INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — U.S. forward Christian Pulisic trained on his own during practice Monday while he rehabilitates a calf injury that limited him to one half of action in the Americans' opening World Cup victory last week.
Pulisic participated in individual work and then went to the gym while his teammates practiced at their training base in Irvine, California. The AC Milan attacker got kicked in the calf during training last week, and he left the Americans' 4-1 victory over Paraguay at halftime for precautionary reasons.
Pulisic was outstanding in the first match of his second World Cup, tormenting Paraguay's defense with repeated runs down the left side at SoFi Stadium. He recorded an assist on a goal by Folarin Balogun, and his playmaking was directly responsible for an own-goal scored by Paraguay while the Americans went ahead 3-0 in their highest-scoring performance in World Cup history.
The U.S. gave no update on Pulisic's condition Monday, but he said after the game that he didn't think it was serious.
“I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Pulisic said at the time. “I’m hoping I’ll be fine the next few days. Just the back of my leg, sort of my calf area. I’m staying positive. I don’t think it’s anything.”
Pulisic and coach Mauricio Pochettino didn't speak to reporters Monday, but teammate Tyler Adams was not concerned.
“Christian will be ready, everyone,” Adams told reporters. “Let’s relax.”
The U.S. continues group play in its home World Cup in Seattle on Friday against Australia, which also won its opening match. The Americans return to Inglewood on June 25 to face Turkey.
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
United States' Christian Pulisic, right, celebrates with teammates after an own goal by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — When Rory McIlroy knocked in a 66-footer during a run of three straight birdies Saturday, he looked set for a big move at the U.S. Open.
The magic was quickly gone. And once his miserable back nine was over, McIlroy was, too.
The Masters champion made five bogeys and shot 40 on the back, finishing with a 3-over 73 that severely damaged, if not entirely ended, his chances of winning.
It was a stunning collapse after his birdies on Nos. 5-7 — the first time he made three in a row in a U.S. Open since the first round of his victory in 2011 — sparked him to a front-side 33 that had him in the top 10 at one point.
McIlroy quickly left Shinnecock Hills after his round, declining interview requests and making his way through a crowd of fans to his car.
He felt he was still in the tournament even after making three straight bogeys in his second round Friday, believing he could make a move if he avoided those kinds of errors.
“Just try to limit the mistakes a little bit over the weekend, and feel like I’m playing well enough to pick off a few birdies here and there,” he said.
There were way too many mistakes and way too few birdies Saturday.
McIlroy opened the tournament with a 69 but in the two rounds since has struggled badly to figure out Shinnecock's second nine, and the mess Saturday started from a perfect position.
He was in the 10th fairway, just 49 yards from the hole, when his second shot bounced on the green but rolled well off it. It was the second straight day he botched 10 from within 100 yards in the fairway.
McIlroy added another bogey at 12. He had bogeyed Nos. 10-12 on Friday, but was able to get that round back on track with birdies on the next two holes.
Not Saturday. He bogeyed 14 and 15, then added a final one on No. 18.
That left him a 3 over for the tournament, 10 shots behind Wyndham Clark.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the fairway on the 12th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the third hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the 16th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
