LAS VEGAS (AP) — Reigning Player of the Year and world No. 1 Nelly Korda is back in the Las Vegas area this week to defend her T-Mobile Match Play title.
The LPGA Tour event is Las Vegas' star professional golf attraction of the year, especially since the PGA Tour won't host a tournament in the city for the first time in more than four decades.
Dropping Las Vegas from the schedule — which occurred after Shriners Children's Hospital ended its 18-year sponsorship in October — was a big blow to a city known as a golf destination for hackers and scratch players alike.
But it might not be a permanent setback.
The PGA Tour, in fact, hopes to return to the city with an early year event that attracts the sport's top names. When that happens is unknown, and it won't occur until at least 2027.
“Vegas is a market for big events,” said John Norris, senior vice president of PGA Tour tournaments. “They don’t do anything small. You got the major sports leagues there now. You’ve got the entertainers, world-class building in the Sphere. So what we thought was we want to be back in Vegas, but we want to do it with a big event.”
What that entails is uncertain.
Patrick Lindsey, the former Shriners Children's Open executive director who last month became senior vice president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said some kind of all-star event would be one idea.
Like Norris, Lindsey said he expects the PGA Tour to do all it can to return to Las Vegas.
“I think that all options are going to be on the table for them when they look at what they want to do in this market,” Lindsey said. “This is kind of a niche market for us to do something fun and exciting and different. I think that's how they need to look at this market, to take advantage of everything that is loud and colorful about Las Vegas.”
The calendar is a major impediment, however, and a top reason the PGA Tour is taking its time.
Shriners was played in the fall after the weather cooled in Las Vegas, but the major tournaments had been played by then and the NFL and college football seasons were in full swing. The tournament caught a break when the tour changed the schedule in 2013 to begin the season with the fall events, but the arrival of LIV Golf prompted the PGA Tour to overhaul the schedule two years ago. That included a return to starting the season in January.
Lindsey said top players routinely passed on fall events because they didn't want to take away opportunities from those who needed the points for their tour card. Shriners was then left with less-than-desirable fields, and the charitable organization also began to pivot to sponsoring more college events.
That meant a reset for Las Vegas and the PGA Tour, and Norris said there is no appetite to play in the fall again. Playing in the summer when temperatures often top 110 degrees and even higher also is no option.
So that means trying to play earlier in the season, but there are plenty of tournaments that aren't coming off schedule, such as the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
“That's the tricky part,” Norris said.
The LPGA Tour is in Las Vegas for the fifth year with the Match Play, playing at the exclusive and remote Shadow Creek Golf Course that isn't built for spectators because of its narrow walking paths. But Shadow Creek, with its lush green fairways, is a world-class course that draws players and celebrities from around the world.
“I feel like just the drive in is so unique and so beautiful,” Korda said Tuesday morning. “The property is really, really pretty. When you just stand on what was originally 18 tee — we’re playing it as 9 this week — it’s really breathtaking. It’s very demanding off the tee into the greens and even on the greens, so you have to be on 24/7. It tests every part of your game.”
The LPGA Tour didn't make anyone available for a comment on its future with Las Vegas, but released a statement that said its sponsors were “all great advocates for the LPGA Tour.”
Korda hopes to repeat her tournament victory when the Match Play begins Wednesday, and the current face of women's golf likely would bring more attention to the event if she wins.
The PGA Tour has had its bright moments in Las Vegas, none greater than in 1996 when a 20-year-old Tiger Woods won his first professional tournament. The city was at the center of the golf world on that Sunday. Woods' victory even took attention away from the NFL games being played that day.
Maybe the PGA Tour will eventually be back with more such moments.
“I just believe that this city, the market, people who live here deserve a professional golf event here,” Lindsey said. “They deserve to be something maybe different than what’s going on in other markets.”
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
FILE - Nelly Korda hits out of a bunker at the fourth green during the final round of the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play golf tournament Sunday, April 7, 2024, in North Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
FILE - Nelly Korda poses with the trophy after winning the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play golf tournament Sunday, April 7, 2024, in North Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Sirianni understood the risks associated with his decision to rest Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and most of the Eagles' key starters with the No. 2 seed in the NFC at stake.
His backup plan backfired in the moment, and the Super Bowl champions will start their postseason defense of the title as the 3 seed.
