets are banking on an upward trajectory for the 26-year-old QB. New York invested in their offensive line with three total first-round picks slated to start, they have a solid running game that features Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, and an already established rapport between Fields and $130 million wide receiver Garrett Wilson from their two years together at Ohio State.

“He’s been my guy for a long time now,” Fields said of Wilson. “I really feel like we haven’t skipped a beat out on the practice field. It’s been great.”

In addition, the Jets have had a top five defense for three straight seasons that stars the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

The Jets own the dubious title of the team with the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. But if Fields builds on his performance from a year ago, the Jets could be a moving toward breaking their playoff dry spell.  

“I think the sky is the limit for this team (and) for this offense, but we do have a long way to go,” Fields said this offseason. “We have all the guys we need. We have all the talent. It’s really just gonna come down to discipline and execution when the games come.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

On the heels of being named a WNBA All-Star, Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers confirmed she is officially off the market after discussing her girlfriend in a recent interview.

During an interview with WAG Talk, a popular social media brand highlighting ‘wives and girlfriends’ of professional athletes, Bueckers was asked a series of questions about her ‘D1 girlfriend.’ At the end of the line of questioning, she identified her partner as her former UConn Huskies teammate Azzi Fudd.

Bueckers and Fudd played together at UConn for four seasons, with the two winning an NCAA Championship this year.

The questions asked by WAG Talk ranged from Fudd’s basketball career to the text on the UConn guard’s phone case, which Bueckers affectionately said reads: ‘Paige Bueckers’ girlfriend’.

A trio of rookies, consisting of Bueckers and Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen, are slated to play in the WNBA All-Star game on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Indiana Fever’s arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, in Indianapolis.

‘We were worried for a second there’

Underneath the WAG Talk interview, TikTok users flooded the comment section, with one of them calling Bueckers’ announcement a ‘hard launch.’

‘ok this is like THE REALL hard launch,’ the user commented.

NaLyssa Smith, a forward for the Las Vegas Aces, commented underneath the interview: ‘awwwwww my baby’s all grown up.’

Gatorade, which named Fudd its 2018-19 National Player of the Year, also chimed in on the fun in the comment section, writing, ‘We were worried for a second there,’ seemingly joking about how long it took Bueckers to answer some of the questions in the video.

Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.