One piece of merchandise at Augusta National became too popular for its own good.

Canada Soccer is projecting a $6.55 million surplus in 2026, marking a turnaround after years of deficits as itprepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup.

Carlton are staring down the bleak reality of just one win in their opening four games, but Gerard Whateley has implored the Blues to avoid marching coach Michael Voss to the gallows in April.

A story published in Page Six on Tuesday night revealed images of Patriots head coach Vrabel and Russini 'holding hands and hugging' at a luxury hotel in Arizona.

The Diamond League track meet in Qatar has been postponed from next month to June, should conditions allow, amid ongoing uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East.The Doha event had been set to open the season for track's elite series on May 8, as it typically has in recent years, but the postponement means Shanghai's meet on May 16 starts the series instead.In recent weeks, the Diamond League has been monitoring the situation in Doha, working in close coordination with meeting organizers, Qatari authorities and other stakeholders, the Diamond League said in a statement on Wednesday, hours after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel.In the interests of athlete and spectator safety, a decision has now been taken to postpone the meeting. Should conditions allow, it will now be held on June 19.The change of date also means a change of venue. Temperatures in Qatar in June are typically higher, so the event moves to the Khalifa International Stadium, which is fitted with large cooling systems around the arena that were used when it hosted the 2019 world track and field championships.Qatar has become a key host nation for global sports events in recent years and has had to postpone or cancel high-profile competitions since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran in February. The Finalissima soccer game between Argentina and Spain, which was due to be played in Qatar, was canceled last month and Qatar's motorcycle Grand Prix was rescheduled to November. Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off. ___AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Azaleas and dogwoods are as synonymous with the Masters as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, which is a little unfair not to the other 55 Masters champions, but to the other 350 species of flora that make Augusta National a golf course unlike any other.The par-3 16th is famous for Woods hitting that pitch that made a U-turn at the top of the slope, hung on the edge of the cup and dropped during his 2005 victory. No eyes were on the beautiful Redbud shrub with its vibrant pink blooms.The par-3 12th hole is associated with its name on the scorecard, Golden Bell, a yellow bloom native to Asia. Ask just about any player at the Masters if they've ever seen a Golden Bell and it's doubtful. It blooms in late winter. The Masters is golf's rite of spring.Ive played the 12th enough. Im sure Ive seen one somewhere, Rory McIlroy said.Pebble Beach is the felicitous meeting of land and sea. Augusta National is the greatest garden in golf, because that's what it was before Bobby Jones went looking for land to build his golf course and found the 365-acre Fruitland Nurseries.Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it, Jones said when he first laid eyes on the property.He took out an option for $70,000.Augusta National doesn't speak in numbers from the size of the gallery to how fast the greens are running on the Stimpmeter but the course is believe to have some 80,000 flowering plants and trees on its immaculate landscape.The flora is such an integral part of Augusta National that each hole is named for a tree or a shrub that can be found on that hole.I know azalea is one of them, Dustin Johnson said.Good guess. It took him a few seconds to associate Azalea with the iconic par-5 13th, which has approximately 1,600 azalea bushes, many of them surrounding the back of the green.Remarkably, Johnson knew the seventh hole was named, Pampas, a grass bush native to Argentina that grows about 12 feet high and blooms in late summer. The hole used to be 340 yards with no bunkers. Now it's 450 yards, straight and narrow and tough.Perfect name, Johnson said, because it is an ass of a hole.Johnson also knew there was a dogwood or two on the scorecard without knowing exactly where (Pink Dogwood for No. 2, White Dogwood for No. 11). And there's no shame in that.Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler the No. 1 player in the world, and with a degree from Texas in finance, not horticulture paused under the live oak next to the clubhouse when asked how many plants he could name associated with each hole.Magnolia for 5? he asked. He hit one of his purest shots on the fifth hole when he won in 2022. He didn't have to venture into the magnolia trees behind the tree.He also named Azalea and Golden Bell I got more than I thought, he said but whiffed on Holly, the red-berry bushes found on both sides of the 18th tee.McIlroy, the defending champion, has a greater appreciation of history and heritage than most golfers. He didn't think he could get the names on all 18 holes before rattling off Firethorn (15), Azalea, Golden Bell, Pink Dogwood ... and then he stumbled.White Dogwood, 10? he said.No. The 10th hole is