Golf, Glory, and Going Yard š¤
You votedā¦ we listened.
Birdies? ā Draft picks? ā
Plus a Home Run Derby to top it off.
Here are three things you need to know!
1ļøā£ The Most Fun Golf Tournament Ever š¤
What if you threw a golf tournamentā¦ and invited the coolest people from every sport to play in it?
Not just golf pros, but quarterbacks and catchers, basketball stars and hockey heroes.
Thatās the American Century Championship (ACC). And this weekend, it once again delivered sunshine, silliness, and a strong finish.
Hereās what happenedā¦ and why itās one of the most fun events in all of sports.
š The Tournament That Feels Like a Dude Perfect Video
The ACC isnāt like a regular golf tournament.
Every July in Lake Tahoe, famous athletes and entertainers tee it up on one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
But itās not just the guest list that makes the ACC differentā¦ itās the vibe.
Players earn points using a special scoring system, where risky shots can lead to big rewards.
You get 3 points for a birdie, 1 point for a par, and 0 for a bogey. Go big and score an eagle? Thatās 6 points. But blow up a hole with a double bogey or worse? Minus 2.
Not sure what a birdie or bogey is? Hereās a quick guide: click here and scroll down to number two! āļø
That system encourages bold plays, wild comebacks, and keeps everyone competitive. And because everyoneās a celebrity, fans cheer like itās the Super Bowlā¦ even when someone hits it in the water.
š„ Third Timeās the Charm
This yearās champion was Joe Pavelski, a recently retired hockey star who played 18 NHL seasons.
Pavelski had come close beforeā¦ really close. In 2023, he finished third. In 2024, second. But in 2025? He was nearly perfect. And on the 18th hole Sunday, he drained a long eagle putt to seal the win.
š„ It was clutch.
Wait, did he just say Steph had an eagle putt to win two years ago?!
Yes, he sure did.
šÆ Steph Shows Off
Steph Curry didnāt play the tournament last year because he was busy representing Team USA at the Paris Olympics.
But in 2023? He won it all.
š„ He even made an epic hole-in-one.
He finished fifth in his return this year.
š„ And he looked like he was having a blast the whole way. (Video courtesy Reddit.)
š„ More Stars Shine
Here are a few other stars that made big splashes in Tahoe this year.
Charles Barkley š
The Hall of Fame basketball player is known for having one of the strangest golf swings ever. But this year? He played the best round of his life, including scoring an eagle with a shot from the fairway.
Tony Romo š
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback is a serious golfer. Heās won the ACC three times before. In 2025, he finished in 8th place with 54 points.
Right in the mix once again.
Jimmy Rollins ā¾
Why is the former baseball MVP sitting in a boat? Great question!
He hit a hole-in-one on Saturday and won a brand new boat. Yes, you read that right.
š„ A boat. For this one perfect swing.
š Whatās Next?
If the ACC is golfās ultimate hangout, this week brings one of golfās most legendary tournaments: The Open Championship.
Itās the final menās major of the season. Itās serious. Itās historic.
And this year it takes place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, where wind, rain, and pressure test the best players in the world.
The Open starts this Thursday. And while you wonāt see Steph in this one, you will see names like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and maybe even a few surprise contenders trying to win the sportās oldest trophy: the Claret Jug.
Two days until the action starts!
2ļøā£ The Picks That Could Be Legends š
All-Star Games are about celebrating todayās biggest stars, but drafts are all about looking to the future.
Over the last two nights, the 30 MLB teams made their selections in this yearās draft.
Itās like planting baseball seedsā¦ you have to wait and see who grows into a star!
But that doesnāt make draft day any less exciting. Because every so often, a pick from a night like this becomes a future All-Star. Or MVP. Or legend.
š What Makes the MLB Draft Different
Unlike the NFL and NBA, where rookies often jump straight into the spotlight, baseball prospects usually spend years working through the minor leagues before their name is ever called at a big-league stadium.
š§ Think of the minor leagues as baseballās training ground, with levels like Rookie ball, Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Itās kind of like school: Kindergarten, then first grade, and so on.