With Hurts and Barkley on the bench and the Eagles' second-stringers failing to meet the moment, the Washington Commanders got fourth-quarter passing and rushing touchdowns from Josh Johnson and beat Philadelphia 24-17 on Sunday.
“I knew this was an outcome, that these things could happen,” said Sirianni, who has coached the Eagles to two of the last three Super Bowls. “One thing I could guarantee was giving them rest. I couldn't guarantee them anything else. Being healthy and going into the playoffs healthy is a big deal for us.”
The NFC East champion Eagles (11-6) will open the playoffs at home next weekend against San Francisco.
The final outcome of Sirianni's call won't be determined until the Eagles' postseason run is over. Perhaps a physical and mental break — essentially a bye week for the core starters — was what the Eagles needed to gear up for a Super Bowl run.
“I know there will be debate on that,” Sirianni said.
Good call.
The Eagles needed help to earn the No. 2 seed. They had to beat the Commanders and Detroit needed to win at Chicago. Sure enough, the Lions beat the Bears 19-16 to add another gut punch to the Eagles' loss.
With Jayden Daniels shut down and Marcus Mariota dealing with a leg injury, the Commanders (5-12) started Johnson, their 39-year-old third-stringer. Johnson rallied the Commanders from a 17-10 hole with a 2-yard touchdown pass to John Bates and then scored on a 1-yard run with 2:32 left.
With Hurts, Barkley, wide receiver A.J. Brown and tight end Dallas Goedert sitting out, Philadelphia couldn't rally late.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement in midseason to chase another Super Bowl, defended Sirianni's decision.
“It's valuable because you get an extra week to get your body together, especially if you've been dealing with some stuff,” Graham said. “Now it don't matter. We've got to try and go win every game. First one at home, take care of business and on to the next.”
The Eagles had to watch and root — for the Lions, too — like everyone else.
Eagles fans cheered when each Detroit score against Chicago was shown on the videoboard. Sirianni said during the week he also would be scoreboard-watching, though he kept the cheering to his team’s own plays, such as Tanner McKee’s 15-yard TD pass to Grant Calcaterra for a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Commanders, also playing backups in a forgettable season a year after they faced the Eagles in the NFC championship game, refused to roll over and twisted the stomachs of Eagles fans into knots — and got them ready to light up talk radio this week.
“I didn't really think too much about the negatives of it,” Sirianni said.
McKee had been impressive in limited action as Hurts’ backup over the last two seasons but did little to improve his stock in the finale.
He was 21 of 40 for 241 yards with an interception and was sacked on the final drive to end the Eagles' shot at the 2 seed and the possibility of two home playoff games that would come with it.
Jake Moody sent Washington into halftime with a 10-7 lead on a 56-yard field goal.
The Eagles pounced on a fumble in the third quarter and Tank Bigbsy, the sure-handed backup to Barkley, scored for a 14-10 lead. Jake Elliott kicked a 39-yarder for a 17-10 lead.
The Eagles' chances were upended when Kelee Ringo — yes, a backup — was flagged for pass interference to set up Johnson's go-ahead rushing TD.
“I know to the rest of the world, this might not mean nothing,” Johnson said.
In Philly, the game sure meant something — and the hand-wringing will only continue.
Smith was one of the Eagles regulars who earned snaps, and he topped 1,000 yards receiving for the third time in his career.
Smith entered the game 44 yards shy and exceeded 1,000 yards before the end of the first quarter. He had three catches for 52 yards — including a 27-yarder on his final reception that gave him a team-high 1,008 yards.
Smith was immediately pulled from the game.
“We were safe with him as far as what kind of routes we were running and what he was doing,” Sirianni said.
Brown didn't need to play because he already had 1,003 yards.
Eagles: Calcaterra left with an ankle/knee injury. Offensive lineman Brandon Toth was evaluated for a concussion.
The Commanders are set to have a top-10 pick in the NFL draft.
The Eagles could play two road games — including a divisional-round game at Chicago — if they want to return to the Super Bowl. The Eagles were 3 1/2-point favorites to beat the 49ers, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Philadelphia Eagles place kicker Jake Elliott (4) celebrates with teammates after scoring a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson (14) is brought down by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell (30) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Washington Commanders tight end John Bates (87) celebrates scoring a touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Washington Commanders tight end John Bates (87) scores a touchdown in front of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell (30) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) looks to pass while under pressure from Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (94) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