Camelia, another one that typically blooms well before the Masters.The beauty of Augusta National cannot be overstated, and its history of flora is rich. Fruitland Nurseries dates to 1858, a partnership between a Belgian baron named Louis Berckmans and his son, Prosper. They imported trees and plants from all over the world. The nursery ceased operations in 1918 after they died. What remained were a long row of magnolias that had been planted before the Civil War, and the azalea bush that Prosper Berckmans popularized.A word about the famous azaleas at Augusta National.No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters. There have been the occasional green Masters without many blooms, and that almost was the case this year. The blooms are fading but still colorful.The staff will get to work two days after the Masters is over, fertilizing and pruning. And it takes great care the azalea bushes are pruned by hand, a project that can take three months.There is one palm tree at Augusta National, just to the right of the green on the par-3 fourth. The name of the hole later was changed from Palm to Flowering Crabapple with its red, pink and white blooms (they usually pop right after the Masters).That tripped up Chris Gotterup, one of the 22 newcomers to the Masters this year.Is every hole named after a flower?" Gotterup said Monday. Because we were playing 4 today. Is palm a flower?It all weaves together in a magnificent landscape, a deceptive beauty as the backdrop to intense pressure trying to win one of golf's grandest prizes. Jones might have summed it up best."Never was the iron gauntlet of challenge more skillfully concealed in velvet.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Emma Louise Jones has landed an exciting new role as the face of the Speedway Grand Prix series on TNT Sports.The popular Leeds United supporter unveiled her latest career move at the SGP media day in Lodz, Poland, earlier today.Jones will make her presenting debut when the World Cup semi-final takes place in Landshut, Germany on May 1, where Great Britain will take on the host nation on their home shale.It's a thrilling step into motorsport for the TV personality, who will bring her trademark warmth and enthusiasm to the high-octane racing series.The speedway bikes are genuinely remarkable machines, capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in just one second even faster than a Formula One car.Jones has already set her sights on getting behind the handlebars of one of these incredible brakeless machines."I said I would like to have a go, that would be brilliant," she revealed.However, her enthusiasm was briefly tempered when fellow riders began sharing their injury stories."But then everyone started reeling off about the injuries that they had sustained from racing. I was like 'OK might swerve it'!" she admitted.Still, the adventurous presenter hasn't been put off entirely."But genuinely I would actually like to have a go. Seeing the track at the media day, I don't shy away from having a go," Jones added.Her willingness to embrace the challenge speaks volumes about her approach to this fresh opportunity in motorsport broadcasting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @speedwaygpThe news has brought particular joy to Jones's father, who grew up watching speedway as a youngster."I think this is the most proud my dad has been of me. He was like 'Emma I used to go and watch that as a kid, I love it'," she shared.Discussing the sport with her dad has stirred up fond memories from his youth, making the new role even more special for the family.The pair have already been getting into the speedway spirit together, attending an event at Belle Vue Manchester's National Speedway Stadium. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emma Jones (@eljonesuk)Her father has been helping prepare her for the role, giving her what she describes as a "semi-briefing" on the sport's rich history.Jones is keenly aware she's stepping into a role previously held by some brilliant female broadcasters, including Suzi Perry, Natalie Quirk, Charlie Webster, Sophie Blake and Abi Stephens."I'm fully aware of the big shoes I have to fill. All of those women I've looked up to and I've admired their careers and who they are as people," she said."It feels very exciting that I'm being given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. But I'm aware that the bar has been set so high by them."The presenter is also planning to bring some Leeds United stars along for the ride, hoping to invite Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Daniel James to the British Grand Prix in Manchester this June."I don't think they'll get on the bikes, I don't think they'll be giving it a go in case they get injured. But I'll certainly ask them if they fancy checking it out," she laughed.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

The requirement to obtain permission had gone largely unnoticed until a German newspaper reported on it.

Bei Paris Saint-Germain gab es nach holprigem Saisonstart zuletzt wieder Zeichen alter Strke. Der Titelverteidiger ist im Viertelfinale der Champions League gegen Liverpool der klare Favorit. [mehr]

COLUMBIA, S.C . - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (4-0) bested the Columbia Fireflies (1-3) 5-1 for a series opening win at Segra Park on Tuesday night.... - CarL Myrtle Beach Pelicans