Why? Because baseball development takes time. Hitters have to shift from metal to wooden bats. Pitchers have to prepare to face the best hitters in the world. And everyone has to build stamina for MLBās long, 162-game season.
There are also weird rules about how much teams are allowed to pay players.
What does that mean? The best player right now doesnāt always get picked first.
š The Top Five in 2025
Still, the top of this yearās draft was loaded with talentā¦ and some surprises too.
With the #1 pick, the Washington Nationals drafted Eli Willits, a shortstop from Oklahoma who just graduated from high school.
It was a bold, buzzy pick. Heās just 17 years old, the youngest top pick since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987. (Remember that name in a few minutes!) Willits can hit both right- and left-handed (we call that a switch hitter).
The Nats are betting big on development. It might take years, but if it worksā¦ wow.
At #2, the Los Angeles Angels selected right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremner. Heās one of the best college pitchers in the draft with a great fastball and a nasty changeup.
Heās a player who could rise quickly through the minors.
Picking third, the Seattle Mariners chose left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson. He helped the LSU Tigers dominate college baseball and win a championship this spring.
His record this season? 12 wins and just 1 loss.
With the #4 pick, the Colorado Rockies drafted Ethan Holliday. Guess what? Heās another high school shortstop from Oklahoma!
Scouts love his smooth swing and all-around talent. And baseballās in his blood.
Ethanās dad is longtime MLB star Matt Holliday, who also played for the Rockies. And his brother Jackson currently plays for the Orioles.
Rounding out the top five, the St. Louis Cardinals drafted left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle. Another star college pitcher! This time from Tennessee. He brings serious heat and could become a future star if everything clicks.
š From Draft Night to All-Star Bright
Will any of these names become All-Stars someday? Maybe.
And while we wait to see who shines years from now, weāve got the All-Star Game tonight, filled with the players already living the dream.
Game time. Letās watch the best in the world do their thing.
3ļøā£ Swing Big or Go Home š„
Before the All-Star Game takes center stage tonight, we got treated to the ultimate appetizer last night:
The Home Run Derby.
And yes, itās exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of the best sluggers in baseball taking turns launching baseballs into orbit.
š§Ø How It Works
The Derby is part power show, part time trial. Hereās how it goes down:
8 players start the competition.
In the first round, each player gets 3 minutes (or 40 pitches, whichever comes first) to hit as many home runs as they can.
Then comes the bonus period: each player swings until they record 3 outs (an out = any swing that isnāt a home run).
For each home run that goes at least 425 feet, you get an extra out in the bonus.
The 4 players with the most homers move on to the semifinals.
Got all that? Thatās just the first round. So, whatās next in the semis and final?
Itās a head-to-head competition.
The player with the most Round 1 homers faces the player with the fourth most, and #2 faces #3.
Things speed upā¦ you get 2 minutes or 27 pitches.
The two semi winners advance to the final.
If thereās a tie? Swing-offs! Three swings each until someone wins.
Whew! Since you made it through all that, you deserve toā¦
š„ Watch Last Nightās Highlights!
You just saw Cal Raleigh make history, becoming the first catcher ever to win the Home Run Derby.
He hit a total of 54 home runs, including 19 in the semifinals, before beating Rays third baseman Junior Caminero in the final, 18ā15.
It was a fitting performance for the Mariners slugger, who came into the event leading baseball in homers this season.
š£ The Greatest Derby Ever
How do those numbers compare to the best Derby performances ever?
Most Home Runs in a Single Derby: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
91 home runs in 2019! His arms were probably sore for a week!
Most Home Runs in a Single Round: Julio RodrĆguez
41 home runs in Round 1 in 2022. He did it at Dodger Stadium in front of a stunned crowd.
Most Derby Wins by a Player: Ken Griffey, Jr.
He was one of the best hitters from the 1990s. He's still the only player to win it three times. And he did it with style. Smooth swing. Backwards hat. And moonshot after moonshot.
š¤ Step up to the plate! If you entered the Home Run Derby, what would your walk-up song be? Let us know in the comments!
Golf magic, draft day hopes, and home run history.
Now? All-Star Game time. First pitch coming soon. ā¾š
See you tomorrow, Smallballers!
Wrecked! Jake!